AN: I was in such a rush to post the last chapter before vacation that I forgot to say WOW! I can't believe I broke 100 reveiws!! Thank you all so much, you have no idea what this has done for my confidence level…now I actually have a little! I really couldn't have come this far without all of your wonderful comments and suggestions! Now, on to business. This chapter is the reason why I put an R rating on this story. If you are offended by this type of material, don't read it. And, this is not the last chapter…as a matter of fact, I have the next one already written. I was going to post it at the same time, but decided not to. You'll see why tomorrow… Also, let me know if you think an R rating suffices, or if I need to boost it up. As a side note, this is probably the hardest chapter I had to write. I've done **cough** smut **cough** scenes before, but not like this. Please, let me know how I did. Oh, and to AngelicGirl, I am very flattered by your comment, and very interested. I did try to e-mail you, but the message was bounced back saying the account was inactive. Sooo, if you'd like to e-mail me, you can reach me at bluehaven030@davidbowie.com To everyone: enjoy, ready, and review!! ~Saphire
Diclaimer: Wow, it's been a long time since I've done one of these. We all know that anything from the Labyrinth movie or relating to the movie is not mine. D'Vinnian, Peake, Kajna, Drathsar…they're mine…as evidence by the fact that they are all fairly undeveloped… Anyway, don't sue. AND, this chapter contains material of a mature nature. If you are offended by this, do not read it. Thank you.
Chapter twenty-three: Bed of Roses
Long after the song had ended, and long after Jareth had stopped moving them both to music only they could hear, Sarah and the Goblin King remained in each other's embrace.
"I could stay like this forever," Sarah whispered softly, her head still nestled in the hollow of his shoulder.
Jareth laughed quietly, "Me too, Sarah. Of course, staying like this does preclude us from partaking in a decent meal."
Sarah giggled, "Such a sense of humor you have, Goblin King. I never would have guessed you would crack jokes."
"You are merely discovering the real me, my dear."
Sarah picked her head up enough to look into Jareth's eyes, "I look forward to discovering more."
The Goblin King did not miss the deeper meaning of her statement and his own gaze darkened in response. For a moment, Sarah wondered if he would question her motives, or try to dissuade her, telling her it was too soon. But, he remained silent. Sarah was about to open her mouth to answer his anticipated questions when she felt the air shift around her. She tore her eyes away from his intense gaze and found them back in Jareth's bedchamber.
She turned back to him with a small smile, "And I was worried you would think it was too soon."
He grinned at her, "No, Sarah, I think it is ten years overdue."
She blushed, "Am I the Sarah you love now, Jareth?" she asked quietly, remembering how confused he had made her when he said she had changed too much.
His grin grew to a genuine smile, "I told you, Sarah, that the spark and spirit you had in your youth were still in your heart. You just had to let it show again. Now, it shines through perfectly. You are my Sarah, all grown up. A woman grown," he finished in a whisper, tucking a lock of her chestnut hair behind her ear.
He looked for a moment more into her eyes, then leaned his head down so his lips were by her ear, "You are more beautiful to me now than you have ever been."
With that, he kissed the spot just below her ear, his hands trailing lightly across her shoulders. His lips continued a trail of soft kisses down the side of her neck to where her shirt began. He lifted his head and smiled at her, his thumbs over the pulse points in her neck. Sarah's heart beat wildly, her pulse fluttering erratically under Jareth's thumbs.
"Nervous?" he whispered.
Swallowing loudly, Sarah nodded,
"Yes," she breathed.
"Don't be."
The Goblin King backed away from her to the side of the bed, but Sarah stayed put. He made a small motion with his hands,
"Come here," he commanded softly.
Letting out a sigh under her breath, Sarah stepped forward.
She shook her head, "I don't know why I'm so nervous. I shouldn't be. It's not like this is my first time and -"
"And," interrupted Jareth as she reached him, "you talk too much."
He drew her tightly against him, lowering his lips to hers for another intoxicating kiss. This time, he allowed the passion in both of them to flare.
Sarah had never felt like this before from one kiss. The control he seemed to have over her body and emotions was probably what scared her the most, but it was a delicious fear that made her stomach quiver, the heat pooling low in her belly. When she felt his tongue trace her lips faintly, she openly welcomed him, answering his brief moan with one of her own.
During their increasingly passionate kiss, Jareth's hands were not idle. Sarah felt the touch of his hands slide under her shirt, caressing the skin he could reach across her abdomen. She realized with a shiver of delight that the gloves he always wore had disappeared. His skin was soft, his touch gentle, but she could sense a strength in him, a power that she had always felt when around him, coming through in his touch. Jareth broke the kiss briefly, sliding his hands swiftly up Sarah's sides, bringing the fabric of the shirt with him, quickly taking the article of clothing from her body. His lips met hers again as the shirt was tossed off into a darkened corner of the room. His fingers trailed slowly back down her sides, and Sarah could swear he was attempting to tickle her ribs. She smiled under his kiss and he growled softly. It was a sound that sent the heat in Sarah's body soaring up to even higher degrees and her smile faded as she pressed herself against him harder.
