Paradise 17-D
By Demoness 
 
 
When Samantha woke up the next morning, she immediately noticed that  
Gene wasn't in the cave. Instinctively, she jumped to her feet,  
ready to tear through the area looking for him. Unexpectantly those  
feelings and fears went away, giving Gene the benefit of doubt.  
This was a new experience for Samantha, to trust someone other than  
herself. Despite the fact that Gene was technically her prisoner, 
he gave her no reason not to trust him. It was probably because  
of the technicality. Turn your back on a prisoner and they try to  
escape. 
 
She had to remind herself that Gene could have gone back the day  
before if he asked. He was still there with her because it was his  
choice. She told herself that meant he was not her prisoner, but  
her guest.  
 
She went to the entrance of the cave and smiled. Gene was sitting  
not far from the cave, busy doing something. She walked up behind  
him.  
 
"Good morning," he said without looking back. "I figured you would  
be hungry, because I am." He finally glanced up and smiled at her. 
 
 
"You didn't have to. You could have woke me up and I could have  
done that" she asked, referring to the animal Gene was prepping.  
How odd, she thought, since she noticed the others she prepared  
a kill, he would look away or take a short walk, as if he did not  
want to see it until it was ready to eat. 
 
He stood up, and started to walk to where there was wood gathered  
for a fire. "Well, the one thing I don't have a clue how to do around  
here is light that." He smiled, his eyes sparkling. "Since you  
don't seem to keep anything to help start a fire around here. So  
do you mind doing the honors? I'm starving." 
 
She laughed and gladly obliged Gene's request. As he set their meal  
on the fire, he stated, "You know, I was thinking. Everything around  
here seems to be cooked open fire. There's other ways of cooking  
you know." 
 
"How?" Samantha asked, glancing around. She noticed the area where  
she kept firewood. Last she remembered it was low. To her surprise, 
there was plenty of firewood. She reached out and touched Gene's  
bare back. She noticed that his skin was darker. He was a fine  
one, she thought, not for the first time. "You've been busy." 
 
"I said I need to start pulling my share of things around here,"  
he said. "I had my chance to heal. I know you said that giving  
your blood to me would not harm you. But I can see it did drain  
you, and our little workout last night didn't help. Meanwhile, I  
woke up full of energy and needed to work some of it off. Knowing  
you needed your rest, I found other ways to keep me busy." 
 
"You look very well," she said, observing him and smiling. "I am glad." 
 
"So am I," Gene smiled back. He stood up and stretched and she couldn't  
help noticing muscles flex with the action. 
 
"Looking very well..." Samantha mused, liking very much what she  
was seeing. 
 
"So do you," Gene replied. 
 
"Now about these other ways of cooking?" Samantha asked as she followed  
Gene. He was walking toward the nearby stream. 
 
"We can dig a deep hole, place hot rocks in it. Then we tie the  
meat up in netting something like what you used for hunting. If  
we only had some canvas or something to wrap it in. Because then  
you cover the hole and let it cook throughout the day," he explained  
to her as they walked. 
 
"Interesting. Is that the way you cook your meals back home?" 
 
"Sometimes. It's very big in Hawaii, for a type of traditional meal. 
But clam bakes are big where I come from. We can go down to the  
beach, catch some shellfish and cook it the same way in the sand. 
" 
 
"Sounds like something I would like to try." 
 
"We have things called ovens at home, where we place our food inside  
a heated, uh, box, to cook. That's also a great way to make cookies  
and cake." His look suddenly turned wistful. 
 
"Cookies?" Samantha asked. "Cakes?" She noticed his face. She  
could see it was something Gene was very fond of. 
 
Gene nodded. "Yeah. Sweets. They have sugar in them, and flour  
as the basic ingredient. They are supposed to be for a snack, but  
sometimes I eat them as if they are a meal." He chuckled. "Boy, 
what I would do to have one or ten right now." 
 
"How do you make them? I would like to try these cookies," Samantha  
stated as she watched Gene drop his loincloth and go into the water. 
 
 
He turned to her. "I don't think we can find all the right ingredients  
to make them," he sighed. 
 
"Well, later, you tell me what is in them, and I'll see if I can  
find it." She dropped her top and joined Gene. 
 
