Diablo 2: Longing to be with you (Chapter 8)
By Amethyst Haze
***
Disclaimer: I do not own Diablo II, its concepts, its designs or anything else related to it. Those are the property of Blizzard Entertainment, this story is simply a non-profit tribute and parody. This story is Rated R for moments of sexual content, offensive language and violence.
Amethyst Haze's comments: If this story sounds EXTREMELY familiar to you.... then you've read the original fanfic as the NC-17 version when it was under my old pen name. I will not be writing like that anymore.
***
The coarse and dry sand under Erix's light plate boots sifted and shhffft with each step. Under the scorching desert sun, the paladin cursed himself, tearing the full helmet from his head and throwing it into the sand. Shffff. If he knew just how hot it would've been at that time, he would've worn his ring mail instead of the scale mail. The metal woven pieces pulled at his shoulders, making him feel as though if he stood in one place too long he would sink into the grainy sand.
He glanced up at the clear sky, a hand shielding his eyes from the burning glare of the angry sun. A warm bead of sweat trickled down his forehead as he ran his other hand through his hair. Goddamn it, he thought angrily. Where could she be going?
Erix had been wandering the desert aimlessly in search of Nevia. He knew she had to be out there... somewhere. Back in Lut Gholein he had asked all the merchants if they had seen her. Only Drognan had as she left the city gate.
He so badly wanted to see her. Just a glimpse of her smiling face and he'd feel as though everything was all right even with the crime he was guilty of with Fara.. He hoped so much to see her that every so often he saw Nevia running towards him from the distance. Whenever that happened, he knew he had to stop to drink more water or splash some on his face to free himself from the beautiful mirage.
He ran his hand through his damp and messy hair. Where are you? He thought, brushing the sand off from the retrieved helmet
***
"What??? How?" Rune's eyes burned like emerald fire while a large helping of pure sympathy was etched in his voice.
Krysta's ears prickled at his tone. I sense bullshit... she thought darkly, not letting her facial expression give away her thoughts.
Nevia hesitated, "Um..." How was she supposed to tell him of what she witnessed? It was embarrassing enough being there. The last thing she wanted to do was explain something she had very little recollection of. "I fell asleep on the balcony," she explained, slowly piecing everything together. "And when I woke up.... Erix and Fara were—" her voice choked just enough to make her stop.
"They did it in front of you??!" the druid looked utterly disgusted. "Why that no good--"
"—How the hell did you fall asleep on the balcony?" Krysta interrupted, a dumbfounded expression on her face. She glanced over quickly at Rune. Had she been a second late, she would not have caught the aggravated expression. Something's not right, she concluded to herself, predatorily watching the cunning druid from the corner of her dark eyes.
"Well, I did have a bit of wine before... maybe I had too much."
The assassin's eyes furrowed. "Maybe."
Rune turned to the young sorceress and nodded towards her companion. "One of your friends?"
Nevia and Krysta glanced at each other before the sorceress spoke, "Yeah, and old friend." The assassin nodded in turn, forcing out a polite greeting to the druid.
Rune hesitated before returning the greeting. He was slightly concerned at the sudden frosty air he could feel radiating around the assassin every time he said anything. What if she knows something? This can't be good...
"Do you know where Erix is?" Krysta asked, her eyes staring intently at the druid.
"Uh... no."
She nodded slowly, her eyes sweeping up and down over his large frame as though assessing his weaknesses so she can instantly kill him. Rune did not like that one bit. What he didn't like even more was Krysta tugging Nevia's sleeve possessively. "C'mon, I'll give you some more tea back at my room."
The sorceress's gaze flicked over to the druid before she agreed, letting the assassin pull her away from him by the green sleeve.
What is she up to? Rune thought darkly, his eyebrows furrowing.
Krysta smiled sweetly at Rune before whispering into Nevia's ear, "Go to my room and get the tea started. I'll be there in a minute, okay?" Ignoring the sorceress' confused though obedient expression, she ducked into Atma's tavern, striding directly to the bar.
Atma's eyes curiously made contact with the assassin's penetrating gaze. She suddenly felt nervous by the tension in the air even before the leather-clad woman spoke. "Erix was here yesterday, right?"
"Yes, he was," she replied crisply, her eyebrows knitting in worry.
A smile spread across Krysta's face as she leaned sideways against the bar, the indent of her right waist pressing against the wooden counter top. "Tell me, how much did he drink?" The assassin could've smacked Atma once she caught the look of hesitation. The woman's eyes had darted around... she was searching for a good answer.
"Oh, I don't know," Atma said airily. "There were a lot of people here, I don't keep track of how much everyone drinks."
Pursing her lips, Krysta's gaze deepened, searching the woman's face for the truth. "So, he must've had a lot then to be that hammered then, huh?"
