Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Thank you so much to 09sasha, ByaSouthernLady and dettaarsvenska for reviewing. *****wcv, please refrain from reading this chapter. Thank you!*****

Warning: Adult matters (NC-17 rating or M rating) later on in the chapter. Don't like, don't read.

Solok glanced over the label of the wine bottle in his hands, wondering if Roxanne would like it. It was a sweet dessert wine made from the Muscat variety of grape, and apparently this wine had undertones of honey and apricot. He raised his eyebrow and thought his human companion would enjoy the taste, and went up to the counter to purchase it.

He then walked down the street to a candy shop and looked around for a suitable bar of chocolate. Knowing the effects the substance had on Vulcans, he had never tasted it, but he had often heard that dark chocolate was the best kind, so he bought a good-sized, hefty bar, had it wrapped in plain paper, then quickly left the store with his purchases. He then headed to the vacation house where Roxanne was to meet him, going over his strategy for the night.

It would take at least two glasses of wine to get Roxanne drunk, but he did not know how much chocolate it would take to get him in the same state. But sober or no, he would satisfy his curiosity over this human woman and be done with it. The memory of the taste of her lips had haunted him all week, and he reasoned that one good experiment would be enough and he could ban her from his mind forever. And he had a feeling Roxanne would be happy with that arrangement as well.

…

Roxanne had just finished sweeping the kitchen when she heard a knock at the door, and she went to answer it, smoothing her shirt as she went. Solok was at the door with a bottle of wine and something wrapped in brown butcher paper, but she didn't ask about it, suspecting Solok wouldn't be telling her what it was just yet. She took the bottle from him and invited him inside, and he quickly stepped over the threshold and snapped the door shut. Roxanne smirked, knowing it was chilly outside, despite it being winter in San Francisco, and she could understand why Solok wanted to be indoors as much as possible. Since their excursion at the beach, late November had brought on a cold front and some rain, and the vacation home in the hills was cool and damp today.

Solok hung his jacket on the coat rack and followed her to the kitchen, where they set down his purchases. Roxanne had already made herself at home, spreading her PADDs of notes over the table, with the textbook in prominent position in the middle. Solok took a seat at the table and set his bag beside him, then pulled out his things, and they began.

Though Solok easily managed to focus on the academic portion of his visit, Roxanne's attention kept straying to the bottle of wine on the other side of the table. But nevertheless, they accomplished a lot in the two hours they reviewed together, and she figured the rest of the weekend would be more than enough time to solidify what she had learned and study for her other finals. Academically, things were looking up, but the wine bottle was still sitting on the table, and Solok was putting away his notes.

Roxanne took a wine glass down from the cabinet, then led Solok to the couch in the living room. He opened the package and removed the wrapper, and Roxanne raised her eyebrows at the confection in his hands. She grinned.

"Is that...chocolate?"

He nodded.

"You get drunk on chocolate?" Her voice was dripping with incredulity.

"I believe I just confirmed that."

She poured herself a full glass of wine, and he broke off a piece of chocolate and brought it to his nose. There was a strange nutty undertone to the scent he recognized after a year of living on Earth.

"Set it on your tongue and let it melt," Roxanne said softly, inhaling the scent of her wine. "Huh...smells kind of like apricots."

"Then the label was accurate," he replied. She stared at him for a minute, and when he nodded, they both consumed their respective substances. Roxanne raised her eyebrows when she lowered the glass from her lips, and Solok moved the chocolate around in his mouth, savoring the smooth, creamy texture and the luxuriously sweet yet strangely bitter taste.

"How is it?" she asked him softly. His eyes were dark, and he breathed in a deep breath after he swallowed.

"Not what I expected," he said, taking another breath. "Is the wine satisfactory?"

"It's delicious," she murmured. She took another drink, and he placed another piece of chocolate on his tongue.

"Has Sisko become any more reasonable about your situation?" Solok asked after a period of silence.

"No," she said. "He's avoiding me."

"How does that make you feel?"

She shook her head. "The answer should be obvious."

He tilted his head. "You feel betrayed, perhaps?"

She nodded and bit her lip. "It really hurts."

Her honesty took him by surprise, and he pondered it as he ate another piece of chocolate. She was finished with her glass of wine, and after a knowing glance at him, she poured herself another.

Solok assessed himself and discovered that his thought were still clear and coherent, but more and more, they focused on the woman beside him on the couch. Roxanne's hair looked even more brilliant to his eyes now, as red as the sands of his home. The green of her eyes burned like his blood in fever, and the sound of her breathing was loud in his ears. He swallowed the chocolate in his mouth, and his senses became even keener.

