Chapter 50: Sebastian POV

The Undertaker wasn't much of an assistance, for ways how to keep Danny in England, and generally agreed that, perhaps, it was best if we were separate for a time. Danny was quiet as we drove to the coast to book a passage to New York. Southampton was a bustling harbor town; I had come here to pick up another American a long time ago. Danny shifted beside me and watched as the landscape slipped past us.

"I had to ride a horse to get to London," she said absentminded. "Portals were available, but the London office wanted to keep them free from all the new recruits. There were twelve of us from America, two from Canada, and I think six from South America. Some came here for more specialized training and then would be moved to other parts of the world, others came to stay." She was silent for a moment longer. "Time changes the land and people, doesn't it Sebastian?"

I reached over and rubbed her leg, her now dress-clad legs. I nodded and sighed. Time was something we had and sometimes gave to Humans. I had promised my Master more time for him and his family… in exchanged for Danny. To help her, to guide her. To keep her safe from those who would find out her true self, her female self. Surely she was classified as an ex-Reaper in more than just the Reaper's own files. I looked at her and knew she was strong, had proven that William's paperwork had been approved, and she was as strong as a Made Demon. But her heart… her heart wasn't Demonic. That was still very… Human? Feminine? I sighed. Her heart was simply Danny.

"You are thinking too much," she muttered, lacing her fingers with mine. "I don't want to worry tonight - we only have one -"

"Please, don't," I said, cutting her off. "We do not only have one more night. I will come for you. I will visit you. As soon as I can, I will leave this damned island I have taken as my home for too long, and come for you. We will be together."

She nodded and took in a shaky breath. "The last ship of the season," she said. "I'm not surprised it's not a luxury liner. The Undertaker seemed to think that was what I was expecting. It's late October, no one is going to be leisurely crossing."

"Perhaps you should not be presenting yourself as a woman," I said, turning into the lot by the ticket building. "Last thing I want is to worry you are being hurt."

She snorted. "I will eat their Souls if they lay a finger on me."

"Ah, yes, that will be my comfort," I said, leaning over and kissing her while I smiled at the thought of my unassuming woman ripping Souls from men. "My beautiful Demon."

"Let's get the ticket and find a place to spend a night. I want your arms around me until I have to leave."

"Yes, my Lady," I said, holding her hand as we stepped from the auto. She adjusted her small hat and we walked into the line to buy her passage to America. The Undertaker had reminded me that it wasn't so far by Portals, and he had asked why Danny wanted to travel by boat - Portals were still available. But she had simply smiled, her soft and gentle smile, making even the Undertaker sigh a bit. She wanted to leave as she had come - slightly differently, she added as she smoothed her skirts - but in the same traveling manner.

Ticket procured, we walked back and found a small hotel down by the docks, and sat on the bed, our fingers laced and her head on my shoulder. I brushed a strand of hair from her face and smiled as she looked up. There was the soft red glow in her eyes and I knew the last Feed would keep her satisfied for the whole journey, and beyond. Three weeks between Feeds was what we had worked up to.

I brushed the thought away and leaned down and captured her lips. Tonight was ours, and I would have to face the Master in the morning. I would face him knowing I had given my love to the beautiful woman whose arms were clinging to me, and would be back around me in a blink. But for this moment - these long moments with the Master as my tether - I would have to remain apart from her. Until he finally saw reason and called her back.

"Stop thinking," Danny muttered again and I switched off as much as I could, and laid her back and kissed her soundly.

I gently worked her dress loose and removed her small jacket, the buttons and laces smoothly parting as I brushed my hand up to her neck. I sat back and smiled, down at her. I would etch the memory of her into my very being if I had to. I reached up and bit my right glove, slowly taking them off, and worked the left off in the same manner. I rubbed my hands together and produced a small spark, laying them against her face as I once more kissed her, feeling the hot heat radiate through her body, even as her own hands brushed under my shirt, burning my skin as well.

"I want nothing but you to smile," I breathed, "and be safe. Be happy. Please, be happy in America."

