Dani and the Bull

Author's Note:

While I was getting this chapter ready for submission, I realized that Nick had invaded my computer and turned Dani and Bull's world upside down. When I found the part where he was using his evil to make things worse, I consulted both Dani and Bull and they realized that she would have never allowed such a thing to happen. So I made sure that was made clear in the story. Sorry no rushing ahead, but you'll know when you get there. I also knew I had to make up for what Andre was denied so I brought in a character that while he has been mentioned, hadn't made an appearance. He is part of the chapter where I let Andre express his feelings and gain a little knowledge in the process. He didn't win the girl, but he does realize that he is just as important to her life as everyone else.

Hugs

Darkstone57

Chapter 15

Dani watched as her parents, Mike, Katie and the kids left the driveway and headed for New Orleans. Andi and Pigpen were still in the back window of the RV waving and she waved back until they were out of view. A part of her wanted to run after them, and...and do what? Beg them to stay, beg them to take her home, beg them to turn back the clock and make this all a bad dream? If she did that she would lose Bull, lose the child inside her, and lose all she had gained in such a short time.

Strong arms surrounded her from behind, and she smiled. "Sorry Andre, you may look like him but you don't feel like him..."

"Ah little sister, but you haven't felt all of me; I bet in the dark we would feel the same." He nuzzled her neck. "He is old compared to us; we have youth and vitality on our side." He began to whisper in French and Dani giggled. "You laugh at my words of love?"

"No, I'm laughing because you're tickling me." He was tickling the one spot on her that even Bull was careful to avoid. "Seriously Andre, you need to stop, otherwise I will have to hurt you big time..."

"Would you really hurt me?" He turned her to face him resting his arms on her shoulders and giving her a hurt puppy look.

"No, not intentionally and you know it. Too many people have been hurt so far..."

He couldn't argue with her on that point. If his brother was angry for what their grandmother had done to him, Andre had his own reasons for being angry as well. The child should have been his, and after spending time with Dani, he was coming to regret the loss. "Granny will never forgive herself for doing what she did. She has been talking to Uncle Philippe since daybreak so he will perform the Blood Ritual instead of her if she does not come out of her fears. I find I cannot be sorry for her pain, considering what she did to my brother and to me." To make sure Dani knew what he regretted most he rested a hand on her belly and she nodded in understanding.

Bull walked up and put his hand on Andre's shoulder. "But you will be there Andre, you are still its blood, and you will be a part of his life. Perhaps more than some..." He was not happy and he looked at Dani. "Uncle Philippe will perform the ceremony; I refuse to let that old witch to do anything for me after what she has done. Momma is not happy, but I will not entrust something so important to you to anyone who tries to manipulate the forces of nature. Both of you, come with me, I have decided something."

Dani wondered when he had made the decision she both expected and regretted. There was also the question of why he hadn't talked to her or asked her opinion. "You've decided?"

He took her hand and lift it to his lips, "Yes, but I need something from Andre, and I need your agreement in this."

She sighed, Bull had changed in the last week, and since discovering what his grandmother had done to the three of them he had been more withdrawn, had allowed Andre to grow closer to her. "Bull, I'm afraid..."

Andre moved aside and let Bull pull her to him. "Don't be scared love. None of what has happened has changed how I feel about you; none of it will ever change how much I love you and need you in my life. I simply want explore a new part of us." He bent his head and kissed her long and hard. "Do this for me love, I promise you will not be hurt. I would rather kill myself then ever hurt you in any way."

The three of them got in the truck and he drove them to the grove he had brought her to before. It was early still and the grass was still damp, but she watched as he spread a blanket then began to undress. Exchanging looks with Andre; he shrugged and began to do as his brother was. She had to admit his body was as beautiful as Bull's and while he was smaller in size, he was finely muscled and darker in skin tone from days spent on the boats.

