*This chapter is rated "M" for adult content and sexual situations.*
Alekhine's Gun
Chapter 18
When he rose for the morning, the first matter of business was receiving the day's communications. Sakketh brought them to his quarters and Sarek read through them quickly- as the day for the start of the credit transitions neared, it seemed the planet's politicians and media had grabbed upon the issue and were manipulating it and spreading untruths. Still, this was to be expected. He had instructed Sakketh to continue monitoring the situation and to alert him when discussions of Vulcan's involvement became apparent.
T'Pau would not be pleased if Vulcan was further affected by Earth's incompetence. And he also knew she had no patience for political maneuvering, and would act swiftly and decisively one way or the other. There was a true discord between Earth's center of power and the observers- lesser politicians, the media and other minor players. He had yet to see one accurate report on the situation, instead there seemed to be a growing sense of alarm.
Sarek sighed and sat back in his chair, steepling his fingers together. The paperwork was done and the first phase of the transition was due to begin in the next few weeks. It appeared to him there was a small minority of people that were feeding the growing inferno, and yet, while the hysteria was largely featured in small rallies on the vid-comms in different cities, it always seemed the cameras were able to find the individuals who screamed the loudest, and ignored those who were capable of speaking rationally on the issue.
In San Francisco there had been nothing. Life had gone on as usual, and the city was as calm as it could be for being the planet-seat and headquarters of Starfleet.
Yet, it was better to err on the side of caution but so far, there had been no real violence.
After he was done with his work, he rose and began to dress. Unlike the first time, when he had spent an inordinate amount of time on his attire for his first private encounter with Amanda, this time the choice was clear. He would dress less formally and, hopefully, she would not be as "formal" with him during their "date."
Her choice of Golden Gate Park had been welcome. Sarek did not like enclosed spaces, and working in and around the embassy kept him indoors most of the time. The park's manicured lawns and myriad of activities and people were pleasing to him. It allowed him outdoors and, dressed so simply, he found he could blend relatively easily into the swirling mass of humanity around him.
After entering the wide arches of the park and consulting a map, he easily found his way to the meeting point Amanda had suggested. The Chinese Pavilion loomed large before him as he made his way through the crowd, his hands tucked neatly into the sleeves of his tunic. Accidental touching was always a possibility in crowds and something he took great care to avoid.
As he got closer and the bright red, wooden pavilion loomed larger before him, the crowd began to thin and grow more and more sparse, making his short journey much more comfortable. He was still a good bit away from the pavilion when he saw her.
And stopped.
His eyes were sharp, and he could make out her frame clearly. She was inside and under the pavilion, leaning against one of the large pillars. Her brown hair was up and away from her face and her arms were folded across her chest. She wore a thin, white, sleeveless fitted top that looked, to Sarek, like some sort of undergarment that accentuated the fullness of her breasts, and a long brightly colored skirt that hung low off her hips, displaying her beautifully. But it was the expression of absolute peace on her face, the soft smile playing at full lips, that drew him in. She seemed to be looking out at the people, but not for anyone in particular.
A breeze cut through the air, and he watched as it ruffled her gently, causing her hair to swirl about her head and her skirt to billow gently in the breeze; and when it stopped, and the air was still again, Sarek exhaled the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding as he resumed his walk to her side.
-xxx-
They had agreed to meet under the ornate beams of the Chinese Pavilion, colored in bold reds, greens and gold. Its symbols of peace, love and tranquility were etched into worn, red beams in ancient Mandarin that only a few people could read today- a language not dead, but assimilated into new Federation Standard, as many other languages were in the late 21st and early 22nd centuries. It stood resolute against the day's bright, crisp sky- a hallmark to the early days of San Francisco and, by extension, the entire region's foundation off immigrant Asian labor.
San Francisco, and the entire bay area, was steeped in the history of man- the elaborate, the bold, the revolutionary, the shameful. The city was a symbol of new ideas, and past haunts. It was a combination of the future, the past, the ancient and the new, and for that Amanda loved it. Others could say that for a visit or for a brief moment and then go back to their own places in the world, but for Amanda those words and this world were as much a part of her as she was of it. She fit. It fit. As she stood under the pavilion, watching the people, the reds, blues, greens, browns, tans and brights stroll past at their leisure, she lost herself in the colors of the universe and completely missed his approach until he was beside her at her back, joining in her silent contemplation of the swell of humanity.
"Amanda."
