Out of Darkness Comes the Light - Chapter 16
Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone you may recognize. I don't even own the title. If you think I have ripped you off, sorry. This came purely from my own imagination, such as it is. I don't even claim that my story is any good...
WARNING: Sexual situation and implied violence. If you are bothered by it in any way, do NOT read this.
A/N: I DID kind of leave it at a cliffie didn't I? Seems everyone wants to know who beat the snot out of Arianna. If Tristan knows, he's not saying.
And this chapter is a bit 'talkie.' Teagan needed to get him to talk. I hope it still fits into his character.
Cardeia - I hope this chapter makes sense to you. I tried to show that Teagan is giving Tristan what he wants. Needs. Right now, she thinks that his downward spiral is her fault. And she's fixing it the only way she knows. She's said a few things to him. I wonder if you'll pick them up.
She just locked herself in mostly to keep him safe, to force him to get out some of this pent up frustration. Even if it's on her.
And you hit it. He did think that Arianna would be his way out. He had gone down that path before and wanted the others to think he went that way again. He wants out. And he doesn't care how he gets there.
AHHH! Can't tell you about Victor. But you are so very close.
june birdie - This is only the beginning. They both have to confront each other yet. Now. And I just love your new story.
blueskiezrusty - Ahh. You mean Galen. Of course I am. You forget, they arent together yet. Tristan is one very unhappy man. And he's about to take some of his frustration on the one he thinks made him unhappy in the first place. And yes, he is slightly unbalanced. He's headed that way. It could have been any other person whoe beat the snot out of Arianna. I worded it to hint that Tristan is capable of doing such a thing. Going off his rocker.
lady11occult - I'm so happy you like it. I'm so happy I have new reviewers. It makes my head swell to know that.
sorceress misha - Seems everyone wants to know who beat that woman. I've got one more knocker of a chapter. This one. Then things will mellow out for a bit. And I'm NOT saying of they are getting back together after this chapter.
knightmaiden - Thank you! I'm happy that you like it. I was worried there for a while that it was going nowhere. Fast. And Oh - they will. Eventually.
Teagan faced Tristan, who was sitting on the edge of the bed. The look on his face spoke volumes. There was anger, sadness, hurt...longing.
Tristan watched as she stood close to the door, her arms held loosely at her sides. Her hair was braided so that it fell down her back.
Tristan had an urge to unbind that hair. To feel that hair as it ran through his fingers. To have it lay beneath her.
Her blue eyes regarded him closely, like they were trying to read his thoughts. She could read his mind just by looking into his eyes. She had done it before. He could never hide from her. He closed his own eyes against her questioning ones.
She didn't come any closer to him, just stood by the door. Waiting.
"You know there were others." He finally said.
"Of course I did." She said without contempt, without derision. To her, this was just a fact. She had been angry at first, that night she saw him leave with that woman. After throwing and breaking things, she soon got over her anger. She had no right to be. She had been the one to give him up. She no longer had a right to be angry.
He looked up at her, his eyes questioning. "You are not jealous?"
Teagan crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Do you want me to be?"
"Yes." His voice laced in anger. Tristan wanted her to be jealous, just as he was every time he saw her with Lancelot or even Gawain. They were getting something he craved, her attention.
"I'm sorry, I can't. I mean, I was. At first. Then I realized that I gave up that right."
Tristan didn't quite know what to say to that.
Teagan looked at this man across the room, wondering how she was going to do this. Part of her wanted to just hold him and help the hurt go away. Another part of her wanted to thump him silly. He was destroying himself. Destroying everything he had gained.
Looking at him, he looked like a coil that was about to snap.
She was just a little fearful of what he may do. But there were questions she needed the answers to.
"Did you do that horrible thing to that woman?" She decided to dive right in.
His eyes flashed at her, angry. He was so angry at her. So angry at himself for feeling the way he did.
No. "Yes."
Teagan didn't believe him. She didn't want to believe him. "Tell me the truth."
He took a deep breath, with every intention of saying 'yes.' "No."
"Then why, Tristan? Why have Arthur and Dagonet think you are capable of that?"
He shrugged his shoulders. He didn't look at her, his head hung. "Because I am. I've done it before."
Teagan's jaw fell, just a little bit. "What do you mean you've done it before?"
"I nearly beat a woman to death."
"Why?" Teagan nearly choked on her question.
"I was hurt."
It dawned on Teagan what he was talking about, Arthur had mentioned a woman. From his past. "But that was long ago. It doesn't explain why you are taking the fall." His past was repeating itself.
"Why not? They all assume I did it anyway." His voice devoid of any emotion as he said it.
The reasoning came to her quickly, hitting her in the pit of her stomach, making it hurt. "You want to die don't you?" Tristan wanted an end to this, his pain. And he didn't care how he got there.
"Yes." The answer came swiftly, surely.
She regarded him for a moment, trying to get her thoughts together. "Do you know what I thought of while I was being held by the Saxons?"
He shook his head. "No."
"That I wanted to die."
He just looked at her.
Teagan continued. "You were gone. Dead. My soul had died along with you."
Tristan shook with frustration. "That is not possible. It doesn't work that way." But, he knew it did. His soul was being ripped out of his chest right now.
Teagan snorted. "Don't lie to yourself. You have been feeling that loss. Haven't you?"
Tristan didn't answer her. He didn't know how to.
"You feel that pull. You've feel liked you've lost me and don't care if you lose yourself. You don't care anymore do you?"
Tristan was to her faster that the could think.
