The Dating Game

[Skie and Avery]

{closed, with all bunnying previously OKed between parties}

Avery, King of the Moontae demon tribes, stretched lazily in his bed. It looked like a large, shallow bowl, filled with pillows and blankets. The entire thing hung from three woven cords, and swayed slightly with his movements. After he heard his back crack, he let his breath out and twisted as he relaxed. His body curved around the petite frame of his wife, his face burying itself in her soft hair of black and red. Sliding his hand up her side, he let the weight of his arm push his hand over the edge of her side and settle against her toned stomach. A smirk moved across his face and he began to inch his hand lower, slowly so as not to wake the bees that guarded the proverbial honey.

"Freeze." the command came, heavy with sleep, from the nude form that he had been counting on to be fast asleep.

"Just trying to wake you up well," Avery said, pouting even though he knew she couldn't see him.

"I'm awake, too bad." She turned towards him and snuggled against his chest, her fingertips tracing along his back as she held him. He pulled her closer, taking her top leg in his hand and pulling it over his hip so that they could be as close as possible. She smelled spicy, and he breathed her in like a fine perfume.

"Well, now that you are awake, we could go bathe together," he suggested, before pulling back and giving her his sexiest grin. "Because today we're going into town."

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena laid there for a long moment, the front of her torso cooling slightly at the lost of skin to skin contact with Avery. It took her mind a little bit too completely clear away the cobwebs sleep had left in her mind. ‘What’s going on, where are we going and what is Avery up to? Elena wondered, unsure to be suspicious or not.

“Into town?” Elena echoed as she eyed his cocky little grin curiously, she glanced away for a moment before looking up at him. Her fingers lightly massaged the muscles in his back, slowly making their way south to playfully pinch his butt.

“Can’t you tell me what were going to do while were out?” Elena asked, snuggling her body up against Avery’s and nuzzling the underside of his chin. She grinned a little to herself, she figured she’d be embarrassed later, but for now she hated to leave something a mystery.

[Skie and Avery]

"Of course I can," Avery said amiably as he unwound himself from Elena's grasp and stood, holding onto one of the cords so that the bed didn't rock too much for his wife. He stretched again, raising his arms to the sky and standing on his toes. His wings snapped slowly, until he relaxed enough that he could turn around and face her. It was a quick thing to sidestep around to the side of the bed where she lay, and scoop her small frame into his arms.

As he headed to the door, he cast the illusion that would hide them from view of the world around them. He knew how much she hated to go naked among their people, and it was only a waste of time to get dressed at this point. As the warmth of the magic settled on them, and the door to their small home opened to let in the sunlight, he glanced down at her.

"Don't worry, no one will see us." he said quietly as he struck out on the main roads, deftly avoid packs of demons. He could feel her stiffen in his grasp and knew that it gave her a terrified thrill to be naked in public but unseen. He said nothing until they had successfully gone through the downtown district of the Moontae city, and found their way to the washing pools. A secluded one, reserved only for him, was where he finally took her, placing her on a rock in the warm water that served well as a seat that wouldn't drown her.

"We are going into Radasanth today, darling," he said as he slid in beside her and began to wash her with the soft, sweet smelling herbs that lay dried beside the pool, "because I am taking you on a date." His face was thoughtful, and then turned to questioning as he took her chin and gently turned it to look him in the eye.

"I believe that is a human tradition, is it not? A moving picture show and popped corn? Dinner and this thing is usually gone hand in hand, and I believe that the alchemists guild have something quite interesting going on tonight."

[Moonlit Raven]

Legs dangling and body bared to the warm air as the door to their hollow opened, Elena burrowed her face into Avery’s shoulder as he carried her through the Moontae streets to the bathing pool. Despite her faith in the illusions he could cast, embarrassment burned through her, scalding her skin. Elena relaxed, when her body was placed the pool, the warm water hiding her lower body. For a minute or three Elena let Avery rub the herbs across her skin, cleaning her skin and giving it a pleasant scent. She mused about the ‘date’ before giving Avery an answer.

“I’ve never been on a date before but Jor, Joranda used to tell me about things she had done on dates.” A faint blush drew color into Elena cheeks as she remembered the things Joranda had whispered and giggled to her. She smiled slightly at the thought that it did not hurt anymore to remember parts of the past.

“It should be lots of fun.” Elena slid out of Avery’s grasp and dunked herself under the water, shaking her head furiously to remove any dust or herbs that might cling to her hair. Surfacing she blinked away water and treaded for a moment.

A playful smile crossed her features, she slid back under the water and swam around him, Elena popped up behind Avery. She hesitated for a moment, admiring the view she had before she pounced, sending Avery into the deeper water. Elena waited for Avery to resurface before she waded over to him. A mischievous grin spread across her face despite her best efforts to stop it. Elena wrapped herself around Avery’s taller body, her legs wrapped around his waist to keep from sinking down into the water again. Arms around his neck Elena leaned in to whisper into his ear.

“Dates are usually in the evening or at night, there’s still plenty of daylight left. For other pursuits.” Elena said with a slight purr, she lightly licked the rim of his ear.

