"It's been a long time, Dante," a low, gentle female voice said.
He watched her melt away from a palm, shimmering like the dark waters of the sea. It had been so long since she'd allowed him to even glimpse her that his mouth went dry.
As she turned to face him, her gleaming silver, heart-shaped Sankofa tattoo at the base of her spine became a beacon. His eyes followed the low ruby cut of her backless gown, drinking in her voluptuous body.
"Eve," he murmured as she slowly approached.
"Dante," she quietly replied. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me like this."
He nodded. "When you called... how could I deny you?" He opened his arms for her, hoping she'd fill them. "I've missed you so."
She stepped forward a bit, but not close enough for him to embrace her. "I was a young girl, and you took advantage of me that way before."
He smiled and slowly lowered his arms, disappointed. "I was a young man, rash and impetuous, passionate. Yes, I took advantage of you, my love, but that doesn't mean my emotions were fraudulent."
She nodded and sighed sadly, and then flipped her long Egyptian braids over her shoulders. "I know, but - "
"Tell me, my still-gorgeous Neteru, do you ever think of that time we shared in true paradise?"
"I try to focus on the present, Dante. It's best that way."
He neared her and cupped her cheek. When she didn't flinch away, he closed his eyes and sighed. "I've missed you so, Eve. Level-Six banishment wasn't Hell. Being without you was."
Her hand covered his. "Then I suppose we both experienced our own brand of said same."
Her admission lowered his head to her neck and created a shudder that they both quietly shared. But she covered her jugular with her graceful hand.
"We need to talk about my younger sister Neteru."
"After so many years, might a lengthy discussion wait until near dawn?" he asked, breathing the question.
She smiled as his fangs crested and she stroked his dark, curly hair away from his face. "You came to me as Achilles," she murmured.
"You have caught the irony of this choice, yes?"
"It was very, very sweet of you to do that," she said in a soft, breathy whisper.
"You were always my weakness from the moment I laid eyes on you... you know that. Invincible to all but you."
She smiled and he traced her mouth with the trembling pass of his thumb.
"At least I can still make you smile, even if I can't bend your will to commit to me. I'll settle for that much right now." He studied her face, his thumb etching a distant memory into it. "When I look at you, I think of our son. How is he?"
"Well," she whispered, her gaze becoming pained. "Still resentful of his banishment sentence, but he seems resigned to serve it without incident."
The Chairman nodded. "He gets that from my side. The ability to endure until opportunity knocks. But I still think it was harsh to imprison a being with such potential and passion for life into a realm practically devoid of sensory - "
"Cain killed his brother." She looked at him hard, stepped back from him, and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Don't ever forget that, Abel may have been Adam's progeny, but he was still my child... one who, like Cain, I loved with my complete heart and soul, Dante. Do not minimize what Cain did."
He neared her and delicately collected her into his arms and stroked her hair. "I'm sorry. I know you were always torn... This is why I didn't want to belabor a conversation laden with guilt and pain when there are so many other pleasurable things we could do tonight. Let me make it up to you now."
She shook her head no.
He sighed and loosened his hold on her. "Yes. I forgot. How is Adam? Still coruling the male Neteru round table with Ausar and wielding an iron fist, or has he mellowed, like me, with age?" Jealousy swept through him as he stared at Eve. "I'm surprised he was secure enough to even allow this visit. What has changed?"
"He doesn't know I'm here."
Her statement riddled him with desire adrenaline. "You came to me on your own, unsanctioned? Again... like old times?" He was barely breathing as he stared into her dark, exquisitely beautiful brown eyes. "I promise you," he whispered through fangs, "I've learned so much more over the centuries, your transgression will not be in vain."