Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners.  The
original characters and plot are the property of the author.  The author is in no way associated with the owners,
creators, or producers of any media franchise.  No copyright infringement is intended.  

Series Summary: Several months ago, the SGC was taken over and many of the personnel captured and
tortured.  They are freed, but are living with the Tok'Ra, and most are back to taking on missions, even though
there are some lingering effects from their captivity.  But now, someone is trying to kill Sam.  Who?  And Why?
These are Adult stories that follow Sam as she initially suffers from a case of memory loss, then is the object of
several more attacks.  Along the way, she collects multiple mates.  Most of the stories can be read as stand-
alone.  Almost all are NC-17.  I would call them PWP's but there is a plot and story line that carries forward from
one to the next, so I am simply saying they are adult in nature.

Story Eight Summary: The poison in Sam's system seems to be slowly dissipating; she
has a fairly good night and is able to sleep a little longer.  She and Daniel enjoy each other
and then join Malek and Devlin, so that they will all be together when they wake up.  The
rash from the Evernight plant appears on her forehead and hand, another piece of evidence
against Delek.  Moreover, Delek has disappeared, and no one knows where he has gone.  
They agree that something about his disappearance seems off and out of character for him.

Cor’kesh’lek’dak - Hearts Bound Through Flesh
Me etarakr et cor renek qua - My Hands and Heart Honor You
Arsyniqar – One of the few substances that will put the symbiote to sleep
Se’kesh Mae’tek – Second Mate
“Italics” – Symbiote-Host Communication












Gava sighed, as she put the last of their belongings away.  She and her mate, Markesh,
were finally finished moving from their own rooms into the tunnel in which Daniel, Malek,
Devlin, and Samantha had taken up residence.  Since they were not sure that Lantash
and Martouf would return tomorrow, they decided that, with Delek becoming more
desperate each time he failed to kill Samantha, for safety’s sake they should move into
this tunnel.  The extra guards arrived quickly from Malek’s base, and she stationed two
inside the med bay, two at the beginning of the tunnel, and two to patrol not only this
hallway, but the adjacent ones as well.  Delek’s latest attempt had included Malek, and
that alone was enough to make them all concerned that anyone that stood between him
and Samantha was now a target.  

Daniel, too, would become a target if Delek discovered that he and Samantha had bonded,
and that Daniel was also now a mate of hers.  

Unfortunately, Delek’s last attempt to poison Sam had almost succeeded, and they were
still fighting the effects of it, when he made his most recent attempt.  With Lantash and
Martouf on a mission of indeterminate length, it had fallen on her “Se’kesh Mae’tek”, her
second-mates, Malek and Devlin, to step in and attempt to save her life.  

There were only three known antidotes to the poison to which Sam was exposed.  One was
strenuous and unremitting exercise; however, it only worked in cases where the exposure
was minor.  The second and third were the only known ways to treat a case of extreme
exposure to the poison of the Evernight plant.  The introduction of a symbiote was the first
choice, but in Sam’s case, the Keeper was on the mission with Martouf and Lantash, and
was not available to retrieve the symbiote waiting for her.  

That left the last of the three, as the only means available to her.  That way was to have
sex; a great deal of sex.  Sex that culminated in intense orgasms, because that, and
extreme arousal, were what pushed the poison back and enabled her body to fight it.  
When the poison began to take control, her lucidity dropped, her fever soared, and
eventually she slipped into unconsciousness.  If her mate was not there to mate with her,
she would continue ever deeper into unconsciousness and at that point death was very
close, perhaps imminent.  Only sex could bring her back to consciousness and lucidity.  

Four days after her initial poisoning, they exposed her to the Evernight again.  This time
though, rather than inhaling it, as she had the first time, the poisoner introduced it
through her skin, and the effects had been much worse.  She came even closer to dying
from the second poisoning than she had the first time she was exposed.  Gava and Malek
had feared for her life for many hours, and only after the first twenty-four did they feel
that she would survive, as long as she continued to receive the needed antidote.

Of course, the antidote had its own set of problems.  It would soon be eight days of sex
that was never more than three hours apart, and most of it had occurred with much,
much less time in between.  Malek and Devlin were now exhausted.  Samantha was as
well.  This added another dimension to the situation, since she was now so tired that she
did not always wake up when the fever of the poisoning returned.  Instead, she often
slipped into unconsciousness.  If her mate was not awake to realize that her body
temperature was rising and she needed to be awakened and made love to, she would die.  

The recent attack on Malek and Devlin had been an attempt to use that fact to
advantage.  Someone mixed Arsyniqar, a sleeping draught that was one of the few things
known to put a symbiote and host to sleep, into his food.  The Goddess must have been
watching over them, for if Sam had not awakened this time and attempted to hold the
poison off alone, by exercising in the hall and thereby alerting Daniel, and so then Gava,
all three of them would have died.

Luckily, Sam had awakened and realized that her lucidity was fading and her
temperature was rising.  Already deeply concerned about Malek and Dev’s exhaustion,
she was determined not to cause them any more loss of sleep.  In her confused thinking,
she decided that she could simply jog in the hallway to keep the poison at bay, forgetting
that she was as exhausted as they were.  Before long, she was too tired to continue, but
the noise she made, as her footsteps slapped the crystal floor, woke Daniel up.  
Suspecting that it was Sam, he left his room to find her collapsed in the hallway.

He notified Gava, who in turn gave him instruction on how to care for her.  In addition,
Gava was the one that realized someone sedated Malek and Devlin to the point that she
had to administer an antidote.  They finally awakened, she informed them of what had
occurred, and then she explained that they were now under orders from her, as their
healer, to rest.  Daniel had taken over for them, he and Sam mated, and Malek and Dev
would rest or she would sedate them; more carefully, true, but she would do it.  After she
pointed out that they were now endangering Sam, they agreed to sleep.

So, now here she was getting ready to awaken yet another Tok’Ra.  Sighing deeply, before
drawing a deep breath, she prepared herself to wake up and then question Torvar, the
guard that had been on duty and taken the tray from whoever delivered it.  She hoped his
information would clear up at least some of their questions.  

As she approached his door, he exited his room and seeing her, he nodded.  Gava put out
a hand and stopped him.  “I need to ask you some questions, Torvar.  Do you have a
minute or so?”  
     
“Yes, of course, Gava.  I am not due on duty any time soon.  What do you wish to know?”  

“You took the tray of food to Malek and Samantha yesterday evening, did you not?”    

He nodded his agreement, saying, “Yes, I did.  Was there something wrong with it?”  He
asked his face stoic in its hardness.  

“I believe you could say that in a way, yes.  Someone added Arsyniqar to some of the food.  
Samantha did not receive enough to affect her, and she woke up.  However, Malek and
Devlin had to be given something the counteract it.  Who delivered the food, do you
remember?”  

“Yes, of course.  Airyann brought it from the kitchens, but Delek stopped her well before
she reached us.  I could tell by their conversation that she was not happy about whatever
they were discussing.  I could not hear what they were saying but, eventually, she gave
the tray to Delek.  I believe she had no choice other than causing a disturbance.  No
doubt, Delek’s position as a sub-council member made her feel that she must do as he
asked.”  

Gava frowned and her lips tightened in anger.  “You are probably correct, Torvar.  Did
Delek bring it straight to you?”  

Torvar frowned and then said slowly, as he searched his memory, “No, come to think on it,
he did not.  He stood and watched her walk away before kneeling and setting the tray on
the floor.  Then he retied one of his boot lacings.  At least, I assumed that was what he
was doing.  Should I understand that may not have been what he was doing?”  He
questioned her.

“We don’t know yet, of course.  However, if you hear anything, please let me know.  
Torvar, this information is strictly between us.  Do not discuss it with anyone; I cannot
stress that enough.  No one is to know what has occurred to Malek and Devlin.  When I
say no one that is exactly what I mean.  These are serious charges and, while it would
appear that he was involved, we do not know with any certainty that Delek played a role.  
If a situation arises, and you hear or see something, you must let us know at once.”  

He bowed his head, respectfully.  “I will do so at once, Gava.  I assume Malek knows, of
course?”  If someone was trying to kill his base commander, he wanted to know who and
why.  He did not particularly like Delek, but there was no real reason for him to suspect
him of attempted murder.  This could become a very volatile and a very dangerous
situation.  “Is there anything else I should know before going on duty?”  

“Yes, as a matter of fact, there is, and I am glad you asked and reminded me.  There are
now guards within the medical bay.  Someone took the Arsyniqar from there; it was not
some that someone already had in their possession.  Please be sure that all of the guards
doing duty here know they are there.  However, we are not making it known
indiscriminately.  If someone comes to the med bay and discovers them, it is a different
matter than us discussing it, or telling anyone why they are there.”  

“You also need to assure the guards that are now on duty that Malek is himself again, but
because of the medication I administered, I would prefer that he not leave the tunnels.  
While I no longer want him, er, disabled, if he attempts it, I do want you to apprise me
immediately.  It is very important that I know at once.  You and the others should also
know that Markesh is keeping watch, as well, so that you do not wonder why he is up and
around at night.  Other than your silence on what is happening, those are the only other
things I require.”

“I understand and will pass on the pertinent information.  My silence you have,” Torvar
assured her.      

“Thank you.”  Gava nodded and turned back toward their temporary home.  Markesh was
already patrolling the area around here and the medical bay.  She was going to try, again,
to get some sleep, since she had not had a lot of sleep herself lately.  It was time for a
nap.  She would tell Malek what she learned from Torvar in the morning.  He was in bed
and asleep when she checked on him and Devlin, finally giving in to his exhaustion.  