[Skie and Avery]

He stroked her back as she clung to him, licking in his ear and whispering everything that he wanted to hear. With a whimpered groan, Avery shook his head and began to move backwards so that he could sit on the rock so shortly occupied by her. It was rare for her to be the agressor, to set the seeds of their joinings, and it was with great regret that he had to deny her. He could hear his penis crying out for mercy as he shook his head again, and planted a chaste kiss upon her forehead.

"No, darling. I'm afraid I had to wake you up early because I have a very full day for you."

Underneath the water, the cries of a billion unavenged nights of blue balls rang through the King's ears. Try as he might to squelch them, they only got louder. Just one little quickie, they begged, and he found he was far closer to agreeing with is wife than he'd have liked.

"No, no, no, we've got other things to do," he said with a voice that sounded as if it came from a puppy who had just been struck. He stood, setting her on shore, and began to towel her off with the length of thick cotton that had been folded by the shore. "Now, I would like for you to dress in the red silk dress that I gave you. I have to pick up my own outfit form the tailor," he said with a sneer. Wrapping the cloth around her when he was finished, he patted her on the rear and turned towards the city, striding away fully naked.

At their house, two maiden Moontae girls sat waiting for Elena, a bag of newly purchased Radasanthian items between them. Inside, she would find rouge, kohl, and small pieces of jewelry. He quite assumed the girls would know what to do, as he rounded the corner and stalked down a crowded street. His nakedness was nothing to him, and he caressed those hands that reached out to touch him as he passed. The sun was shining, it was just another beautiful day in the Moontae city.

"I trust you have my order ready," he asked the seamstress when she finally unwound her legs from around her mate's body. Avery had been waiting patiently for several minutes, and she bowed to him as she walked, wobbling, to the closet, removing a long box. After he took it in his arms, he dropped to his knees, placing his lips on the place of the woman that was still wet with her lover's seed and began to thank her in the way of his people.

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena stared after Avery in surprise. He just turn me down, I hardly ever offer myself up to him. Oh gods what IS he up to? Elena thought. Feeling rather silly, she hugged the length of cotton to her body, glanced around to see who was about then ran for the hollow. At the tree that had over time become her home Elena paused to catch her breath, she shook her head slightly, still bewildered at Avery’s actions. A light touch activated the magic and opened the door into the hollow.

The opened slid shut behind her, leaving only the cool light created by the moss the coated the majority of the walls. Two young girls sat on the bed. Having learned that appearances were deceptive, Elena chose the polite route in greeting them, rather than if they were as young as they looked.

“Good morning Neriel, Kariel.” Elena said, inclining her head towards them a little. She studied them for a moment before turning and rummaging for the dress Avery requested that she wear. After several minutes of a frustrating and fruitless search she couldn’t find the dress and had made a mess of the hollow. A quite giggle caught her attention; curious Elena looked back at the girls, only to find the brunette on the right, doubled over with silent laughter while the redhead beside her tried to shush her. Elena smiled a little and put her hands on her hips.

“You know what I am searching for, don't you?” Both girls nodded. “Let me guess. You know where it is too, don’t you?” Again both girls nodded, before falling into a fit of giggles, Elena grinned, unable to resist the mirth that was so infectious. Slowly moving towards the bed, neither girl was prepared for when Elena hopped up on the bed with them and tickled them.

“Alright, do you guys give up?” Elena asked, the two squirming girls.

“I can’t breathe!” Kariel shrieked as Elena tickled her ribs.

“We give up, just get off me.” Neriel said as she tried to squirm out from under Elena. Elena looked down at the girl sat on to keep her still and arched a brow at her.

“Oh, am I that heavy? So, where’s the sundress I bought recently? I don’t want to keep Avery waiting too long.” Elena slid off the bed and ran a hand through her drying, messy hair. Both girls looked at each other, Kariel reach in the bag that had fallen to the floor in the friendly tussle and pulled out the red silk sundress as well as the longer dress Avery had commissioned for her. Elena looked from one dress to the other an amused smile tugged at her lips.

“Mmm, I picked out a red dress. Avery picked out a different red dress; I’m seeing a pattern here. Maybe I should dye my leather armor red too.” Elena thought for a moment then shook her head. “Na. Black is better, besides I don’t want to walk around looking like I’ve been dipped in blood.”

Elena quickly unwound the length of cotton that had by some miracle stayed on her during the attack and donned the short dress. Elena turned to her chest and dug out the required undergarments and put them on, aware that the two girls were watching her, as they laid out items from the bag.

“Yes, I know. Wearing so many pieces of clothes is strange, but that’s how I grew up.”

“Actually you look lovely Elena.” Neriel said. Elena turned and looked at Neriel in disbelief then at Kariel as she nodded.

“Thank you very much.” Elena smiled to herself. “Okay, let me finish getting ready. What items has Avery bought to torture me now?”

Elena sat on the edge of the bed allowing Kariel to brush her hair out until it was smooth and shinning. Kariel then pulled most of the heavy mass up and used small pins that held little semi precious red crystals to pin her hair in a simple, elegant fashion. Elena slipped on a pretty bracelet that matching crystals in the hair pins. Kariel teased out a few strands of hair to fall in waving curls around her face and neck. Neriel almost made Elena laugh with the serious expression she had as she wielded the rouge and kohl.

