Ophelia stared at the tall man standing in front of her. The blood streaming down his face from the impact of the bottle she had just hurled at him, giving him a slightly unhinged look, and she was taken aback at the way her heart beat against her ribs at the sight. Not because she was afraid, but rather, because it made her stomach flutter in a way she was completely unprepared for.

The stranger seemed oblivious to the effect he was having on her, and had cocked an eyebrow scrutinizingly "You are a feisty one, aren't you?" he said, with an obvious note of admiration in his voice "Are you not afraid that I've come to do you harm in some way?"

Placing her hands on her hips, Ophelia tilted her chin defiantly "You hardly give off the air of a murderous rogue, sir, I wonder if you're just a cowardly thief?"

He bristled slightly at her words "Thief? Ha! If I were trying to steal, you never would have caught me. I doubt you'd have even noticed I came and left until you missed your valuables. I'm here for answers and nothing more, I assure you."

"So you haven't come to pillage the place?" Ophelia pursed her lips and looked him over from top to bottom, pausing and staring pointedly just below his belt before meeting his eyes insolently "Shame."

Her words caught him clearly off guard and he returned her stare incredulously until he gathered his wits and bowed dramatically "I hate to disappoint, but ravaging was not my intention this evening, so if you'll excuse me" he picked up his plague mask from where it had fallen after being dislodged by the bottle, and affixed it to his head before nodding at Ophelia and walking to the door.

Anticipating this, she stepped in front of him, blocking his way and keeping her gaze leveled at him, her arms crossed over her chest "It's hardly polite to leave a lady, especially one whose home you have just broken into, without some kind of explanation. How is she meant to feel safe when ruffians of all kinds can just wander through without so much as a warning."

It was obvious the man hadn't expected such a line of questioning, and was beginning to sweat, one of his hands fidgeting with the chain of the watch that hung from his jacket "Well, ah, I suppose you're right, I thought only the magician Asra lived here, so I do owe you an explanation of why I'm in your home, uninvited, at such an hour."

"I would love to hear it." Ophelia said, leaning her back against the door and keeping her arms folded, fully aware that doing so pulled her already very short nightgown up several inches and pushed her breasts together in a way that made them impossible to ignore.

It appeared, by the way that the flush creeped up his neck and he swallowed thickly several times, that the gesture wasn't lost on him, but he pulled himself together and resumed his bantering attitude "I used to know Asra quite well, and I haven't been able to find him, so I came here to look for answers that I thought he could give me."

At that he took a step forward, making as if he were going to nudge Ophelia out of the way, but she again anticipated his movements and stepped forward herself, blocking his way, and placing a hand lightly on the lapel of his ebony jacket, making him take a sharp breath and gaze down at her with aroused curiosity.

"And have you found what you were looking for?" she asked, her eyes pointedly roving over every inch of him.

"Maybe I found something I didn't know I was looking for." he whispered almost fiercely, his pupils dilated to where they were only slivers of gray around the deep wells of black.

Ophelia smiled to herself, exulting in the effect she had on him. She raised her hand to his chest, her thumb flicking over the first button of his coat as she stepped closer, bringing them flush against each other. "Is that so? In that case, what do I call you, stranger?"

His throat bobbed visibly as he swallowed, gazing down at her with a fascinated expression "You may know me by Julian Devorak, some call me Dr., but feel free to call me whatever you like, my lady." he said, he said it with the most dramatic intonation and with a small tilt of his head, but the way he was biting his lips made it clear that he was doing his best to suppress his true feelings, whatever they happened to be.

Ophelia leaned up on the tips of her toes-the crown of her head still barely coming up to his chest-and reached up, sliding her hand along his neck until she reached his scalp, just behind his left ear, where she snared her fingers in his locks and tugged him downward until his ear was level with her mouth and whispered breathily "So lovely to meet you Dr. Devorak. Goodnight." And then she withdrew completely, pressing her back against the adjacent wall. Her hands clasped behind her, mouth curving into a barely visible smile.

Julian stood there staring at her, his eyes dark and his mouth slightly open, until he gathered his wits and coughed "Yes, uh, yes! Pleasure to meet you, too. I'll be going then." and vanished into the night.

The following week was a tense one for both Ophelia and Julian. It seemed as if the fates had conspired to have fun with the pair, casting them in each other's paths at every turn. Though their behavior was the model of politeness on both their accounts, the underlying tension was enough to make even somewhere as open as the town square feel claustrophobic.

