Hello everyone! This is another request by MissLissa4, I hope you like it! I will be doing another one for Mencheres and Kira soon with possible part 2 coming later. A reader and I have been working back and forth on what couple names everyone should have, do you have any ideas?
So far the only one was have settled on is Dark Pharaoh for Mencheres and Kira. Thoughts or ideas are appreciated, hope you enjoy the chapter.
As Leila walked toward Vlad's room with the intent of talking him out of kicking her out, her mind wandered to his warning when they had first slept together. "I can give you honesty, monogamy, and more passion than you can stand, but not love." The statement twisted her stomach now, the words sitting like acid in her chest. He had wasted no time in continuing with the other things he would never do.
"I have a simple set of boundaries for my relationships. There will be no displaying of wings, no flights together and I will never show you my wings. It is better if you also don't show me yours, as I have no interest in seeing them. If you have a problem with any of those points then it is better you make it clear now."
At the time she had agreed, after his statement about not being able to love her she had figured that he wouldn't want anything to do with her wings. Although it had stung she had convinced herself that she could live with having some but not all of him. Now she knew that she had only been lying to herself, it was all or nothing. For the sake of her emotions, it had to be.
She hesitated outside of the door momentarily before pushing her way in, she couldn't go back now. Vlad exited his closet barefoot, apparently he had been in the middle of getting dressed.
Before he could speak she rushed to get through what she had to say. "I know you, the real you, and while I don't like everything because you've got a master's degree in medieval torture, not to mention a reluctance to admit to feelings beyond affection or lust, which any shrink would tell you were commitment issues. I still love you, Vlad. You, the dragon, not the imaginary knight, and I'm not letting you kick me out because I—I think you love me, too."
She waited a minute for him to say anything only to continue on when he remained silent, making no sound as he moved toward her on bare feet. "I'm not going to ask you to show me your wings if that's what you're worried about. I would be happy without ever seeing them if that's what you wanted." It hurt to even say, but if he truly didn't want to show her his wings or see hers then she wouldn't try to force the subject.
He stopped in front of her, "You're right," he said at last, his tone thick with things she couldn't name.
"About what? The excessive torturing, commitment issues, or the other thing?" She had to force it past her suddenly tight throat, half of her was relieved that he hadn't agreed to never showing his wings and the other half worried he had ignored that part.
In the next instant one of his hands was in her hair and the other rested on her back. "All of it." His mouth pressed against her throat, the vibrations sending a shiver down her throat as she spoke. "Do you know what happened the last time I loved someone?"
It was all she could do to nod, her body locked tight as every cell focused on him. "No you don't. You only know how she died. Let me tell you how she lived—in fear. My actions horrified her, as they horrify you. My enemies exploited her, as they exploit you, so it was more than an advancing army that made her throw herself from our roof. It was me." He pressed his teeth to her throat as he spoke, as if she needed the reminder of how dangerous living with him would be.
Raising her arms, she stripped off her gloves before plunging both hands into his hair. She held him closer against her throat as her electricity surged into him. "I am not her." Her voice thrummed with vehemence as she continued. "You're the scariest man I've ever met, but I am not afraid of you. As for your enemies, let them come. I've survived them before and I will again."
Vlad's laugh tickled her neck, momentarily confusing her before he spoke. "You should be afraid. Very afraid. Before, I told you if you wanted to end things between us, I would let you go, but, Leila"—his voice deepened—"I lied."
Hope bloomed in her chest, "Does that mean you're not trying to kick me out now?" Vlad wrapped his arms around her, turning her toward the closet.
"Does that answer your question?" She felt in a daze as they argued back and forth about him moving her things without asking. It felt like such a trivial thing to talk about after the rollercoaster the last few days had been. She was snapped out of her wandering thoughts by his next sentence. Her mind coming to a screeching halt in uncomprehension.
"I want you to marry me." Not a question, a statement. She was going to get whiplash with how quickly he changed tracks.
"Love is a terrible weakness. It gives your enemies a perfect target, clouds your judgment, makes you reckless . . . and that's on a good day." His hands continued their caressing path to her waist, their heat barely diminished by the thin material of the robe. "On a bad day," he went on, his voice turning harsh, "it can destroy you. I never wanted to subject myself to that again, so yes, I kept you at arm's length. I even let you leave to prove to myself that you meant no more to me than my previous lovers. And then Martin called, telling me you'd been killed." His grip tightened painfully before he released her, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "I didn't care about anything then. Not crushing my enemies, protecting my people, or how maddening you were by expecting me to behave like a modern man, as if I could shrug off half a millennium of living, based on your whim."