He placed his arms around him, pulling her close, and they kissed. 
She already knew what that look in his eyes and the way his hands  
caressed her back meant. Gladly she returned the favor. 
 
********************************************************* 
 
"Please do not get hungry again before I have a chance to find us  
some more to eat," Samantha laughed as Gene finished the last of  
his food and rolled onto his back. It was late afternoon.  
 
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. You make me work up an appetite," he winked  
at her. 
 
She was tempted to lay next to him, and make him work up another  
appetite. Unfortunately she could not go on pretending, always 
wondering. She had to ask him. "When do you want me to take you back?" 
she blurted out. 
 
Gene turned to her and Samantha bowed her head. It was supposed  
to be a normal question, like the many others she asked him throughout  
the day, especially about the food they made where he came from.  
She cursed herself for letting Gene hear the hurt in her tone. 
 
"I was thinking that maybe instead, you can take me around to the  
others islands. I can check up on everyone, see that they are okay. 
I should let them know I'm okay, and more importantly that Peter  
is alive." 
 
"At least then he was," Samantha said. "I see Darkraven when she  
has others. Then I see her burying their remains. I don't want  
to scare you, Gene, but it is possible that she plans the same for  
Peter." 
 
Gene sat up, shaking his head. "No. I don't believe that. She  
nearly killed me because she thought I meant harm to Peter. You  
don't kill something you protect so fiercely." 
 
"She will tire of him. She always does," Samantha snorted. 
 
"And you always keep yours?" Gene asked. 
 
"Not usually," Samantha answered honestly. 
 
"Then should I fear when you become tired of me, that I might become  
your meal?" 
 
Samantha looked horrified at Gene. "How can you dare say that?  
I could never do that to you. The others I had, they deserved it. 
They betrayed me, tried to have me captured. That is why I started  
to take what I want and then move on. Less risk." 
 
"Then why am I still here?" he asked, moving closer. 
 
"Because you are not of the others. You will not go running to the  
Enforcers to turn me in." 
 
"Enforcers?" Gene asked. 
 
"Exactly," was Samantha's reply. "You cannot run to what you don't  
know about." She smiled at him. "Have you for a meal," she scoffed. 
Her eyes met his. "There are better ways I prefer to eat you,  
Gene Simmons." 
 
He smiled at her, reaching out to grab her arm and pull him closer. 
"There's more than food I can't get enough of," Gene stated. 
 
Samantha laughed. "That is because you are having fun living a fantasy. 
" 
 
"Yeah, my own beautiful dragon lady," he growled, as his lips connected  
to her neck. She shivered as he started to kiss her neck, while  
his hands fondled her breast. She ran taloned fingers through his  
hair, teased his back. He let out a moan as his trail left her neck  
and moved down, his tongue tasting her, driving her wild.  
 
She started to growl as he lowered her to the ground, her talons  
scratching his back. He cried out, biting down on the area he was  
giving attention to. Once again he was losing himself. And to 
Samantha's surprise,through her haze of desire, she discovered she was 
not the only one drawing blood and drinking. It was more than she could 
stand,crying out, begging him, helping him feed the hunger she felt 
growing in him, but piercing herself and offering that part to him. She  
felt his own need, almost as desperate as the night she gave him  
her blood in hopes that he would live. His desperation that night  
was on survival, willing to do anything to live. That afternoon, 
she felt the need in him grow. 
 
Gene had no idea what came over him. Each time he made love with  
Samantha, the intensity grew. He felt as if he was on fire, the  
flames consuming them both. He felt a hunger grow in him, something  
from his wildest dreams come to life. Wave after wave of ecstasy 
crashed through them, lifting them higher and higher, until the very 
universe appeared to blink out first for Samantha, and then for Gene. 
 
 
 
They lay exhausted in the grass. Gene was on his back, gazing up  
at the late afternoon sky through half-opened eyes, appearing to  
still be in a daze. Samantha sat up, checking him out with experienced  
eyes. She wanted to make sure she didn't injure him, or he had pushed  
himself too far so soon. 
 
"Stop worrying," Gene said, still looking up at the sky. "I've never  
felt better." He turned to her and grinned, his lecherous grin more  
an answer than his words. 
 
