Chapter Twenty-Five: Dominance

Smirking, Xellos inserted two of his fingers into her body, completely erasing Lina's exasperated expression from her face as she gasped. Leaning forward, he held her by her shoulder and kissed her neck viciously, leaving a red mark at her nape.

"Tell me, Lina." He exhaled hot air on her neck as he spoke, eliciting goose bumps on her skin.

In response, Lina attempted to push him away, but Xellos was still physically stronger. Instead of forcing her down, he inserted another finger and pulled her closer as he nibbled up to her ear. Lina moaned as she winced from the penetration. Out of necessity he felt her leaning back and spreading her legs. Though she was still quite wet and loose, Xellos' fingers were met with slight resistance. It was a welcome change from their sweet intercourse just moments earlier. He felt himself growing harder with each moan she emitted. He liked her subtle resistance.

Lowering her to the bed, Xellos held her down with one hand as he leaned sideways over her, petting her insides with his fingers. Lina wiggled underneath him, trying to work herself out of his grasp and influence. Though he wasn't as strong as he was when he had all his power, he still felt significantly stronger than Lina as he watched her struggle. It brought him immense satisfaction. Amused, he curled his fingers inside her, rubbing her walls.

"X-Xellos..." His name escaped her lips as she spread her legs wider, bending her knees. He could feel her hips rising and falling as she began enjoying the sensation.

That wouldn't do, he thought. Though her reactions had stimulated him completely, it wasn't what he wanted. This wasn't meant to please her. Continuing, he inserted another finger, stretching her out more as he harshly bent his fingers, pushing deeper into her body. Lina moaned as her hips rose again to meet his motions. Her eyes closed, seemingly out of pleasure. That's right, he thought a little regretfully, she enjoys pain.

"Tell me, my Lina." He cooed in her ear. Nibbling on her earlobe, he elicited more blissful, but strained sighs from her. He watched her face from the corner of his eye as he kissed along her jaw line. "Tell me, my Lina." To his dismay, her eyes remained closed. He wanted more visible reactions from her. In the past, he could have just read her emotions, thrived on that alone. But now, he needed visual indication that she was bending to his will. Without being able to ascertain if she was succumbing to his manipulations, he decided to change his approach. Xellos removed his fingers entirely, her juices seeping from her. Lina groaned, irritated, as his hand left her body.

Pleased with her disappointed grumbling that followed, Xellos pinched her clit, rubbing it between his middle finger and thumb. Lina's body attempted to jerk upward but he held her firmly in place. The sensation forced her eyes open, her mouth now gaping as she inhaled sharply. Taking advantage of her shock, Xellos inserted his tongue into her mouth, aggressively stroking hers with his. When Lina made to return his kiss, Xellos pulled back. As he did, Lina grabbed him with her arms, pulling him down onto her. She kissed his closed lips fiercely, trying to get him to reciprocate. Releasing her entirely, Xellos slid out of her grasp and sat back against the pile of pillows as he licked her off of his fingers while gazing back at her.

Lina sat up immediately and glared at him. "Xellos!" Her face, red with rage, was just inches from his as she crawled up to him. "You're really starting to piss me off."

Sighing, he shrugged. "My dear, dear Lina... if you'd just answer me, you could put an end to all this teasing." Xellos brought his index finger to her open lips. Staring at them, he leaned in and kissed her lightly where his finger once touched. He wasn't sure exactly what made him do it since it went against his current goal, but as he pulled back he noticed Lina's face slowly softening. Wrapping her in his arms, he pulled her into a tight hug, her body pressed against his, though awkwardly slouching. It was a strange, instinctual reaction for him, but it seemed necessary.

Lina resituated herself in his lap, her back resting against his chest. Xellos moved his hands around her waist, letting one slowly return to her divide. Spreading her legs, Lina allowed his fingers entry again as he began kissing up and down the side of her neck that wasn't obscured by her hair. She melted in his arms as he fingered her tenderly.

"Do you prefer me being gentle with you, Lina?" He whispered in her ear as he finally made his way up to it, his warm breath and saliva canvassing her skin.

"It's nice every now and then." Lina replied between sighs as he inserted a third finger and began rubbing against her clit as he moved his hand in and out of her, his palm rubbing her exterior.

His other hand explored her body, running up and down her scarred, but smooth skin from her chin to her hips. Gently, he caressed her face with his finger tips, occasionally finding her lips on them, giving his fingers soft kisses before he trailed them back down to her breasts. All the while, he nibbled on her ear and kissed down her neck and shoulder, tasting her with slow, deliberate licks. He felt calmer now, even though he was incredibly aroused. Her butt pressed against his groin, reminding him of how he had penetrated her there. The mental image of him filling all of her holes as she had stared back at him with satiated lust and fiery passion resurfaced, making his heart pound harder.