Atma nodded, turning her back towards the sorceress. "Probably."
With an eyebrow arched, Krysta stared at the back of the violet-clad woman. She was horrifically tempted to dirty her katar with the Atma's blood. She's lying, she thought, slowly turning around and heading out the door to start on her way back to her room.
Before casting a look over her shoulder, Krysta knew she'd find Rune still standing there—and she was right. There he stood, the proud druid clad in furs and other animal parts, watching her like a wolf would to its meal. She turned her head forward and gave off an involuntary shudder as she headed into the inn, passing by Elzix, immediately taking note of his uneasy glance from Rune to herself. Elzix... she made a mental note to herself to check him out as well.
***
"Something's really wrong," Krysta started, scratching her arm as she peeled off her dark gloves. "I don't trust that guy."
Nevia was seated upon the bed, cross-legged and cupping her teacup in her two hands. "Huh? You mean Rune?"
"Yes, him." She set down her drink and paced around the room, the sound of her steps alternating between the clicking of concrete and the soft tmps of the woolen rug beside the bed. "Don't go anywhere near him until I tell you it's safe. I know you have a history with the guy, but that gives him even more of a motive."
"Motive?" Nevia repeated, puzzled. "What are you talking about?"
Krysta glanced at Nevia to receive the skeptical look. You can't even see it, Nev, she thought, pitying the woman. He's just wrong, all very wrong. Everything's wrong... She stopped her pacing and sat down upon the bed next to her friend. "Okay, I'm gonna be frank with you. I think Rune's up to something."
Nevia blinked, "Pardon?"
"I think he knows more than he's saying," she tried again. "Something about him just doesn't settle well with me. Call it woman's or assassin's intuition; I know deception like the way I would know a lover, and this reeks of it."
"What're you talking about?"
Krysta hesitated, "Just bear with me for now. I'm gonna look into this more, but first," she leaned in closer, "I need you to tell me everything about him, just trust me on this."
***
Finally dame fortune was starting to smile upon Erix. At last, he thought. In the sand, almost about the size of his palm, was a footprint, one of many in a trail he had finally been fortunate enough to stumble upon. Just from the looks of it, he knew it had to belong to Nevia. Where are you going to, girl? He thought, turning on his heel and walking over the prints, following it to an unknown destination.
***
"Rune slept with you???!" Krysta's voice boomed in the room. She couldn't believe her ears. She quickly leapt off the bed and paced again. "He slept with you??!"
Nevia nodded feebly. "Yeah..."
Krysta hesitated. "Are you sure?"
The sorceress blushed furiously, "I think I'd know whether or not I lost my virginity to him!!"
Her friend sighed, "Right, sorry. I just find it hard to believe."
Nevia couldn't agree more. She was just as shocked to find herself naked with Rune. Surely she had more sense than to go sleeping with a man she didn't love. Her thoughts settled on Erix and she quickly brushed his face out of her mind. Leave me alone, she thought furiously.
"How... did it happen?"
In a minimal amount of sentences, Nevia explained all: the talk by the fireside, the sex she barely remembers and the morning that Erix looked utterly heartbroken. Nevia's own heart wrenched in recollection of the paladin's hurt expression. She once again brushed away his face from her mind, not wanting to think of him.
"You don't remember the sex?" Krysta repeated.
Nevia shrugged, "I guess I was sleepy."
"..." The assassin stared blankly at the sorceress, staring at her as though she was a moron, and truly that's what she seemed like. "You don't feel sleepy when you're fucking," she remarked thinly. "That just doesn't happen... Something really is off. " She paused again. "Back to the balcony sleeping... you said you had some wine, right?"
She nodded. "Yeah, Erix sent it up."
"Erix did? Okay... how much did you drink?"
"Not much at all."
A sudden pang rang out through her entire body. It hit her. Grabbing Nevia's shoulders, Krysta stared piercingly into her eyes, "That night with Rune, did you drink anything before?"
Nevia stared at her strangely, "Yeah, water." Krysta immediately pulled away from the sorceress, heading towards the balcony of the room, leaving a confused woman behind. The sorceress followed her, stepping out into the sun. "What is it?"
The assassin pointed at the wrought iron bars of the balcony, "There's no damn way you could've fallen asleep against those," she declared, slowly climbing onto the rail to jump to the next balcony, which was the room Nevia had.
Krysta ducked into the room, tearing the curtain off its rings. Her eyes scanned the room, immediately noticing the silk pillows, blankets and flower petals scattered and strewn around on the bed. Tacky, she thought simply, walking around the luxurious mess. Her eyes fell upon the table near the bed. Aha. Resting suspiciously on the table was the dark wine bottle. She quickly seized it before leaving to jump the balconies again.
Back in her room with Nevia, Krysta held the bottle in front of the sorceress. "This the one?"
She nodded.