Bull finished and walked up behind her. Moving her hair to one side, nuzzled her neck and slid his hands up under her breasts to cup and caress them. "Never be afraid love, you are my equal, my life. Even when we must be apart, I will always be with you, my dream will be of your body and no woman will ever have me but you. But I cannot deny something that Nature decided long ago uncle Philippe has told me this is how it must be to bring the balance back, and be honest, can you look at him and not feel something inside you for Andre?"

Dani did as he asked both normally and through the eyes of her demon. She let hers go to meet his and it was clear the attraction was there, then Bull joined them and while he was showing some signs of jealousy, it was controlled and her demon moved to reassure him even as he reassured her. Eyes closed, she felt Andre move to stand in front of her and his hands move to the curves of her ass.

"Let your demon guide you Dani, let her take control."

It wasn't easy, a part of her wanted to fight the inevitable and yet a part of her wanted to feel the exotic pleasures that she knew this could bring. Andre was already on his knees before her, his hand opening her jeans, slipping them down over her hips and her legs, his mouth kissing each part of her that exposed. Bull was doing the same with her shirt and she lifted her arms as he brought them up as he pulled it off her completely.

Andre finished lowering her jeans and she stepped out of them. She heard him moan and felt his lips on her legs as they kissed their way up to where her legs joined. She could feel his face pressing in her abdomen and heard him inhale deeply. "You smell as fresh and clean as the air after a thunderstorm Dani, and you feel as soft as the finest silk. Just thinking of you has been enough to make me hard in my sleep, has made me cry with need for you, but never daring to dream that I would ever know you so intimately..." He slipped his hands inside the bands holding her thong together and drew it down even slower than he had her jeans.

Bull chuckled. "If it was anyone but you little brother, I would be killing him now, but you know this must be done, and I have accepted it so be sure you treat her with care, or I may change my mind..."

Dani frowned suddenly realizing just how far he intended to take this. "Bull, you can't mean what I think you mean. Yes I find Andre attractive, but I can't..."

The two men looked at her as she pulled away from both of them. Bull reached out to touch her face but she stepped away from him. "Dani, it's not that I want this, but..."

She didn't want to hear explanations. "But nothing, I can't be this way Bull; I wasn't brought up this way." Moving to gather her clothes she began to dress and shook her head. "The Lazarus family isn't like this, we don't..." Even as the thoughts raged in her mind, she felt something slam into her, a vile sickness that made her want to vomit and she barely reached the edge of the blanket before it emptied her stomach. God, no not now, not here. How could he have found her, found them...? Over and over the waves passed over her and she found herself crying out as Nick's demon assaulted her over and over with the feelings that made her feel dirty and violated. Her body began to feel as if a layer of slime was crawling up from her feet up to enclose her and she went into a fetal position her arms wrapped around her stomach to protect her child.

Bull went to his knees beside her, "No, how did he find us?"

Even as he summoned his demon, she felt hers and the others around them join the battle as well as those of her family and friends. This time even Marie and Jericho answered her and she felt her sister in law answer her call with a fury that was unlike anything she had felt before. Jericho was another one who had power and between them all the storm was soon driven back to where it had come from.

For Dani the sudden assault was more than she could handle. Retreating deep inside herself, she saw that the darkness was again attacking her son and this time it was winning. "Bull, our son, oh god, he's trying to take control of our son!!!!"

The two men wasted no time, and by the time the three of them reached the house, it was in full uproar. Everyone had felt the attack and as she was carried into Massie's room, she heard her mom and dad demanding to know what had happened. Bull could barely answer as realization of what he had done washed over her.

"The grove, we went to the grove to help right the balance, but I was wrong. All I did was add more soil to her soul and Nick found us. He's attacking the baby, oh Lord, he's attacking our son!"

Dani wanted to reach out and wipe away his fear but she couldn't, a part of her wanted to make him suffer, to realize what all the lies of his family and his own anger had brought about. This baby might have been intended to be Andre's but it wasn't. It was Bull's and never would she ever carry anyone else's child as long as he was alive. The Lazarus family might have its fault, but infidelity was not one of them. Even her father had never cheated on her mother even at his worst.

