Serpent's Smile
by Tes, the Wicked Princess

Pairings: Irons/Sara, sort of.
Rating: R, might be more, but I always under-rate.
Disclaimer: None of the characters from Witchblade belong to me. They're just fun
playtoys. The song is "With You" by Linkin Park and doesn't belong to me either.
Spoilers: 'Maelstrom'
Notes: I can't remember the actual dialogue from the episode, so I'm inventing my own.
Also, in this AU, Sara hasn't given 'the Irish wench' the Witchblade. Last but far from
least, I do not condone this type of behavior. This is a characterization. Doing this would
be incredibly evil. Song lyrics are in ~these~.




Serpent's Smile

~Woke up in a dream today to all the cold and the static
And put my cold feet on the floor
Forgot all about yesterday
Remembering I'm pretending to be who I'm not anymore
A little taste of hypocrisy and I'm left in the wake of the mistakes
Slow to react, even though you're so close to me you're still so distant
and I can't bring you back~

Irons stared into the fire contemplatively. Despite the fact it was usually *his*
manipulations that ended in Sara's pain, he always found it hard to bear the emotional
responses he received from the Witchblade. He hated the Irish bastard, and the man could
become an obstacle to his control of the Witchblade through Sara. The arrival of
Conchubar's enemies was pure serendipity. Now we would not need to dirty his hands
with the Irish man's blood.
He was not surprised when the object of his brooding thoughts rushed into his den.
He knew what she wanted, and had a plan of his own. Two million dollars to ransom for
her beloved Irish whore, Irons thought with disdain. Though money was no object to him,
it was far above the worth he placed on Sara's current lover.
"Irons," she started urgently, ready to even get down on her knees and beg him.
"Stop. I already know what you want Sara." Irons continued to stare into the fire
for a few moments, then swung his head around to stare at Sara. He rose from his chair
and stood in front of her, barely inches away from touching her. "The real issue is, what
are you willing to offer for what you want?"
* * * *
"What?" Sara asked angrily. "I came here to ask for your help, not to bargain with
you!" She glared at the man, who stared back with impassive blue eyes. She sighed and
looked away. "And I have nothing left to give," she said softly.
Irons could see that the kidnapping of her lover was affecting her deeply. Not to
mention she had just found out that her new captain was corrupt and that the money she
had intended to ransom Conchubar with was fake. He smiled, a serpent's smile, all teeth
and venom. "Oh, you do have something I want, Sara. But you've refused me before. So
why should this time be any different?"
He could feel through the Witchblade and by looking at her face that she was both
angry and frightened at his suggestion. She knew exactly what he wanted, but was too
afraid of losing Conchubar to reject him, no matter what the cost. Closing her eyes, she
pressed up against him. "Just help me and I'll do anything you want."

~And it's true, the way I feel was promised by your face
The sound of your voice, painted on my memories,
Even if you're not with me
I'm with you~

For some odd reason, Irons felt like his heart was breaking. He was insanely
attracted to her. Her lithe body, the vibrant beauty of her face...but she wielded the
Witchblade. If it hadn't been for the ancient weapon, she would have been just another of
his sexual conquests. But now it was different. He...he loved her. Yes, that was the way to
describe it. He'd fallen in love with her; not with just the wielder, but with Sara herself and
it killed him inside to do this to her.
The Witchblade connected them, mind and soul. He knew more about every
nuance of her character than he had ever known about any other human being. Every night
she had spent with Conchubar had been like living hell to him. The Witchblade had gifted
him with watching the whole spectacle. He had felt every movement she made beneath her
lover, wishing every time that it was *his* mouth she was moaning into, *his* hands
running over her smooth skin.
Wherever she was, whatever she did, he could feel it. His one try at controlling the
blade had interwoven them together forever. he would forever be a spectator on the
events of her life. Only death would dissolve their link, and Irons hoped he would share
this bond with her forever.

