Holier Than Thou

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad placed a gentle hand on her cheek. "He is our friend, and he has pledged his life to help us, as we have helped him. He can be trusted. There is no one else worthy to see or touch you. And that means Verin.

"Atul? You can come in," he called to the demigod outside. Atul pushed the door open cautiously and stepped in. "Again, I'm so-," he broke off as he noticed Tenele's half-nude form changing by the fire. His cheeks darkened beautifully. "You...you did say to come in?" he said warily to Vlad, horrified that he was unable to take his eyes off of his friend's wife.

"Hm? Of course," Vlad's gaze roamed casually to Tenele, as if just noticing her. "Oh, this? It's quite normal to be casually naked among friends, in Ighten. If it's awkward for you as an Outlander, we'll stop immediately," he offered with concern.

"N....No. As long as it's normal," Atul slinked to the bed to sit next to Vlad, avoiding the chairs next to the fireplace where Tenele was changing. The vampire's scent was distinctly sexual and still smelled of blood. After all, he'd just been with Tenele and hadn't cleaned himself at all. If Vlad was uncomfortable about it, he certainly didn't show it. Unfortunately, as a half-demon, Atul couldn't help but be affected by it. He put his hands on his knees as if to brace himself up and took a slow breath.

"It was a very nice event. Your queen is a kind woman," he said, pulling his eyes away from Tenele to try to look at Vlad with a straight face.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele turned her back to the two of them as she finished with the buttons, working to keep a straight face. It was really hard for her at the moment, because casually undressing was definitely not common in Ighten. She held the dress to her for a moment longer, taking a deep breath.

The more she thought about it, the more her imagination played with the idea, and the more excited she got. Swallowing the nervousness, at least to enough of a degree to finish undressing, she pushed the fabric from her hips. It pooled on the floor around her feet. She stepped out of it, one foot at a time. As she turned to face her husband and her friend, she slipped the last of her garments off. She stood naked, her silver hair still pinned loosely up, more strands falling around her face than before. It allowed from an ample view of Vlad's mark on her neck.

She lifted her green eyes to them, rose coloring her cheeks.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smiled at Tenele and admired his handiwork, momentarily forgetting Atul was even there with them. "Where are my manners? Can I get you a drink, my friend?" he offered Atul, standing up. He rose and gave Tenele a light lick on the cheek, knowing Atul was watching, before walking to the cabinet against the wall. As he bent down to retrieve a bottle from inside, he made a short, tight sound in his throat and stiffened.

"Vlad?" Atul said, getting up quickly at the unusual display of pain from the vampire.

Vlad had apparently composed himself and straightened up, albeit slowly, with the bottle and glasses in hand. "It's nothing to be concerned with. I just injured my back a few days back," the vampire said flippantly as he carried the drink to a small table and set out the glasses.

"Your back? Have you taken anything to heal it?"

"It's as healed as it will get. It's just knotted up and gone stiff from all the dancing." He glanced to Tenele. "Would you mind rubbing me, my love?" he asked, seductive without even having to try.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele stepped across the room from where she'd been standing near the warmth of the fire. "Sure," she told him with a flicker of a smile. She reached up for the buttons of his shirt. "I'd reach you better without this," she commented to him as she unfastened them one by one and then pushed the fabric off his shoulders.

For a moment she forgot Atul was there. She leaned forward, kissing his chest lightly, dragging her lips across the flesh, her hands tickling down his sides. And then she remembered Atul, and she felt a wave of excitement flutter through her. "Right, massage..."

She stepped around behind him, taking in the thin scars that lined his back from Sinead's lashing. She swallowed a moment, hoping it wouldn't hurt him. She began to rub the muscles of his lower back. Her movements were firm, but sensual. Her hands worked up his back, and then her nails dragged lightly across his flesh back down. She leaned forward again, placing open mouth kisses on his skin. Her green eyes flashed pointedly at Atul, a wicked smile hidden by Vlad's flesh.

You are being devious, Tenele commended her husband through their link. Making him watch this. Why am I going along so easily? Maybe I am devious too?