She laughed. She enjoyed being with Gene. Even the times they sat  
and talked. It was almost as good as the sex. She enjoyed listening  
to him. She even caught him singing while he did his chores. Samantha  
found herself wishing they had one of those guitars Gene spoke of  
so she could hear his music. 
 
"When do you want to check on your friends?" she asked. 
 
"Well, I think I would like to eat first."  
 
She slapped him playfully and laughed. "That's all you do, Gene. Eat." 
 
"That's not all I do, and you know it," he retorted. "How about  
you rounding up the main course and I'll go find something for some  
side dishes," he offered, going to sit up. 
 
He was struck with a wave of dizziness. He put his hand up to his eyes. 
 
"Gene?" Samantha asked, as she stood. She went over to him, ready  
to drop down next to him. 
 
"I'm okay," he said as it passed. "I'm still feeling sorta, well. 
.you know. It's nothing. You just make me dizzy, sweetheart." 
 
"Are you sure?" 
 
"Yes." He stood up. "See? I'm fine." He pulled her to him and  
kissed her briefly. "Now let's go find something to eat. Maybe  
that's what it was. I need some food." He pinned her with puppy  
dog eyes. 
 
Samantha shook her head. She walked away from him to retrieve her  
top. "No wonder you get your way with all the females you have.  
Who can refuse you when you give that look." She kissed him back. 
Gene helped her put on her top. "Don't go too far. I'll be back  
shortly," she told him. 
 
Gene nodded, then watched as she walked away from the cave. He smiled  
as he watched her wings spread and she took flight. She made a circle  
around him, waved and then went on her way to hunt. 
 
Gene shook his head. He located his loincloth, and after having  
trouble putting it on so it stayed, determined he needed to make  
a new one. His had been ripped off so many times, it was almost  
useless. With a chuckle he went into the cave to get the basket  
used to collect fruit and vegetables, then went to where he knew  
he would find plenty of food to bring back.  
 
He had collected almost a full basket. He was about to head back  
when he spotted some more fruit. He placed the basket down again  
and bent over to pick up his selection.  
 
He nearly fell over as the pain hit him. It was as if his body had  
one gigantic charley horse, almost paralyzing him. He doubled over, 
gasping. It became hard to breath and the dizziness hit him again. 
He fell to the ground, curling up, whimpering from the pain. Then  
just as suddenly as it started, it went away. 
 
Gene stayed on the ground for a few more minutes, wondering what  
had happened, and making sure it would not come back again soon. 
 
Slowly and carefully, Gene got back on his feet, then closed his  
eyes to let another wave of dizziness wash over him. It didn't last  
long. He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, then went to pick  
up the basket to start walking back to the cave. 
 
His thoughts were on what happened to him. The most likely answer  
he came up with was that his body was rejecting Samantha's blood. 
He frowned at the thought, and tried to keep himself from going  
into a panic. Before, he was too badly injured to react to the likely  
death sentence he was faced with not so long ago. Now, except for  
the occasional dizziness and that cramping up, he felt fine. In  
fact, he never felt healthier or in better shape than he felt upon  
waking up the other morning. 
 
He felt too alive to realize he was still dying. He considered having 
Samantha take him immediately to his island and locate one of the  
medics. Then once he did, then what? he had to ask himself. He was  
no expert in the medical field, but he could safely guess that he  
would be needing more than a transfusion. They would have to filter  
out Samantha's blood and replace it with sufficient of his own type, 
and while Gene knew they had a large supply of the non-typed blood  
substitute he did not think they were equipped to handle the filtering. 
 
And how would he explain how it happened anyway? He could imagine  
the doc's face as he explained how he suffered massive blood loss  
and a friendly dragon lady allowed him to drink her blood as a 
transfusion because otherwise he was going to die. 
 
He realize with a sinking feeling that he still was. As bizarre as  
it all suddenly seemed to his clear mind, what Samantha and him did  
only delayed the inevitable. 
 
He picked up his pace to get back to the cave. Samantha should be  
back shortly. She never went for too long without at least checking  
up if he was all right. 
 