Roxanne was approaching the tipsy point, as she was halfway through her third glass and finishing it quickly. A pleasant warmth was spreading through her veins, and her thoughts became slower. She could see Solok staring at her with dark, glassy eyes, and despite the warmth, she shivered.

"How do you feel?" he asked, his voice low, his gray eyes focused on her.

"Fine," she murmured. "Really good, actually." She smiled, and his eyes darkened further. "You?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but closed it when his nose was assaulted with an intoxicating aroma. He closed his eyes and breathed in deep. When he opened his eyes, he saw Roxanne frowning at him, a worried expression on her face.

"You ok?" she asked, her words slightly slurred.

He looked down to the piece of chocolate melting in his hand, and he slowly put it in his mouth. He was left with melted chocolate on his fingers, and he looked at her again.

"Do you have something I can use to wipe this off? A towel or a rag?"

She blinked. "Yeah, a washcloth. Hold on."

She slowly rose to her feet and set the wine glass on the table, then stumbled to the kitchen and got a washcloth out of the drawer. She came back to the living room and saw that Solok had been watching the door, and as she returned to her seat, she could feel his eyes on her, like a predator on his next meal. It made her already pink face turn red, and he noticed and smirked.

"I believe, Roxanne, that you have had enough."

She glanced at him. "Whatever you say," she sighed, resting her head on the back of the couch. She still had the washcloth in her hand, and she looked down at it, then handed it to him.

"Here," she murmured, and he wiped the chocolate from his fingers.

He waited a little while for her to sober up, then he started talking again.

"Why do you find the fact that I get intoxicated from chocolate to be so amusing?"

She stared at him. "You know chocolate is sort of an aphrodisiac for humans, don't you?" she said after a moment. There was no shame in her eyes, and he took that as a sign that her inhibitions were lowered, if not completely gone. A good sign.

"I was not aware of that. But I still do not understand why that is amusing."

Her eyes became brighter as she smiled. "It's funny because you're getting drunk on one of the most sexual foods in our culture."

He raised an eyebrow. "And you find that...amusing?"

Her gaze became dark and mischievous, and she leaned forward. He was immediately reminded of last week, of the taste of her lips and the feel of her hair.

"Yes, I find that amusing," she whispered, her eyes growing dark like his. He breathed in slowly.

He assessed himself again to distract himself from her beautiful eyes, and he discovered that his senses were not only keen, they were focused. Nothing else computed for him except for her, the sight of her red hair, the sound of her breathing and the sound of her voice, which was lower than usual. The memory of the taste of her lips was clear in his mind, and he also recalled the feel of her skin beneath his lips, the soft smoothness and the salty taste.

And he realized then that the intoxicating, wonderful scent he was breathing in was coming from her. He gently took her wrist and slowly pulled her forward, and she took the hint and scooted closer. They were less than a foot apart now, and her scent was stronger. It filled his nose, made his skin tingle and sent fire racing through his blood.

"Well, Solok, I'm drunk. Where are your insults?"

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

She giggled. "Come on, Solok, you came here to study me drunk. I'm drunk. Why aren't you provoking me?"

He raised an eyebrow. "There's been a change of plans."

"Meaning?"

"I'm not here to provoke you."

She frowned. "Then what are you here for?"

He almost smiled as he reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Something far more pleasant."

The heat of his fingertips made her gasp, and she bit her lip. "You're being cryptic," she said, her voice soft and low. "Why are you here?"

He leaned forward and touched his finger to her lips. "I am here, Roxanne, to satisfy my curiosity."

It took her several seconds to digest this and come up with his meaning, and when it finally hit her, her eyes widened and her pink lips parted slightly. He leaned further in and smirked at her.

"You said you find me attractive, Roxanne. At the moment, I do not think I have been so drawn to a woman before."

She blushed, and he stroked her reddening cheeks and ran a careful hand over her hair. "So," he continued, "it is logical to act on these urgings. We have acknowledged our mutual attraction, and the next step is to satisfy our curiosity. Do not tell me you are not curious. You did not protest when I kissed you, and I do not think you will protest tonight, should I act...when I act."

She closed her eyes, and he breathed in, finding that her scent was becoming overwhelming. Although he prided himself on his control, it was becoming extremely difficult to stop his hands from stroking her skin and combing through her hair.

Her eyes narrowed and she grinned. "Having a hard time maintaining control, Solok?"