After several minutes and small adjustments, Neriel held up a mirror for Elena to look at her reflection, and waiting for Elena’s verdict. Elena grasped the mirror carefully by the top and bottom as she looked at her reflection for a long moment. She recognized parts of herself in the mirror, but for the most part a china doll stared back at her from the mirror.

“You did a good job. A very good job, both of you.” Elena laid the mirror aside and gave both girls a hug and a kiss on the cheek. It was the only physical gesture Elena was semi comfortable with that the Moontae really appreciated, other methods were far to intimate for her liking.

[Skie and Avery]

"As I told you, sire, I really have no idea." Mansematiel said with a distinct air of defeat as he stood before his king. Helping Avery to dress in human fashion had been difficult at best, and a nightmare at truth. After the first try, with pants backwards and underwear mistaken as a hat, Mansematiel had been sent to find an unsuspecting ranger in the forest. They’d knocked the man out and slowly undressed him, figuring out just what went where and how, and after an hour had passed over the debate on the merits of buttons at all, Avery was dressed. His broad, strong chest peeked through the button-up white shirt he’d donned. The top three buttons had been lost in the first attempt to wear the shirt as a loincloth, but the rest had survived and were securely closed. The bottom of the shirt was tucked into a tight fitting pair of black denim trousers, the bottoms tucked again into a pair of boots that the usually barefoot King was highly uncomfortable with.

“Stop saying that,” Avery reprimanded his second in command, his wing rustling in agitation. “Seriously, how do I look? Like a human?”

“Sire, I think the wing hinders that,” Mansematiel said carefully, judging well the nervousness in Avery’s voice. “But I think that other than that, you’d pass easily for one of them.” Almost absently, Avery muttered, his lone wing fading into oblivion. The illusion firmly in place, he made his way through the city, avoiding the condescending eyes of those who stood gawking in the streets. There were more than a few glares, but even more sympathetic gazes. It was no secret that the foreign queen had His Majesty wrapped around her little finger. Unconsciously quickening his pace, Avery found his way fast to his hollow, walking up and moving aside the doorway with authority. As he entered, the two Moontae girls who’d helped Elena to dress fled quickly. They were no fools, and as Avery set his eyes upon his wife, the air tingled with sexual tension.

“You look amazing,” he whispered as he moved towards her, his voice hoarse as if he’d been without water for years. Words, he felt, fell short upon his queen. At her worst, she had always been the moon that shone in his skies, but this morning she had become the sun as well, lighting the world for him. It was with complete love that he stalked over, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close into an embrace that he felt could still not speak loud enough to convey every act of love he wanted to show to her.

“You have no idea,” he whispered in her ear while he drew his fingers along her jaw and neck, careful not to smudge her carefully applied makeup, “how difficult it is for me to ask you, beg you, to leave our bedroom right now.”

[Moonlit Raven]

Natural light spilled into the room, lighting it up better than the glowing moss the illuminated the room ever could. Kariel and Neriel disappeared from her side. Elena smiled a little and turned to greet Avery. Her smile faded away as she took in her almost human looking husband. His words seemed distant as if coming from some far away place.

Elena snapped out of moment of shock when he pulled her into an embrace. She returned the embrace, carefully she breathed in his scent just to check and see if the handsome man holding her was actually her husband. His crisp, spicy scent comforted her as nothing else did. A truly wicked smile blossomed across her features; lightly Elena laid a kiss against the smooth skin at the base of his throat.

“Considering your earlier, refusal, I think it might not be that hard for you.” Elena raised a brow at him, mocking him just a bit. Her fingers lightly ran down the shirt, she noted with some amusement that buttons were missing. She decided a second later that the golden skin visible more than made up for the little quirk in his attire.

Pulling away from the light touch of his hands she stalked around him, inspecting the clothing he wore. Her hands slid down his firmly muscled back, taking in the texture of the cloth.

“You do realize that since you seem to be set on what ever it is we are to do today, not to mention the fact that you turned my advances down. Which by the way completely surprised me. I’ll be taking advantage of that fact all day long.” Elena let her hand slip down and gently squeezed his rump playfully. Both brows rose in surprise at the feel of an unexpected seam, smiling slightly she stepped around to the front of him. She carefully looked over his outfit once more. Mmm, yummy enough to eat. Elena looked at her husband, a little spot of warmth spread through her chest. Of course no one could ever mistake Avery as just a normal human. He's too handsome for his own good.

“Your clothing isn’t just a really good illusion is it? Your actually wear real clothing, for me?” Elena smiled, delighted at the idea of her husband playing human just for her. Abruptly her mind skipped back to the odd little seam she had discovered.

“Avery, are you wearing underwear?”

[Skie and Avery]

Avery groaned as his wife began to take out her retribution in small steps. While it was true that he was lamenting it before, now he truly began to mourn the fact that he hadn’t given into her when they’d been bathing. Her words, if not her actions, told him that he was going to be in for one hell of a day. Hell hath no fury, indeed. Silently, and with as much strength as he could muster, he demanded that his body calm down, that his mind clear. It was far easier to demand than for his body to obey. The scent of his wife, so willing, was driving him far crazier than any aphrodisiac that the Moontae could cook up.