He wasn't. Gene dreaded telling her what was happening. She would  
take it badly. He even feared that she might blame herself. But  
she would take him immediately back as long as she was sure it was  
safe for him. Yet he somehow knew she would not be far from him, 
wanting to be near until... 
 
He could not finish the thought. He was not going to give up. Not  
as long as he was still alive. 
 
Perhaps it would be best to keep Samantha with him, he thought as  
he approached a clearing. Across the clearing was another wooded  
area with an uphill incline. Not too high and then it leveled off. 
Just outside the wooded area was the clearing surrounding Samantha's  
cave. He considered that if Samantha was there, and the medic would  
see for himself that she was indeed half dragon, then Gene might  
escape getting tranquilized because the medic thought that he was  
either hallucinating from his illness or that he had actually gone  
insane. They would believe him if he showed up with Samantha. 
 
The cramps hit him again, but he managed to stay on his feet. Thankful  
that they didn't last, Gene started again on his way to the cave. 
He paused when he heard something rustle in the tall grass not  
far away. Immediately he picked up the moving grass and went to  
take a step in the direction, thinking it might be a small animal. 
He came to a stop and dropped the basket when something jumped  
out of the bushes, charging toward him. He took a step back as he  
realized what was coming at him. The creature had a small pudgy  
almost human like body with a pig head. The creatures tusks concerned  
Gene the most. It was a good idea not to let them near him. He  
backed up more, almost tripping on a pineapple. He took his eyes  
away from the pig-man just for a second to gain his footing. 
 
He heard a squeal and looked up to find Samantha swooping down on  
him. The creature was on his knees, looking up at Samantha, who  
know stood above him, looking ready to fry it on the spot. It was  
squealing, begging Samantha not to hurt it. 
 
"I only having fun," it said. "I mean no harm." It turned toward  
Gene who was slowing approaching the two. "I thought that creature  
was going to hurt me. I was in bushes and then it comes over. He  
looked like he was going to hunt me." 
 
Samantha looked at Gene, who was now a few feet from them, with a  
confused look on his face. She snorted, smoke billowing from her  
nostrils, making the little creature cough. "With what, you pitiful  
beast?" she asked. "He has no hunting knife, no spear. Does he  
look like he can open his mouth and burn you?" 
 
Piglet shook its head. "I can see that now." 
 
Samantha looked over at Gene with an amused smile that matched Gene's  
at her last statement. Gene simply said, "My hands are empty. No  
fluid and no fire." He glanced again at the creature. "And they  
tell me I'm a pigheaded bastard," he said to Samantha. 
 
"You watch what you say?" Piglet said to Gene, taking a step toward 
him. 
 
"I said something that wasn't true?" Gene asked, eyes on the creature, 
noting its advance and ready to move if needed. 
 
"Hey!" Piglet squealed, looking up at Samantha in annoyance. She  
had a firm grip on the short flabby arm.  
 
"Listen porker," Samantha said with a snort. "Stay away from him  
or else I'll be serving him bacon for a morning meal." 
 
"Samantha," Gene called out, taking a step toward them. 
 
Piglet twisted, still being held by Samantha, and tried to hide behind  
her. "He's gonna hurt me!" it squealed. "He's so much bigger than  
I am. He needs no weapons or fire to hurt me." 
 
Gene blinked and shook his head in amusement. 
 
Samantha whipped him back in front of her. "Then you should have  
thought about that before you went after him." Gene saw the expression  
on her face change. 
 
"Samantha, don't," Gene shouted, making a few quick strides and put  
himself between the two. He also grabbed onto Piglet's arm and shook  
it hard, as if telling Samantha to let go. 
 
"He's a slippery little turd," Samantha warned Gene as she released 
him. 
 
Piglet's eyes lit up in interest at the exchange, deciding he needed  
to find out more about the two. 
 
Gene turned to Piglet, tightening his hold. "If you get away from  
me, you're going to run the hell away from here. Aren't you?" 
 
"You threaten me?" 
 
"Yeah. Remember I'm bigger than you are." He squeezed Piglet's  
arm tighter. 
 
"Owww. Don't hurt me. I'll go." 
 
"You better," Samantha snarled. "And if I find you anywhere around  
him again, I will fry you on the spot. No one hurts him!" 
 