"No." He moved closer. So close that Teagan took an involuntary step back.
"You are afraid of me."
She shook her head. "Not of you."
Tristan moved closer. "Then what are you afraid of?"
Tristan was so close that they were touching. Teagan tilted her face to meet his. "I'm afraid of what I have done to you."
Tristan lowered his lips to hers. "You have driven me mad." He whispered against her lips.
Suddenly, he drove her back. She hit the door hard. Hard enough to take her breath away.
As Teagan's mouth opened with the force of the impact, Tristan drove his tongue in. If he could, he would drink her dry right now. Just having her so close was driving his body insane.
He finally pulled away, looking down at the woman he had pinned against the door. Her lips were already bruised with his kiss. And he wanted more. More kisses, more bruises.
Tristan dropped his arms, letting them fall to his sides. "I am going to hurt you." He voice was more a croak.
"I know."
"I don't want to." He brought his eyes to meet hers.
"Yes, you do." She leaned against the door, her eyes also meeting his. Her eyes showing no fear.
Tristan's eyes were looking right into her's. There was something dangerous , something deadly lurking in them. She saw in his eyes what he truly wanted from her - possession.
He grabbed her by both her arms, his hands digging into her flesh, hurting her. But she did not cry out.
Instead, she was silent as he picked her up, carrying her to the bed.
Laying her down, he immediately brought his hands into her hair, pulling the braid from it's leather cord. One hand was running through her hair, marveling at it's softness, while the other was untying the front of Teagan's dress.
Pulling on her hair, Tristan pulled her head back, exposing her neck.
He brought his mouth, his lips to her neck, his teeth finding her pulse point.
Teagan's soft moan brought encouragement. Her eyes closing, her own hands finding the back of his neck, pulling him closer.
Tristan pulled back long enough to find the hem of her dress, bunching it up to her waist. He fisted his hand in her hair, pulling her up to sitting.
The tugging on her hair brought a gasp to Teagan. Tristan's mouth again covered hers, his tongue demanding entrance, his teeth clashing with hers in his need to possess this woman.
This time, when he pulled away, he saw blood on her mouth. Wiping his with the back of his hand, he saw it there also.
Teagan was looking at him, her eyes dark with passion.
Something in the back of his mind snapped, he pushed Teagan back on the bed, his lips finding her neck again. His teeth tugging, biting her neck, her shoulders.
Again, Teagan let out a soft moan, her body arching itself towards his. Her hands finding their way under his shirt. One hand working his way up to his shoulder, the other going down, finding it's way down through the waist of his trousers.
Tristan pulled Teagan's dress down her shoulders, the material tearing. He made short work of the dress and shift Teagan was wearing. His own clothes find their way next to hers on the floor.
He was falling deeper and deeper into her, surrounded by her scent, pressed against her soft body, held tightly by her arms.
As his eyes raked over her bare body, bruises from his hands were already starting to show.
Tristan pulled away, he couldn't do this, not to her.
Teagan reached quickly out, her hand finding several of his braids. "Don't." She pleaded. Her voice filled with her need.
"I am a killer."
Teagan didn't agree. She didn't see a killer at all. "No. You are a man."
In that moment, she gave him what he truly wanted.
He ran his hands up the sides of her body, stopping when he came to her breasts. Drinking in the sight of her, he bent his head to her breast, his teeth and tongue teasing the small nipple, his other hand roughly kneading the other.
Still, she arched her back as far as the bed would allow. Sounds of pleasure leaving her lips.
Slowly, his unoccupied hand found it's way to her thigh, his hand moving to her center.
Teagan moved closer to him, her legs wrapped around his back as he urgently drove inside her, finding her already wet and ready for him.
Tristan groaned at the feel of her, she felt so good, so mobile under him. He pulled her closer to him. His movements rough, demanding.
Teagan cried out in delight and gripped her legs tighter, taking him in further. Her own teeth biting into his shoulder, the taste of blood on her tongue.
He could take it no longer, he bit into her lower lip, causing Teagan to cry out.
As she did, Tristan forced himself further into her, like he was trying to crawl into her.
Teagan scratched along his back with her nails, feeling him arch back. Her body starting to shake with her release.
Tristan let out a growl.
Her release brought on his own. Pulling her tight against him, he gave one last thrust. A hoarse cry tore from his lips as he spilled into her.
Tristan collapsed on top of her, taking in deep breaths. As he calmed his body, he looked down at the bruises, the blood on her face, her neck, her breasts.
Guilt washed over him as he pushed himself away from her roughly, retreating to the other bed that occupied the small room.
Tears fell down Teagan's cheeks as she let out a whimper of exhaustion, pain and sudden loss. Her body was stiff as she bent to retrieve her shift, her muscles protesting as she put the garment on.
Tristan didn't look at her, nor did he speak as he lay on the small bed, his back to her. Silent.
Teagan wasn't sure of what she should do. Should she call for Dagonet? Or should she wait until morning when he would unbar the door? She listened to Tristan breathe, the ragged breaths soon calmed and she heard the even breathing of sleep.
The warring in her head continued as she lay her body down. Her feelings for the man in the other bed still jumbled as her eyes closed in weariness. His face was the last she saw as she slipped into slumber.
A/N: Well? Is it what you all were hoping for. I had this chapter done and decided to re-do it completely. Mostly because I had originally had our boy as Arianna's beater. But, I thought against that. And I had him full out going ballistic on her. I just couldn't bring myself to do that.
I so hope that this wasn't to explicit. I tried to tone it down. Let me know if it was to much. (Cringe)