He glared at her; perhaps she wasn't as drunk as he initially thought. But it was too late to turn back now. Her scent was ingrained in his mind, and he wanted more of it, more of her.

He lightly traced her neck with a careful finger, and she shivered.

"Why don't we satisfy our curiosity? Are you willing to explore with me?"

Her eyes grew dark, but the fact remained that she was getting a little more sober, and more defiant. "You'll have to do better than that to get me in bed with you."

He raised an eyebrow. "I can do much better. It appears I will have to seduce you."

Her eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare."

He jerked her forward and lightly ran his tongue around the outer shell of her ear. "When it comes to you, Roxanne," he whispered, "there are many things I would dare to do, that I am more than willing to do."

He smirked in satisfaction as she shivered in his arms, and he lightly kissed her neck down to her collarbone. He worked against the sensitive skin of her neck, swirling his tongue over her warm, peachy flesh. She slowly relented to him, melting beneath his lengthy, sensuous kisses.

Finally, he pulled away and looked into her eyes, and he was pleased to see they were clouded with desire. So far, his plan was working perfectly.

With a simple push, he shoved her onto her back, and he leaned down and lightly pressed his lips to hers, teasingly running his tongue over her lips. She moaned into his mouth despite herself, and after another moan from her, he pressed her lips more firmly, forcing his tongue into her mouth and exploring her, teasing her. She gasped and tried to pull away, and he let her go.

She stared at him with wide, glassy eyes, and he thought she might insist that he leave, but she caught him off guard when she shoved him down and landed on top of him. She leaned in close.

"Not fair," she whispered, her voice low and breathy. "My turn."

He raised an eyebrow and breathed in through his nose even as she captured his lips with hers and began kissing him furiously. She moved her lips in strong, quick movements, each one laden with passion and hunger. It surprised him, and he closed his eyes and grasped the back of her head, pressing her to him and reciprocating with all the desire the chocolate was bringing out of him. She tasted like apricots and honey; her lips were saturated with the taste. But then, his taste buds must have been affected because he could distinctly taste the salt on her skin when he had kissed her neck. A noise like a purr escaped her lips, and she sheathed her fingers through his hair, casting it into disarray. She pulled back to gauge his reaction, and she discovered that his eyes were dark with lust. She grinned.

Though he was in no position to force her onto her back, he locked her arms with his and tugged her back down, biting her lip and invading her mouth with a warm, urgent tongue. She gasped at his sudden action and relaxed into him, pressing her pelvis to his, making that unfamiliar warmth spread from his gut to his chest, making his fingertips tingle with desire. He stroked his fingers over her back, then retracted his hand so he could tug her zipper down and remove her jacket. He flung it over the back of the couch, mindful that there was still a glass of wine and a bottle on the coffee table.

She was only wearing a thin shirt under the jacket, and he rubbed the hem between his fingers.

"Do you have any particular attachment to this shirt?"

"No," she murmured, then dove down and pulled his lips into another lingering kiss. "Why do you ask?"

He smirked, then ripped her shirt off her body as easily as she would have torn a piece of paper. He flung it after the jacket and took advantage of her new state to explore her bare skin.

"Still not fair," she groaned as his fingers dug into her skin with enough force to bruise. "You're not losing clothes."

He pushed her up until they were both kneeling, and he took off his shirt and added it to the growing pile of clothes on the floor. Her eyes roamed over his shirtless body, and he smirked again when he saw her eyes darken in approval. He was lean and muscular, with a defined abdomen and strong arms, and his skin was smooth and firm and hairless. She reached out and stroked her hand down his chest, and he glanced up at her.

Taking advantage of her distraction, he captured both of her hands in his and shoved her down, firmly pinning her hands above her head. He leaned down and gave her neck a sensuous, open-mouthed kiss, then he touched his lips to her ear.

"Are you forgetting that I'm the one seducing you?" he purred, caressing her wrist with the hand that held her down. She was panting now, whether in panic or arousal he wasn't sure, but judging by the moan that escaped her at his question, he assumed the latter. He pulled away and gazed down at her, taking a moment to appreciate her form just as she had admired his. Her body was slender with subtle curves, and he traced a finger down her sides, admiring the subtle dip at her waist. She shivered.

"Do you want to move somewhere else?" she asked with a knowing glance. He leaned forward until he was inches above her face.

"I'm not done seducing you," he whispered, touching his lips lightly to hers before increasing his force and pulling her into another hungry kiss. She groaned.