He was standing so close to her, his breath tickled against the back of her neck and resonated through her body down to her toes, setting her entire body to tingle.
Her eyes slid closed for a moment and she exhaled slowly, allowing the tingle and rush of heat to certain areas of her body to subside.
Slowly, she turned around to face him.
Sarek stood before her, his formal robes gone; instead he wore a tan, silk tunic that was embroidered in a darker shade of brown brocade around the round neck, sleeves and hem. It too, was tailored to his body, but far less formal than the suits and robes, and long coats she was accustomed to seeing him in. The pants were slim yet loose, also in a darker shade of brown that accentuated his long, long legs—looking at him standing so close from head to toe, Amanda suddenly felt quite short. The top of her head only reached his chest and his broad shoulders seemed to overwhelm her…
Too close! Amanda's brain screamed and she took a step back from him, exhaling. Better.
"Sarek, I didn't hear you arrive." She smiled up at him as he tilted his head slightly.
"I did not think you could. It is quite noisy. You seemed occupied."
She chuckled. "I suppose so. Would you like to walk? To be honest, I didn't have anything really planned. And the park is huge. We could just…wander, if that's okay with you."
"Wandering is acceptable. I would not be disinclined."
She laughed softly as they descended the stairs of the pavilion and merged into the crowd along the paths.
"Sarek, I did want to take a moment to…apologize to you for the way I left the other night. I …I think I may have misunderstood what you were trying to say to me."
They were walking in a small clearing and were currently semi-alone. Sarek looked down at the top of her head.
"I…admit that perhaps I erred in my initial assessment of you. I did not know you, and therefore formed a prejudice against you based on your work, and not on your personal merit. It was a biased act, and one that negatively affected and influenced our…interactions, thus far. It will be corrected."
She stopped and turned to face him, her lips curving slightly in the smile she tried to repress. "Is that a Vulcan apology?"
He raised a single eyebrow at her.
"It is."
This time, she rewarded him with a wide smile as the awkward tension between them faded away.
"Then let us start over." This time she took a step back from him, squared her shoulders, and held her head high.
"Greetings, Ambassador Sarek. I am Dr. Amanda Grayson."
Taking her cue, he responded in kind. "Dif-tor-heh smusma, Dr. Grayson. S'chn T'Gai Sarek of Vulcan."
.
.
"Are you always so formal and proper?" she asked as they began walking across the lush green quad.
He was quiet for a moment, and this time Amanda thought she'd accidentally offended him.
"I didn't mean that in a bad way-"
"I am not offended. It is a valid question. The answer you seek is, no. However, there are ways to conduct oneself in public and there are other ways one comports himself or herself in private. Is that not the nature of things?"
It was a genuine question and as they strolled he looked at her for a response.
"Well, I think, for me, I am very formal in the workplace- especially with my students. But I don't think I'm too severe. Still, in class, I am the authority figure and I have to conduct myself as such, but when I'm home, or outside of the professional setting, I feel I can let my hair down a bit. I'm not a complete bore."
She glanced sideways at him and saw his brow furrow. She stopped and turned to look at him.
"I believe I have misunderstood you. You hair is up right now, and yet you are outside your professional setting, and as a human you are genetically incompatible with Sus scrofa and far more aesthetically appealing."
It was Amanda's turn to pause, her eyebrows raised as she worked to formulate a response. She couldn't figure out quite how she knew…it may have been the tilt of his head or the slight incline of his eyebrow, but she realized…
"You're joking!" she exclaimed as they continued their walk about the park. Several people turned their heads at her raised voice, but noting her stoic-faced companion, paid the pair no mind as they continued their walk.
"Indeed. Not all Vulcans are what you would call, 'a bore.'"
She threw her head back and laughed freely, all the tension easing from her as she continued to shake her head and chuckle.
Who would have thought?
"You could have fooled me," she said, once her laughter had subsided.
"I believe I just did."
"Yes, you did. So, what else don't I know about you, Ambassador? We didn't get very far the last time we tried this…"
-xxx-
"So, if you don't mind my asking, how old are you? You can never quite tell with Vulcans."
They were side-by-side but not touching as they rounded a canopied walkway, the entrance to the San Francisco zoo coming up in the distance.
