Dusan was a creature born of fire and muscle. Heat that licked at her flesh and encouraged it to release sweat and scent that he could caress across her smooth skin or lick and savor. He was adorned in battle scars and each one a testament, a victory he had over something -less- than he had been. Supernatural, human, alien, it didn't matter. And here a creature of indomitable power was treasuring her like the most precious thing in all the cosmos. A choice of partners and she above the others was his choice. He stood before her and let her hands explore to her contentment. Under the layer of skin he was compact, firm, and constrained power. For being as secretive and reclusive as he could be, in this moment his body was inviting her to know him in a silence that spoke louder that words.

His gaze drifted from her face, appreciating how her blush seemed to spread from her neck, collarbone, and down along the teardrop contour to her breast. As his hand gently cupped her, his thumb grazing along the delicate curve, he marveled at the texture of her skin. How stark a contrast it was to him. She was softness and sweet. His own, battle ravaged, scarred, callous. But the warmth that radiated from her body was fuel to him. He loved to see and feel her heart pounding in her chest. The knowledge he affected her like this when no other being ever had was thrilling.

He could feel her breath catch, the way her chest rose and fell with each heartbeat, and it stirred something deep within him. He leaned closer, his lips brushing her own in a kiss that was as much about comfort as it was about desire. Her rosemary scent hovered around her like the same way it had the first time he had been close to her.

Deciding that her upper half had been attended to it was time to work lower. His fingers eased down from her chest, out to her sides, and down her waist until his thumbs came into contact with the waistband of her exposed panties. A slight press inwards had his thumbs hooked inside her jeans and her underwear as he pushed them downwards only he decided to guide the garments down to the floor. Kneeling at her feet he helped her to step out of them and looked up at her fully exposed form.

Those first instinctive moans were a good sign and the pressing back to meet him another. She was not trying to run away from him but now to him. Dusan would ply her by placing his face just back behind her ear. His voice a low thrum of masculinity and yet it was smooth as if he could deposit each word into her and let the tingling spread from the top down where he hoped it would settle into her core. "You're so smooth and soft." He praised her as the pads of his fingers softly caressed in exploratory waves along her exterior forearms that currently covered her breasts. He didn't need to touch those just yet. For now it was each inch of her. The shoulders, the dip of her elbow, alternating between just the flesh of his fingers or slight, careful grazing where his fingernails joined in and changed the tactile sensations as they explored her. "I love your scent, it's been etched in my mind since I first smelled it and now to hear you moan for me is more thrilling than all the nights I envisioned this moment. Thinking of what it would be like exploring you. To find those special hidden places that I can kiss." His mouth carefully enclosed against her earlobe and tenderly grazed his teeth against it. "And touch." He added as his right hand rest against the tight denim that pulled across her thigh that he may gently make a clawing motion upwards from just above her knee, slowly up to just beside her pelvis. "That will bring you pleasure."

Gradually the caresses eased down to around her middle, his hands splaying fingers out so that his thumbs rest pointed towards her spine and his other fingers on her mid drift before slowly sliding in towards her naval and then back again to this time grip her and slowly began to guide her hips in slow suggestive rocking with her pushing back against his lap. His ever growing desire could be felt growing steadily harder through both their clothes as he pressed suggestively into her back end. "I wonder what you will like the most... having your neck kissed, licked, sucked, or perhaps bit? I want us to discover all this together."

Everything about the slow rise in excitement was a thrill. To see her steadily growing red in the face, eyes dilating, breasts heaving, lips parted panting. She was a piece of art to him that he was actively creating and he knew what vision he would seek to create through her pleasure. He lifted her like a princess and left the dining room with her. His right hand braced behind her knees and the left across her back in a hold that was as romantic as it was heated. His mouth busied itself by adorning her neck in further hot kisses as if to navigate by muscle memory the stairs as he carried her to his room.

Once inside if she had thought his scent to be strong before she was now in the den of a proverbial dragon. Heat and smoke surrounded her and filled her. A daring scent unlike anything else. It was intoxicating as he grazed his teeth teasingly against her scent gland but instead of biting it he would lick it and then bite her earlobe. Something primordial and powerful was at work as he put her down at the side of the bed on her feet. His strength aiding in stabilizing her. Showing restraint in his strength he began to lift her shirt away but his voice spoke like a distant roll of thunder, signaling an oncoming storm of passion meant just for her. "I want to rip your clothes away and devour you... But this is your first and I want it perfect for you..." He let his eyes meet hers and with his fingers he caressed her exposed side. "Tell me how you want it to be."

The atmosphere of the dinner was changing. In just these few words and these seconds in time it had evolved from an exchange of information into something more electric, tangible, and heated. The release of her scent signaled that she wasn't immune to him and it reminded him of how he had savored it before. Fresh, green, aromatic with just a hint of woody undertone. It was complimented by the Smokey aroma of his own scent that sought to wash her. Her scent was like a rare vintage given that it was exclusively hers but also how seldom she released it. Rugged hands with no shortage of experience of work were deceptively soft against her skin and scent gland as if handling something made of fine crystal.

He listened closely to her whisper his name and his eyes looked at hers behind the thin panes of her glasses. He did not speak verbally but his eyes answered her. Even as she had denied him before it was apparent that he encouraged she explore feelings. A being of emotion, a being of passion, he wanted Haley to experience a new side of herself. Desires that she thought long dismissed. He had kissed her before in these nearly identical circumstances, but this time he had no intention of walking away. His free hand slipped down to her fingers tightening near to her breast and slid his hand around it to hold while it's sibling continued to brush her scent gland. Sometimes with fingertips, other times with the back of them using his nails. Everything from small circles to light rhythmic strumming.