“Well, yes,” he said, clearing his throat. It would answer both her questions, really. “I thought, well, if I’m going to take you out like a human, I should do it as a human with the clothes and,” he added, with a scowl, “the shoes. Such like that.” He nearly lost it when her hand traveled down his back. Their bed lay so close, so inviting, but then her hand was on his backside, causing him to tense as she gave it a small squeeze.

“Yes,” he said again. “I came to the understanding that these things were necessary.” He elected not to tell her that at first he’d been under the assumption that it was a loose hair-cover. He suppressed a childish grin as he thought on Mansematiel’s face when they’d stripped the ranger only to find that the hat was a cover for quite a different patch of hair. In fact, an entire different head indeed.

“Elena,” he said softly, taking his wife’s arm and leading her into the sunlight. “We should go.” At the gate, a small coach sat. Mansematiel was at the reigns of the two dappled horses that led it. While the incubus had refused clothing, he did have his lower half covered with a shroud of red cloth. Avery also elected not to tell Elena that the coach had been “borrowed” from the ranger he’d inspected earlier. Waste not, want not.

“Radasanthian society awaits, milady.”

[Moonlit Raven]

More than a little delighted and amused at the efforts Avery had made for her, Elena cuddled his arm as he lead her out of their hollow. The short walk to the gate proved to be an interesting one. Elena could feel the eyes of their people on them, several times she caught disapproving stares from the Moontae. Rather than let it bother her Elena decided to kill them with kindness and gave those looking at their clothing a small smile and wave as they walked by.

Elena turned as a voice called her name. Kariel ran up to her, hurriedly she tucked a red flower into her hair behind her left ear.

“Thank you Kariel.” Elena hugged the girl. She smiled and shook her head as the girl winked at them and hurried off. Curiosity prodded her, she reached up and pulled the flower from her hair and looked at it. Instantly she recognized the distinctive red flower that glimmered softly in the bright sunlight as the soema flower. She buried her nose in the flower, relishing the unusual scent the Moontae flower had.

The lack of Avery’s movement beside her pulled Elena from her admiration of the flower, leaving her a step or two ahead of Avery. She stared up at the coach and at Mansematiel on the driver’s seat. She shook her head, chuckling slightly.

“If you keep this up Avery, you reduce me to a helpless woman from surprise and laughing.”

Elena squeezed Avery’s arm and approached the coach. Quickly she hopped up beside Mansematiel, looking at his bemused expression she couldn’t help but chuckle again.

“Thankyou very much, Mansematiel.” She gave him a quick hug and kiss on the cheek before hopping down from the high point with a blatant disregard of what the wind would do to her short dress, and to Avery. Smoothing the silky cloth down, Elena tucked her flower back behind her ear and climbed into the waiting coach.

[Skie and Avery]

It was with a look of horror that Avery saw what Elena had pressed to her nose. The Soema was a flower that was part of the Moontae nation. The pollen carried the same aphrodisiacs in their scent that the Moontae could secrete, and the effects were just as potent. While Avery was not about to grab the flower from his wife’s grasp and throw it far from them, that was precisely what he wished he could do. Instead, he made a mental note to give a stern reprimand to Kariel later. In the back of his mind, a voice told him to drop it. To see Elena interacting with their people was a relief. Slowly but surely, she was becoming the Queen he had always dreamed of having at his side.

As Mansematiel was graced with affection, he rolled his eyes, reaching up to gently pat the Elena on the shoulder in return. He didn’t dare return the kiss in front of the King. Sure, it was true that the two were best friends, and had been so since the King was very young, but it was also true that Avery had a possessive streak a mile wide when it came to the raven-tressed Queen. Instead, Mansematiel reclined back, waiting for his charges to get into the temporary “royal chariot”. Elena wasted no time, hopping in, but Avery seemed to be suddenly paralyzed.

The King’s wide emerald eyes were locked at the space where his wife’s underside had just occupied. While the scene was merely the glowing canopy of Concordia now, just a moment before it had been quite different. As the wind had lifted away his wife’s skirt, he’d had a wonderful view of the bare details of her perfect backside, and a lot of red lace. He’d never been the artistic type, to see the patterns in lace as anything short of complicated and something that he was damn sure he couldn’t knit if he tried. However, seeing them sprawled along the perfect porcelain skin, a bare shadowy hint of places he was only allowed to go when she was in the mood… Somehow lace took up a whole new meaning of beauty to him.

Once they were inside the cart, Avery sat back as the vehicle sprung to life around them. It began to make it’s way down the forested roads, bouncing lightly on rough patches and tree roots that dared to sprawl out into the pathway. Avery began to scoot closer to Elena with each bump, wincing once when he came down on an inconsistency in the texture of the bench. At least it was, he decided, something to help him keep calm enough to get through this date. In his current state, if there was even a small delay on the road, he was sure he’d be ripping that little red dress right off the half-vampiress. To hell with the consequences. Sure, she might kill him if he tried to make a move here, but death? Ha. He laughed in the face of death.

