Chapter 26: Temptation waits



You can't uneat the apple now/ But all I wanna say/ Thank you/ For tempting me... My Life Story



Artemis Entreri woke up early the next morning. He hadn't seen Shandara at all last evening, and he was glad of this. He had no idea what he could say to the woman, no idea what he should do. Or could do. He had never encountered a woman like Shandara, nor had he felt the way he was feeling. The strange power that the woman had over him was worrying him, but what was worrying him even more was that he didn't even try to resist.



If Shandara called him, he would go without hesitation. He hated to know that someone held this kind of power, but then again, if he slept with her once, maybe then he could get over this insane obsession. His confused thoughts weren't helping the situation.



"There you are!" he heard someone shout behind him. He turned around and it took him some time to recognize the woman who was talking to him. It was... He tried to remember the name. Loranna or something. The whore he had slept with.



"I thought you would have come yesterday," the woman said, smiling at him. "But you didn't, and I thought that maybe I should come to you."



"I don't think that's such a good idea," Entreri said, looking at the woman sharply. "You should go."



"It wouldn't cost you anything," the woman said. "I mean it. You're the only man that I've made this offer, so you'd better take it. Once in a lifetime opportunity."



"No. Thank you," Entreri said slowly. "Now leave me alone." He turned his back to the woman and continued to walk down the corridor."



"Did you sleep with perfect Shandara?" Loranna shouted after him, her voice sounding bitter. "Is that why you don't want me anymore? Because you wanted me before, I was there, I felt it." Entreri ignored her, and finally she stopped, kicking the nearest wall. "Damn."



Entreri remembered his time with Loranna. It had been desperate, and he couldn't realize how the woman could think that it had meant something to him. There had been only one thought in his mind through the whole thing; Shandara. His lust hadn't disappeared and now there was only one way to make it disappear.



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"She's not there," Mitsu said when Entreri had spent some time knocking on Shandara's door. "Aran had some business in the city and Shandara went with him. She said that you could find something to do. But she'll be back tonight," the halfling said, following Entreri's reactions. "So if you come back then, you may... Well, I don't think that she'll send you away."



"Is gossiping the only thing you do in this guild?" Entreri asked angrily. "Some thieves you are..."



"Hey, don't mock the guild just because you can't handle women," Mitsu said. "But if you have nothing to do, go and talk to Mirjami. She's like mother to Shandara, and it's always good to get to know the mother before going for the daughter."



"I've already talked to her," Entreri said. "She offered me tea."



"That I can believe," Mitsu grinned. "Don't worry," she added in a confidential voice. "Shandara likes you. Don't just do anything stupid before the night and things will work out fine. Trust me."



"I don't," Entreri said, but then he, to Mitsu's and his own surprise, leaned to kiss her hand. "Thank you for the wonderful advice."



"You're becoming more like Jarlaxle every day," Mitsu laughed. "Not good. Would you like to join me for breakfast?"



"It would be my pleasure," Entreri said, deciding that he would have to find something to do for the day. And then it would be night. And then he would find out something about himself. He wasn't sure what it would be, but whatever it would be, it would help him to get away from the terrible situation he was in at the moment.



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"You're not listening to a word I say," Aran said to Shandara. The woman looked at him and then smiled. "No, I'm not. Sorry."



"What is it about him?" Aran asked. "I don't think I've ever seen you like this."



"Why is it that in the last couple of days I have been forced to discuss my emotions with every other person in the guild?" Shandara asked. "Don't you people have lives of your own?"



"Not really," Aran said smiling. "I'm your friend, and I have to admit that I'm a bit worried about you."



"No need for that. I hope," Shandara said. "Entreri is not going to kill me. I may or may not sleep with him. Then if it's good, I'll sleep with him again. And maybe a couple times after that. He has this terrible effect on me. I want him."



"I don't think that I want to hear anything else," Aran said. "Just be careful."



"Playing with fire will get you burned, but usually you don't even feel the pain, because it's so exciting. Terrible philosophy, but I need to touch the flame of Entreri. Am I making any sense?"



"Not really," Aran grinned. "But I understand. Go and play with fire. But first try to concentrate on the business at hand."



"Yes sir," Shandara said and pushed the thoughts of Entreri away, although it wasn't easy.



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Entreri had joined Mitsu in her tour of the city, which basically meant that the halfling had lead him through small alleys and sewers as well as over rooftops. The halfling was a good companion and reminded Entreri of Dwahvel, although there were differences. For instance Dwahvel wouldn't have, in Entreri's opinion, pestered him about Shandara all the time.



"That was certainly interesting," the assassin said after they had returned to the guild house. The halfling grinned, wiping dust from her face. "You should take a bath. I don't think that Shandara will be happy if you smell like sewers when you..."



"That's enough," Entreri sighed. "I don't want to talk about this with you. I don't want to talk about this with anybody, but it still seems to be the main subject these days. What is it with that?" Entreri's voice was almost tired, and Mitsu decided that it was time to leave the assassin alone. She didn't want to end up with a knife in her chest.



"Take care," the halfling said, hurrying away. Entreri watched the halfling go, wondering what went through in her mind. Then again, he shouldn't be wondering about other people's thoughts when his own were so confused.



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After they returned to the guild house, Shandara went to take a bath. She hated the city when it was sunny; there was dust everywhere. Rainy Athkatla, that was what she loved. When she had worked in the streets, rainy days hadn't been fun, but they had been better than hot, blazing sun.