They had been walking for approximately 30 minutes and had strolled from the Pavilion and along the landscaped pathways until they had reached this point. Now, Amanda was looking up at Sarek as they strolled. He'd slowed his pace and stride so she could keep up and they had fallen into a sort of rhythm, each asking a question and the other answering. Sarek had learned that Amanda had a secret passion for early 21st century music and antiques, and Amanda had learned that, while Sarek said he had no favorites (favoritism was illogical, he'd answered in response to her query) he had preferences for being outdoors, spicy foods (she'd learned this when they had stopped at an eastern foods vendor and Sarek had sampled wasabi and spicy mustard with no effect, and had even asked for containers to take back to the embassy) and Chess.
"I am 65 Terran years."
This time Amanda made no pretense to control her surprise and she looked at him wide-eyed.
"You're joking! You certainly don't look 65…"
He tensed a bit at her reaction.
"I am still quite young according to Vulcan standards. The average age of a Vulcan upon death is 224. My father was 235."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know…" She looked abashed.
"It is a matter of fact. Apologies where there is no offense are not needed. Death is a matter of life. It is transference of matter from the physical form to spiritual- the essence of a person endures long past the body's physical demise."
They fell into a comfortable silence as she contemplated his words. Strangely, they gave her more comfort than she had ever felt before concerning the issue of death. She rarely spoke of it herself, given that she was, in all respects, alone...
"My parents died too. When I was still a child. My grandparents raised me, until they also died. I suppose my feelings on the subject are biased. I've always felt death to be…final." The last words trailed off as she finished with barely a whisper, but Sarek heard them clearly. They also helped explain much about her. The standoffishness, the defensiveness…
"You are alone, then." He spoke the words quietly but she heard them.
"Alone…yes, I suppose you could say that. But not lonely. I'm only 25, and yet sometimes I feel like I have lived an eternity." At this, the somberness that had settled over both of them lifted as she chuckled to herself.
"I suppose I may have been lonely at some points, but it isn't like I've been a hermit. I've traveled—I travel, I teach, and, to be quite honest about it, I like to think I've had a somewhat fulfilling life…so far."
Her statements were cut short when they finally approached the entrance to the zoo.
"Are we going in?" Amanda asked, and Sarek simply nodded as he finally unfolded one hand from its place in his sleeve, reached down for his credit chit and handed it to the teller. The gate opened for them and they walked through.
"So, now that I've bared my soul, how about you? What of your mother? Is she still with you?"
"My mother is very much alive, yes. I have a very large and…extended clan. You probably know that Vulcan familial ties are matriarchal. She is the head of our clan."
"And you and Silek are brothers, T'Nerual- his wife, is your sister-in-law," she finished.
They had stopped at the avian exhibit and Amanda was looking at an Argellian firebird. Its plumage was bright red and it had a bold golden beak.
"I wonder why it's called a firebird…" she mused, and as if in reply to her question, the bird opened its beak and squawked, letting out a small flame encircled by a black puff of smoke. She jumped back and inadvertently grabbed Sarek's upper arm.
"Oh my god! I didn't think they meant literally!" A wave of amusement and pleasure at her delight swept through him at her unexpected but pleasant touch.
But she seemed to realize she was touching him and immediately moved to release him.
"Sorry about that, I didn't meant to-"
He cut her off and moved to catch her arm before she could draw away completely.
"Again, there is no offense taken where none is intended. I am not fragile, nor do I find your touch offensive. It is…welcomed."
He looked at her as the firebird in front of them let out another squawk and another plume of fire, smoke coming from its beak.
As she threaded her arm through his, Sarek was rewarded for his chivalry with a wide, bright smile.
"I believe there is a family of Vulcan sehlats housed here. Are you familiar with the animal?"
II
It was later in the afternoon, and the sun was beginning to set. As was customary on a fall afternoon at the park, the daytime patrons were beginning to file out and the nighttime set file in. Sarek and Amanda had wandered around the zoo, taking in the different creatures from across the galaxy, and there were several more to see since the last time she had visited.
The family of sehlats was an especially wonderful treat for her.
They were enclosed in a very large and open space and were not as guarded as the other animals had been. The fencing surrounding them was low and Amanda found, while there was a "please do not touch the sehlats" sign posted, they had gravitated to where she and Sarek were standing arm-in-arm.
She was a bit taken aback by them at first—they were large, as big as the black bears in the next exhibit over, and they had incredibly long fangs that hung down their jaws. She tried to scoot away as Sarek reached out his hand to nuzzle one that had come up to the fence, but he held her firmly, though not tightly.
"Do not be afraid. Sehlats are relatively non-violent. These are still young."