She did not check on Sam and Daniel when she checked on Malek.  She had paused
outside of Daniel’s room and heard both of them talking, so she knew that they were all
right, at least for the moment, as well.  She rubbed her knotted shoulders for a few
moments, but she was too tired to do anything else about them.  Making her way to her
sleeping platform, she collapsed upon it.  She was asleep almost before her head touched
the pillow.  




Daniel cleaned up the coffee cups and put the creamer away.  He and Sam made love
again shortly after Malek went back to his own room, so she'd been sleeping for quite a
while now.  Finished with his domestic chore, he returned to the platform and rested his
hand on her forehead.  She was not exactly cool, but neither was she burning up.  

He would begin to check it with the sensor from now on.  Sam had been asleep almost two
hours, which was longer than she normally slept, if he remembered correctly.  He thought
he remembered Malek saying that she was up to one hour and forty-five minutes, so she
had been asleep fifteen minutes longer than she normally was.  He needed to start
watching her fever much closer, so that he could awaken her, if it started to spike on
them.  

Running the sensor over her, he was relieved to see that, while it appeared that it was
going back up, it was not spiking this time.  At least, it had not started to yet.  This was
the time during which to keep the closest watch, for it could spike at any time.  He was
hopeful, though, that she had made another leap in her recovery.  According to what Gava
explained to him, when she made progress it seemed to come all at once, and then it
would settle into that pattern, until she made the next bit of progress.  She was definitely
sleeping longer safely this time.  That was a very good sign.  

Daniel puttered around the room, putting a few things away, tidying up a bit, but never
wandering far from Sam.  He checked her with the sensor again, and was relieved to see
that it still was not spiking.  It was, however, climbing steadily now.  He would have to
awaken her soon, if she did not wake up on her own.  There was no point in waiting until
it was excessively high.  It would be better to stop it before it went there.  She looked so
fragile, as if she should be labeled “hold gently, handle with care”.

After checking her one more time, Daniel sat down on the edge of the sleeping platform
and looked down at Sam lying in his bed.  It was a sight he had never expected to see; not
in this way, at least.  Actually, he had seen her in his bed, but those times had always
been after a gathering at his place when there was no one left to drive home because they
were all over the limit.  He had even slept with her a few times, but it had never moved on
to a sexual encounter.  Not that he remembered anyway, and somehow he was fairly sure
that was something he would never have forgotten.   

Just thinking about the last time they made love, he was hard again.  She was a very
responsive lover.  He would miss her if things worked out the way he suspected they
would.  He must have always known that, if he allowed his true feelings for her to come to
the surface, it would cause him a great deal of pain.  That had to be the reason he had
refused to acknowledge his love for her until now.  

He sighed, but smiled a rather sad smile, while he watched her begin to move around.  
She was beginning to wake up.  He'd never make her feel guilty or bad because she
couldn't return his love.  If he had to, he'd find a mate of his own, er, well; maybe he
would have an affaire.  That would convince her that he was fine, and she had no need to
worry about him.  Surely, he could find at least one woman that would agree to have an
affaire with him, couldn’t he?  He was not the greatest looking guy in the tunnels, but he
wasn’t repulsive either.  He'd do something, anything, to make sure that Sam didn't feel
bad when she told him she didn't want him as a permanent mate.  

Sam moaned slightly as she moved.  She was sore all over.  No doubt, it was from all of
the exercise and the scuffle with Delek, the jerk.  She sighed and opened her eyes.  It was
fairly dark, with only the very soft glow of the night lighting on.  She could see Daniel
sitting on the sleeping platform, apparently lost in thought.  She hoped he wasn't feeling
guilty and dwelling on it.  She enjoyed making love to him, and he had no reason at all to
feel guilt.  After all, Gava ordered him to have sex with her, unless he wanted her to die.  
What a choice to have to make.

She frowned.  She was feeling slightly guilty, though.  Here she was, in bed with another
man, another mate!  Moreover, she had to admit that she was enjoying their lovemaking.  
What did that say about her?  According to Malek, it meant that she had a great deal of
love to give.  She couldn't say if he was right or wrong about that, but there was one thing
she knew for sure; the Tau’ri world and the world of the Tok’Ra were very different.  
Furthermore, from what she could tell so far, she was learning to adjust to their ways
much more rapidly than she had ever thought she would.  Once she blended with her
symbiote, she was sure it would be even easier.  

Now, all she had to do was shove what little guilt she felt away for another day or two.  
There was no point in worrying Daniel with her occasional bouts of depression and guilt.  
It wasn't as if she had a choice in what she was doing now, and Martouf and Lantash
would know that.  

However, she also knew that how Lantash and Martouf took the news of what had
happened would also play a part in how well she adjusted, and just how much guilt she
would continue to carry.  Being honest with herself, she had to admit that she didn't think
she'd continue to feel any guilt at all, once they were home and the bonding formality was
over.  

Moreover, if she was honest with herself, and there was no reason not to be, she was
feeling more guilt about pulling Daniel into this mess and placing not only him, but
Malek, Devlin, Gava, and anyone else that stood between her and Delek, in danger.  That
was weighing on her mind, not the fact that she was making love with her other two
mates.  The reality was that she felt little guilt at all about that and, since she was being
completely honest here, she might as well admit it to herself.  She loved them all.  On
Earth, she would have to choose; here she didn't.  Here, she was free to love all of them,
and they were all free to love her in return, no jealousy, no tensions.  It felt wonderful.  

Thinking back to Daniel’s lovemaking, she had to admit that it felt wonderful, too.  He was
very skillful as a lover, something she had always suspected, but never expected to be in a
position to find out.  Now that she could, she would enjoy it.  It was obvious that Daniel’s
personality bled over into his lovemaking.  He made very sure that she reached her
pleasure before he took his own.  He was as caring in this area as he was in other ways.  

She could lie here for a while and think about it, but a much better idea would be to make
love with him.  Especially when her libido was kicking into overdrive as it was now.  They
could make a fortune on Earth with this plant.  It was definitely the most potent and long-
lasting aphrodisiac she'd ever come across in all of their travels.  Viagra had nothing on
this stuff; that was for sure.

She really, really wished that Janet was here to work on this, but she was not, so there
was no point in bewailing the fact.  Repining would get her nowhere but depressed.  All of
these musings were a sign that she was losing her lucidity.  Her mind was wandering
fairly aimlessly.  It kept going back to love and sex.  Not necessarily in that order, but it
really didn't matter.

Watching Daniel as he sat there, lost in thought, she knew that she had never allowed
herself to admit her feelings for him.  She buried them so deep she was lucky to be able to
broach them at all.  This situation had cut them free, though.  Now they were out there for
her to see and adjust too.  She sighed to herself.  How much more complicated was this
situation going to become?  She frowned to herself.  Then again, was it really complicated
at all?    

She didn't know about that, but she did know that Daniel deserved her undivided
attention when they made love.  She almost laughed aloud at that thought.  As if she
could not give Daniel attention when he made love to her.  She was impressed with his
abilities in the lover department.  He was every bit as skilled as her other lovers.

Moreover, that was saying a bunch, a whole bunch, because there was no doubt
whatsoever, that in the last two thousand years, Lantash and Malek had learned their way
around a woman’s body.  They needed no roadmap, and they had passed all of their
knowledge onto their hosts.  Sam almost moaned aloud just thinking about making love
with all five of them at once.  Then, she almost gasped.  Good grief, she would never have
thought about doing that before…well, outside of a fantasy.  

She needed to get away from those thoughts right now and get back to thinking solely
about Daniel.  That wasn’t a hard thing to contemplate at all; nope, not at all.  She looked
forward to the next lovemaking session with him.  The way her lucidity was leaving and
her temperature was rising that would be very soon.  Furthermore, since she realized it,
she should do something about it.  Now.  Like begin to seduce him.

She reached out and touched him gently, so as not to startle him, and then looked into his
blue, blue eyes.  Not that she could tell they were blue in this light, of course, but she
knew their color as well as she knew her own.  She had often thought that a woman could
drown in them.  She smiled at him and he rewarded her with one of his endearing smiles
in return.  “I don’t suppose you know anyone around here that could help a lady out, do
you?”  She teased him gently.  

“Well, that depends on what the lady needs and what she has in mind.  Maybe if you
could give me some specifics, I could check it out, and see if maybe I could oblige her
myself.”

Sam laid her hand on his leg and began to draw lazy circles and other shapes on him,
moving ever higher.  “Well, if you could move a little closer, maybe I could show you what I
had in mind.  Do you think that would be possible?”  

Daniel nodded and his cock hardened even more.  He was definitely ready again.  He
moved down her way and discarded his robe before turning and lying down beside her.  
“Would it help if I sort of rested here beside you?  Would that make it any easier to show
me what you believe you need from me in order to help you out?”  

“Mm.  Yes, I think that could prove helpful.”  Sam raised herself on one elbow and then
slowly lowered her head toward him, only to stop and barely brush her lips with his,
before moving on to the corner of his lips, and from there along the strong lines of his chin
and the edge of his ear.  She felt him shiver, and then heard him moan, as she plunged
her tongue in there for just a moment, before moving downward along his throat and from
there to his shoulder, where she left a small love bite.  As he moaned again, a slight smile
tilted the corners of her lips.  It would not be long now and her moans would be joining
his, but for the moment she was enjoying hearing his and being able to give him her
undivided attention.

As her lips moved farther down his chest and found a nipple to play with, her other hand
found the burgeoning shaft lying across his abdomen.  She had to admit that she never,
in all the years she had been around Daniel, suspected the amount or size of the, er, gift,
he packed in his briefs.  She was as impressed with it, as she was everything else about
his lovemaking.  
     