She made a mental note to address that later, before focusing back on him. "Then I went to the morgue and saw that those bones weren't yours, heard your voice again in my head and once more, nothing else mattered."
His eyes opened as his mouth twisted harshly, "Then, of course, I discovered you'd run off with Maximus because you thought I was the one who tried to kill you. It enraged me, but I was determined to find you. Once I did, you maddened me no less than before, yet over the past few days, I realized it was too late."
His hands came up to cradle her face, his eyes intense as they burned into her own. His next words sent her heart soaring, "I love you, Leila, and nothing else matters."
She barely got out the words, "I love you too, Vlad." Before a ripping pain slammed into her back. Hunching forward with a muffled grunt, warm hands grabbed her arms as Vlad's voice sharp with concern asked her what was wrong.
She didn't get the words out in time, in the next instant her wings arched out of her back. Feathers floated to the ground as the two limbs broke free from their prison, sending equal parts relief and despair through her. He had only just admitted to loving her and her wings decided now was the time to force an appearance.
She felt as her face flushed brilliant red as she tried to force her still twitching wings back into her back. "I'm sorry, I swear I didn't do that on purpose! Just give me a minute, you can turn around if you want to."
She hunched her wings down, trying to hide them behind her back once she came to the conclusion that they weren't going anywhere.
Just as she was about to make a dash into the closet until they could be subdued again, Vlad stopped her.
"There is no need to hide them from me, Leila. My previous rules about our relationship no longer apply. While I don't have the time right now to explore them as they deserve, I will do so later. As long as you allow it, of course." His tone was even and his hands trailed down to grip her own in comfort.
It all seemed too good to be true. He had admitted his love, accepted hers and said he wanted to see her wings all in the span of five minutes.
Seeing how overwhelmed she was, Vlad spoke again. "If you would prefer I could leave you alone to gather yourself and I can see your wings later once you are more comfortable with me seeing them?"
Vlad knew from thousands of womens thoughts that the majority of women preferred primping before their partner saw their wings for the first time. It was possible that Leila was the same, if that was the case he could wait. He had waited this long, one more night wouldn't end him.
Leila felt relief swell like a balloon, she already felt like she was going to pass out from information overload and just the thought of Vlad seeing her wings made her queasy. Odd considering just a few minutes ago she had been hurt over the thought he didn't want to see them.
Nodding weakly, she responded. "I'm going to take you up on that. I think I'm just a little overwhelmed. You don't need to leave though, just give me a minute."
So saying, she straightened and focused on forcing her wings back into their hiding place. A grimace twisted her face as her wings burned from being forced back into the small space they had been kept over the last few months.
When they finally were put away, she turned back to Vlad. "What do you mean you want to get married…"
_
It was many hours after their discussion and Vlad's proposal when Leila stood in front of a mirror admiring her wedding dress. The beading was intricate to an amazing degree and the gown was gorgeous. Although there was one thing she was confused about, turning to the seamstress she asked. "What is the fabric on the back for? I'm not taking my wings out in front of a crowd."
Just the thought was enough to make her feel dizzy, even showing Vlad was going to be difficult but a roomful of strangers? Never going to happen.
The woman smiled in understanding, "Whether you mean to or not, it is a common occurrence for wings to make an appearance during times of high emotions. Weddings, births and funerals have been known to reveal wings. The fabric is just a caution in case they do."
Leila was glad it was there, because if earlier was any indication her wings would definitely be making an appearance the second that Vlad slipped the ring onto her finger. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
Time flew and before she knew it, it was time to walk down the aisle with her father on her arm.
Nerves, excitement and love battled for supremacy when she got her first glimpse of Vlad. Her stomach did somersaults as she walked toward him, his eyes practically enthralling her. When only a few steps away, the archway above him caught fire, turning the metal into a molten gold and making her father jerk back in surprise.
After reassuring him and gently pulling her arm away, she climbed the steps to stand at her soon to be husband's side.
