I awoke as I usually did at sunset, but this time I was on the couch. I groaned, my mind bombarded with images, memories, from the night before. I remember everyone singing, drinking, and a particularly amorous young coyote kissing me to loud cheers then being led away from me by his pack leader, who winked as she sailed by. Even sleeping in stone hadn’t cured the effects of drinking so much.
I would never have slept out in the open like this, unless… I groaned again, clutching my skull in my claws. Hanlan carried me in, dropped me on the couch, and was being chastised and ribbed good-naturedly as I turned to stone. I groaned slightly louder, again. Lichen’s whole family, except the children, had seen me brought in drunk and ridiculous.
The fact that the whole family had moved around me, bustled and went about their daily lives, while I slept helpless on the couch in stone slumber made me cringe with embarrassment, but also a newfound affection for them, that they were willing to protect me in our home. The shades had been drawn, the ceiling to floor windows shuttered and solid. I had been draped in a blanket and the whole couch had been adjusted so that it faced the wall, not the windows or doors.
I again thanked the magic of the place that reinforced all the furniture to bear several tons of stone weight, as the rock trolls weighed just as much as I did when I was encased in stone. The furniture would not sag nor break under the weight, and changed itself to suit our moods and company. Not that I ever had any to speak of…
A clap of thunder that left me in a ball, a spark and the power went out. The apartment was on magically equipped to handle electricity, but it noticed the absences of energy and lit tapers and the fireplace with warm, dancing flames. A curse and thud from the kitchen made me gasp and immediately regret the noise. I moaned, “Goddess Noctem, relieve my pain, end my suffering.” The apartment took on a gentler feeling, a sensual atmosphere, and my migraine diminished. My head still throbbed, but it was easier to bear noise. I murmured my thanks and got the impression of a light touch on me cheek and the scent of jasmine hung heavy and sweet before fading away. I blinked, and the apartment came back into focus.
Gabriel appeared cursing and stumbling into the light, and the glow extended itself past him. He straightened, rubbing his good shoulder, and held out a dripping mug in his hand. “I made you tea, but the lights and the bumping…”
I reached over the back of the couch and felt it turn beneath me until I faced him. His eyes traveled to my lap and stilled, tea still outstretched. I looked down and saw that my blanket had been adjusted to reveal my thighs and the barest hint of lace underwear. I fixed it and his eyes snapped back up to my face, face turning red and sweaty. I smiled and pretended it hadn’t happened, taking the tea and taking a sip before making a face. Bitter, tepid, and sweetened with nightshade honey, a rock troll favorite.
He laughed sheepishly and said, “Sorry, I didn’t know what to do. Ma and the rest are gone for the week, and…” I interrupted him. “Gone? Where?” He hemmed and scratched his chin. “There was a troll convention in Texas they wanted to go to. All manner of creatures are there, and Louelle thought the children could use the cultural education.”
I laughed and mused, “Of course. It could have been a wonderful experience…Why did you not go?” My voice held a sharp question, yet at the same time true curiosity. He was a student, after all, and something like this could have gotten him some extra credit at least.
Gabriel sighed and sat in the armchair nearest him. “Someone needed to stay here to keep you out of trouble.” His Irish lilt, not as strong as his mother’s brogue, forced itself into his words, making them warm and soft. I felt myself automatically relax, like most women do when confronted with an accent like that. “Besides, my brothers wanted to see if they could meet some females.” We laughed, then settled into firelit silence.
He picked up a textbook and I sat, covertly watching him read. I was good at silence, but I wanted something more, all of the sudden. In the cozy, near-claustrophobic den of our home, I looked and saw the man in Gabriel for the first time. I felt a stirring and thought how lonely I was.
A small black stuffed dragon appeared at my side, and a new cup of tea suddenly steamed into existence on the coffee table between Gabriel and me. The apartment had never magicked food or drink into existence that I knew of, but it didn’t bother Gabriel so I stayed quiet. After a short time of silence he suddenly spoke.
“Want to play Monopoly?” I jumped and stuttered, “Y-yes, yes, sure…” as he stood and went to the hallway closet, presumably to get the game. I shivered, and felt a heavier blanket appear in my lap. I stood, looking down while pushing the blankets off to one side. “Let me change first…” and I looked up into Gabriel’s suddenly too-close face. I started, face turning red, and felt something nudge my knees, causing me to fall into him. We went down in a jumble of limbs and game pieces. I landed astride him, tail between his knees as his were between mine. My paws braced my arms on either side of his face, and our eyes were locked onto each other. I breathed lightly, licking the air and my lips, his eyes following the motion. His hands gripped my waist, fingers digging into my skin, causing a hot sensation to sweep through me. I felt lost, free-floating, until a game piece rolled gently into my hand and broke my focus on how dark and rich Gabriel’s brown eyes were, with flecks of gold and green dancing in their depths.
I glanced and grabbed at the piece- a car. I shifted my weight, held the car to eye level between us, trying to force triumph into my voice to hide the shaking.
“Ha, see? I win, the car is mine!” I laughed, and felt him shift beneath me. A firm, hot length of denim-covered flesh pressed against me, and I felt myself go damp. His voice rumbled, male and shiver inducing, “You were so desperate for a game piece you knocked me over for it?”