Lina wiggled in his arms as her body tightened around his hand. Her skin grew damp with sweat as she began moving her hips against his fingers, trying to make them go deeper.

"If you answer me, then I'll let you finish." His voice, though barely a whisper, was almost threatening. He inserted a fourth finger but just held his hand still inside her as she adjusted to the thickness. He wanted to hear her say it, but was gradually coming to realize that, even if she did, it would be pointless. He couldn't consume her angst and heartbreak. As she had clearly pointed out, humans had hope. He wanted to break it, but couldn't do it too soon. Perhaps this line of interrogation was a misstep. He made a mental note to prevent her from divulging too much. He wanted to savor it when he was back to normal. He wanted to taste her despair when he took her hope from her.

Her breathing became more labored as she began approaching her climax just from the sensation of additional penetration and constant teasing he had been doing to her body. "You're such an ass." She grumbled, clearly frustrated.

Xellos wished he could consume her irritation. Just seeing it in her face, hearing it in her voice wasn't enough. He grew disappointed that he couldn't get what he needed from her. Even so, he refused to concede. Even if he wouldn't let her actually say what she felt, getting her to cave was the goal. Controlling her was far more important.

"Is that a no?" He asked. His tongue brushed her ear as he partially withdrew his fingers.

Lina immediately clutched his wrist, preventing him from pulling it out more. "Let me finish, Xellos." Her voice was stern, commanding. She, too, was unwilling to budge.

Fortunately, Xellos knew exactly what to do to push her over the edge, even if she didn't like it. There were plenty of ways he could get her to talk, to bend to his will.

"Fine, Lina. I'll continue torturing you like this every moment I get until you give up, even if you run dry. Don't forget, even for a second, that I'm a monster at my core." Even from the side, he managed to see her eyes widen in surprise at his words. Forcefully, he shoved his hand inside her up to his thumb. Groaning, Lina began to verbally rebut his actions as her body shook, but Xellos inserted his thumb as well and pushed his hand into her up to his knuckles. Her tightness pressed hard on his hand as he widened her, forcing his fingers to lie side by side inside her body. As he moved his fingers deeper inside her, she moaned from the sensation of being so brutally stretched. She pleaded with him, barely able to squeak his name between her labored breathing. He shook his head, denying her requests. If she wasn't willing to concede, he wasn't going to guarantee kindness or gentleness. She didn't deserve to be treated sweetly. Slowly, he pushed her body forward so she was kneeling on the bed and then, further, so she was on all fours before him as he removed his hand from her abruptly. Exhaling forcefully, she breathed heavily, trying to catch her breath. Before she could, he inserted his hand back into her as he stroked her other hole with his erection.

"If you don't tell me Lina, I'm sure you can imagine what's next."

Lina looked back at him, almost fearfully, but with need. Her eyes were filled with water. Xellos assumed it was from the pain, but he couldn't tell just by visual indicators. He couldn't ascertain how much was too much anymore. With the way she was behaving, he didn't particularly care if he hurt her. He couldn't stand her refusing to answer him.

"I'll tell you after I..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Xellos removed his fingers and shoved himself as far as he could into her folds as he gripped her hips tightly. Their bodies made a juicy slapping sound as they collided. The answer was far from a "no" to more penetration, but was a definitive "yes" to answering him. Her submission pleased Xellos greatly.

"XELLOS!" Lina instantly came as she screamed his name repeatedly, her body tightening around him as he held himself in her, twitching his erection against her sensitive spot. With her body convulsing and her juices flowing down hers and Xellos' legs, Lina screamed loudly into the bed before looking back at him through lustful anger. It was an expression he especially liked on her. She bit her lip slightly, her face completely red with embarrassment and passion. Her eyes were hazy but retained their fiery sharpness. It was an expression he knew was just for him. It was one he planned to remember.

Enjoying her reaction, he inserted three fingers into her rear again, her fluids serving as lubricant. Lina groaned as he began moving them in and out, faster and faster, as he held his length deep inside her, twitching it against her spot. As her body shook and excreted what he could only assume was the last of her juices, Xellos smiled smugly down at her, watching her face twist then soften.

Feeling her climax waning, Xellos shoved his erection in and out of her, hoping that he, too, could orgasm again. His heart still pounded heavily in his chest, his manhood throbbed inside her. He felt the tension in his lower region building as the sweating resumed, his legs feeling strained and weak. Lina's body collapsed onto the bed so that she was laying flat, her descent causing Xellos' fingers to exit her. Spreading her legs farther apart, Lina looked back at him and managed to encourage him to come as well. "Use me."