He wouldn't have anything to be ashamed of or nervous about, when they were all
together, that was for sure.  She was pretty sure they were all about equal, although
Martouf might edge the other two out by a half inch.  While that, or the size, didn’t really
matter all that much to her, she knew that sometimes, some men, could have a real thing
about size and comparisons being made.  It was nice to know that she wouldn't have to
worry about one or the other of them possibly feeling inadequate, all things being equal,
so to speak.

She wrapped her fingers around him enjoying the feeling of his velvety softness as it
surrounded the steel-like hardness of his cock.  He wanted her; there was no doubt of
that.  Every part of him told her so, from the hardness of his shaft, to the trembling of his
fingers, and the hunger in his kisses.  

She moved downwards, breathing upon his skin as her lips brushed it.  She flicked out
her tongue, tasted him, and felt the muscles of his abdomen quiver and contract with
each breath and caress.  She traveled lower still, until she found the hardness of his cock
and breathed on it, watching it flex in reaction.  Her tongue darted out to taste of him and
she was delighted to find his taste to her liking, just as she had suspected she would.   

With each new swirl of her tongue and kiss of her lips on his cock, Daniel moaned.  She
opened her mouth and slipped him inside the heated wetness.  His hands soon found
themselves on her head, his fingers entwining in her hair.  As she began to suck and lave
him in earnest, he moaned to her, “That is so good, Sam.  So good.  Don’t stop, please.  
Don’t stop.”  

She did not stop, but neither did she follow his urgings and suck him faster or harder.  
She kept a steady but easy rhythm, as his hips rocked and tried to leave the bed.  He
attempted to change the rhythm and make it faster, only to fail, as she moved away when
he tried to increase them.

Finally, leaving his manhood behind, but not forgotten, she made her way down his hips
and legs, urging him to further widen them and allow her admittance.  She left small love
bites on the insides of his thighs, and paid some intense and focused attention to his
balls.  

As his moans grew in depth and length, she moved from there back to his shaft, which
she left alone, while she gave the other sections of his anatomy so much pleasurable
attention.  Moving back to it now, though, she began once again to do her best to see to it
that he had as much stimulation as possible, in the most delightful way she could.  As his
thrusting became more urgent, she slowed her stroking, laving, and sucking, before giving
him one last lingering stroke, suck, and kiss.  Then, she left that part of her playground
for another area.  

She began the trek back up his torso, planning to stop at all of the interesting highlights
on the way.  She breathed softly and nipped lightly, the corded muscles of his abdomen,
but then she became sidetracked as her hand slipped over his hip and grasped his butt.  
Urging him to roll towards her slightly, she proceeded to leave a love bite on his ass cheek,
that almost had him giggling as well as moaning, as it tickled and tingled along the nerve
endings there.  

Rolling him the rest of the way over, she again settled between his legs and began her
journey from there by kissing the backs of his thighs, and laving across his butt cheeks,
letting first her fingers and then her tongue delve and tickle him in hidden places.  His
gasp, moan, and jerk let her know that he had not expected that particular caress, but he
was not averse to it either.  She moved one of his legs to give her better access and allow
her to cup him, holding him gently, while massaging the area directly behind his balls.  
She stroked him easily and gently with her hands, her tongue, and her lips, giving special
attention to all of his most vulnerable and sensitive areas, as well as stimulating him by
caressing his balls gently with her tongue, her mouth, her lips and her hands.  

His hips began to grind into the bed, and he was gasping her name in a litany, by the
time she released him and began to kiss her way up his back.  After massaging his
shoulders and giving him another small love bite or two, she rolled him over once again,
and then resumed her trip from where she left off, or almost where she left off.  She
decided that his shaft needed a few more kisses and some extra TLC before she left it and
started back up toward his chest.   

She used a feather light touch on his abdomen and sides as her lips learned every muscle
and every nerve ending, as she traveled back toward his chest.  Finding her way there,
she began to give his nipples extra attention, as she realized that they were very
sensitive.  All three of her lovers seemed to have sensitive nipples, a good bit of
information to file away.  However, she believed that Daniel’s were the more sensitive of
them, including Martouf and Devlin.  Either that or he was so aroused that everything was
ultra sensitive.  She bit gently and then laved any sting away, before continuing her way
back up toward her final goal; his beautiful sculptured lips and jaw line.

When she reached his throat, she lingered there, kissing and sucking, laving and nipping,
as he began to run his hands over her body almost frantically.  When his fingers found
her nipples and then her mound, before sliding lower to thrust his fingers into her
channel as far as he could, she knew her time of being in control was almost over.  

She moved quickly to his lips, then, and he pulled her in for long drugging kisses,
removing his hand from her womanhood to use it to bring her body closer to his.  His
hands seemed to be everywhere at once.  They were in her hair, caressing her face, and
massaging and kneading her breasts, causing the throbbing in her center to intensify.  
She gave herself up to the sensations he was arousing in her, as he reciprocated her
earlier offerings.

Then it was Sam’s turn to gasp, as Daniel pushed her down into the bed and became the
aggressor.  His lips left a trail of fire from her lips to her temple and from there to her
throat, her ears, and her shoulders.  He knew he couldn’t give her any love bites on her
neck, but there was no reason he couldn’t use her sensitivity to them and give her some
on her shoulders and breasts.  

After leaving his signature on her shoulders, his extreme arousal seemed to calm
somewhat and he changed from his almost frantic movements, to a more leisurely and
delicious pace, as he moved downward to her breasts.  At first, he suckled slowly, as if
savoring every taste of her, and it was obvious that he found her delectable.  

His hands roamed her body, as if he was memorizing it by feel, and everywhere he
touched her, her nerve endings sprang to life.  “Sam, you are so beautiful and sexy.  I
can't believe the way you make me feel.  I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a woman as much
as I want you.  One touch from your hands or lips, and I'm on fire.  You're burning me to
ashes.”  

Sam moaned as his hands once more skimmed her ribs and her abdomen, moving lower,
but not yet low enough.  She urged him to go on with her body, but it was not enough.  
“Daniel, I need.  I need you.  I never knew; I never expected it to be like this for us.  I can’t
tell you how wonderful it is, how much I need you and want you.  I’m so glad we found
this, these feelings that are between us.”  

“So am I, Sam; Gods, so am I.”  Daniel raised himself up on his elbow this time much as
Sam had done before.  He slowly lowered his lips until they joined hers and he began a
long and sensuous kiss that left her moaning for more.  He slipped into the cradle of her
thighs, but didn't penetrate her, as he wanted to use arousal, for as long as he could to
push the poison back.  Not only that, but he loved to watch her, when she became
intensely aroused.  She was beautiful, as she writhed in his arms and gasped his name,
moaning for him to make love to her.  

Daniel came up onto his knees and urged Sam to do the same, but he didn’t want her to
turn her back to him.  He brought her face to face with him, and then began to inch her
legs farther and farther apart until her legs were on the outside of his.  Then he brought
her forward and although, he was sitting on his heels, he had her rise up straight and he
brought her over his lap.  Locking her in place with his arms, his mouth was in perfect
alignment with her breasts and he began to lave and suckle them until she was arching
her back and urging him on, pleading with him to suck harder moaning with every nip,
and every love bite.  

She continued to thrust her breasts towards him, holding his head with her hands, and
encouraging him.  When his fingers reached between her legs and again found the
welcoming wetness there, he plunged his fingers into her channel, all the while never
letting up on his erotic plundering of her breasts.  His thumb found the button that would
send her into her first climax and within minutes, he was holding her as she bucked
against his fingers and cried out, as the waves took her over the crest.  

As she began to slump against him, Daniel caught her by the waist and began suckling
again on her breasts, as well as kissing and laving the hotspots on her throat.  He would
be glad when Per'sus arrived and saw the bruising on her throat where Delek had
attempted to strangle her, so that he could do more than kiss and lightly nip her there,
although that seemed to be enough to send her desire spiraling again.  This time though
he planned to go with her.

“Sam, I want you to sit on my cock and wrap your legs around me, can you do that for
me?”  

Sam nodded, and rearranged herself.  Once she settled, he instructed her, “Now lie back;
it’s all right, I’ve got you.”  

Once she was down, Daniel began to move slowly and Sam gasped.  With Daniel sitting
up, and her lying down, his shaft hit her g-spot unerringly, and with a great deal of
pressure.  Using his hands to guide her, he slowly built the sexual tension, moving her in
different ways, until she was again climbing toward another climax.  When she was almost
there, he withdrew and Sam moaned her denial.  “Daniel, please, don’t stop, don’t stop.”  

“Hush, Sam, it will be okay, I promise you.”  Then she felt his tongue on her, and his
fingers were working magic in concert with it.  Before she knew it, she was at the apex
again.  She had her fingers in his hair holding onto him, as his tongue worked on her,
flicking and nipping gently, building the fire that would soon burn out of control for her.  
He circled her nub and then flicked it quickly before sucking eagerly.  He loved the taste
of her, but she needed release again.  He began using the speed and pressure that
seemed to work best for her, as he flicked his tongue back and forth against her soft warm
sex.  Her scent was musky, and he drew it deeply into him, enjoying it and the effect it
had on him.  

Then he added a third finger and, suddenly, she was tossing wildly in his hands and
sobbing his name, “Daniel, oh, God, Daniel.  Daniel.  So, good, Daniel.  Your loving is so
good.”  Daniel didn't even hesitate.  While the contractions from this climax were still
echoing, he once again impaled her on his cock and began the deep thrusts across that
most important spot.  Sam was not coming down from her previous climax.  She was so
close to another that all she could do was chant Daniel’s name.  She was lost in a sensual
fog of feeling.  She knew nothing else.  Then Daniel was lying on top of her and kissing
her deeply, as he pounded into her as deeply and as quickly as he could.  

“I can’t hold off much longer, Sam.  I can’t wait.”  