The animal raised its snout to directly connect with Sarek's hand and Amanda watched, fascinated, as his eyes slipped closed and they remained in connection with one another.
After about a minute, he opened his eyes again and the sehlat made a humphing noise and galloped off, its stubby tail twitching over its large, round rump.
"Fascinating," she heard him speak under his breath.
"What? What was that? What happened?"
"They seem to be quite fond of humans. They are satisfied and well-fed here. Therefore, I am satisfied."
"They told you this?" She had studied Vulcan telepathy but had never seen it in practice, though they had exchanged accidental, and even purposeful, touches before.
Seemingly understanding her train of thought, Sarek looked down at her.
"I have told you that I would never encroach upon your private thoughts. Vulcans do not lie."
The tension she hadn't realized she'd been holding eased from her shoulders.
"I know, I just…that was amazing. Really."
The sky had taken on an orangey, dusky hue and the ocean breeze had begun to pick up. Amanda shivered and it didn't go unnoticed by Sarek.
"It is getting late. I would like to escort you home."
His pronouncement caused an unexpected flutter inside her chest as that now- familiar, discomforting sensation began to coil in her lower belly.
"That would be…acceptable," she replied, as they turned and began to follow the crowd toward the zoo exit, and ultimately, out of the park.
.
.
Something had changed. He knew this as well as he knew his own mind. He could not pinpoint the exact moment of the change, or when he knew, but this was it. He was sure. She was it. Of that, he had no doubt.
Perhaps it was when he realized that his original perception of her was flawed and biased, based on his own pre-conceived notion of who she was.
Maybe it had been when they had talked of death, and he realized that what he had mistaken for arrogance was essentially a mechanism for self-defense born from the pain of losing her family.
Or, it could have been the moment he first saw her, vivid and completely oblivious to her own feminine power as she stood under the bright red beams of the Chinese Pavilion.
Whenever the moment or time it had occurred was irrelevant. The fact was, it had occurred. In the space of a day's time, and, if he stopped himself long enough to think of it, perhaps much longer, Amanda Grayson had woven herself irrevocably into his psyche.
He desired her. He wanted her. He craved her intelligence. Her beauty. Her strength. Her intelligence. Her tenacity. Her vulnerability.
.
.
She couldn't quite put a pin on when it started. Maybe it was after they had owned up to their past mistakes and decided to start fresh. Or, maybe, it happened slowly, as they began to talk, REALLY talk to each other and she began to see him—not as a Vulcan, not as an Ambassador, not even as an enemy, but as a male. A member of the opposite sex. A…
A person.
There, that was it. The wall of formality that had separated them was gone and in its place was something new, something different, and something that, only now, she was realizing had been missing. Sarek was...
He just was.
She learned that, indeed, there was so much more to him behind those heavy robes he wore. He was funny. He was adventurous, even taking her up on her dare to try something with which he was not familiar—wasabi AND spicy mustard hot enough to place grown human men in the hospital, and he had handled it with ease… And more so, she saw in him compassion.
Those waters she'd believed so still and immobile ebbed and flowed before her, and somewhere between the Chinese Pavilion, their discussion on life, and the sehlats, Amanda's mind began to accept the fact that she liked Sarek. MORE than liked Sarek, and that maybe, just maybe…for the first time in her life, she truly understood Newton's third law.
The epiphany was both exhilarating and frightening at the same time. She didn't know what he thought. She didn't know what he wanted. But she knew what she did. She didn't want it to end. And she hoped he felt the same.
III
They managed to exit the park, and the feel of her slender arm in his was pleasurable to him. He found he did not want to let her go and he also found he desired…much more. He wanted to feel her skin again, soft and smooth against his.
"My building is about three blocks from here," she said softly as they took a left turn. Neither spoke on the short walk to her apartment, but Sarek never let go of her arm.
Aside from the chill, the sky was cloudless, and the stars had soon taken over by the time they arrived at her building. The look of it was startlingly modern, given her professed love of antique things, he thought as she produced a small key fob and swiped it against a hidden entry plate. The doors swooshed open for them and they walked into a well-lit atrium with tiled floors and recessed lighting that caused the space to glow with warmth.
Two, transparent lifts stood against an opposite wall, and Sarek finally released her arm as she turned to face him.
