A/N: Me again! Just a heads up that this chapter also gets pretty NSFW, a little more explicit than the previous one. So consider this your warning. Enjoy ^,..,^
My eyes wearily pulled their sleepy lids open as elbows gave way to satisfying, yet tired, cracks. I gave a subtle notice to the unfamiliarity of my nakedness beneath the feather-light bed sheet, that tickled my leg hairs.
It felt nice, if a bit strange. A bed this large felt nice too, and that was when I remembered the body beside me. A wave of consciousness shook my body awake into alertness when this realisation came upon me, and I rolled to my left, spying the curvature of the silhouette before me.
I could tell he was leaning on his elbow, resting his head in the palm of his hand, and something told me he was looking in my direction even though I could not see the features through the curtain of darkness we'd fallen into. The occasional glint of mercurial silver was all I had that allowed me to locate his eyes when it passed by, like a pair of falling stars streaking across an impossibly dark sky. Here one instant, then gone before one could say with certainty that it was there.
I was cautious then, like none of this could possibly be a reality. Things like this do not happen to people like me. Or at least, not for long. Which made me feel nervous for what could be: what terrifying beast would pry me open with glittering jaws this time? Would they take Aramis from me, or would they afford me at least this happiness? Just once...
My hand found the taut, soft skin of his biceps and I was pleased to find it grounding, settling my chest somewhat.
"I might need a new bed... Or at least a metal one" His voice came through, the smile on his mouth telling through his tone. I furrowed my brow in confusion, my mind not yet clear enough from whatever sleep I had pulled myself from. Surely we couldn't of been aggressive enough to break the bed. Although the thought did bring an appeased smile to myself as if I could wear such a task as a point of triumph.
I felt Aramis shuffle his weight along the bed, leaving me wanting and clawing after the space he left, but with a click; light filled the room from the bedside lamp. Painting it with a mild yellow reminiscent of the dawn, and causing me to rub my tired eyes as I tried to pull some form of focus.
What I found, when they eventually did so, caused an even more confused look upon my face. The two boards at the bottom and top of the bed had begun to sprout. What was quite clearly once polished, and presumedly, dead wood; now had buds of leaves peeking through the grain. They stretched their corners proudly upwards, like there was an invisible sun, centred in the middle of the room and they reached towards it. A smattering of vines, had coiled somewhat around the ornate peaks at each of the bed's corners, clutching to the wood as if the most fertile soil lay beneath the carpet.
"Was that..." I began, giving a small cough to clear my throat "me?" My fingers furtively stroked at the three edges of one of the leaves, tentatively feeling the veins beneath it. It was alive, that's for sure. For how long I couldn't say, I wasn't the most astute when it came to horticulture or botany, but I knew a thing or two.
"I think so. The fire was real too, by the way." He said, immediately catching my gaze as I whipped my head around to meet him with a wide eyed panic. My mind briefly flashing back to what couldn't of been more than a few hours ago; my fingers pulling along the geography of his back. I thought I'd imagined it. It's what it felt like after all.
"I'm okay. To be honest, I actually kind of liked it. Like a lot. Fast healing has it's advantages I suppose" He grinned mischievously, pulling my shocked hand from my mouth and pushing his way onto me before I could protest.
I could feel myself beginning to stir once again, my hand clutching the side of his jaw, refusing to go down anywhere else as his lips met mine. The kiss felt like he was dripping honey from his mouth. Golden, sweet, and life giving. It deepened when I felt his tongue push inwards, somehow calling forth a happy hum from the depths of my chest. I rose a little higher arching my waist towards him as his hand lay gently gripping on to my hip, hungry for that contact once more.
"Hmm.... What time is it?" I managed to murmur between his lips as my arms constricted their way around his neck.
"About 3 in the morning" He hummed in return, causing me to, regretfully, stop immediately in response.
"What!?" I declared, using as much willpower as I could muster to push him from me, ignoring the pout that followed as he rolled and reached lazily along the bed. Like a cat stretching from an afternoon nap. My hands dove into the pockets of my jeans to fish out the phone that lay within. Just as I expected. Twenty missed calls, and over eighty messages, sprawled their way along the screen. "Uh oh..."
"What's the matter? I know it's pretty early for you mortal types. But it's not that bad." He chuckled, as he rolled on to his back. Drumming his bare chest with his finger tips as his head hung over the edge of the bed. The bed sheet temptingly shielding my view in a manner that was agonisingly enticing in its distraction. I bit my lip. The urge to crush my phone and throw it out the window with everything else that wasn't us in this moment, was all too strong. But I settled for tightening my grip somewhat and sighing in defeat, opening the phone and beginning to read.