Her earlier prediction was incorrect, her wings didn't even wait until he slid the ring on her finger before making an appearance. She had only seconds of warning and barely managed to keep herself standing straight before they ripped out of her back. As the extra fabric caught them and hid them from sight, she felt gratitude that the seamstress had added it. She would have passed out if she had flashed an entire crowd of people with her wings.
Vlad's mouth twitched, his eyes glancing behind her briefly before reconnecting with her. Mentally, Leila apologized for the unexpected appearance, but Vlad reassured her. His voice was quiet enough that not even the pastor could hear, with her upgraded hearing she barely could.
"There is nothing to apologize for, your wings appearance means you are joyful and I find no fault in being happy at our wedding." The words caused a flush to cross her nose and climb back to her ears.
"You managed to control yours, I should be able to control mine." She mumbled, doing her best to be quiet enough so only he could hear. Something dark flashed behind his copper eyes before disappearing too quickly for her to identify.
"I've had many more years of practice than you." Before she could wonder about the look, the pastor gestured for her to say her part. Everything passed in a blur as the crowd cheered after Vlad's declaration. Leila snapped back to the present when her new husband pulled her into a soul searing kiss. Dimly she noticed the cheering reach deafening levels, but she was too focused on Vlad to care.
_
Many hours later, she was ready to collapse on her feet. She had been wrong about her estimate before of there being a hundred people, they had passed one hundred two hours into introductions and were now closer to two hundred. When the clock struck two a.m. she was relieved when Vlad made their excuses for the night. She didn't have much energy left and she didn't want to use it here.
Her train of thought cut off when Vlad scooped low and lifted her in a princess carry. She didn't have time to wish everyone a good night before he was blurring them to their room.
Once they cleared the doorway, he set her down in front of the fireplace with her body sliding against his. Her heart beat triple time as his hands ghosted down her spine, coming to rest right over the muscle release for her wings. She couldn't stop herself from stiffening on instinct, which Vlad noticed. Instead of pressing down and sending her wings spilling out, he stroked it gently.
"Leila, you wanted to show me your wings before so why are you hesitating now?" There was no irritation in his voice, only patience, as she thought it over. When he had told her he would never want to see her wings, a small part of her had been relieved. If he didn't want to see them, she didn't have to worry about him possibly rejecting them after all.
Vlad's mouth twisted into a hard frown, overhearing her thoughts. Leila ducked her head when she remembered that he could hear her. His hands came up to cup her face before lifting her eyes to meet his. "I will not reject any part of you, least of all your wings. From the glimpse I caught of them earlier, you have no reason to fear."
Leila bit her lip, part of her knew that she was being ridiculous but the child in her still feared rejection from those she loved. "I know you won't, but no matter how much I tell myself that, the feeling doesn't go away."
Pulling her into his arms, Vlad tightened his hold on her until she was curled into his shoulder. Resting his chin against her head, he reassured. "The only way to be rid of that feeling is for me to prove to you that there is no part of you that I won't love. Let me see your wings. Trust me with this, my wife."
Curling further into his shoulder, she nodded and tightened her arms around him. Understanding the unspoken statement, Vlad stroked over the release again before placing just enough pressure to push her wings out. His arm stayed wrapped around her waist as he continued applying pressure, watching as her wings slowly filled the fabric in her dress made to cover them. Once they were both completely out, he moved his hand from the release to the cloth covering her feathers.
After a reassuring squeeze, he unclasped the buttons at the back of her throat that held the fabric against her dress. He watched riveted as it fell away to reveal feathers of blue, gold and red. As his eyes took in the vibrant colors, his mind inputted what type of bird they came from. The Scarlet Macaw. That also explained why her wings were larger than average, each one looking to be double the average wing size.
None of what he had seen as of yet explained her reluctance to show him, her wings were beautiful and he wasted no time in telling her so. "You are beautiful, every part of you. Now that I've seen this I can say that with absolute certainty."
Instead of being overjoyed, as he expected, Leila tensed further. Her wings stretched out behind her and lifted up to bare the vulnerable secondary feathers and coverts. The sight that met him stole his breath away and turned his stomach. Rage and understanding slammed through his being, making him tense without thinking.
The entire underside of her wings all the way back to the wing pit and marginal coverts was covered in scars. They cut through her feathers, interconnecting to form a giant scar in the shape of a bolt of lightning flashing across the sky. Dimly he acknowledged that with her flight feathers cut she would never be able to go on a flight, but his attention shifted when she tensed in his arms. Her thoughts and tremulous emotions loud against his own.