“Daniel, Daniel.  Yes, now, I,m there,” Sam managed to gasp to him.  He scooped her legs
up behind her knees and plunged into her harder and faster.  

“Now, Sam, now,” was all he could say, as he buried his shaft as deeply as he could,
locking them together, as he felt his seed shoot deeply into her womb.  That thought made
him catch his breath.  He didn’t have a symbiote.  There was nothing wrong with his
sperm count.  Damn, none of them had even thought of that.  He'd have to talk to Malek
tomorrow about it; he wasn’t going to worry Sam with it right now.  She had enough to
worry about without worrying about pregnancy.  Besides, it was too late now, anyway.  
This wasn’t the first time he’d sent his seed into her womb.  What would be, would be

That decided, he slowly lowered her legs and then collapsed onto her.  “Are you all right,
Sam?  Did I hurt you?  I didn’t mean to, and it didn’t even occur to me that I should ask
you if it hurt you to make love in that position.  I know it does some women.”  

Sam wiped the tears from her face and shook her head, “No, you didn’t hurt me at all.  It's
just, sometimes when I have a really fantastically intense climax, I cry.  There’s nothing to
worry over; it’s a good thing.”  She smiled at him to reassure him that she was all right.  

“Are you all right?  You didn’t hurt yourself doing all that twisting and stuff did you?”  

“I’m fine, Sam.  Actually, I’m better than fine.  I’m definitely satisfied.  In fact, I’m so
satiated, I feel like my bones have all turned to rubber.”  He rolled off her to one side, but
pulled her with him, as he waited to soften and leave her body.  He just couldn’t bring
himself to leave her body yet.  

She yawned.  “Wow, I'm really sleepy, Daniel.  What time is it anyway?”  

“It’s two thirty in the morning, Sam.  We have several more hours yet, and you should
sleep, if you think you can.  I’ll set my alarm to wake me in about an hour and forty-five
minutes.  You actually went almost two and a half hours this last time, but I’m not taking
a chance that it was a fluke.  I’ll go ahead and start watching your temperature at an hour
forty-five.  And, don’t worry about me either.  I’m fine.  You, Malek, and Devlin are the
ones that need the sleep.”  

Sam nodded.  “That’s fine, Daniel.  I need to get up and, ah, take care of a few things first
though, before I go to sleep.”  

Daniel jumped from the bed, and retrieving some tissues, he handed them to her.  “Here,
this will help, until you get into the bathroom.”  

Sam grinned at him and the Tau’ri version of me etarakr et cor renek qua, my hands and
heart honor you.  “Yes, it will; thanks, Daniel.  Okay, I’m ready if you are.”  

He held out his hands and helped her up.  Putting an arm around her waist, he
accompanied her into the facilities, got her settled, and then retreated, admonishing her
to call out to him, when she was ready to go back to the bed.  She smiled, as she thought
about the difference in the two cultures.  She looked forward to the time when Daniel saw
it first hand.  He was so used to taking in other cultures rituals and rites that it probably
wouldn't faze him, but she still looked forward to it.  She hoped he didn't switch to it all
the time, though, well, unless he wanted to.  The Tau’ri version was nice once in a while,
too.

Several minutes later, she called to him, and he helped her back to bed.  Running the
sensor over her, he was pleased to see that her temperature was down quite a bit.  He set
it down, and then got ready for sleep himself, before setting his alarm.  

Lying down beside her on the sleeping platform, he drew her into his arms, comfortable,
when she snuggled into them.  He pulled the light cover over them and closed his eyes.  
An hour and forty-five minutes would come before he knew it.  He hugged her gently, and
kissed her forehead allowing the happiness that embracing her gave him to bubble and
pulse through his body.  He didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but for tonight, he
was content.  

Sam opened her eyes and looked at him before smiling and saying softly, “Goodnight,
Daniel.  I love you.”  

“I love you, too, Sam.  Goodnight.”  

It wasn't long before they were both asleep.




Sam awoke slowly and looked at the travel alarm clock that Daniel had beside the
sleeping platform.  She didn’t think her fever was terribly high, so it probably wasn’t, as
she had become very good at telling what it was by how she felt.  She could guess it was
somewhere around a hundred and three from the way she felt at the moment.  It was five
a.m., so that meant that she had slept for almost two and a half hours.  

She hoped that she’d gained a little against the poison.  There was no set amount of time
between gains.  She could make another gain the next round, or it could be a day or two.  
She hoped it didn’t take that long this time.  Surely, after four days, it would begin to
dissipate faster now.  It had certainly done that the last time, but this time had been
different all along, so, unfortunately, she really couldn’t count on that or compare this
time to last very accurately.  Perhaps, she would get lucky, though, and it would begin to
act more like the last time she was exposed to it.

Furthermore, she realized that her temperature, while not spiking as it had before, was
steadily climbing.  She frowned, realizing that Daniel was not in bed, but a quick glance
toward the bathroom assured her that he was in there.  He would've been up for about
forty-five minutes already.  She hoped he was ready for some more loving because the
aphrodisiac properties of the poisoning were beginning to increase, as her temperature
climbed.

Hearing a noise from the hallway, she sat up and stared toward the door, while reaching
for the zat on the table near the bed.  Almost too late, she recognized Gava.  “Gava?  What
has occurred now?”  

“I am sorry, Sam, I did not mean to alarm you.  Nothing has happened.  I woke up and
decided to check on everyone.  I did not hear anything from here, so I was going to come
in quietly and check to see if your temperature was all right, and perhaps, talk to Daniel
to see how you are doing.  That is all.”  

Sam relaxed and nodded, saying, “I'm doing very well, thanks.  I’ve slept for two and an
half hours two times in a row, and, while that doesn’t mean it will remain that way, it's at
least allowed me to get a couple of hours more sleep than I've been getting.  And it's
setting a new precedent, since I’ve awakened on my own, and my fever hasn’t been
spiking.”  

“Excellent.  That is a very good sign, Samantha.  Treea and I have talked about this, as
you know, and we both feel that, as the poison lessens, it should, and probably will, begin
to act much more as it did when you inhaled it.”  

Sam agreed, saying, “I was thinking and hoping the same thing.  If that's true, then I
should be much as I was around day three the first time, if I remember correctly.  I'd have
to check the log we're keeping to know for sure.  

They both looked over, as Daniel emerged from the facilities.  They’d been speaking quite
softly, and it was obvious that Daniel hadn’t realized Gava was there.  He stopped short in
the doorway.  With the dim night lighting in the tunnels, you could only make out his
form at this distance.  Ignoring the sharp pain in her ribs, Sam picked up his robe and
tossed it to him, so that he wouldn’t have to walk to the sleeping platform for it.  He wasn’t
in bright enough light where he was standing, for them to see him, but if he walked over
to them, he’d be in full view.  Daniel wasn’t an exhibitionist; His discomfort proclaimed
that fact.

Sensing it, and remembering from the talks that she and Sam had been having, Gava
realized that Daniel would probably be embarrassed, even though she could not see him.  
She turned her back, murmuring, “I apologize, Daniel, I should have let you know that I
had arrived.”  

Daniel cleared his throat, saying, “No, Gava, you have no need to apologize.  I'm slowly
getting used to the freedom of the tunnels, and I'll adjust in time.  It helps that 'you' aren't
embarrassed.  Sometimes, I think it's the viewer’s embarrassment that makes it such an
awkward situation.  The Tok’Ra aren’t embarrassed by it, and I think that makes it much
easier for us to adjust.”  

He grinned, only a little abashed, as he slipped the robe on.  “Thanks, Sam.”  

“You’re welcome, Daniel.  As for the embarrassment factor, I’ve found that being on the
edge of death pushes it away.  Somehow, it’s really hard to be worried about being naked,
when you're worried about staying alive.  In fact, since this entire thing has happened, I’
ve found myself talking about sexual matters in ways I never would have on Earth.  
Besides, after having someone walking around and talking to me, while I’m having sex in
a pool, I just can’t get really excited about the fact that someone might walk in on me
while I’m making love either.  Well, as long as it wasn’t my dad.”  She grinned at Daniel,
as she said the last, and he snorted.  

“Like, I can see your dad walking in on you, while you are having sex, Sam.  Not.  
Somehow, I think Jacob would find his way to the other end of the tunnels before that
happened.  You may be a grown woman, but you'll always be his little girl.  That’s just the
way it is.  And daddy’s little girl, doesn't do that, at least, not in front of daddy.”  

Sam smiled softly, “Yeah, I think you're right about that.  But it’s okay, because in some
ways, he’ll always be the daddy he was when I was five, too.”  

Clearing her throat, she said, “Furthermore, speaking of sex, Daniel, I think my fever is
finally going up a little faster.  It's almost six hundred hours, so it's been almost three
hours, since we made love.  I think I need you again.”  

Gava reached out and ran the sensor she had taken to carrying with her over Sam.  “It is
almost one hundred three and a half, Sam.”  

Sam nodded, and then gave a heartfelt sigh.  “The thing about this ordeal is that I’m
getting to where I can tell by how I feel how high my fever is.  At one hundred three and a
half, my eyes are gritty feeling, but not to the point that they are, at say, one hundred four
and a half.  I still feel thirsty, though, which I rarely do when it's a hundred four and a
half, and my head aches along with my body.  And, at this temperature, my libido is at
around ninety-eight out of a hundred.”  

Gava gave her a slight smile.  “In that case, I believe that it is time for me to return to bed
for another round of sleep.  You are in good hands.”  

She turned to Daniel.  “You said that Per'sus was coming late morning.  Do you know
anything more than that?”  

“Yes, he'll be here around eleven.  I expect Malek to awaken around nine, wouldn’t you
say?  So probably, since Sam's gone pretty much three hours this time, we may take our
bath, when we finish this time, and then join Malek, so that, when he wakes up, Sam will
be there, and he won’t have to immediately start worrying.  Unless she falls right back to
sleep, and then I’ll take her to their room and, when we all wake up, we'll bathe then.”  

