Stepping Into the Sunlight
Chapter 12: Convergence of Night

A/N: Welcome back, all! As a fair warning, this chapter is a reflection of the story's M rating for "explicit adult situations" with a nice bit of fluff at the end- next chapter we settle back into our main storyline! Enjoy!


"This time, don't even try to stop me."

Those words fed the fire of Vilkas' very being, the lupine aspect he kept so carefully housed at the back of his mind tearing at its shackles in desperation. It was always tempting to give the beast some leeway when passion overcame him, the animal just as content with cutting down an enemy as with bedding an eager woman; and it was clear that Marlena was more than willing.

"I can't imagine why I'd want to, love- now or ever again," he murmured against her lips before catching them in a bruising kiss. She was quick to respond in kind, one hand sliding around the back of his neck and winding into his hair, forcing his head to tip back as she slowly lifted herself to kneel above him. Their lips parted for only an instant, during which time Vilkas' hand dropped to grasp the back of her right thigh, pulling it up and around his waist as he turned and settled her on the bed beneath him in one swift, gentle movement. The soft gasp of surprise Marlena gave was enough to pull a smirk from his lips as he took advantage of his new superior position in order to seal his lips to her throat, teeth and tongue leaving behind evidence of his eagerness to map her body by taste alone.

Marlena's lips parted in a breathy sigh as her lover's teeth encountered a particularly sensitive spot just above her collarbone, prompting him to nibble the tendon there as if to mark the site for future reference before continuing to make his way down her body. She tugged at his hair almost chidingly, though the rebuke was taken rather lightly judging by the smug, knowing smirk that had formed on his face. He supported himself on his knees and elbows, keeping most his weight off her and allowing him to move freely and act upon any whim that came to him.

The faint murmur of approval Vilkas earned when his tongue circled one of her pert nipples before drawing it into his mouth sent a jolt of pleasure straight to his groin, forcing him to shift his weight onto one elbow in order to reach down and loosen the lacing that ran up the front his trousers. It didn't help that Marlena's blunt nails were simultaneously caressing his scalp and drawing light red marks up his back. A pleasant shiver ran up his spine at her ministrations and he was eager to reward her by bringing his hand up to join his mouth. Marlena's thighs pressed tightly against either side of his waist, her spine arching gracefully as he switched the fixation of his lips, teeth, and tongue to the breast his fingers had previously been tending to. He took the opportunity to fit his hand against the small of her back and draw her more tightly against him, relishing each sweet, breathless sound of pleasure that passed her lips. Somehow he knew she wouldn't be an exceptionally vocal lover, preferring to display her approval in actions rather than words just as she did in all other aspects of her life; for him, it only made every whisper that passed her lips that much more arousing.

The young woman's hands on the back of his neck drew him up to her lips which he sought eagerly, taking her lower lip between his teeth and satisfactorily distracting her with his tongue to the point she almost didn't notice his hand slipping out from beneath her and following the line of her hipbone around to the front of her body. Only when his thumb nestled between her slick folds to circle the small, sensitive bundle of nerves did he break from her lips as her hips began to move against his hand in time with his knowing touches. Her dark hair spilled beneath her across the furs of his bed in stark contrast to her lightly flushed skin and rosy, kiss-swollen lips, painting a picture he felt both privileged to witness and proud to have created.

Marlena watched her lover through heavily lidded eyes while her body succumbed to every touch, each glance from his smoldering, lust-darkened eyes sending another jolt of desire straight to her core. And yet she still craved more. As her arousal mounted she became increasingly aware of the aching emptiness that lingered just below where his fingers were currently focused. Her nails dug into the firm muscle of his bicep as she writhed under his intense gaze, her hand moving to meet his as his name left her lips sounding far more like a plea than she had intended. The effect, however, was a far more than satisfactory; as soon as she guided his hand to cup her sex he was quick to oblige her, slipping his index finger easily into her warmth and stroking her inner walls in a way that was quick to make her eyes fall closed and her hand move from his in order to fist into the fur beside her hip. Feeling her readiness, evidenced by the slickness of her folds and the way her hips rocked responsively into his hand, he wasted no time in adding a second digit and pulling another whimper from her lips.

Outside the small world they had created together, outside of this room, the woman who so willingly gave herself over to him in every way possible was the same woman whose blade he would almost fear to be on the wrong side of. Even without every distinction bestowed upon her by the powers that be, Man or Divine, she was fierce in her own right and stronger than anyone he had met in his 26 winters of life. People were drawn to her power, willing to follow her unquestioningly into Oblivion and back if only she'd asked- and if she had her way, she'd no doubt give her own life if it meant everyone else would survive. She was equal parts diplomatic and unyielding, holding staunchly to her morals despite every temptation to cast them into the wind all the while doing her best to keep the peace that Skyrim was so tenuously clinging to. Outside this room she was an Imperial, a Legionnaire, an assassin, a Nightingale and Guild Master, Harbinger and the Dragonborn- yet right here and now she was just a woman, and he was just a man. Though, by Vilkas' own reckoning she may very well have been an Aedra and he naught but a mortal blessed to be in her very presence.

