Chapter: The Calm Before...

Sitting with one leg drawn up and resting against the back of the couch, Jareth gestured to the other end of the couch, and it's inviting pile of pillows, as Sarah exited the bathroom dressed in a full length dressing gown of a rich ivory white, that matched the loose white silk pant he now wore.

Settling against the pile of leather and fur pillows at one end, Sarah pulled her knees up, wrapped her arms around them, and rested her chin on her arms.

" So this, this being unable to keep from touching and not feeling embarrassed when you see me naked, what is that? I mean before you" : waving her hand around Sarah continued: " materialized in my dorm room, you had already become something that was always with me. I started dreaming about you the second I was returned home, the agony in your eyes as you fell haunted me. I wanted to hold you, and beg for your forgiveness, to tell you that I was just a spoiled brat and... "

Letting her hand fall to the worn leather seat with a frustrated groan, Sarah meet his eyes through her thick lashes. Noting the monumental insecurity shining out at her.

Leaning forward, Jareth gently grasped her hand, running his thumb across her knuckles in a comforting gesture, though who needed it most could be debated.

" Bear with me precious, I fear that it will be a long tale, and needs dictate that you hear it all."

Nodding Sarah squeezed his fingers gently: "ok spin yer yarn sailor."

" Hmm yes indeed...Before I begin I need to know how much you understand about the labyrinth and my relationship with him? "

Releasing his hand, Sarah ran her fingers through her long ebony hair, as she seemed to think, then stretching her legs out to rest in the space between his thighs, she leaned back and mused: " Well I know that the Labyrinth is a sort of hub between realms and that you were born of all the realms to rule the Labyrinth and prevent war, that means that you have some weird ass family issues, which would make David Letterman and Ricki Lake salivate, but that's off the point. I also know that the whole thing will come crashing down if you should die, oh yeah and you are more or less a god in your own realm, so did I get it all? "

Nodding as he let the tip of his claws trail over her smooth silky calf, Jareth smiled at the feeling, and he had to force his hand to rest on her slender ankle before he could gather his thoughts enough to begin telling her what she must know.

" I was borne three thousand eight hundred and seventy six years ago measured in above ground years, though I have seen at least three times as many days dawn over the Labyrinth and it's realms. But that is not really essential to this tale. I was born to rule the Labyrinth, and I did. I was young and the most ravishing creatures of every race fawned over me, lavishing their graces on me in the hope that I would make one of them queen. But no matter how beautiful and well breed the women were, none of them were right, none of them fit into the empty space inside my soul. I was content, but not happy, and I was restless. And in my restlessness I would sweep through the veil searching for something, someone. I just didn't know who or what. And then one day I heard a voice, clear as I hear you now, and I followed it through the veil to the realm of Gaia's unborn. "

Looking up at Sarah with eyes that glistened with tears, Jareth continued, his voice thick with emotion: You were standing at the shore of the lake of souls, a shimmering silver and emerald light. You had no form yet, no hint of the beauty I now see before me. But oh goddess I can still see you standing there, shining your light over me, into me, filling the void in my soul, completing me. I don't know how long I spend by your side that first time, but I only returned to the Labyrinth, when a summons ripped me from your side.

" From that day on, I returned to your side every night. Spending my nights bathed in your light, and my days here tending to my duties in the Labyrinth. And I was happy. No one knew, and I was so careful, so very careful, on the surface nothing changed, I still had dalliances with the odd socially ambitious lady. But each night I would slip through the veil and bask in your light. It took us a while, but we learned how to slip into the living dream together, and we lived through whole lives together, simple lives, complicated lives, and everything in between, but every life was happy, and good because we were together. "

Leaning forward, Jareth grasped her hands pulling her forward resting their foreheads together: " Morgaine, she knew me too well, and she followed me through the hidden paths of the veil, and she saw us together. She was so happy for me, for us. She was so happy that there was a soul waiting to complete me, that she sent out words of power binding us together across time and space, to bless us, she..."

Tears fell thick and heavy as he let his words trail into a tortured silence, his hands grasping hers with desperate strength, as he whispered: Why would she do that if she was plotting to kill me, it makes no sense, why? "

Gently pulling one hand from his grip, she reached out slowly stroking her fingers through his hair as she murmured: " I don't know, why a mother would do that, I don't know. But I do know, that you need to confront her Jareth, draw her betrayal out into the open, and force her to be truthful."