As intrigued as she was by the mysterious doctor, Ophelia knew instinctively that he was trouble; there was no doubt in her mind that she would regret it if she got involved with him. And yet, every time she laid eyes on him, all she could think about was divesting him of his great coat and peeling back the layers to explore what was underneath. She knew he shared her curiosity by the way his eyes got big whenever they ran into each other, and how he always chewed on his lips when they spoke.

Julian's clear interest was only fuel for Ophelia's ego, and as much as she knew she should avoid engaging with him, she could never keep herself from flirting shamelessly whenever they met. Sometimes she would gaze coyly up at him from under her long eyelashes when she greeted him, or she would reach up and pick a nonexistent bit of lint from off his lapel and let her hand linger for a few moments.

She never failed to get a reaction from him, laughing to herself as she watched his eyes grow dark when they spoke, or how they would flit from her eyes, to her lips, to the swell of her breasts above her neckline. He wanted her desperately, and the intensity of his desire only served to stoke her own.

Their feelings finally came to a head on a hot summer day, when Ophelia had spent the majority of the day trimming dried herbs from her garden. She was covered from head to toe in dust, sweat and plant clippings, and was exhausted from having been bent over bundles of fragrant herbs for hours straight, her back aching, and her throat parched and begging to be quenched. Feeling that she'd accomplished enough for the day, she dusted herself off and headed to the nearest tavern, where they served her favorite drink: a refreshing blend of pale ale and lemonade.

Ophelia made her way through the late afternoon air, the breeze cooling the sweat on her neck as the sun dipped and sank toward the horizon. She ducked into the cool darkness of the tavern, grateful for the refuge, and ordered two pints before nestling herself in a secluded corner to enjoy her refreshment in peace. Being the drinker that she was, Ophelia had finished several rounds and was feeling a strong buzz when the door swung open and Julian sauntered in, a fresh cut on his lower lip, and the flush on his cheeks making it clear that it wasn't his first stop of the evening.

Ophelia leaned her chin on her hand as she watched him, a smirk growing over her face as she listened to him begin to regale the people around him with some tall tale of his adventures as a pirate. She continued watching him closely until he finally glanced in her direction and their eyes met. The roguish smile on his face spread into a wide grin and he lifted his glass in her direction before draining it to the dregs, ordering another, as well as "One of whatever she's drinking." and made his way over to her table, a cheeky swagger in his step.

"It seems the fates have thrown us in each other's pass once again, Ophelia." he said as he set their drinks down, and threw himself into the seat across from her.

Ophelia picked up the glass and lifted it to her mouth, draining half before setting it down with a thump and fixing him with a mischievous gaze "So it seems, Dr. Devorak. What ever shall we do about it?"

Julian spread his arms wide "Well we can't disappoint them, can we? I say we keep drinking until we figure it out."

Ophelia laughed and knocked back the remainder of her drink before getting up and ordering two more. When she came back, she put her drinks on the table and then plopped down on Julian's knee and grasped his chin, tipping his head back and inspecting the wound on his lip "And how, pray tell, did you come by this?"

Julian's hand came up to rest on her hip and and gave it a light squeeze as he gazed up at her "It's quite a story, not one for the faint of heart. Do you think you can handle it?"

She brushed a scarlet curl off his forehead and laughed "All outright lies, no doubt. You probably said the wrong thing to the wrong person and paid the price." she lifted the hem of her skirt and dipped it in a glass of water, dabbing at the dried blood until his face was clean. "Well, you certainly are a quick healer. Not a trace of a cut left. Care to explain?"

It was Julian's turn to smirk up at her "I can't reveal my secrets just because the request came from a beautiful pair of lips," he replied, as his fingers found a hole between the buttons on the back of her blouse and slipped through, stroking over her skin "though I might be persuaded…"

"Pretty lips, you say?" Ophelia slipped her hand up the back of his neck, curling her fingers into a fist in his hair and pulling his head back "Something tells me that you won't put up much of a fight." she said, tipping her head to one side and and leaning in, bringing her lips a hair's breadth from his before ducking swiftly to the side and sinking her teeth into his neck in a sharp bite.

Julian started with a gasp, his eye popping open and his fingers digging into Ophelia's skin with initial surprise, until his gasp faded into a moan and his eye rolled back into his head and slipped closed.

Ophelia continued biting and sucking on his skin until she could feel his chest heaving beneath her. She leaned back and looked him over with satisfaction, appreciating the flush on his cheeks and the way he was biting his lips. She leaned in again, softly this time, and touched her lips to his, murmuring as she did so: "Have I managed to loosen your lips, Dr. Devorak?"