"I have a lot of messages from Victoria..." I began, as I began to scroll. To say her language was colourful would be an egregious understatement.
"Oh? Anything about me?" Aramis hummed melodically happy in his voice.
"Oh ya... There's something alright..."
"What?"
"Death threats mostly."
"That doesn't sound too bad, she's just worried about you."
"It's just the how not the result" I laughed somewhat a little nervous. The messages told a story all onto their own as I read through. Beginning with nervous, cautious, support. Which slowly morphed into a little bit concerned. That then bloomed into requests for replies, anything at all to let her know I was okay. It was around thirty messages in where they begin to bubble into something a bit more anger fuelled. Threats that started against how much shit I would be in when I returned home, began to evolve, mingling with her concern to out right rage against Aramis and the vampire clan home. She sounded down right ready to bring a burning crusade of witch fire to all in her path.
My heart palpitated somewhat when she declared that she was on her way around fifty messages in, and then I got to read her fury as she was apparently stopped by Auntie Janet under my father's orders. Not even reasoning that she was going to see Jace had worked it seems as Auntie Janet offered to just invite him over.
I was getting to the end of the text messages when I started to get a little concerned and suspicious. Her words simmered from anger, to determination. She had a goal. She swore it was just to make sure I was okay, and that she was sorry. That was when my face turned red with embarrassment.
"What is it?" Aramis said, pushing himself upwards at my expression.
"She peeked." I said, scrolling through the last of her messages, which were now her usual guffaw of blunt sex jokes and encouragement, sprinkled with the odd apology here and there, excusing that she didn't mean to.
"What? How? With magic?" He asked, stepping from the bed to croon his neck over my shoulder for a better look at the screen. I could only nod in response. Embarrassment wasn't even half the word I was looking for, but it was a start. Somewhat violated, I could only sit on the bed, a little more self-conscious of my nakedness than I was before, as I pulled a pillow onto my lap.
I know she meant no harm, and that she was just looking out for me. We'd seen each other naked too many times to count. I'd walked in on her mid-act with a lover only to be invited to partake if I wished to; numerous times. We had grown up together. Staggered through the awkward years of being teenagers, hormone driven curiosity explored within the familiar safety of one another. Blossomed into adult hood, side by side, it was easy to assume that we had no boundaries. I didn't know the word existed when it came to me and Victoria. So why did I feel so wronged by this?
Aramis didn't seem to mind his nudity in the slightest, not that he had reason to with a body like that, although he was a bit more sheepish in his mannerisms as he carefully stepped towards the bed and sat, the mattress dipping slightly with his weight. The touch of his arm was enough to cause a shiver against the coldness of my skin, and it was welcoming, and freeing. But I was pulled by a blackened hook, sinking its venomous bite into my chest and yanking downwards.
My head didn't want to react on his touch, it didn't feel like it would be possible to. Like it was too heavy to be lifted. Yet there it was, held by the smooth palm of his hand, my eyes closing in a comfort I didn't know was possible.
"You know, she is not your strength right?" His voice was gentle, but firm as I listened, turning my head as he rested his forehead against my own. His breath came in tickling warm waves over my nose and lips, causing them to itch slightly. I found a hand, warm, and strong, against my chest, and I knew it was his. "Your strength comes from here, Avery. It's quiet, but fierce. Gentle and secretive until pushed. And it's one of the many things I love about you, okay? You're stronger than you know. Never forget that."
Well I couldn't not kiss him after that, could I? The pillow was thrown carelessly to the side, as I threw myself upon him. Straddling his waist as I pulled him closer and closer. I could feel his reaction rise, harden, and press between us, as I was naturally inclined to rock back and forth, rubbing myself against his length.
I bit at his lower lip hungrily pulling it into my mouth, as his fingers dug greedily at the flesh of my thighs. His eyes burned silver like each one was it's own lunar body set in the sky.
"I need your fangs..." I whispered, a little out of breath as it caught his ear. He seemed shocked, frozen in place, not a single movement or twitch of a muscle, despite the heat of our bodies beckoning the opposite. He looked afraid, and for the first time; unsure of himself. The light in his eyes began to recede back into their usual muddy-brown pools.
