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  The screams woke him up. One moment, it felt like he had just fallen asleep. The next moment he found it impossible to sleep, not when someone, 'Kathy'. It was Kathy screaming bloody murder. His eyes opened and Yuri sat up in a panic, only to find Kathy near the foot of the bed, plastered against the wall, accusation in her gaze.
  " What's wrong? " - Yuri asked. He automatically checked the time as he spoke and bit back a groan when he saw it was just a few minutes past six in the morning.
  'Damn', Yuri thought. Since he hadn't risked taking his pills last night, sleep had only been able to claim him exactly forty-five minutes ago.
  " How could you? " - Kathy, whispered.
  Her shrill scream made his head pound, and Yuri wondered if perhaps this unexpectedly shrewish attitude fro

  Yuri did his best to keep his black mood to himself when he joined everyone at the dining room on their private floor. He had received another long voice mail from the good doctor, most of which involved him rambling about the importance of keeping Kathy sheltered and isolated.
  " Good Morning. " - Yuri, said. He murmured before taking his place on Kellion's right.
  " Morning. Where's Kathy? " - Kellion, asked. As befitting his position, he was seated at the head of the table.
  As was typical of his personality, he also had his girlfriend seated on his lap even when there was a perfectly good chair next to his.
  " She's coming. " - Yuri answered.
  Seated across the vice president, Helios noticed his friend' unsmiling facade.
  " Something the matter? " - Helios, asked.
  Yuri shook his head.
  " Just someone making nuisance of himself. " - Yuri, said. He made himself smile, notici

  'He had forgotten about the sleeping arrangements', Yuri thought. He wearily massaged the back of his neck in a futile effort to ease the tension inside him. 'This', he thought grimly, was shaping up to be the longest day in his life and even now, the rest of the night seemed to stretch endlessly before him.
  From inside the shower, Kathy's voice floated to him. She was singing and she was out of tune, which he found oddly charming. Even more odd was its effect on his body, but it was something Yuri was doing his best to ignore.
  'God.Damn.It'.
  Normally, Yuri didn't swear as much as his friends did, but recent days had proved he also had the same capabilities, given the right provocation. Inside the bathroom, he heard Kathy call out.
  " Yuri? Do I wear my pajamas or my night gown? " - Kathy, asked.
  'GOD.DAMN.IT'. Clearing his throat.
  " Pajamas. " - Yuri, said.
  In a rare display of frustation, Yuri began to pace. He had to remember that where Kathy was concerned, anything sexual in nature could be too soon. And for all he knew, the right time might never come.
  Even now, Yuri was still struggling to compartmentalize the parts where she remained a child and the parts where she was... not. She was fluent in several languages, but she couldn't seem to grasp the need for tact. She understood stocks and investments, but she had anxiety attacks over the mere idea of someone lying to her.
  Ultimately, she needed to be handled with care. Yuri knew this. He only wished his dick knew it, too. The door softly opened, and Kathy came out, her hair still wet and shiny, and wearing pajamas from Victoria's Secret. Yuri mentally banged his head against a wall. Her tank top was made of ultra-thin cotton, its thin straps emphasizing her slim shoulders while the upper slopes of her breast swelled above its low neckline.
  Its matching pajama bottoms weren't any better, clinging to her long, shapely legs and the generous curves of her rounded butt. She caught him looking at her.
  " They're new. Do you like them? " - Kathy asked innocently.
  'Did he fucking like it?!', Yuri thought. Was that a fucking trick question? Did she want him to show her how much he like it? Yuri managed a strained smile.
  " They're pretty. " - Yuri, said.
  'Pretty hot. Pretty sexy. Pretty juckable'. What the hell he was thinking?
  " My turn now. " - Yuri, said abruptly and walked past Kathy.
  He just had enough strenght not to slam the door shut behind him. Stalking towards the shower, Yuri wondered grimly how long this insanity would last. Because it was insane, to want Kathy when she was still more child than woman in many ways. Outside, he heard Kathy said to him.
  " I'm going to wait up for you. " - Kathy, said.
  " You don't have to. " - Yuri, answered.
  " I want to. " - Kathy, said. While Yuri almost smiled at the stubborn note in her voice.
  " I'll be as fast as I can. " - Yuri, said.
  He switched the shower on. He had only started shampooing his hair when he heard her call out again.
  " What is it? " - Yuri, asked.
  " Can I talk to you while you're in the shower? " - Kathy, asked. He frowned at the sudden odd break in her voice. Switching off the shower.
  " Are you okay? Do you need me to come out? " - Yuri, asked.
