Erick's surprise quickly gave way as he deepened the kiss, pulling Flora closer with one hand while using the other to caress her neck. I hope you know this isn't a solution. He pressed the thoughts into her mind, hoping she would understand what he meant. She said nothing but the way she grabbed him said enough. Wringing her hands behind his neck, she pulled him down closer, opening up to him.
Erick could practically feel her inner turmoil as she pressed up against him, her hands playing with the ends of his hair. While the feeling sent a shiver down his spine, he couldn't help but wonder what had prompted her to behave like this. As if you weren't encouraging this just days ago. He chided himself. She pulled away for a momentary breath, and Erick would have gladly given her the space she needed had she not kept a vice-like grip on the back of his head. She looked at him then, tears welling in her eyes.
"Please don't leave me." She said quietly, her voice cracking with heavy emotions. Erick felt his heart break at the sight. He brought his forehead down to hers, lightly resting it there as he responded.
"I won't leave you. Not now, not ever." He swore to her, his throat feeling thick with emotion. At that she pulled his face down to hers, kissing him once more. He used one hand to tangle in her hair, giving just the slightest pull at the back of her head. Pulling her body up flush against his, Erick felt heat filling his core and warming his body. She opened up her mouth to him and he greedily went in, letting his tongue fill her. She gave out a soft moan against his mouth, only encouraging him further.
With one swift movement Erick picked Flora up, one hand holding her thigh while the other supported her back. She made a noise in response but he never broke their kiss, which had only grown more fervent. He carried her over to the first door in the hall, hoping he remembered the room correctly. Last he recalled, there was a particularly comfortable couch in the drawing room…
Flora was lost in a haze as Erick fumbled with the door behind her, his teeth playfully biting her lower lip. She didn't even take in the room as he opened the door and sat down on the first available couch. He used his foot to quickly shut the door behind them, barely missing thee dog who tried to move in. She was completely and utterly lost in him, and she was glad for it. A small voice in the back of her mind tried to remind her of her grief and woe, but it was quickly chased away by Erick's warm mouth on hers.
His hands roamed her body, tugging at the hem of her shirt. She let her own hands travel down him, reaching for any touch of skin she could find. His touch chased away any and all thought save for this moment as he began to tug her clothes free.
Suddenly, Erick pulled back, his breath heavy, pausing his administrations. Flora couldn't stop the sound of frustration that escaped her lips as he did so.
"Is this really what you want?" He asked, his voice thick with what she now recognized as arousal.
"Yes," she replied, unable to hide the frustration from her voice. She emphasized her answer with a small but intentional movement that had her rubbing against his hardened length. His eyes grew darker but he still made no movement to continue.
"You're sure?" He asked softly, as if he struggled to contain himself. He's a male dragon, you should be more careful. You need to be more careful. A voice told her from the back of her thoughts. She blinked those thoughts away, returning to the present moment.
"Yes, I'm very sure." Flora replied, emphasizing the word with another roll of her hips. Erick clenched his hands into fists as his eyes fluttered closed.
"I don't want this to be just a distraction Flora." Erick said through gritted teeth, as if he was holding on to the last shreds of his humanity. He likely is. That voice in her head said, almost startling Flora with the realization.
"It's not." Flora replied, hating how much like pleading her voice sounded. He opened his eyes to look at her then, their dark depths piercing into her very heart.
"It might hurt." He warned her, his voice low.
"I'm aware." She said quietly, not once budging. This was what she wanted - what she needed - right now.
Erick looked as if he was about to say something more, his mouth parting as the words readied to leave his lips. Flora did not give him the chance to say anything more, taking his face in both her hands as she pulled him into another kiss. He finally relented, his hands quickly finding all the buttons and laces on her clothes and swiftly undoing them. Her own hands attempted to do the same, though she found herself suddenly and woefully inept. Erick softly laughed against her mouth as he moved away to take off his own clothes, Flora quickly following suit.
In a matter of moments they had been stripped bare before each other, their clothes tossed haphazardly on the floor beside them. They had never gotten this far before, Flora realized, and blushed at both the sight of him and the thought of herself naked before him.
Erick's eyes roamed her bare body, something dark and primal igniting in them. "I always knew you were beautiful." He said with a hushed and reverent voice. Flora felt the heat in her face and body intensify at the proclamation. Before she could make any kind of response, he pulled her in for yet another kiss.
His mouth was warm and soft, the kiss both demanding and fulfilling at the same time. His hands moved down the expanse of her skin, his touch softly grazing her. Her own hands circled around his bread back, one playing with the ends of his hair while the other roamed the expanse of scarred muscle.