"I always do." He replied as he banged harder into her, causing her to scream into the bed again. Gripping her hips tightly, he lowered himself and, after a few more solid strokes against her back walls, he came inside her, his own body becoming completely fixated on his pulsing erection that secreted his orgasm into her with great force. He bit into her neck, nearly drawing blood as he released. Lina moaned from the sensation of him filling her and his bite as his warmth spread inside her body.

Still staring at him, Lina smiled. "I love when you come inside me. It feels incredible."

Xellos smiled back at her as he breathed heavily, enjoying his climax. As he finished, he made a few more gentle strokes, enjoying the feeling of her now loosened body. Pulling out of her, he lay on his back on the bed, his feet propped on the pillows. In this form, he found himself exceptionally exhausted after two short rounds of sex. His feet were completely numb and he was certain they were twitching. It was a little disappointing that this was all he could physically manage, he thought. Lina crawled over to him and rested her head on his shoulder, breathing heavily. Looking at her, he brought their lips together, kissing her passionately.

"A deal's a deal." She said as she stopped kissing him and propped herself up on one of her arms so she could look straight into his eyes.

Xellos stared back at her as she hesitantly paused, clearly contemplating how to put things into words. Feeling closer to her than he ever had, Xellos reached up and held her face in his hand. He lightly rubbed the edge of her lips with his thumb as he examined her nervous expression. She was still red and sweaty, but her cheeks were a slightly darker red. Even his own face was hot from exertion, though he had done so little the second time. She struggled to maintain eye contact with him. Periodically, she bit her lip as if restraining herself from looking away.

Leaning forward, Xellos kissed her gently on the lips. Tenderly, he parted hers with his, allowing their tongues to touch. It was exactly like their first intimate kiss and he knew Lina would recognize it. He knew what she was feeling for him. He wasn't completely clueless. Though it would have brought him immense satisfaction to rip her heart out right then, he needed to string her along until he was himself again. He needed to consume her fall, feed on her sadness. In doing so, he could nurture her hope again just to steal it away. He wanted full control over her and preventing her from uttering such disgusting words too soon was a necessity. Deepening the kiss, he pulled her by the waist into his lap, pressing her body against him as Lina began kissing him back passionately. Lina wrapped her arms around his neck, embracing him tightly. As Xellos released their kiss, he peered into her eyes, their foreheads touching, arms wrapped around each other's bodies.

"You don't have to, my Lina." He kissed her gently again before bringing his hand back around to her face to pet her lips. "It will only bring you pain."

Lina stared back at him quixotically. "Isn't that what you want, pain?"

Smirking sinisterly, he replied to her honestly. "Though tempting, it would be a complete waste right now." He kissed Lina, letting her take control as she sucked on his lower lip, rubbing it with her tongue as she bit it gently. He'd let her hang onto what hope she harbored. Perhaps it was the hope that he could feel love now that he was a human. Or maybe she just wanted some sort of commitment. Either way, it was falsely placed hope that he was glad to encourage if he could steal it from her later.

Pulling away, she met his eyes again as she brought her hand around to show him the ring he had placed on her finger. Aside from his arms, it was the only thing on her body. The purple gem was smaller than he remembered but he was glad to feel power from it. Apparently, he hadn't lost all of his senses and intuition.

"So. What's this about, Xellos?" Her voice was stern, commanding. He wanted to read her, but knew it was impossible. Sighing, Xellos took her hand in his, stroking the gem, but remaining otherwise silent. Anything he said would sound far more romantic to Lina than how he intended it to be interpreted.

To his surprise, Lina's eyebrows pressed together, expressing her confusion and concern. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think this is some kind of contract stone."

"Is that a problem?" He asked, still trying to read her emotions.

Lina exhaled forcefully and scooted closer to lay down with him, her head on his shoulder, her fingers gliding over his chest and abdomen. "Is this your way of trying to get me to enter a contract with you, Xellos?"

He brought a hand to her head and petted her messy hair. "No." Slowly, he began running his fingers through it, gradually untangling the small knots. There was no reason to elaborate and he hadn't given it too much thought in the first place. He had options and didn't want to get locked down into choosing a particular one. Even if she pressed him, he wouldn't falter on that as he had other things.

Pausing, he took her hand in his while the other continued working through her hair. Her body, like his was beginning to cool down, their heart rates slowing. The tension between them, however, felt thicker. He had always thought of her as his victim, something he could own and take. Since Lina knew about his true nature, his willingness to manipulate and harm, he knew she wouldn't take offense to the label if he disclosed it. Even so, he had placed it on her finger in haste, with no explanation and little thought to repercussions.

