Author's Notes:

I need to get in gear and put out some more chapters for "Not Without Thought"! D:

Hope you enjoy this one shot though. :)

Thunder roared across the skies after a flash of lightning lit up the entrance to the abandoned shack. Sindrel covered her ears, though mesmerized by the flashing streaks that danced every now and then in the dark clouded sky. Rain poured down heavily, drenching the woods outside. It beat loudly against the roof above the stranded Breton and her dremora, leaking at certain spots. Another flash of lightning brought a smile to the small assassin's face.

The two were taking the road from Bravil towards Chadynhall to deliver contracts from the Night Mother to her Speaker but were caught in the storm that rolled in. Luckily, they came across an abandoned shack just a stone's throw from the road. Its inhabitants long gone but it still stood intact and the wood was still sturdy, save for the missing front door. It had to have belonged to a hunter with as many pelts as there were nailed to the small walls. The two companions put down their bedrolls in spots where it didn't leak. Xelian started a small fire in the tiny cooking pit that sat in the corner.

Xelian eyed her from his chosen spot near the fire. When another flash of lightning illuminated the doorway, he noticed how the light reflected in her eyes. He got caught staring at her when she glanced over to him. As he looked away, he could hear her giggled and remove herself from the doorway. Small hands caressed his cheek, drawing his gaze back to her. Once he turned his head to face her again, her lips found his in a gentle kiss.

The dremora pulled her in close, letting her twist around and plop into his lap. He could tell she was in her gentle mood with how she brushed her fingertips against his cheeks. Xelian pulled his arms up behind her back and removed his gauntlet and dropping them to the floor. He relaxed them again, allowing her to continue. She was in no rush, taking her time to plant each kiss. The kisses focused first on his lips, spreading out along his cheeks, jawline, brow, and even nose. It was not a familiar feeling for the dremora whenever she chose to do this, but he would never reject it from her. The dremora sat still and closed his eyes as she continued to lovingly touch and kiss his face, almost as if she were exploring it with each soft peck. He could feel her trace the red war markings across his face with admiration. From there, the small fingers moved up, tenderly tracing along the ridges of his horns. They poked down at the base of his horns where they attached to his skull before disappearing into the tendrils of his hair. It was a very soothing feeling when she lightly trailed her nails through his hair and across his scalp. He was going to fall asleep if she kept it up.

"Xelian…"

"Hm."

"Do… dremora ever experience love?" Sindrel asked without stopping the motions with her hands. He opened his eyes, looking directly into hers. She blushed slightly, hoping not to have offended him. "As in how us mortals do?"

"Love?"

"Yeah, the feeling of wanting to be with someone. Keeping them close and never wanting them to disappear," she explained, her tone was as sweet as honey. She began caressing the back of his neck and smiled softly at him.

"I do not know," he replied truthfully after a few seconds of thinking. "For us, the loyalty between kyn within the clan is the closest thing to love."

Another smile crossed her face. Sindrel nuzzled into his neck between his armor and jaw, placing a kiss there. Gingerly, the dremora stroked his fingers through her hair, feeling the strands of silk slide through his grasp easily. He never said it but he thought her hair was strikingly beautiful to him. If she were a dremora, its length and color especially would be the envy of any female dremora in the Deadlands. The idea of her being a dremora amused him given her eccentric personality. A grin grew on his face while he twirled her hair within his fingers, bringing a lock of it to his lips. She noticed him kiss it before she moved her lips to his ear.

Arousal shot up his spine when he felt tender nipping on his earlobe. Her fingers were still combing across his scalp until he grabbed her wrists firmly. He pulled her hands down to the clasps of his armor, looking directly into her eyes. Wordlessly, she complied, undressing him slowly from his cuirass. It found its way to the floor next to the gauntlets. Sindrel's fingers found the bottom of his underarmor, pulling it up over his head, joining the armor.

Now bare chested, Xelian watched as she continued her acts upon his muscles, adoring his body with kisses and exploring touches. He allowed her to continue for a few more minutes. Though the feeling was nice, he ached to return the favor and worship her body instead. It was unorthodox for dremora to revere any sexual partner, but he stopped caring long ago. The dremora hooked a finger under her chin and drew her away from kissing his shoulder. His lips found hers and worked them together passionately. A pause came only so he could remove her Dark Brotherhood robes and the tight undershirt under it. Now she sat in his lap, equally as bare as him. His eyes drank deeply of her image before him as he let his own fingers roam across her cool pale flesh. She would shiver slightly under his rough fingers, provoking him to repeat the action. On occasion, he would skim a finger across her swollen nipples and elicit a small sigh. It pleased him to see her blushing at his actions

Sindrel was surprised at how gentle he was being. His touches were even gentler than when they were first together in bed. She was now the one sitting still under his hands. It was hard not to blush when he was exploring her skin as if he had never seen it before. When he reached behind her head and undid her ponytail, she unintentionally let out a little mew, watching as he spread it out across her shoulders. Reaching one hand up from her hair, he cupped her cheek and examined her face a bit closer.

"Do you need to feed?" Xelian asked, stroking her lower lip with his the rough pad of his thumb.

She blinked at him.

"Um… Kinda." was all she could blurt out. She could feel how flushed her face was. It amazed her that he could still get her to blush like he did.

Turning his head, he exposed his neck to her. She lost track of how often he had her feed off of him. Not that she minded at all, she loved the taste of his blood more than mortal blood, and she was pretty sure he liked when she fed from him because afterwards he would usually ravage her.

