Hey guys, this may possibly be my last update until next weekend! I've got some deadlines on Thursday I need to meet as well as a bundle of work to catch up on! :( Thank you so much for your feedback, the good news is this will definitely be completed as I've written the final chapter so I have something to work towards.

Chapter Ten

I shouldn't be doing this, I shouldn't be here. Sarah lay on her back on Jareth's cavernous bed, she was dressed in her nightgown, the duvet which had been pulled up to her chin was thrown back and a cool breeze tickled the lace at her neckline. Jareth emerged at her side dressed in only a pair of leggings, he looked down at her hungrily. His eyes never left Sarah's as he climbed onto the bed and towered above her, planting his hands either side of her arms to keep himself upright. Sarah could feel her heart thumping painfully in her chest, her breathing sped up and was soon erratic. She tried to break her gaze free from Jareth's but he held her captive with his eyes. His right hand lifted itself from the mattress and grazed down her cheek, it was an odd thing to notice but she couldn't help realising he still wore the leather gloves. His hand trailed down to her right breast where he cupped it gently, grazing his thumb lightly over her nipple. Sarah gasped and felt her back arch lightly towards his touch.

"Should I stop?" He asked her rubbing his thumb back and forth, a moan escaped Sarah's lips and she felt her cheeks flame. She couldn't speak; she wished he would break their gaze so she could look away. He dominated her completely; it was embarrassing...yet erotic. She wasn't sure what to think. This is wrong. She kept telling herself, but no matter what her mind said her body responded differently. He lowered his head down to hers and claimed her mouth hungrily, at long last Sarah was able to move but her body once more ignored her head. Her left hand clasped the back of his neck kneading at the tense muscles. His right hand continued its assault on her breast and she felt her thighs flood with warmth.

This is torture! She thought kissing him back just as hungrily. He broke the kiss and she gave a small moan of frustration, for a few seconds he just gazed down at her nightgown. His leather clad hands gripped either side of her nightgown before tearing it open and leaving her completely exposed to him. Free from his gaze Sarah turned her head away; the sight of him gazing upon her vulnerability was too much to bear.

"Look at me," he commanded tilting her head back to face him gently. "Never look away from me." He lowered himself once more, taking her hand in his; he guided her to his loins. She was surprised at its solid length and she bit the inside of her cheek as he guided her hand up and down gently along his shaft. "Sarah," he moaned her name and buried his face into her neck. His leggings were quickly discarded and then he was above her, as bare as she was. Only he was unashamed with his state of undress. "You shouldn't be ashamed," he whispered lowering his gloved hands to the inside of her thigh and stroking her gently. "You are beautiful," he brushed his lips along her nose, cheeks, forehead, eyelids and finally down to her lips. "It will hurt only for a moment."

Sarah's eyes snapped open, her body was flushed and she felt as if she'd been sat next to a roaring fire. Her loins were heavy and she realised that she had been dreaming. She looked to her left and saw Jareth facing her, his eyes closed and his breathing slow. It was her eighteenth birthday and Jareth had deemed that she would spend every night of her birthday in his bed so she wouldn't be so nervous on their wedding night. She realised her breathing was still rapid and she carefully climbed from the bed with shaking limbs. What had that been about? She closed the door to his bathroom and tore her nightgown off, back home she had frequently heard people referring to cold showers. Jareth had no shower, but she prayed an ice cold bath would be just as effective in this situation. She knelt beside the water to find it full already, and with freezing cold water. Trying to be as quiet as possible Sarah quickly jumped in so that she wouldn't chicken out from the cold temperature. She let out a gasp as the water washed over her. It did help though, her body no longer burned and the heavy feeling in her loins had ceased. Her body slowly adjusted to the temperature and she swam over to one of the seats so she could relax and think.

Her eighteenth had been thankfully uneventful; she had been tense for most of the day thinking that Jareth would lose his temper. The past year she had spent most of her time being cautious around the Goblin King, she would have avoided him but he'd never permitted her a moment alone. She would visit her friends occasionally, although as they all had jobs to do she couldn't visit them as frequently as she liked. It was those rare occasions when she was free from Jareth's side, those and the nights. But she never doubted for a second that when she wasn't with him he wasn't watching her.

