A/N: The book that is referenced is The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by Anne Rice.
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Books are Leo's friends. They are her comfort, their pages cool and familiar between her fingers. It would be silly to say they seem like they're alive, she knows, but sometimes she thinks they're more alive than she is. The library in the Nightray manor is where she belongs. Many times Elliot has entered the room to find his valet with her slender legs curled under her body and her head falling back on the chair, sound asleep.
Today is hardly different. Hair flopping in front of her big-rimmed glasses, she pays no attention to the sunlight streaming through the window of the study or the chirping of birds outside. The window must stay firmly closed since the warm breeze would only serve to ruffle the pages of her book.
Suddenly her book is torn from her grasp, and looking up she sees Elliot leaning on the back of the chair with the book in his hand. "The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty. Any good?" he asks. "You ought to come out and fence with me rather than stay holed up in here all afternoon." Flipping through the pages, he stops all of a sudden and stares. "This is—"
Leo snatches the book back. "Porn. Yes. With a title like that, did you expect some sort of action adventure novel?" she asks sarcastically. "I enjoyed The Vampire Chronicles. I wanted to give the author's other books a try. I'm sure you wouldn't like it. There's no Edgar character." Settling back in, Leo is deaf to Elliot's complaints of being ignored. But when her legs are suddenly jerked apart and Elliot kneels before her, she lowers her book and glares from beneath her bangs. "What are you doing?"
"It's a valet's job to serve her master," Elliot states simply. His fingers walk up her inner thigh, and she sets her book on them hard.
"That doesn't answer my question."
Elliot shakes his hand as he pulls it away and gazes up at her. "I want you to go outside with me. Some sun would do that pale face of yours good. If you continue to refuse, I suppose I could convince you in other ways…" At Leo's silence, he continues. "We'll play a game. If I'm able to make you come by the time you finish reading aloud a chapter of that book, I win. You can't stumble or lose your place, got it? If I win, you'll join me outside. If you win, I'll leave you alone for the rest of today and let you read in peace. I'll even buy you a new book if you manage to win."
Leo cocks her head. Despite Elliot's attempt at being confident, the valet doesn't miss how the tips of his ears are red and how he hesitated before saying "come." But the bet seems fair to her; if anything, it seems to be tilted in her favor. "'Beauty wasn't certain that she hated Lord Gregory,'" Leo begins, and Elliot scrambles to unbutton her pants, cursing, not for the first time, the girl's dislike of skirts. "'Perhaps there was something comforting in his air of command. What would it be like to be here without someone who directed her so completely?'"
Elliot takes his time then as Leo's voice drones on. He spreads her thighs with his hands and trails light kisses along the inside. He stops when he reaches her mound and brushes his fingers along. Tucking two inside her panties, he pulls down until they are between her ankles, exposing her wetness. He isn't rough, his tongue moving in circles just quickly enough to thrill Leo.
"'Beauty could not help but notice her breasts again, and how large were the pink nipples. The girl's hips were ample for her size, and'—un—'to Beauty's amazement…" Leo's breath hitches, her face flushed, but she continues without more than a second's pause.
As does Elliot. He runs his lips up and over Leo's breasts as she speaks, biting at the nipples and earning another hushed gasp. His thumb plays over her clit, and she lifts her hips involuntarily. "Along the walls were other Princes, spread-eagled, their ankles and wrists'—ah—'bound to the bricks, their organs being taught obedience with touching and kissing and—suckling,'" Leo continues. Though her voice trembles her expression is utterly passive.
Elliot allows a finger to slide inside her and returns to between her thighs, enjoying, more than he should, possibly, how Leo's toes curl as his lips touch her. Her reading picks up pace as Elliot's tongue and fingers do, but she never stumbles.
"'Here a young girl with hands clasped above her head was being taught to kneel still—'" The last word comes out in a jolt as a wave of pleasure passes through her abdomen. "'—while her private parts were stroked and not to put her hands down to — cover herself.'"
Elliot, feeling the end of the chapter nearing, increases the intensity of his tongue, planting kisses on the outside of Leo's lower lips. His fingers finally find the spot he's been searching for, and he is rewarded by a tremor in the girl's voice and a shiver down her thighs. "''But for our little Beauty such lessons are—ahh—not necessary," Lord Gregory said. 'She is too accomplished as it is.''" Leo bites her lip and breathes in deeply. "''And perhaps she should see the Hall of Punishments, how those disobedient slaves are chastised—''" Another deep breath, and out in a whoosh. "''—usingtheverypleasuretheyhave learnedtofeelhere.''" The last bit of the sentence comes out as one drawn out word, ending in a moan. Leo lays her head back and sighs as she finally gives in.
Elliot stands and rubs at his knees, slightly burnt even through his pants. "Well then. You win," he says, unable to hide the frustrated disappointment in his voice. "If you need me, I'll be out back on the lawn. You'll be in here, I assume."
It takes Leo a moment to realize what her master is saying, but as soon as she does she reaches out and grabs ahold of his wrist before he can leave. "I did win. But…" she grins up at him, dark eyes barely visible through her shaggy bangs. She lifts herself off the chair and adjusts her shirt, pulling up her pants with a shrug. "I guess I can go outside for awhile." Elliot starts to comment, but she cuts him off. "I'll be in the shade though, and I'm bringing my book."