Leaning into her soft caress, Jareth pulled in a shuddering breath before he straightened, a pained light filling his beautiful eyes. And now Sarah saw what Jareth meant by saying that his markings showed his mood. Earlier the marks had been soft gold or dark copper, now they surrounded his eyes in smeared smoky grey and pitch black, making him look bruised, sad, and somehow very naked.

" I don't know if I can do that precious, Morgaine has always had a disturbing way of rendering me a helpless child with only a look. Even now, I fear her displeasure" : Shaking his head ruefully, Jareth let his head fall back, and closed his eyes, with a half groaned moan: "I am the goblin king, the ruler of the Labyrinth, I have the power to ruin the realms dependent on mine, I can disrupt the flow of magic starving them all to a painful and lingering death. And yet I fear the wrath of my mother... mighty Goblin king indeed."

" Yeah well everybody fears their mothers. At least you still have Titania..."

His head snapped up at the sound of his other mothers name, and for a second something frighteningly close to panic clouded his eyes, it was only a split second, then his eyes became cool and distant as he said: " Yes you are right, of course. In any case it has no bearing on what I was about to tell you."

" Okay."

Shuddering Jareth rubbed his face, as if trying to scrub off something unpleasant, before continuing: "We were happy together, in every life, no matter what form you took on I found you irresistible, your smile enough to make my heart stop. You are my equal in every way, your power strong enough to rival my own, your will as strong, and your kingdom as great. "

Giving her a wicked wink tinted with uncertain sadness, Jareth continued: "I helped you control that power, and taught you to use it, and you used it so well. "

Sarah's eyes looked huge with shock as she blurted out: "That's how I knew how to heal you..."

Nodding Jareth smiled and grabbed her hands once more, holding them against the smooth sculpted muscles of his chest, as he gazed lovingly into her glorious verdant eyes: "This is why you feel the way you do, why it comes so natural to touch each other and why you are not embarrassed to be naked around me. We have already been so close countless times. And I love you so very much, never doubt that precious. The years I spent waiting for you to be borne and finally truly become mine, were more tortuous than anything I suffered at the night goblins hands... I..."

Terror shone from his eyes, making her heart clench as she stared at him, trying to process the overwhelming impossibility of what he had just told her.

Millennia, they had know each, for thousands of years and yet she had no memory of it only these deep feelings she had to trust him about. Trust him.

The very thought sent chills down her back, this was the Goblin king the monster of her teen years, the ghoul who stole her baby brother, the…

Stopping mid-thought Sarah blinked, because Jareth had not stolen Toby, he had only done what she had forced him to do.

She had asked for Toby to be taken, and Jareth had taken him, she had needed him to be frightening and he had terrified her.

And only now as he stared at her, with every emotion naked in his bicolored eyes, waiting in apparent calm for her decision, did she truly understand the agony her rejection had caused him. It had not been childish dreams that he had offered her, it had been their dreams, their shared lives and memories. And she, the ignorant child had brushed him aside like a used up toy. Tears mirroring his rolled from her eyes, blinding her, as she whispered brokenly: " Jareth I am so.. sorry"

"No don't.." : His bruising grip released her hands with blinding speed, as he moved away from her, seeking to turn his back to her, and hide the look of heart wrenching anguish that flowed across his face: " I understand, you need not say anything… I...I..."

" Jareth no stop, wait " : Lashing out Sarah grabbed his wrist holding him firmly in place despite his half-hearted attempts at pulling away: " Listen to me, I'm sorry that I turned you away, that I rejected you. That I hurt you, exhausted and starved you. You should have given me the memories instead of the ballroom dream, then…."

" That was a memory… it was the last dream we shared" : His voice shook, and Sarah had to strain to hear the softly whispered words: " You broke through it, shattered it like a worthless glass trinket."

" Shit Jareth I… I... didn't know "

" I know, you didn't.. but I hoped.. I... "

Holding onto his wrist Sarah rose from the couch, and moved to stand behind him. Slipping her arms around his waist, she pressed herself against the scarred hardness of his back: " Jareth, it is not too late.. I'm here now, and I'm… not going.. Anywhere"

He stood rigid like a statue, barely daring to breath lest she vanish like a fever dream. Pain, hope and fear was clear in his voice as he whispered huskily: " Sarah what are you saying."