She was about to complain that she needed more when he gripped her hip with one hand and one of her breasts in the other. Her gasp turned into a moan as he began rolling her sensitive nipple between his thumb and forefinger, the other hand digging in a way that was both painful and pleasurable. His mouth trailed from hers down the line of her jaw, across her throat, and to her other breast as he took her other nipple in between his teeth. She moaned again, flexing her hips against his body as desire built up in her core.
His grip on her tightened in response, and he pulled up to face her. "Aren't you a needy thing?" He mumbled with a lazy grin, his thumb still playing with her nipple. She didn't respond, only tipped her head back against the arm of the couch with a frustrated moan. Erick laughed before returning his mouth to her skin, leaving a trail of heat as he kissed her down to her navel.
His other hand traveled down to her hip, until he was gripping her tightly with both hands. He gave her a dark smile before pulling her legs up over his shoulders, his face now inches away from her most sensitive area. His heavy breath tickled her wet sex, only adding to the growing tension as his tongue played along her inner thighs. With his head in the way, Flora couldn't even try to put some friction where she most desperately needed it. Erick laughed again, as if sensing her growing desire, his warm breath brushing against her.
Flora reached out to tangle her hands in his hair, desperate for his touch. She managed to grab him by his gilded horns, which caused a shudder to pass through him.
"Careful what you wish for." Erick said darkly, though Flora couldn't bring herself to look at him as he continued to play around her with his tongue. Before she could reply, he took one long stroke up her entire center, causing her to arch back in delight. With that, Erick let loose. His mouth took her in as his tongue speared through her, his teeth nipping at every one of her sensitive spots in just the right way that had her clenching against his head. A loud moan escaped her lips as he sucked on her, the heat and need in her growing to a crescendo.
"Erick." She was only able to get out his name, conveying all her needs and desires into that one word. Her grip on him tightened and he hummed in approval, sending vibrations down the center of her very being. With one more plunge of his tongue it was enough to send her over the edge, her legs wrapping tightly around him as she rode through the waves of pleasure.
For his part, Erick didn't stop, continuing too pleasure her until she was left panting and breathless. It wasn't until her grip on him loosened that he pulled out, looking at her. His eyes had grown dark and heavy, his lips swollen and glistening from her arousal.
"We can stop here," he started, his breath heavy. "If you want." It was a statement and a question. Flora was immensely grateful for the restraint he had, knowing that weaker men would not have done the same.
"I don't want to." She told him quietly, her own breathing still heavy from the exertion. She watched him with heavy lidded eyes as that last bit of restraint fell away. He pulled himself up on top of her once more, reaching down to kiss her hard and slow. He held one hand beside her head to support himself while the other slowly roamed down her body once more. She could feel him shake with anticipation as he continued to hold back.
Flora flexed her hips, catching the tip of his length and rubbing it with her sex. He moaned against her mouth, his hand now clenching her side. Don't. She heard the command well enough, despite his mouth still being on hers. Or what? She shot back as she did it again, rolling her hips to pull against him once more. In response, he grabbed her hips with both his hands, quickly angling her into a better position. He pulled away to look at her, a question in his eyes. She shot back an answering glare, and without a word he plunged his entire length into her.
Flora gasped, her hands clenching the cushions of the couch as both pain and pleasure forced its way through her. Guilt quickly took over Erick's features as his body stilled, not moving so much as an inch inside her.
"Did I-" He started to ask but was cut off by a quick shake of her head. The worry washed away from him, but there was still a hint of caution in his eyes as he began to slowly move again. He dragged the length of each movement, slowly pulling out to the tip before easing back in. While Flora would agree that it felt good, she wanted more. She conveyed as much by looking Erick in the eyes, making sure he understood exactly what she needed. He gave her a teasing smile before continuing his slow pull out, building up her frustration.
Then he released that frustration as he slammed his full length into her, filling her up completely. He repeated the movement several times, Flora's need only growing in her core. Then he took her up and flipped her over, face down into the couch. Erick managed to reach new places she hadn't even thought of as he slammed himself into her again, mixing pain with pleasure in a way that had her gripping the couch with fervor.
Erick's fingers dug into her hips as he picked up the pace, his breath coming low and ragged. He used one hand to dip low and play with her sensitive bud as he continued to push himself into her, a growing sense of urgency filling his actions.