“The timing is working out really well, too.  If she has sex again around ten or so, or at
least, if it culminates then, she should get a couple of hours of feeling half-way decent,
while Per'sus is here.”  

Gava nodded, and then pushed away from the sleeping platform, where she had been
sitting.  “I will see you in a few hours, then.  Com me if you need me, Daniel.  I will talk to
you later, Sam.”  

“Rest well, Gava.  Goodnight.”  

As she left the room, Daniel sat down beside Sam.  “So, do you think you're ready for
another one of Dr. Jackson’s famous rejuvenating, one on one, up close and personal, full
body massages, Dr. Carter?”  

Letting the sheet fall, as she lifted her arms up and around his neck, she smiled a
seductive little smile.  “Well, now Dr. Jackson, I think I just might be ready for one if, that
is, you think you are, ah, up to it?”  

Standing and dropping his robe in a pile on the floor, he showed Sam that he was indeed
'up' to it.  Leaning forward, he placed his arms around her and began to nuzzle her
temple, slowly kissing his way toward her ear and neck.  “Oh, I think I am 'up' to it, Sam
of my heart.  I think that when it comes to you, I'll always be up for it, or anything else
you want from me.  I love you, Sam.”  

He heard her sigh softly, as her arms tightened around him.  “I am so glad, Daniel.  Now
that we're not on Earth, we can love one another and be together.  As horrible as the
nightmare we lived through at the SGC was, I can hardly believe that anything good came
out of it.  Nevertheless, it did.  I've found more love than I ever thought it was possible to
have in one lifetime, and I'm going to be thankful for it, nurture it, tend it, shield it, and
savor it, for the rest of my life.  In other words, I love you, too, Daniel.  Come to me?”

“I will, and with all the pleasure in the universe, Sam of my heart, with all the pleasure in
the universe.”  Daniel's lips touched hers and the spark burst into flame.  Nothing else
was important for a very long time.




Daniel strode to Malek’s room, with Sam asleep in his arms.  It was seven thirty hours.  
They'd made love again, and then bathed, before Sam finally fell asleep about five
minutes ago.  

Their lovemaking this time had been much hastier, but no less satisfying.  He grinned to
himself.  The second time around in the pool hadn't been too shabby, either.  Yup, it was
definitely hot, even if it had been hasty.  

They needed to keep their timeline of events in mind.  Sam needed to be able to get back
to sleep, and rest for a time, before Malek awoke, and they both expected that to happen
around nine or nine-thirty.  Needless to say, they were going to be in his bed and asleep,
when that happened, so that he wouldn't immediately go looking for her.  

He turned into Malek’s room and, after managing to pull the bed covering down; he laid
her in the middle of the sleeping platform, luckily a large one, and then followed her
down.  They could both use more sleep.  He set his alarm for nine, just in case none of
them awoke.  He needed to be awake by nine fifteen, anyway, to start watching Sam’s
temperature.  He was asleep within minutes.  




Sam moaned as she rolled over.  Gava had healed her ribs, so why were they hurting so
badly?  It felt as if her ribs were either cracked or bruised.  As she went to push herself up
onto her lower arm, not the one she had leaned on when she was making love to Daniel,
she gasped and fell back onto the platform.  What was going on?  She looked at the
underneath part of her arm and stared at it in stunned surprise.  Holy Hannah, she had a
deep dark bruise there.  She started taking stock of her body and what she found
surprised her.  

They hadn’t realized it at the time, but Sam had other bruises, from where Delek had
attempted to pull her from the pool.  As he pulled on her, she’d hit the edge of the pool
with her ribs, which they knew about.  They hadn’t realized that he’d also bruised her
hipbones.  Nor did they notice that the ribs on her other side were bruised.  Well, she
could tell it now.  She bit her lip as she tried to sit up.  There was a large bruise on her
upper thigh, as well as the one she found on her arm.  She must have hit it as she fell
back, into the pool, when he let go of her.  Right before she broke his arm.

Looking at herself now, she couldn't believe that none of them had noticed.  Of course, the
night lighting was very dim inside their room, so they wouldn't have noticed them during
the night.  Neither Devlin and Malek, nor Daniel had seen them, just as she'd totally
missed them.  With the lighting coming up a little now, she could see them, and she could
definitely feel them now, too.  Part of her aching last night was from these, rather than
just from exhaustion and fever, as she'd assumed.  If her arm, ribs, and thigh were this
dark, her throat must have a perfect black and blue handprint.  He'd grasped her throat
quite hard.  

Hearing an inarticulate sound from beside her, she turned to look into Malek’s furious
eyes.  “I should have killed him, Samantha.  I should have killed him slowly.”  
      
Daniel rolled over and looked blearily at Malek before following his gaze to Sam’s body.  
Suddenly, he was wide-awake, as he realized what Delek had done to her.  “Yes, you
should’ve, Malek.  The man is a jerk, a menace, and I’m beginning to believe, from
everything I learned from Sam last night, an insane idiot.  Or maybe he’s just Goa’uld and
not Tok’Ra.”  

Malek nodded his agreement.  He had not awakened when Daniel brought Samantha
back to their bed and joined the two of them.  He assumed it was not long ago, since he
could not believe they had been making love next to him for hours without his knowledge,
no matter how deeply asleep he had been.  Not only that, but it was quite easy to awaken
him from the dormant state into which he put himself when he returned to his sleeping
platform.  Which meant it was only after their last lovemaking session and she was ready
for sleep that he had brought her here.  Probably, in case he awoke and was worried
about her.  This was Daniel’s way of seeing to it that he did not interrupt his rest by going
to look for and check on her.          

Sam shook her head at him.  “That would have done no good.  We need to find out if he's
anything more than just someone that hates the Tau’ri.  We couldn’t do that if he was
dead.”  She frowned at him.  “What are we doing here?  You're supposed to be sleeping
and resting, you and Dev both.”  

“It has been eight and a half hours, Samantha.  No doubt, Daniel brought you here, so
that I would not come to check on you.  I am sure he also wanted to be sure that I was
truly rested when I awoke.  Neither of you have anything to fear; I am much refreshed, as
is Devlin.”  

She smiled at him and touched his face gently.  “I'm very glad and relieved that you are,
Malek, you and Dev, both.  You needed the rest.  Moreover, we all need to get ready to
meet with Per’sus before long.  As for the bruises, look on the bright side.  It's that much
more evidence to show to Per’sus.”  

“That's true, Sam.  Furthermore, now that I know Malek and Devlin are all right, I need to
go get ready to meet him when he arrives.  I want to be sure that no one else snags him
before he can get here.”  

Malek nodded at Daniel’s statements.  “Yes.  I am hoping that almost no one will realize
he is here, even though it is unlikely.  I am sure he will be recognized, and no doubt
Delek will be informed.”  

Sam frowned.  “Maybe we should go to your base and talk to him, Malek.  In fact, why
haven’t we gone to your base and away from him, anyway?”  She seemed truly puzzled.  

“I considered moving you, Samantha, but I was concerned that would tip Delek off to our
suspicion of him.  This way, it looks as if we believe this to be a relapse, and that we do
not even suspect that someone is trying to kill you.  I believe that Gava has given out that
she believes that you are extremely sensitive to the poison and that you have had a very
bad reaction to it.”  

“Furthermore, to be perfectly honest, I doubt he would have left it alone even with you on
another base.  I believe that the incidents would have continued to happen.  He would
have managed to get to you there, as well as here.  He is often on my base on council
business.  The only thing that would be different is that I would know the other people
around you better.”  

“How are you explaining the guards, Malek?  I assumed that everyone knew that Sam was
being attacked.”  
     
“No, I brought the guards in after Delek came down this hall, which had been given over
to me, for the duration of Samantha’s illness.  His attitude upset me, and I determined
that he would not insult my mate again, so I brought in my own guards.”  

Daniel nodded, but frowned.  “Then how are you explaining the ones in the medical bay?”  

Malek smiled slightly, saying, “Gava told me that she suspected someone was taking
drugs from the medical bay, and since she had no idea who, she couldn’t trust the guards
on this base.  Therefore, I offered her some of mine, since they could not have been
involved.  It had nothing to do with Sam or me.”  

Daniel nodded again, as he thought that explanation over.  “I can see that it might work.  
Why is Per'sus here today?”  

“Zarest brought me intelligence that needed to be conveyed to Per'sus.  I felt it was my
duty to inform him, but quite obviously, I cannot yet leave my mate.”  Malek shrugged,
“He agreed to come here to talk to me about the situation.  In fact, you should probably
spread that rumor around, so that it will reach Delek.  Since I cannot leave the tunnel
without being zatted, I cannot do it myself.”  It was evident that the thought of his guards
shooting him still caused him to become somewhat disgruntled.  

Sam smiled to herself, but said nothing.  

Daniel nodded, rolled off the sleeping platform, and walked to where his robe was lying.  
He turned to them, as he dressed, obviously thinking about the day ahead.  “Malek, I’m
going to go ahead and get dressed, and then I'll check in with the guards and Gava, too, if
she's up.  She checked on us around five-thirty, though, so she may not be.”  

“Sam slept for a little over two and a half hours this last time and her fever, instead of
spiking, has been going up steadily but slowly, so we haven’t had any more frantic trips to
the pool.  We both showered after, er, our last, um, mating.  Her fever went down
afterwards to under one hundred and two.  I don’t know how far it has gone down before
now; therefore, I don’t know if that's good or not.  It actually bumped one hundred and
one for about ten minutes before it began to go back up.”  