"Well…um…this is the place…"
She didn't look at him, but she didn't have to. Sarek could sense her rise in body temperature, the way her chest heaved slightly, and he could see she was…flushed…
"Then I shall bid you good evening." The voice that came from his lips was dark and low, filled with more than what those simple words meant…he heard it, and as she raised her own dark eyes to his, he knew that she had heard it too…
"You can…come up, if it's not too late for you…"
Her voice was almost a whisper but it sent a flood of fire through his veins, setting his own skin to a tingle that penetrated to more than just the physical manifestation of his masculinity- but down to the depths of that place which he'd long since kept a tight chain on…the chain that at one point had been so binding but had started to grow worn and chip…and, even as he voiced his acceptance of both her spoken and unspoken offer, he felt the heavy weight that had wrapped itself around his own soul begin to bend and crack further…
-xxx-
The doors deposited them on the 18th floor. He stepped off, following her down the corridor and to the entrance of her home.
As they stepped inside, Sarek took a moment to observe his surroundings. The room was large and open, one wall completely made of a transparent material that gave an expansive view of the city and even further across the bay, to the sparkling lights of San Francisco's sister city, Oakland. The apartment itself was furnished simply yet boldly; a modern, off-white sectional was against a coffee-colored wall. Above it hung a large mural-sized tapestry painting that seemed to scream for attention, and yet at the same time seemed perfectly at home among the combination of dark woods, tempered steel and glass that made up the rest of her furnishings.
"You have an eye for color," Sarek said as she walked away from him and toward a separate space off to the side.
"Yes. I had an acquaintance in college who was an art history major. She used to say I was a "fall." I have a fondness for the colors orange, red and yellow. It feels like the world is most alive during the fall."
"Indeed."
The view of the city below grabbed his attention and he walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows looking down into the still-active city below him.
It was so different from Vulcan. At this time of night, Shi'Khar would be virtually deserted, the streets empty and quiet.
The desert storms would be just beginning, the sound of the winds beating against the time-worn stones of the fortress D'H'Risit…they would cause the entire home to moan, calling to his katra…
He fixated on the tiny, glowing lights below…different…yes, but not unpleasant…
"It's beautiful. That's why I chose it."
Amanda had come to stand next to him, and she too gazed at the streets below. But Sarek's focus was no longer on the streets, but on the human female in front of him…that look…
The lights bounced off her face, giving her an almost surreal look in the otherwise barely-lit room. Somewhere, Sarek could not quite pinpoint the place, a single candle gave a dim illumination that only added to his fascination.
"Amanda…"
She turned to face him, her body so close to his that he could feel the quickening of her heart beat. He looked down into her eyes, and he could see his own face reflected in them—desire, passion…and…something more…when had he become so transparent?
"Yes, Sarek…?"
He saw rather than heard her lips move and they fascinated him, catching his attention as she seemed to plead with him silently. He inhaled.
The scent of her immediately filled him and it was purely instinct when he said no more and reached out to wrap one arm around her waist. Bending slightly, he wrapped his other arm under her rear to lift her off the floor, as his mouth met hers and he tasted her, sweet and salty and warm and wet against his lips.
Her legs wrapped instinctively around his waist and, as their kiss deepened and he felt her fingers entwine in his hair and pull, her teeth now tugging insistently on his bottom lip, a surge of power propelled him and they began to move in tandem as her hands began to work frantically to remove his tunic and, piece by piece, their clothing began to hit the floor…
He bent his head to take one firm, plump breast in his mouth and let his tongue flick and tease the nipple, making it rise to his attentions.
Amanda threw her head back and fisted his hair, moaning his name, the sound of it causing his member to begin to grow harder and longer between the soft, firm spread of her legs…
"Sarek…"
She said his name and he bit down, eliciting a gasp from her throat and then another moan as he slid his hand to part her thighs and two fingers inside her, allowing her juices to coat them…
"Amanda…what…is it...that you need…?"
He wanted to hear her say it. Wanted her to tell him it was okay. He needed to hear her…
"I…"
Slowly, he slid them both down the window and onto the floor as he repositioned them, she on her back, against the soft carpet on the floor, allowing him free space.
He could see her body tense even as it called to him, and he urged her say what she felt…to tell him what she needed…
"I'm scared."
Her whispered confession made him stop for a moment as the words penetrated his mind, then his heart…and as he came to the realization of what 'scared' implied, there was one meaning he understood fully. She wasn't just baring her body to him, but her soul as well.
"Do not fear me. I will not leave you."
The words were simple but their meaning was clear and he saw her relax and stretch out before him, giving him silent permission to join her.