  He forced himself to wait for her answer. Even though his first instincts were to check on her, Yuri knew if he did he would end up just like Kristina Rewis. He wanted Kathy protected from all harm, but more than that, he wanted her to be strong enough to enjoy a normal life. He owed it to her, at the very least, since it was Rewis money that had ensured his own sister had a normal life.
  " Yes, It's okay " - Kathy, answered.
  " You're sure? " - Yuri, asked.
  " Yes. " - Kathy, said.
  " Well.. ask then. " - Yuri, said. He switched the shower back on but moved his head away from the shower head while waiting for Kathy to speak.
  " ... explain... weird... me? " - Kathy, asked.
  " Could you repeat that? " - Yuri, asked to her. He turned the knob so he could reduce the flow of water and hear Kathy better.
  " I said, " - Kathy, paused. He heard Kathy say matter-of-factly.
  " Can you explain to me why my body feels so weird when you're too close to me? " - Kathy, said. Yuri stilled.
  " You see, " - Kathy continued guilelessly.
  " I suddenly can't stop thinking about how hard your body is. " - Kathy, added.
  Yuri switched off the heater. A second later, jets of icy cold water shot out of the showerhead and cascaded down his naked body, but even so it wasn't enough to stop his dick from jutting up. 'Kathy couldn't stop thinking about how hard his body was'.
  His dick went from half-erect to powerfully aroused and throbbing like mad at the thought, and Yuri stifled a groan. What the fuck had he done so wrong in his past life that he had to undergo this kind of torture?
  " It's so different from my body or Grandmother's. Do you think that's why I feel weird? " - Kathy, asked.
  He desperately tried turning the knob a little more to the right, hoping the water would turn freezing cold. But it didn't.
  " Yuri? " - Kathy, said.
  Trying to ignore the way his balls ached under his throbbing cock, he cleared his throat and, moving his head from the showerhead.
  " Can you explain to me, what you mean by.. Ah.. Weird? " - Yuri, asked thickly.
  " Well, " - Kathy, paused.
  He could almost see Kathy closing her eyes as she thought of his question. A second later, and the image rearranged itself, Kathy sprawled naked on his bed, her eyes closed, her lips parted in a silent moan of desire. 'God.Damn.It', Yuri thought.
  " It starts with my breath. " - Kathy, said.
  Breath. Right. He could hear her breathing hard, panting, as he fucked her hard.
  " The closer you are, the harder it is for me to breathe. " - Kathy, added.
  'Same here, sweetheart'. He leaned his arms against the walls, needing to keep his hands as far away from his dick. Trying to get his own breathing back to normal.
  " What... Else... Is... Weird? " - Yuri, managed to ask.
  " Well... Everything. " - Kathy, said. Her voice had gone lower, shyer and more nervous.
  " I... I feel like I'm burning hot... " - Kathy, added.
  'Dammit. Control yourself. Yuri Daniel Athanas', Yuri thought.
  " And I just don't understand why I feel that way when I don't have a fever. " - Kathy, said.
  'That hot. Kathy was that hot for.. Him?', Yuri thought.
  His control snapped. His fingers wrapped around his cock.
  " And then there are tingles. " - Kathy, added. Her voice was slightly breathless now.
  Yuri couldn't blame her. He wasn't even thinking of breathing now. At this point, all he wanted was...
  " Tingles all over my body, Yuri... " - Kathy, said.
  'To hell with everything', Yuri thought. He started pleasuring himself, and his fully engorged cock felt close to bursting at the first stroke. Outside, he heard Kathy.
  " Oh! Yuri. " - Kathy, paused.
  'God, he could imagine her in his bed, moaning the same thing as he sank his cock into her', Yuri thought.
  " I'm feeling weird again. " - Kathy, added.
  Biting back a groan, Yuri moved his hand faster. In his mind, the image was so damn vivid it was like a vision had been there all along, etched in his soul. Kathy looking at him, her wide violet eyes filled with desire. Kathy, reaching for the back of her dress to unzip herself. Kathy, letting the dress slip down her body.
  " Yuri? " - Kathy, asked.
  It was the real Kathy saying his name, and his mind didn't hesitate to use it in its fantasy. Yuri, his imaginary Kathy moaned as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Yuri, she was digging her nails into his back. Yuri, she screamed his name as she came.
  A harsh, rough growl escaped Yuri as he came hard. He jerked himself off furiously, his eyes squeezing shut at the strenght of his orgasm. When he got out of the shower, Kathy took one look at him.
  " Your face is red. " - Kathy, said worriedly
  " Err... Is it? " - Yuri, asked. Guilt had his flush deepening and making him unavailable to meet her gaze.
  He couldn' believe he had actually masturbated to the thought of fucking Kathryn Ice Rewis.
