A/N

Thank you for comments, reviews, and follows. I am excited to say that I have finally finished with this story. It has gone in a completely different direction than I thought it would, and has ended in a really good place. Only two more chapters after this. I have a story line idea for the next story, but I will have to wait and see what the exact context is until the next challenge is posted. I have no idea how many total stories this arc will take or where I will end it, but I am having a lot of fun with this Keith and Allura.

Paulina Ann: Get ready for some heat in her room, but, I am happy to report, it is relatively lukewarm heat. It is not citrus, so it is totally safe for you to read and enjoy. Not sure why, but I chose to tone things down for this story, despite KA raising the Heat.

Limetwist: Warm enough, but not boiling. Like any girl, Allura is caught up in the fantasy of the future dreaming about future kids.

Smithy: I live in Vegas now, so I don't experience winters like I used to. I loved snow when it first fell, but then it just gets dirty, slushy, and messy. Not much fun after that.

CubbieBlueMako: We won't finish exploring Koran before this story is over. I thought I would save that for whatever will be the next story in the arc. They're safe….for now.

lovecastle89: I am so not an outdoorsy person, so I will let save that plot bunny for you. I don't think I even know what an auger is. Sloppy kiss plus coming!

Guest: Thank you for leaving reviews! I hope you are feeling better. I think flannels can be sexy. Picture Keith, low slung pajama pants, pajama top hanging open, those sexy hip indentions. Whew! I better stop. Better save that for Allura! Anyway, here is your next chapter so I hope you enjoy.

Going to say rated M only because of the content. Tame for me. No outright citrus. (hope that doesn't disappoint anyone.)

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Voltron.

Chapter 8

Keith and Allura walked slowly down the corridor leading to her royal suite. Turning his head to look at her, he couldn't help but notice that her lips had taken on a slightly blue tinge. "How are you really feeling?" Keith inquired with concern evident in his voice.

Glancing up at the dark eyes she loved, Allura saw worry creasing Keith's dark brows. "I'm ok, I swear. I am just really cold. I can't feel my toes and my fingers feel like they are going to fall off. I will be better when we get to my quarters and get a fire going."

Sighing, Keith walked a little faster, hoping to get Allura thawed out a bit sooner. Coming to the door to her quarters, he watched as she fumbled with the code in her clumsy mittens. "Here, let me," he said, stepping in front of her to punch the code in himself.

The door swished open, admitting them into her sitting room. The air inside her suite wasn't any warmer than the air in the rest of the castle. Looking around, Keith noted the fireplace in her sitting room. "Do you want me to start your fire here, or in your bedroom?"

"B…B….Bedroom," she gasped as she began to shiver again. "I w…w…want to be able to c….c…curl up under my covers."

"Ok, let's go," Keith replied curtly, trying not to think about the things he and Allura could do in her bedroom. Willing himself to keep the job of getting a fire going at the forefront of his mind, he avoided looking at those fathomless azure eyes.

Following her into her attached bed chamber, Keith saw that the fireplace occupied the wall at the foot of the bed. He would need to slide her bed closer so she could fully get the benefit of the heat from the fire. Walking over to the fireplace, he bent down and started stacking firewood. Setting his blaster on low, he fired at the wood, and soon, a small flame danced merrily in the hearth. Standing back up, he saw that Allura had not moved from where he left her standing near the door. "Come on, Allura," he coaxed. "Let's move the bed closer to the fire, and get you tucked in. You will feel better soon; I promise."

Nodding slightly, Allura shuffled over to the foot of the bed and pulled. The bed moved an inch.

"Here let me help with that." Keith joined her and yanked on the footboard. With a loud groan of protest, the bed moved several feet. After several minutes of pulling and tugging, Keith got the bed situated in a position where Allura would lay parallel to the fire. With a satisfied grunt, he stood and smiled at his handiwork. Just as we was about to turn to check on Allura, a pair of lithe arms reached around the bulk of his jacket. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the princess pressed against his back, her face burrowed into the fluffy black parka.

"Y…y…you're so warm," she mused. "Stay. Please. I….I….I need your heat."

Keith blinked in shock at the unintended innuendo. Or was it intentional? Trying to ignore the tightening of his body, he fought to extricate himself from her embrace. "I can't, Allura. Koran already suspects that something is up. He has been watching us suspiciously all day."