"Samantha," Gene said quietly. "Deep breath." He turned to the  
little piggy. "Now you scat," he told Piglet, and whipped the creature  
forward. He stumbled and nearly fell on his face. Turning to Gene  
and Samantha, he called out, "Enforcers did not give you permission  
to be with this one. No Purebloods." 
 
"That little..." Samantha turned and Gene knew she was going to cook  
him on the spot. 
 
Gene bent down and picked up a rock. He grabbed Samantha. "Sweetheart, 
as hungry as I am, I don't feel right about eating something that  
just talked to me." He turned and threw the rock in Piglet's direction. 
 
 
It missed Piglet by inches, yet he still started to squeal. "You  
beastie. You hurt me. " 
 
Gene rolled his eyes, and after a glance at Samantha started to charge  
after it. "Get outta here, you little porker before I change my  
mind about having you for dinner." 
 
Piglet's eyes opened and scurried away, muttering under his breath  
about what a brutal creature Gene was. 
 
When he disappeared, Gene stopped running and turned back to Samantha. 
Her face was carefully neutral, but then suddenly she burst out  
in laughter. Gene could not help but laugh too. He went back to  
her. 
 
Her eyes sparkling, she told him, "I'm sorry, Gene. It was just  
so funny with your outburst. You scared him good though. That's  
good. He'll know to stay away from you now." 
 
"You don't have to try to kill anything that comes near me, you know." 
 
"You don't know these parts like I do, Gene. It may not be safe  
even where the rest of your kind are. But especially here, where  
you are the only Pureblood around. You need to be protected." 
 
Gene went to argue, hating to have a lady doing all his battles for  
him. Which is why it felt good that he was the one who chased off  
Piglet. "Thank you for standing back when I went after him," Gene  
said instead. 
 
"You were holding your own. If I felt that changed, I would not  
have stood back and tried not to laugh at the two of you." 
 
"Well, feel like helping me pick up the mess I made?" Gene asked, 
pointing to the fruits and vegetables on the ground near the basket. 
 
 
"There looks like there's still enough in the basket." 
 
"Better to have too much than too little," was Gene's reply.  
 
He only got as far as three steps before he doubled up, feeling the  
cramping and dizziness again. 
 
Samantha ran to him, grabbed onto him before he could fall. "Gene!" 
 
He tried to tell her he was okay, but he couldn't speak. He also  
felt nauseous, wondering if he was going to throw up.  
 
Samantha went to pick him up, when the pain subsided enough that  
he was able to straighten up. He held onto her for balance. "I'm  
better," he said weakly. 
 
"You are not well." She went to lift him again. 
 
"No,' he said hoarsely. "Just help me. It's not that far to the  
cave. Just give me a little help and I could make it." 
 
She wanted to argue, but knowing how stubborn Gene could get, they  
could end up standing there for a while trying to decide. She nodded. 
"Okay. But another one like that, and it's my way." 
 
"Deal," Gene said through gritted teeth, trying to fight off the  
dizziness. 
 
Samantha helped Gene back to the cave. He was unable to walk on  
his own, but too stubborn to be carried unless it was the only way. 
 
 
She helped settle him on skins, noting that his legs were twitching. 
He curled up in a ball, starting to whimper. She didn't know what  
to do. "Gene, I am sorry. I'm so sorry," she kept repeating, trying  
her best to comfort him to no use. Tears were falling from her eyes  
and she started to sob. There was no way she could get the two of  
them to the nearest island with him like that. She would be unable  
to hold onto him. The whimpering turned into moans, and then he  
was crying out in pain. 
 
Gene felt like he was being ripped apart from the inside, as if every  
muscle and organ was twisting and being pulled. He was no longer  
aware of Samantha, trying to grab him, comfort him, calling his name  
and crying. The dizziness hit him again, harder than he could ever  
imagine. He tried crying out but could not get the sound he wanted  
past the object in his throat, trying to tear his throat apart. 
 
Samantha tried again to gather him to her, hold him as close to her  
as she could, as if the action alone will take away his pain. He  
was dying, her mind kept repeating. She wanted to scream out, lash  
out at something, but she kept on holding Gene as best as she could, 
rubbing him, trying to talk to him through her sobs. 
 
