AU for _deadlydance_, set immediately after "The Price"

[birthrightgreen]

She wasn't nervous. She had nothing to be nervous about. It wasn't like it was a romantic evening. They'd just worked so hard on the case, working to catch the rabid witch who'd been slaughtering innocent males. And they had, with Jaenelle's help. Now Jaenelle and Daemon were back on their honeymoon and she...

She was here in Amdarh, back how she had been, nursing the bruises Falonar had left. So, why, exactly was she changing her dress? The one she had on was perfectly acceptable. She was going out dancing with a friend. She could use a friend right now. What she couldn't use was a male thinking he was just going to sweep in and carry her off.

Not that he was probably thinking that, but she was suspicious.

He was a male, and years of seeing them abused by her own sex still hadn't made her trust them as a gender. Then again, she didn't trust most people.

With a growl at herself, she finally settled on a black dress with enough slink to impress and a enough swirl to make a statement on the dance floor, no matter how elegant and formal. Hair pinned half up, the rest left down. If people stared at her ears, so be it.

She was ready. It was going to be fun. She kept repeating that. Fun. With a friend.

Just a friend. He wasn't expecting anything. He wouldn't be that foolish.

She just wished she knew what he wanted.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_deadlydance_/]

Rainier hissed a breath at the feel of her teeth, the rock of his hips complteley unplanned. Fighting to regain focus, his free hand reached around her waist, trailing down and cupping her as he guided them both back into a single time and motion.

"Surreal..."

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold on as her breathing became more ragged. So she clung, focused on his hand, on him, on the feel of him inside of her. The way his scent surrounded her. His lips so close to hers. The gentle, yet commanding touch.

She kissed him again. Gratitude and longing and something else there. That sense of confusion, but tempered. Softer.

Her arms tightened around him, that much focus too much for her to keep hold. She cried out as her climax ripped through her, with a violent shaking.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_deadlydance_/]

He tugged her against him, the shaking against his skin, instead of the bed. Cradling her head he kissed her deep once more as the last of her climax was enough to push him over the edge. In his mind he saw both her hands there, yanking him down to join her.


He closed his eyes and released a ragged breath. Enjoying the fall.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

Warmth prickled along her skin, cheeks flushing. She tried to catch her breath, breaking the kiss just to bury her face in his neck. She clung to him, aftershocks running along her skin, little firing of nerves.

*Mother Night...*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_deadlydance_/]

*Every*

He kissed her forehead.

*Performance*

He kissed her, gently, as he slowly rolled so that Surreal rested on top of him, still joined.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She murmured her assent into the kiss, fingers tracing his cheek lightly.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_deadlydance_/]

He reached down to tug at both sides of the coverlet, wrapping it around them both like a coccoon.

Breaking the kiss he traced Surreal's cheek before brushing her hair from her face.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She snuggled into him pressing into his warmth and the warmth he created with the blanked. Her smile was a touch uncertain as she looked down at him.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_deadlydance_/]

*Yes?*

One hand absently rubbed her shoulder.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She shook her head slightly, a touch of confusion sliding through the heated warmth of her eyes.

She rested her head down on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, fingers curling on his chest.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_deadlydance_/]

His hands continued to stoke over her back. Willing to put the questions away -- for now. And hoping to ease her into sleep.

It had been a strenuous few days.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She'd slept next to Daemon. Falonar. That was it. She didn't usually let her guard down that much.

But she was tired, and he was warm, and he'd done nothing but try and protect her. To...she skittered away from any softer words. Protect was hard enough.

Her eyes drifted shut, relaxing into the soft touches.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_deadlydance_/]

Once he felt her eyes close, Rainer wrapped both his arms tight around her and began to drift himself.

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

It was warm and...safe. The mere relief of it, of being held, of the nightmare being over...

The bitch was dead. She'd seen to that. And Daemon was gone again. And she was here, being held and the emotional roiling seemed to hit a high and a low all at once.

Hot tears leaked out of her eyes, though she stifled the sob.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_deadlydance_/]

"Surreal?"

Instantly alert, he brought both his hands to her shoulders as he lifted her just far enough to look into her eyes.

*Surreal?*

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She looked away, squeezing her eyes shut tight.

*I'm fine*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_deadlydance_/]

*No. You're not.*

He had her tears on his chest now. Surely she didn't actually expect him to ignore that? The bitter taste of concern, in his mouth, made that impossible.

His hands moved again, soothing her shoulders and back.

*What is wrong?*

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She didn't know was half the problem.

*It's nothing. Just...tired. From the last few days* Weeks. Months. Years. Centuries.

Something.

She was far too aware of him under her, still pressed intimately against her, and for some reason the fact that she didn't want to move made her cry harder.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_deadlydance_/]

Rainier made a soothing sound from the back of his throat, watching to see if he should draw her closer. He kept his hands in motion.

*The last few days have been tiring.*

He offered the explination in soft tones. Matter of factly. Did Surreal think she wasn't allowed to react to the events around her? To feel natural the natural reactions -- like exhaustion?

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She shivered a little, one hand sliding around him a bit so she could hold on, press closer.

*I don't cry*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_deadlydance_/]

Both arms wrapped around her tightly. He sensed this was not the time to argue. And if his body and words were not completely reconciled? If he agreed with her, even while he pulled her closer? Protective?

So be it.

*You don't cry.*

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

She didn't mind the incongruencies. She didn't even mind the protectiveness, just cuddling into him, holding on tight. For some reason, she couldn't stop the sobs shaking her body.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_deadlydance_/]

Talking could be good. Distraction better.

Briefly, Rainier put a warming spell on the blankets.

*If you don't cry? Why don't you tell me what you do, instead*

[birthrightgreen.livejournal.com]

*I kill people*

She was shivering. The warmth helped, but it couldn't quite stop the tears or the quaver in her voice.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_deadlydance_/]

He brushed as many of tears away as he could.

*What else?*