Time, Death & Scar Tissue...

12. Passion and Pain

Kathryn woke slowly and without the fear that had accompanied her previous waking. This time there was a dim light on and he held her close, his hand cupping her bottom possessively. She felt herself blush a little as she squirmed.

“So you are awake.” He spoke softly and she could hear the little smile in his voice. She smiled and kissed him, her tongue reaching out hesitantly at first. She sighed and felt herself yield as he asserted himself in the kiss, Kathryn shivered as she got the sense that he would always be in control.

“Do I take it you slept well, then?” He moved her slightly, turning so he was laying on his side, facing her.

“Surprisingly enough, yes.” She saw the mild look of surprise and rushed on. “Usually I can't sleep in an unfamiliar place. I hear every little noise and jump at every odd shadow. It took me a week to be able to sleep in my own house.”

“And you weren't troubled by noises or shadows here?” He brushed a few stray hairs from her face in what had become a familiar gesture.

“No. I don't think I've ever been in a room that was quite so dark, but I felt safe from the rest of the world.” Kathryn lowered her eyes as she said it, one finger tracing lightly over his chest.

“Does the darkness bother you?” He lifted her chin.

“It's a little unnerving right now, but it could become familiar, if I were to stay again at some point.” She was choosing her words carefully and trying not to squirm next to him. Kathryn dearly hoped that's what he would want.

“If? At some point? Do you have regrets Kathryn?” His arm went around her waist and pulled her closer, she could hear the concern in his voice.

“No, not at all.” She pressed closer and relaxed. “I just don't want to make assumptions about what you want or how you feel about having me here.” She was glad he couldn't see her blush, though she wondered if his cool skin could sense the sudden rush of heat to her cheeks. He chuckled softly.

“You do worry a great deal, don't you?” His mouth moved over her shoulder and Kathryn arched her head back, his mouth taking a languorous path back to hers. She sighed against his lips, arching to his teasing tongue. His hand rested on the narrowest part of her waist, moving slowly to find and tease her nipple into full erection. Kathryn felt the immediate response in her body and the desire that accompanied it, but the uncertainty of the night before had come back as well. He moved forward and she felt his hardness brush against her. Kathryn tensed and drew a sharp breath before moving her hips away from his. As soon as she did she regretted it.

“I'm sorry-” She started, her eyes down. His finger touching her lips lightly stopped her words.

“Kathryn, if you ask me to, I will leave you alone to dress and we will go on as we were before.” She trembled softly at the sincerity she heard in his voice. Kathryn moved forward and nestled against him again, he held her close.

“You asked if I have regrets. I regret that I don't know how not to be nervous and that I don't know how to please you.” She was blinking back tears. Her body was aching for his touch and apprehensive about it at the same time. Being with him felt more right than anything she could imagine and yet his heated touches scared her.

“Stop thinking Kathryn.” He lifted her chin and his lips found hers, softly at first and then in a firm, claiming kiss. Kathryn felt herself yield, her nipples hardened against his chest. He looked down into her eyes after his lips broke contact, his fingers toying lightly with one of her firm nipples, drawing a soft, gasping moan. “Should I go?”

“N-no.” Her voice was small, and it trembled from desire and the emotion that underlayed it. He pressed her onto her back and his tongue swirled over her nipple, sucking softly. Kathryn felt her body tense with pleasure. One hand held the back of his head, the other stroked down his neck and over his shoulders, biting her lip and moaning softly. She gripped his shoulder tightly as the sensations became firmer, bordering on pain. She cried out when that border was breached and his teeth grasped the sensitive nub of flesh. She whimpered for a moment and then his mouth softened again, Kathryn felt herself relax.

One hand moved down her body, his fingertips brushing over her skin, teasing the places that made her arch before moving on. His tongue trailed down into the valley between her breasts, taking the other nipple roughly, making Kathryn cry out. She pressed her legs tightly together and felt the wetness that was already gathered there. When his hand urged her legs apart she only hesitated a moment. The touch of his cool skin on her heated, moist outer lips made her gasp and retreat before pressing against his hand again. His mouth found hers as his fingers insinuated themselves into her wet folds, exploring each sensitive surface. Her hands moved over his chest and down to his stomach, opening herself wider to his gentle probing, her hips rocking, her mouth as hungry as his was.

Kathryn tensed when a fingertip pressed against her tight, slick entrance. She retreated slightly but he was insistent and she felt it slide inside of her. She groaned and felt a shudder run through her body, her muscles tight around it. For a few minutes she was lost in the sensations, her hips rocking. She was so close when her hand drifted a little further down his body, her fingertips making light contact with his hard shaft. He moaned against her mouth and shifted, letting her hand explore him more fully.