Jareth pulled back and flashed her a feral smile that somehow maintained a quality of gentleness. He went on his knees before her, his hands resting on her buttocks as he placed a kiss to her abdomen. He brought his hands to her front and slowly unfastened her jeans, bringing them over her hips and letting them fall to the ground. Sarah stepped back out of them and Jareth stood up.
"Sit," he instructed, motioning to the bed.
Sarah found herself readily obeying. For a moment, he stood over her, saying and doing nothing, and Sarah shifted uncomfortably under the intense gaze. He seemed to sense her apprehensiveness and bent over her to give her a gentle kiss that managed to calm her fears and keep her desire flaming. Again he went on his knees before her, bringing her right foot up to his mouth. He kissed the instep of her foot smiling up at her when she giggled softly. He kissed her ankle, up her calf, her knee, and up her upper leg and thigh, over her abdomen, continuing to kiss his way up her body, pushing her back on the bed as he crawled over her. When he met her lips, the kiss was no longer gentle and exploratory, but powerfully sexual. Sarah was so lost in the warmth quickly building between her legs that she barely noticed as Jareth's hands found their way quickly behind her to the clasp of her bra, bringing the garment from her body and tossing it off in the same general direction as her shirt. She gasped as his hands found her breasts, nipples hardened by their kisses, by his touches, and she moaned louder than before. She could feel his lips curl into a grin as he kissed her. Her hands fisted the fabric of his shirt and tugged forcefully, not caring at the wrinkles she would put in the delicate fabric. Wordlessly, Jareth acquiesced to her unspoken demand, ridding himself of the shirt. Sarah let her hands roam the skin now available to her, her fingers tracing over his shoulder, collar bone, each of the muscles in his chest, resting briefly on his heart. She was comforted by it's erratic beating, knowing that she wasn't the only one being affected in such ways. Jareth pulled back to smile at her, seeming to understand her actions. He brought his head forward again, his hair tickling Sarah's bare skin as he pressed a kiss to her lips, her chin, continuing his way down her throat and to her waiting breasts. His hands were again busy, his fingers hooking into the waistband of her underwear. Sarah raised her hips off the bed just enough to allow Jareth to rid her of her last article of clothing. Pausing in his ministrations to her breasts, Jareth looked at her now, as she lay completely naked beneath him.
"So beautiful, Sarah," he whispered and Sarah trembled at the look in his eyes as he met her gaze.
The emotions were so intense, she was almost afraid to name them, though she knew each one and returned them whole-heartedly.
"Jareth," she breathed, reaching up with her hands and bringing his head down to her lips.
She pressed butterfly kisses all over his face as he lowered his body to lay completely along every inch of hers. Sarah gasped at the sensation, her naked breasts pressed solidly to his equally naked chest. As the Goblin King bruised Sarah's lips with another searing kiss, her hands found the waistband of his pants, tugging again. When Jareth made no move to remove them, she broke the kiss.
"Off," she gasped, not able to say anything else.
Jareth flashed a wicked grin at her,
"So eager," he teased.
Still, he once again complied with her wish, and removed the remainder of his clothes. When the warmth of his body returned to Sarah's, she groaned loudly. The sensation of flesh against flesh was one she had experienced before, but it had never been like this. All of her senses seemed heightened. She could feel the movement of Jareth's chest with his fast breaths, could feel the rhythm of his heart as it pounded against hers. And when he finally entered her, her eyes slid shut in pure and utter ecstasy. Jareth showered her face with kisses as he began a rhythm as ancient as time itself.
The moments passed, but neither one ever wanted to stop. Sarah would be perfectly happy…no insanely happy, to stay where she was, safe, exquisite, with Jareth. Her Jareth. She had no doubt that she belonged here with him.
He was equally sure that Sarah was his. That she was going to stay and be his for eternity. He felt them both close, and wanted to look into Sarah's still closed eyes.
"Sarah, look at me," he said raggedly, his breathing increasingly shallow.
Her eyes flew open to meet him and their gazes locked on one another's. Their release was total, complete, and matchless in every way.
After, Jareth collapsed into Sarah's embrace, burying his face in the crook of her neck and breathing in her scent deeply as he struggled to regain some control over his emotions, over his breathing. He could feel Sarah's heart still racing beneath him and he kissed the skin next to his lips. He felt no need to say anything to her. She had felt everything he had, words were not necessary. Instead, he moved to Sarah's side, allowing her an easier time at regaining her breath. He hooked an arm around her waist and shifted them both to a comfortable position in the bed, the covers lying haphazardly around their waists.
Half asleep already, Sarah turned further into the warmth of Jareth's body. Heat was not the issue, but the closeness of him, the presence of his scent, was something she wasn't ready to give up. Resting her head into the hollow of the king's shoulder, Sarah let exhaustion overcome her. Jareth was quick to follow suit.
