Dudes, check out the media. And then check out the chapter.
And then tell me your thoughts. AAAAAH!
'My wonderful wife,' the darker Hadrian croons, 'Surely you aren't going somewhere else? Hadrian really wants to know all about that declaration you made earlier.'
I chuckle. My husband approaches me with a sultry smile, and I love how his eyes are lit with an ethereal blue.
'That guy is usually reliable, but when it comes to this kind of thing, he's extremely shy. He won't ask, but he wants to.'He cocks his head, knowing how he tortures me as he slowly strips off his wet shirt.
'Does he?' I say softly. My own clothes are wet, but I ignore them. 'I will have to explain later when he returns. For now, I have an errand to do.'
Topless Hadrian looks at me.
I look at him. Well, I look at his abs, and that V-shaped line where his flat stomach meets his hips, and I continue lazily until I reach his face. And then I smile. 'See you later.'
Faster than my eyes can see, Hadrian moves behind me, grabbing my wrists. I feel him pressed against me, his hips pressing against my butt, and an immeasurable heat building between us.
'I don't think so,' he says, and then turns to Mercer, still winded on the floor.
'Can a husband and wife get some privacy, please? You are still on loan from Chronus, by the way. That's why you aren't gaining any power. So, go do something. She'll only need a few minutes.'
I hear a disgruntled squeak. 'Nerissa...? Do you want me to leave you with him...?'
'Yeah, I don't want any witnesses to his murder,' I say. 'He's an arrogant bastard. How about you go and change out of those ghastly white virginal clothes? You're reminding me of my awful wedding. I'll come find you once I've gotten rid of this idiot.'
The door slams, marking Mercer's exit, in reply.
The air shimmers with Hadrian's dark glee as his hold around me tightens. 'I told you that you shouldn't leave yet for a reason, my sweet wife.'
With reflexes faster than a hummingbird's wings, I whip my wrists against Hadrian's hold, whirling to face him. Glaring, I hiss, 'I do not need your permission, dear husband!'
Smirking, Hadrian steps closer, until we're inches apart. 'But you're like me now. It's exciting. There's so many things we can do together.'
If I wasn't feeling badass right now, I would have flushed scarlet. Luckily, I have the audacity to smirk right back. 'We could...if I had any time for you. But now I'm like you, I don't need you. Comprende? Good.'
I sidestep him, but he follows, a hand sweeping my jaw to face him. Side to side, but still faces close together, he murmurs, 'With my instruction, you can save your brother faster. Without me, you make take years to master your new power.'
Anger and pride rush through me, and I push him away. To my horror, he's thrown backwards, but he manages to roll softly onto the bed. I'm scared he's really hurt until I hear him laugh.
'Well, if you want my instruction on that, too, I can teach you what you'll never forget.'
I'm in front of him before he can get up; he's still kneeling as I glare down at him. 'Cocky little bastard,' I snap, 'As if it will be you teaching me!'
I grab him by his hair and kiss him.
He melts as my lips brush his, gently parting them. We're pressed together, him on his knees, and me pulling myself into his arms. His hands come up to meet the base of my back, making me momentarily shiver. Then, I remind myself sternly: it's me in control.
So, I deepen the kiss, making sure to trail my fingers along his neck and through his dark brown hair. I'm above him, and I have him in my hands, stroking and caressing him. I can see him turning red, his eyes closed, his eyebrows drawn together in desperation.
I part his lips, letting my tongue in to explore his warm mouth.
Rushing heat fills me, thundering from our mouths pressed together to the core of our bodies. When his tongue presses against my own, I suppress from groaning appreciatively. Must stay in control!
His body tenses and relaxes in pleasure, his nails biting as our tongues meet and clash. Our saliva mixes as we cling at one another, panting and kissing as though fevered.
When we pause to breathe, our eyes meet. I see my own aroused stare reflected in Hadrian's wide eyes.
In that moment, he wrenches me onto his lap.
Stay in control. Stay in control—
With one hand he pulls me close by my butt, and with the other he pulls me close. So close, my legs wrap around him automatically, feeling his pelvis pressing against mine.
Stay in control.
I can feel him grinding against me, showing me how powerfully aroused he is.
