''My, my, Sarah Williams, aren't you hard to find.'' A sinuous voice spoke, the words gliding over her skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. The voice was deep, sultry and refined in a familiar way and Sarah forgot to breathe for a second. Of course, the voice was familiar with its velvet undertones, there was only one person she knew with that voice. Only one person with enough power over her to make her quiver with reckless abandon.
''Still, a little lamb are we, precious?'' Again the words caressed her as only a lover could. He, however, was certainly not her lover, but how tempting it was. Memories rose of slender fingers stroking her face, holding her lovingly. The memories most vibrant, of sharp teeth biting down her body, the gentle stimulation of his tongue on hers, how complete she felt when he brought her to her peak. She craved his touch on her skin, she dreamed of his soft lips on hers and how she would shudder as he brought her to release. She refused to fold, she was a grown woman now, she had matured since she had last seen him since they had the last time they had hurt each other in inexplicable ways. Even the memory of dark bruises on her arms, could not keep her body from calling out for his familiar touch.
Sarah kept her back to the intruder. She would not fall for him again, she would most certainly not crawl back to him! A slight breeze, genuinely wind, fluffed her hair, her body cold. She wanted to slam the window shut, frustrated with his presence, and her reaction to it, but to turn to be to give him power, control - something she wanted least.
''Please, leave,'' it sounded pitiful even to her own ears but she refused to do this again, she would return to being his toy, his plaything. She didn't want to play his games, she had tried once and whilst she may have bested him at his Labyrinth, he bested her when it came to the matter of her heart. It was something she knew he still held, because she had left it behind all, all those years ago.
It seemed like forever ago from when she had last seen him but it had only been 4 years. Perhaps it was the way that time moved in the Aboveground rather than in Goblin City. Perhaps it was because her days were filled with activity and life. She had achieved so much over the last 4 years despite her young age. She had finally moved on from the loss of her mother, accepted the new family she had. School had ended and she had moved on to college, raised a child. A child which was only sleeping next door.
''Leave me alone, please. Haven't we hurt each other enough, already?'' Her voice was louder, clearer this time. Sarah brokered no arguments, she wanted him out. Especially with her darling Julia only on the other side of a thin wall.
As quick as a flash, the very lips she desired were on her neck, trailing down, pressing kisses to her collarbone. The wetness of the kisses a balm to her burning skin. She felt her nipples tighten, and could feel them strain against the soft silk of her camisole. Gloved fingers wrapped their way around her waist and tightened as the lips bit down on her soft skin. Blood rushed to the surface as his teeth sunk further and Sarah gasped with a mix of pleasure and pain. She had almost forgotten this unique combination, the skin broken and a tongue lapping up the blood. Her breathes became short and hollow and for a moment both were content at the moment. She was writhing under him, as his fingers slid underneath her camisole, and squeezed her erect nipples harshly. Oh, how he loved to torment her so.
''Why would I dear, Sarah-mine, when you are clearly relishing my company.'' It was with his words that he ground his erect member into her behind, and Sarah almost lost control of her thoughts.
Almost. Sarah pushed away harshly, her anger flaring that she had nearly fallen into his trap once more. It was no longer them that would be damaged in their cruel games, but her small innocent Julia. The most precious gift she had ever been given, as a result of their love and not it was all damaged and never to be repaired.
Arms encircled her again but with less gentleness, and a more ruthless possessiveness quality. The trip on her stomach was tight, causing her top to ride up and for her skin to come in contact with his gloved hands. ''Do not push me again, Sarah-mine. You know as well as I that I do not play by your silly rules. I am a King, and you are mine. Do not forget your place!'' It was hissed, icily and dangerously. The ever-tight hands, tightened further reminding her of her place in his world - for it was never their world. He bit down again on the welt and harshly sucked but this time, she didn't gasp in pleasure/pain, nor did she melt in his arms. No, Sarah Williams kicked and pushed and demanded release. She would not submit to his command.
Sarah squirmed against his hold, scraping her nails against his expensive clothes, kicking his legs and trying to relocate from his arms. With a solid push and a harsh shove, she freed herself. This time she did turn and stared up into the eyes of the Goblin King.
She did not take time to appreciate his lithe form, the slither of skin showing from the half-open shirt, nor did she read his eyes properly. She saw the dangerous glint to them, the anger pouring from every pore and the deathly and legal way he amusedly watched her before him.