"Avery I... I shouldn't, I could end up--" He was cut off by my fingers placing themselves softly over his lips with a hush, a confidence in my expression that I could only liken to the time we faced off against Flint. It was powerful, decisive.
"Trust me..." I assure coyly, slipping my fingers away as they snaked their way along his throat, dancing the tips over his collar bone before grasping fully at his chest. His lips quivered somewhat as he opened his mouth wider. Like tiny flickers of white fire, the light sparked within his pupils once more, engulfing it in its entirety before swallowing the colour of his iris too. Where his canine teeth once peeked subtly, they slowly shifted with quiet cracking sounds. Stretching somewhat lower into his mouth, I found myself mentally taking a note of how much sharper they now looked.
My eyes connected with his in a telegraphed reassurance, and with one quick movement, I slipped the pad of my thumb along the point. Splitting it open with a surprising efficiency along the sharpness as blood swelled to the wound.
Aramis gasped in a mixture of shock and excitement, clutching at the small of my back as if to push me further to his mouth.
My thumb was pointed to the ceiling, the familiar tingling spreading from my shoulders with a commanding breath, travelling up to it's apex as the crimson fluid slid a trail down my forearm.
"By my words; no witches sight shall lay upon thee." I commanded, bringing my thumb down, Aramis followed it hungrily, almost so that I had to chase his forehead as I scribed a sigil there with precise, sharp movements.
"By my will: prying eyes shall not see." I reached to the head board painting a larger glyph in it's centre. One I had practised many times, with short, erratic strokes. Too many times.
Aramis writhed in excitement. Unable to contain himself as he sat himself up kissing at my stomach and clawing needy fingers down my back. His eyes cast upwards, lips tracing lustful whispers on my torso, as he watched eagerly.
"By my blood: So mote it be." I called, drawing a final, horizontal line across my forehead. My chest flaring with the ignition of my eyes as our lips were called to one another once more. We began to devour each other hungrily, needily, excitedly.
Gone was the tentative steps of the experience before. Only the throes of heated passion remained, burning with such a fire that it swallowed us whole in one lick of its ravenous flame. He lapped at the crook in my neck, while my fingers knotted themselves in his hair, pulling a vicious grip as vigorous lips worked themselves around my left nipple.
I cried out at the sensation, uncaring at the smears of blood that stained the various patches of our skin where my bloody hand desperately searched for something to hold on to. His kisses assaulted me further, pecking at my ribs so many times I wondered if he counted each one. A tongue glided down the flat of my stomach, while furtive hands raked at my hips and arms hooked underneath my legs.
Gentle kisses graced the sensitive flesh of my inner thighs, sparking electric with each touch of his lips. Gasps of anticipation slipped from my throat with each point of contact, my head sank into the pillow, as with each, clawing stroke of his hand on my thighs: threatened to spill me over. The mere imagined, suggestion of what was to come was enough to send my body quivering with excitement, that it caused me to jolt suddenly when he took me into his mouth was no surprise.
It was shockingly warm. Wet and primal, like the jungle, causing a heat to flush up my spine forcing it to arch so much to the point a part of me worried I may snap in half. It tingled everywhere and nowhere as he pulled me closer, angling me so that he could swallow me whole. I found biting on my curled finger to be the only respite to keep me grounded from this assault of pleasure that flitted it's way through my core with uneven, violent tremors.
Aramis looked proud of himself when he relinquished me from his mouth. Placing hushed kisses up my front as he slowly clambered his way up my body. Brushing his nose along my neck with heavy inhales, a sultry moan humming from my lips as he pushed his waist forward. I was clinging to him again as his strokes, now moistened from his spit and our emissions, seemed to send waves of ecstasy with each joyous clap of skin. His fingers curled into my palms, intertwining with my hand as rhythmic breaths bore down in my ears, like the battering of the ocean in a storm. Tempestuous. Ancient. Powerful.
His hips called all sorts of cries from me as his pace quickened. It was agonisingly delicious in how much I wanted to fold inwards on myself, yet stretch out as far as I could go at the same time. A burning, molten heat, bubbling within me, began to rise and rise. A slight arc of panic lifted my chest as I felt myself tighten. Hands clenched like claws in the bedsheets as Aramis grew faster. Lips like wind-caught rose petals seeking the ground. All building, piling up and higher still, till we might touch the stars with our sin.
