This world was certainly strange.
Cinder had no other words to describe it. As similar as everything appeared…it was not the Remnant she knew. The one she learned to fear and despise.
Especially Salem gave her some…really mixed signals.
Of course she wouldn't dare to insinuate that she had the literal goddess of hate incarnate all figured out, but…there was a subtle…difference in her behavior.
And they all seemed to involve her for some reason.
Lingering touches, incredibly gentle smiles…last night Salem had even dined with her. It had been strange and ridiculously awkward, but also quite enjoyable.
There had been a time where her Salem had treated her quite the same way, earning Cinder that accursed title of the favorite, and yet it was easily explained by the fact that she had been a child back then.
Not that Salem didn't still hold her to some higher standards most of the time…but she since had abandoned overly sentimental displays of emotion and respected her boundaries.
Cinder sighed and leaned a bit heavier against the inner wall of the chimney.
Whenever she felt unruly and unsettled the urge to retreat to a safe spot became so overpowering that she had given up fighting it.
So far it seemed to work.
Salem left her alone whenever she hid herself in here and she was glad to find out it was the same in this world as well.
She needed to think…to clear her head.
This world's Salem had promised to help her return to her own version of Remnant.
There was nothing to worry about.
If someone was able to pull that feat off it was her.
Salem is obsessed with me.
Rubbing her temples Cinder tried to blank out what her otherworldly self had told her.
She didn't know anything!
Traveling with the likes of those bandits and Ruby Rose.
Running away from Salem, from her ensured way to power?
What a laughable version of herself.
Not even a maiden…
'How pathetic.'
Don't say I didn't warn you!
Thinking about this was ridiculous!
Salem had always valued talent and a certain drive for reaching one's full potential.
Her…rather strong interest could be easily explained by never having truly gotten to know her Cinder…seeing as that one was a spineless coward, so how could Salem not try to treat her in a fairly affectionate manner?
Still…she really wanted to get back home again.
"Do you enjoy being in this place, Cinder?
I have seen you…visiting that spot for quite a few days now."
Startled, Cinder peered up out of the fireplace.
Of course this Salem would find her just as soon as she had stopped thinking about her.
Oh well.
"Just a habit of mine I cannot seem to get rid of", she answered pleasantly, hoping to hide her uneasiness.
"No need to discomfort yourself on my behalf."
'Dammit!'
The master of grimm smiled amused, inclining her head amicably.
"May I sit with you?"
'Sit...'
With her…inside a chimney?
This question felt more than a little strange to her.
The maiden couldn't help but have a…bad feeling about this.
But this was Salem they were talking about.
How could she refuse her master?
"Of course, but…it is not really the most spacious place…"
"I don't mind", came the prompt answer, as Salem ducked inside the fireplace, sitting across from Cinder, as the girl backed away somewhat, trying to put some form of distance between them.
Crimson eyes settled on her almost teasingly.
"Are you nervous, Cinder?"
As much as she wanted to deny it…she knew it wasn't in her best interest to lie to the older woman, other world or not.
"Yes, naturally being this close to someone in such minimal space is bound to make me a tad…unsettled."
She could see that Salem approved of her choice of words by that pleased smile of hers that flitted over her features.
"I enjoy your honesty.
But you are correct. It is rather…cramped inside this chimney.
Which begs the question…what are you hiding from?"
'What?!'
Jumping to her feet heatedly, Cinder stated vehemently:
"I'm not hiding from anybody!", bumping her head against the hard stone roof, she winced from the pain and slumped down again rather unceremoniously, rubbing over the sore spot.
Chuckling quietly, Salem shook her head in amusement.
"You are a terrible liar, Cinder."
Have you lied to me?!
A dreadful feeling settled in the pit of her stomach, as she hurriedly replied, almost stumbling over her words:
"I am not a liar! I-"
Cinder trailed off, taking a deep breath to calm herself down, before continuing in a far more controlled way,
"Frankly I believe this topic might be a bit too…private for me, so I would like to stop talking about it now."
On second thought, maybe she shouldn't have revealed that part after all.
She…didn't quite like the gleam that had entered Salem's eyes.
And she especially didn't appreciate her leaning in far too close for comfort just to ask:
"How private?"
Alarm bells began to ring in Cinder's ears, as she tried to backpedal somewhat, fighting the impulse to flinch away and huddle in the corner.
"Too private to discuss it with a stranger."
A dark look crossed Salem's features, but it was gone so soon that Cinder couldn't be sure if she hadn't just imagined it.