  " Do you think you have a fever? Are you hot, too? " - Kathy asked innocently.
  Yes, he was, but not for the reason she was thinking. Out loud, Yuri wisely changed the subject.
  " Are you ready for bed? " - Yuri, asked.
  But as soon as he asked the question, he knew it was the wrong thing to say. His imagination went into overdrive, deliberately twisting the meaning of having Kathy ready for bed. He saw it so damn clearly. Kathy pulling her tank top over her head to reveal the sweet curve of her breast. Kathy, wriggling her pert bottom as she took off her pajama bottoms.
  Kathy, offering herself to him in all her naked beauty. A groan slipped past his lips.
  " You are ill! " - Kathy, said.
  Scrambling to her feet, she flew to Yuri's side and reached up to feel his forehead, not realizing that doing so would cause her body to press tightly against his. 'Fuck'!, Yuri thought. She didn't have any bra under her pajama top! His body went taut with reawakened desire at the realization, and Yuri's gaze immediately became shuttered to prevent Kathy from seeing the need in his eyes.
  " You don't feel hot. " - Kathy, said worriedly. Her voice huskier, which wasn't exactly a good thing since it only added fuel to his desire.
  It was all Yuri could do not to snatch her into his arms, slam his mouth down on hers, and fuck her hard.
  " But I'm still worried. " - Kathy, said.
  To his shock, he suddenly felt Kathy wrapping her arms around his neck, her body automatically fitting against his. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her body as well and pulled her to him tightly.
  " Yuri... " - Kathy, said softly. Her breast rubbed against Yuri chest as she spoke.
  " What is it? " - Yuri, asked. He managed to rasp out as his cock jutted demandingly against the thin fabric of his sweatpants.
  " I don't want you to be sick. " - Kathy, said innocently.
  'Ah', Yuri thought. Somehow, the words, the goddamn sweetness of it gave Yuri the strenght to regain his control. He wanted to fuck her still, he had a bad feeling the urge would never go away, but this time, he was certain it would remain as such. A desire, unfulfilled, and one he was determined to keep that way for as long as he could manage it.
  " I'm fine, sweetheart. " - Yuri, said. He kissed on top of her head even though the tenderness of it made him feel sick to his stomach.
  A part of Yuri was telling him he was pretending again and that no matter how much he wanted to change, it would be impossible. He would always be a heartless bastard.
  " Yuri? " - Kathy, asked. The tremulous note in her voice made his arms tighten around her.
  " What is it, sweetheart? " - Yuri, asked.
  Kathy tried to breathe normally, but it was hard. Grief, made worse by the remnants of shock, was a crushing weight on her soul, and she had a sudden, crazy urge to cry. Kristina Rewis was truly gone. Her mind knew this, but her heart hadn't really accepted it. Kristina, the first person who had loved her and thought she was worth loving.
  Kathy looked up at Yuri, and her heart squeezed painfully at the thought that one day, he might be gone like Kristina, too. The thought terrified her so much it had Kathy shaking her head.
  'No', Kathy thought. She knew, she was talking to herself, but she didn't give a damn. She wanted to tell her mind very clearly that she would no longer entertain such thoughts. Yuri would not leave her like that. Yuri was young. Yuri was strong. Yuri would live for as long as she lived. She raised pain-filled eyes to Yuri.
  " Right, Yuri? " - Kathy, asked.
  He wondered if she knew she was asking him to join in a conversation he hadn't even heard.
  " Tell me what you want to hear, sweetheart? " - Yuri, asked gently.
  " Promise me you won't leave me. " - Kathy, said. Her voice broke.
  " You're all I have. " - Kathy, added.
  " I promise. " - Yuri, said. He didn't hesitate.
  Some lies had to be said without hesitation, and Yuri knew with all his heart this was one of these lies. Even if he weren't sure what the future held for them, he could not would not ever do anything that would make Kathy feel alone and helpless again.
  They stared at each other, and the slowly fear faded from her eyes. She wetted her lips unconsciously, and the tension in the air changed. 'Fuck!', Yuri thought. His body was hard in an instant, and so was his dick.
  " I feel so weird again, " - Kathy, whispered.
  'Fuck.Fuck.Fuck', Yuri thought. No fucking way he would be able to resist that.
  " Close your eyes, " - Yuri, commanded thickly.
  Her lids swept down, her long, dark lashes resting like silky fans against her pale cheeks. Yuri lowered his head. Kathy's heart slammed against her chest as something like fire, but hotter and more alive, started licking her skin. He was going to kiss her, she realized, and the thought had her pulse racing even faster.