~You, now I see, keeping everything inside
You, now I see, even when I close my eyes
I hate you when you hit me back
We fall to the floor; the rest of the day stands still
A fine line between this and that
When things go wrong I pretend that the past isn't real
I'm trapping in these memories and I'm left in the wake of the mistakes
Slow to react, so even though you're close to me, you're still so distant
And I can't bring you back.~

Irons closed his eyes, half in triumph and half in pain. He had kept his feelings
inside so long... It wouldn't be so bad if he told her, would it? But the rational part of his
brain told him he would lose her forever if he told her he loved her. Her image was burned
into the back of his eyelids and he opens his eyes again, taking in the vulnerability in her
face. This the dark part of him liked, Sara easily dominated and willingly. The part of him
that was in love with her argued that a challenge was always better than an easy prize. In
the end yang won over yin, dark over light, his black past over the future part of him kept
dreaming of. If only he could let go of the past and reform himself... But Irons was a
creature of habit.
"Good," he murmured silkily in the round shell of her ear. "Now you are mine."
He took her hands and led her down a hallway to the master bedroom. He swung her
inside the room and let her get a good look at the elegant interior. Her eyes settled on the
four-poster king bed, then flickered back to him. He nodded minutely, then approached
her carefully, as though he were stalking panicked prey. She watched him warily and was
passive as his lips descended on her.
With surprising strength, he lifted Sara and sat her down on the bed, his lips never
leaving hers. Sara felt herself responding to his pervasive kisses and hating herself for it.
There was a fine line between doing whatever it took to save Conchubar and actually
enjoying herself with Irons. But she couldn't help it, he had had many more years than she
to acquire talents at this, and her wretched body betrayed her heart. Her hands wandered
down to entwine around his neck.


~It's true the way I feel was promised by your face
The sound of your voice, painted on my memories
Even if you're not with me
I'm with you~

Irons felt a dark joy welling up inside him and he grasped desperately at it. Sara
was reacting to him, not in anger or hate, but in heat and passion. He loved up at her; her
head was thrown back and a expression of ecstasy was on her face. Irons smiled. It was
exactly how he felt about her. He was jolted from his thoughts as Sara sought his mouth
again and plundered his mouth voraciously. He bent her back on to the bed, crawling up
her body as his hands wandered over her smooth skin. "Love me..." she murmured, nearly
unintelligible.
"I'm here," he whispered and kissed her again.

~You, now I see, keeping everything inside
With you
You, now I see, even when I close my eyes
With you
You, now I see, keeping everything inside
With you
You, now I see, even when I close my eyes
With you~

Sara moaned, grinding her body against her rock-hard lover. Just the simple touch
of a hand on her back sent shivers down her spine and pushed her closer to the edge.
How...how did he know exactly what would drive her wild? The Witchblade, she realized,
it connects us, lets him know what I feel... Her mouth curved up into a sensual smile. It
would be interesting to see how he used this knowledge.
Irons reveled in the reactions he was creating in Sara. The Witchblade let him
know which places to touch to make the wielder his, and he used the knowledge happily
and with relish. He ignored his own growing need and returned his focus back to Sara.
This night was for him to manipulate her into staying by his side when Conchubar was
gone. This was the night to make her believe it would always be for her.
But inside, part of Irons wept.

~No, no matter how far we come
I can't wait to see tomorrow
No matter how far we've come, my love
I can't wait to see tomorrow~

Sara moaned hungrily as Irons stroked her stomach, rubbing heer bare skin against
him. Gasping, she drew him back up her body and savagely kissed him. "Now," she ordered
and drew him into her. Irons groaned and his blue eyes flew wide open. Sara closed her
eyes as her head thrashed from side to side as he established his rhythym. Irons watched
her face intently. I wonder how she'll feel in the morning, he wondered. Then he lost the
ablitity to think as Sara drew him back into a passion-filled kiss.

~You, now I see, keeping everything inside
With you
You, now I see, even when I close my eyes
With you~
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