" I'm saying that.. I'm here and I trust you, I love you, and…" : Drawing in a deep steadying breath, she pushed on, with a to her surprisingly strong voice: " I want to remember, I want every minute we have shared, and every minute that we will share. Jareth offer me the crystal again…? "

Shaking his head in despair, Jareth sighed: I can not… not yet, I do not have the strength for it.. I …"

" Then I'll wait, I'll wait until you find the strength again… even if it takes forever I will wait… It's only forever, that's not long at all"

" Sarah I .. ": Her fingers were warm and soft, as they splayed up along the sides of his chest, playing gently over the ridges of his ribs, soothing his fear, and igniting a flaming need.

Standing on her toes, Sarah leaned further into him, gracing her lips along the soft skin at the hollow behind his ear, tasting the faint salt and musk of him, as she whispered:" Hush my king the time for speeches are spent, and a time for sweeter things is upon us."

The gentle caress of her breath sent shivers through him, and they only grew as her hands explored the different textures of his chest, smoothing along the thin silkiness of the newly formed scars, the faintly leather like toughness of the healed burns, along with the few scattered pieces of unscarred skin. He was smooth and soft textures stretched out over the taut hardness of lean battle hardened muscle, and sharp ridges of bone. It was like touching a living statue, marble come to life, only marble did not moan with pleasure as her fingers teased his left nipple, lightly pulling and rolling the hardened nub between her fingers. As her right hand slipped lower, to brush tauntingly along the pale grey sash holding his loose pants in place around his narrow hips.

Breathing hard Jareth leaned back into her heat, moaning as she ran her tongue along the shell of his ear, before biting down firmly on the skin she had just kissed. The sensation of teeth digging into the new skin, made his vision swim with light. It was too good.. And then her hand vanished down beneath the sash, brushing her questing fingers along the light dusting of golden hair that created a faint line from just below the slight hollow of his navel, and down the hard line towards his burning loins.

Each breath turned into a harrowed moan as her nails trailed a throbbing vein from his root and all the way to his tip. Then silky soft fingers encircled him making him gasp and arch back into her embrace, as the pure sensual feeling of her stroke made his knees weak. He wanted nothing more than to let her drive him over the shining edge with her sweetly torturous ministrations, and if she continued much longer, she would. But that would not do, he was after all the Goblin king and not some virginal stable boy eager to seed a girls hand without regard for her pleasure. Unclenching his hands, Jareth smirked as he slowly pulled Sarah's hand from his aching length, returning his frayed control to him, before he turned and gazed down at her with a predatory light in his eyes.

Sarah watched in thrilled anticipation as he slowly brought her hand up to his lips, pressing a scalding kiss against skin that suddenly felt too alive. Electricity pulsed from her palm and to her already moist core, drawing a shocked gasp from her as her knees buckled. White glowing light burst before her eyes, as Jareth's tongue flickered out licking against her heart line. And all that held her up were Jareth's arm wrapped firmly around her waist.

" Hmm I love the way your knees betray you precious, now let us see how you respond to this..."

Releasing her hand, Jareth smirked as he leaned down to press a string of quick kisses from the furiously pounding pulse at her temple down her jawline and further down her neck, ending at the hollow above her collarbone, noting every spot that made her shudder or move, for use later on.

Her skin tasted salty, and ever so vaguely of fresh peaches, as he licked the smooth skin before biting down, worrying at the tender skin, revelling in the way she clung to him as she moaned and keened his name with a voice that was strained with need.

His own voice shook as he ground out: " Yes scream for me precious, scream my name."

Grabbing the heavy fabric of her robe, Jareth fisted his hands in the garment, his eyes glowing pools of animal desire, as he ripped it from her shoulders in one smooth forceful movement. Running his hands up her naked back Jareth growled at the way she trembled under his fingers, as he pulled her in flush against him, claiming her lips once more. Her lips opening willingly as his tongue flickered across them seeking admittance. And when her arms snaked up to rest around his neck, he could not resist grabbing ahold of her smooth thighs lifting her up, to let her wrap her long legs around his slim waist. There she clung to him, as her tongue danced with his, and her hands buried themselves in his hair, locking them together while she ground against him moaning wantonly into his warm mouth.

Pulling back, Jareth gazed into her eyes, shuddering as he saw nothing but heat, need and love glow out at him, from their deep green depths.

" You will be the death of me precious... "

Licking her lips suggestively, Sarah flexed her thighs, rubbing firmly against him once more, as she moaned: " Hmm we can't have that now can we. "

And that was the final straw, her moist heat rubbing against his burning length trapped between their bodies, through the thin silk, along with her heated words, nearly shattered the very last of his self restraint. He needed her, and he wanted her, but not before he had made her scream his name repeatedly.