"Don't bother. You can explore, but there's no way I'm going all the way with you."

He pulled back again and looked down at her. Her eyes were dark, less glassy and wide as she took in his triumphant expression, and her chest rose and fell with every breath she took. Her cheeks were flushed and her soft lips were parted slightly. He let her hands go, then pressed his to the couch on either side of her head, pinning her in. He leaned down.

"Remember what I said, Roxanne?" he murmured. "I came here to satisfy my curiosity, and I have decided my curiosity goes far beyond exploration. I want all of you, and I will do everything I can to get it. And when I get it, I will make sure that you want me as badly, that you take that step with me with as much enthusiasm and passion as your species claims in these matters."

Despite herself, she squeezed her legs together against the flood of arousal that invaded at his words. Her action didn't go unnoticed, and he quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Do my words...intrigue you?"

She narrowed her eyes. "You're very good at talking. I'm still not convinced you're good at doing what you say."

He tilted his head, then pulled her up and twisted her around so that she was facing away from him. He pinned her arms behind her back and set his lips over her neck.

"I think I can convince you that I'm very good at doing what I say."

She gasped loudly as he traced a line with his tongue from her hairline to the top of her spine and back again. He smirked in triumph and leaned her forward, running his tongue further and further down, licking her skin and brushing his lips along her spine. By the time he reached her lower back, she was panting again, and he tugged her back up and set his lips over her neck again. He scraped his teeth over the sensitive flesh, sucking and licking at her, and he could feel her resolve weakening. He moved to her shoulders, seemingly playing connect-the-dots with the freckles scattered over her skin.

He released her hands and moved back to her neck, and as lightly and as gently as he could, he traced circles with his tongue over her skin. His hands rested on her shoulders, then moved slowly down her torso, over her breasts and her abdomen, down to the hem of her pants, and he toyed with it as he continued his work at her neck. She was leaning her head away from him now, giving him more access to her skin, and he gently bit her, causing her to gasp. His tongue continued its work, and she gasped whenever the tingling sensation became too much to bear.

"So," he murmured, "am I good at doing what I say?"

"You're good at kissing my neck," she breathed in reply, moaning as he gently bit her again.

"I'm ready to move on to more...sensual matters," he said, slipping his warm fingers just beneath the hem of her pants. "Are you?"

She moaned, and he twisted her around and captured her lips in a hungry, bruising kiss. He nipped at her lips with his teeth and pressed his hand against the small of her back. She whimpered.

"Where's the bedroom?" he growled. He heard rustling, and he pulled away enough to see her hand pointing vaguely to the hallway behind her.

"Last door...on the left," she said, sounding breathless. His lips twitched upward in triumph, and without releasing her from his demanding lips, he worked his arms under her and picked her up with ease, then carried her to the bedroom.

He set her on her feet next to the bed and ran his finger underneath the hem of her bra all the way to the clasp in the back, and he finally released her from the kiss, wanting to see her reaction. Her eyes had clouded again, and they widened as he quirked an eyebrow and pinched the clasp between his fingers. The bra fell to the floor, and one hand pressed her gently to him, his thumb caressing the small of her back, and his other hand drifted up to palm the hefty alabaster globes now freed from support. She gasped as an intense tingling sensation like an electric shock washed over her, and she tore herself away from his eyes long enough to see that his fingers were toying with the hard pink nubs on her breasts. He rolled them beneath his fingers, and she bucked against him, pressing her groin urgently to his, her eyes closing of their own accord.

"Solok..." she moaned, gripping his shoulders tightly lest she fall. He pinched her harder at that, the chemicals from the chocolate rushing faster in his blood, and he could feel the flames rising inside him, making his fingertips almost crackle with electricity, making his blood hot with fever. She moaned louder, and her eyes opened. They were darker, hungrier, cloudier than before. He growled and claimed her lips before she could make another move.

"Roxanne," he whispered against her lips. "There's no use in turning back now. I will take you tonight."

He tugged on the zipper of her pants and ripped them off her body before she could even process his words. With a more forceful push, she was on her back, sprawled across the bed, and he tore off his pants and was on top of her in an instant. She groaned and sheathed her fingers through his hair as his hot mouth found the heavy alabaster globes, and she arched her back, pushing her breasts further into his mouth. His tongue traced a precise line around the hard pink nub, and he nipped it lightly with his teeth. A soft, desperate cry escaped her lips, and she tugged his hair and pressed his head more firmly to her chest.