Settling in closer to her his fingers shifted back from her scent gland and cradled the back of her head and hair as he neared his lips to hers and answered her with her own name. "Haley." was a call back, a reminder to her of that first kiss he had given her which had made her feel so complete. This time, without further prompting words kissed her. It was as if no time had passed from the first kiss to now. It was just as intense, unfiltered, and raw as it had been all those months ago. It Transported them to a world where there was no one but them. A fire that burned all around her and yet so long as he kissed her she was safe.

Her asking him about the more sexually active type of vampires did cause him a small bit of amusement. While he knew her question to be strictly academic it was some rather low hanging fruit to tease her about. He thought perhaps to address some of the other topics first though as he continued eating and drinking, pacing himself to savor the meal and let his steel eyes regard her from across the short divide of the table which felt like too much and too little separating them as far as he was concerned. "People believe what they feel comfortable with. Anything that makes them feel uncomfortable about themselves they will avoid. Plenty will be willing to make any sort of accusations factual or otherwise as long as it doesn't do them any personal disservice. When I was a teenager there were people with powers in my town and school. More than most would have expected at the time but I don't think their parents or the locals could have handled the sudden upswing. Most were just human. I have some working theories on the matter. Most everything in mythology... Cryptids, demi gods, angels, demons, Youkai, Zombies... it's all just forms of life that are alien. Alien to humans anyway. Many other parts of the world are steeped in these myths, and as the saying goes... no smoke without fire. So if Europe, Asia, all these places experienced the superhuman or supernatural for ages it was less for them to adjust to the core ideas of humans with such traits. Americans though? Well globally speaking it's a practical child of a country. Oldest buildings only aa few hundred years old at max compared to others with ancient architecture from thousands of years ago. So of course Americans have not had much dealings in the supernatural so they deny it only until recently."

He placed his fork down and wiped his lips on a napkin. "Weaker is a subjective matter. Most dhampir might not be as fast or physically strong as a full blooded vampire in the night, but they make up for it by being immune to the things that weaken a full blood. So what's worse? Being at partial power all the time or having a weakness someone can exploit? Infertility would depend on the lineage."

His voice dipped to be low, smooth and even with its usual deepness there was an undertone of sweetness. "And you want to know if I've been involved with a succubus? Well, I can say that I *have* encountered one... Most would tell you that of course purity, chasteness, a devout nature can help resist their temptations..." Gradually he leaned over the table and brought a hand under Haley's chin, his thumb passing softly against her cheek and below the rim of her glasses so they looked into one another's eyes. "But if you must know one thing and one thing only about me, it is that I keep control. I don't grow desperate nor do I submit to anyone or anything. But to make the lips of a woman tremble, to invoke in her a desire beyond that she has ever known or -will- know... to cause her to plea for my body that she would forget everything just to have it just once. It was quite the experience turning things on her." His hand eased down to touch his thumb to brush between her chin and the underside of Haley's lip.

It didn't take mind reading to be able to pick up much of what Haley thought and felt. She wore her emotions on her sleeve and it made her a stark contrast to Dusan's usual pokerface or stoic focus. It was usually only then or when he was truly livid did the other side of him come out. It was witnessed when he had endured enough crap from someone and his patience had worn thin. Still he had never displayed any hostility towards her even when she had pushed him or frustrated him. He still did the kindness of taking care of her as much as she allowed. As she mentioned a previous case he would reflect a bit back. It had seemed like there were quite a few ongoing things in his life. It kept things more interesting that way than one at a time. Juggling of tasks gave him a sense of challenge. But he did remember the offer.

"Putting it simply there have been recent suggestions that one or more of the hedge fund executives of Kindred banking might have been responsible for some disappearances lately... Also the matter that they might be some form of vampire if you believe such things."

It was good to see her resolve improve a little bit. His expression turned to if anything an actually kind smile as he would resume his cooking in the kitchen. The air growing more and more heady with the aroma of the meal being prepared. Savory, aromatic, fire that could be used for destruction being used instead to create and transform. He began to plate things up and brought it over to the table to set down before her. It was easy to manipulate people, Dusan had spent a great deal of his life doing just that. It was easy to understand how fear and selfishness were motivators to a lot of people. Haley however was willing to face her fears and act selflessly. Even if she didn't see herself as very brave she did keep to her ethics which was more than most did.

He pulled the chair out for her to sit so that she could begin to eat. Pouring the Bourbon into the glass for her and also bringing a glass of water in case she wanted something a little less strong. Sitting down across from her he poured his own drink. "I have a good feeling about your next interview. But the game isn't over as long as you keep getting back up. I'm happy to help however I can."

Dusan moved around the kitchen area with the usual confidence that permeated his existence. The heat coming from off his body as much as that of the stove top that was heating up as he let the smell of oil and herbs fill the air. Taking out some meat from the fridge he placed it on the counter. Sparing her a glance as she was speculating on what drink to join with the meal he did have to appreciate that her question was well placed. As much as he was inscrutable at times he couldn't expect her to predict his movements or ideas if he did not communicate them. She hadn't replied about the interview but that was alright. It was obvious that his surprise had caught her unawares and in some ways it was amusing for him.

"I thought we would have some steak, roasted vegetables with fruit and ice cream for desert. But if you would like something else I'm happy to provide."


His tone was familiar, even playful as he began to tenderize the steak he had put on the table, adding some simple seasoning mix he had put together the night before, showing that this didn't seem as spontaneous as it might have appeared.