It boiled and teetered at the edge in effervescent bubbles of pure, unfiltered, ecstasy. Threatening to tear us both apart with the full force of a delectable gravity; until, finally, the worlds collided in a twinned explosion of release. Causing a fit of involuntary shakes to shimmer through my legs as we buried our moans within each others mouths amidst victorious laughter.
We both panted heavily, embracing one another in an afterglow so bright it might as well be its own star. It was warm, and comfortable, yet impossibly draining as tiredness started to seep stealthily into the muscles of my arms and legs.
I could get use to this.
******************************
The air was crisp, and a little moist as a glittering blanket of dew lay cautiously on the various prongs of foliage that lay beyond the road. The gentle warmth of the sunrise, shifted it's molten goldness through the rare gap in the trees, and despite now being alone, I couldn't be happier.
Aramis damn near begged me to let him walk me home, or at the very least, drive. But I insisted otherwise. While I would give anything to be back in that bed with him, preferably doing what lovers do, the alone time was refreshing. It served to heighten my happiness with the crystal acuity of an icicle beginning to thaw at the end of winter. It caused me to stretch happy arms outwards to the sky, and after a quick glance around to see if anybody was watching, I even allowed myself to twirl a little bit in my stride.
I was happy. Really happy. So happy I couldn't think of any words to describe it better than that, and so happy that the fact that I couldn't think of any different words; didn't bother me in the slightest. It was like I was in those older musical movies, where everyone had a song brimming from their chest in painted smiles, and dancing seemed as naturally fluent as breathing.
When I did eventually arrive home, I hazarded a guess that it was a little passed eight in the morning. The smell of breakfast felt like my stomach was trying to revolt against my body, and I was all too willing to oblige it's call, stumbling towards the kitchen like I was possessed.
"Oh! Morning, love. Come, sit down and I'll just put a spot of tea on" Auntie Janet's cheerful voice chirped as I entered the kitchen, following the scent that promised buttered toast and various other breakfast foods.
"Morning Auntie J" I beamed, and sat down, to which she beamed back as if challenging me to a game of who was the most content. I didn't fight back, I'd win hands down I'm sure of it.
We sat and chatted for half an hour as I devoured the nourishment before me. I made sure to hide my thumb so as not to arouse questionable suspicion on my activities. The ward I had placed on Aramis and his bed last night was a potent one, but the brightest flames often extinguish the quickest, and I expected this to be much the same. I would have to work on something a bit more permanent. That instance was my own brand of rebellion against Victoria in that moment, even if it hadn't changed a thing.
Eventually I retreated to my bedroom. Eager to avoid as much contact with the rest of the household as possible, atleast until I had, had a shower. I tossed my belongings and clothes onto my bed, suddenly enjoying the freedom of being without clothes a lot more than before I'd had sex with Aramis. The thought still racing happily through my mind in a phantom of disbelief. I did my best not to dwell on it too much so as not to get distracted, and hopped in the shower. Relishing in the hot spray, the tiles were a welcome anchor as the heat rolled down my back in a soothing manner.
I allowed myself a brief moment to peer through the shower stream, and watch the coils of steam roll from my skin in hypnotic patterns. The sound of the running water and the feeling as it drummed down my body called a shudder of tightness in my form to be washed down the drain and I was relaxed in an instant.
Turning off the faucet, I grabbed a towel, dabbing my face lightly and walked back into my bedroom. Only to come to a sudden stop, jerking the towel downwards to hide myself, my heart jumped from my chest at who was before me.
Victoria scrambled her arm behind her back, as she stood there paused for a second, looking at me with a sheepish, and guilty grin. It seemed time stood still as we looked at each other for a moment. My eyes studying her in her entirety as hers seemed to dart everywhere but me.
"V, what are you-- Why are you in my room?" I questioned cautiously, not moving from the spot. Again she looked uncomfortable. Uncharacteristically stumbling on her words as I could tell she tried to summon what to say from the depths of her mind. It wasn't unusual that she was in my room unannounced, it was common place for her, but there was something about her body language that raised a nervous spike at the back of my neck. Something was wrong.
"V! I-I'm so glad you're here, tell me everything, I want all the juicy details. Everythi--"
"Why are you hiding my phone?" I asked, leaning to try and see behind her. My clothes looked rummaged through, and my phone is the only thing I could think of that she would even have a remote interest in. "V... What's going on?"
A/N: Woo! Marathon chapter. Hope you bought your hiking boots, because it was a long one. Anyway, thank you for reading, I really hope whomever is reading my story so far is super enjoying it as much as I am writing it. ^,..,^