He pulled away and looked up at her face, and her eyes were squeezed shut and she was biting her lip. He crawled back up level to her face and gazed down at her, smirking in triumph at the red marks on her neck, and he listened to her panting, fascinated by the plump pink lips beneath him, slightly parted and glistening slightly in the dim light, her upper lip beaded with sweat. He stroked his hand down her side, fingering each rib and eventually settling at her hip. Her eyes slowly opened, and her green irises pierced him. He dug his fingers into the soft, luscious flesh of her thigh.

One of her dark red eyebrows rose at the sight of him hovering above her, his gray eyes alight with fire, staring at her like a slab of meat, studying her neck as if looking for a suitable place to sink his teeth. She grinned and chuckled.

"Ok, I'll admit, you're better than I thought," she whispered breathlessly. He leaned down, his eyes fixed on hers.

"This is only the beginning," he breathed, raising an eyebrow as her eyes darkened further. She chewed her bottom lip and eyed him openly with lust, and he pressed his hot palm to the outside of her hip. He slowly slid her underwear down her legs and tossed them aside, then lightly pressed two fingers to the apex of her thighs and began tracing circles. Wetness tickled his fingertips, and he smirked, pleased that he was succeeding. She convulsed, her legs parting of their own accord, and he slipped his two fingers into her. She gasped.

The texture of the warm, wet tissues fascinated him, and he stroked her, swirling his fingers around. He kept a steady rhythm, pulling his fingers out and thrusting them back in. She was moaning uncontrollably now, her lids heavy, half-closed, and he watched in growing arousal as she writhed and whimpered beneath him, pressing herself to his hand, silently demanding that he give more. He quirked an eyebrow at her and increased his force, and her breathing became a harsh pant, her moans became airy cries. Then, with a great gasp and an arch of her back, wetness spilled over his fingers, and he pulled away.

She was breathing heavily, and he gave her a moment, lightly kissing her neck and shoulders while she recovered. He laid down on his side next to her and stroked his fingers over her body.

"I must admit, that was quite fascinating. You claim to be enthusiastic about intimacy, and I can see now you were not lying."

She turned her head and smirked at him, then sat up, pushed him onto his back and straddled him before he could go on. His lips twitched upward and he decided to humor her. She leaned forward and lightly touched his lips with hers.

"You haven't seen enthusiastic," she murmured, glancing up into his eyes. He breathed in slowly to stop himself from shivering.

She glanced down at his neck and traced a finger over its outline, contemplating it with the strangest expression on her face, like she wanted to sink her teeth into his throat. She leaned down and licked at the hollow of his throat, and he reared his head back and closed his eyes. The warmth in his chest was spreading like wildfire, and the tips of his ears were warmer than usual. She pulled back and noticed the olive flush, and she grinned, leaning down to lick at the delicate points of his ears. He breathed in sharply.

"You like that, don't you?" she purred, tracing her tongue around the outer shell of his ear. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then opened them, staring at the ceiling. His fingertips were tingling, itching, but he clenched his fists, determined not to let her be in control. But he was fighting a losing battle, and when she lightly bit the junction of his neck and shoulder, he couldn't suppress his surprised gasp. Roxanne simply grinned and moved down his body, licking at his collarbone and kissing his breastbone. He breathed in slowly to control himself before speaking.

"This is really unnecessary. I doubt you can do much to arouse-"

He gasped as she nipped at the dark green nipples on his chest. She raised her head and smirked at him.

"You were saying?"

He leaned his head back into the pillows and focused on her warm, wet tongue drawing lines over his skin, but when he felt his underwear go down his legs, he shot up and stared at her. She was staring at him in fascination, and he felt the flush return to his cheeks. She glanced up and pouted her lips at him, and he frowned in confusion. She leaned forward.

"Can I try something?"

He swallowed. "What did you have in mind?"

She leaned even closer and touched her lips to his, then lowered her head down to his lap.

His eyes closed slowly, and his hand drifted to her hair; he entwined her locks between his fingers. Her lips were soft and her tongue...His thoughts had been so focused, and now they were honed in on her, on her skillful mouth, on the waves of intense pleasure that were rippling through his body. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before, and the sensations were deliciously overwhelming. He did not anticipate this much enthusiasm from her, and he found this response to be illogical. But his mind did not care about logic. Something in him broke, finally gave way to all that the chocolate was drawing from him, and from his lips escaped a beastly growl. He gripped her hair tighter and gazed lustily down at her head moving back and forth, and he pushed and pulled, tugged her hair and directed her with ease. When she used her teeth against him, the flames washed over him, and he let go of her hair and dug his fingernails into her back, then dragged them up toward her neck, drawing blood as he went. Finally, with a barbaric groan of approval, he felt release.