His arm had loosened in his shock and, combined with his sudden tension, she had taken it the wrong way. She went to shuffle back in shame as her wings lowered and hunched to hide the scars again. Before she could get far, his arm yanked her back to him. "Your wings are nothing to be ashamed of, the same as the scar on your body marks you a survivor so too does this."
Her previous nerves melted into relief, her body sagging against his while her arms came up to enclose him tightly. Vlad used his free hand to gently brush against the primary feathers, causing her wings to jerk in surprise.
When he went to pull back, Leila spoke up. "It's fine, you can touch them. I'm just not used to feeling anyone brushing them now."
Knowing there was a story there, Vlad made a mental note to inquire further later. Right now he had better things to focus on.
His hands reached out again and carefully traced the feathers from the tip of her wing to the inside. He put his hand underneath her hunched wing, gently lifting the joint up to reveal the scarring again. It made sense why she was so self conscious about them, she had been the same with the scar on her face. Now that he got a better look, the feathers that were still intact were in complete disarray. Some were broken halfway out of her wing, some sitting at odd angles and most of the rest were tangled or matted from long years without being brushed out.
"Why are your feathers in such a state?" He had a hunch, but he wanted her to confirm it. Leila pulled back and grimaced.
"After the accident no one could touch my wings but me, the electricity I naturally give off is higher on them. My mother used to preen them for me because of how large they are, but after she passed I couldn't make myself keep up the maintenance. The memories hurt too much and it wasn't worth the effort I would have had to put in, since I didn't have anyone to display for."
Vlad frowned at the pain and loneliness her words carried. Never again, he mentally swore, will she be alone. He would make sure of it. "That will change now, you have me and I will thoroughly enjoy running my fingers through your feathers until they are groomed to my standards. Considering the size of your wings they will need at least a monthly preening, but to keep them well maintained it will take weekly brushing. Which I am more than happy to provide. It will take hours to straighten them from their current state, but we can do that later. For now, we have other matters to focus on." So saying, he slid his hand up to undue the fasteners on her dress, watching as it slid down her like water, leaving her bare before him.
Leila's eyes glinted with building arousal, "Yes, definitely later."
Vlad stroked his hand down her back, avoiding the pressure release for her wings as he did so. She had only just gotten to sleep a few hours ago and he didn't want to wake her yet. His mind wandered to her wings and the scarring covering the inside. She hadn't once asked him to return the gesture of showing her wings, she also hadn't displayed although he had heard her thoughts wanting to.
As much as he appreciated that, he couldn't keep avoiding the subject. She had given him all of her, which left him to gift what was left of him. It had been centuries since his wings had been released and even longer since he had flown. He doubted the muscles could hold him now, they had wilted during his imprisonment and he hadn't bothered to exercise them before he had turned into a vampire. A picture of Leila's scarring covering her flight feathers came to mind, it didn't matter if he couldn't fly. She was the only one he would wish to go on a flight with and she couldn't.
As his hand stroked over the pressure point, his mind drifted to the subject of presenting. He had asked her not to, but as he had said previously his rules were now redundant. Knowing Leila how he did, he doubted that she would present for him. Whether from self consciousness or just general wariness of his reaction.
Glancing over her lightly snoring form pressed against his hip, he considered presenting to her and what it would entail. He had no fear that she would reject it, but how to go about doing it? He hadn't been particularly interested when the topic had been brought up as a child and he had even less interest when he was finally released from his imprisonment.
After the depravities his captors had done to his wings, he would have just as soon cut them off. The only thing that had stopped him had been his determination to not let them have that victory. Now he was glad that he hadn't, while his wings weren't pretty or covered in colorful feathers as most were, they were still part of him and he wanted to give Leila all of what was left.
With his decision made, he stood up from the bed while being careful not to wake his sleeping wife. Walking over to the closet, he moved passed the front section back to the full body mirror. Staring into it, he concentrated on muscles he had long ignored. The only feeling he received back was a slight tingling between his shoulders. Surely, he could still release them without using his pressure release? Before he could try to press it, Leila began to stir.
He heard her call out to him in confusion, making him walk back out of the closet to answer her. "I'm here." She relaxed, only for her brow to furrow in confusion. He didn't need to get dressed yet, which made him being in the closet odd.