Julian's eye opened slowly and he gave a breathy laugh "I'm afraid you were right. I'd tell you anything you want to know right about now. The healing is becau-"

Ophelia pressed her fingers to his lips, effectively silencing him "Somehow, I don't really care anymore." she said with a grin and, grabbing his collar with both hands, pulled him into a kiss, pressing her body against his as hard as she could.

Julian's hand had remained glued to the small of Ophelia's back, while the other had slipped up to rest on her thigh. Both hands were now pulling her against him with a fervent intensity that made her heartbreak quicken.

Ophelia was beginning to feel the effects of the last few drinks she had put down so quickly, and her head had started to swim, while the heat in her blood was growing, making her desperately want to feel Julian's skin against her own. As they continued to explore each other's mouths, her fingers worked nimbly to undo the buttons of his shirt and then tug down the neck of her own, until their bare skin was rubbing together, making Ophelia grateful that they were occupying the darkest corner of the tavern.

When Julian discovered her state of undress, he let out a deep groan "Oh Ophelia, what are you doing?" he whispered, rolling his hips against her.

Ophelia gave a sharp tug of his hair and sucked his lower lip into her mouth, biting it lightly before releasing him "Why don't you stop talking and do something yourself?" she hissed, grabbing the hand that gripped her thigh and maneuvering it to the slit that ran up the front of her skirt and slid it underneath, opening her legs so she could push his hand between her thighs.

Julian chuckled at her aggressiveness "Anything for you." he moaned, and slipped his hand under the crotch of her underwear and sliding his middle and ring fingers through her arousal, groaning softly at how wet she was. He passed the pads of his fingers over her clit several times before slipping them past her lips and deep inside of her.

Ophelia let out a high pitched whimper at the motion, and pressed her face into the side of his neck, chewing on her lower lip and holding on to him for dear life as he began moving his hand in an undulating motion, stroking the tips of his long, slender fingers against the sensitive spot within her sex, while rubbing her clit with his thumb, wringing little moans and cries from her panting mouth. The hand that had been on her back had snaked around her ribs, his arm holding her tightly while it playing over the sensitive skin of her breast.

Ophelia could feel herself hurtling toward her orgasm as Julian sped up his movements, clutching her arms tightly around his neck "I'm going to ride you so hard after this," she gasped in his ear "you won't be able to feel your legs after I'm done fucking you, Julian Devorak."

Her words had their desired effect, and Julian let out a strangled groan as he continued his motions with a new passion, the hand on her breast, gripping tight to the point of bruising, while he dropped his face to the other, pulling her nipple into his mouth and sucking hard. With a particularly strong motion of his hand, Julian applied just the pressure she needed to both her clit and g-spot, sending Ophelia over her peak.

Unprepared to come so suddenly, Ophelia felt a scream about to tear itself from her throat, and desperately stifled it by sinking her teeth into the skin above Julian's clavicle, prompting guttural moans from both of them.

It took Ophelia several moments to compose herself and catch her breath, and when she did, she pulled Julian's hand from where it was still buried between her thighs, bringing it to her lips and staring deeply into his eyes as she licked her essence from his fingers, bringing a deep scarlet to his cheeks. When she was done, Ophelia straightened her clothes and rose to her feet, where she stretched her neck one way and then the other.

"Well, that was lovely, but I believe we've overstayed our welcome." she remarked, noticing the pointed stares they were getting from around the room "I'd say it's time we moved on, wouldn't you?" she asked, extending her hand to him "After all, I have to make good on my word to you."

Her eyes sparkled wildly at him, making Julian's heart skip a beat as he scrambled to his own feet muttering an excited agreement, taking her hand and following her from the tavern.

Once out on the streets of Vesuvia, Ophelia felt the lingering heat of the day reigniting the alcohol in her blood, and felt almost giddy as she dragged Julian along.

"Ophelia, where are we going?" he laughed, the light tone of his voice telling her that he too was far from sober.

"I don't know about you, but I'm filthy," she replied, tossing a teasing smile back at him "I could really go for a swim."

The look on Julian's face was confused but enthusiastic, and he followed obediently as she took him on a zigzagging path through the city until they reached the outer walls and headed through the surrounding fields, into the forest beyond. The shadows were growing long as they arrived at their destination: a quiet pool deep within the Vesuvian forest, bordered by tall grass and wildflowers.

Julian halted and stared, taking in the beauty of the scene while Ophelia approached the pool, stripping off her clothes as she went. When she reached the edge of the water, she glanced back at Julian over her shoulder as she drew her underwear down her hips and stepped out of them, tossing them onto the pile of clothes that lay nearby.