Krysta brought the rim of the bottle to her nose, inhaling deeply. Her eyebrows knitted in response. She glanced at the sorceress, smiling in response to the curious look. "Tell me, does Elzix drink?"
"How would I know?"
A grin so broad spread across Krysta's face that it made Nevia nervous. "Only one way to find out." She headed towards the closed door with the bottle still in her hand. In a swift movement, she turned the knob, flung open the door and pivoted into the hallway. "Elzix!!"
Quickly, Krysta moved away from the doorway and slipped behind the door to hide as the footsteps of the innkeeper drew closer. Nevia was still watching her with an intrigued expression. A smile appeared though once Krysta pressed a finger against her lips and nodded in a way that could only be understood as "Get him in the room."
"Yes Miss?" Elzix asked, standing in the doorway.
Nevia nervously glanced around. "Um... there's something wrong with... uh, the bed." Krysta's eyes rolled. She could've thrown the bottle at the sorceress for such a stupid attempt.
"There is?" Surprised and worried, Elzix drew closer to the bed, moving further into the room.
Huh... I guess a stupid excuse works on the stupid... Krysta thought, slamming the door shut. Wasting no time, she lunged at the ex-bandit, savoring the sight of the white of his eyes as he stared in shock. She roughly shoved him forward onto the bed and straddled his waist.
"Wha-what??!"
"Hello, love," Krysta purred, seductively grinding her pelvis against the man's crotch. "I thought you'd like to join us." She turned to her friend and winked, but Nevia looked like she was about to faint.
Krysta ignored the sorceress for now and turned her interest back to the innkeeper. "Tell me," she murmured, living the wine bottle up. "Is this the wine Erix sent to his lady?"
The man turned white as the sheet he was pinned atop of. "Y-yes," he stammered all too quickly, hoping that the crazed woman wouldn't see through his white lie.
Didn't work.
"Stop lying!" She hissed, switching her tactic from seduction to interrogation. "If you think I'm stupid to believe that, how would you like to give me your brain?" She laughed darkly, glancing over at the sharp katar lying upon a nearby table. Leaning forward with her eyes still locked on his, she brought her face to be only inches away from his. "I'd be happy to slice it from your head." Cruelly, she then slid her tongue against his cheek, feeling the stubble prickle her soft lingua.
"I'm not lying! Erix asked it!"
Nevia shuddered and turned away as the woman kissed the innkeeper, angrily biting down on his lip to produce an agonized cry from him. "Krysta, do I have to watch this?"
Krysta's dark eyes turned on her with an evil glint. "This might take awhile..."
"Yeah, well, have fun then," Nevia said sarcastically, opening the door. As she left, she heard Krysta murmur in a haunting tone:
"I think I want to see what your blood looks like on my blades."
***
After much frustration and mirages, the set of small footprints finally came to an end. It took an hour of walking, but he finally reached the destination—an opening in the ground of the desert.
A chill ran up his spine as he slowly descended into the underground hole. From the thick smell that lingered in the air, he knew what his place was. Maggot lair... he thought grimly. Deckard Cain said that there's something in here we need... So... Nevia went without me. He sighed, shaking his head and remembering all the times that woman disobeyed his order to wait for him.
Without another thought, he ducked in to the entrance, his breath catching in his throat as the stench grew stronger as he walked further into the lair.
***
Nevia found her way back into the room that Erix and her had. She stared at the bed. The silk pillows and blankets were still there. All the hurt came back to her and she remained mute against the pain, fighting off the tears springing to her eyes.
Without even looking, she ran to the door to leave. Instead of stepping into the hallway like she had hoped, she bounced back having hit a wall of muscle
"Ow!" she hissed, getting up and rubbing her sore bottom. She looked forward, an uneasy look on her face. "Rune..." All thoughts and her wits scattered from her grasp much like chickens would in response to a fox. Upon contact with his green irises, she had forgotten about Krysta's warning.
Rune smiled warmly, "Sorry."
Nevia shook her head, "Uh, that's ok..." She shrunk back slightly, wanting to leave. Nothing happened though. The two stared at each other, half expecting themselves or the other to start a conversation.
The druid finally broke the silence, "Listen, I want to talk to you."
A strange fluttering sensation occurred in her stomach. "Okay..."
He closed the door behind him and walked over to the bed. Sitting down on the silks, he rested his elbows on his knees and his face within his hands. "I'm really sorry about what happened with Erix."
She nodded, her throat tightening. "I know, you said that."
Rune shook his head angrily. "No! I mean it. I'm really sorry about it. I..." He sighed. "I should've protected you."
Nevia stared at him oddly. "But Rune, you couldn't have done anything. It's not your fault."
Slowly getting his feet, he admired her sincere expression. "You don't get it, Nev." His eyes sparkled as he stared at her. By the gods, he wanted her so bad. He watched as she turned away, pacing the room slightly in order to understand his words.