"How can I really be happy when my heart is here? But I'll do my best," she said, nodding, the tears once more rolling down her cheeks. I kissed them away, as fast as they came, and shifted on the bed, undoing her skirt. I slipped it off and we worked to bare my own skin to her. "Sebastian," she breathed as I held her close, her hot skin on mine, our fingers in each other's hair. She turned her head and I saw the need to just be held, to be two bodies intertwined, with no demands, just the sweet, slow needs of two lovers, of two bodies who needed to touch, be grounded, be simply together.

I brushed my cheek against hers and kissed her temple, her hands settling on my side, mine drifting to her hips, pulling her left leg over me, shifting her to be above me for a little bit and drinking in how perfect her naked body fit mine. Perfect because she was mine. I looked up into her eyes as she moved, the very red of her eyes filled with wonder and excitement as I held her to me. The look of a content woman who was safe in her lover's arms. She leaned down, her hair slipping from her shoulders and tickling my shoulder and I leaned up, meeting her as I slid back and brought her under me once more. The gentle way her hands danced over my skin, and how I traced the curve of her hips, was all I could focus on. All I wanted to focus on.

As we lay together, sheets tangled, and the cool air setting us back to our normal temperatures, she reached over and laid a finger on my forehead and gently dragged it down, between my eyes, down my nose and over my lips. She giggled as I wiggled my nose, her finger feeling odd against it. She did it again and I flinched again.

"Stay still."

"It tickles."

"I didn't know Demons could feel ticklish."

I smiled and held her wrist as she once more tried to place a finger on me. "I didn't know I was ticklish."

A laughter came up and she smiled wildly, swinging her legs back around me, flipping me, pinning me gently. "And where else are you ticklish? Do I have to drag my fingers all over your skin to find out?"

"As much as I welcome that, I don't think you will find much use for that. I am not ticklish."

She leaned down and kissed the tip of my nose. "Except there."

"And you? Are you ticklish?"

She sat back and trailed her finger over her own face and shook her head. "Nope."

"I don't believe you," I said, turning and now straddling her. I placed a finger on her forehead and did the same light touch to her. She merely smiled and shook her head. "I will find it… hmm… Ah yes. I do recall one down… here," I said as I pulled her arm out from the sheets. I bent her arm and laid kisses up from her wrist. She pulled back as I got to her elbow, just on the outside of the crease. I gripped her wrist and gave a small laugh as she tried to push me back. "I do love this spot. And," I said, grabbing her leg, "this one." I kissed inside her leg, close to her opening. I had loved teasing her over the months once I found the small freckles on her leg.

She pushed my hands away, gasping for air as she laughed hard. "Okay, okay… sorry! Please! Unhand me English man!"

I pushed my fingers through her hair and kissed her deeply. "Never. Never shall I unhand you."

I laid beside her, wrapping my arms over her, cradling her head, brushing the small strands out of her face. She slept in my arms, like so many nights, but this was her last time in my arms, in England, in the place she had come as a man, and was leaving as a woman. I closed my eyes and leaned into her neck, wishing I could enter her dreams, feel her as she slept, visited her in her dreams. She sighed and shifted and my hand rested on her breast, so full of femininity I once more marveled at how she kept her secret for so long. How lonely it must have made the choice to walk around as a man, knowing she wasn't true to herself. Convincing everyone "Mr. Hyde" existed in the shell I now caressed softly. I hoped her brother would have been proud of the man - and woman - his sister had become in his stead.

"It's almost time, Ms. Hyde," I whispered, pulling her closer to me. "Almost time to send you back to America."

And thus concludes the second Arc. The Third Arc will be noted by both the title of the chapter and I'll put a message before the story so it is easy to identify. Even so each "Arc" flows into each other, I found it was easier to write the story in smaller segments...

Again, I am so overwhelmed at the readership and those who keep reading and commenting. Danny Hyde quickly became one of my and my friend's favorite characters to write and muse over.

The next Arc will be in a separate Story - Danny Hyde: Third Reaping Full, and the remaining arcs will be published in separate stories as well. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to those of you who have read so far, fallen for Danny, or simply are enjoying the unique story and characters.

Next story/Arc is up: s/12816745/1/Danny-Hyde-Three-Reapings-Full