"Are you really going to make me bathe alone, doctor?" she asked as she dipped her toes into the water and then waded in up to her waist before turning around and staring pointedly at him, hands on her hips.

Julian's attention snapped back to her and he immediately began removing his own clothes while Ophelia watched in delight. He sighed happily at the feeling of the water on his skin as he waded into the pool, reaching out and taking hold of her hips when he reached her and pulling her against him. He then took her face in both hands and leaned in, kissing her passionately.

Ophelia smiled against his lips and reached down, stroking the length of his cock with one hand and cupping his balls gently with the other, making his breath catch in his throat at the contact. He slipped a hand down between them and attempted to slide it between her legs, but she slapped it away.

"Keep your hands to yourself, doctor," she scolded "you've done your part, don't interfere in me doing mine, or I'll make sure you can't touch me at all."

His eyes widened at her scolding, but she could tell he was greatly aroused by her threat, and he merely nodded obediently.

Ophelia continue stroking him, watching his reactions hungrily, her fingers playing over his flesh, until she felt him stiffen beneath her touch. She then turned her back to him and arched into him, rubbing up against his quickly hardening cock until she felt his hands slide over her ribs and cup her breasts, kneading them with his long fingers. She almost let him continue, her eyes barely slipping closed when she snapped back and slapped his hands again, giving him another scolding and telling him that if it happened again, she'd restrain him.

Turning again, she slipped down to her knees, the water enveloping her up to her shoulders, and gazed up at him as she took his length in her hands and brought it to her mouth, sliding her tongue over the tip and laying kisses along the underside of his shaft.

Julian's eyes were wide as he gazed down at her, and though she could tell he desperately wanted to touch her, he was doing his best to obey her orders by keeping his arms rigid at his sides, his knuckles starting to blanch from the effort he was exerting to keep them clenched into fists.

After she felt that she had teased him sufficiently, Ophelia released Julian's cock from her mouth with a wet *pop* and backed away from him, giving him a mischievous wink before turning and diving beneath the water, relishing the feeling of it washing over her hot, sweaty skin.

Julian, after letting out a groan of frustration, followed her and, diving deeper than she had, he rolled over on his back and swam below her, reaching up and taking hold of her waist to pull her down to an underwater kiss. They continued to play in the water, splashing and pushing each other under until Ophelia returned to the shallow area and climbed out to sit on a rock and wring the water out of her long emerald locks.

Julian soon joined her, laying down on his back in the grass next to her rock and gazing up at the night sky.

They'd stopped drinking hours before, but Ophelia still felt slightly delirious as she took in the sight of Julian laying there, admiring the way the moonlight glistened on his damp skin. Sliding off her rock onto the grass, she crawled over to where he lay and hovered over him, her hands planted on either side of him him. With a quick smile, she leaned down and kissed him, pressing her body flush against his and drawing a moan from him as she did so.

Julian's hands came up and splayed over her back, his fingers starting to dig in as they continued their contact.

Feeling out his comfort level, Ophelia reached back and took hold of his hands, pulling them off her back and pinning them by his wrists beside his head as she settled herself in a sitting position on his chest. As they gazed into each other's eyes, she only saw excitement and anticipation, telling her that he was eager to continue.

"Do you trust me?" she asked, becoming serious "If you're uncomfortable, just say so and we can stop."

Julian only continued looking up at her, his face a mixture of excitement and awe "I'm more than fine, Ophelia. Do whatever you want to me, I can handle it."

She couldn't help but laugh a little at his confidence "Alright, but you have the option of stopping at any point, I want you to know that."

He nodded "I understand."

Reaching back to her pile of clothes, Ophelia picked up one of her silk stockings and stretched it twice before laying it over Julian's eyes and trying it behind his head.

He shifted beneath her, a smirk forming on his face as she blindfolded him. It was obvious that he was very much enjoying himself; the blush that had been steadily growing on the apples of his cheeks was spreading down his neck, his quickened breath and the way he flicked his tongue out to lick his lips all told Ophelia that he was more than eager for whatever she had planned.

Reaching down and gently twirling her fingers in the grass beneath them, Ophelia focused her thoughts on her magic, and let it flow out of her and into the ground. The results were small at first, but there was soon a soft rustling in the grass as thin green vines rose out of the ground and wound themselves around Julian's arms and out to his wrists, binding them and holding him fast.

"Uhhhh, Ophelia?" Julian asked, a slight element of nervousness in his voice, though he was doing his best to hide it "What are you doing?"

