Daine was shy as Numair led her to his palace rooms. The war was over, and already people were calling it the Immortals War. Nobody who fought on this bloody day made it out unscathed, but Daine felt like someone had hit her with a wagon, repeatedly. Even with Duke Baird's careful attention Numair looked worse for ware. After the battle was won, pure adrenaline kept them going. Blissfully happy to be alive and together, Numair and Daine raced from healing, to clean up to debriefing with the Riders and the king's council with hardly more than a yawn between them. Finally there was nothing left to do but retire. That was where the trouble began.

Daine looked up from under long, smoky lashes to sneak a peak at Numair. He had claimed her hand in his own, and towed her through the maze of palace walls to his quarters. Drained of magic, a real burning torch led their way, held aloft in his other hand. Daine's heart beat faster the closer they got to his rooms. Days before, hours before, she had yearned for this moment, but now that it was upon them, Daine felt a little lightheaded. Butterflies flapped so fast in her stomach she wasn't sure if she was going to scream with the fear and joy of it all or if she was going to throw up. They rounded a bend, descended a staircase, and at the bottom was his door, his name carved boldly on a little bronze plate. Suddenly her willingness to be led was gone, and Daine involuntarily slammed on the brakes. Numair hit the end of her arm and stopped. He tugged a little and looked back around to meet her wide-eyed gaze. A blush rushed to Daine's cheeks. She wanted to take a step, she willed herself to take a step, but still she did not move. Numair took a step towards her, still clutching her hand.

"Magelet." He murmured, his voice very low. Daine couldn't meet his eyes. Firm but gently fingers lifted her chin and finally she looked into his pleading gaze. She bit her lip.

"Daine…" He struggled to say the words.

"I…I can't let you go. You can't go back to your rooms." She looked at him, startled. Now he was the one who couldn't meet her eyes.

"Nothing has to happen tonight, with us, but…I need you with me." Daine's heart thudded hard against her ribs.

"I'll sleep on the floor if you like, anywhere, but I need to know you're there. I need to wake up and see you. I don't know what I would do if I woke up and didn't know that you were well and with me." Daine tried to push words out of her throat and couldn't. Instead, she allowed herself to be led through his door.

Daine procrastinated by checking on Kitten, who had retired earlier. She was asleep in the mage's study, having found her way to his room hours earlier without being led. How she knew this was their destination was something Daine didn't want to think about. Instead she covered the baby dragon with a blanket and turned back to the bedroom door.

Inside Numair was struggling to start a fire. With nothing but his flint, his torch and his two hards he coaxed the flame to life. As it caught in the fireplace Daine saw that he had stripped off his shirt and cloak. The glow of the flame danced off the tanned skin and sinewy muscles of his back and chest. Daine swallowed hard and fought the sudden rise of the butterflies from her stomach to her chest. The mage unfurled his body with a groan and turned to face her. Even as she drank in the sight his powerful chest, shoulders and stomach heat rushed to her face, she looked down again, confused by her sudden onslaught of embarrassment.

"Can I get you something? Water, juice, wine?" He sounded so casual. But, as Daine looked up she saw that he was working hard for his illusion of nonchalance. His face was flushed, even for a man who had been crouching by a fire, and if she looked carefully she could see the muscles in his neck tense. It took her a minute, but suddenly she squeaked.

"Water. Please." As he went to do as she bid Daine felt her knees go weak. She needed to sit down. She cast her eyes about as landed on his large canopy bed. She swallowed hard, but having no safer option, staggered to it.

Numair's coverlet and sheets were silky to the touch, and of a deep midnight sky blue. Daine sat on the edge of the bed and ran an admiring hand over the blankets. When Numair returned with her water he saw her and faltered. Daine looked up to see him swallow hard, his eyes wide as saucers. Slowly he came to her with the glass.