"Flora," he moaned, his movements now quick and desperate. She understood exactly what he meant as she slipped over that edge again, her body tightening around his length as she became undone on him. His own undoing was only moments behind hers, his wet arousal spilling into her. He slowed down as he continued to ride through the pleasure, only coming to stop when it had ended.
Erick's breath came out heavy and thick, as did Flora's. He remained inside her, and similarly to earlier she wasn't ready for him to leave. Their eyes met, and he gave her the same lazy grin from earlier before leaning down to kiss her.
Unlike earlier, this kiss was slow and soft. It was gentle, as if wishing to preserve this moment in the memory of his skin. Flora's hands moved from where they were on his back, only just now realizing how hard she had dug into him as she moved to tussle with the back of his hair. He continued to kiss her softly as he picked her up, his hands firm but gentle as he walked them both back into the hall and down through the house.
"Where are we going?" She asked, holding on tight as she wrapped her arms and legs around him.
"I figured you'd want to clean off." He laughed. "There's a bathroom just down the hall." He started, heading towards one of the doors at the end of the hallway. True to his word, there was a bathroom behind said door. It wasn't until he set her down that he carefully extracted himself from her, his spill running down her leg.
"Ah," she said in understanding as he turned the faucet on the porcelain tub. He gave her a wicked grin over his shoulder, one that told her he had expected that. She flushed, embarrassed that she hadn't thought of it earlier.
"I brought some tools for a more thorough cleaning, if you'd like." Erick said, turning back to the tub and testing the water. Flora was too distracted by looking at his bare back, criss-crossed in scars and his familial tattoos which spilled down his arm from his shoulder.
"Wait, what?" She started. He looked at her again with that knowing smile. "You brought… tools?" She asked tentatively. His knowing look went from coy to something akin to disappointment.
"Yes, it's used to clean and helps prevent pregnancy." He said, his voice almost pitiful. "I forget it's not widely known outside of the richer circles." He told her quietly.
"You're telling me you not only brought your own personal effects," Flora started incredulously. "But you also brought something in case we had sex?" She exclaimed.
"If you're asking that I came prepared then yes. I never do anything without being prepared." Erick stated. He gave her a coy grin before setting the plug in the tub. "Should be warm enough, I'll be right back." He said as he left the room, presumably to get whatever cleaning items he had. Flora noticed a distinct lack of soap, or any toiletries in the bathroom.
Being alone in the bathroom, naked, sent a new feeling through Flora. It was an odd mix of shame, embarrassment, and an odd kind of satisfaction. What prevailed the most was the fact that she had acted on impulse, not once thinking about the consequences. I suppose it turned out alright, Flora considered as she heard Erick walking back up the hall. Except I just got lucky. She told herself. She wrapped her arms around herself, looking for a source of comfort as her mind began processing everything.
"Is the tub full yet?" Erick asked by way of greeting. He came back into the room with an assortment of items including towels and jars of various soaps. Flora looked over in surprise, having completely forgotten to turn off the water. Erick quickly set everything down as the two rushed to turn it off, saving themselves just inches from the lip of the tub.
"Whoops." Flora said sheepishly. Erick chuckled.
"I'll just drain a bit before we go in." He told her, reaching into the water and pulling the stopper from the drain.
"We?" Flora asked. She was surprised, though not totally opposed to the idea.
"If that's alright with you." He said over his shoulder as he adjusted the height of the water in the tub. Flora considered this for a moment before responding.
"Yes, that's fine." She practically squeaked, her voice much less controlled than she thought it would be. Erick chuckled softly.
"I'd say it's ready." Erick said as he stepped back from the tub. "Ladies first." He said with a crooked smile, gesturing to the tub. Flora gave him a look before stepping over the lip of the tub and into the warm water. Erick soon followed, stepping in behind her after grabbing the many jars of various soaps.
"You seem to be awfully prepared." Flora commented, eyeing the jar of yellow fluid as he dumped it into the tub.
"You say that like it's a bad thing." Erick laughed. Flora could practically hear his smirk.
"No, you just seem…" Flora searched for the right word. "Knowledgeable." She said with as much confidence as she could muster. It was a little hard talking to him when he was behind her, his legs straddling around her.
"You could say that," he said, swirling the mixture into the tub with lazy circles of his arm. Flora was still a little skeptical, albeit grateful for his help.
"What is that?" She asked as she watched his hands swirl around in the tub water, the yellow liquid dissolving as he went. The hands that killed my father. Her mind reminded her, and she shivered at the thought. Hands that had been on my body. She thought instead, as if she could replace the memory with just a thought.
"A little bit of lemon juice and a little bit of magic." He told her. When he was done he reached over for another jar, this one clearly labeled 'body soap.'
