Holier Than Thou

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad sat up as well, the slightest bit nervous about reacquainting himself with the body he'd abused so recently. He touched her shoulder lightly, as if they hadn't touched this way before. His cool hands framed the outsides of her arms and slid lightly along her sides, tracing her silhouette with close attention to each curve. He glided back to her shoulders and began to knead with medium pressure into the crevices between her muscles, rubbing out knots while he alertly studied her flesh under his hands. He used knowledge and dexterity to be sure he didn't hurt her, that he used exactly enough tension while he explored every inch of her back. It was therapeutic for him as well, because the more his touch was accepted, the more he gradually rebuilt his confidence that he could give her more than just pain or fear.

"Tell me if I do too much," he murmured, concentrating on her like the rest of the world, the fancy room, the man lying next to him, the softly singing crowd still outside, all didn't exist.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smiled, closing her eyes as she accepted his touch. The gentle pressure was relaxing, and she felt the tension in her nerves slowly ebb away. All the anxiety and fear that she'd ruined everything between them faded into the corner of her being. His words perplexed her. Instead of answering with just words she lifted her hands to the thin straps of her gown and pushed them from her shoulders so that the silk fell away to pool around her hips, allowing him better access to her skin.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean," she told him quietly, smiling while she stared off into the corner. "There is no such thing as too much."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smiled slightly and guided her to lie face down. His hands slid her dress down her legs and free, dropping it to the floor. He returned to the center of her back, caressing the muscles to relax again, and then glided over her buttocks to give his full attention to her left leg. He didn't hold back any intimacy as he massaged her thigh, now-warm hands high between her legs, and then continued down. It both was and wasn't sexual. Everything tended to be sexual where Vlad was concerned, even when he didn't intend it deliberately.

He took his time. Unlike a human masseuse, his hands would not grow tired. He went along her entire leg, down to the contours of her ankle and then her foot, with that same thoughtful, focused expression. He murmured things to her as he went. Sometimes they wore sentences, but more often just words of phrases. "My perfect love," he purred out without thinking again as he returned to the top of her other leg and glided over her skin almost worshipfully.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele sighed with pleasure, his attention lulling her into a state of perfect contentment. She turned her face to the side closest to him, gazing at him as best she could through the fan of silver across her face. His touch made her want more, in other places. It always did, even when he didn't mean to put the effort into it. Every time he grew close with his hands her stomach did a flip, and then faded into slight disappointment. She didn't complain, she was still enjoying the attention. "I love you," she told him with a smile, pressing her face into the soft sheets.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad lowered his forehead to her lower back, almost on her butt, and placed a kiss there. As always when he touched her, there was a need for more contact, to complete the connection he felt between their souls with their bodies as well. But tonight, he thought, it was best just to touch and explore. Until he'd made peace with all of her. He glided his hands up along her back, never breaking contact, and began very lightly down her left arm. His movement was different now. Less certain, and very, very light. His mind wanted to resist letting himself touch her there. He negotiated with his instincts, knowing that the longer he left this gap between them, the harder it would become to bridge it again. At one point, overwhelmed, his hands fell still just above her elbow, barely keeping contact, refusing to go lower. He narrowed his eyes at her healed skin.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele felt his hesitation on her arms, and knew why. Deciding that her back had had enough attention, she rolled over and took one of his hands gently. She lifted the arm that he'd hurt in his anger, and took his hand. She guided his fingers over from the elbow of her arm, and up to her wrist. Her green eyes sought his, as if silently stating that she was okay.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad's eyes glowed softly as he, with effort, let her guide his hand. His fingers traced her wrist tenderly. He raised her fingers to his lips and kissed the back of her hand. Sitting next to her on the sheets, he traced his fingers along the contours of her arm. His heart raced, but hers didn't. Slowly, carefully, he let himself grow calm. He drew a deep breath and clasped her fingers in hers.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smiled softly. She sat up slowly, cupping her other hand hand around the back of his neck. She kissed his cheek tenderly, and then his nose, and then his lips. Her gentle kiss turned passionately. It spoke of all the feelings she felt in the last few days, of hesitation, of fear, of love, and forgiveness.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad's lips parted to take in every part of her kiss, like he could breathe her in. Her soft hand was warm and alive in his, a definite contrast, but he no longer felt like his touch might destroy her. He let himself climb slowly free from the horror that had dominated his mind all day. He let himself think, or at least imagine, that he was right for her, and it felt like years rather than days since he'd last been sure of his place with her. He kissed her carefully, accepting her forgiveness like a starving man. He kissed her, thought hard, and negotiated with himself until at last he felt like Vladimir again.