"There you are, Magelet." He said, though it was little more than a whisper. Leaning down to set the glass on the stand, he hovered over her. Daine couldn't help but gasp a little. He was so close…if she just leaned back…

The man groaned, and in a flurry of movement that startled Daine, he pressed her up against his bed. His hands went to either side of her head as he pushed her down onto that deep, midnight blue bedding. Daine gasped, louder this time, as thunder crashed through her body. One of his large hands pressed against her ribs, nudging, encouraging her to lean back farther, to stretch underneath him. Now it was Daine's turn to groan, she did so in his ear as his head bent to bury in her hair. Suddenly his roving hand stilled, though it seemed to pain him to do it.

"Forgive me." His palm twitched.

"I shouldn't…we shouldn't." They locked eyes. He stammered.

"I'm taking advantage." Finally Daine pushed words out of her locked throat.

"No…please." Numair searched her face and Daine struggled to continue.

"Don't stop Numair…just…go slow." The mage made a husky sound and nuzzled her neck. Her earlobe worked its way into his mouth and Daine gasped loudly as warmth flooded her body. Suddenly she was seized with an undeniable urge. Her arms wrapped tightly around him without her telling them to. Numair growled a satisfied sound, part laugh, part snarl and hauled her from the edged of his bed, dropping her unceremoniously on his pillows. Daine bounced a little as she laid on his bed, brown curls spread around her head like a halo. Numair eased himself down on top of her, supporting his weight on elbows positioned on either side of her head. His hips settled on top of her own and Daine arched up to meet him, not sure what she was doing, but following the commands handed down to her by the urges of her body. Numair's hand met her rising hips and slid over her haunches. Admiring the feel of her beneath her breeches. Again Daine was flooded with warmth. She gasped.

"Numair." She stammered, confused and excited. Again his lips were by her ear.

"I'm going to take you, Magelet." Daine muffled a cry of pleasure, surprise and a little fear. Numair took it as an excuse to continue.

"I need you, Daine." Numair's hand rose from her rump to her belly, sliding under her shirt to stroke her warm flesh. Daine arched against his hand like a petted cat. He pushed his hand a little higher as she panted.

"If you want me to stop…" The very idea was strickening and Daine cried out in protest, again pushing her hips up to his. The mage chuckled his approval.

"Good." Was all he said. He looked down at her dirty, blood splattered shirt and snapped his fingers. It disappeared. Daine gasped and instinctively curled to cover herself, but Numair was too quick, he pinned her arms down and drank in the sight of her flesh. Daine saw the hungry look in his eyes and found that she was nearly panting. The mage bent his head and trailed kisses down her check, neck and sternum. Slowly, very slowly he bent to the swell of her breasts and nuzzled against her soft, exposed skin. Daine felt an alarming wetness in her loincloth and wiggled a little against his capturing hips. The man chuckled.

"Impatient, my love?" A smile snuck to Daine's face. The man chuckled knowingly and pushed her thighs open with his knees. A shiver raced up her spine as he dropped between her legs and she felt the bulge in his breeches.

Daine's eyes grew wide at the feel of him between her legs and the mage grinned at her roguishly, stretching away from her to take in the sight of her. With her shirt gone her badger claw was exposed, and something else as well. Numair fingered the charm that hung next to the claw, a charm to prevent pregnancy. The mage recognized it for what it was and his smile deepened from roguishness to devilishness.

"Well that's convenient." Daine blushed. Wait, she thought. What on earth happened to my shirt. She looked at Numair accusingly.

"I thought you were drained." He chortled and lowered to whisper in her ear.

"What can I say? You've inspired me." And with that her breastband was gone as well. Daine gasped as the cold air hit her nipples and Numair had to capture her wrists to keep them from flying to cover herself again. He lowered himself down to his elbows as Daine ran her hands down the muscles of his stomach. Numair shivered and kissed the swell of her breasts, slowly teasing until his tongue flipped her erect nipple. Daine groaned as spasms shot down her body. He slipped her breast into his mouth, sucking, kissing, licking. Daine could hardly stand it. She cried out, wrapping her arms around his neck, begging him to stopped even as she hoped he never would.

