Chapter II

Skulduggery smiled. He knew how to punish Valkyrie for being such a tease all this time to him. He had discovered, through Dexter's insane grape vine, that Valkyrie had known just how deep his affections for her went for at least two months. However, she failed to say anything about it. She must have been trying to coax him to admit it all this time! He leaned back in his office chair. He was in his den.

He remember vividly one time when Valkyrie had been an absolute, bloody tease…

It had been a month ago. She was staying over at his house because it had been too late to return home. Skulduggery was sitting in his meditation chair, reading a book.

Valkyrie was lounging on the couch. Her long legs splayed wildly. She had been watching him for some time. He was just about to comment on it when she spoke.

"You can feel everything an alive human can feel, right?"

He looked up at her. "Yes. Why do you ask?"

She shrugged lazily. Even that little motion sent him mind spinning in a direction that ought to be left alone. She smiled. "You just look so…tense." She smiled at him some more.

He shrugged. "I may be, but there's nothing reading and meditating can't help."

She frowned. "I wouldn't say that. I helped my father plenty of times whenever he was stressed."

He tilted his head at her. "And just how did you help him, oh talented and marvelous one?"

She grinned and got up. She moved with the hypnotic grace of one of her shadows. He would have gulped if he could. She was as graceful as a dancer. One of those dancers that he had always seen in the inns back during the war. They had been slaves from distant countries. They always danced with thin veils covering their bodies. He envisioned Val dressed like those women and almost groaned aloud. He had the build up of pleasure, but no release. He truly was a pathetic creature…

Valkyrie had been talking this whole time. She frowned. "Skul? Skul!"

"Hmm? What?"

She rolled her eyes. "I said, do you want me to massage you?" She didn't wait for a response. Slipping her hands onto his shoulders, she lightly grazed his clavicles. He almost whimpered when he felt her warmth seep into him. It had been so long since he had indulged in human companionship. There had been no reason to. No reason to crave flesh, both on him and in his bed. Until now…

Her skilled hands worked steadily upward and started lightly grazing his skull with her nails. He leaned into her touch. She quickened her pace, rubbing in intoxicating circles. He almost fell into a meditative sleep right then.

Skulduggery shook himself from his dream. Valkyrie had only massaged him for a few minutes. He growled slightly. The build up of pleasure and arousal, the first physical pleasure he had felt in centuries, was on the very tip of explosion when Valkyrie backed away. She feigned sleepiness and a headache. A headache! He growled to himself. Bloody tease…

Skulduggery chuckled darkly. He would get her back for that. He couldn't do anything to himself to get release. He tried. Many, many times after that. Nothing worked. She was the only one who could do it. Well, not only her, but he wasn't willing to experiment with any other woman…that would be…slightly awkward.

Skulduggery shook his head and glanced at the clock. "I need to get ready." He had to pick Val up in an hour.

He put on a tuxedo and got into the Bentley. Driving there, he made plans on how he would get Valkyrie back. Something short and vicious. Enough to let her know that he wouldn't tolerate her teasing. He snickered. A part of him was waking up. A part of him that no one had seen since Skullduggery got his first wife. Only Ghastly knew how he had courted her. Only Ghastly knew how persuasive Pleasant could be when truly getting his way with women. He hadn't cultivated his voice to sound so smooth for just nothing!

Skulduggery gave in to a full blown laugh. He was going to enjoy tonight greatly!

He arrived at Gordon's house. Even though it belonged to Valkyrie, everyone always called it Gordon's house. Politely knocking on the front door, he thought back on another moment. He and Valkyrie were on a case. An explosion occurred and she landed on top of him. She had taken her sweet time getting off too, grinding up in all the right places. Skulduggery's right hand tightened. He glanced at the door. Maybe he should've gone through the window…

The door opened and Valkyrie Cain walked out. She looked even more beautiful than she had at the Requiem Ball. Her black dress was floor length. Black lace covered the red satin skirt underneath. The upper part of the dress was sleeveless. She was just putting on black lace gloves. He bowed and took her gloved hand.

"You look ravishing." He murmured lowly.

She blinked and then smiled. "You clean up nicely, yourself."

He chuckled. When he helped her into the car, his hand ever so slightly grazed her bottom. Hearing the quick intake, he pulled back and got inside.

The car ride there was filled with compliments from Skulduggery. He didn't over do it, but the ones he did give were simple and elegant. Spoken in such a way he knew Valkyrie loved. There was a blush on her cheeks when they got out.

The ball was designed with couches and chairs on the side of a main, oval room. A higher platform was where the musicians were playing. People were already dancing. Others were talking and laughing on the sidelines. There was a refreshment table as well.

Valkyrie gasped when she saw the decorations. She gave Skulduggery a sideways glance. "You didn't tell me that the theme was Beauty and the Beast." There was a walk-in castle covered in gargoyles. A beautiful painting had been down of Beauty kissing a transforming Beast. Other paintings were tastefully scattered throughout the room, depicting the story of Beauty and the Beast.

He shrugged. "Slip of the mind."

She huffed. "Nothing ever slips your mind."

He would have smiled. "Thank you. I do try."

She rolled her eyes. "That's not what-"

Dexter Vex walked up. "Skul! Val! Welcome! Welcome! Come on in! Don't want to miss the party in your honor!"

Valkyrie's gaze snapped from Skulduggery to him. "What?"

Dexter chuckled. "Beauty and the Beast. Valkyrie and Skulduggery."

She rolled her eyes. "Skulduggery's not the Beast. I don't like you joking about that. And if, by any chance, you're referring to me being the beast, all I can say is that I hope you can run fast." She said it calmly, but there was a firmness in her voice and a glint in her eyes that made Dex obey.

"Sorry! Sorry. Yeah, was kind of stupid joke." He grinned awkwardly. Skullduggery shook his head and patted Dex's shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. I was a beast. I suppose Valkyrie came in and changed me, so that does make her Beauty."

Val blushed slightly and turned away. Skulduggery moved up behind her. "Dance with me?" He whispered. She shuddered with obvious delight at the close proximity of his body and glanced at him. He could help but tilt his head smugly.

She smirked in return. "I would love to dance with you, Mr. Pleasant."

They said goodbye to Dex who muttered something about Valduggery.

Valkyrie raised an eyebrow as Skul led her out on to the dance floor. There was a waltz playing. "Any idea what that was about?"

Skulduggery shook his head. "I only noticed that it had our names in it. I'm confused at the reasoning behind it."

Valkyrie smiled and shook her head. "I'll ask Tanith about it."

Skul tilted his head in a smile. Valkyrie stepped away from him and then moved back to him. He resituated his hands. She was acutely aware of how low his left hand truly was. Skulduggery kept his head straight with no indication of his mood, which was smug by the way. The blush hadn't left her cheeks since the Bentley.

Thank you for the reviews! I hope you enjoy this story as much I as I enjoyed writing it. Again, from next chapter onward, there will be moments where some readers might get uncomfortable. I hope that won't deter your ability to enjoy it. I'll try to give warning or water it down, if it gets too much. Feel free to tell me, but please keep your comments polite. = )

Thanks!

Ink…