Mature: Desert Moon

[Emora Deen]

Tenele hummed in her sleep, smiling faintly as she felt the body curl around her. She was in too deep to feel any discomfort in her chest. Atul lay curled on his side behind Tenele, not as close as she was pressed against Vlad, but enough that his heat touched her skin.

He slept as soundly as Tenele, the two of them enjoying the softness of a bed after many long weeks without it.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smiled at Tenele's humming. He was too pleased and excited to sleep now. With his body feeling better than it had in months, and Tenele curled against his chest, he wanted to be awake and drink in the safety around him until he believed it. His hand beneath the covers petted Atul from his waist to his ass. He loved the feel of his skin and hoped he wouldn't wake the man with the soft, rhythmic caress. He explored a little further as time went on, reacquainting himself with Atul's lean and unmistakably male body, until he was comfortable sliding over to his front and touching his well-formed abs. He did it all slowly and quietly, all the while with his face buried in Tenele's soft hair. He kissed her head lovingly.

[Emora Deen]

Atul's muscles jumped in his sleep at the all too light touch of Vlad's hand skimming over his abs. His hand slid along the sheets until it bumped Tenele's bottom. He exhaled in a breath, twisting his face into the pillow.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad froze when he heard Atul moving, his hand still against his skin. When it seemed the man was definitely still asleep, he slid his hand down to Atul's and wove his long fingers between the king's in a gentle grasp. He knew they needed sleep. The vampire decided he would hold them a bit longer before he got up to begin exploring and reassembling his reality.

[Emora Deen]

About an hour later when Tenele finally woke, she was met with a combination of comfort and pain. She blinked her eyes open to find her husband's form curled around her. For a moment she welcomed the dream. She closed her eyes. Enjoyed the realism of his flesh against hers. She let her fingers explore his skin, ignoring the need to breathe, the need to find a better position that didn't constrict her lungs.

This was too much pain to be a dream, and it was then she was reminded of what happened the day before. Tenele's green eyes fluttered open. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to Vlad's, unable to contain herself. She wanted to kiss him, to hold him forever. She drank him in like water until she had to move. She had to breathe. She twisted onto her back with a wince, taking in a slow deep breath.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad met her kiss with Vlad-like seduction, effortlessly sexual. Her tension and breathlessness, even if they were roused by pain, had a natural effect on him. He eased firmer against her and squeezed Atul's hand. "Good morning, my love," he purred, a bit pleased with his effect on her.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele exhaled, a smile fluttering to her face. "Please, do not be so tempting to me right now," she urged while her hands explored his skin. "I have been without your touch for three months and I don't think I'd take heed of either one of our injuries before forcing myself on you." She gathered her breath and pushed up with an elbow to meet his lips again, kissing him as thoroughly as she could manage. Her arm trembled, and she only held it for a minute before falling back into the sheets.

[Soran Nightblade]

"Don't strain it," he advised, leaning up on his own arm to take the pressure off her to lift up. Vlad rose and held himself over her, kissing her in long stints of affection and giving her room to breathe between them. His body was slow to respond the way it normally would. Despite the pleasure it gave him to feel her with him and know that he pleased her, his own muscles felt bruised and stiff. The scalding burning was gone now, but the heat still remained, like the roughness of the tongue after a burn. It was difficult to taste food after scalding your mouth. It would be fine again soon, he told himself. He just had to give it more time.

In the meantime, he took to reclaiming his wife with soft kisses down her ear and neck. He licked her skin with focused affection wherever he found scratches or scars.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele breath was shallow as Vlad's lips skimmed over her skin. "Vlad..." she whispered, her eyes glistening. But, this was torture. They were playing with fire, working up such a desire to not be able to fulfil it. She ran her fingers through his hair as he licked and kissed her skin, and pressed kisses against him when she could. "I love you. I love you. I love you."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smiled against her skin and kissed further down her body, gently investigating her chest and stomach. When he got to her ribs, he settled down beside her and traced his tongue over her skin in warm, gentle lines, as if he could heal it that way. "I love you," he breathed against her bruised skin.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smiled, feeling a tear leak from the corner of her eye. She reached up to brush it away. This felt too good to be real. She cupped a warm hand over his face as he paid such careful attention to her wounds. What words could she say to express how much she'd missed him? Longed for him? None could ever show what she felt right at this moment. She wanted to drown in him and never be brought out. Her hands skimmed over his shoulder down his arm and took his hand and brought it to her lips. She kissed it tenderly before letting it rest on her hip.

"You are a dangerous man," she whispered to him with a smile. "I'm warning you. No amount of weariness will save you from me if you keep going." It was a request for mercy laced in a loving threat.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad retreated from her skin to smirk up at her. "Is that so? I'd best heed my lady's threats," he purred. He was far too pleased with himself. He was also reluctant to push the situation to the point where he had to admit he wasn't well enough to give her what she might truly want. The more normal he could act, the better.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked, tracing his fingers along her stomach.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele shook her head. "I have all that I want," she whispered with a smile. No, that wasn't entirely true. She wanted Tenara.

Atul groaned and stretched his muscled body next to them. He sat up slowly, scratching his newly sculpted goatee.

"I thought I told you to shave," Tenele chuckled.

"You aren't the boss of me," he grumbled as he rolled back onto his side and curled an arm around her leg. "Good morning," he sighed, his blue eyes locking on Vlad. He smiled at the vampire. "How do you feel today?"

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad paused, caught in those bright eyes. He was like a desert sky. "Quite a bit better than yesterday morning," he offered, trying to avoid worrying either of them. He tried to decide if he liked Atul's goatee or not. It made his eyes even more vividly blue and honestly looked quite good on him. Right now, Vlad liked familiar better, but then again, it was just facial hair. He was still Atul.

"Once I recharge a bit, I should be able to get us to Lowight, or at least as far as Ashgrown," he said more optimistically than he felt.

[Emora Deen]

Atul shook his head. "That seems a bit dangerous to be trying after three months of what you went through," he argued. "Talon is doing his own research to see how he can get us back. He wants to send those lizard people to Hajara instead of leaving them here. I think he's grown quite fond of that girl."

Tenele smiled. "It is good that he has made a friend," she admitted, knowing how Talon had become nothing but a recluse since he became a vampire.

Atul smirked. "She's a little young for him," he admitted.

Tenele sighed heavily. "Men," she muttered. "It is possible to be friends with a female and not sleep with her."

Atul blinked. "Experience has proven otherwise," he murmured, burrowing his face against her neck. "I'm just teasing."