Stay in control.
A moan escapes my mouth.
Traitor!
I've given myself away; Hadrian hears me and triumph, power, and delight flashes in his face. He grins, sweet and seductive, when he hears my pleasure.
He returns every favour I paid him. First, he kisses me softly, hands in my hair and running gentle fingers down my back. When he feels me squirming in eagerness, he tilts me further, so he's above me, holding me at an angle above the bed and its luxurious red sheets. Then he lets his tongue explore me, murmuring incomprehensible moans as he bites my lips.
Finally, we both tip over. My back hits the soft bed, and Hadrian falls on top of me, my legs still around his hips and his face startlingly close to mine.
In that moment, we both stare at one another, noses touching, and neither one admitting defeat by staying still, unmoving.
His breath is warm against mine.
'I can't...' Hadrian closes his eyes slowly, his voice hoarse. He opens them again, his face uncertain. 'He wants you so much. If we continue...'
My heart pounds. My stomach whoops.
If we continue...
Stay. In. Control!
'Only he?' I try to make my voice sultry, but it might just sound weak. I'm not sure. 'Do you not want me?'
Another groan escapes his lips. He dips his head, so his forehead is next to my ear on the bed, and his chin touches the top of my shoulder.
His reply is muffled.
'I am him, stupid. When we use our powers, we are less inhibited. We say and act how we really feel.'
Ah. So that explains why I feel so confident...
Stupidly confident. Ridiculously confident. Grinning from ear-to-ear confident.
And I launch my hips, flicking Hadrian onto his back, and me on top of him.
His face is flushed red.
'So you do want me.'
He breathes out, like I've stolen all the air from his lungs.
I lounge back, straddling him with a nonchalant air. My hand strokes stomach, teasing him. Every so often, I let my fingers stray towards his belt line.
When I do, I sense him tense.
'You never finished your sentence,' I murmur, letting my head lean down. I brush my lips against his neck, feeling him tremble against me. 'What were you going to say...?'
Another groan. But he still seems reluctant to tell me, so I nibble against his neck.
Still not talking. My breath licks over his neck as I speak against his skin, my body pressed against his. 'Tell me.'
I kiss further down. Along his collarbone, I plant kisses, feeling his smooth skin against my lips. And I carry on moving down, until I'm leaving a trail of kisses over his heart, and feeling his heartbeat quicken underneath my kiss.
'I will keep going lower until you tell me.'
I reach his bellybutton, where I kiss around it.
I reach his hip bones. I kiss them, too.
Even I'm nervous now. His scent is so good, and half of me really hopes he doesn't talk so I can continue, so I can kiss him all the way down and not stop, ever.
My hands trail along the zipper to his trousers, and he shudders all over in pleasure.
'You win,' he breathes out, and to my exhilaration, he's never sounded more flustered. 'You— win, Ness.'
I smile, lips still pressed above his trouser line. My eyes flick up to meet his, where he's staring at me as though he can't wait for me to continue, and yet he's terrified also.
'That's not what you were going to say,' I whisper, and my hands reach to pull down his trousers, lingering at the touch of his hips and a completely new area, not quite reaching him...
Hadrian groans. 'If we continue, I won't be able to stop.'
'Won't be able to stop what?' I ask innocently, letting my kisses follow my hands.
Gasping, my husband says, 'I want to have sex with you.'
Stay in control.
Oh lord. I want to carry on.
But you have things to do, I convince myself furiously. And besides...you didn't intend to succumb to his charms!
I blink. Hadrian's hair is bedraggled, but in a roguishly handsome manner. Strands of brown flick across his face and trail across his bedsheets, and he gives me a coy look out of those great blue eyes of his.
But sleeping with him isn't just that simple act, I remind myself. Sleeping with him means forever. Sleeping with him binds you to him, and are you ready for that?
Control, Nerissa!
'I'm sorry,' I say, and to my dismay, my voice cracks. 'I can't. I have to go.'
Hadrian's gaze darkens, and his power flares up brighter, his eyes flaming.
I search for that well of power I'd found in Elysium, the growth of energy fired by my love for the man before me. With the two of us so close, and the feeling so fresh in my chest, it's a well easy enough to find.