Philippe came and took hold of her hand, "You were right little one, this has all been a disaster, and you have brought it to light, now I understand why Pierre called you the Hurricane. I must apologize as well; I was the one who suggested to Beau that if Andre and he both shared you it might help the balance..."

"You were wrong, you forgot to take into consideration that for her the taking of a lover was the greatest evil that she could perform..." A new voice spoke up and Dani saw the one man she hadn't expected to walk into her life right now. A wave of relief washed over her and she gave a weak smile. "Did you really think I would desert you in your darkest hours my little golden maiden." He came to the bed and stroked her cheek. "Rest little one, we will keep your son safe, I must talk to the priests and the witch woman so I will send your man to you and try not to be too hard on him. He thought he was doing the right thing."

Dani nodded and closed her eyes, feeling that all was as it should be now. When Beau came and lay down beside her, she knew he was still suffering and had to relieve him of it. "It will be alright now Bull; Mr. Two-Feather will help make everything right..."

The fear and anger with himself showed as he looked at her. "I should never have tried to do it Dani; I could have lost you, our son..."

Taking his hand, she laid it on her belly and they lay that way as a soothing sleep closed around them.

Bull woke as the sun was just coming up and the house was finally silent. The appearance of the old Shaman the day before had been a shock to everyone, including his granddaughter. It was as if the old man had just appeared out of thin air, for all Bull knew he had.

The attack yesterday had been the most powerful Nick had ever accomplished, invading even the protected grove. He still felt guilt knowing that he never would have found them if he hadn't been so angry, so desirous of making at least part of the lies better. Andre should be the father of the child she carried. Hadn't she told him herself that she had been considered coming to visit her grandmother and aunt this summer before his arrival? It would have been possible that somehow she might have ended up here with them, and met Andre.

A part of the scenario he pictured included his brother being taken by the baby they had both found so fascinating those years ago, No doubt they would have flirted with each other and even found a way to spend private time together. Knowing his own ability to attract a woman, Dani would have been putty in his brother's hands. Odds were she wouldn't have even known she was pregnant when she went back home and found him there with her brother.

Would he have been there though? He thought about it and knew he would have been. He would have met Sue and Anne, her family, and his dreams would have told him to wait, to see if she was the one he needed in his life. Knowing when she came home that she was already pregnant wouldn't have bothered him, especially once he touched the baby's spirit and discovered just who the father was. If anything it would have made the connection between her family and his known sooner.

There was also the possibility that he might have met her then as well, considering if his grandmother had told the truth he would have begun the training when he should have. That would have made things a little more complicated but he was pretty sure that his brother would have realized he wasn't ready to settle down and be a father just yet, while he would have felt the same pull between them that he had felt the first night they met. Odds were that he would have discarded his training for the moment and followed her back to Oregon.

Thinking of spending days on the road with her traveling north to meet her family made him smile. The days on the road, but the nights... Oh lord the nights that they would have shared. He felt the heat building in him and he looked at her over his shoulder to see her smiling at him and her eyes glittering with that "come get me" look that made him surge to life.

"I thought you were sleeping." He moved to lie beside her and draw her into his arms.

She kept her voice soft, as her fingers ran over his face and down along the width of his shoulders. "I was, but I was having the most delicious dream. First I was here and in the grove with Andre, but then I went back to New Orleans with grandma and Aunt Jessie. I went to the French Quarter with them and we were in a shop that your uncle Philippe and his lover had and you were there. The next thing I know, we were on a motorcycle headed back up to Oregon and we stopped for the night and the dream just got hotter from there." She let a fingertip move over one of his nipples then bent her head up to lick it with the very tip of her tongue. "Did you put visions in my head again?"

"I was thinking of what might have happened between us if Granny had told us all the truth to begin with. I would have still found you Dani, never doubt that, and never think even if the baby was Andre's I would have turned away from you."