Malek stared at him and then smiled.  “That is very good news, Daniel.  We have not had
numbers that low since her first poisoning.  Thank the Goddess, perhaps we have finally
managed to turn a corner.”  

“I’m hopeful that you are right.  She slept deeply, but as she did this time, she woke up on
her own as the poison started to force her fever up.”  He smiled at Sam for a moment
before leaning down and giving her a soft lingering kiss.  

“I need to go, Sam of my Heart.  I’ll be back in,” he looked at the ‘timekeeper’ and figured
their time, before Per'sus was due to arrive.  It was later than he’d realized.  It was already
almost nine-thirty.  He glanced up at Malek, relieved to see only acceptance on his face, as
he watched them together, and said, “About ten forty.  Will that give you enough time,
Malek?  Sam?”  

“That’ll be fine, Daniel, but,” Sam stopped and cleared her throat, “You don’t have to stay
away, Daniel.  We’re all going to be one family.  There’s no reason you can’t join us, if you
want to.”  

Daniel shook his head.  “Not this time, Sam.  Maybe after Per'sus leaves, although, we
need to discuss it first.  I, ah, I feel like we should wait for Martouf and Lantash to be
home before we do that.  At least, before we do, um, Cor’kesh’lek’dak, hearts bound
through flesh, which I think is something that should only be done with them first, if you
agree to it, that is.  Furthermore, that decision, as far as I am concerned, is totally up to
you.  I don’t know how the Tok’Ra feel about it, but if you don’t want to do it, I’ll support
your decision, I promise you.  So, anyway, I might join you, but not for that, okay?”  

“Since I'm not sure exactly what it is, I guess I’ll have to agree.”  Sam looked confused at
what Daniel had said.  What in the world, could it be that he would back her if she
refused?  

Malek spoke up.  “It is always the female’s decision, Daniel, but we do have—ways that
make it very pleasurable and not at all painful, if that is what you are thinking.”   

Daniel evinced his acknowledgement of Malek’s words and assurance, and then seeing
Sam’s quizzical look at him, suggested, “Ah, well, ask Malek about it, Sam.  He can
explain it, I’m sure.”  Daniel dodged her questioning look even more saying, “I really
should go, or you and Malek won’t have time to be sure you’re all right, while Per'sus is
here.”  

Sam grinned realizing he was escaping, before she insisted he explain.  “All right, Daniel,
and I agree.  Malek and I need to make love, as you say.  We’ll see you later.”  

A grin, a quick peck of a kiss, and Daniel waved, as he exited the room.  Now it was just
her, Malek, and Devlin.  How was he going to react to what they had done?  Was he upset,
or did he accept it as what was meant to be?”  She watched him closely.
     
Malek got out of bed, unconcerned with his state of undress and reached out his hand for
her to take, saying “Come, Samantha, you are wishing to make your way to the facilities, I
am sure.  I will help you.  After helping her to stand, he looked at her solemnly, “Is there
anything that you wish for that I can get for you or do for you, Samantha?”  

Realizing that Malek was feeling somewhat unsure of what, if anything, had changed
between them because she had accepted Daniel in his place, she leaned close to him,
putting her arms around his neck and stroked Malek through Devlin’s skin.  “Hold me in
your arms, Malek?  Hold me close and tight, so that I can know, for a fact, that you are
here and well.  So that I can feel that you are alive and back with me refreshed, no longer
so exhausted, and that you survived Delek’s latest attempt.  Would you do that for me?”

“Yes, Samantha, I will do that with pleasure,” he said softly, as he did as she asked.  
Gathering her close, he held her in his arms.  He could feel the tension leaving him, a
tension he had been unaware of feeling.  She had known, though, and acted to release it
for him.  Dear universe, how very much he loved this woman.  “I love you, Samantha, as
does Devlin.  Gather us into your arms and hold us tightly, as well, for just a moment.”  
As her arms gathered him close, he sighed, “Yes, that is exactly what I needed to feel, you
are correct.  Thank you, my love.”  

“You're welcome.  Now, I need the facilities, and you can explain what Cor’kesh’lek’dak is,
so that I won't be the only one of us that has no idea what you mean.  I'd also like to know
how Daniel figured it out, because he didn’t know what it was yesterday.”  

“I believe that in all probability he asked Gava, although he may have figured it out on his
own.  Daniel is known for his intuitive leaps of logic, is he not?”  

“Yes, that’s true; you could be right.”   
       
“I missed having you by my side during the night.  I woke up several times, and if it had
not been for Gava’s threats, I would have joined you and Daniel.  You would have enjoyed
that my love, but he is correct, and it is not yet time for that with Daniel.  First, we must
bind with Martouf and Lantash, if you agree to the rite.  Apart from that, though, there is
no reason he cannot join us to love you, without doing Cor’kesh’lek’dak.”  

Malek easily swung her up and into his arms, taking her to the facilities, and Sam took
the opportunity to ask again, “What exactly is Cor’kesh’lek’dak, Malek?  And, what did you
mean about it being pleasurable not painful?”  

“It is a sexual act that is the joining between two men and a woman.  She is placed
between them, and they have relations with her at the same time,” Malek responded
quietly and calmly.  “That is why it is up to the female if she wishes to participate.  It is
the ultimate joining, but only if she wishes for it.  It is.”  He stopped speaking, trying to
think of how to explain it to her.  “It is as if such an intimate bonding cements the
relationship between the three of them.  It appears that the woman takes the love into
herself and then multiplies it before sending it back in an unending circuit between the
three.  It bleeds over into the everyday relationship as well, making them feel a connection
constantly, always through her.  I cannot really explain the profoundness of the feelings,
Samantha.  I wish that I could, for you would understand it better.”  

Sam nodded that she understood, and then completed her ablution and the brushing of
her teeth, before turning to go back to the sleeping platform.  “I can walk, Malek, I really
am beginning to feel better.  I don’t feel like my legs will collapse, if I try to walk anyway.”

“As for the Cor’kesh’lek’dak,” she shook her head, as her voice faltered.  “Let’s cross that
bridge when we get there, all right?  It’s not something that will come up anytime soon, so
there's no point in discussing it now.”  

Malek glanced down at her and, seeing the heightened color in her face, realized that she
was not comfortable with the subject.  Was it another cultural taboo, perhaps?  Perhaps
that was why Daniel had been so adamant in his insistence that Samantha would be the
one to decide.  He shrugged mentally.  It was not something that they had to do, and as
she said, it was for the future, anyway.  He allowed the subject to drop, saying, “As you
wish, Samantha.  As I said, it is not something that must ever be accomplished, if you do
not desire it.”  

Malek sat on the edge of the platform and reached for her.  He had told her the truth.  
Each time he had awakened last night, it had been a fight with himself not to go to them.  
He had used his iron control to keep himself from doing so.  However, his night in
purgatory was over, and she was within reach of his arms and lips.  

Embracing her, he brought her across his body, as he entered the bed fully, yet still sitting
up.  Bending toward her, his lips caressed hers softly and enticingly, before finally
crushing her too him.  He and Devlin switched back and forth so quickly that, at times, it
was hard to tell which of them was in control.  Perhaps, it was both or neither, and they
did not care, as long as they could hold and kiss Samantha.  

When he paused, she moaned in denial of his retreat, and then gasped as Malek’s lips
found the sweet spot on her throat.  He pulled back, looked at the timekeeper, and sent
her a sultry look.  “We still have time to make love, so that you will be completely lucid,
and since I am sure you would prefer to be that way, let us see what we can do to assure
that happening.”  

Sam turned to him, and the desire that was beginning to grow for him again sprang to
life.  She couldn't believe the desire she saw in their eyes each time they came to her, nor
could she believe that, after this many days, they were still responding to her just as they
had eight days ago.   

She saw Malek’s expression change, and he stepped back abruptly, as a predatory smile
curved his lips.  “Your forehead has a light red rash on it, Samantha.  Is it also on your
hand?”  

Sam gasped.  She'd forgotten that she should break out in a rash sometime between
yesterday and today.  It seemed that she had.  She stared at her hand.  “Finally, we have
our proof.  I'm so relieved.”  Malek nodded at her comment and com’d Gava, telling her
they needed to make some images of Samantha’s bruises and rashes.  

Turning back to her, he frowned slightly, “This will cut into the time we have for your
“treatment”, my love, but I believe it is important that these images be taken.”  

Sam nodded and reached for her robe.  “True, it will, but even quickies can be intense,
you know.  I’m kind of looking forward to one with you.  I want just pure, hot, raging sex,
with both of you.  I want you hard and the sex hasty, but hot.  That's what I want with you
and Devlin, Malek.”

He groaned at her words.  “Samantha, please, do not do that.  Gava will be here shortly.”  

She laughed softly, as she came to him and hugged him to her.  “I'll make it up to you and
Devlin, I promise.”  

As she stepped back from him, he kissed her lightly, and she could tell that he was
listening to Devlin.  He frowned slightly, before saying, “Remind me to make sure she has
told my guards that I am now in my right mind.  I would not like for them to shoot me
because she forgot to assure them that I am now back to normal.”

Sam tried to hide her smile at his disgruntled speech.  There was no doubt that Malek
had not appreciated having his guards believe he was less than in complete control.  He
caught her lips twitching, as a smile attempted to form, and he grumbled even more.  “It
is your fault that she did so, Samantha.  Had you not told her to have my guards shoot
me, Gava would never have considered doing so on her own.  You are subverting our
people.”  He shook his head sadly, and then smiled slightly at her.  “However, your
intentions were good, so I will forgive you this time, but in the future, I would appreciate it
if you would refrain from putting ideas in people’s heads.”  
     
Sam smiled slightly, and then said, sotto voice, “I'm glad to know that.  In the future,
should I ever wish to please you, I'll know just how to go about doing so.”  She laughed, as
what she had said to him registered in his mind.  