He was breathing harder now, not panting as she had done. He had maintained that amount of control over himself. She raised her head, licked her lips and swallowed, and he stared at her, transfixed by the sight of her esophagus contracting behind the pearly skin of her throat. His gray eyes found green, and he shook his head, dazed.

"Why?"

She laughed, sending a fresh wave of shivers down his spine, and she leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

"Well, for one, it was worth it just to see the look on your face. Just think of it as payment for all you've done for me."

He shook his head again. "I cannot let you get away with that."

She frowned, and his shocked expression faded back to one of hunger and triumph. He pinned her down before she could blink, and he forcefully shoved her legs wide. Starting at her belly button, he slowly, painstakingly licked down her body, past the rebellious red curls that skimmed the apex of her thighs, right down to where his fingers had been earlier.

"Solok..."

He was not prepared for the sound of his name to be spoken with such desperation and need. The flames burned at his fingertips, at the apex of his thighs, in his very mind. He plunged his tongue into her, licking, probing, stabbing, swirling, relishing her saccharine taste. His fingertips dug into the warm flesh of her thighs with enough force to bruise, and her scent was overwhelming him, calling for his primitive, animalistic side to come out and play. He hummed against her, and she cried out, twisting into him for more. Even as he tasted her release, he continued his onslaught, devouring her, letting her feel his hunger. A second time she screamed out his name and he licked at her secretions, and finally he pulled away and stared down at her panting body.

Her cheeks were flushed red and her eyes were closed. Her expression was one of ecstasy, and the depths of his gut stirred at the thought that he had put that expression on her face. He touched her lips gently, almost reverently, and she opened her eyes.

She grinned at him. "I take it back...you're really good at doing what you say."

He lightly brushed her hair out of her face. "I'm pleased you think so. But I'm not done with you."

Her eyes darkened again, and pressed against her, he could feel her arousal coming back. He dove for her neck, licking and kissing and biting her until several whimpers escaped her lips. He smirked into the skin of her neck.

"You've been a very good student," he whispered, "and you really are an exquisite creature. Are you ready to complete this?"

He pulled back and looked down at her: she had her arm bent over her head, and she was staring at him with half-hooded eyes. It was a very sensuous, seductive pose, and she smirked at the look on his face. She traced a line down his chest.

"You say you want me," she purred. "So show me."

His eyes darkened and he leaned forward until their lips were almost touching. "I accept your challenge, Roxanne."

He lifted her hips, caressing the warm flesh as he went, and he stared down at her hungry expression with satisfaction. His curiosity was far from satisfied, his hunger far from satiated. Just as he had told her, he would have all of her for himself, and he had even succeeded in making her want him as much as he craved her. He allowed himself a small smile, then took her with a swift, strong thrust.

The look in her eyes surprised him, and as he buried himself deep within her, he examined the pure, exposed emotions in her gaze. There was hunger, yes, but also surprise, and the most endearing expression of admiration bordering on adoration. She was right; he hadn't seen enthusiasm from her, not in its full strength. She moaned and bucked against him, gripping his hips with arousing ardor, as if she were showing him the full extent of human craving. He could feel the hunger, the lust in every move she made, and he slowly began to lose himself with her, focused on the feel of her surrounding him. He moaned despite himself.

He bowed his head to look at her, his back slightly arched, and their eyes were locked on each other. His exact, black hair was in disarray, and Roxanne thought it made him look wild. He moved with fervor, with passion she would have never expected from him, and she caressed his strong thighs. They thrust as one, the flames burning their flesh, flushing them both with fever. This was not pon farr, he reminded himself. It was ecstasy, Hades ravishing his captured bride, Persephone writhing in the arms of her god.

Three times they shattered together, and by the time he finally pulled away, her voice was hoarse, her throat sore. But he tugged the covers up around their shoulders, pulled her closer to himself and held her as they both laid there, panting. They had been at each other for two hours, trying to outdo each other, topping one's passion with a more fervent lust until the other replied with a more desperate need. Solok was tired, but Roxanne was exhausted, her head limp against his chest, but he smiled slightly, brushing her hair behind her ear, and he gave her one last gentle kiss on the lips.

"Good night, Roxanne," he whispered. "Thank you."

He collapsed into the pillow and fell into a dreamless sleep, the last of his energy finally spent.