She nodded. "Bull, I admit yes, there is a small physical attraction to Andre, but that's all there is, and while I like him, I could never love him like I love you. For one thing, he would have never been able to stand up to my family the way you did, and Nick would have chewed him up and spit him out the minute he met him. Andre is no coward, but he doesn't have your fighting spirit or the ability to defend himself like you do."

Before he could answer, there was a knock on the door, and Bull knew that his brother stood on the other side. "Come on in Andre."

Andre walked in and sat on the edge of the bed. "Your dreams are powerful brother." He looked at Dani and Bull saw he wasn't sure how to act around her. "I came to apologize, for how I acted yesterday. I just felt such a need for you Dani. I kept this memory of you in my mind for so long and when you came to us in that dream that night and I saw the woman you had become, I guess I went a little crazy with the idea of even being able to share you." He paused as if collecting his thoughts. "I spent a lot of time thinking about it once things settled down yesterday. If I had met you before Beau, believe me, I would taken full advantage of it. We would have made love and I would have kept you close to me, but in the end I would have let you know I wasn't old enough or settled enough to take it beyond a summer fling. To be honest when that attack came I was feeling helpless to know what to do until Bull roused my demon and it took control."

Bull felt Dani shift and he sat up as she did. He knew it was time to let her handle the situation and he listened as she took Andre's hand and held it tightly. "Andre, you are a gorgeous hunk of man, and to be honest I would have been flattered by any attention you gave me if I hadn't already met Bull. I don't want to hurt you, not in anyway, but from the time I knew the difference I have judged men by my father and my brothers. Until I met Bull, no man in my mind could match any of them. And as much a hunk as you are, you wouldn't have even come close to being more than as you put it, a summer fling. Honestly, if it was you who had met my brother and come to Oregon, I would have probably dismissed you as a pretty boy and not bothered to get to know you at all;" She was teasing him but perfectly honest at the same time.

"After meeting your dad I would have probably gone off screaming into the night the first night I was there. That man is downright scary Dani." Andre was grinning now and he looked at his brother. "Better you then me big brother."

Bull had to agree with him. Jack was scary at his worse, but for Dani he had long ago decided he would fight his way into hell to have her. Jack and his sons were hardly noticing when you compared them to that. "Good, we have that settled; now get the hell out of here. I need some private time with my woman and we prefer not to have an audience."

His brother started to move off the bed, but Dani stopped him. Both men watched as she bent toward Andre and touched his cheek before leaning in to kiss him gently. "I will always be proud to have you as a brother Andre, and I know that somehow this will work out for the best for you and for me."

Andre blushed and hurried out of the room. Bull wanted to thank Dani for handling things as she had but she put her fingers to his lips. It was her way of telling him that there was nothing to say and to leave it as it was. In her mind the matter was settled and he should feel the same way.

Instead she lay back on the bed and held her arms out open to him. Accepting her invitation, he found her mouth and began to remember what his brother had interrupted. The kisses they shared were soft and gentle but full of the desire they were unable to control when they found themselves in a position like this. His hands were soon moving all over her body, removing clothes and making her ready for the sweetest part of their relationship.

When he was at last inside of her and he felt her hips moving up to meet him, he knew that the idea of even his brother sharing such glory as what he felt was too much for him. Dani was his and his alone and he groaned as she whispered her words of love and encouragement in his ear. A part of him wondered how she could still be willing to accept him after he had been such a fool, but he didn't care, instead he worked to bring her pleasure and when it came he knew he would spend the rest of his life making up the blunder.

"Damn right you will Bull, beginning right now." She bit his ear after making the statement. "I refuse to let you leave this bed until we're both so soaked with sweat and each other's juices that your mother will never forgive us."

His laughter was loud enough to be heard by those already awake but he didn't care. He had a mission to fulfill and he was going to do just what she asked. "My woman's wish is my command you sweet, sexy thing...so let's get to it."