So he worshipped her as he believed she so desperately deserved, committing to loving every inch of her with all he had to give.

He moved down the bed purposefully, settling on his stomach and drawing one of her legs up and over his shoulder before placing a hot, open-mouthed kiss on the inside of her knee. With each additional kiss he drew nearer to her heat, the aroma of her arousal growing stronger and stirring the beast within him anew. Marlena's hand had moved from his bicep to his hair, nails digging into his scalp in a way that brought a hum of pleasure straight from his chest as he gently sealed his mouth around her clit. The taste of her on his tongue was intoxicating, moreso than any ale, mead, or wine to ever pass his lips, and far more addicting. Her unobtrusive moans made his heart sing even louder than the beastblood that ran in his veins, reining him in and prompting him to caress her pearl with his tongue as his fingers continued to move within her in long strokes.

Marlena's thighs began to tremble as her inner walls pulsed around his digits and her first twisted in his hair, signaling her approaching climax alongside the drastic bowing of her spine. He continued his ministrations even after she reached the height of her pleasure, prolonging the sensation as well as the small shudders that ran through her as her tensed muscles finally gave way and she fell lax beneath him. Her weak tug on his hair prompted Vilkas to move up her body once more, unable to keep from grinning at her slightly dazed yet satiated expression even as her eyes finally opened enough to meet his gaze. She didn't seem put-off by his smugness, instead guiding his lips to hers once again and kissing him fully with newfound appreciation and a returning sense of eagerness. Marlena felt a lightness in her body and soul that had been absent for quite a while, all thoughts outside the man currently in her arms long gone and cast into some dark corner where they couldn't touch her.

Tasting herself on his tongue was an unusual yet not unpleasant experience, the faint rumble that emanated from him conveying his own opinion on the matter. Vilkas' arms caged her in as he settled on his elbows, distinctly aware of her hands as they slid down his sides before grasping the top of his trousers and tugging them down off his hips far enough for him to eventually kick them off all together. Just as he began to settle between her thighs once more he drew away from her lips with a low groan, Marlena's fingers had encircled his rigid manhood with little warning and were beginning to stroke him from base to tip with a knowing hand. The combination of her firm grip and relaxed pace caused a pleasant tingle to spread over his skin from head to toe, but soon a familiar tightness began to settle within him.

The faint groans that emanated from the man above her told Marlena that she wasn't as nearly out of practice as she'd originally thought, that fact emphasized as Vilkas was quick to guide her hand from his member to thread their fingers together palm to palm. His shoulders were heaving slightly as he caught his breath and when his eyes finally opened to meet her own she was awestruck by the raw, tumultuous emotion she found within them. There was something akin to admiration, overlaid with a desire and warmth that took her breath away. Slowly Vilkas guided her hand closer to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on the soft skin of the back of her hand in a silent inquiry. As their linked hands came to rest above her head on the furs of his bed and he settled his weight upon her, Marlena's free hand reached up to cradle the back of his skull as she met him in a kiss that gave him the answer he'd been seeking.

One of her legs slid up to hook over his hip, giving him an opportunity to align himself more fully before taking her with one smooth thrust and settling into her slick velvet heat. Soft vocalizations of pleasure at their joining were stifled between their lips, hardly a breath passing before Vilkas set a comfortable rhythm of long, firm strokes that pushed fire through her veins and brought new life to her body. Marlena heard her name pass his lips between kisses, coming out barely above a whisper that sounded almost reverent to her ears. She felt her heart swell, the simple action of hearing her name uttered in such a way affecting her far more than she would have anticipated. Her hand squeezed his own with each thrust, the angle created by her knee coming up level with his shoulder blades and her heel resting against his lower back causing his thick member to stretch her in the most perfect way. The arch of her back had their chests pressed close together, and she found the sensation of his solid muscles and scarred skin rubbing so intimately against her own incredibly erotic.

Slowly Vilkas' control began to slip, his rhythm increasing to a pace and roughness that Marlena was eager to oblige as she felt a familiar heat pooling low in her belly. The soft, sharp slap of skin on skin and the lightly salty taste of his skin filled her senses, accompanied by her quiet mantra of his name on her lips. It was becoming more and more difficult to think of anything but the way her nerves jumped beneath her skin and the searing of the tightly wound coil within her that threatened to snap at ay second. Without warning Vilkas' lips moved from her own to the junction of her neck and shoulder, all but rutting against her and creating just the right kind of delicious friction that pushed her over the edge with a muted, wanton moan. He kept moving against her, enraptured by the sight, sound, and feel of her as her thighs shuddered against his hips. A low growl rumbled in his chest against his own volition as his teeth finally broke the skin of her neck, the intoxicating sensation of her liquid heat clamping down on his girth finally coaxing him to give in to his own release.