Flora scrunched her face in confusion. "Lemon juice?" She asked, turning to face him. He gave her a smile that was almost bashful.
"Well, it's supposed to neutralize the area," he said with a bit of an emphasis. Flora had to briefly consider this before realizing exactly what was being neutralized. Her face blushed at the mention of it before Erick continued. "A little bit of healing magic makes sure it actually works." He told her. "Although," he started with a frown of consternation.
"What?" Flora asked.
"Well, it's not often that a shifter can reproduce with a human." He informed her. "But I'm afraid we find ourselves in a rather unique position." The way he said it didn't sound bad, but Flora had a feeling it wasn't entirely good either. As if to chase those thoughts away, he gave her a crooked smile. "Don't worry, we'll work it out." He told her, one hand gently brushing her shoulder. She leaned back into his chest, grateful for his comforting touch.
Erick quietly went through the motions of bathing himself, though when Flora went to do the same he took her hand in his.
"Let me?" He asked, motioning between her and the soap. Her face reddened at the simple yet intimate question. She was reminded that she was bathing with the King, something she was sure many would envy her for.
She nodded her assent, and he began cleaning her. His hands took on a slower rhythm than what it was only moments ago, the energy different yet no less intimate. Flora leaned into that touch, letting it chase away any doubts or inhibitions. Erick made a soft rumble deep in his chest, but otherwise said nothing, not even when his hands traveled lower to more sensitive areas below the water line.
She arched into his touch like a cat being pet. He responded with a deep laugh, his breath running down her skin. He continued his work, cleaning any of his stains off her while teasing along her most sensitive places.
"Did you not have enough?" Flora teased, feeling more brazen than usual.
"I could never get enough of you." He said with a dark voice. Flora had no response as his hand slipped down, his fingers curling into her in just the right spot. She threw her head back against his chest, a low moan escaping her lips. Erick made an approving sound as he continued to roll his fingers in her, his thumb adding extra pressure. She grabbed his arm, curling her fingers into his muscle as he continued to pleasure her.
"Would you care for more?" He asked against her neck, his voice low and rumbling in his chest. She answered by shifting her hips, trying to take him deeper. He laughed against her skin before continuing, his fingers pushing deeper. Now I know why sex is addicting. Flora moaned, lost in the moment, one she wished never to leave.
As Erick continued, he placed tender kisses down her neck, leaving goosebumps along her skin. His movements became a steady rhythm, one that picked up speed with her own racing heart. As if sensing she was near, he went in harder and faster, his kisses turning into playful nips.
Just as her body crested the high, Erick bit down on the soft skin between her neck and shoulder. The added pain only accentuated the ecstasy as her body was finally pushed over the edge. Erick pushed his two fingers in hard as she clenched around him once more. Had I known this is what I would get, maybe I should have asked for him sooner. Flora thought, her breath coming out in heavy bursts.
"I don't mind," Erick started. He had clearly heard her thoughts, something she was still not used to. "I waited three years for this, and I would have waited for eternity if I had to." He told her, his voice low and sincere.
Flora felt tears well up, unsure of what she had done to earn such unconditional love. She still felt as if she didn't deserve it, knowing that she was still pushing down and ignoring her feelings save for whatever made her feel good.
"Why don't we finish up?" Erick asked quietly, using both hands to gently rub her hips. Flora nodded, swallowing back her tears as Erick stepped out of the tub. He held out a hand for her and she used it to keep her balance as she stepped onto the wet floor. He handed her a towel and the two dried off, Flora slowly processing everything as she did so. She could feel his eyes on her, but he said nothing as Flora dried off much slower than him, her eyes going distant as her mind wandered. It wasn't until she started looking for dry clothes that she returned.
"What's going to happen?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper. She had paused with her towel in her arms, not quite dry but unable to continue with this heavy weight on her chest. "With us I mean." She amended quickly, turning to look Erick in the eyes. Her own expression must have been more painful than she thought, as his own quickly reflected that emotion.
"What-" He started but had to stop, visibly swallowing before continuing. "What do you want?" Erick asked her, his voice matching hers. There was a long pause where she didn't say anything, considering the weight of his question. Her mind and heart raced, quickly undoing every kind touch as stress pushed its way in.
"I don't know." She finally replied, the silence becoming unbearable. "I don't want to lose you," she continued. "But…" Flora trailed off, unable to find the words. Erick gave her a moment, wrapping his own towel around his waist.