''Still trying to best me, precious'' Jareth snarled as he took the time to truly appreciate how well his Sarah had benefited from the years passed. Gone were the childish qualities and the innocence that she had been shrouded in when she ran the Labyrinth. There was a different air about her, a more mature and refined air. She stood straight, meeting his eyes with all the power and proudness of a lioness and for once, he was too stunned to speak. Her figure, of which he had always found tolerable was no longer lithe like it had been, and was now curvy and seductive in a whole new way. He wondered how her body had come to be so… voluptuous, not that he was complaining. The way those perky rosebuds of hers had felt against his hands, the taste of her blood on his lips... She was divine.
''Please, Jareth. It's not fa-..'' ''Fair? Why I thought you had grown up?''
Sarah could feel tears, slowly start to drip down her face. She could tell from experience, how this battle of theirs was to go. She had too much experience in that regard. She had grown up! She had, had to take care of a baby all alone, she could hardly blame anyone but herself. She wanted to shout this at him, that she had come to accept her own involvement in their games and that since leaving the Labyrinth, since leaving him, she had begun to take responsibility for her own actions.
She had tried to think little on her experience with the Labyrinth in the years past. She had tried to say in touch with her friends, but as the months passed and her figure visibly changed she slowly called on them less. Then Julia came and she was thrust into parenthood and had little time for anything but school and Julia.
Even though she could shout at him, curse him for fear of him losing his temper and she, her secrecy, Sarah silently fumed. Jareth clearly took this as an invitation say, although her obvious her attempts to get him to leave.
She could tell that he hadn't been in her room, her home, before. As he sauntered around her room, he observed every minute thing with incredible scrutiny. His fingers danced upon her furniture as he moved. He occasionally stopped, reaching for a photo frame or a trinket and conducting a small examination.
Sarah sat speechless as he examined her entire life with the gaze of a surgeon. She was grateful at least, that she kept her pictures of Julia in an album underneath her bed, and in photo frames in her living room. She kept her room sparsely decorated, with few luxuries. The only soft toy that remained in her possession was her treasured Lancelot whom she managed to grab before spindly fingers could pry him away.
''How delightful your room is Sarah'' he crooned softly, undertones of sarcasm abundant. His voice continued teasing, but serious ''Our room is magnificent, rich colours, satin sheets. Fit for a Queen some might say.'' Not but off at her rebuffs, Jareth continued to saunter around the room, ''It is important that you like it, you will be spending a lot of time in it.'' He leered, with a pointed look to her body and her double bed.
''Honestly Sarah-mine, you will for nothing as my Queen, you will be adorned with all manner of luxuries, your every wish, my command.'' He said as he picked up one of her many worn books on her desk. Shivers ran down her as he watched him so gently touch the spine of the book. For a second she did not recognize that particular book, for it did not have a distinguishable title until she did.
She jumped up, finally realizing which book that was in the Goblin King's hands. She took a brief second to ponder why it wasn't under her bed as she thought, (perhaps Julia had rooted it out this afternoon.) She made a dash to grab the book, but he used to height to his advantage and kept it out of her reach.
''And who is this darling little girl? Another addition to the family perhaps.'' Sarah glared, 'another addition to the family alright. Just not the family he is thinking off', Sarah thought childishly. She knew she was being childish in keeping her Julia away but she feared Jareth as much as she desired him. She didn't want Julia to be a game. She had wanted to selfishly keep her safe and with her as much as she had wanted to form a family.
''Doesn't she look familiar, a little you, Sarah.'' He said with a leer as he flitted through the baby photos, the ones that featured Julia for newborn to as she is today. Jareth viewed the baby book with little interest, more amused by Sarah's annoyance and petulance. 'The babe does look familiar though, there is something about…. The eyes!' He could see it clearly now, as he looked from the picture of a 2-year-old child to Sarah. The way she held herself in a defensive manner as if she were about to run.
The young girl, clearly looked like Sarah but her eyes were all his. Mismatched blue and green, a striking combination of his and her mothers, her mousy hair that he was sure would darken to match the shade of Sarah's. An unfamiliar feeling spread across his chest, it was more than anger or annoyance. It was white hot, it was cold as ice and it was coursing through his veins.
Despair, misery, pain? He knew nothing of these emotions. He was the Goblin King, he had no need for them. Why would they come now? The bastard child was of little convenience, he should certainly not feel upset at not knowing of her existence. He despised children, it was why he stole them away and turned them into ugly, disgusting goblins. It was their punishment for being wished away. Why on earth would he want one of his own?
It was more than that, it was more than not knowing of a bastard child, it was knowing that this Sarah, his Queen had deceived and beaten him again.
She had lied to him, chosen a sufferable, horrible babe over him. He had searched for her, for over 4 years, torturing himself over her absence from his side.
The fire burned his veins now, no longer to keep to the constraints of fae skin. He needed retribution, he needs revenge.