“Samantha!”  

“Yes, my love?  Is something wrong?”  

She looked so lovely standing in front of him with the amused little half-smile on her lips
that he could not go on with his assumed exasperation.  “No, my Sam; I love you.  Devlin
loves you, and we will both do whatever it takes to keep you safe and happy.  If the
thought of Gava ordering my people around at your request makes you happy, then I will
allow you to dwell on it.”  

“Thank you, Malek,” Sam answered, her voice and demeanor demure.  Malek snorted.   

Sam nodded and going up on tiptoe kissed him sweetly, before sighing and returning to a
more disturbing subject.  “You know, Malek, if Delek is involved in something more than
just hating the Tau’ri that could be why he's becoming bolder.  I believe that, if he is not
already desperate, he soon will be.  He's tried several times to kill me and failed each
time.  Now, he's attempted to kill you, as well.  He's becoming angrier and more
determined with each failure.”  

Malek tilted her face up to him and kissed her gently.  “Samantha, he will not be allowed
to get to you.  We will stop him one way or another, I promise you.”

“I know you'll do your very best, and I think you'll succeed, too.”

Malek smiled down into her eyes.  “Yes, I will—we will—and you will be all right.”  He gave
her a quick kiss.  “However, today could end up being long and difficult for all of us.”  

“Yes, and Martouf and Lantash could come home today.  I don’t really expect them until
tomorrow, though.”  

“Nor do I, Samantha, but we will be here waiting on them.  All of us together.”  

“Yes, we will, but I still think we need to use me as bait to catch Delek.”   

Malek blinked at her.  “That’s what you meant earlier?  You want us to use you to draw
him out into the open.  Lantash and Martouf will never agree to that and neither will Dev
and I.  It is out of the question and I absolutely forbid it.”  Malek took himself in hand.  He
had almost panicked, when she said that.  No, she would not do it.  Well, only if it became
a last resort.  

Sam looked at him and her eyebrow rose in a silent inquiry.  Malek groaned, saying, “All
right.  Samantha, please do not contemplate doing that.  Let us try to find another way
first.”  

Sam smiled at him.  “All right, for a little while, but I’m not living in constant turmoil
because of Delek.  I want to find out why he's doing this.”  

“So do I, my love, so do I.”  Malek cocked his head, as his symbiote hearing picked up
sounds, before she could hear them.  “I hear Daniel talking to Gava, so he is with her, and
they are almost here.”  

Malek turned and greeted Gava and Daniel, as they entered the room.  

“Hi, Gava, Daniel,” Sam gave her attention to them, as well, greeting them and listening
as Gava explained what she wanted to do.   

“Good morning, Samantha.  Daniel tells me that we need to take images of some bruises,
as well as the rash.”  

Malek answered before Sam could, saying, “We did not realize it yesterday, but she is
bruised in several places.  As soon as Per’sus has seen them, we will need to heal them.”   

Gava agreed.  Then she turned to Sam.  “I will take the images of the rashes first,
Samantha.  Then I will do the bruises starting on your throat.  Where else are you
bruised?”  

“My other ribs, my hipbones, one of my thighs, and my arm.”  Sam turned to Daniel,
“Would you go get me some, um, underwear Daniel?  I really would like to at least have
something on, while Per’sus is here.”  

“Sure, Sam.  Anything else?  A nightshirt?  Anything like that?”  

“Yes, I would like to have my nightshirts.  Or, no, wait…get me a couple of Lantash and
Martouf’s shirts that button down the front.  Those will work better, and it’s not as if he
will need them anytime soon, since we won’t be going to Earth.  No, wait, bring both and
some underwear.”  

“Can do, Sam.  I’ll be back shortly.”  

“Thanks, Daniel.”  

After Daniel left, Gava turned back to Sam.  “Are you ready for me to take the images of
the other bruises, Samantha?”  

Sam nodded and she and Gava made quick work of it.  They documented her bruises and
Malek and Gava each kept a copy of them.  

“Malek, Astar will be in the med bay this morning, so when you need her to give her
information to him, let me know, and I will accompany her.  If you need me before that
time, com me, and I will come.  I imagine seeing the bruises will be all he will need.”  

“Thank you, Gava.  You have been very helpful, and all of your help is much
appreciated.”   

“Was not there something you wanted me to remind you to ask Gava about, Malek?”  Sam
nudged his memory gently, leaving him to ask the question himself.

He looked at her blankly, for a moment, before remembering and turning to her.  “Gava,
have you informed the guards that I am again “normal”?  If not, I would appreciate it, if
you would do so at once.”  

Gava grinned at him, before telling him, “I talked to Torvar this morning very early, before
the shift change and informed him that, while the reaction to the medication was gone, I
still wished to be apprised, if you left the tunnel for any reason.  So, yes, they believe you
to be well and, er, sane, once again.”  
     
“You should not tease him so, Gava,” Sam murmured.  “I think we really did hurt his
feelings and,”  she glanced at him from the corner of her eye, and decided that she should
not tease him anymore either, “I believe he looked on it as a betrayal, when we did not
mean it that way at all.”  

Gava sighed, before saying, “They never believed that you were not sane, Malek, only that
the medication I gave you could affect your ability to think logically.  Samantha is correct.  
I should not tease you about it, and I am sorry if she is correct, and you feel that we
betrayed you.  It was not our intention.”  

Malek looked uncomfortable as he answered her, “No, you have nothing for which to
apologize, and both of you know it.  I was not logical for some time, after you gave it to me,
and it is true that you might possibly have stopped me from doing something foolish.  I
must thank you both for that, I believe.”  

Gava smiled at him and clasped his arm, “You are most welcome.  Know that Samantha
and I would both protect you in whatever way we must.  I will be back later.  Goodbye,
Samantha, Malek, Devlin.”  

“Goodbye, Gava, Treea.  See you later.  Thank you, again,” Sam said as Gava turned to
leave.

Daniel almost collided with her, as he was coming in while she was going out.  Once
inside he handed the clothing to Sam.  “I hope this is what you want, Sam.  If not, I’ll go
back and look some more.  I brought you some sweatpants, too, even though you didn’t
mention them.”  

Going through the bundle he had thrust into her hands, she shook her head.  “No, these
are fine, Daniel, thank you.  I’m glad you thought to bring the pants actually.  I'll feel even
more comfortable with them on.”  Sam sent him a very grateful look and a sweet smile for
his thoughtfulness.   

“All right, then in that case, I’m going to go get something to eat and then hang around
waiting on Per’sus to arrive.  I’ll be back with him as soon as he gets here.  It should be
just over an hour, so, well, you know.”  

Malek smiled.  “Yes, Daniel, we know.  We will see you shortly, then.”  

Daniel turned to leave, but then he turned back, and he was frowning when he did.  “I
forgot and so did Gava, although with this interesting bit of news, I don’t know how we
could have.  It seems that Delek has disappeared.”  

Malek frowned.  “What do you mean disappeared, Daniel?  How could he disappear?”  

Daniel shrugged.  “I don’t know; all I know is what I heard.  It seems that he had a report
to give that the council was expecting this morning, and it was fairly important, I guess.  
Anyway, he didn’t turn up for the council meeting, and he’s not in his room or anything.  
No one's seen him since about ten last night, and at that time, he was in the pool near his
rooms.  There’s speculation, of course, but no one seems to know for sure.  They’ve
checked everywhere for him and even questioned the guards at the gate to see if he left
that way.  They said they hadn’t seen him, and that other than some supplies, nothing,
and no one has been through the gate since early last evening.”  

“Anyway, they’ve decided that he's topside somewhere doing god only knows what.  
Stekesh, and Corlock suggested he had gone to meet an informant, perhaps one that
arrived by ship.  There's also speculation that he went out to meet one of his, ah, female
friends.  I guess a couple of them have their own ships, being as they are in “trade”, and it
seems that some feel like he is just being Delek, and he spent the night with some
woman.  I guess he's done that before, although not for a very long time.  They're pretty
upset at either scenario because that means outsiders know where the base is.  So, if it's
either one of those things, they may be moving the base again, and Delek’s ass is grass,
when he finally turns up.”   

“So, maybe he won’t be here to intercept or notice Per'sus’s arrival, which would be very
convenient for us.  Anyway, I thought you might want to know.”  

Malek nodded.  “Yes, Daniel, thank you.”  Malek frowned, and it was obvious that he was
not happy with the news.  “I am afraid that I do not feel comfortable with this news, but I
do not know why.  As you say, it is an occurrence that will help us.  It just seems,” it was
Malek’s turn to shrug, “out of character for Delek.  He is very conscious of his place as a
sub-council member, and he has ambitions in the direction of the council.”  

“I cannot see him reverting to his old habits.  I do not even agree that it would be an
informant, for we usually check in with them off world.  There are, of course, a few who
know where we are, but still, it would have to be an emergency for one of them to come
here.  Delek should have told someone where he was going in that case.  In addition, how
did they contact him?  Something just does not seem correct in this.”  

Daniel and Sam both gave Malek’s comments some thought.  Finally, Sam murmured, “I
think you're right, Malek.  As good a break as it is for us, it does seem very out of
character.  I can’t see him spending time with a woman and not returning for a meeting
where he was supposed to give an important report.  I mean, I can see him with a woman;
his host is quite good looking, but I can't see the other part, him missing the meeting
because of it.  Do you suppose someone kidnapped him?  One of his informants turned on
him and handed him over to the Goa’uld or something?”

It was Daniel’s turn to frown, as he thought through the information.  “I think that's a
much more realistic scenario than the ones they came up with.  How they'll find him if
that's what happened, I don’t know.  Unless the informant comes forward trying to work
both sides against the middle and tries to sell you the information of where he is.”   