She whimpered sharply when he pressed a second finger into her tight passage. Kathryn felt herself try to slide back but he held her still. He pressed at the resisting membrane inside of her, exploring it carefully. She felt herself relax again, the pleasure overtaking the discomfort of being opened. Kathryn moved her hips against his hand and she stroked him more boldly. His mouth traveled down the side of her neck, his teeth nipping her skin just enough to make her gasp and tense around his fingers. She was so close now, needing her release. His thumb rubbed the nub of her pleasure and she cried out, pressing down against his hand.

“Not yet.” He whispered and took his hand away. Kathryn whimpered, frustrated. He wrapped her hand around his shaft and Kathryn tensed again when she realized that her fingers weren't even close to meeting around his thickness. When she heard him moan she stroked his length, letting him guide her movements at first and then letting his expressions of pleasure show her what he enjoyed. She could feel the tension building in his body when he took her hand away, pinning it next to her head. His mouth was hard and hungry on hers.

Kathryn whimpered sharply and struggled when the pressure on her wrist became painful. He released her and his mouth softened. His tongue played with hers teasingly as he moved between her legs. Kathryn opened herself to him, even though her fear had returned with sharp clarity. He pressed her knees back, opening her wider. When the swollen head of his erection pressed against her tight entrance Kathryn tensed, her eyes wide and frightened. He backed away for a moment, his lips finding hers again before he pressed forward slowly.

Kathryn tried to relax, but even though he moved slowly the sensation of being torn was all that registered. Her whimpers turned to cries of pain as he pressed deeper, she could feel him rubbing the nub of her pleasure softly, his lips moved over her mouth and neck and she tried to focus on those sensations but the pain overwhelmed her for a moment.

“I can't, please-” He stopped and held her still. His mouth soft on hers, stopping her words. Her body trembled under his.

“You already have, relax Kathryn.” He whispered softly, his voice soothing. His thumb softly rubbing just above her pubic bone. She felt some of the painful tension leaving her body.

He pressed forward again slowly until he was buried as deeply inside her as her body would allow. Kathryn was trying not to sob, her nails bit into his forearm. Slowly, she felt the rest of the tension easing. She began to feel the sensations of his lips against her skin. His finger pressed a little harder on her hidden button, drawing a whimpering moan as she tensed around him.

She began to seek his mouth with hers and she felt her need building again. Tentatively she rocked her hips under him. The pain was still there, but it was becoming less important than the pleasure. His arms slid under her and her legs wrapped around his waist. He growled next to her ear and she raked her nails over his shoulders and back. His movements intensifying, bringing her so close, finally the pleasure and need for release overtook her. He pressed deep inside her, holding her tightly, lifting her. His roar frightened Kathryn and her nails dug into his back and his mouth came down on her neck at the point where it joined her shoulder. The pain jarred her and she cried out, struggling and pressing against his shoulders. He held her tightly, still buried deep inside her. Kathryn felt her struggles weaken and a feeling of floating overtake her as he laid her back against the cool sheets.

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LaCroix had taken more of her blood than he initially intended, but the flavor and her passion had been intoxicating. Her heartbeat was strong and steady now though and he knew he hadn't taken enough to harm her. She whimpered sharply when he pulled out of her and he could see the blood that coated his skin and the tears that streaked her cheeks. He could tell she was unconscious for the moment and he held her mind there, a bit surprised that her will didn't surface and fight him. He listened to her heartbeat for a moment more and then started drawing a bath, cleaning himself off in the process. When he returned, he found her curled up tightly on her side a trickle of blood leaking from between her legs. He moved her gently, cleaning the blood from her skin and then putting his mouth over her entrance. She whined softly, tensing and trying to retreat for a moment. He held her still and her struggles ceased.

Their link was stronger now and as his tongue moved gently he renewed the suggestions about the wounds. He thought about removing the memory of how painful this had been for her, but rejected it. If it dampened her passion he would try, but he still wasn't certain how much he trusted her suggestibility. When the flow of her blood stopped to a slow ooze her moved next to her again, gently cleaning off the wounds on her neck and gathering her into his arms. Once she was resting against him, he released the pressure on her mind that was keeping her unconscious.

LaCroix turned the lights up a bit more and realized that he had also been rougher than he had intended. There was a deep purple bruise forming on her neck and another on her wrist. It unsettled him that she took so much of his self control. Her eyelids fluttered and she looked up at him before slipping into a light sleep again. He knew she was his, as certainly as any object he had ever owned, or anyone he had ever taken as his own, and he knew that any questions he had harbored about that had just been swept away by those fluttering lashes.

Something about the moment brought him back to that vague familiarity. It was unusual for any of his partners to seek comfort and closeness after. His wife had performed her duties as his wife, but without any passion of her own. His lovers had possessed all the passion that she had lacked, but even the most practiced couldn't hide the mercenary cast in their eyes. He and Jeanette had fulfilled each other's needs, but there was nothing warm about it. If she had wanted to lay with him like this he doubted that he would have allowed it. Yet there was someone who had. Of that he was certain.

His arms tightened around her possessively.