To be completely honest, Marlena hardly felt his sharp canines digging into her skin, and once her second orgasm washed over her she didn't feel much of anything aside from the gratification of their joining that consumed her more completely and fiercely than the fire of any dragon. She actually smelt the blood he'd drawn from her body before she became aware of the slight stinging in her neck, momentarily distracted by the warmth that bloomed in her lower abdomen as he found his completion within her. Then his tongue was there, assuaging the wounded skin even as her own body began to repair the damage near instantly. For once, Marlena's mind was truly and wonderfully blank, unable to conceive any words to express the bliss that lingered. Vilkas' weight settled upon her as she finally lowered her leg down to the bed with a contented sigh, comforted by the dense heat of his body encasing her own. Her fingers combed gently through his dark hair, finally cradling his head against her chest once he was certain the small wound he inflicted was no longer bleeding.

After a few brief moments of stillness Marlena felt the man above her stirring, slowly lifting his weight up onto his forearms as her eyes finally opened enough to look up at him with a soft, gratified smile. Whatever small amount of concern had existed in his mind was quickly washed away, and he quickly dipped his head to capture her lips in a chaste, tender kiss. Finally he shifted onto his side, slipping from her warmth before pulling her securely to his chest and pressing his lips to her brow.

"How are you feeling?" Vilkas quietly asked, his hand sliding down her back to settle on her waist as he gazed down on her placid features. He had felt a small burst of shame when he realized how much control he had given to his beast, especially in that it resulted in him harming her however superficially.

"Better than ever," the young woman murmured in reply, and with how openly she was currently regarding him he had no difficulty believing that it was the truth. His thumb rubbed gentle circles on her hipbone as her eyes closed once again, basking in their shared post-coital bliss. He simply watched her for a while, studying the few freckles that dotted the bridge of her nose, her thick lashes, the fullness of her lips, and the small scar that nicked the outer edge of her eyebrow. In that moment he was sure that she had been made to break him in every way possible. And it made the thought of losing her strike him that much deeper.

"You're going tomorrow… To face Alduin."

It wasn't a question, but Marlena peered up at him almost curiously. She hadn't told him, or Aela, or anyone else when she was going. But he didn't seem surprised or otherwise perturbed by his own admission so somehow he had known, and he clearly had come to terms with it already.

"Yes." She couldn't lie to him again, not anymore. It wasn't right, and it wasn't fair to either of them. Her hand settled lightly over his heart and her eyes went with it, feeling every thump pulsing through her fingertips as his chest rose and fell with each breath.

"You know I love you, right? More than my own life," Marlena murmured, her eyes fixated on the spot where her fingers began to trace light patterns on his skin, flitting over sparse, dark hair and scars of varying shapes and sizes. Soon his hand moved from her hip and came to rest over her own, wrapping around her fingers and prompting her to meet is gaze. Even as he answered in the affirmative, there was a question lingering in his eyes that she couldn't quite make sense of.

"If I were to offer my life to you, would you take it?"

"I don't—" Marlena started, Vilkas squeezing her hand gently to encourage her to wait.

"I want to give you all the years I have left, so when you come back to me I can stay at your side until the time comes when I join Kodlak in Sovngarde… That is, if you'll have me," the Nord said quietly, his thumb brushing lightly across the back of her hand as if it were an afterthought. He was watching her watch him, her mind slowly piecing together his proposition.

Her mouth suddenly felt very dry and she licked her lips reflexively, forcing herself to confirm what he was requesting of her.

"Vilkas… You're asking me to marry you?" she murmured, her heartbeat becoming almost deafeningly loud in her own ears. His response was a mild nod, though he was quick to clarify.

"In a way; we don't have to go to a priest or have a ceremony or anything if it's not something you want… As far as I'm concerned the Divines could hardly bless my life any more than they already have by bringing us together. I only want to share my life with you in every sense, and your acceptance would be as good to me as any vows taken in a temple," Vilkas said gently, his eyes studying her features fondly, recalling the way her nose would crinkle when she smiled and how she'd bite her lip when she was deep in thought. "I want to give you the life you deserve to have."

Marlena closed her eyes against the tears that threatened to spill over, leaning her head forward against his collarbone. He wasn't asking anything of her that she hadn't already been wishing for or allowed herself to further imagine in her moments of weakness, but to know he felt the same way was more than she could hope for. He'd admitted to her himself that loving her was dangerous and difficult, but then again, so was life- especially this life.

"So even if we don't do anything 'official', I can still call you my husband, right?" She finally asked, eyes returning to his as she gave him her sweetest smile. Vilkas' response was a gentle smirk and an expression of pure adoration that made her grin even more.

"You can call me whatever you want, love; but I'd gladly call you my wife all the same," he replied, sealing the promise with a kiss that made her toes curl in the most pleasant way. The kisses they shared were slow and unhurried- kisses just for the sake of kissing. Ever so slowly they settled down into a gentle embrace, exhaustion settling over them like a blanket and drawing them into one another. For once it seemed that man and beast were truly in harmony with one another, and that night the lovers slept undisturbed.


TBC