Closing the distance between them, she nestled into his neck. She could feel the rhythm of his heart pumping through his veins. Sindrel bestowed a kiss upon the spot she chose and then sunk her teeth in. His muscles tensed briefly at the pain but he gave no other reaction. While she drank, he moved his fingers through her hair again, appreciating its softness. Once she finished, she licked away the blood that trickled out when she pulled back.

She found herself being picked up moved to the bedroll upon the floor, looking up at the ceiling. When she closed her eyes, the soft roar of rain pouring everywhere outside filled her ears. Large hands removed her boots and pants, exposing her to the cold air. Kisses peppered her stomach while those hands nudged her legs apart, massaging her thighs and hips. A sigh escaped her throat when his kisses moved up her body. When his lips met hers again, he moved himself closer to her. Those lips of his left her breathless but she groaned and opened her eyes when he broke away. Bringing his hands up while propped above her by his elbows, he framed her face with ebony fingers, looking down into her emerald orbs.

There was almost a softness that lingered behind those dark eyes of his. The Breton girl wondered briefly if she perchance imagined it.

The dremora broke her thoughts, pushing slowly into her. Focusing past the warmth that clenched around his sex deliciously, he watched her face as he filled her. She opened her mouth and let out a drawn out moan, her brows furrowed pathetically, and her eyes closed tightly as if in pain. He would have thought she felt pain if her parted lips didn't curl up weakly into a tiny smile, quivering slightly. Withdrawing until only the tip of his member kept her opening stretched, he slid back down into her wetness. Keeping a slow pace and holding her beneath him, Xelian continued to watch her.

She relished the feeling of his flesh pressed upon her and the feel of him inside her. With every slow dip his hips made, she curled her toes, blissful to have him with her in that moment. Looking back up, her smile widened as she locked eyes with him again. Hands weaved up into his hair and migrated down upon his face. Whatever concentration he had for watching her was slipping slowly with each penetrating slide and feather touch upon his cheeks. As if to torture them both, he kept the steady pace, losing his ability to keep from falling into the grasp of pleasure with every passing second. Another moan slipped from her lips. She was surprised to find that it seemed to trigger something within him. Yielding to the feel of her, he touched his forehead to hers and picked up his pace slightly. His breathing was starting to get heavier.

It was slow still, however not as slow as before. Now they could feel themselves building up, accumulating the right dosage of friction and speed. Eyes closed shut again, Sindrel focused on his new pace with her own hips bucking up slightly to meet his.

"Xelian," she murmured out, her voice barely audible. "I love you."

She was lost in the sensation but she thought she could hear words. Peeking up at him, she saw his lips moving and his eyes were clamped shut. Straining to hear him, she still couldn't understand his words.

She realized why.

He was speaking Daedric.

Usually, the guttural language unnerved her but as he dropped his head down, cupped within the nook of her neck, and whispered it into her ear, she embraced it. The gradual pace that had been building her up combined with his voice brought her to her climax. She called out his name, shuddering and bucking beneath him. Tremors of warmth drowned her body, slowly spreading from her core to the tips of her toes.

Xelian didn't wait long after to follow, pulling her close as he reached his own apex of pleasure. Muscles tensed, he began holding his breath. As he spilled into her it felt as if he was melting into her body. He gripped her shoulders tightly, allowing him to fill her.

Sindrel sank into the furs of the bedroll, mewling at the heat the filled her. Tingling, she tightened around him, breathing into a second orgasm. It was different from the first one. It was deeper, combined with the essence of him as he quavered within her core. Their juices mingled and she could feel them trickle down her rump. Lulling her head back, she sighed contently.

Eventually, the dremora's muscles relaxed and he breathed heavily against her, resting his forehead on hers for a second time. Sindrel tilted her chin up and kissed him delicately. Xelian deepened the kiss.

An hour later, the rain stopped. Droplets made their own melodies as they fell from rocks, trees, and the edge of the roof. Xelian stared out the door into the night's darkness, stroking the copper hair of the woman in his arms. Sindrel dozed lightly, snuggled into his shoulder. He thought about waking her up but opted not to. Instead, he enjoyed having her in his arms, stroking her soft hair.

When Sindrel awoke, she found herself wrapped up in the bedroll, still naked. She sat up, looking about. It was still dark outside but the rain had stopped and the fire in the pit was very low. Xelian was not in the shack. Worry crossed her face as she began to dress herself.

"Xelian?" she called out anxiously, pulling on her boots. "Xelian, where are you?"

"I'm right here," he replied flatly from outside. He stepped in from the darkness. Only his pants and boots adorned him.

"I'm sorry, I was scared you had left," she looked up at him from the floor bashfully.

"No," he told her, kneeling down next to her. His mass overshadowed her from the low light of the fire. Dark eyes looked down on her expectantly. "Why would I leave you?"

"Well I... Because, I said-" Sindrel was cut off by a kiss. Just like that, her worries were gone.

When Xelian pulled away, he stood up and grabbed the rest of his armor. Pulling his gauntlets on, he turned to her. His voice was course when he spoke to her. "Are you going to sit there all night, woman?"

Sindrel stopped staring and smiled. "I guess we should get going, shouldn't we? I do have a few contracts that need delivering."

Author's Notes:

Wow. Needs more manly stuff with all this lovey dovey-ness all up in this story. If you liked it, please feel free to comment or fave! As always, thank you for reading. :)