If he could just get his wife naked, he’d die a happy man.

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena smiled at her husband as he stepped into the carriage and sat beside her. She laughed silently to herself noticing how frustration made his eyes brighter. Patting his knee lightly she turned and looked out the window, watching the gates to the Moontae city fall back until they were hidden by the forest. The air, cooled slightly with the moderate pace the carriage traveled, blew into the interior of the coach.

Its cooled touch did nothing to soothe the sudden warm that spread through Elena’s body. The seat, once cushiony and smooth now rubbed abrasively against the exposed sensitive skin, just below the hem of her dress. Shifting uneasily on the seat to try and ease her body did more harm than it did good. The sweetly spiced scent of the soema flower drifted on the breeze just enough to barely perfume the air.

With out realizing it Elena reached out and touched Avery’s hand. The skin to skin comment helped to slightly ease the uncomfortable sensations. Elena looked down at her hand where it rested lightly on Avery’s, the frown on her face softening until she merely looked a little puzzle. Elena watched her hand move of its own accord as it traveled up tracing the firm muscles covered for once by cloth. A vague thought flitted through her head that something was going on with her, but as quickly as the thought came it vanished.

Shifting uneasily for a moment, Elena finally shrugged slightly to herself. Easily she swung herself over and around to straddled Avery’s lap. She ran her hands down Avery’s cloth covered chest, her nails catching on the buttons. Just as a wicked smirk crossed her features Elena looked up at Avery through the black lace of her eyelashes.

“I’m regretting the fact that you’re actually wearing clothing.” The grin she sent him resembled more than anything a cat that has just been placed before a bowl of cream with a side dish of mouse.

“I guess we’ll be fashionably late.”

[Skie and Avery]

Avery was not a stupid man. While it was true that he was generally baffled when it came to his wife, there were some things he’d picked up fairly quickly. Knowing when he was boned had been one of those first lessons. Usually this meant that he had no hope of evading the dhampire’s wrath, but today he was a victim of her lust. It was refreshingly, agonizingly new, and he was quite sure that today there’d be no sweet talking his way to safety. From her tone, the way her body was radiating heat as her thighs squeezed his hips closer to hers, his mouth would be far better used for other things.

“Elena…” he whispered, letting his hands run up the side of those shapely legs, fingers flicking across the hem of her skirt. It had ridden up her sides when she straddled him, and it took only the barest of movements to expose her lingerie beneath the short skirt. He growled, the sound low and dangerous, teeming with the desire to shred the cloth that covered her body. He’d been sure that his demise was coming when he saw her sniffing the Soema. Now that he was a drowning man, his natural reactions to stress were pulling him under ever faster. As he gripped the long skirt, bunching the crimson cloth in his shaking hands, his natural pheremones were pouring off of him, reaching out to her. He pulled upwards, slipping the dress off of her and discarding it on the seat beside them. Her porcelain skin was before him now, her perfect breasts revealed. He fell forward, his lips kissing the treasure he found before him, his need and enthusiasm showing itself in the tiny bites he placed on her skin and then licked and kissed away.

His hands moved to his own waist, grabbing at the buttons that kept his pants closed. When he’d been putting them on, it’d been difficult enough to grasp the concept but now that his desire had the cloth pulled tight and the button straining to keep the two sides together, he found it was quite impossible. Again, he growled, angry at himself. He was the King of the sex demons, for the sake of the stars! Anyone with fingers as nimble as his should be able to operate a simple pair of human pants! He suppressed the urge to rip them open, knowing that he’d need to be able to pull himself together again to escort her through the human cities. Again, he growled, this time the pitch tightening with his stress, turning to a whine.

“A little help, please love?”

[Moonlit Raven]

Avery’s hands lightly slid up Elena’s thighs, leaving a trail of aching flesh in its wake. Eagerly Elena help Avery remove her dress, arching her body to help slip the dress free of its silky confines and display it. She gasped delightedly at Avery’s gentle attack. She inhaled his scent, absently noticing that his scent had grown spicier, until he reminded her of a spiced cookie. She grinned to herself at the thought.

As Avery struggled with the fastenings of his pants Elena bent and nibbled a path from his ear down to the inner curve of his shoulder. There she suckled fiercely for a moment, leaving a love mark to show brazenly. Declaring Avery as hers and hers alone. Elena giggled at the growled whine of Avery’s voice. She arched a brow at him, playfully denying him; instead she pressed her too warm body closer. Laying kissed across his face, avoiding his mouth entirely.

Finally the slowly building burn beneath her flesh, coaxed a whimper of need from Elena. Her hands slid from their position on Avery’s shoulder’s, moving between their bodies until she could easily undo the button closure Avery had so much trouble with.

“Avery. Love, I’m pleased you wore clothing for me. I think you’ll have to use your illusions the rest of the day.” Elena slowly pulled at the button fastening until it came open.

Smiling slightly at Avery she bent and licked at the exposed triangle of flesh above the opening of his shirt, her tongue tracing the firm lines of muscles. Her eyes gleamed wickedly as she closed her mouth over the first button on the shirt, biting it off. Taking her time she bit off the two remaining buttons on his shirt and tossed the severed buttons to the carriage floor. Taking a more aggressive stance, Elena grabbed the front of Avery’s shirt and kissed him.