[Soran Nightblade]

Atul's jaw slackened as he watched Tenele's slender hands work gently into the vampire's skin. What the heck was he watching right now? Was this really normal in Ighten? Heat was spreading through him, despite his best efforts to stay unaffected by what he was seeing. He wondered if he was breaking some kind of rule, letting this have such an impression on him. If they noticed, would he be asked to leave? He swallowed hard and decided to try to fit in with them. He wanted to believe it was just his desire for friendship, but he knew that part of him wanted to witness this further for another reason.

"Vlad," he murmured, genuinely startled for a moment as he finally noticed the vampire's back. He's said he was injured, not mutilated. Those hadn't been there the last time he'd seen the vampire. "Who did that to you?" he demanded.

The vampire glanced up at the protective edge in his friend's voice. His eyes softened slightly and he showed the man a half-grin. "I deserved these. Mostly."

Atul stood up and stared at Vlad's back. "They look painful."

"Just stiff," Vlad said, trying not to be fazed by the demigod's concern. He wasn't used to being worried over, barely even by Tenele. But for Atul to take such interest in the condition of his body - It was too personal. Too...intimate. He reminded himself to focus. "If you could, my friend... My wife has very gentle hands. I adore her touch, but sometimes more force is needed." He raised an eyebrow at Atul. "Or, is this not done in the Outerlands? I do not wish to make you uncomfortable."

[Emora Deen]

Atul blinked. "Well," he muttered. "Its not my first time massaging a man." He gave Tenele a playful wink, but even she could see the tenseness in his form as he stepped over.

Tenele hesitated for a moment, and then with a smile she stepped away from her husband. Tenele slipped back to where Vlad and Atul had been sitting on the bed and she laid across the width, an arm dangling over the edge.

As Atul's hands touched Vlad's skin, a definite flutter of desire travelled through the link between Tenele and Vlad. She watched the demi-gods hands work across Vlad's skin. It wasn't even sexual, at least... not yet. Why the hell was this exciting her so much?

What have you turned me into? Tenele asked Vlad. Do you plan on telling him eventually what you're up too? Tenele was slightly worried that if Atul realized this was a slight joke to loosen him up, that he wouldn't want to hear the rest of their plan.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad closed his eyes tightly as hands traveled over his skin. He enjoyed this kind of intimacy, though it was different to have men's hands on him instead of Tenele's. Feeling her reaction to what Atul was doing to him, however, made him relieved he was lying on his stomach.

Who's corrupting who, here? he gasped through their link, his breath coming quicker. Fine, fine. I'll explain it to him. he sighed a bit dejectedly, not wanting to interrupt what the man was doing to his back.

"Atul," he said, his voice a bit thicker than he meant it to be. "You said you would be willing to help us. That you would unite with me against Verin. Are you sure?"

[Emora Deen]

If this is corrupting you, I'm enjoying it more than I'd assumed. Despite being naked in front of Atul, she'd begun to get used to it. She wasn't to the level of comfort she normally experienced around Vlad alone, but it wasn't bad either.

Tenele stretched out on her back across the width of the bed, one arm draped across her abdomen, the other resting behind her head. Her finger tips trailed light up and down her side absent-mindedly, watching Atul work. She fought the urge to lend her own hands to the mix, so she kept them occupied with her own form.

Atul's brow furrowed. "Of course. I meant it," he told Vlad, pressing in with a firmer touch. "I told you, anything you need... I'll help."

[Soran Nightblade]

The vampire had to hold his breath to stop himself from crying out at the strong pressure of Atul's fingers. His back wasn't completely healed, and the force sent needles of pain through his muscles. However, Vlad had some strange turn-ons, and at the right times, moderate pain happened to be one of them. He fisted his hand in the blanket he was lying across and searched for his voice.

"Can you...pause...for a minute?" he asked, the intensity making his voice husky. Atul's hands paused and lifted from his back. Vlad knew by his supernatural stillness that the demigod sensed something was up. He didn't give the man too much time to form theories, instead turning to meet Atul's gaze.