"It's a lot." He finished for her when she didn't respond. She nodded her head in assent, covering herself up with her towel. Despite - or because of - everything, she felt very small. The world was much larger than she had anticipated, her job more demanding, and her life much more complicated than she thought it ought to be.
As if sensing her troubles, Erick gently took her into a firm embrace, his arms easily circling around her as she pressed into his warm body. That was when she started crying, the tears falling down without her say-so. Her shoulders shook, and Erick only held her tighter as she continued to cry. I really do cry an awful lot. She thought bitterly.
"It's going to be okay." Erick murmured, one hand holding her shoulder while the other made comforting circles on her back. He continued to comfort her for the next few moments, and Flora let herself go in his embrace. Eventually her tears dried, and her crying stopped. Erick pulled away to face her, his hands gripping her shoulders.
"Why don't we get dressed and have something to eat?" He asked her, a sad but comforting smile on his face. Flora nodded, trying to match his expression but failed. He led her out of the bathroom, one hand at the small of her back in a comforting gesture.
Flora followed his lead as they put on fresh clothes, pulling them out of the suitcases that had been dropped in the entryway. Flora couldn't help but look over her shoulder a few times, still unused to a building so far away from people after being in such a public space for the past three years.
Erick's eyes darted over to her more than once, and she couldn't help but do the same. Despite the past couple hours together, even a hint of revealing skin had her blushing. Perhaps it was because of these past few hours that she felt like this, now knowing the full extent - and length - of what was underneath his clothes. Erick gave a soft laugh after catching her peeking, which only turned her face beat red.
When they were done, Erick picked up the bags and carried them down the hall towards the staircase. "Where are you going?" Flora asked, following just behind him.
"To a bedroom." He called over his shoulder. "I've got first dibs." He said, flashing a toothy smile at her before rushing up the stairs two at a time. Flora gaped, surprised that he could even do that with his hands so full, before rushing up the stairs behind him.
"What happened to eating lunch?" Flora called after him as she reached the top stair, coming onto the landing of the second floor. Much like the first, it consisted of a long decorative hallway with doors on either side. There was no hutch but there were seats and small cabinets on both sides of the hall in between the doors. Erick was already halfway down the hall when she arrived.
"Well, I've got food somewhere in one of these bags." He said with a coy grin. "I'll just have to find it after I put everything away." He finished before turning back down the hall to the door at the end.
"That's not fair!" Flora exclaimed, sprinting down the hall to catch up to him as he opened up the door.
"All is fair in love and war." Erick quoted before tossing his bags in the room. Flora rolled her eyes as she walked into the extravagant bedroom. There was a protruding windowsill on the opposite end, a hearth to the left, and a large bed to the right. A grand armoire stood in the area just next to the bed, with night stands directly next to the bed on either side. It really was a nice getaway place, maybe even a stay away place, Flora reflected.
"I think as king," Erick started with a lazy grin. "I get to claim this room as my own." Flora just rolled her eyes again, this time with a huff.
"I think as Beast Master, I get to take this room." She replied with an equal amount of fervor. Erick barked a laugh before responding.
"It would seem we are at an impasse." He informed her.
"Why?" Flora asked, testing the waters with what she was about to say next. "It's not like we haven't shared a bed before." She tried very hard to make it sound as casual as she could, but still managed to blush at the mention of it. It's not like we weren't just 'sleeping together' only moments ago. Her mind taunted her. Erick smiled, his grin wolfish in appearance.
"Are you saying you want to share a bed?" He asked her, his tone dark and low. Flora's face only blushed more.
"Yes." She said, her voice squeaking when she tried so hard not to. Erick's eyes darkened at her response.
"Remember to be careful what you wish for." He murmured before picking up one of his bags and dropping it onto the bad. Flora wasn't sure how he managed to make her feel like this, so conflicting, and yet he did.
"Now," Erick started as he riffled through the bag. "I wasn't able to bring much else besides canned food," he told her, pulling out a handful of cans. "But it will have to do until we can get some real food in here." He finished, handing her some of the food. The food was stored in both metal and glass containers, and contained an array of things from fruits and veggies to processed meats. Having lived on a farm her whole life, Flora was a little skeptical about this being food. It looked like dubious 'edible' content at best.
"And when we're done," Erick continued as he pulled a few more out of the bag. "Maybe we can talk about your magic?" He asked, turning to face her.
"My… magic?" Flora asked, shocked. "But I thought the healers said it was dormant?" She asked tentatively.
"Unfortunately, I'm afraid that isn't the case." Erick told her. "I have a feeling your magic has simply been held back, and it's ready to burst."