He almost dropped him when without warning, he let out an inhuman  
growl and went limp in her arms. 
 
"NO!!!" Samantha cried out, holding Gene tighter, thinking he was  
dead. Then she noticed his shallow breathing. She felt for a pulse  
and to her relief found one, very weak for him, but there was one. 
She nearly screamed when one of his hands suddenly came up to grab  
her. "Easy," she told him gently, laying him again on the skins. 
"Relax. Once I'm sure you won't be having another one of these  
seizures soon, I will take you back where you can get help." 
 
"They can't help me," Gene stated weakly, opening his eyes. "No  
one can."  
 
She blinked at more than his words. It was the way he said it.  
Just a flat statement of fact. No emotion in them, not even fear. 
 
 
"You are not going to do this, Gene," she warned him. "I will not  
let you give up." 
 
To her further surprise, he laughed. He sat up with a groan, fighting  
off Samantha's attempts to push him back down. She settled for 
assisting him, which he accepted. He rubbed a hand across his face. 
"Well, that was scary," he stated, then gave her a grin. 
 
"We must get you back." 
 
"I'm not going," he said. "At least not yet." 
 
"You will die if you don't!" she screamed out at him, starting to  
cry again. 
 
Hands cupped her face, fingertips caressing her. She heard Gene's  
warm chuckle, but she could not see much through her tears. Then  
she felt his feather light kisses, as he kissed away her tears.  
"I am not dying, sweetheart. I'm too stubborn to give up. I'll  
be fine," his gentle voice soothed her. 
 
She opened her eyes to find his sparkling warm brown eyes gaze into  
hers. There was that glint of gold in them, that did not make his  
eyes completely dark brown, and made them the most irresistible eyes  
to look into. She found herself almost getting lost in his eyes  
when they would talk. 
 
When he was certain he had her attention, he pulled away a little. 
"Sshhh. Don't cry. I'm fine. Remember that." 
 
"Then what?" she asked him, realizing he was trying to stand up.  
Knowing she couldn't win, she stood up with him, helping him to  
his feet. He took a few stiff unsteady steps, then looked at her. 
 
 
"Just know when this happens again, I'll be okay." 
 
"And I'm supposed to watch you in that much pain and do nothing." 
 
Gene nodded. "I wish I could change that, sweetheart. I wish I  
won't have to go through that again, or put you through it." 
 
She went over to him, studying him with a critical eye. "You are  
well enough for flight." 
 
"I am well enough to remember that I was starving. And that now  
I'm famished. He held out his hand to her. With a sigh, she placed  
her hand in his and allowed him to lead them out of the cave. 
 
"As long as you sit comfortably as I make us something to eat," she  
told him. 
 
"I should go back and get all the fruit and stuff I collected before  
Piglet showed up." 
 
She opened her mouth to protest, then saw the look in his eyes.  
"You rest while I put on the meat. Then we both go," she stated. 
 
Gene decided it was best to accept her compromise. He nodded. "Sounds  
fair." 
 
"Good. Then after we eat, we take you where you can get help." 
 
Gene shook his head. "Samantha, I told you..." 
 
"I'm not accepting the alternative," she stated stubbornly. 'Even  
if it means I'll never see you again, at least you'll still be alive. 
" 
 
"I will live," Gene stated with a sigh, watching her go about with  
getting their meal prepared.  
 
Samantha had her back to Gene, as she hunched over the woodpile to  
cook on. The fire was almost out. She went to light it and only  
smoke came out of her mouth. "Damn," she cried. "This is why dragons  
shouldn't cry," she tried to joke to him. 
 
She heard him pick up something. "Then don't cry. There's nothing  
to cry about. Now you need to sit down and relax. Normally, I don't  
like girls who smoke, but there's something about the manner of your  
habit, I find very attractive. Now move aside, let me finish this  
and we can both relax. Screw the fruit." 
 
She let out a laugh. "And just how do you expect to get this fire  
going if I can't?" she asked. She turned around to face him. 
 
Gene stood a few feet from her, holding onto a small branch. Her  
eyes opened wide as she watched the fire dance on the branch. "With  
this, of course," he smiled and walked past her. 
 
 
To Be Continued in E.