What do you think, my love? he asked Tenele earnestly as he stared at the man he was about to invite into their bed. Now that you've had a chance to experiment...can you imagine this? Can you tolerate it? I can still explain the...other method.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele admired the look on Atul's face, and then her eyes drifted to Vlad. She thought about it very hard. What would this mean between them? Would it ruin their friendship, or strengthen it? In her mind, the idea of the two of them, being touched by two very powerful men, excited her. It caused trickles of desire to run through her. At the same time she was wary of giving into that.

If you can do this... I can. It will be fine. I may let him touch me tonight, but it will not compare to your touch. Nothing with him will mean anything close to what it means with you. And at the same time she repeated over and over in her head the mantra "I can do this." I should have been drinking before this.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smiled at her words, unworried by Atul's confused stare. I amthe same. I do not share you lightly. But your pleasure brings pleasure to me, and your safety is my life, he told her.

His eyes focused back on the man in front of him. "My friend," he said, "To join our power safely without sacrificing our individual identities, a conduit is needed to anchor us together and to pull us apart as necessary. Tenele would like to become that for us. The ritual requires a strong and intimate bond." His red eyes sought understanding from his friend's. "There is truly only one palatable method. Tenele and I would like to invite you to our bed."

Atul froze, as if something was about to pounce on him from behind the stonework walls. "You...your..." his gaze was something between shock and disapproval.

"Agree," Vlad offered, "and we'll give you an excellent massage." His ruby gaze conveyed both friendly humor and earnest interest.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele rolled onto her side slowly, pushing up to sit and leaning on one hand. Her other hand gripped her arm, shielding her breasts from the cold open air. Atul's gaze fell on her before drifting back to Vlad.

He chuckled. "This is a terrible joke."

Tenele frowned. "Would I be this naked if it was a joke?" She tilted her head at him, green eyes flickering to Vlad.

Atul's gaze wandered over her, and she didn't miss the hungry look flicker in his eyes. She had to push away the need to hide from it. The King's brow furrowed. "Are you sure?"

Tenele swallowed, giving a strong nod. "Vlad may have... more demands of you than I do. I only ask that you please not kiss me on my lips." Tenele pressed her fingers to them. She shifted to where Vlad sat, drawing closer to him. She felt she needed his confidence.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smirked at his friend. "My lips are fair game," he chortled. "And there will be no biting," he ordered. "I will do the biting around here."

Atul chuckled, his mood calming slightly. "As you wish."

"And no intercourse."

He blinked. "How do we-...?"

"Use your imagination," Vlad smiled.

Atul did just that, and suddenly his heart was racing. "This is real?" he reaffirmed.

Vlad responded by placing a hand at the side of his neck and letting it glide down along the contours of Atul's pectorals. His fingers lingered there, exploring him for a moment. "Real," Vlad confirmed.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele felt her nerves spike, and a nervous tremble start in her limbs. What was she supposed to do now? She knew full well what she would do if it were only Vlad in the room, but they were not alone. She wasn't sure how they were supposed to pull this off without... actually doing it. But, she trusted Vlad enough to know what he was doing.

Tenele reached forward, her hands shaking ever so slightly as she took hold of the end of Atul's shirt. Her body shifted closer to him, drawing the fabric over his head. "Thank you," she told him softly. "For helping us. For saving me." Tenele noted his hands and how they lifted, feigning to touch her, but seemed unsure if it was allowed.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad looked down at Atul's fingertips and the way they hesitated. He slowly placed his hand over Atul's, their long fingers resting over each other. He guided the hand to Tenele's cheek, brushing his thumb across her lips. Just as he'd done with Atul a moment before, he slid Atul's hand along the edge of the Tenele's neck and delicately across her collarbone, over her chest and to her breasts. He raised Atul's other hand, as if moving a doll, and rested it on the sensitive indent just beside her hip. Then he took Tenele's hand opposite him and raised her wrist up gently. The vampire kissed the back of her hand softly before placing it over Atul's. Guide him, he whispered huskily into her mind.

He slowly released his hands from Atul's. Vlad circled around to kneel just behind Tenele on the bed. He pulled her back slightly against him and kissed her bruised neck lovingly, his protective arms securely around her.