Holier Than Thou

[Emora Deen]

Atul chuckled. "Is that jealousy I hear in your voice?" he asked Vlad, leaning in close to his ear. "Shall I dote on you more?"

Tenele giggled, slipping her arms around Vlad's waist and hugging him to her, her cheek pressed into the hard muscle of his abs. "I'm the doter for Vlad... you're the trickster... Mr. I Chain My Lover's Husband to My Bed for Fun."

Atul chuckled. "Hmm, are you jealous now?"

Tenele fell gently back against the sheets, stretching her arms above her head. "Go check my bath water, your highness." Tenele turned her gaze to the ever setting sun.

"I'll take that as a yes," he smirked before sauntering off.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad grinned smugly at Atul's retreat. He looped his arms loosely over Tenele's shoulders and enjoyed her warmth against his stomach. "He's getting cocky. Perhaps we shouldn't have blown up his ego this morning," he purred while rubbing his thumbs in small circles on her back.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smirked, resting her eyes closed. "Perhaps," she agreed. "But, he'll level out. And truthfully, you can't complain about someone's inflated ego..." She grinned, pressing a kiss to his stomach. Her eyes flickered to the fading sun, her stomach slowly twisting into a knot.

Maxwell would want there answer now. He said light a candle at sunset... That he preferred to begin immediately.

But, Tenele wasn't so sure she needed him. She'd been in a panic last night. And she wasn't ready to agree to send Vlad away with that monster for a year... to pay for an unknown with a year of his life.

She shook her head. If they missed it, missed his deadline, if he wanted Vlad so bad, wouldn't he just accept it in return for help at a later date? Could they bank on that.

"You know," Tenele sighed, stroking fingertips lightly down his sides, choosing to make her husband a distraction. And maybe to also distract him from what time it was. "That tub is awfully big..."

[Soran Nightblade]

"I could be persuaded," Vlad grinned. "Though doctor's orders were to avoid any stress on your body, and I am not certain I could promise such a thing." His gaze sharpened slightly as his own words reminded him of Maxwell.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smiled at Vlad, taking his hands in hers. "Nothing strenuous. Just relaxing. Cuddling," she whispered to him. She took his hands to her lips and kissed his knuckles. "Unless you can't control yourself with that, and I've tasted your gentleness before. I have faith you'd cause me no stress. But, all I really demand... and not even a demand I guess... I just want to be close to you. To be quiet with you. To relax and... enjoy a moment of stillness."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad blinked and focused on her a bit closer. It was an uncommon request and left him wondering what she was thinking about. "I may be able to manage that," he murmured, stepping back and drawing her up to her feet like it was a move in a dance. He watched her from the corner of his eye as he took her hand and led her to the full tub of water in the bathroom. The vampire met Atul's eyes as they entered, both a warm greeting and a gentle dismissal.

[Emora Deen]

Atul smirked. He passed them, giving Tenele a soft kiss on the check. She could hear him call Stalker back to him, as the hound must have tried to follow them in.

The steam wafted up from the tub, and the oils smelled sweet in the air. She moved her hands across the water, feeling the heat and smiled. Then, she removed her clothing, taking the straps of the Harjarian styled dress and smoothing them over her shoulders so the peach colored fabric slipped to the floor. She kissed her husband tenderly, her hands moving to help him out of his own.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad melded his lips to hers, taking her in like he was sipping wine. When his pants fell loose around his feet, he stepped out of them and brought his torso flush with hers. His organ was fully hard between them, but he made no other note of it. "Let's enjoy the bath," he proposed softly. He drew her into his arms, stepped into the water, and eased down with his wife resting lightly across his lap in the steaming water.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele sighed quietly, leaning against him in a space that seemed to be made specifically for her. The water dampened her silver hair, and flattened it to her skin. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath to smell the soothing scents, and let it out in another relaxed sigh.

"See," she mused. "This is nice."

Her fingertips trailed over his skin beneath the water. Up and down his side lightly. Not meant to provoke an act, though it wasn't hard to provoke Vlad. She meant it was a soothing gesture, a loving one.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad arched his neck to kiss the edge of her ear. His body responded mercilessly to her touch, his swollen heat rock-hard between them in the water, but that was all. He ran his own fingertips intimately along her shoulder and arm, drizzling the warm water along her tan skin. The small window in the bathroom filled the room with gold-filtered light that reflected orange on the tile.

Vlad ignored it, pressing his lips to her silver hair.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smiled, pressing in closer to him. She liked when he kissed her hair, and the gentle way he held her, despite his super-human strength. Tenele's attention darted to his need, so evident between them that she couldn't ignore it. She pressed a kiss to his lips, delicate at first, and then more passionately. And then, she drew away and tucked her face against his neck beneath his chin.

"Am I being cruel to you by tempting you when you are unwilling to press the limits of the doctors orders?" she asked him softly. "I didn't ask you into this tub to trick you into making love to me... I really didn't."

[Soran Nightblade]

"I'm in perfect control," Vlad whispered silkily. His fingers trailed along her side, into the dip of her waist and over her hip in a warm, petting caress. "There is nothing cruel about it. I'll behave." He drew his arms securely around her and thought about her warm breath on his neck, despite himself.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele swallowed at the feel of his hands on her skin. She was quiet for a very long time before she finally murmured, "But, I don't want you to behave."

And yet, she was happy that he would. That he would if he needed to be. She loved him, loved his impatient patience. She gave his neck a loving kiss, and nuzzled into the damp skin. "This was a rotten idea," she laughed, giving him a firm kiss on the cheek. "Apparently the one we have to worry about in terms of self control is me, not you. You are doing marvellously." She shifted in his arms so that she wiggled down between his legs, and rested her back against his chest, and his need pressed into her. Her hands stretched out along the outer length of his thigh, and she let out another content sigh. "I'll behave."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smirked, faltering a bit as her movement brought him close to a moan. "It's cute that you think 'behaving' is enough to tame that," he teased, brushing his fingers through her hair. "If it's uncomfortable to lie on, I can shift." He was a bit pleased with himself.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smirked at him, she nestled back against him, rubbing teasingly against his need as she tried to get comfortable. "Shift?" she asked him, wondering where he'd go. "Shifting might be good."