Nessa, disguised as Deekin, eases herself into the pool as Valen surfaces to see what all the splashing is about. Not sure what else to do, Nessa splashes water at him.
To her surprise, a wistful smile crosses the tiefling's face as he crosses the pond toward her. Watching from the hallway, Nathrrya realizes why the elf was so eager to swap places with Deekin and she curses to herself for a moment.
She should have volunteered instead of letting Nessa go. He carries her to an underwater shelf where he sits, cradling her in his lap, while he pours water over her with his other hand.
She finds that she's content to nestle against his chest while he croons into her hair. His size and bulk seem more…sheltering than threatening to her.
She doesn't understand the words, but the tone of voice makes the meaning obvious. He begins to nuzzle her ear and she shivers in response. Thinking she is cold, Valen draws her closer to his warmth.
Deekin grabs his things and jogs off down the dark hallway. He stops, rummages in his pack, and pulls out his spare clothing.
Dressing quickly, he searches for Nathrrya. Stomping up her, he glares at her, "You gets Boss back now! Deekin not knows what you be doing, but Deekin not likes it."
Nathrrya, pretending nonchalance, waves a dismissive hand at the kobold, "Hush! It was her idea anyway. Besides, she's not as averse to the tiefling as you are. Look at the two of them."
Deekin looks and sees that "Boss" isn't putting up any resistance to the tiefling. As a matter of fact, she seems to be encouraging him.
Deekin frowns, "We gots to stop this. Deekin not wants stupid smelly goat man around."
Nathyrra just waves her hand at the kobold again. "Oh be quiet. This is partly your fault, too." Deekin sputters, "How this be Deekin's fault?" The drow grins at the kobold's indignant attitude. "If you had eaten your breakfast, he wouldn't have gotten so much. Now shut up and let's just make sure your precious "Boss" doesn't get hurt."
Nessa is far from hurting. It never occurred to her that sitting in Valen's lap would be so delicious. It was everything she could do to not to demonstrate her appreciation of his obvious interest, but she would feel guilty about taking advantage of his mental condition. The tiefling continues to gently pour water over her and whisper to her. In spite of the shivers of delight that are coursing down her spine, she finds herself getting frustrated that she couldn't understand what he is saying. She surreptitiously casts a quick cantrip.
"…missed you so much Lairani. When Grimash't killed you, my whole world collapsed. I wanted to die." Valen takes a deep, steadying breath. "I've wished that almost every day since," he murmurs. He wraps his muscular arms around her and hugs her close. "But, you've come back to me, my love. You found me in this hole…."
The tiefling grows quiet and Nessa wonders if he has fallen asleep. Feeling uncharacteristic tenderness toward the weapon master in his obvious distress, Nessa reaches up to stroke his cheek, surprised when her hand comes away wet.
He looks up at her and his face is streaked with tears. He gives a wan smile as he leans forward to kiss her cheek. Without really thinking, the bard turns her head at the last second and their lips meet.
Valen's eyes open wide in surprise then close in contentment as he sighs. She feels him smile against her lips as his kiss becomes gently demanding.
He moves one hand to gently massage her breast and stroke her nipple. She moans into his kiss as he teases her lips apart with his questing tongue.
Nessa feels the enormity of his arousal pressed against her and decides she will just have to deal with the guilt later on. Back in the passage, Nathyrra and Deekin are watching in a mixture of fascination and horror.
Deekin starts to race back out to "rescue" Boss, but Nathyrra grabs his cloak and yanks him backward off his feet. "Be still, kobold," she hisses in the darkness. "Valen isn't hurting her. I don't know about you, but I have no interest in interrupting him at this moment. Your boss can take care of herself and stop him if she wants to…but it doesn't look like she does. We just have to wait."
Deekin looks up at the assassin in disgust. "You wants to watch nasty goat-man DO things with boss. That be gross. Besides, Deekin not wants smelly goat man around. We gots to do something!"
Nathrrya snickers at the kobold, "I'd say that, judging by the moaning, Valen is doing something." Deekin glares at Nathrrya before he picks up his bag and stalks down the dark passage, not sure if he is going to write this particular chapter in their epic adventure or not.
The tiefling eases Nessa out of his lap and on to the shelf as he stands. He turns her to face him, his strength moving her easily.
Delicately, his hands slide up her thighs, pushing her legs apart as he moves to stand between her legs. He continues to caress her body gently as he starts to kiss her neck.
Nessa scoots forward and wraps her legs around his powerful hips, drawing him closer to her. She wraps her arms around his neck and runs her tongue slowly along one of his long, pointed ears.
His growl against her throat sounds like a purr and he pulls her even closer while reaching down to stroke her. Her moans fill his ear as he raises his head to look her in the face.
She feels a flash of nervousness when she sees his eyes are glowing violet, but his smile is so gentle and loving, her fear quickly dissipates as waves of heat begin to wash over her.
Nathyrra's sensitive ears pick up the sounds coming from the other side of the cavern and she smiles to herself. "It sure sounds like he knows what he's doing", she thinks with a twinge of envy.
She smirks as she imagines ways to find herself in his bed, perhaps a Charm Monster spell? Grinning wickedly, she begins to daydream to the 'music' in the other room.
Judging from the trembling in the woman's limbs, Valen decides the time is right to finally be properly reunited with his love. He makes a minor adjustment in his position and slowly thrusts forward as he gently grips her hips.
Nessa is no stranger to intimate relations, but the tiefling's size makes for a rather singular experience. The bard finds herself clinging to his shoulders and gasping aloud as he brings her closer. Her breathing is loud and ragged as she is completely overwhelmed with sensations she's never encountered.
As he moves slowly against her, he begins to hoarsely whisper in her ear again. "Lairani…oh gods…I don't want to hurt you…it's been so long…." He leans forward to capture her mouth with his and kisses her so gently and thoroughly Nessa feels tears warming her eyes.
Valen's rhythm increases gradually until she begins to feel him tremble violently. With a final, powerful thrust, his climax washes over him and Nessa is startled to see his eyes flash a fiery red she has only ever seen when he is enraged in battle.
The tiefling turns his face from hers and rests it on her shoulder, where he bites her hard enough to draw blood. She cries out but can't move, as he is clutching her tightly.
She feels him licking the blood from her wound as he begs desperately, repeatedly, "Please…don't ever leave me again….I'll do anything…anything…just stay…please…"
For a moment, she's blazingly jealous of Lairani. Unable to respond to him in abyssal, Nessa stays twined about him, since he doesn't seem in any hurry to separate from her. After a time, he seems content to simply kiss her and caress her.
Finally, he whispers to her, "My love, I have missed you so. There is another way…for me…for you…to feed. Just let me rest for a bit… I haven't been injured in a while. I should be able to…to feed you."
The tiefling sighs, still crooning to her in abyssal over and over, begging her not to leave and making a thousand promises. Nessa sighs, feeling guilty, because she knows that whatever this is won't last forever.
It will wear off eventually and leave the tiefling alone again. Seeing this side of him, instead of the dour, bossy, belligerent, and temperamental façade he normally presents, she finds him incredibly attractive.
The irony of the fact that she had to become, at least to him, a completely different person to see him this way, is lost on Nessa. Desperately she casts about for something that will give him some comfort when that happens.
She quietly casts a Tongues spell, which will let her speak to him in abyssal. She runs her hands over him before threading her fingers into his hair and pulling his head down, so that she can whisper in his ear.
Nipping gently at his ear lobe, she growls to him in abyssal, "I cannot…feed…on you, but I have missed you as well. If the rest of the offer is still available…"
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