“Please?” Elena whispered, her voice soft and breathy as her body slowly burned under the fires Avery’s pheromones helped stoke.

[Skie and Avery]

It had annoyed Avery that she just popped the buttons of his shirt. Not because he had any particular care for the shirt, but mostly because he had not thought of that himself. Had he known it wouldn't anger her, he'd have just shredded all of his clothes off at the start. The button of his trousers free, he reached down and did what he could to pull himself from the underwear. How could human men wear these things? From the moment he'd set eyes on Elena, they'd become far more uncomfortable than he'd ever imagined something made of soft cotton could.

His claws slid from under his fingernails, and as he reached for her perfect form, they caught on the lace. The tiny holes in the delicate knitting tangled on the edges of his claws and he tugged, tearing them wider. It was merely the work of a moment to rip her underwear apart, the red lace hanging in strips from his hands. Her voice burned like a brand, searing into him. Even when she wasn't speaking, her very voice was begging him, and Avery had been raised right. You never left a lady waiting.

Placing his hands under her bottom, he shifted her so that he could easily slide within her. His own voice joined hers in a soft moan. The morning so far had felt like a lifetime in this torture, and as the cart bounced along the pathway, he resisted the urge to flip them over and take control. This was her game, her need. He would lay back and allow his wife whatever she wanted of him.


xxx

As they lay together in a pile of flesh on the floor, Avery held his panting wife close to him. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent as he struggled to catch his own breath. The Soema turned her into a lover that rivaled any natural born Moontae, and he could smell her desire and pleasure like any flower placed before him. It smelled like honeysuckle, tinged with...

"Meat pies?" he whispered, sitting up straighter to give his wife an appraising look. It was then, as a breeze filtered in through the windows of the carriage, that he realized the offending smell was coming from the outside world. Slowly, rising from a whisper, the sound of songs and laughter filtered in. A grin broke across the demon King's features and he helped Elena to sit on the cushioned seat with him.

"We need to pull ourselves together, love. We've almost arrived at your first surprise for today." He paused, then reconsidered his sentence. "Well....maybe the second."

[Moonlit Raven]

Muscles weak and burning from usage, Elena allowed the help up into the seat. Her eyes shut for a moment in sheer bliss as the wind cooled her over heated, sweaty skin. Elena was more than happy to rest on the seat beside Avery. Her shoulder tucked neatly under Avery’s arm and her head resting on his shoulder. A weak chuckle trickled from her lips.

“I think I’m going to request that when the soema blossoms are cut before they grow too large to have them brought to our home. I’m sure I can find a good use for them.” Elena gave Avery a sideways glance, her eyes sparkling with mischief and stated passion. “Perhaps an oil or a perfume could be made out of them.”

Elena half heartedly reached for her gown, she found herself reluctant to end the bedroom games they played in the carriage. She wondered just what Avery would do if she asked to turn around and head somewhere else. She knew that given just a handful of minutes her husband could be easily coaxed into another round. Thinking on the possibility, Elena watched Avery for a moment. She dismissed the idea, he was so set on playing human and courting her like one that she didn’t have the heart to ruin his well laid plans.

Elena held up the now wrinkled dress. A quiet sound of dismay escaped her as she tugged on the cloth, trying to get the silk to release the wrinkles. Sighing, she pulled it over her head, careful of the hairdo that somehow had managed to pull through her activities intact. A small scrap of red in the corner caught her attention. A second glance caused Elena’s face to flush a bright pink when she realized that pieces of her lace panties were scattered every where. A memory of Avery ripping them off her was vague and dimmed by the heat of the moment.

For a moment Elena fussed with her hair smoothing back the one or two wispies her fingers encountered. She sat back, her hand touched something soft and unexpected. Looking down Elena found the soema blossom beside her on the bench seat. She bit her lip as a truly wicked idea occurred to her. Elena’s gaze was caught by something white and shinning, she watched a button as it slowly slid and bounced its way across the carriage floor. Her eyes creased in silent laughter as she spotted its mates.

“So, what is this surprise you have in store for me? Or, am I going to have to wait until we arrive?”

[Skie and Avery]

Avery slumped down beside Elena, his head back against the cushioned ledge behind the bench. He knew that while Elena’s hair had been mostly untouched, his own had been pulled from the thong that kept the long auburn strands tightly held back. One hand moved to check that the strip of leather was even there at all, but only got halfway there before falling limply at his side. When she asked her question, he cleared his throat, chuckling. He wasn’t sure he was even up for the rest of the day now, but his stomach growled angrily with the thought of missing out on the best meat pies this side of Rasasanth.

“Before we get there, love, I have a story you need to know. This tale is passed down every year to someone new. While when we get there, it will be a child to receive the tradition, here we’ll have one of our own.” He put his arm around her, sliding her closer to him so that he could stroke her shoulder, and kiss the top of her head.