"Is something wrong?" Her voice was still heavy with sleep, but slowly edging toward wakefulness. Vlad returned to his place at her side, stroking a hand into her hair as he considered how to answer. How does one tell their spouse that they didn't know if they could release their wings? Deciding to go for the direct route, he spoke.
"Nothing is wrong, per se. I do however, have a dilemma. I can't pull my wings out, I haven't tried in the last five centuries and now that I want to, I can't." Leila immediately sat up, the topic having her full and undivided attention. She had never considered why he hadn't wanted her to see his wings, she had assumed it had something to do with his imprisonment and left it at that.
"You could use the pressure release on your back?" Her voice was hesitant, not sure if she was crossing any boundaries but wanting to see where he was going with this. Vlad hummed in thought, rolling his shoulders and trying to nudge his wings into action again only for the same result.
He had briefly felt them try to push out during the wedding ceremony, but keeping them locked down was second nature now. He briefly revisited how Leila had looked walking up the aisle to him and how her wings draped in her wedding dress after they had forced their way out. He felt his wings shift inside him, more than he had managed before but still not coming out, to his frustration.
Here he was, wanting to present to her, but he couldn't even make his wings reveal themselves. He could try to use the pressure release, as she suggested, but he didn't have the best memories with that and the last thing he wanted were reminders.
When he spoke this aloud, Leila immediately nodded in understanding. Not a hint of pity colored her features as she thought on the problem, making affection flare in his chest.
Briefly he thought back to his younger days, when he was still growing into his wings. They had been too large for him back then, dragging the ground constantly whenever he had them out. His father had chastised him to lift them up, but they had been too heavy to lift, causing him to simply keep them hidden for the most part. Many years of his childhood had been spent loathing his wings, their size and weight being a constant burden on him.
His mother had found him once, glaring at his wings after a failed attempt at flight. When he had told her of his dislike of their size she had smiled amusedly before telling him, "Your wings are the size they are because someday in the future you will have someone to hold in them. That someone must have decent sized wings themselves for you to need such large ones to cradle them." At the time he had been enamored with the thought of encompassing someone he cared for in his wings, acting as a shield from the world around them. However, his imprisonment had quickly changed his view.
During his captivity he had done his best to keep them hidden, his captors had taken a perverse joy out of stroking their surface. When he had started biting parts off of his captors when they touched his wings, they replaced their filthy hands with knives. He preferred the knives to their touch, pain was easier to deal with than disgust.
Leila's voice pulled him away from his dark train of thought. "Instead of that, I could display to you and see if it causes a reaction?" Her words were cautious, unsure how they would be received.
Vlad stroked his chin in thought, scowling slightly. He had wanted to display for her, not the other way around but if that was the only way to coax his wings from their place then so be it. He nodded in agreement and immediately he scented Leila's excitement and nerves.
Smiling, he stood from the bed and held out a hand to help her up. Once they both stood in the middle of the room, Leila closed her eyes and focused on unfolding her wings. It was slow at first, with her not being used to calling them at will, but inch by inch they slid out until they draped across her back, her feathers tickling the skin they brushed.
Opening her eyes, she locked her gaze with Vlad before slowly extending her wings as far up and to the side as she could, her wings trembling lightly from nerves. Once completely open, she focused on her desire and love for him. Her wings reacted accordingly, the feathers puffing up slightly and shifting to catch the light.
Vlad watched in awe as the colors seemed to glow, feeling enchanted as he watched the lights play off the feathers. A sharp pain stabbed through his spine, he felt his wings shift inside their confinement and, for the first time since he had been released from his imprisonment, he allowed them to do as they wished.
They came out at a crawl, every inch feeling odd as they pulled from his back. The weight was familiar and yet not as his wings finally pulled free completely. The muscles were stiff from disuse, but he could still feel and move them to his surprise. Looking to where Leila still held her position, her eyes wide as she stared at his wings in shock.
He half expected her to be afraid, his wings were not nice to look at even before his torture. Instead of the colorful feathers that his brothers had, he had been born with black scale covering too big wings. He didn't have to look to know that they were covered in scars from the torture he had undergone. His eyes gauged Leila's reaction as he slowly flexed them outward.