She was no closer to finding her way out of the Labyrinth either. She had buried herself in books from the library trying to learn as much about the Labyrinth as she could. To avoid Jareth's suspicion she had told him she wanted to be prepared to become his Queen. But she knew he wouldn't truly believe that.

"What am I going to do?" She asked herself folding her knees to her chest and resting her chin upon them.

"You could come back to bed." She looked up startled to see Jareth standing at the opposite edge of the bath staring down at her. She was thankful for the darkness but kept her knees firmly drawn to her chest. "Sarah it is three in the morning, what are you doing?" He sounded as if he was scolding a small child and she shrugged warily.

"I couldn't sleep...the room was stuffy..." Jareth knelt beside the bath and dipped his foot into the water, when he looked back up at her his eyes held a knowing smirk and she looked away. Had he planted the dream in her head? She didn't believe she could dream something so vivid, so erotic, of her own accord. The thought repulsed her. How can I be attracted to this man and yet repulsed by him? What is wrong with me? "Sarah come back to bed, you cannot sit in a bath of freezing cold water you will catch your death." He picked a thick black dressing robe and walked around the edge so that he stood above her.

"I thought I couldn't die?" She made no move to get up, once she stood up he would see every part of her. She desperately wanted to avoid giving him that satisfaction.

"You are still mortal and will remain so until our wedding night." He leant down and yanked her to her feet making sure to hold the robe out of her reach until he was satisfied with what he saw. Sarah snatched the robe as soon as he lowered it within reach and hurriedly shrugged it on fastening the belt. She carefully climbed up beside him and rubbed her arms through the fabric. Now that the dream was pushed back to the deepest depths of her mind she could feel the cold once more. "Come back to bed," Jareth said tenderly cupping her cheek and tilting her face to his. Sarah nodded and followed him out, stooping to retrieve her nightgown from the floor as she did. She was too frightened to go back to sleep though, what if Jareth was controlling her dreams? Or worse...what if he wasn't? As Jareth slipped back under the duvet Sarah took the precious few seconds where his back was turned to shed the robe and slip her nightdress back over her head. Jareth wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on top of her damp head.

"What happens to change me on our wedding night?" She asked nervously playing with the light hairs on his forearms.

"When we consummate our marriage we join as one; one body, one mind, and one soul. That one moment creates a connection between us and binds you to Labyrinth completely."

"So...in theory anyone you sleep with can become immortal?" She could feel Jareth smirking into her hair and he shook his head.

"No sweet Sarah, there must be a connection – and it can only be with one. Whilst I may bring as many women to my bed as I desire, only you shall enjoy the true power." Sarah rolled her eyes and snuggled deeper into the blanket. "What?" His tone went dangerously low and she wondered if he could read her mind to see what she had been thinking.

"It's just...I have not seen any women in the Labyrinth. You talk as if you're some sort of Adonis..." She tried to make light of it but she could tell she was digging herself into dangerous territory. Jareth rolled her onto her back and straddled her pinning her hands above her head. Looking at him towering above her like this reminded her of her dream and her cheeks burnt with humiliation.

"Do you think you are the only person to have stepped foot into my Labyrinth Sarah? Look around you, this world is influenced by its victims. Go down into the throne room and count the goblins sleeping on the floor. Count the goblins in the kitchen. And that pitiful friend of yours, Hogwart –"

"Hoggle!"

"I do not care what his name is," Jareth hissed with blazing eyes. "He is a goblin, he is beneath me. Beneath you for that matter. But you miss my point, for every goblin there has been at least one woman who has come into my domain." Sarah tried to wriggle out from under him but his knees tightened around her hips and he pushed her hands deeper into the pillows. "I have been around for centuries Sarah; I am well over a millennium. Do not think for a second I have never enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh, I can assure you I have done so." Keeping her hands pinned with one of his he used his free hand to keep her head still, lowering his down he kissed her roughly on the lips. His pale eyes bore into hers; they mocked her as his tongue probed into her mouth. She tried to resist, to buck him off, but his was too strong for her and she surrendered to the kiss. As she surrendered he began to soften the kiss, to caress her lips with his own. "I have wanted to do that for so long," he whispered huskily pulling her into an upright position so that he cradled her lower back. She didn't resist as he kissed her once more, her fingers wound themselves into his thick mane of blonde hair, pulling him closer. Her eyes flickered closed and the image from her dream of clasping his neck filled her vision. Suddenly she bolted backwards and pushed him away.