"A stranger you say…", the older woman pondered over her words, a very sweet note to her tone,
"But aren't I far more to you than that?"
That…was oddly specific.
"Yes, but-", the maiden admitted begrudgingly, trying to process the truth behind those words, only to be interrupted, by her master tugging her a bit closer, forcing her to stare into these blood red orbs.
"And wasn't it you who basically invited me to sit and share this place with you?"
'…huh?'
Was that how it happened?
She wasn't sure.
Their close proximity caused her head to spin
"I…"
Salem embraced her completely, just like she had done countless times since the maiden had gotten here, lowering her voice to nothing but a whisper.
"Does that not mean you trust me?
That you feel safe in my presence?"
It all felt so strange and yet…so familiar.
"I…do…"
Had her voice always sounded like that?
"But of course I won't pry."
Salem's hands ghosted over her shoulders, giving her an ominous smile.
"Whatever happened…whoever dared to lay their hands on you, I will destroy them!
Even in this world if I have to.
Do you know why, Cinder?"
No, she didn't, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything.
There was this…sickening feeling inside her gut, a mix of disgust and…anticipation, when Salem gently lifted her head some more.
"Because my love for you knows no limit…or boundaries."
And with that she bridged the remaining distance and captured Cinder's lips.
The alarm bells that had rung inside the maiden's head abruptly stopped, as the sensation registered within her brain, rendering it utterly useless.
Salem seemed to take her response rather positive, smiling into the kiss, deepening it slightly, letting her hands run through Cinder's unruly hair, causing the girl to twitch involuntary.
It…didn't feel entirely unpleasant.
The warmth that began to rise inside her…the tingling spreading through her body…
'What's…happening to me?'
Cinder had never felt like this before.
So…entranced…so…
'Violated!'
A wave of nausea washed over her, as disgust crept up on her, settling in the pit of her stomach. She tried to back away, to break the kiss, to press herself against the wall behind her and just push Salem away, but she was unable to move.
'Please stop!'
As if her prayers were being answered, Salem pulled away with a satisfied hum, licking her lips in such a sensual that her stomach flipped.
Why was she reacting like this?
This was her mentor, her mother even!
She was sick even thinking about her that way and yet…she felt strangely aroused by her.
'Wrong…this is so wrong!'
Peering into these crimson eyes that seemed to want to devour her, the maiden shuddered noticeably.
She felt trapped, like prey in front of its predator.
"Please…"
Her voice sounded strangled and unnatural, even to her own ears.
So vulnerable and…insecure.
Salem's expression softened, tugging Cinder closer, before pressing a long finger to her lips gently.
"Shh, let me love you, Cinder."
'…love?'
Was that what this was supposed to be?
Did that mean she could just…refuse it?
"I-"
The rest of her words were immediately swallowed by Salem kissing her again with even more vigor, eliciting a sudden gasp from her in the process.
A moment the master of grimm didn't let slip by.
Quick wittedly she slipped her tongue inside the dark haired girl's mouth, the contact making Cinder jolt backwards, hitting the wall with her back in the process.
Salem loosened the hold she had on her, using them to balance herself, as she decided to trap the maiden further using the weight of her body, causing the girl to squirm and struggle against her grasp. Her kiss became even more fiery, as she tried to tempt the girl into reciprocating her motions, letting her tongue tease Cinder's.
"Hngh."
A soft whimper tore itself from Cinder's throat.
'Feels…'
Odd, wet, strange, weird, overwhelming.
'…nice…'
It…felt nice?
Her struggles slowed, as her mind was being swarmed by pictures.
Pictures of her and Salem…in bed…entirely naked…entangled into the throws of passion.
Cinder's stomach churned unpleasantly, but she couldn't help the heat that pooled in between her legs, feeling her resistance ebb off, as she slowly began to kiss the older woman back, her hands loosely trailing over her shoulders.
Humming at her compliance, Salem drew back, sitting back across from Cinder beckoning her over.
The pictures made the dark haired girl woozy.
She couldn't help but be lured onto the older woman's lap.
She didn't want it to stop and the pull was too strong.
Why had she even wanted to stop in the first place?
Huddling close to her, she initiated a short passionate kiss herself, feeling Salem's skilled pale hands roaming over her back. The maiden subconsciously followed the touch, as those hands slipped underneath her top, running slow circles along her shoulder blades.
Every nerve inside her seemed to be on fire, when the older woman leaned forward gently nibbling on her ear. Her hot breath causing pleasant tingles to run down her spine.
