Tristan's Peace - Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you may recognize from King Arthur. Nor do I own any that you may recognize from the Dark Hunter Series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I am merely playing with them for a time. So please don't sue me, I have no money. Nada, zippo, zilch.

A/N: I'm not going to respond individually to each review with this chapter. Just know that I value each and every review that I get. And without you, this story would have ended ages ago. Thanks, Meredith

2005

Teagan was sitting in the large leather chair, the fire roaring in the fireplace. Tristan thinking it felt like 1000 degrees, but it didn't seem to bother Teagan. In her lap was an old leather bound book. Opened to a page of old mead recipes.

Memories of times that were spent laughing with her friend were crowding her mind. The sadness of those lost times coupled with the anger she felt, was overwhelming. She was angry that her friend had given herself over to the dark side. To become one of those soul sucking fiends of nightmares.

Teagan tried to cry, but the tears just would not come. Frustration and anger were building up inside her. And it all needed to come out. "You didn't think that I saw her did you?" Her eyes didn't meet his. Her hands were running lightly over the warn and yellowed parchment.

"I was hoping that you didn't." Tristan stood rooted to his spot near her, watching as her face ran the gamut of sadness, anger and now frustration.

Teagan gave a small, frustrated growl, the book slamming closed with a soft thud. She let it fall to the carpeted floor, pushing herself up from the chair.

Her face became full of anger, but her eyes stayed a very bright shade of blue. "You know something?"

"I know a lot of things." He shrugged very slightly, the movement barely noticeable. "But, with you, I seem to be lacking."

She didn't take notice that he had been trying to lighten the mood. Nor did she give him that angry look she still had on her face. Instead, she took to pacing on the carpet. Her bare toes curling in the thick, deep brown carpet. "I'm tired Tristan. Tired of not knowing much about my past. And what I am remembering is so full of violence that I just want to scream."

Tristan wasn't so sure what to say. Words having become less and less useful to him over the years. His mind and body were telling him two different things. His mind was telling him that he needed to do something, to comfort her in some way.

But his body was telling him not to go there. If he so much as touched her, he would take her.

Instead, he stood still. Letting her rant and get rid of her anger. Pushing his lust back into the back of his mind.

"I hate it that everyone around me feels as though they need to protect me."

This time, Tristan couldn't stand still any longer. As she passed by him in her pacing, he grabbed her arm, pulling her close.

All he wanted to do was protect her from the world.

"I'm sorry." He murmured into her hair. His voice nearly catching with emotion.

Teagan pulled back, her eyes searching out his and letting her hand roam over his face. The brushiness of his beard tickling her palm. Her touch was light but her face was still showing the traces of anger.

And sadness.

Tristan again wasn't sure what to say, so he just stood in front of her, his own hand catching in her hair. He wanted to say something, but wasn't sure just what.

She surprised him by standing on her tip toes, placing a feathery light kiss on his lips. Sliding down, all traces of her earlier anger were gone. But the sadness was still there.

He couldn't stand it, he pulled her closer. His lips claiming hers in a bruising, needy kiss. Breathless, he released her, but still holding her closely. He could feel her smile as her cheek was pressed up against his chest. His heart.

Teagan's hand found it way under Tristan's shirt, the softness of her fingers causing his skin to jump wherever they touched. She kept her head against his chest for a long time. Not moving nor speaking.

So it was longer still before she finally did. "Tristan?"

"What, Love?" He dropped a silent kiss on the top of her head.

Teagan pulled out of his grasp. She tilted her head up, meeting his eyes. "Thank you."

"For what?" Tristan reached for her, but she remained just out of his reach.

Teagan heaved a heavy sigh. "For ending her misery." She moved away from him, toward the door. Her eyes asking him to follow her.

0o0o0o

Tristan sat on the toilet seat, watching as Teagan shed her clothes. She moved with such a natural grace. It was as natural for her as undressing himself. He was contented, knowing that she wasn't self conscious about her nudeness in front of him. Her movements fluid and engulfing.

Jealousy briefly ran through him as he wondered if she was this uninhibited in front of others. He pushed aside that thought. She never had been ashamed of her body, but had only ever shared herself with him.

Neither spoke as Teagan brushed her teeth, Tristan doing everything he could to hold himself still as she was bent over the sink. Her bottom slightly wiggling as she brushed. His eyes followed the path of that dragon as it wound it's way around her, following every curve. He had to hold his hands still as he desperately wanted to run his hands over that soft skin, to take her from behind...

Coughing, he stood up, having to adjust the sudden tightness in his jeans. Picking up a brush, he started brushing her hair, letting the softness run over his hands. He closed his eyes as it felt like silk sliding over and through his fingers.

Both were still silent as he took his time getting all the tangles he caused out of her hair. Teagan standing close to him with a contented smile on her lips while Tristan restraining from taking her again.

She was leaning back slightly, her hands resting on his thighs for support. All his natural restraint was quickly leaving him as her scent ran wild through his senses. He glanced down, her body bared for him. Her head leaned slightly back, causing her breasts to thrust softly forward. Her eyes were on his face and were such a brilliant color.

Again Tristan coughed, which was more a growl. He set the brush down, stepping to the shower and turning the water on full hot. "Why did you let me do that?" He asked her, trying his hardest not to look at her through the already steaming mirror.

Teagan shrugged her shoulders, stepping into the shower. "You needed it." She was smiling a small smile, holding the glass door open. Tristan noticed that her eyes had again become dark, heated.

"Join me?" Her voice was so husky and low that it only took seconds for Tristan to shed his clothes and enter the steamy water.