The mage trailed lower, kissing and nipping at her belly. Daine wiggled, feeling as if she was going to explode at any minute. Suddenly, Numair stopped her wiggling by pushing himself harder between her legs. Daine cried out even as she pushed back and suddenly Numair was tugging at her breeches, fumbling with the ties until he rose to his knees with a frustrated snort and pulled them off her legs, socks and all, with a decisive snap.

All Daine wore was her loincloth, the claw and the charm. Numair hovered above her on his knees, staring at the expanse of her nearly naked body. Heat crept up Daine's neck even as she return his stare. She couldn't see that her eyes were hungry, and dark, like the sky during a storm. The mage murmured under his breath.

"Hag's bones you're gorgeous." Daine snorted.

"Hopefully more so than the Hag's bones." Numair lowered himself to kiss her naval.

"More than anything, Magelet." He trailed kisses down her pelvis and hovered at the edge of her loincloth. Daine grabbed the blankets with her fist, feeling a strange swell of heat and anticipation in her belly. She groaned and reached down to grab a handful of Numair's hair. He allowed himself to be towed back up towards her face where she planted a kiss on his smiling, teasing, knowing lips. As he kissed her Daine reached for his laces and fumbled clumsily with the ties of his breeches. The mage felt what she was doing and smiled against her lips.

"The god's will have to take mercy on this poor, helpless man." Daine pushed his pants off his hips and pulled them lower with her feet. As she lifted her knees to yank down his breeches he rocked against her and suddenly as that separated them was the thin linen on their loincloths. Daine wasn't expecting this. His member pulsed against the space between her legs and she threw her head back with a surprised and lusty cry. The mage groaned and pushed harder, making her cry out again. He bent to nuzzle her temple and when Daine caught her breath she gasped,

"Helpless, eh?" She felt his smile more than she saw it.

"Like putty in your hands." Well that gave her an idea. Her hands slipped down his back and buttocks and she had the satisfaction of hearing his groan in her ear. Yet she didn't stop there. Hesitantly, her palm trailed over the rise of his haunch and down between his legs. His breath became labored in her ear though he stayed very still, as if she were a doe he could frighten with sudden movement. Daine's fingertips grazed the fabric of his loincloth and finally wrapped around his shaft. Numair gasped,

"By the gods —" His member pulsed in her hand and Daine was suddenly overwhelmed by the size and hardness of it. Even as something similar to fear gripped her belly, wetness spread between her legs. Numair rocked into her hand, growing even harder. He slipped one hand behind her head and kissed her hard, as his other hand tugged at the top of her loincloth. As he pulled the cloth down Daine tried to close her knees. They were blocked by this torso, and the possessive hand at the back of her head prevented any retreat. Butterflies rushed up from her stomach to her chest and finally her throat. Daine couldn't saw anything, couldn't utter a sound as the mage pulled her underwear about her ankles and finally off completely. Daine was entirely naked with nothing but an insisting, gentle and relentless man between her knees, his throbbing member in her hand.

Her underwear gone, his hand rose to caress her haunch. Her entire body stiffened. His hand roved over her rump, stroking, caressing, and finally laid to rest on her abdomen. Her whispered in her ear.

"Relax my love, I'll take good care of you." That did little to calm the butterflies. Her knees tried to close again. This time Numair stopped them with a hand and ran it down to her mid thigh. Daine gasped and wiggled. Her pushed her legs farther apart and stroked her inner thigh up and down until she could lay still. He pushed her knees farther about still and Daine groaned, feeling a clenching in her abdomen and a rising of some yet unknown feeling. The mage bent to whisper in her ear.

"Little mage," he murmured, the warmth of his voice was overwhelming.