"We shouldn't..." She said nervously half-frightened he would pull her back, half-yearning that he would do just that and claim her mouth once more. Instead he nodded and simply lay back down, in the moonlight she could see his chest rising and falling rapidly. She moved over to the side she slept on and remained sitting upright. "You say the Labyrinth is influenced by its victims...is that why Sir Diddymus looks like one of my teddies...and Ambrosius my dog?"

"Yes...and no. Sir Diddymus is over two hundred years old; it was your teddy that was created to look like him. Our world's have a strong connection, when magic was a power to be reckoned with on Earth witches created goblins. But as they began to be persecuted fewer goblins were made and this world was made to protect them. Goblins do not die unless killed, nor do they breed. Before goblins were sent here they were a common threat to children 'if you do not stop playing and do your chores I will give you to the goblin' were common threats. But when there were no more goblins what could mothers do to keep their children in line?" Sarah looked down at him biting her lip, her own father had used such threats with her but rather than being terrified she had been fascinated. Even as a young toddler. "The witch who created this world saw potential in me, I was close to being arrested for black magic so she bestowed upon me the gift of immortality, she brought me here and began the rumour that the Goblin King would take away naughty children. Each time a child was brought to me I created something familiar to them which would then remain forever in the Labyrinth, if the person who wished them away came into the Labyrinth then I created something familiar to them also, to lull them into a false sense of security."

"That's horrible!" Sarah protested, rather than getting angry Jareth merely laughed scornfully.

"Do you think I would help people through?" He pulled her down into his arms and stroked her hair as he continued talking. "The day of your birth my power seeped out of the Labyrinth, at first I wasn't aware of what was happening but I was drawn to you. As I watched you grow up I noticed the stuffed animals, the books and jigsaws which bore a strong resemblance to my kingdom. I knew you were the one. For sixteen years I had to wait for you to say those words...to wish me to you..."

"And if I had never wished for you to come and take Toby away?"

"Then you and Toby would have led normal lives and I would have carried on for eternity in solitude with only the goblins for company, with only an occasional woman to warm my bed for me." Sarah almost felt sad for him. Almost.

"You planned that night, the night I accidentally called you." Jareth smiled but remained silent; Sarah longed to hit him but knew it would do her no good. She could shout at him all she liked but it wouldn't change the fact it had been her who'd said the words.

"Do not be upset, this was your fate Sarah you would have summoned me at some point. I just saw an opportunity and took it." Sarah could think of nothing to say, she suddenly felt false. Had any decision she made been her own? Or had she been some kind of pawn? And why had she been marked to be the Goblin King's Queen?

"What if I don't want to marry you?"

"Do you remember what I said to you when you offered to take your brother's place? I told you, you would have to obey me. You do not have a choice in the matter of marriage. And if you were truly honest with yourself, you would admit you want to marry me. You yearn for my touch as much as I yearn for yours." His voice was sickeningly cocky as he spoke.

"It wasn't fair though, I thought you would turn me into a goblin! I did not think I would be facing this..."

"I do wish you would stop whinging about something being fair. You are eighteen Sarah; you are no longer a child. Grow up." He scolded her, "in three years we will marry and I will bestow upon you powers similar to mine own."

"I wish..." Sarah looked around as a woman's voice whispered through the air, Jareth too sat upright suddenly alert.

"What's ha –" she whispered but Jareth held up a had to silence her. The air grew thick and a wind began to whip through the room. Sarah pulled the duvet against herself and looked around nervously.

"I wish the goblins would come and take you away!"