Her body hypnotized the druid. The sway of her hips; the feminine muscles of her legs; the way her fingers toyed with her hair; the luscious curves of her breasts. He wanted it all. He wanted to see it all, close up and not a scrap of cloth to hide even an inch of her. When he would kiss her, he'd kiss as though to consume her, to make her completely his to have and to hold. Of course, he'd do more than kiss her. He wouldn't be a man if he could not admit to himself that he wanted this woman in every position possible.
He slowly got up and walked towards her. As she spoke, he heard no words, only saw the delicate movement of her soft and moist lips that he longed to ravish.
"I don't get why you're so obsessed with—" She couldn't finish her sentence. Rune's mouth was atop of hers, pressing fiercely against her lips and not caring if his lips were bruised by the hardness of her teeth.
His kiss was possessive. It was a claim to make her lips his. His hand found its way to her head, tangling itself within the silken strands of her long and dark hair as it forced the woman to press back against him. His free hand slipped to the small of her back, pushing to crush her body against his.
Nevia was shocked by his bold move, even more when she felt his tongue snake into her mouth to taste her tongue. She pressed her hands up against his chest to push him away. It was useless. She was not strong enough to fight to win and already her thoughts were being muddled up by the actions of his hands and skilled tongue.
Rune's hand left her back. It glided around the gentle curve of her waist and trailed up her abdomen to cup one of her plump breasts. Despite the ferocity in his desire and the suffocating kiss, his touch was quite gentle. He fondled her breast lovingly instead of like the crazed horny madman's touch she was expecting.
If Nevia's body could cry out without asking permission from her brain, it would scream for more. Her body was aflame and responsive to Rune's actions. Her voice and mind remained rebellious however, refusing to give in to the pleasure her body absorbed. She felt his thumb suddenly circle around on her breast, finding her hardening nipple. He lazily dragged it back and forth, over the turgid flesh as his other hand left her hair to slide down her back.
Nevia's moaned into Rune's mouth, her tongue instantly joining in the kiss. She pressed back against his body, forcing her breast to fit into his hand. She could feel his hardness pressing firmly against her stomach. A strange feeling fluttered low in her loins as her arousal grew in response to the evidence of his own.
Rune responded by kneading her breast roughly and kissing her noticeably harder than before. His hand other hand continued its journey down her back to squeeze her buttock from under her skirt.
What am I doing??! She backed away with a bewildered expression. Her eyes darted back to the man sprawled leisurely upon the luxurious silks. Every inch of her body was begging to be touched, savored and loved... but, not by Rune, by Erix. Despite what he did, she still wished that the body upon the bed—along with the face that smiled longingly—belonged to her beloved paladin.
Rune slowly got up, his concern and fear growing as Nevia turned her back towards him. He drew closer and noticed she was trembling. "Nevia? What's wrong?" She squeezed her eyes shut to stop the salty tears from flowing freely.
"I'm sorry," she choked out. "I shouldn't be here. You shouldn't be doing this." She felt his strong hands clamp down on he shoulders. That didn't do any good. She gasped and fought back by turning around, pressing her hands firmly against his chest and shoving him back. His legs hit the edge of the bed and he fell atop the silks again.
Lying on the bed, he stared at her, blinking innocently. "What's wrong?"
Her hands twisted the coarse cloth of her skirt in frustration. Her eyes were tear-welled and wide as her gaze darted rapidly around the room like a terrified bird of prey. She felt as though everything was against her, a curse to make pain appear around every corner whenever she thought she'd find happiness. Why did Rune have to advance on her like that?
"Why are you doing this to me??!" A tear slid down her cheek.
"What?"
"Why now? Do you really think this helps me??" She backed away slowly. "I don't need this now."
Rune slowly sat up, his solemn gaze piercing through all the chaos Nevia felt within the room. "Nevia, if you didn't like the kiss, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." He cautiously got to his feet, making slow and fluid movements to make sure he didn't scare the sorceress anymore or pose as any threat to her. The last thing he would want is for her to fry him with a lightning bolt.
"No, please!" she cried, more tears helplessly streaming down her face. "Just leave me alone!" With that final cry, she rushed to the door, hastily threw it open and escaped. She ran back to Krysta's room, forgetting that the reason she went to Erix's room was to leave Krysta's. When she threw the door open, she found it empty.
Upon the floor was small red puddle and one of the assassin's katars lying in the midst of it, thick red droplets dripping off the gleaming blade.. Nevia's mind instantly reeled. Where's Krysta?? She panicked, following the small trail of blood spots onto the floor towards the balcony.
She stared at the red spots... a feeling of dread filled her body from head-to-toe. Krysta...
Could it be that Elzix had bested her?
___________________________________
C+C appreciated.