"How do you know? Did he say something?" she asked. Dropping her arms from around Keith with an exasperated sigh, she walked toward the fireplace. With her hands held out in front of her, a now contented purr escaped from her lips as feeling returned to her hands. "I already feel better," she mumbled under her breath. To Keith, she said, "Surely he would question us directly if he truly had suspicions."

Keith shook his head as he watched her breathtaking profile as she warmed herself near the fire. "He didn't say anything directly," Keith admitted. "It was more of a vague rhetorical statement; something about your beauty needing to be protected from those wanting to take advantage of it." Smirking to himself, Keith reflected on how ridiculous the warning really sounded now that he thought about it.

"My beauty!" Allura repeated, snickering loudly at the absurdity of the warning. "How preposterous!" Then as she realized the full intention of her advisor's words, a torrent of rage overtook the princess. Spinning around angrily to face Keith, Allura narrowed her eyes as she gazed at his handsome face. A disgruntled scowl darkened her perfect features. "How dare he!" she spat. "It is not up to him to protect my beauty. It is not up to you to protect my beauty." Her eyes roved over every inch of his hard soldier's body. He was a mythological god, even under all those layers. Allura's expression shifted from one of fury to one of lustful hope as she swore to herself that she would show Koran. She would show Keith. Mind made up, her eyes darkened to midnight blue as she continued to gaze at Keith in the firelight. "It's next time, Keith," she murmured silkily. She suddenly started walking toward him with purpose, her hand reaching up to tug on the zipper of her parka. "Warm me up, Keith, please! Let it be 'next time.'"

A desire-filled fog clouded Keith's brain as she took several predatory steps toward him. The commander clenched his fists. Fighting the urge to just grab her, throw her on the bed, and ravish her, Keith felt his last bit of self-control dissolve away. This beautiful creature offered herself to him, whether from love or lust, he didn't know. He tried to form the words to deny her what she wanted, what he wanted, but no words came. Why was it wrong again? At the moment, he didn't care. He was chilled, he was tired, and all his foggy mind could think about was the warmth that she offered and the pleasure that he knew would accompany it. Against his better judgment, instead of backing away, he opened his arms and invited Allura into his strong, warm embrace.

A purr of pure contentment escaped from Allura's lips as his warmth suffused her very being. Lifting her head, she gazed into his dark, smoldering eyes. Emotion churned in their depths; a promise of warmth, safety, and excruciating pleasure. Gasping at the intensity of his gaze, Allura pulled back and stepped backward. Overcome, she finished pulling the zipper to her parka down and let the ice-blue jacket fall from her shoulders.

She didn't stop there. As Keith stood and stared at her, she quickly removed her thermal undershirt, exposing her bare skin to the frigid room. Standing in the firelight in her lacy blue bra and flannel pajama pants, Allura felt goose pimples explode across her skin. Were they from the cold or the way Keith's eyes seemed to darken further? They stood staring at each other for several moments before Keith finally moved.

The commander ripped the black skull cap from his head, flinging it to the floor beside the bed. Grasping at the zipper of his own parka, he quickly shrugged out of his down jacket and let it fall haphazardly to the floor. Down to just his thermal shirt and pajama bottoms, the Black Lion pilot stalked quickly to the princess and snaked his arms around her, pulling her flush against his hard body. Deciding not to stop and think or worry about the possible ramifications, the normally stoic commander chose to not listen to his head tonight, but allowed his heart and his desire to take over. Hungry for her with his body throbbing in heated anticipation, he lowered his head to hers. As his lips found hers, he began to consume her.

Moving backward, Allura pulled on Keith, guiding him toward her bed. As she fell backward onto the king-sized bed, Keith fell on top of her, pinning her to the mattress. Neither seemed to notice the cold air that surrounded them, the heat they generated from their liaison masking the chill of their surroundings. Feeling warm for the first time in days, they only noticed the moans, the touches, and the loving caresses brought on by the other. Slowly, their remaining clothing fell away, leaving the princess and the commander bare beneath the covers. Keith took his time showing his princess just how amazing 'next time' could be. Hours later, as the blazing fire in the princess's hearth burned down to mere glowing embers, the couple finally fell asleep, spent from the intensity of their lovemaking and comfortable in each other's arms. The heat that they had generated between the two of them allowed for a contented, dreamless slumber.