This, this was what heaven must be like, Waverly thought as she slowly drifted awake to the feeling of her girlfriend's strong arms around her. For a moment Waverly didn't open her eyes, she took a deep breath and listened to the wind creaking in the old homestead's eaves. A particularly strong gust blew snow against the window pane, fluttering the delicate curtain as a draft slipped through cracks in the old frame. Waverly felt the cold on her cheeks but her body was so deliciously warm nestled against her love.

She squirmed lower beneath the blankets, nestling tighter up against Nicole's naked body. Nicole stirred. Waverly felt her breathing change.

"You know, it's a good thing I'm not a guy," the redhead murmured sleepily, nuzzling into the back of Waverly's neck and pressing a kiss to the top of her spine.

"Mm? And why's that?" Waverly asked.

"You really turn me on when you do that," Nicole replied, chuckling softly.

"Do what?" Waverly said, wriggling her ass again. She turned to look over her shoulder with a mischievous grin.

"That, you minx," Nicole said, returning the smile as she propped herself up on her elbow.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Waverly intimated innocently.

"Oh sure you do ..." her girlfriend breathed, leaning down to capture Waverly's lips with a tender kiss. Waverly lifted a hand to put it behind Nicole's head, leaning up and backwards to crane into the embrace. Nicole took the opportunity to move her own hand lower and cup Waverly's left breast.

"It seems like you're turned on yourself, Miss Earp," Nicole whispered, fingers playing with the hard nipple they'd discovered.

"Or I'm just cold."

"Bullshit."

Nicole pulled Waverly tighter and wrapped her right arm around her girlfriend's body, slipping her left hand down over the smaller woman's ribs, to her hips, trailing her fingers lightly over the top of Waverly's thigh before finding her centre. Waverly jerked reflexively as Nicole began toying with her clit, but Nicole hooked her leg over the younger Earp's knee, pulling it backwards to open up her core, all the while tracing her lips and tongue in languid circles on the back of Waverly's shoulder in time with her fingers below.

"Jesus, baby," Waves gasped, throwing her hand back to grip Nicole's thigh, digging her short nails hard into the cop's skin. Waverly's other hand was braced up against the pillow as she arched her head back. Nicole transferred her fevered kisses to the sharp jawline and the underside of her girlfriend's neck. She could feel Waverly's racing pulse hammering against her lips as she picked up the pace with her hand. Waverly rocked up and down in time with the motion. Nicole's fingers slipped lower and came up soaking. Both women were gasping for breath. Suddenly the room was a sauna.

Waverly came hard, her whole body clamping down. She could dimly feel Nicole's teeth gripping the thin skin of her neck but she could barely concentrate through the waves of ecstasy rolling through her.

And then it was over. Nicole withdrew her hand, leaving a snail-trail up the side of Waverly's hipbone as the smaller woman collapsed back against her.

"That's got to be some kind of record," Nicole said, leaning down to press a light kiss against Waverly's lips. Waverly returned the embrace weakly, heart still thundering beneath her ribcage.

"What? For number of orgasms in a night, or the quickest orgasm in history?" she panted.

"Both," Nicole chuckled.

"In fact, I'm surprised Wynonna didn't burst into the room at some point," Waverly said, exhaling as she turned in the bed to lie face to face with her girlfriend.

"That woman sure knows how to cockblock. Wait … twatblock?" A small frown creased Nicole's pale brow as she mused.

"I think after that incident in the bathroom she might be a little more wary," Waves giggled.

"Right?" Nicole grinned, scrunching up her nose. "Reminds me of the time my father caught me with -" she caught herself, smile disappearing from her face.

"Wait, your father?" Waverly asked. Nicole looked down and pushed herself away a little. "Baby, I didn't know that."

"I … we don't talk … anymore," Nicole said evasively.

"Hey," Waves said, raising a hand to cup the redhead's cheek and tilt her face back up, forcing Nicole to make eye contact again. Waverly was alarmed to see the heartbreak reflected there. "Baby, you know you can tell me anything, right? I won't ever judge you. I love you. We're in this together."

"That's just it, Waves. I don't want you to know these people. My … my family they … they're … I just ..."

"Hey, hey," Waverly said, interrupting. It made her chest ache to see how distressed Nicole was. She pressed a kiss to her love's forehead. "You don't have to say it if you don't want to. Just know I'm here for you, okay?"

Nicole nodded, tears beginning to slip down her cheeks. "I want to say it," she said, choking back a sob. Her hand shook as she raised it to trace Waverly's cheekbone. Waves searched Nicole's face, dread coiling like a weight in the pit of her stomach. What was she about to learn?

"I … I haven't been completely honest with you," Nicole continued. "I'm not who you think I am."

Waverly swallowed hard. Nicole's next words came in a whisper, so quiet that Waverly could barely hear them over the howling wind outside. She had to lean closer, but what she heard made her blood run cold.

"I'm not even human."