  She thought about all the romantic stories and videos on the Internet she devoured and became dizzier with excitement. 'This would be exactly like those stories. Those videos. Those stolen glimpses of love', Kathy thought. Her throat tightened, and her heart knocked harder against her chest.
  Another moment passed, one that felt like both an eternity and an infinitesimal fraction of a second. And suddenly, Yuri's lips were brushing against her.
  'Oh..', Kathy thought. She squeezed her eyes shut more tightly, feeling like she was living a dream and it would shatter the moment she opened her eyes. Again and again, Yuri brushed his lips over hers, and with each stroke, her temperature would go up a notch. 'So.. So hot', Kathy thought dizzily.
  Feeling herself sway, she found her hands moving on its own accord, going up Yuri's hard chest before settling on his broad shoulders.
  'Aaaahh...', Kathy, thought. Suddenly, she felt his tongue nudging her lips to open, and the sensation was so strangely beautiful she couldn't help doing what he wanted again.
  A shudder of desire racked Yuri's powerful body as Kathy's lips parted under his in surrender. Telling himself to take it easy, he claimed her mouth gently at first, moving his tongue in slow, languid strokes. But her taste was intoxicating, sweeter than anything else he could remember, and his tongue moved deeper into her mouth.
  Dimly, he heard her gasp again, and he tried to gentle his kiss. But then he felt Kathy tighten her arms around his neck, the same time she moaned his name.
  " Yuri... " - Kathy, moaned.
  'Ah, god! This time it was real', Yuri thought. Kathy was truly moaning his name. Gripping her hair, he deepened the kiss, but it wasn't enough. He started sucking on her tongue, and he was rewarded by the sound of her whimper. Kathy's senses were swimming.
  'Why had the Internet not told her a kiss could be this wonderful? This dazzling? This intense?', Kathy thought.
  Dimly, she felt Yuri pushing her towards the bed, and a second later, they were there, both of them lying on their sides, and still the kiss continued. Another second, and Yuri had somehow managed to lift her on top of him without breaking the kiss.
  'Oh, Oh, Oh', Kathy thought. She could no longer think. She could no longer breathe. All she could do was love. She loved him with every second they kissed. She loved him with every whimper that slipped past her lips. She loved him, oh how she loved him.
  Yuri found the strenght to end the kiss just before his cock's urgent demands took over his body. If he had allowed it to continue just one second more, he was damn sure. Kathy wouldn't wake up a virgin the next day.
  'And that', Yuri thought grimly. 'Would be too much, even for a heartless bastard like him?
  Kathy was still lying on top of him, and his arm tightened around her waist. He wanted 'no, he needed' her to stay close to him, but he refuse to allow himself to think why.
  " Yuri... " - Kathy, moaned.
  'God!', Yuri thought. Her sexy husky whisper made him close his eyes in agony. How he wanted her, this woman-child who was everything he wanted and didn't deserve. Striving to keep his desire from coating his voice.
  " What is it? " - Yuri, asked.
  " Will I always feel this weird? " - Kathy asked in a small, shy voice.
  'God', Yuri thought. He wanted to kiss her again. But somehow, he found the discipline not to, knowing that with Kathy, he had to tread very carefully. Pressing a kiss to her hair.
  " I hope so. " - Yuri said quietly, honestly.
  Kathy was quiet for a few moments before she asked.
  " Do you feel weird when you're close to me, too? " - Kathy, asked. His lips twitched.
  " Probably weirder. " - Yuri, answered gravely.
  Shocked, Kathy lifted her head so she could look into his eyes.
  " Really? " - Kathy, asked. He just nodded.
  " Is it because we love each other? " - Kathy, added.
  'Ah', Yuri thought. His heart clenched. You really had to make her ask that, 'God, You really want me to remember how much I don't deserve her by lying?'
  His gaze met hers. And again he lied.
  " Yes, because we love each other. " - Yuri, said.

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  The screams woke him up. One moment, it felt like he had just fallen asleep. The next moment he found it impossible to sleep, not when someone, 'Kathy'. It was Kathy screaming bloody murder. His eyes opened and Yuri sat up in a panic, only to find Kathy near the foot of the bed, plastered against the wall, accusation in her gaze.
  " What's wrong? " - Yuri asked. He automatically checked the time as he spoke and bit back a groan when he saw it was just a few minutes past six in the morning.
  'Damn', Yuri thought. Since he hadn't risked taking his pills last night, sleep had only been able to claim him exactly forty-five minutes ago.
  " How could you? " - Kathy, whispered.
  Her shrill scream made his head pound, and Yuri wondered if perhaps this unexpectedly shrewish attitude from Kathy meant he was still dreaming. But the fantasy only lasted for a second, Yuri's pragmatic

CHAPTER 8