Lina took her time in responding, making Xellos long for his ability to consume and stealthily interpret her even more. Her hesitation left him uneasy. His heart pounded harder and his hands grew moist with sweat. It was humiliating having such reactions to something as simple as a prolonged silence. It irritated him, making his stomach churn with what he assumed was anxiety. It was an emotion he enjoyed savoring but rarely felt himself. He wasn't fond of it and, upon realizing what effect it was having on his human body, he attempted to distract himself by reviewing his plans while still stroking his muse's hair gently.

After a lengthy silence, Lina sighed softly. "I'm assuming this isn't some kind of romantic gesture and that you're hoping to get something out of it. But, for the life of me, Xellos, I can't figure out what you want." She squeezed his hand before intertwining their fingers.

As she pressed her naked body against him, overlapping her leg onto his, he felt the chill from her body and immediately pulled the sheets over them. As they resituated themselves, Xellos placed a soft kiss on her forehead. He had come to enjoy giving her gentle kisses. Petting her hair again, he waited to see if she would continue. But she didn't. Instead, they lay together in the darkness, silently holding each other while the moonlight gradually shifted around the room.

Xellos felt his eyes growing heavy. His body begged for sleep, but he wanted to wait for Lina. He wanted to explore her thoughts with her. After a few moments, he decided to speak up. "I told you, Lina. I want you, nothing more."

Sighing, she asked for more information. "Yeah, but what does that mean for a monster? Do you just want to feed on me? Or do you actually enjoy being around me?" He heard the irritation in her voice. He delighted in her frustration. It was, clearly, something she had been considering for a while, regardless of him giving her the ring.

"What do you think, Lina? I'm interested in knowing how much you've come to understand me." He knew he was walking a fine line with her. Pushing Lina too hard, at any time, was a bad idea. Now that he was vulnerable to her magic, he knew he shouldn't have been so direct. But he couldn't help himself. Even without being able to consume her emotions, he wanted to keep her on edge. It was always more fun that way. Teasing and manipulating her was a vital part of him. Though mortal, it wasn't something he was willing to compromise.

Propping herself up on her elbows, she turned in his arms so that she was facing him. She stared into his eyes as if searching for the answers herself. He couldn't hide from her anymore and there was certainly no point in attempting to fool her. He knew she understood him completely, but might have been too unsure to put it into words. Slowly, she moved in for a kiss which turned into several more as they stared into each other's eyes.

Pulling away, she smiled softly at him as she trailed her fingers across his face. "You aren't capable of loving. But you've told me that you don't want to feed on other humans. I'm assuming that also means that I'm the only one you're sleeping with." When she paused, he nodded. "So you care about me in some capacity at least. And, honestly, Xellos, I'm hoping that you care about me more than just being a fuck buddy."

He immediately responded, wanting to set her mind at ease, but not wanting to give in completely. "You've always been a bit of an exception."

"Even though you offered to kill me for Valgaav?" She shot a sarcastic jab at him playfully.

Leaning up, he teased her with a peck on the lips as he used to do when he wanted to get under her skin or distract her. "I had no choice since I was there to negotiate on behalf of my superiors. But, as I explained, it never did sit right with me. Whenever I could, I spared you. That's how I found myself in this... unusual predicament."

Lina's eyes widened. "So, you're human now because you protected me?"

Xellos smiled coyly at her, giving her little information. He had answered enough questions for one night and wasn't about to continue down such an incriminating road.

Before Lina could respond, a rumbling din interrupted their conversation. Looking at the window, Xellos evaluated potential sources. Their short-lived rest in Seyruun had come to a screeching halt. Lina quickly rose, peeling herself from Xellos as her hands trailed down his body. The sheets cascaded down her frame back onto the bed as she darted to the other side of the room where their clothing was stashed. She tossed Xellos his clothes one by one as he rose from the bed.

Without hesitation, Xellos clothed himself, the garments feeling alien to him as they touched his skin. Even the act of putting on clothing was obnoxious now. Feeling his clothing between his fingers felt strange. As he slid his shirt over his body, he realized it was whole. There were no rips or tears in the fabric. It was as if it was new. The pants, too, had been cleaned and perhaps mended. Lina probably had something to do with it, making sure that he could wear familiar garbs, but it was quite unnecessary. He would have been fine wearing anything. The repairs, though thoughtful, reminded him of his mortality, how he was trapped in a human body, unable to even repair damage to himself. Frustrated, he stole glances at Lina, watching her bend over to affix her boots and pants. She looked up at him occasionally with a worried expression.

The rumbling continued in the distance, making Xellos uneasy. Zellas knew where they were. He knew she would not let them be for long. Unfortunately, he had hoped to have a bit more time to recover and enjoy Lina. They always seemed to get interrupted. It was something he intended to rectify once he was himself again. As Xellos situated his cloak on his shoulders, Lina grabbed her bag from the corner and made her way back to him.

"Alright, Xellos." Lina smirked confidently at him, almost beaming. "Let's see what you can do."