Title: Friends Or More
Author: Crystal
Fandom: The Hollows
Pairing: Ivy/Rachel
Rating: T
Disclaimer: All characters and locations are property of Kim Harrison.
Finally I had the church to myself. Ivy was out on a run and Jenks and his family had gone to visit Jih and her husband across the street. Neither would be home until about sunrise. I had some serious spelling to catch up on. I had fallen behind in the last few weeks. I guess being shunned will do that for you. So with the stereo cranked up playing Takata's newest release I was off to work. When I turned to put my last spell pot in the dissolution vat my heart stopped.
" Turn take it Ivy you scared me to death. Can you try to make a little more noise when you come in?"
"Sorry. Not like you would've heard it anyway. " she smiled slyly. I envied the way that she looked when she did that. Like sex walking. Especially standing there in her working leathers and a deep blue tank top that not only brought out the light complexion of her skin but accentuated every curve perfectly.
"Oh…. Yeah….. That…. I'll turn it down." I said as my face warmed.
What was wrong with me? I had been having the most inappropriate thoughts and feelings lately. Of course all she had to do was take a good whiff of the air to know what they were. I dropped the pot that I had been holding into the dissolution vat, and turned to leave the room.
When I turned back around to leave the living room she was right there. I tried to push around her but she caught me by the wrist and wouldn't let go. Not that I that I wanted her to. This was so complicated. I knew she had to smell the confusion and desire that I had for her.
"Rachel what are you doing?" she drawled
"What do you mean?" I asked knowing that she knew exactly how I was feeling. She never missed one of my biological responses to her.
" You know exactly what I mean Rachel" she purred as she gently guided me back to the wall, setting off every desire anew. Looking at her there was no confusion just want. A deep want that I hadn't felt for her until now. Suddenly she released my wrists and started to turn. This time it was me who caught her. There would be no running this time.
" I don't know, but please don't go." I pleaded. Feeling like if she pulled away at this moment that I might just fall to the floor and die. Looking into the depths of her eyes I saw her desire for me. I also saw her love for me.
"Rachel-" she started. With a strength that I hadn't known that I possessed I flipped us around so that she was against that wall and I was standing in front of her. She looked bewildered and beautiful.
With a sudden burst of courage I held her there and bent to put my lips to hers. It was a kiss that started slow. Seeing that her bloodlust was in check I deepened the kiss. Pressing myself more roughly against her and running my tongue along her full bottom lip. Begging for her. She opened her mouth and the feel of her tongue on mine set me on fire, a fire that I had never felt before. Liquid desire poured off of me. Why had I resisted this.
When the need for air forced us apart for the briefest moment, I looked into her eyes and I saw a hunger, a hunger that I finally understood. Tangling my hands in her hair, I pulled her to me again. Lost in the feel of her soft full lips on mine, and the feel of her tongue running suggestively over mine I barely felt her grasp my hips in her long thin hands and lift me off the floor. Instinct took over and I wrapped my legs around her waist moaning softly at the feel of her body against mine. She gently laid us down on the couch and pulling away gently looked into my eyes.
" Rachel are you sure?" she panted.
I looked into her beautiful brown eyes and reaching up taking hold of her hair started to pull her back down to me. I gently turned her head to the side so that I had access to her ear. With a breathy whisper in her ear I let her know that I was definitely sure. She moaned softly and turned to face me full on again. Locking eyes with me she lowered her lips to mine and picked up where we had left off.
Gasping for air I reached between us taking the hem of her shirt and pulling it over her head. She began lighting a trail of liquid fire down my neck as she kissed it playing gently on my scars, increasing my pleasure to a point that I wasn't sure that I would survive if she took her lips off of me. Bringing her lips back to mine a ragged breath escaped her. Sliding her tongue into my mouth she gently slipped her hand below the waistband of my jeans.
" Oh…. Ivy!" I moaned as she smiled against my lips and sank her hand deeper until she reached my center. As she began to gently fondle me I ran my hands up her bare back pulling her closer to me as if I could meld her into me and become one with her.
" Rachel ?" I heard the question in her voice but I couldn't open my eyes. "Rachel .' I heard her call again only this time it was accompanied by her hand on my shoulder. Opening my eyes I found her right in front of me, fully clothed and looking at me.
" Oh my God I fell asleep on the couch?" I asked my face turning the color of my flaming red hair.
" So it would seem. Are you okay?" she asked looking concerned.
" I'm good. Why?" I asked as I rose from the couch. I sent up a silent prayer that I hadn't been talking in my sleep.
"You were screaming in your sleep." she stated plainly putting to rest my concern that I had called out her name.
"It was just dream." I said truly wishing that it hadn't been.
" Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly.
"Not right now. Maybe later. How was your run?" I asked hoping she would take the subject change.
"It was fine, nothing that I can't handle." she said simply but she was eyeing me suspiciously.
" Well good. I am going to go get a shower. I fell asleep after my workout and I know that I smell." I said with an easy grin. No need to tell her that I was damp in the panties and needed a cold shower before I tackled her.
" Ok well if you decide you want to talk about your dream I'll be in the kitchen." still eyeing me she turned and left the room.
Standing under the flow of the water I tried to arrange my thoughts. I knew that Ivy loved me and wanted to be with me. I also knew that I had thought about her that way a few times. Every time I did I got the flutters in my stomach. " so what do I do?" I muttered to myself. I love Ivy, and I love being with her. When she holds onto me I feel like nothing in the world can touch me. I wanted to be with her, but how. There were just so many things to consider.
Turning off the water I stepped out of the shower. Wrapping a towel around myself I headed into my bedroom to get dressed. What was I going to do? I needed to think. I needed someone to talk to. Who could I possibly talk to about this?
Barefoot and wearing my favorite pair of low slung jeans and my staff shirt from the Takata concert we worked I made my way to the kitchen and the smell of fresh coffee. As I walked into the kitchen, I passed Ivy who was in her normal place at the table clicking around on the internet. She glanced up in acknowledgment. Pouring my coffee I looked out the window into the graveyard to see the first rays of sunrise coming.
I turned from the window and leaned against the counter to sip my coffee. Looking over at Ivy in her black silk robe I felt a pang of desire. I quickly dumped the coffee out in the sink and spun to go outside. She looked up from her computer her eyes meeting mine as I grabbed the doorknob.
" I think that I am going to work in the garden for a while, then go see my mom." I said as I looked into her appraising eyes. She took a deep breath and I knew that she was scenting me and that she could tell something was off.
" Do you want to tell me what's going on Rachel? Or are we going to pretend that I didn't smell that. You have been on edge since I woke you up." she asked more in the form of a demand. I knew I couldn't handle this yet.
All I wanted to say was "oh nothing major except that I want to taste every inch of you! I also think that am in love with you, like that can't eat, can't sleep kind of thing. What came out was " Nothing. Everything is fine. I just need to talk to my mom and it isn't something I want to talk about over the phone." Blushing, I looked back to see the knowing look on her face she knew I was not being totally honest.
" When you decide that you are ready to talk about it I'll be here Rachel." she said as she rose to leave the kitchen.
Closing the door I collapsed on the back step putting my head in my hands. I was going to wait but I couldn't I had to see my mom. I just hoped that she was having one of her good days. They seemed to be better now that Takata or Donald as he insisted that I call him was back in her life to stay. I could only hope that she would know what I should do.