"I'm going to touch you." Daine gasped and wiggled again. His hand strayed a little lower than mid thigh. Numair waited until she was still to say,

"I'm telling you this so you won't be surprised." To Daine's despair she heard herself make a small whining noise. Numair smiled, as if that was what he was going for. Daine felt the wetness slide from the space between her legs to coat her inner thigh. His palm moved a little lower.

"Don't worry, I'll be very, very gentle." Daine's whole body felt like a firecracker ready to go off. His hand rested on the highest point of her thigh, his littlest finger barely brushing the curls between her legs. He murmured again.

"At least…" he whispered teasingly.

"At first." Daine gasped as Numair's gentle but insisting fingers stroked her lips. Daine gasped and panted. His finger's slipped in her wetness and she felt him smile against her cheek. He stroked and murmured words of love in her ear as his forefinger circled her clit. Daine whined again and Numair chose that moment to slip and single finger in side of her. She gasped and cried out. Even that felt tight! Yet as he began to move his finger, slowly rubbing her inner walls Daine felt herself relax, just the tiniest bit, as an overwhelming sensation of pleasure began to build.

Numair began to move his hand a little faster and Daine threw her head back against his pillow. Now her knees spread voluntarily, willing him to push deeper. The mage rose to his knees and scooted lowered on her bed, not stopping his hand even as he kissed her naval. For the first time Daine closed her eyes, overwhelmed by the new sensation.

When he kissed her pussy Daine's knees snapped closed again, buffeting her lover about his ears. The mage made an indigent sound. He gently pushed her legs apart, and amused eyes met her shocked ones.

"Careful little love, you'll give me a concussion." Daine gasped and tried to wiggle away from him. The mage wrapped his around around her hips, his palm pressing to the middle of her lower back and pulled her back to him. Daine stammered,

"You can't…I didn't know…" Numair chortled.

"I can't do what? Make love to you? Please you?" He quirked an eyebrow and fixed her with a playful, challenging expression.

"Please Daine, there is very little I can't do." Now she struggled in earnest, fully intending to kick the smug look from his face. The mage caught her ankle and tugged her back down to him. Soothingly, he stroked her calf. Lulled by his touch, and the ecstasy of it, Daine let him. She watched in wonder and confusion as her kissed her inner thigh. The mage kissed a little lower, at the highest point of her thigh, and finished the thought he had started earlier.

"And…" He said pointedly, as he had been interrupted.
"There is nothing I wouldn't do to hear you make that little noise again." He kissed between her legs again. Daine did as she was bid and whimpered, this time she didn't stop him. His tongue licked at her opening and Daine gasped. She groped and stroked at his hair, half thinking to stop him but unable to do so in the wake of the ecstasy that was building. He licked and sucked, and just when Daine was about ready to scream with pleasure he stopped and rose to stare into her eyes and kiss the lips on her face. She felt like she had been driven mad with pleasure. She wiggled and whimpered, begging him to give her some release from the onslaught of what she felt coming. The mage grinned at her, reading her face well.

"In a moment, love." He said, and not for the first time tonight, Daine wondered if he had been possessed by some merciless, devilish creature. As she contemplated his insanity, Numair twined his fingers with hers and nibbled at her ear as he pulled their conjoined hands lower. When her fingers brushed the fabric of his loincloth she gasped at what had been overlooked. Her startled gray eyes met his warm brown ones and he winked at her. Daine's surprised face turned impish as she wiggled further beneath him and with sudden bravery, she yanked his underwear off in an emboldened whoosh. Numair laughed outright, cupped her face in his hands, and kissed her thoroughly. Daine returned the kissed and let her hands rove to his buttocks. Suddenly, and for the first time, they were both naked and entwined. Daine relished in the feel of his expanse of flesh against hers. There's just so much of him. She thought. She was acutely aware of all the places they touched. Their legs wrapped around each other's, her chest was pressed against his, their lips touched, though she kept her hips pushed away from his, not quite ready for the final moment. There's just so much of him. Daine thought again, but this time she added, in more ways than one.

