Disclaimer: We know, I own nothing but Felicity Adams!
Author's Note: Second and last part to Noli Me Tangere, hope you guys enjoy.
Noli Me Tangere 2/2
"It won't feel like a normal, human touch. But I can shape my magic to the closest thing possible. Just hold still."
Bob's pale eyes were fixed on her open-palmed hand as it came closer. Felicity considered it brave that he didn't pull back. The possible failure of feeling her touch would have been enough to make most turn away from the very idea. But as she watched, the ghostly sorcerer's shoulders straightened and he gave her a silent nod.
Felicity placed her palm just a breath away from his cheek. Bob visibly started when the blue energy dancing over her hand made contact with his face.
"All right there, Hrothbert?" Felicity asked, looking up at him with teasing smirk, challenging the man to be coward enough to do that again.
Bob glared in return and straightened his jacket with a sharp tug at the lapels, tilting his chin up in defiance. Felicity bit her lip trying not to laugh.
"Get on with it," he insisted in a mixture of annoyance and anxiety.
Felicity nodded, her giggles nearly getting the best of her for a moment before she placed her hand against Bob's skin.
Blue light contrasted with gold as their energies clashed and melded. Where ever her hand touched it almost felt like she was wiping him away only for his flesh to reappear the moment her hand moved past it. His body was not solid, even with her magic connecting with his, so she was very careful not to put her hand through him.
There was that tingling in her hand again -- but it was nothing compared the way the look on Bob's face made her feel. Bob's eyes were closed, his head tilted back as her hand grazed across his jaw line. She could hear the way he breathed, harshly, through parted lips. It was like someone had slipped her the reins to a stallion not yet quite broken to the bit.
"Angels and ministers of grace," he whispered.
Instead of an open palm, Felicity switched to only focusing energy in a single fingertip, letting it explore down his throat and tracing feather-light just above the high collar and ascot. A wicked smile curved her lips as he made a barely audible growl in the back of his throat.
Felicity moved closer, just enough that their chests did not touch but gave her open access to his ear. "How does that feel, Hrothbert?" she purred. Her finger traced around the curve of his ear, then slipped to tease the sensitive skin beneath the line of his jaw.
"It feels like...dear God, it's been too long. I don't even remember what it's supposed to feel like. But this..." He hissed as her finger teased a circle over his jugular. "This will do nicely."
"Hrothbert," Felicity purred, pulling back just far enough to force the necromancer to open his eyes. Eyes that went from hazy to profoundly focused when she wet her lips.
"Hm. Mm. Yes?"
"I...think I hear Dresden."
Bob muttered something unflattering about the marital status of Harry's parents at the time of his conception. He stepped back reluctantly from Felicity and spun sharply on his heel to face an empty corridor. Clarity came a moment later when Bob realized he'd been tricked.
Felicity was already laughing evilly before his eyes pinned her to the spot. "Brazen hussy," he said under his breath with a glimmer of amusement in his gaze.
Felicity narrowed her eyes. "You're not so big I can't turn you over my knee, young man," she observed. "Besides," she added with a wistful smile. "I'm not the one you really want touching you, am I? Harry's a good guy. So let's talk about what you're going to give me in return for your new skills."
Bob returned the smile and reached out, gently brushing the back of his knuckles across her cheek. "If things were different, m'lady," he said softly.
The touch was short lived and not enough to even keep as a memory before his arms were crossed once more. A predatory grin now playing on his lips. "As for the reward, I am your humble servant. At the mercy of your desires."
"Silly Hrothbert," Felicity cooed. "I don't have any mercy."
-----------
It had taken Harry the better part of fifteen minutes and the dissection of half the lab to find the list shoved under his divination bowl, dangerously close to the bunsen burner. There was some unknown substance staining the paper but Harry thought it best not to guess what it was. He just had to make sure Felicity didn't make any physical contact with it. Just in case.
Walking back into the store front proper, Harry was stopped mid-stride by two things. The first being the mass amount of magic that had somehow been expelled in the room, making the hairs on the back of his neck and arms stand on end. The second being that the only two possible culprits were chatting in relative peace. Though the scene they painted made a twinge of jealousy shoot through his body for some reason.
Felicity was perched on the edge of Harry's desk, a battered notebook opened on her crossed knee and a purple fountain pen in hand. She was watching attentively as Bob drew a magic equation out in the air with glowing gold letters, which the woman was jotting down like any good student. The ongoing dialogue reached Harry before they noticed his appearance.
"...they're good because of the little velcro fastenings on the sides. That way he can get in and out of them all by himself. Less work and more fun for the both of you," Felicity was telling the ghost, years of experience behind whatever she was telling him -- along with a demented sort of glee.
He saw Bob's brow furrow as he drew a gold slash through one of the symbols in the air. "We are rather strapped for cash at the moment. How much do they usually run?"
Felicity soothed. "I know where to get a decently priced pair. Just don't let him buy the fuzzy ones; they are cheaply made and his wrists will pay for it later."
"Hey!" Harry said, suddenly not really wanting to know what they were talking about. His voice came out a little high pitched and it made both wizards turn toward him.
Felicity had the gall to smile brightly and wave. "Hey, you found it?"
Harry almost didn't answer when he caught Bob giving him a pretty thorough once-over with his eyes. When the hell had Bob started to openly do that?
"Yeah, I got it," Harry said quickly to recover from the lag in response time. He forced a smile and waved the piece of paper. "Little bugger was hiding from me."
