Mara - The Lady Grief (Completed)

25 Pain and Pleasure... and Pain

We land and Thelios' jostles us a little. Vaguely I hear him speak in his low rumble. Then Poppy disappears.

I whimper, panicked. I made a mistake, bringing her back to that place, but I couldn't leave her.

"Shh, she's fine, love. Time to bathe," Thelios' says to me with a dark promise in his voice.

I feel my robes being pulled from my body. I protest slightly, but Thelios is just bathing me in the pool.

I rest against his chest, feeling as weak as a kitten, while he scrubs me clean.

"Where is the jar?" I mumble against his chest.

"Patriarch Salbin is taking care of it, Sprite," he murmurs. His fingers are in my hair, gently pulling the knots free.

"That feels good," I murmur.

"Does it?" he responds in a silky voice.

I smile, "mmhmm."

"Hungry?"

"Starving," I whisper. I don't even care if it's his blood I'm aching for. I'm too tired to worry about it.

I feel him turn me, the cool stone at the side of the pool on my cheek. "Thelios?" I ask, picking my heavy head up.

A stinging slap on my bottom wakes me up instantly. "What are you doing?" I ask him, furious.

"That was for not informing me of your insane little plan, Sprite," he replies calmly.

Another smack, then he strokes over my curves. "That was for bringing our baby back to her nightmare." A pause, then another smack, "I think you deserve two for that, actually."

I squirm, furious. "You had better stop that right now, Captain!"

Another smack, "that's for that barrier you threw up without letting me inside it, first," he growls. His fingers soothe my skin again, squeezing a little on the burning flesh.

I wiggle, confused. I'm hot and everything feels heavy and tired... and needy.

Gently, Thelios turns me back around in his arms, holding me flush to his body. "I love you, my fire sprite." His mouth covers mine. I melt into him, forgetting all about his high-handedness. He's right about a few things. I messed up today. Even my father is furious with me, silent in his anger.

I could have died. I felt it, the shadows battering me, wounding me bit by bit. I was trapped in that maelstrom of my own creation and without Thelios I would have been killed. How many times has this male saved me, now?

"I'm sorry," I whisper against his lips.

"I know," he murmurs back. He gathers me closer, and I become aware of... him... poking my thighs.

I pull back, fast. I'm sure I look crazy. His grey eyes are startled, then knowing. Looking down, his erection bobs just at the top of the sacred pool.

"When you're ready, Sprite," he teases me with a soft chuckle.

I feel my face heat up. I probably look like a tomato. He is... very large. Granted, all I've ever seen of males have been dead, flaccid organs that aren't impressive at all. They're ugly, to be honest. Like white worms dangling uncomfortably from between their legs. Inconveniently located, if you ask me.

Except Thelios isn't limp, dead flesh. He's very, very much alive. My eyes are drawn back down. "It's very large," I comment politely.

He laughs softly. "For you, my Flame." His thumb strokes my cheek gently.