Heirot

Tenele woke up in the middle of the night pressed against the vampire. The rolling of the ship had caused her to roll into him. Her face was smooshed against his chest. Her body still tingled from the dream. It was so vivd... She slipped away from him, not too much, but enough to look his face over.

Tenele rolled closer to him again and let herself rest against his firm form. He made her feel safe.

Her fever broke in the night, and she was feeling a little better than she had that morning. That meant the medicine the doctor gave her was doing the trick.

Tenele played idly with the collar of his shirt, thumbing the silk between her fingers while she thought. Her brain was wired. To wired to sleep after that dream. Though, after all the nightmares she had, it was nice to dream of something enjoyable.

Vlad cracked an eye open, his mind rousing from a deep sleep. He felt like he'd never slept so well in his life. The warm weight against the front of his body...

Tenele was cuddling him?

He didn't move a muscle, just went on breathing evenly. He didn't want to risk spooking her by letting her see how pleased he was.

Tenele snuggled into him, feeling safe trapped between the wall and him. She knew that might be a silly thing, sleeping in the bed with a vampire and pinned between a wall and his body. But, she felt safe.

Her hand lingered on the collar of his shirt for a moment before she traced the intricate detail of embroidery down his chest. She hadn't touched him. Not like this. She'd barely kissed him. It wasn't her fault. She was just nervous and frightened... but she wasn't scared of him. Not anymore. Besides... he was sleeping.

Tenele bit her bottom lip as she watched her hand smooth over his muscled chest. Hard. She hadn't imagined it to be so strong, even if he looked it, it was still a little of a surprise to her. There was something thrilling about touching him. Her hand trailed lower to the him of his shirt. She wanted to feel his skin. She remembered the way his stomach looked when he...

Tenele glanced to his face to make sure he was still sleeping. What if he caught her?

She took a shaky breath, and slipped her warm hand under the fabric.

Vlad kept perfectly still. He let her explore him, enjoying her tentative discovery of his chest. He couldn't believe it when she slipped under his shirt. So forward. It felt like old times.

But it wasn't. She was only doing this because she thought he was asleep. He kept up the illusion with effort not to smile.

Tenele sighed at the feel of his smooth skin. It was warm because her body had been pressed to him. She kept checking to make sure he was still sleeping. There was this subtle part of her that wanted him to wake up, but she was also afraid. Her fingers danced over his skin and trailed along the lip of his pants. Her breath was thick, heavy. That dream...

She wanted to know what he felt like... No. She couldn't do that. But, he hadn't woken up yet.

No, definitely not. That was wrong.

Tenele turned her attention to his face. He liked her. He wanted her. He'd showed her how much. Was it really wrong?

Vlad was beginning to love this game. The fact that he couldn't open his eyes to look at her was torture, but it was also exciting to feel her fingers go where they wanted, and because of their situation, he really had no idea what she would do.

His body knew what it wanted her to do. That much he had little control over. His hard-on pressed tight against the inside of his pants, straining for freedom, for her.

Tenele's hand skimmed lightly over the fabric of his pants. She was surprised to find him... attentive. It spooked her. She drew away and pressed her head to his chest. She clenched up. Fear causing her heart to race. He wasn't like that man. He wasn't. He wasn't cruel. He wasn't evil. He was kind. He cared about her. He protected her. He... loved her.

Tenele opened her eyes.

He loved her.

She looked at his face and slipped her hand down to his pants again. She wanted him. She'd dreamed about him. She wanted him to wipe away the memory of that man. To destroy it and replace it with the image of him.

Tenele pressed her lips to Vlad's firmly. She wanted him awake.

Vlad jerked. He hadn't expected her to kiss him. His eyes flashed open, his lips greeting hers gently. A surprised, low purr curled from his throat. His fingers flexed, wanting to touch her, but he wasn't sure what this was anymore, and he didn't want to ruin it. His breath came faster as he kissed her. "Tenele," he moaned softly against her lips.

Tenele cupped him in her hand, feeling the hardness through the expensive fabric. She stopped and pushed on his shoulders to roll him over onto his back. She moved quickly, straddling him and pushing her hands against his chest to hold him down. The silk dress hugged her curves beautifully, accenting every detail of her form.

"I am in control," she told him in a breath, bending low over him to keep from bumping her head on the top bunk. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, gently, sweetly, and a little less fearful.

Vlad took a minute to really understand what she meant. "You are in control, Maiden Girl," he confirmed. "Do with me as you please." He realized why she was doing this now. She was attracted to him, that was only natural. But this wasn't a reaffirmation of their marriage. She was doing something different. This wasn't necessarily about him. She was taking back a part of herself, and defeating the man who attacked her. Vlad was only too glad to help her do it.

He kissed her in slow passion, and his hips rose up to meet hers straddled over him.

Her hands tangled in his shirt. She worked it up and over his head, tossing it on the floor. Then, her touch fumbled to his belt and his pants and she worked them away until he was bare beneath her. The silk dress glided feather-light over his skin. She was nervous. Terrified. But, he agreed. She was in control.

She kissed him for a little longer, until she worked up the courage to take off her own clothing. She slipped the silk dress over her head and dropped it off the bed. There was a long pause where she laid half on her side next to him admiring the look of his body. Then, she moved slowly over him, straddling his hips. Tenele took him with her hand and guided him where she wanted. His size made her nervous. She stopped. She froze. Her legs trembled, her arms shook. She looked at him, at the red eyes staring at her. At his love. "I need you," she whispered to him. "I need you to destroy his memory. Please forgive me." She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, her body lowering onto him.

Vlad's fingers ran over her back lovingly, firm but not tight enough to restrain her. He kissed her and groaned as her body sheathed him. He moved his hips very slowly, gliding into her, filling her. "Okay?" he checked on her huskily.

Tenele nodded, but couldn't really speak, not with the feel of him so tight inside. She pressed her forehead to his, finally exhaling the breath she'd been holding in a loud moan. Her body moved above him in slow circles. She wanted to go slow for now, just to memorize the feel of him. It wouldn't be hard. Her hands snaked over his skin. She cupped his face, his neck, his shoulders. She hadn't much room to sit up, but that was nice in its own way. It kept her huddled over him tightly. She took his hands and guided them to her breasts. "Touch me," she breathed.

Vlad's breath picked up hard as she moved around him. His red eyes gazed into hers with an ephemeral glow. He was only too happy to touch her. His hands encircled her breasts, squeezing them lightly while his thumbs rubbed over her nipples. He brought one arm behind him, holding him up so he could reach her with his mouth. He licked her slowly, then sucked at her warm skin while his fingers kneaded her.

Tenele moaned, her pace quickening. She watched him take her skin with his mouth. She wanted to stare at him forever while he touched her. She would remember this. It will burn out everything. Her hand cupped the back of his neck while his mouth trailed over her flesh.

"You feel good," she gasped to him, pressing kisses to the top of his head. She road him until the strength of her body faltered and her legs grew to tired. She left him, and the void made her ache for more. Tenele settled into the blankets at his side, cupping her hand over his face. She could trust him. "I want you above me."