"Just providing some structural support, are you uncomfortable, Julian?" she asked, her voice low and soft as she played the fingers of one hand over his stomach and chest.

He took a deep breath in and settled himself "Yes, I'm fine." his tone was even, and she could tell he was relaxing after the initial uneasiness.

Ophelia leaned down and nestled her face in the crook of Julian's neck and began dragging her tongue along the artery that pulsed just beneath the skin.

He responded with a moan, and flexed against his bonds "Oh Ophelia," he breathed "I don't think I can last very long with you touching me like this."

"Why don't you leave that to me, Julian? Just lay back and let me work."

He did his best to obey her, letting his weight shift back with a shaky laugh, and making great efforts to control his breathing.

His reactions were doing wonders for Ophelia's confidence, and she began to sink her teeth into his skin as she moved downward, leaving little red bite marks over his pale skin to mark her path. When she reached his low abdomen, she felt his muscles tense in anticipation of her actions. It made Ophelia smile wickedly to herself, and instead of enveloping his straining erection in her mouth, she broke contact with his skin and sat up, feeling the tension in Julian's body begin to hum at the loss of contact. Sitting up, she slid a leg over his hips so she was straddling him, her short stature requiring her to brace herself with her hands low on his chest, and then proceeded to lower herself over his aching length.

From the way he was pulling at his restraints, Ophelia could tell that Julian was expecting her to sheath him inside of her, but she wasn't quite done teasing him yet. She began to roll her hips so that her lips slid along his length, coating it in her wetness and giving him just enough stimulation to drive him mad without giving him the satisfaction he was desperate for.

"Ophelia, my god," he groaned, writhing beneath her as she tortured him "just free my hands so I can touch you."

"Tsk, tsk," she chided him "not yet, my dear Dr. Devorak, patience." she stilled the movements of her hips for a moment to lean forward and drag her nails over his chest and down his stomach, drawing a strangled sob from his throat and making him bite down on his lip to keep from exploding right then and there. "Mmm!" Ophelia hummed in delight "I do love how reactive you are," she said, her voice low and teasing, but passionate "but how long can you really last? Let's find out." As she spoke, she increased her speed, grinding her hips down and sliding herself against him in a way that made his length rub against her clit, building her stimulation while giving him the bare minimum. As she moved, she began to moan and make little cries of pleasure, bringing her hands up from his chest and sliding them up her body, starting at her thighs and trailing them up over her stomach, stopping at her breasts to knead them between her fingers "Ah, Julian, I'm so close!"

Julian strained against his bonds, the veins on his neck standing out under the stress of exerting all his effort to keep from coming before he could be inside her. "Just come, Ophelia!" he begged, pushing his hips upward to aid her "come all over me!"

She didn't need much encouragement, and with a last roll of her own hips, fell forward onto his chest, catching herself with her hands as her climax rolled over her and flowed out over Julian's straining cock.

Without taking a moment to catch her breath, Ophelia quickly took hold of his erection and guided it to her entrance, sheathing him within her dripping heat in one fluid motion.

Julian had to grit his teeth together and pour all his focus into maintaining his self control, but it only took a few more minutes of Ophelia riding him as if her were a wild horse, gripping him tightly with her inner muscles, before he came with a primal moan, her name falling from his lips.

They were both fully spent, and Ophelia released him from his restraints with a feeble wave of her hand as she collapsed on the grass next to him, the evidence of their mutual release glistening on her skin.

Julian turned to lay above her, gathering her into his arms and placing exhausted kisses all over her cheeks and forehead. "You're amazing," he whispered "we could do this every day, I'd never get tired of watching you come while you rode me."

Ophelia laughed "And to think, I avoided you for so long out of fear of something going wrong."

A shadow passed over Julian's face and he drew back a little "I do tend to bring bad luck on those close to me. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to see me anymore, I have that effect on people."

"Oh shut up," Ophelia retorted, slapping him on the arm playfully "that's nonsense, there's no way you'd get rid of me that easily."

Julian's face lit up at her words and he held her even tighter "You really mean that?" he asked earnestly, pressing his forehead against hers.

"Of course I do." she answered, pressing a finger against his lips "And if bad luck follows you, my good luck is enough for the both of us. I'll fight anyone who tries to get between us."

It wasn't possible for him to hold her any tighter, so he just stared down at her adoringly, his one eye shining brighter than ever "You're magnificent," he whispered "take me with you wherever you go, please?"

"I swear it." she answered, holding him close "Anywhere I go, you'll be there too."