Something in his voice was doubtful, but not completely disbelieving. It has a twinge of hopefulness, as though he wanted me to say yes, but not really believing it. I stared at his lips, full and close, and whispered, “…Yes?” Gabriel sat up suddenly, forcing me upwards and forcing me to keep my hips firmly in place with his hands. My arms were wrapped around his neck and shoulders, our faces so close to touching I could feel his heat and smell his scent. I closed my eyes and tried to ignore the fact that I was IN HIS LAP and he was HARD, EVERYWHERE. I was thinking of all the reasons why he wasn’t a boy and I wasn’t a girl and how we were two different species and he was so much younger than me when I felt him slide a hand up my spine, causing a shiver, and cupping my neck, threading his fingers through my hair, forcing my head to shift slightly. I groaned before I could help myself, and felt his lips on mine. I opened my mouth unthinkingly and fell in a deep, provocative, and earth-shattering kiss.
His tongue swept across my teeth, caressed my fangs, and generally dominated my mouth. I pushed my tongue back at him, slightly unsure but not willing to back down. His tongue was nicked by my fang and we froze, hearts beating wildly, until that first drop hit my tongue. Then we were a frenzied kissing and touching mess, gasping and moaning and pushed to a sweetly feverish height. He bucked his hips against me, and I felt that fever spill over me. I tore my mouth away and shrieked as he bellowed and rocked my quivering core against him and came himself. I whimpered, my pleasure feeling incomplete, and broken.
A tear escaped and slid down my cheek. Gabriel caressed my face, fingers catching the tear and lifting my chin from where I had ducked it against his shoulder, piercing my eyes like he hadn’t pierced my body- Deep, probing, and sweet. His brow was furrowed, and his mouth was turned down at the corners as he asked, “Why the sadness? Was I a bad kisser? Bad breath?” He made me smile slightly, and leaned in to kiss me gently. I let him, then turned my head and sighed.
“As you know, I am over five hundred years old. I have kissed-“ I felt his fingers tighten in possessiveness, then forcibly relax on my hip and back. “And I have had lovers in the sense that I loved them emotionally, barely physically. I…have yet to…experience…physical loving… completely…” my voice trailed off and he stared, incredulous. Gabriel’s voice was hoarse as he whispered, “You are a virgin? You never…” I shook my head, shame burning my cheeks.
Gabriel took my head in his hands and made me look at him. “Rei, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. What you have… is a gift, and it is yours to give to whom you wish. I shouldn’t have asked about it, it’s none of my business. But I want you to know, I have been infatuated with you since I was small; I was four or five when I knew I wanted to be with you. If you choose to let me be your first, I…I..” he struggled to think, then sighed. “I cannot promise anything more than honorable intentions, and that made in a lust-filled haze.” I laughed and he joined me. I traced his lips with my claw, pondering what to say, then gave in and leaned into his chest, licking his lips and kissing him gently. That delicious fire spread through us again, and I tore away from him, panting and stammering, “I…I need to change. Freshen up… um…”
“Sure.” Gabriel seemed to understand my awkwardness and stood with me in his arms. He lowered me to the floor and stooped again to collect the board, the crushed and crumpled fake money, and I ran for my room.
I slammed my door shut and didn’t breathe, splayed against it, and shuddered. I still wore my mandarin collared dress, now damp with my sweat and need. Slowly, in the darkness, I unzipped the dress and slid it off. I caught a whiff of Gabriel’s scent and my knees buckled. I fell to my haunches. I held the cloth to my nose and inhaled more deeply. MMM. Coffee, rum, vanilla, and some green tea combination filled my nose with an undercurrent of musky, male scent.
I longed to taste all of it, every bit of flavor he had to offer, and I wanted him to fill me with it. The desire was so strong, so violent-like, that it reminded me of… I stopped that train of thought and stood, thinking, “I need light” and suddenly my candles, all thirty-seven vanilla scented candles, lit with flame. I shed my underwear, brassier, and was about to shower when Gabriel called me through my bedroom door.
“I am heading to the upstairs shower to get cleaned up. I left everything set up on the coffee table and have food on the way. Lucky Wong’s delivers no matter what, so Chinese is on the way.” His voice stopped and I heard him walk away, and I stood with my mouth gaping like a fish’s and my robe clutched to my chest.
Gabriel was going to shower. Naked! Well of course he is, I reprimanded myself, that’s how showers are done. But, wet, naked, soapy… Arrgh. I was affected. I needed a release, and I knew it. I found myself donning my robe, grabbing a small stack of towels, then stalking out of my room, following the candle-lit pathway up the spiral staircase and to the upstairs bathroom door. I paused outside and listened to the sounds of hot water spraying on flesh and tile. I carefully opened the door and slipped inside, letting my body absorb the steam.
The shower was enclosed with patterned glass walls, gilt edges and hinges. I could make out Gabriel’s body in the gloom, and heard him whispering. Curious, I peaked my ears and heard clearly, “Reianne, gods Rei.” I felt goosebumps and slipped my robe off. It caught and folded neatly onto the bathroom chaise before reaching the floor. I threw the towels over my shoulder and opened the shower door.
My eyes opened wide and I felt a heat that had nothing to do with the shower. Gabriel was masturbating himself, and he was chanting my name and what he considers my attributes. His list sounded like something from William Shakespeare, poetic and lovely. I stepped in and caught my tail in the door. I hissed, and it broke his reverie. I massaged my tail and smiled as seductively as I could under the circumstances, stalking towards him with an almost evil intent in mind. “Here, let me.” I murmured, and the desperate, hopeful desire in his eyes was enough to drop me to my haunches in front of him.
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