Shandara returned to her room and dressed in a green dress. She sat on her bed, starting to brush her hair, trying not to stare at the door. No matter what she tried to tll herself, she was sure that Entreri would come. She was tired of this game she was playing with him, and simply wanted to see if it had been worth it. Entreri would come.



Shandara had braided her hair and finished a romance novel that she had been leafing through for a week when there was a knock on the door. She hated herself for feeling excited and put the book down slowly.



"Come in," she called, and when Entreri opened the door and stepped in, she smiled. He seemed almost nervous and Shandara wondered whether he would run away if she tried to do anything.



"So you're still up," Entreri said. He walked through the room, feeling a bit nervous under Shandara's stare. "I can't sleep. It's too hot," she said, her green eyes flashing. "I wish it would rain."



"Isn't it usually raining here?" Entreri asked and sat down in the armchair. Shandara wondered how many times he had done so, and realized that she enjoyed the sight. "I thought you'd like some change."



"Some change," Shandara said smiling. "But when you live in Athkatla, you get used to rain. Sunlight comes as a shock, at least when it lasts for days. It has been too hot for days now. And I like rain."



"Why?" Entreri asked, leaning back in the chair and getting into a more comfortable position. The situation was awkward, and he realized that Shandara knew it too.



"I just like rain," she said. "It's refreshing and... Oh, just stop this!" she moaned, losing her patience. She got up and rushed to surprised Entreri. "What are you..." he started to say, but Shandara leaned over and kissed him on the lips. Her hands went to his shoulders, and she almost sat into his lap.



"What are you doing?" Entreri whispered. The woman looked at him, her green eyes sparkling. "What do you think?" she asked, caressing his cheek. "I'm tired of this game. I want you. And you want me," she continued. "Don't you?" she asked, flashing him a sly grin.



"Yes," he said, staring into her green eyes and then pulling her close for a kiss. Shandara closed her eyes and leaned closer, trying not to fall down.



"It might be a bit uncomfortable in this chair," Shandara gasped when she pulled away from the kiss, her whole body almost trembling. She got up, smiling to him. Entreri followed her, and then he pulled her back into his arms, kissing her even more passionately. They staggered to the bed and fell down.



"More comfortable?" Entreri asked, running his fingers down her body. Shandara laughed, pulling Entreri's dark hair free. "This will do," she said, starting to unbutton his shirt. Entreri helped her, then trying to kick off his boots, which proved to be difficult. Shandara looked at the man when he sat up to take off his boots; he seemed even more attractive with his hair on his face, trying to get off his boots with his hands that - to her surprise - were shaking.



"No need to worry," Shandara whispered into his ear, pulling him back down. He stared into her eyes that tempted him even more than he had thought they would. She smiled and kissed him, and Artemis Entreri allowed himself be tempted this one time, allowed himself to forget everything else and live for only one moment.



Shandara hadn't thought it would be like this. Entreri's touch made her tremble with desire, yearn for every touch. She always controlled herself, even when she was making love she kept some control over herself. Now it felt impossible. Maybe there were many reasons, she thought when she laid next to him some time later; she hadn't slept with anyone for a long time or something like that. But she couldn't deny the fact that when she had the orgasm, Entreri's hands on her body, Entreri's lips on her lips, and Entreri inside her, she had no control over her body. She gave herself to him, completely and fearlessly. And she didn't regret it even for a second.



Entreri didn't remember when he had last been with a woman; useless and distracting, that's what he had thought. Now, with this strange woman who made him drop his guards and forget the rules he had set to himself, he felt almost awkward. His every movement felt - to him at least - clumsy and hardly enough to satisfy anyone's needs. But they found a perfect rhythm, both of their bodies moving as one. Her lips, her body, her voice calling out his name. Then the gasp, and the look of absolute ecstasy that flashed in her eyes when her whole body suddenly tensed and a little cry escaped her lips. Entreri soon followed her, then rolling away to his back, staring at the ceiling.



"That was..." Shandara muttered, rolling close to him and pressing her head on his chest, "unbelievable. Thank you," she said running her finger down his chest. He took hold of her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her fingers. "No, thank you," he whispered, and when Shandara turned to look at him, she saw a new emotion in his storm cloud eyes; something gentle and surprisingly passionate.



"You know, this didn't help much with the heat," Shandara said, and to her surprise, Entreri started to laugh, drawing her close and holding her in his arms. "You are a strange little creature," he muttered, kissing her hair. "But I think I can manage."



"You'd better," Shandara said. "Because after that kind of a performance, I'm not letting you go. Not as long as you're my bodyguard," she added, realizing that she had sounded like she would never let him go. That would happen one day, when one of them got bored. She knew it, it had happened to her before.



"Nice to hear that," Entreri whispered, closing his eyes and caressing Shandara's bare back. The woman shivered, drawing the blanket that had almost fallen to the floor over both of them and then closing her eyes as well, enjoying Entreri's touch and the warmth of his body. She was soon asleep, but he laid awake, trying to think of what had happened.



The lust was gone. But there was something new. He kissed her forehead and thought about how she had said she wouldn't let him go. Without her correction it would have been perfect, because he didn't want to let her go. A perfect moment, laying next to Shandara. Next morning things might be different, but he would have to deal with that then.



He fell asleep a bit later, his arms still around Shandara. And outside it started to rain.



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Note to Shamiran: That's what the fruit thing meant. Comment?

By the way, is 'temptation waits' the name of some song or something like that? It came to my mind but I have no idea where it came from... Odd. If anyone knows, please tell me.