"Do you feel it?"
Salem's husky low tone only turned her on further, her breathing having become just as heavy as hers.
"Yes", Cinder managed to wheeze out, welcoming the slow caresses.
Something…odd was starting to poke against her stomach, but she paid it no mind, helping Salem instead to get rid of her top.
There was such a…need inside her. She wanted the pictures to finally become reality.
How could she have ever thought this wasn't right?
The master of grimm needed to love her, only then would the fire extinguish.
…but why did she still feel so nauseated by the whole ordeal?
As soon as her top was gone and thrown carelessly aside, Salem mustered her with unmasked hunger in her eyes, leaning in once more to trail a line of kisses down the maiden's feverish skin. She made her way from Cinder's neck down towards her collarbone, her soft lips burning on her flesh, as her fingers came into contact with her naked breasts, causing the girl to yelp and trying to shift away from her.
"Don't fight it, girl."
The maiden was unable to truly focus on Salem's words, but her tone let another shudder run through her body, arching her back into the older woman's touch.
"Hangh!"
Cinder's chest was on fire.
The soft tongue running over her erect nipple caused her to buck her hips forward, tearing a strangled moan from her, as she brushed the kind of hard bulge along the older woman's lower abdomen.
"Hmmm."
Salem practically purred at the contact, pulling Cinder closer against it, while rocking upwards.
"Wha-hangh, what's-?"
'What is that?'
She wanted to know what brushed against her core over and over again.
It felt so good!
"Shh, Cinder."
But Salem's words where almost contradicted by how impatiently she began to pull at the maiden's shorts, while rocking her hips even harder.
Not that Cinder complained.
She wanted the older woman to finally give her the release she so craved.
Her pants felt so incredibly tight and the friction wasn't nearly enough.
A new picture flashed through her mind, bringing with it the promise of even greater pleasure yet to come. Of something buried deep inside her. The most intimate connection they could have.
And oh how she wanted it.
"Please, I-hah-…I need-!"
Salem sucked harshly at Cinder's sensitive nipple, making her cry out.
"…You're right…let's make love together.
We have both waited for so long."
'Finally!'
Lifting her hips to assist the older woman to pull down her shorts and underwear, she breathed harshly, her nerves burning, as all she could think about was what was about to come.
Salem trailed her long fingers along her inner thighs, leaning forward to press a kiss against her damp folds, eliciting another sweet moan from the dark haired girl.
This was beginning to feel like torture.
Cinder could feel her slick juices running down her legs, as her master rubbed teasingly over her clit.
"AHNgh, pl…please…I…hngh…I need you to…aah love me!"
Salem chuckled quietly.
"Gods, you are so ready for me."
One of her hands disappeared from her thigh, fiddling with something Cinder couldn't see in her half way standing position, when the older woman's other hand tugged her down onto her lap again, colliding with something hot and pulsing against her entrance.
Yes, this was it.
This was how they would become one!
Following Salem's guidance she felt the hot member parting her folds, gliding inside without much resistance…until it hit a barrier.
It was in that moment that her master's other hand joined the one on her hips and began pulling her down…and pleasure was replaced with pain, causing Cinder to tense up, squeezing around the pulsing length.
Salem didn't let up, a long drawn out moan escaping her lips.
"Ahh, you are so tight, Firefly!"
…
Fire…
'FIREFLY!'
It was as if Cinder had been doused with a bucket of ice cold water, as the reality of what she was about to do hit her full front.
Just…how…?
Memories flashed through her inner eye.
The time Salem read her stories, taught her to fight, hugged her when she was upset, praised her, scolded her…
Pressed her against the wall of the fireplace, kissed her without consent, was currently somehow inside her…
Her thoughts finally caught up with her head.
Her mentor…her mother…was…
'Inside…-'
…
Cinder screamed.
She couldn't remember the last time she did so…to be honest she couldn't even focus on anything beyond the fact that she wanted, no, NEEDED, to get Salem away from her.
Fire erupted all around her, the sudden outburst of her powers clearly surprising the older woman, as she was blown away, the wall behind her breaking at the force of the impact.
Shaking like a leaf, the maiden stared at her hands in disbelief.
Whirling around she fled from the room, mindlessly running through the castle she had once called her home until she reached the basement, right into the room her world's Emerald and Mercury had been given once upon a time.
Crawling under the bed, she tried to calm her racing hear.
She had been right!
They all had been right!
This Salem…was dangerous!
'RUN!'
Cinder needed to get out of here.
And that as fast as possible!