Numair rolled her over onto her side and lay facing her, cupping her breasts in his hands, his thumbs toyed with her nipples. Daine moved a little closer and the back of her hand skimmed down his chest, stopping to toy with the hair there, before moving down to his taught belly. She stroked his firm abs, admired the slight curve to his hip, and skimmed over his curled pubic hair. The mage's breath hitched, and very gently, her fingertips brushed his shaft. His member pulsed as Numair groaned. Encouraged, Daine's curious fingers stroked his testicles and cupped them gently. Numair's belly clenched. Smiling, loving his reaction, she wrapped a hand around his shaft and was rewarded when Numair groaned and pushed in her grip. Daine wiggled closer and rubbed her nose in the soft hair of his chest. Nuzzling turned to kissing, and finally licking as she found his nipple. Numair pumped a little faster and finally, with a groan, flipped her onto her back. His hands gripped her waist, moved her into position, and with less encouragement this time, Daine spread her thighs to receive him. He lowered himself onto her, but didn't try to push inside. They both gasped.

Daine struggled to understand the size of him between to legs. He must of seen her face for suddenly he was tucking her curls away from her ear and making soothing noises into it. Numair moved his hips, grinding against her and Daine felt her wetness slip over him, making his shaft slick with desire. Numair reached down and positioned the tip of himself against her opening. It was like nothing Daine had felt before, and she was overcome with desire, both to push him into her and satisfy this craving, and to push him, and his overwhelming hardness way.

Numair applied a little pressure and Daine cried out, in pleasure or fear she wasn't sure. The mage caressed her cheek and whispered in her ear.

"Ready, my love?" Surprising herself, Daine nodded vigorously. Slowly, carefully, Numair began to push inside of her.

At first, nothing happened. For a sickening moment Daine thought he wasn't going to fit, even with her wetness slick between them. Her flesh did not give way, and with an unreadable expression, Numair pushed a little harder. Daine gave a breathy cry and the mage buried his head in the nape of her neck. Daine lifted her hips to him, encouraging though it began to pain her, and reluctantly, Numair pumped his hips against her. Daine cried out as the very tip of him pushed inside her. He pumped again, and Daine felt herself widening to accommodate him. Numair lifted his face to study hers and Daine tried to keep from wincing for fear he would stop. Their eyes locked and held as he slipped in a little farther. Slowly, Daine's lips parted as a burning pain was replaced by the slow dawning of pleasure.

Finally Numair was buried completely inside her and Daine groaned, this time in pleasure. The mage grunted and Daine saw that he was struggling to control himself. Daine kissed him, and as if that was his cue, Numair's hips began to rock. When their eyes locked again he whispered,

"I love you." Simply and sweetly. Daine groaned.

"Yes…" She panted.

"More than anything," she panted again,

"I love you." Numair's breath hitched and he began to rock a little faster. Daine arched her back, the pain entirely replaced by a sweet, deep ache that began to swell and wash over her like a wave breaking on the beach. He moved faster, Daine's breasts began to bounce. The waves she felt began to strengthen and finally Daine cried out in pure ecstasy. She threw her head back just in time to see a smile twitch onto Numair's determined lips. A moment later he cried out as well, and Daine felt the pulse as he spilled himself into her.

A little while later Daine slept comfortably by her lover, curled up against his strong, protective embrace. The mage smoothed a wayward curl from her peaceful brow, and wondered what he had done in his life to deserve the sweet, spicy, entirely feisty girl who chased him through the the realms, mortal and immortal alike. She had charmed him, hounded him, at times scolded him, and taught him an entirely new meaning for stubborn. He shook his head in wonder, and kissed her soft cheek.

"Sleep well, my little mage." Daine smiled in her sleep, and scooted a little closer.