A smile started at the corner of his mouth. "This worrying had made me unusually tired," he announced, and threw himself upon her, winding his limbs in hers until she was unextractable and pinned half beneath him.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele giggled softly, letting out a heavy sigh as she settled comfortably back against the mattress with her warm naked body pressed to his. "I'm feeling tired now too," she murmured to him. "Your touch was very soothing." Tenele closed her eyes, happy that he was comfortable again. She didn't need to fear anymore, and that brought her comfort.

* * *

"You're supposed to go fetch the stick!" Tenele called to Stalker as he trotted off down the shoreline. He looped around to where he stood on drier sand, and Tenele turned her back to the ocean. She picked up the slender smooth piece of driftwood and held it in her hands. "See this, you go fetch it... and then you bring it back to me and I throw it again. Don't look at me like that, I don't know why people do it... but you're supposed to like it."

The wind whipped the sea-foam green cover-up around her legs. Its thin fabric did little to conceal the bare skin beneath, but at this place they didn't need to worry about prying eyes. Atul had decided a month after Arken's upset and the curse was lifted from Ida that they deserved a relaxing weekend away from politics. He happened to have a quaint little beach cottage in his family's name tucked along the coast about an hours ride from the capitol. Close enough that he could get back if needed, but far enough that they all could have their space from his advisers.

Tenele pushed her silver hair out of her face. "Okay, I'm going to throw it... Why are you running?"

A high cold wave struck Tenele in the back. She gasped, let out a high shriek, and ran up the beach away from the water.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad grinned from beneath the shade of a rocky overhang as he watched Tenele's antics with his hellhound. He wore a thin cotton garment that apparently was worn for swimming in this country. It looked an awful lot like a loincloth to him, but then again, he wasn't known to be shy about his physique. He lay with his legs stretched out in front of him, propped on his elbows to watch his wife. With a smirk, he sent a psychic command to Stalker.

The beast paused, glanced at him, and then immediately turned on Tenele. He grabbed the driftwood, in which he'd previously shown zero interest, out of her unprepared hands and flung it down the beach with a twist of his huge head. Turning, he looked at Tenele expectantly.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele shook her head. "Ohhhh no," she growled. "I am not the pet! You are the pet. You go fetch the stick." She put her hands on her damp hips. Eventually she sighed and threw up her hands. "Fine, I won't make you play fetch." She backed up into the water before running into the ocean.

Atul fell back into the sand next to Vlad. "Tenele seems to be enjoying the beach... but does she honestly think she's going to domesticate a hell hound."

"Come swimming!" Tenele called to the shore, but it wasn't really clear if she was talking to Stalker or the two men.

[Soran Nightblade]

"She lets him in the bed, sometimes, when you're not there," Vlad said in mock misery. He glanced over at Atul's attire, and had to look back at the ocean. And then had to look back at the sand. Between Tenele's thin silks clinging to her skin and Atul's black loincloth that left nothing to the imagination, he was growing more and more tempted to turn their casual beach outing into a steamy rendezvous. If the relentless sun hadn't been so good at sucking the life out of his brain, he would have plunged into the waves with his wife already and seen to it that sea-green drape was lost to the ocean permanently.

"Planning to swim?" he asked Atul. He kept the anticipation out of his expression, but his voice betrayed his interest.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele bounced up and down in the water to keep her head above the waves. She laughed, and her laughter floated over the roar. It was sweet sound. Atul chuckled. "She seems very pleased with the water." Atul started towards the beach and into the water. "I'm coming!"

"Wee!" Tenele laughed. The sound made Atul happy. It had been a while since he heard her this happy.

[Soran Nightblade]

The vampire rolled sideways to watch his wife and lover. He propped his head on his hand and squinted at the waves reflecting sparks of brilliant sunlight, while Tenele's smiling form shined even brighter. He grinned madly as he watched her play in the water. Due to the summer rationing in the capitol, even their quarters had some limits on bathwater, and all the fountains in town had been shut down to ride out the driest part of the year. Sharing the tub with Tenele had been a perk, but it was nice to remember what the world was like as they'd had it back in Ighten, where water was infinite.

Stalker trotted up and down the shoreline, awaiting his ward's return. Hell was a place of fire and brimstone, and its creatures were not especially well suited to the water.