As though all of my sexual frustration is leaving me through my power, vines sprout fiercely from the floor, cracking through the stone. Hadrian's eyes widen as thick ropes of green bind his hands, pinning him to the bed. As soon as it is done, I focus on shutting off the power surging through the well, cutting it off from its release.
I'm unsure how to control it, but I think it works. At any rate, the vines stop growing and Hadrian is left on the bed, looking furious.
'Nerissa!' he shouts, kicking furiously. The vines are strong, holding his wrists down. He really looks like he's waiting for a sexual encounter, and it makes me laugh.
I lean close and plant a kiss on his forehead. 'I love you too, darling,' I smirk at him, 'And I told you that it would only take me a few minutes.'
With a flip of my hair and a wink, I cross the room to glance at the necromancy book I'd seen in his room before. Hadrian is hammering away in the background, flaying me with verbal curses, but I flick through the book without concern.
First Sense: Seeing the Dead.
Well, I'd definitely need that one to find Nate.
'You'll learn quicker if I help! Damn you, spiteful woman!'
'I know, sweetness, but what fun would that be?' Gleeful, I turn pages as swiftly as I can. Wasn't there a "summary" section? An "essential take-home messages of necromancy"?
Triumphantly, I find it: a brief overview of the first chapter! Bless the author for understanding the need for a fast revision aid!
I squint at the words.
"Those that have come into their power as a necromancer will find that they can harness their body's energy more efficiently; faster, harder, stronger. A note of caution, however— the wielder can burnout if they overstep their limits, destroying their necromancer body."
I remember the day when Hadrian had returned from beyond the waterfall, pale and turning blue. Had he overstepped his mark?
Could that happen to me, too?
Glancing back at the bed, Hadrian has given up trying to talk sense into me and is simply trying to get out of the ropes binding him. However, every time he gets close, the vine repairs— rendering him back at the beginning.
I'm too proud to free him and let him know he was right.
I carry on reading the bullet point summary.
"After this, the next step is to practice seeing the dead. This is easily achieved within the Underworld where there are spirits everywhere within the daytime, but it is impossible to see them without the Sight. Night in the Underworld is when spirits are seen by all.
To See the dead..."
I make sure to reread the paragraph twice, so I understand it correctly. Alright. Let's give this a go.
Closing the book gently, I cross over to Hadrian's closet. It's locked, so I make my way back to the bed.
'I won't give you it!' he says threateningly, but all he can do is wriggle. I laugh, before setting upon his trouser pockets, trying to clamp down on one of his legs.
It takes a few more minutes of probing, verging on fondling, of Hadrian's trousers before I find a small, ornate key. His expression sours when he sees me lift it up, smiling.
'Thanks, honey,' I say, unlocking his closet. He grumbles, watching me slide open the door.
The mask faces me on the wall, exactly as I remembered it: two black holes for eyes, silver and smooth surface, and a slit for the mouth. Nothing pretty or flattering, but hey...who's a necromancer got to impress, anyway?
I lift my fingers to it, trembling. I need the mask to cross back over to the realm of the living. I can do this.
My fingers brush the cold metal. A chill rises within me, deep within my bones. I feel my power surge within me, different to the power I'd drawn upon for the vines. Only now am I beginning to notice that they're different.
I slide on the mask, and the world around me narrows and sharpens at the same time. Flexing, I borrow some of his clothes. Vain man that he is, he has some beautiful clothing of silks and golds, but none are my size. Finally, I find a leather jacket, some loose-fitting cloth pants and a white shirt that fit tolerably. I bind my hair with a bandana of black. I catch sight of myself in a mirror; my hair is frizzing and wild, and my face covered by a sleek mask.
I look like a pirate that stole the Grim Reaper.
No matter. I have to get going.
Before I leave, I hear Hadrian murmur, 'You proved me right, you know. I always told him you'd break his heart.'
A/N: Okay...so what did you think? Enough? Too much? Too little?
Sexy enough? Disgusting?
Ah, I am not used to writing sexual scenes... - hides behind blanket- ...so I'm never sure how they seem to someone reading them.
Vote comment share ENJOY!
lots of love
Larissa
xxxx