Malek stared at Daniel, “I would never have considered that.”  
     
“On earth, what we call kidnapping, which is the taking of someone against their will,
would be the first thought of where he might be.  I never considered that the universe
would be that different.”  

“We are aware of those things, it is just that it would not be our first thought.”  

Daniel nodded and answered as he prepared to leave, “Yes, I can see where the other
things you suggested might be considered first.  It does seem farfetched that anyone would
want to take Delek.”  

Daniel turned toward the door.  “Well listen, that's the only other thing I thought I should
tell you.  You guys are running out of time.  I’ll see you before long with Per'sus.  I’ll, um,
com you first before I bring him.”  

That will not be necessary, Daniel.  We will be ready for you.”  

“All right, then.  See you in a while.  Later, Sam.”  

“Bye, Daniel.  Thanks.”  

“No problem.”  Daniel waved as he left the room.  

Malek turned to Sam and smiled.  “Perhaps we will be lucky and Delek will not return for
a day or two.  In the interim, perhaps we can use his disappearance to our advantage and
do some investigating while he is gone.”  

“We can always hope.  However, as interesting as his disappearance is, do you think that
maybe,” she stepped closer and twined her arms around his neck, “we could talk about
that later?  Say, after we make love?  I want you and Devlin, Malek.”  She kissed his
throat and his jaw line before moving on to the corner of his lips.  “I’d really like to make
love to you and forget about Delek for a while.  Can we do that?”  

Malek moaned, as one of her hands made its way downward, until she could cup him.  
Almost always ready, when he was around her, his cock jerked in response.  “Yes, my
Sam.  I believe that we not only can, but we should do that.  Soon.  Very,” he kissed her
lips, “very,” he moved to her throat, “soon.”  

Swinging her into his arms, he turned and walked to the sleeping platform.  He had
missed her last night, even as exhausted as he was.  He was more than ready to love her
this morning.  

“We have little time to accomplish what we need to, my Sam.”  

Sam reached for him, knowing he would be hard and hot in her hand.  “I want you and
Devlin to love me.  I know we have little time, but remember what I said, hasty but hot
sounds good to me.  Come to me.  Show me the fire and heat of your passion when it
rages, Malek.  I want to feel you in me hard and fast.  No preliminaries, no discussion, just
hot, hard sex—hot, hard, and fast.”   

Malek’s eyes gleamed as he asked quietly, “Are you sure, Samantha?  I do not want to
hurt you, but I must admit that the idea appeals greatly to both Devlin and I.”  

“Yes, I am sure.”  

“Is there something particular you wish to have us do, my Sam?”  

Sam smiled at him, her eyes shining with both excitement and her love for them.  
“Surprise me, Malek,” she whispered, as her lips sought his throat.  “Take me how you
want to.  I'm already so hot for you I think I’m burning up.  You and Devlin are a fever in
my blood.  Feed the fire and then burn with me.  She kissed him below his ear, “hot,” and
then down the side of his throat, “hard,” she breathed against his jawline, “and fast.”   

Sam continued her sensual exploration of his body with her lips and hands, while
rubbing her body against them.  As she found and teased from one sensitive spot to the
next, Malek’s breaths began to quicken, and he could not refrain from returning her
caresses.  Soon he was moaning, and he and Devlin were switching back and forth so
quickly it was hard to know which one was fore.  How was he supposed to decide how to
give her what she asked for, if he could not think?     

Neither he nor Devlin were proof against her lips, her hands, her body, or the sultry
sexiness of her voice.  The rigid control they held as she kissed, caressed, and pressed her
body to theirs, snapped.  Grabbing her, Malek pushed her up against the wall.  “Spread
your legs for me, Sam.  I cannot wait any longer.  This night without you by my side was
long enough.  Now, I will have you as you desire…but just as importantly, as we desire.”  

When she did not respond as quickly as he thought she should, he reached down and
lifted one of her legs up and over his arm, opening her to his throbbing cock.  Waiting for
nothing else, he stepped closer to her and sank his shaft into her as far and as hard as it
would go, holding her impaled and pressed firmly against the blue crystal wall behind
her.  She moaned and tried to move, but she had no leverage.  Pinned against the wall,
with only one foot on the floor, Sam had no choice but to grab him by the shoulders, but
even then, she couldn’t force him to begin moving within her.   

The more she attempted to move on them and find some relief for her desire, the more
firmly they held her.  When she stopped moving, they began thrusting into her with long
smooth strokes that did nothing to relieve her, but everything to build her need higher.  
She whimpered, chanting their names in time to their thrusts, as their lips played lightly
over her throat and shoulders.  

“Malek, I cannot hold back, you must take complete control if you do not wish this to end
now,” Devlin gasped, as he felt her lips locking onto his throat in his most sensitive spot.  
“She cannot move on us, but her channel muscles are pressing and caressing our cock so
tightly that it is almost an exquisite form of torture.”   

Sending his understanding to his mate, he told him, “I will do so, Devlin; however, I, too,
am very close to losing control.  I will endeavor to hold off a little longer, though, so that
Samantha will be with us.  I must change our position before this one begins to hurt her.”

Suddenly, he pulled out of her body and dropped her leg, only to turn her around and
bend her almost roughly over the edge of the sleeping platform, although being careful of
her bruises.  

“Spread your legs for me, Sam, and do it quickly, for I am far too aroused to wait for
long.”  Reaching down, he opened her woman’s tunnel and plunged into the heated
wetness of her body, even as she was in the process of moving her legs.  

Sam moaned as she felt the thick length of him split and fill her aching channel.  “Oh,
god, Malek, you and Devlin feel so good, so damn good.  This fever in my blood is burning
me alive.  I feel like I’m going to flash into flames and turn to ashes.  Hurry, my love,
move.  Please, give us what we both crave and need.  You’re as hot and near to flashpoint
as I am; I can feel the fever burning you, just the same as it is me.”  She was gasping, as
she spoke to him of her need.  

He stood firmly behind her with his legs braced.  Then he began to pound into her,
holding her down with one hand, while the other reached around and found her nub,
beginning to massage and stroke it in the rhythm he knew would send her over the edge
the fastest.  

He groaned as he tried to hold himself back, but he could not, and he increased his pace,
thrusting wildly, almost savagely, into her as hard and deeply as he could.  He became
aware of Sam talking to him.  When he managed to understand what she was saying,
through the fever of desire he was in, he was glad to realize she was asking for even more
of his cock and harder thrusts.  That was good because he did not think he could have
stopped or slowed at this point.  

As he listened to her voice crying out to him, he gave himself over to the sensations,
moaning to her, “I cannot wait, Samantha.  I am sorry, my love, but I cannot.”  

“Don’t wait, don’t wait.  I want you, now; I’m ready.”  Sam was sobbing in her need for
release.  “Now, Malek, fill me now.  Harder.  Faster.  Deeper.  I want all of you.  Please,
now.  Now.”  

With several deeper, faster thrusts, Malek did what Sam had asked and gave her every bit
of him that he and Devlin could.  As he buried his cock, grinding into her, he felt her
contractions begin only to answer them with jets of hot cum, as he pulsed in time with
her.  When both of their releases finally subsided, he collapsed onto her back before
immediately rolling to the side, not wishing to hurt her ribs or leg.  

They both lie panting on the bed.  Sam had rolled with him so they ended up spooned
together with him still buried deeply within her.   

“My God, Malek, that was…” she laughed softly, her voice shaking in the aftermath of her
release, “I think awesome would suffice—maybe.  I felt like I was burning with a fever.  A
fever of desire.  I wanted to cum, but it was as if my body refused, until you finally readied
for your release and started bearing down without letting up.  It was very intense.”   

Malek’s arms hugged her gently and his hands began a soothing caressing of her arms.  “I
do not believe I have ever felt such raging desire before you, my Sam.  Although this time
was very intense as you say, I feel it for you each and every time we…make-love.  I also
understand what you mean when you say it is as if it is a fever in your blood, burning
you, for Devlin and I both feel as if we burn with our desire for you.”  

“This was, indeed, a tempestuous, impassioned mating, and I found it quite exciting.  I
find you exciting, Samantha.  I do not believe I have ever felt such passion as I share with
you.  Neither of us, for Devlin wishes you to know that he is in agreement with my words
to you.  I—we love you beyond measure.”  

“I love both of you, too, more than I can ever express.”  Sam glanced at the timekeeper.  
“We have enough time to bathe, Malek, if we’re very quick.”  

Malek nodded.  “I am sure you would feel better.  Let me cleanse you first; and then we
will go shower.  It will be quicker than a bath.”  

Sam smiled at him as he picked her up and carried her into the facilities.  She wondered
if he would continue doing so even after her strength returned.  Probably.  Martouf and
Lantash did it quite often, as well.

As Malek attended to Sam and then helped her to gather her things for their shower, his
thoughts swung toward the rest of the day.

Per'sus would arrive, they would lay their suspicions, along with their evidence, before
him, and they would plan their next move.  They would find the underlying cause of what
was happening, and then Samantha would be safe.  

Martouf and Lantash could arrive at any time.  He hoped they did, for he knew that
Samantha’s mind would not be fully at ease until they were back in her arms.  That would
happen quite soon; and then they would all be together.  

Once they returned to their room, he lowered his lips to hers.  The future would be taken
care of later.  For now, he would simply bask in the love of his mate and enjoy the here
and now.  This time together would be one of many more to come.  He was sure of it.  He
pressed his body to hers, taking the kiss deeper.  For a few more minutes, he would
remain lost to the world.  They would both return to it soon enough.  This moment in time
was theirs to embrace.  The rest of the world could wait.

The End





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Hold Gently, Handle With Care

Eighth Story in the Fever Series