Instead of the fear he expected, her pupils dilated with desire and her scent broadcasted it loud and clear for him. The sight didn't send dread through him, as it had in the past, in its place a fierce pride filled his chest that despite the many years of abuse, his wings could pull such a reaction from her.
No longer wary of her reaction, Vlad smirked and opened his wings to the fullest, mimicking her stance with a loud snap. For the first time since he was a boy, he stretched his wings to their fullest capabilities. His muscles protested it for a moment before his natural healing soothed the soreness.
Leila's scent strengthened and her wings fluttered slightly, sending soft and downy feathers drifting through the air. Her next words were whispered, but they hit with the force of truck. "You really are my dragon."
Pride swelled in his chest, his wings arching up to show his pleasure at the title. She grinned at him, happy beyond words at his acceptance. She had never expected to be able to do a mutual displaying with him, on their wedding night no less, but now that she was here she was the happiest she had ever been.
Hearing her thoughts, Vlad lowered his wings before opening his arms. Leila wasted no time in walking into them, pushing her wings back to be out of the way as his arms locked around her waist.
She felt the vibrations from Vlad's voice through his shoulder before she realised he was speaking, "If you wish to examine them closer you are more than welcome, you don't need permission to touch any part of me now. My wings had been the only things off limits to you, and now they are not. We have time now, after you've had your fill I plan to preen your feathers up to my standards." While his words weren't phrased as a question, she knew that if she told him no, he would respect that and leave her feathers alone. But she didn't want to refuse him. It had been so long since anyone had touched her wings, now that he was offering they practically ached for it.
Hearing her thoughts, Vlad smiled down at her. "Then it is settled, but first it's your turn. How would you like me?" He knew she would catch the double entendre, her face flaring brightly in embarrassment before she shrugged. Her feathers practically vibrated with excitement, even as she put on a neutral front.
"Wherever would be most comfortable for you, I guess." Vlad grabbed her arm and led her back to the bed, sitting on the edge before turning to give her better access. Once she stood behind him, her fingers hovering over his scales with uncertainty, he took matters into his own hands to hurry the process along. He flared his wings out, stretching the one nearest to her hand until her fingers brushed his scale.
Vlad bit back a shudder as careful fingers ghosted over his scales. The first touch he had felt on his wings in over five centuries and the only friendly touch aside from his own. Taking a minute to breath in the sensation, he encourages her on when she stopped. "You won't hurt me, feel free to explore to your heart's content."
Her fingers were slow at first, barely enough pressure to even feel their presence, as they ghosted over the scars that liberally coated his wings. He remembered receiving every one of them, but he no longer felt the revulsion that he used to when he thought on their making.
As his wife's touch traced over every scar and scale he relaxed, only to jolt forward when her lips pressed lightly against one. Immediately Leila backed away, his wings snapping out on instinct and alarming her.
He reassured her before she could retreat any further, "I'm fine, it has been many years since my wings have felt the touch of skin and they are reacclimating to it. Continue."
It took her a moment to start again, but this time she slid close mouthed kisses down the wing joints. The intimate touches sent shivers down his spine, his wings arching into her touch any time she pulled back. As her mouth explored his scars, her fingers lightly traced the edges.
He felt her speak against his shoulder, "Your scales are cooler than the rest of your body, they feel really nice." So saying, she rested her cheek against his scales. The warmth of her skin soaked into his wings, sending an almost lethargic pleasure through him. Leila took her time tracing every square inch of scale until there wasn't a spot she hadn't touched or kissed.
When her fingers moved toward the joints that connected his wings to his shoulders, she stopped and stared in horror. Circular scars wrapped around each joint, even as her mind was numbed in horrified understanding, Vlad confirmed her suspicions.
"My captors tried to remove my wings, but the bone was too thick with the tools they had." His tone was casual, but Leila knew from her visions that nothing hurt more than damage being done to those joints. The thought that anyone would do such a thing, and to a child at that, sent equal parts rage and disgust through her. What she wouldn't give to go back in time just to throttle the monsters that did this to him…
Vlad's mouth twisted into a dark smile, but not quite a smirk. Her thoughts held no pity, only the want to rip those who had hurt him limb from limb. He understood her rage at his injury, he had similarly been angered during her kidnapping by Tolvai that he couldn't kill her captor due to her having done it already. Instead of addressing her rage, he reached back and squeezed her hand in his. Gently guiding it back to the joint where she had left off. "You are the only person, aside from myself, to touch my wings with no ill intentions. Therefore, you are allowed to touch anywhere on them, because I trust you with my wings, my body and my life."
