Fire and Ice

Rating: M

Pairing: Rachel Morgan/Ivy Tamwood

Summary: The heat in the church goes out during a cold winter night. Who will keep Rachel warm?

Author's Note: This one's been in the head too long for me not to get it out. You get to enjoy the fruit of my insanity. Still, I don't own these fabulous characters. It IS, however, fun to put them in impossible situations and see what happens. And as an added bonus, this one's a one-shot, so there won't be those long intervals of non-updates like in most of my stories.

Rachel couldn't take it anymore. She was shivering uncontrollably, and the four layers of blankets draped across her bed weren't cutting it. The cold had already invaded her fingers and toes, and now it was seeping further through her body.

She's stopped trying to count sheep, and had moved on to counting raging fires. Unfortunately, it wasn't making her any warmer.

With purpose, she rolled off her bed, taking the blankets with her. Her bare feet were instantly assuaged by the freezing wood, and she hissed in protest, but kept walking. Her destination was behind a closed door. She didn't stop to knock, but plowed right through, sighing in relief when her feet hit carpet instead of the miserable hardwood.

She made her way through the darkened room slowly but deliberately, until she finally reached her warm salvation. She slid in next to the motionless figure quietly, but the voice still scared her.

"What are you doing in my bed, Rachel?" the icy voice asked.

"I'm freezing," she responded, as if that was reason enough.

"Get more blankets," Ivy demanded.

"I've got all the ones in the house," Rachel retorted. "I'm still freezing. Can't you get the furnace to turn back on?"

"Seriously Rachel?" Ivy asked her without turning. "It's a power outage. I can't control the electric company. I'm good, but not that good."

"Well then it's going to be your responsibility to make sure I don't freeze to death," she demanded, sliding closer to the other woman.

"Use your battery operated space heater," Ivy suggested, pulling back as if she'd been burned by the touch.

"I can't," Rachel whined. "I set it up for Jenks and his family. They need it a bit more than me."

Ivy was silent for a moment. "Fine," she said finally. "But don't wake me up again." She settled back down, and Rachel nestled up to her back, still shivering but beginning to feel her fingers once again.

Minutes passed, and Rachel's shivering did not subside. Ivy sighed, and turned around to face Rachel

"What are you doing?" the red-head asked cautiously.

"You'll be warmer this way and it's the only way I'm going to get any sleep tonight." The vampire wrapped her arms around her, and Rachel buried her face in the crook of Ivy's neck instinctively.

"Damn, you're hot," Rachel said blissfully, reveling in the warmth.

"That's what most women tell me. Didn't think you'd noticed, though," Ivy said, biting back a laugh.

"Typical vampire, thinking you're god's gift to women," Rachel rolled her eyes.

"No," Ivy argued. "Not just women; men too."

"And so humble," Rachel continued.

"Did you want to stay warm? Or would you like to go back to your bed?" Ivy asked seriously.

"Did I mention generous, and kind?" Rachel asked, smiling.

"That's what I thought."

Rachel settled in, and the reality of their position suddenly struck her. Here she was, in Ivy's bed, with Ivy holding her. She shivered involuntarily at the thought of Ivy's fangs sinking deep into her willing flesh.

Instantly, Ivy's gentle grip tightened. "Rachel," she said hoarsely. "Control your emotions or go back to your own bed."

"I can't help it," Rachel whispered. "It's hard to ignore something that feels so good."

"But you know we can't do that anymore. You agreed."

"No, you said we couldn't share blood without sex," Rachel specified, looking up into Ivy's darkening eyes.

"You're walking a dangerous path, witch," Ivy growled.

Rachel took a breath, and suddenly didn't care. She pressed herself up against Ivy and kissed the other woman soundly.

Ivy paused only a moment before returning the kiss with passion. The kiss raged on for a few minutes, before Ivy recovered her senses.

"Rachel, what are you doing?" she asked, breathless.

"Giving in. I should have done it in the first place, but you know me. Stubborn to a fault," she leaned back in against Ivy, but Ivy did not succumb.

"I don't want to be what you regret the next morning. I'm not going to be your experiment," she spat bitterly.

"You don't think I've thought this through?" Rachel asked, furrowing her brow.

Ivy snorted in response.

"Ok, maybe you do think that given my track record. But I really do want this. Us, I mean," she continued. "I know I've given you mixed signals but I don't want to anymore. I don't know if its going to work out, but I'm too tired of fighting what we both want." She sighed. "I'm not ready to say I'm IN love with you, but I know I love you. I have no idea if I can be what you need, but I'm sick of making excuses and not trying."

"You want me?" Ivy asked surprised.

"You really have to ask that question?" Rachel shot back sarcastically. "You can practically read my mind most of the time."

"It's not my fault you are so obvious," Ivy pointed out. "But I just thought you liked the blood ecstasy."

"That's fun too," Rachel admitted. "But it's more than that. I can get that from any vampire. What I feel for you is beyond that. I can't exactly explain it well."

"I understand," Ivy said, pressing her forehead against Rachel's. "I feel the same way. Like when you put yourself in danger, I can't stand it. It's like I'm watching a piece of myself that I can't always protect. It's maddening."

"I can't promise you I won't be in danger; it's part of being a runner."

"I don't expect you to," Ivy said quickly. "Just… promise me you'll think before acting. At least some of the time," she added as an afterthought.

"Promise." Rachel whispered, pressing her lips to Ivy's once more. The vampire moaned and gripped her more tightly. Rachel couldn't breathe; the feel of Ivy's rough kiss drove every thought from her mind.

Rachel's gasp of pleasure broke the kiss, and Ivy trailed her lips along Rachel's chilled neck. The witch was shivering now for a whole new reason.

"I want-" Ivy mumbled against her.

"Take it. It's yours," Rachel responded to the unspoken request. Ivy breathed in deeply, taking in the other woman's acceptance and trust. It was the ultimate aphrodisiac, and she could no longer resist her urges.

Ivy's sharp incisors sliced cleanly through Rachel's pristine neck. The witch's hands ran through Ivy's dark hair, clutching her close.

Ivy broke away, much to the other woman's annoyance.

"No," she pouted, "don't stop."

Ivy smirked. "Patience. Is. A. Virtue."

"Not one I possess," Rachel argued, flipping the vampire on her back. She sat up, straddling her hips, and threw her shirt off. Ivy growled, and ripped the black, lacy bra that remained off Rachel's body. Her hands roamed Rachel's naked torso, eliciting a low groan. Rachel pressed forward, rolling her hips with wonton desire. Ivy sat up quickly, pressing her lips against Rachel's exposed breasts.

Later, Rachel couldn't recall how she ended up beneath Ivy, with Ivy's fangs buried deep in her inner thigh, but she was sure of one thing, which she shared with the woman she was now nestled against.

"Well, I'm not cold anymore," Rachel pointed out with a smirk.