Tightening his grip on her unbelievably smooth and firm thighs, he carried her to their fur nest in six great strides, fuelled by utter urgency. Holding her flush against him, he lowered them both onto the warm surface with a deep groan.

Locking her legs around him, Sarah gasped and threw her head back as he ground his aching body against her. Flames of need flared to life, making her wither against him, as his hard urgent strokes rubbed over her pulsing bundle of nerves again and again. She was no virgin, and yet these most basic of actions fanned her flames higher than any lengthy tryst had ever accomplished before. And she was left a quivering moaning mess beneath him, as he relentlessly drove her closer and closer to that shining abyss.

And then his slender fingers found her left nipple, and all it took for him to hurl her into a screaming orgasm, was a gentle twisting pinch on that tight marble.

" Hmm your screams are the sweetest music to me, and I fear that I will need to hear you sing that hymn many times before I am satisfied" : His eyes glittered darkly as he leaned down and pressed a long lingering kiss to her lips, drawing out her very soul with his demanding lips. Before proceeding to use claws, lips and tongue to map out a trail from the frantically pounding pulse point just below her jawline, and down her trembling body, to the little nest of dark silky hairs hiding her most secret parts.

Settling in between her parted quivering thighs, Jareth watched her over the smooth tight expanse of her body. She was nothing short of amazing as she lay completely naked before him, her pale golden skin flushed with a passion that he had ignited. Her entire body moving every time she drew in a deep breath as she tried to return from the orbit he had just sent her on. It was a most tantalizing sight, and one that begged for an encore.

" Are you ready for an encore my love? "

It took her more than one try to make her voice obey her, and even then she had the most delightfully husky tone to her words: " Oh god Jareth I've never, come like that before... I... I... arrrh."

Her back arched and her fingers gripped onto the furs and Jareth's hair, as he lowered his head and began lavishing his attention on all the points he had, had a millennia to find and remember, drawing cry after wanton cry from her lips in a symphony of sensual pleasure.

He had lost count of how many times she had screamed his name, as she shook against his lips in yet another completion, when her trembling fingers dug into his hair, forcing him to stop his agonisingly pleasurable torture. Keeping her grip firm, Sarah guided him along her heaving body, until his larger frame was covering her and he gazed into her eyes once more.

" God Jareth if you keep that up I'm going to burst a vein."

Smirking in reply Jareth nodded gravely while snaking a hand in between them, running a golden claw from the sensitive inside of her thigh, and all the way up to graze the hollow at her throat. Jareth couldn't keep in a throaty moan as her back arched up against that small touch and her eyes fluttered shut. She was utterly breathtaking as she gave herself to him, revelling in even the slightest touch as if she had never felt anything as good. But then the unskilled boys that she had previously known in this form were no real match for a fey, who had had thousands of years to refine his skills and who had used those skills on her through all those years. A predatory grin spread on his face, as he leaned in to whisper darkly: "Then what would you have me do... "

The swiftness of her movement took him by complete surprise as she used the strength of her legs to flip them both over, putting her firmly on top. Then scooting down until she was straddling his hips, Sarah growled simply: " This."

Snapping her fingers, Sarah groaned as his thin silk pants vanished, leaving nothing between them. Throwing her head back, she rocked back and forth, her moist folds sliding along his throbbing rock hard length, drawing sweet gasped moans from them both, as the delicious heat grew to new electric heights. Running her fingers lightly down his chest, Sarah grinned at the way that simple touch made his eyes flutter, and lose focus.

He was a sight that could stop her heart, as he lay beneath her.

His skin glowed like cream silk, the multitude of newly healed scars only a little redder. His long golden hair had been pulled back from his impossibly perfect face by a sloppy braid. He ought to look strange, or naked without the shock of silvery golden hair as a distraction. Yet he looked breathtaking, like a teenage fantasy come to life, His eyes burning with an inner light that left tiny crimson pinpricks in the centre of his pupils, as he consumed her with unfocused eyes.

He was wild and dangerous like a feral tiger, a barely contained forest fire waiting to consume her, and Sarah wanted so desperately to be burned. Leaning down she captured his parted lust reddened lips in a vicious kiss seeking to lose herself in his bi-coloured eyes, as his hands slid up her ribs, to cup her breasts.