In the dim glow of the room his eyes feasted on her nude form, both breasts high and taut, the smooth curves of her stomach and the fullness of her thighs, her legs parted with his hand between them, his fingers inside her, gently yet urgently flicking at the pink folds of her essence.
The thought of joining with her was so strong that he quickly lowered his own body atop hers, kissing her again on the mouth and working his way down…from peaks, to crests… his tongue dipped into her navel and his hand came to rest against the flat plane of her stomach. With a last dip, his head slid between her legs and he took his first taste of her, allowing his tongue to penetrate her, teasing the silken folds apart and sucking on her vulva, delighting in the heady scent as her juices began to flow into his mouth. He worked his tongue faster against her delicate walls, the sounds of her moans making his lok twitch and begin to secrete of its own accord…
"Amanda…"
He said her name against her nether-lips and the trembling in her legs caused them to tremble too as they glistened before him. He felt her orgasm beginning and using both his hands he raised her legs over his shoulders as he pulled her closer to his mouth.
"Come for me…"
The command was accompanied by his tongue and teeth as he once again dipped his tongue between the folds and began to work it into her opening….in…out…in…out…
Her hips began to wind against his mouth and he could tell she was fighting…
"Come…"
He was so far inside her that when she came she flowed into his mouth, the flavor so sweet and potent and intoxicating, like a drug it affected every sensor in his head—the sound of her cry echoed in his ears as her fingers pulled at the carpet and she writhed—it was at that moment she was at her most glorious…and he wanted more…
When she came down from the high he had sent her on, he was there, fully ready for her. She looked to where he was positioned between her legs on his knees, his own member fully erect and a dark green against the hardened lines of his stomach. Her eyes widened at the length—well past his navel - and girth, but she didn't have time to focus as once again his body was atop hers and she welcomed him, wrapping both legs around his waist as he effortlessly maneuvered himself to her opening, the slick heat mixing with the impossible hardness…and oh…how long had it been? Years….. Too many to count.
She tensed at the feel of the head probing for her entrance, soft and hard at the same time…It parted her lips as he aligned himself and she wrapped her arms around his neck, forcing him to look at her. Her whispered, "yes Sarek," his verbal approval, and before she could blink he thrust up and into her, making her back arch as he held her, filling her and expanding her with his smooth hardness…
He entered her in one thrust, pushing up, up, until tears of pleasure and pain sprung into her eyes and she momentarily lost her breath….
He held her there…impaled on his lok for what seemed an eternity as he let his head fall into the base of her neck, his own breath hot and hurried against her skin as they both fought for a semblance of balance…
Slowly, achingly, painfully, pleasurably he began to slide back out of her and Amanda could feel every vein, every ridge of him inside her.
He went slowly…each thrust measured to the fullest, and the sensation began to make her own skin hotter and hotter, as their bodies molded to one another and the coil in her belly began to grow tighter….
He moved faster and she matched his rhythm, her fingernails burrowing themselves in his back as his thrusts began to go deeper, harder, faster…
"Yes…"
There was heat, and wetness and throbbing as he continued his manipulation of her body, his every action causing an equal and more impassioned reaction from her as she moaned into the air around them. She could feel his breath against her neck coming harder and faster; He did not moan, but he she knew with every vein in her body that he felt; It was confirmed when he began to tremble and it gave her a rush of power knowing she was the cause. The euphoria went straight to her head as the snake inside her belly suddenly lashed out and a white-hot flame shot through her body, causing her to arch again into him as her nails dragged the length of his back and her head leaned back and she screamed his name.
.
.
He could feel her orgasm approaching as the muscles clenched around his lok, the tension in her radiating through him as he worked harder, faster….his movements becoming less controlled…harder, faster…deeper…he trembled under the weight of her power over him and then…he felt it. Her muscles began to clench and unclench rapidly and then…it became too much, something she could not contain and she arched back, the feel of her nails in his back causing a pain that set his nerves on fire, and as she screamed his name he felt something within himself break as he buried his face and mouth between her neck and shoulder—the chains of six long years finally falling away and freeing him as he emptied his seed inside her.
Author's Note: Special thanks to Aphrodite 420, TeaOli, SpockLikesCats, HopefulAddict and TalesFromtheSpockSide for their editorial insights, plenty of globs of red ink, and hard, at times painful concrit. This chapter has been re-written, re-edited, re-ordered, and re-done four times. Maybe now I got it right.