Emotions choked Leila as he released her hand over the joint, her fingers gently stroking the circle scars with the lightest amount of pressure. She knew that Vlad loved her, and deep down she had known he trusted her but hearing him say it gave her more feelings than she knew what to do with.
Vlad stayed silent, allowing her a moment to collect herself before he nudged her onward. "Finish your exploration, then it will be my turn and I have every intention of keeping you here as long as it takes me to preen your feathers."
His words goaded her on, her hands encircled the joint as her thumb stroked where the skin met scales. Moving forward, she placed a kiss on the thickest cluster of scar tissue before tracing along the circle. She repeated the process with his other wing, before scooting back to signify her being done.
Vlad stretched his wings to their fullest, his wife's loving touch had made them ache to flex out in a show of dominance but he had held them back until she was finished. The instinct to show off his wings was new, but not surprising considering how his wife reacted to them. Now that she was finished, he stood up and moved his wings until they surrounded her own, pulling her against his chest tightly. His arms came up to wrap around her as well, both of them encased inside the sheild of his wings. Briefly his mind flashed back to his boyhood excitement over holding his future loved one in this way, Leila shuffled closer and he wrapped his wings tighter. It was everything he had thought it would be and more.
Her feathers stroked against his scales, the lightest touch sending shivers of sensation through him. Tranquility spread through both of them, as they relaxed into one of the most intimate embraces possible for their kinds. It could have been hours or days before they pulled away, neither cared about the time as it passed.
Vlad stroked her jaw before backing her up to the bed, "Now you have all of me, it is my turn to claim all of you."
Leila nodded, her former nerves trying to surface again which she resolutely ignored. This was Vlad, he would never hurt her. Nodding his agreement, he wrapped his arms around her back and tracing up to the wing joints. The second his fingers brushed the skin where wing met shoulder, Leila's knees gave out. Shifting forward, Vlad lowered her to the bed before kneeling behind her.
As his eyes traced the amount of feathers she had, and took in the level of disarray they were in, he knew that it would take many hours to fix them. Tracing his hands up her spine, between her wings, he nudged her to lie down. "This is going to take a few hours, you may want to make yourself comfortable."
She needed no further prodding, lying down complacently as Vlad's hands brushed against the joints of her wings. Trailing fingers down, he stroked the main joint again before moving up to the tips. Once he had memorized the outlines, he began to carefully pick through her feathers.
His fingers untangled the knots and snares as he went, stopping many times to gently remove bent or barely hanging feathers from her flesh. He deposited the feathers in a pile to his right, their soft and colorful appearance clashing with the black sheets.
When he finished removing stray feathers from both of her wings he had a small mountain to his right. He wasted no time in combing his fingers through the remaining feathers, taking his time to slowly brush them out. Mentally he made a note to purchase wing oil, hers were in desperate need. The feathers looked duller, even with their brighter colors. He could only imagine how they would shine once healthy again.
As he meticulously brushed through the feathers, he silently relished in their soft texture against his palms. Even after so long with no care, they were a thing of wonder. He would enjoy combing her feathers in the many years to come.
It was hours later when he pulled back, her feathers properly groomed for the first time in over a decade. Her wings were a thing of beauty, and they'd look even better after he had oiled them. Seeing her joints twitching from staying still for so long, he started at the wing tips and massaged backward through the outer bones until Leila was a puddle underneath him.
Lying down next to her, careful to not lay on her wing, he pulled her up onto his chest. She had been fighting sleep since he had started, now her eyes fought to remain open as she looked at him. He smiled at her hard headedness, "Get some rest, my love. Perhaps in the morning I can send someone to get some oil from town to use on your feathers. I've been told it feels divine."
Leila hummed in agreement, too tired for words but just conscious enough to understand him. Her thoughts worked better but not by much. Can I use it on your scales?
Vlad shrugged without shifting her from her spot. "I don't see why not. While I don't have feathers, you could lather my scales in oil or simply wash them in the shower should you choose to do so."
It was the closest to preening his wings she could get so she would take it. Vlad tightened his arm around her in agreement, before his wings came over both of them like a giant blanket. "Sleep, we can discuss this more tomorrow."