Felicity went to take it and Harry pulled back in time for her to miss. It was interesting but Felicity looked a little sicker then she was a few minutes ago, a little paler somehow. The day must of been catching up with her.
"What ya guys talking about?"
Felicity batted her eyes at him. "Bracelets."
Harry chuckled. "Anyone ever tell you about how terrible of a liar you are, Fel?"
"I don't lie, I edit." Felicity snatched the piece of paper out of his hands before he noticed it was gone.
Bob looked thoughtful as Felicity passed by him to reach her bag where she began to pull out the items on the list.
"Doesn't 'fell' mean evil?" Bob mused out loud.
Harry watched Felicity give the ghost a wicked smile. "Why, does it suprise you?"
Bob smirked. "Not at all, milady. I was just wondering why it hadn't occurred to me before."
Harry was highly annoyed by the banter. That was his and Bob's kind of banter. Something had happened in the span of fifteen minutes in his absence and he had no clue what is was. Jealously flared a little higher inside and it slowly started to manifest.
"Does anyone want to tell me something?" he snapped and once again he was under both wizard's curious gazes. They shook their heads, Felicity pushing her glasses up her nose. That about did it for Harry.
"Fine." He seethed, walking past Bob without even a second glance at him.
"Harry..." Bob said with uncertainty. Harry's aura was radiating anger and it had nearly made the ghost stumble.
"Would someone please explain to me why I'm gone for a few minutes and all of a sudden there's a magical energy surge in the middle of my office, my ghost starts giving out free magic lessons and the both of you start acting like some teenage couple on their first date!? Cause you know what? It's just about -- owww!"
Harry's angry rant was cut short by the wizard who had just grabbed his ear and yanked him down to meet her furious blue eyes, glaring at him over her glasses.
" Lab. Now," was all she said before dragging Harry down the corridor by the ear. Harry felt her wrath the whole way.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow...Felicity...OWWW!"
Bob was smart enough not to follow them. Not that he actually could with his skull on Harry's desk, too far away from the lab itself to do him any good. But it was the thought that counted.
He heard the door to the lab close and unconsciously started to pace, not being able to hear what was going on inside because of the wards that kept it impenetrable to the human or ghostly ear.
But obviously some noises could penetrate it as one phrase did reach the storefront.
"YOU DID WHAT?!"
Then once more, all was silent.
Bob suddenly became nervous. Pressing the flat of his ring against his lips and cradling his elbow in one hand, he continued to pace. If Harry deemed it fit, Bob's skull could be shipped back off to the High Council where he would no doubt be put into some bastard wizard's service instead of Harry's. Gods, he could even just destroy the skull if he was angry enough.
It felt like hours of silence though it was only a few minutes. If Bob were solid, there would of been a line in the floor from his pacing by the time he heard the door open and saw a very wan Harry being led back in by Felicity herself.
"Harry? You look a little pale. You should relax. Do some deep breathing. Meditation, maybe. Or chocolate. Chocolate's good for everything." Felicity nodded in mock solemnity, then frowned. "Wait. Er. Wrong Harry."
"Let me relearn how to breathe first, huh?" Harry mumbled back, ignoring her joke for the most part.
"Harry?"
Harry looked up and met Bob's gaze. There was no soul gaze but Harry still felt a swift kick to his heart all the same and the feeling of being pulled into the ghost's pale green eyes.
"Hey Bob," he said lamely, attempting a casual smile. "So. That conversations about the handcuffs was about me, wasn't it?" Harry asked carefully.
"Yup," Felicity piped up.
Bob smirked. "I think we can build up to that, my dear boy," he purred.
Harry's eyes darkened a bit. "I think I can deal with the major leagues here, Bob."
Felicity looked a bit misty-eyed over the bondage discussing boys. "Awww, he's growing up so quickly. It makes me so happy," she cooed, patting Harry on the head like an adorable puppy that has finally learned not to widdle on the carpet. No mean feat for a woman who was dwarfed by the other wizard by some three feet.
Harry looked absolutely mortified by the action while Bob tried to hide a chuckle behind his knuckles.
Harry's gaze had not lost any of its darkness, though, and quickly refocused on the slightly smaller woman. "You know, Fel, I haven't properly thanked you yet."
Felicity quirked an eyebrow at him, curious as to what his version of a reward was. Whatever she expected, she wasn't fully prepared for what actually happened. Harry grinned, quickly slipping his hand to the back of her neck to tangle his fingers in her hair. He used the light hold to pull her into a deep, bruising kiss that made her squeak.
Felicity moaned appreciatively as she felt Harry's arm slip around her waist. She didn't fight back, especially when she heard the approving chuckle coated in a deep British baritone.
Obviously someone liked to watch as much as he liked to participate.
Harry pulled back as if that were a cue and gave Felicity a cocky grin.
Felicity blinked up at Harry with eyes gone smoky. A lazy smile curved her lips. She drew a deep breath, tilted her head to the side, and slapped the detective across the face so hard the sound rang in the rafters.
"Next time, Harry Dresden, you ask. I won't be manhandled like some three dollar whore. Besides," she added, lifting her head imperiously, "I don't get seized. I seize."
With that half-threat, half-flirt hanging in the air, the domme turned on her heel, gathered up her bag, and headed for the door. "I do hope you boys will find a way to occupy yourselves after I'm gone," she purred, and slipped out into the Chicago dusk.
Dumbfounded, Harry looked at Bob.
Amused, Bob looked at Harry.
"Speaking of asking," the necromancer drawled, "I believe you ought to ask me to show you a new trick..."
Fin