“There is a village here, just a small one, of lumberjack families and carpenters. It was founded not too long ago, maybe thirty years past. The Founder wandered into the forest one day, looking for the perfect tree to use to build his home. He wandered far into Concordia, following a trail of red flowers.” Avery grinned at his beloved. “See where this is going? He had encountered some viper before he made it to our gates, however, and when we found him, he was nearly dead. Our healers took him in, and using the Rites of the Body, brought him back into health. He stayed with the tribe for several weeks, and then was led back to his own village. They had thought him dead, and were busy packing up to move far away from the place that had taken their leader. Ever since then, they hold a festival here to honor the forest of Angels who saved his life, and the life of the town.”

As Avery finished explaining the purpose of the festival, the trees on either side of the path began to thin, and the sounds of merrymaking could be heard better now. After a few moments, the cart rumbled to a stop, and within it, Avery grinned at his wife. His body shimmered for a moment, as if dipped in a golden nectar, and the image of the clothes he’d been wearing earlier appeared on his frame, right down to the two buttons he’d broken off in that morning’s experiments.

On the driver box, Mansematiel stood, ignoring the gaping stares he received when the sanguine cloth that had been covering his nude form fell to the ground. He had had the decency to disguise his wings, and hopped down, landing hard on the grassy terrain. Playing the good steward, he opened the door so that the royal couple of whose people were being honored today could step out.

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena listened to Avery’s story intently. She smiled slightly and nodded happy to know that the Moontae would and did reach out and help someone in need. She wondered for a moment what the Rites of the Body were. Elena looked out of the window as they entered the small village. Villagers and travelers that happened to be passing through at the right time were all dressed in the best clothing. Elena smiled at the brightly colored ribbons that flashed in the air when the wind swept up a girl’s hair.

A small tingle along her skin made her turn to watch Avery coat himself in his illusions. She glanced at the discarded clothing, her cheeks flushing with mild embarrassment but she still smiled, pleased. Her eyes ran over the illusion taking in that Avery had even added the two buttons that original shirt had missed. Lightly she touched him, her eyes telling her that she touched cloth and nothing more. Her fingers told her that nothing lay between his warm flesh and her hand.

“At least now I can’t ruin your outfit.” Elena chuckled, leaning against Avery lovingly for a moment. The carriage door opened a moment later; Elena stared at Mansematiel for a long moment in surprise. She caught sight of the expressions of the villagers and began laughing.

Shaking her head she caught up the soema blossom and tucked it behind her ear. Taking Mansematiel’s offered hand to help her out of the carriage she easily stepped out. Elena shielded her eyes from the bright rays of the sun and looked about. The air carried the scent of roasted meats and delicacies she rarely saw among the Moontae.

Ignoring the murmurs that had risen to a slightly louder pitch at her unusual appearance she turned back to Mansematiel. She slid up beside him, her arm sliding around his waist to give him an affectionate hug. She tapped him on the shoulder, beckoning for the much taller man to bend down a little. Once he did she gave him a soft, quick kiss of thanks, her hand sliding the soema blossom from her hair into his.

“Enjoy yourself today Mansematiel.” Elena grinned and winked at him impishly, feeling happy almost giddy with how the day was progressing.

[Skie and Avery]

Mansematiel hesitated, first looking to Avery and then back at the crowd. While his face never turned again to his King's, the moment that the darker tressed man nodded, he was off. Avery held out his hand to his wife, and began to walk into the crowd, the two strangers diverting the attention of the naked Shield. The crowd of people before them opened like Moses had parted the Red Seas, and he led Elena across the line of the city gates.

The path through the modest huts was lined with wildflowers, all in the same bright colors that the villagers sported as ribbons and bandannas in their hair and wrapped around their arms. The music grew louder, swelling as they came to the center of the town. The square had been filled with long tables and benches, covered in colorful cloth. Dishes were sprawled all down the long tables, big heaping plates and bowls filled with meats and vegetables, stews and cobblers. It was soul food of the forest, spiced with the herbs that grew so well in Corone's amiable climate.

Several of the women of the village came to them, taking their arms and leading them to the head of one of the tables. Children danced around them, asking all the questions that children generally did. Avery said little, only that they had been traveling through when they heard word on the street about the festival. The King, on whole, seemed distracted, looking off into the trees with a worried expression on his face, though he tried his best to keep his face a mask of merriment if only for his wife's sake.


***

In the dark envelope of a thick round of trees, a maiden stood, transfixed. True, the blonde man before her had held her by sheer surprise before he'd stepped forward and swept the crimson flower under her nose. The scent was spiced and sweet, reminding her of some forgotten memory of the deeper reaches of the forest she called home. He touched her shoulder, the warmth of his hand moving through her clothes and seemingly flowing across her nerves. It tingled with magic, with potency and promises of something great and wondrous. She gasped as his hand slipped from her shoulder to her bodice and his lips met her neck.

She merely purred when his teeth sunk in.

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena watched Mansematiel walk away and wondered at his intent expression. With a mental shrug she turned her attention back to the people currently starring at her and her husband. Elena looked around as first her husband then a group of women led her into the village. Enjoying the fact that she was surrounded by humanity once more, Elena relaxed. Once seated at the head of a table Elena smiled and chatted with several of the women, politely nibbling on the food they pressed on them.