The rhythm build between them, as their lips and hands wandered, tasting and touching, in a tantalizing familiar, yet utterly alien dance. Cupping her breasts, Jareth rubbed his thumbs gently over the raised hardened nubs coaxing low guttural moans from her as she shuddered above him. Pulling back, from his lips, Sarah gazed down at him, taking in everything that showed so readily in his eyes. There was fear there, desperation, hope and need and below it all she saw deep and utter love. It was all she needed to see, and know, as she dove in to claim his lips again. She would figure it all out in time, now that she knew that it was indeed her own feelings, and not something conjured up by Jareth or her own imagination...

All coherent thoughts fled her mind as Jareth growled against her throat, raking sharp teeth down her smooth skin, with just enough force to stay on the right side of pain, and send electric bursts of pleasure down her spine, making her buck against him. Oh god it felt so good as he relentlessly tortured her throat, with alternating gentle kisses, teasing licks against her sensitive skin and sharp near painful nibs of his teeth. Clinging to his shoulders, Sarah threw her head back, keening with need once more as he raked his claws slowly down her back.

"Jareth oh gods yes, please. I want you, I. ...I Need you inside me"

Her words burned into him like red hot coals, flooding his veins with liquid fire that only her touch could smother. Gripping her tighter, Jareth ground his throbbing desire against her, drawing whimpered moans and pleading whispers from her parted and lust swollen lips. She was his, no other words could describe the emotion in her eyes, as she gripped his hair in her delicate hand, and forced him to meet her smouldering gaze. She had surrendered to him fully not as a submissive subject, but as his equal, his queen. She had opened her heart offering it to him like she was her body, and he could do no less. Breathing in her intoxicating scent, Jareth groaned: " Your wish is my command."

Running his fingers deep into her tangled tresses, Jareth held her tightly against him, as he flipped them both.

She had seen him naked, and she was no virgin, she knew what to expect, as he settled between her legs, a hand lifting her hips into a better angle. Yet still her heart raced and her back arched as he pressed into her with an aching lack of speed. She was more than ready, and still, the sheer size of him made her gasp and moan as he was finally fully sheathed within her body. Never had she been filled this much, it felt as it he would tear her in two if he ever began to move. But she wanted it regardless, and she could not stop herself as she pushed up against him, grinding every last inch inside of her until her body was pressed flush against his, growling: "Move.."

Jareth was not slow to comply.

The first few strokes were slow and controlled as she balanced between pleasure and pain, while he let her get use to his size, but that only lasted until she thrust up against him growling like a caged animal, her every fibre begging him to just take her.

And he did, holding his own weight off of her with one arm, Jareth gripped her hip steadying her beneath him with the other, as he rolled his hips hard, moving in a wave like motion that pulled all but the very tip of him from her tight moist opening before ramming back in, reaching the bottom of her body in one hard thrust. Hands and lips moved on their own accord as they parted and met in a dance as old as man and woman, each thrust drawing shuddering moans from their lips. There was no time only the feeling of flesh against flesh, and eyes that burned into souls. Heat and power pooled in their bodies as they drove each other closer and closer to that elusive shining edge.

Sarah fell first, her hips bucking uncontrollably, as heat and light and pleasure washed over her, stealing all cohesion away as she clenched hard around him, making him thrust even harder in response as she screamed into his eager lips.

Each hard spasm squeezed him, sending sharp bursts of pleasure through him, until all Jareth knew were the roar of blood in his ears and the feeling of her skin against his as he too spilled over the shining edge, to lie sprawled and boneless across her heaving chest, for what felt like an eternity, before Sarah finally managed to find the energy to groan.

" Gods Jareth, that was... "

" I believe that the word you are looking for is WOW, and yes ... it was rather was.. "

Pushing himself up, Jareth grinned down at her, as he balanced easily on one arm, brushing a stray lock from her forehead, with the other, while looking down at her with an infuriatingly chipper expression, as he drawled: " I must say young lady you have most certainly convinced me that you are no longer a child... But are you truly a match for the fearsome Goblin king?"

Rolling his hips sharply to punctuate each of the last three words Jareth flashed Sarah a predatory grin, as her eyes widened with the realization that he was still hard and ready inside her. The sensation of him moving inside her hypersensitive body sent shivers up her spine, and made her wither and gasp, much to Jareth's amusement.

Amusement that turned to heated gasps as Sarah wrapped her legs firmly around his hips and clenched as she rose up to thrust against him: " Hmm I think the question is whether a Hmm four thousand year old Goblin King.. can keep up with a twenty one year old... hmm old man? "

Light burned in his eyes, glowing like a deep infernal fire, making his markings flare out in golden orange and black as he drowned her in a look that plainly screamed, I will devour you. ...