Summary: A spectacular moment of beauty leads to a tryst.
a/n: A piece that's been waiting a long time to see the light of day.
Morning Snow
The chill of the breeze on her bare leg woke Laerke from a sated slumber. Vilkas stood in the entrance of the shallow cave, the bulk of his cloak obscuring the sinewy build of the body she didn't have to see to appreciate. The flex of his forearm as his hand tightened on her sword drew her from the quiet admiration and sparked questions. Just what had pulled her husband from her embrace, she wondered. Taking up her dagger in one hand and her own thick cloak in the other, she shrugged the warm garment over her shoulders and approached him. She laid her hand on his bare arm and his gray eyes snapped to hers, then a rough smile bloomed on his rugged face.
His free hand held his cloak closed, at least until he draped it over her shoulder and pulled her closer. She hummed at the feel of his warm lips pressing to her hairline. "I didn't mean to wake you, love," he said in a gruff timbre.
"Should I fear to inquire as to why you're standing, nude, in the mouth of our cave … with my sword?" she asked, her voice thick with feigned scandal.
His smile widened. "I heard something. Turned out to merely be a few deer." He looked down at her and smiled wider as she moved to stand in front of him, wrapping her arms around his waist, allowing her body to melt against his.
"Look at this," he said, gesturing with his chin.
She turned and took in the shimmering sight. The barest hint of snow fell through the bare trees. The flakes were so fine that they glinted in the early morning sun, like falling gemstones. Upon their landing atop the thick blanket of existing snow, everything beyond the entrance of the cave sparkled.
With a sigh, Laerke laid her head against his bare chest. The wondrous sight was made all the more remarkable when viewed from the embrace of the man she loved. Between the beauty of nature and the assurance of affection, she found the perfect balance of contentment. These kinds of lazy moments were so rare, so miraculous, and for her far too precious to squander.
His embrace around her shoulders tightened as his heartbeat echoed through her ears and filled her mind with the reminder of his steadiness. His scent—a heady mix of leather, steel, and sweat—swirled around her. Vilkas sighed through his nose as he rested his cheek atop her head. She assumed he too admired the beauty of the fresh snowfall, basking in a rare, quiet moment that was theirs alone. The flakes began to fall quicker, as a heavier snow began to sheet across the ground.
She knew the moment had ended when he pressed another kiss to the top of her head. "We should head out before this snow gets worse." Vilkas' arms released her and he turned toward the interior of the cave to gather their gear.
When her hand caught his wrist, he stopped and looked at her over his shoulder. "Or we could stay a while longer," Laerke suggested, barely blue eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief.
A smirk played across his lips, one which she returned as she tossed her dagger toward a thick piece of wood they'd gathered for a fire the night before. With a dull thunk it lodged there, safe and out of the way for the time being. Her hand now free, she raised to her neck. An aroused growl rose in his throat even before she loosened the clasp; the sound he made reverberated through her own body, a buzzing tingle settling between her thighs.
Vilkas scooped her up in his arms and spun them. As her back pressed against the stone wall of the cave that sheltered them from the biting winds, she became infinitely glad she hadn't managed to remove the cloak. Even through the thick leather and wool, the chill stung at her bare skin in sharp contrast to the heat of him.
His mouth seized hers. Laerke offered up no resistance, allowing his tongue access to plunge past her lips and tease against her own. He parted the cloak, taking her breasts in hand. Battle-scarred and calloused hands sparked pleasure across her body, as her long, thin fingers worked their own magic. When her hand wrapped around him, the growl returned to his throat. His hips thrust into her grip as she pumped her fist around him with a singular purpose.
Once hard, she placed his cock between her thighs so that with each shift of her hips. Her body caressed him with the serpentine movements she made.
"Laerke," he mumbled against her lips before kissing her chin. As she pressed against him once more, his teeth sank into her neck, biting her sharply.
It sparked a moan, which turned into a hiss when he bit her again, near her shoulder. His hands gripped her ass, kneading forcefully and encouraging her movements against him, which also teased against her clit.
"By the gods, woman," he groaned into her shoulder.
She grinned. Laerke knew what was coming. One strong arm wrapped around her waist as he crouched, the other hand slid down to her knee and lifted her leg over his hip. She felt his cock twitch between her legs as she kissed him. Then when his hand moved, she wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders, fingers tightening in the fur of his cloak, as he guided himself into her. She moaned loudly, unconcerned about whether anyone or anything might overhear her pleasure.
He cradled her in a gentle embrace, kissing her with abandon while he simply rested deeply within her. His fingers took hold of her hips almost tight enough to bruise and lifted her hips away from his. Laerke tried her best to move with him, but his vice-like hold on her only allowed her a modicum of control. She was truly at his mercy, so she rested her forehead against his.
"My love," she whimpered before she thrust her tongue into his mouth. Pulling away with a greedy suck at his bottom lip, she looked up at him.
With a nod of understanding, Vilkas lowered her to her feet. Both wordlessly voiced their displeasure as his cock slipped from her. She led him by the hand, with great haste, toward the snug sleeping area they'd created the night before. She stood over him once he'd lowered himself to the ground. Then Laerke knelt, straddling his hips. As she had when they were standing, she teased herself with him once more, tracing her clit with the tip of his penis, enticing herself as well as him.
Leaning forward, she continued the slow rock of her hips. His hands moved up her sides to her breasts, which he grasped with both hands. He gave them a firm squeeze and pulled his fingertips to her nipples. Vilkas tugged them sharply as he leaned up to meet her lips. His tongue stroked hers and flicked against her lips before he planted kisses down her neck to her chest. Kissing, licking, and biting as she ground against him.
Finally, Laerke pressed him back into the furs. When she set the tip of his cock at her entrance, Vilkas responded with a swift, strong thrust into her. A low grumble resounded through the cave as he seemed to take remarkable pleasure in the pointed gasp his motion garnered from her. As she sat up atop his hips, Vilkas' hands glided across the landscape of her body.
"My heart," he mumbled when his gaze met hers. His hands flexed near her knees.
Her nails skimmed his stomach, rising to her neck once more. This time she managed to undo the clasp. Pushing the cloak off her shoulders, her skin puckered in the chilled air. Her nipples ached.
"Such beauty," he whispered, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward him.
The heat of his skin seared against her own. It only heightened the excitement coursing beneath her skin. He whispered declarations of love against her lips, at least until she straightened once more and leaned back against his thighs. She felt the minute change in the feel of him. He always made her feel full, but as his moment neared, he would swell. She savored it for a moment before another pleasurable sensation joined. His calloused thumb swirled in the moisture at the apex of her thighs, teasing her clit.
The huntress feared her rhythm might fail as her body tensed. With so little bodily contact at that moment, she only knew he'd found his release when he groaned her name. He did not stop; as he came within her, he brought her over the precipice with him. White fire flashed behind her eyes as her body shuddered and shook; as it intensified, she sought his embrace once more, falling forward against his chest. As her orgasm rocked through her body in waves, he caught her, held her tight as his body moved in sync with hers.
Soft kisses fell against her lips and gentle caresses skimmed her back as he somehow managed to pull the cloak she'd abandoned back over them both. It seemed that perhaps they would wait out the snow after all, which suited Laerke just fine.