Elena accepted a cornflower blue ribbon from a blushing girl just on the cusp of womanhood. She wrapped the ribbons once around her wrist then tied it off, leaving the ends to flutter with her movements. Elena turned to Avery a sweet apple tart in hand to offer Avery a bite. She caught the worried expression he cast to where Mansematiel had disappeared into the trees. Elena set the tart aside; lightly she touched Avery’s shoulder.

“I’ll be back Avery. I can feel parts of my hair loosening; I think a couple of pins came out in the carriage. I’m going to go look for them.” Elena smiled at him then wrinkled her nose slightly at him.

“It’s all that flower’s fault. Stay here and eat this village’s wonderful food. It wouldn’t do for these people to think we are rude.” Elena chuckled as she rose. She hurried to the carriage, looking back at Avery she could just make him out sitting at the table. Elena glanced around once before walking in the direction that Mansematiel had gone.

Under the trees Elena immediately noticed a difference. The burning warmth of the sun disappeared; in its places cool shadows caressed her skin. Elena took in a deep breath as she paused long enough for the breeze to cool her skin. Elena noticed the faint spicy scent on the wind only after she felt her skin tighten and tingle in an all too familiar manner.

Elena slowly picked her way through the forest, the wind brining her teasing hints of the soema flower once in a while. A second scent drifted heavily in the air, the scent of blood, cloying sweet, lodged itself in her nose. Suddenly she came upon two figures. If it weren’t for the scent of blood in the air and the familiar form of Mansematiel, Elena would have thought that she had stumbled upon a secret tryst.

Blood darkened the shoulder of girl’s white blouse. Elena stared for a moment, trying to summon the familiar righteous anger she knew she should be feeling. The view, the moment, was beautiful yet grotesque. The maiden was draped gracefully in Mansematiel’s arms. Mansematiel back was to her yet Elena could still see the hunger and need in his stance. She tilted her head slightly, the stray thought about a Moontae partaking of blood confusing her more than a little. Elena stepped forward, deliberately making enough noise as not to startle the man. She was concerned, wondering if he would leave the girl with life or not.

“Mansematiel.” Elena called as she got close enough to him to touch him if she wished to. “I did not know you held blood lust within you, my friend. I thought only my father’s kind lusted after blood.” Elena gently touched his back, stroking the heavily muscled shoulder.

“Lay the girl aside Mansematiel. If you lust for blood I will bleed for you. You need and as your friend, your Queen, I will provide what you want. Come, I can heal better than any mortal you prey on.” Elena shivered slightly at her own words. She never thought that she would give into blood lust, be it hers or anyone’s. Especially after meeting the monstrous Bastien Argeneau. Elena smiled slightly in an attempt to lighten her serious words.

“If you hunger, you eat. This is no different, my friend.” Elena’s own words echoed in her mind. For the first time she understood the true meaning of the Moontae’s whispered words.

‘“When we thirst, we drink. When we hunger, we eat. When we lust…’” She held out her arms to Mansematiel. A little voice in the back of her mind wondered what Avery would think. She dismissed it, telling it that Avery would understand.

[Karuka]

Right, I could have told you even before reading this thing that lack of completion was going to hurt. I really wish you guys could have finished this thing, it had a lot of potential. In fact...it could have been a JC if you guys had finished it.

Continuity: 5

There was an incredible sense of everything that happened belonging to the place and time, even though what hints I got about the past were few, far between, and readily recognizable only to someone intimately familiar with the story thus far. I'd have given you higher than a 5, but the thread was very incomplete, and deserved better.

Pacing: 5

It flowed very well...up to the point that it just stopped, and it stopped way too soon.

Setting: 8

I got a good enough sense of the surroundings without it being overwhelming. I enjoyed that there were elements of touch and scent, instead of just sight.

Persona: 8

Elena seemed a little wobbly at a couple of points, but the characters really shone here.

Action: 6

I loved the way the action went, as far as what was there. I docked you, again, for the lack of what could have been since the thread wasn't complete.

Dialogue: 8

Dinner and a movie from post 3 was classic, but I don't know if Althanas has movies... Other than that, though, dialogue fit, even if there weren't many shining moments.

Mechanics: 8

Right, the errors I found here could have easily been avoided if you had someone proof-read this sucker closely. MR, I found a few comma errors, an apostrophe error (were for we're in Post 2), a couple of fragments, and a few forms of words that were incorrect or inappropriate for the situation. S&A, you used "avoid" for "avoiding" in post 3, but other than that, most of your errors were what I perceived as awkward wording.

Technique: 7

Really good extended metaphor in post 13, but not much otherwise.

Clarity: 9

I understood what was going on, even though I'm an outsider to the Moontae culture. Good work.

Wildcard: 6

This was quite possibly the best thread I've read yet as a judge. But it was incomplete, so that docked you a lot here, since it annoys me to be enjoying a work and then it just stops.

Total: 70 Congratulations!

Skie and Avery receives 1890 EXP +30 so they can level up and 210 GP.
Moonlit_Raven receives 1650 EXP +50 EXP so she can level up and 210 GP.

Congrats on level ups!

[Letho]

EXP/GP added. Moonlit Raven and Skie and Avery, welcome to the next level.