Chapter 58: Crime and Punishment
Bishop waited silently in the shadows of the woods bordering the keep, his eyes never leaving the wall next to the inn. He had chosen a room on the ground floor for him and Nim to use. The window opened next to a large tree that stood next to one of the walls of the keep. He knew that Nim liked to slip away quietly from everyone at times and knew she would appreciate the cover provided. It was late night now and she had not been seen at all since the incident with the trough. Thinking back he had to wonder if the amusement he felt over it was worth her anger. He knew that she must still be upset with him and the others but he wasn't sure exactly why. The problem was that, while he understood her better than anyone, he still didn't know her well enough to judge how she would react in every situation. He knew, even if others did not, that she was not someone one wanted for an enemy. Even after the situation with Lorne and the story Cormick told them, they refused to fully acknowledge what she was capable of doing. He had, and her story of the poacher had solidified that understanding. He felt a little shiver run down his back. Yes, as she had told Duncan not so long ago, she was not someone you wanted to cross. He had to wonder if she was still angry with him and what she would do about it. He was snapped out of his thoughts by movement on the outer wall. He watched as a small, dark figure quickly slipped over and down it and headed into the woods. He hesitated only for a second before following.
Nimbrethil slipped quietly away from the keep and into the woods, her lips curled in disdain at the thought of how easy it had been getting past the guard. They definately needed more training in the alertness department. Though perhaps if they had been elven and not human, things wouldn't have been so easy. Humans just didn't have the senses that elves had and were thus vulnerable to those who were as good at hiding as she was. In fact the only human who was near to being on par with her was Bishop. She felt her anger stir again as she thought about what he had done. Unfortunately, the others present had seemed to find it all too amusing, showing that they didn't understand the true offense any better than Bishop. She supposed that it was because they didn't like Bishop that they found her anger with him amusing. If they thought that she was just blowing off steam, then they thought wrong. She had been embarassed in front of humans, Humans!, by that man. She seethed inwardly at the thought.
Bishop silently followed the elf, but he hadn't gone very far before he noticed something that gave him pause. She didn't appear to be making much of an effort at hiding her trail, something she always did when she was upset. This told him that she expected him to follow her and in fact wanted him to follow her. Now why would she do that? Was she planning something? If she was, what was the nature of that plan? The possible answers to these questions caused another little shiver to run down his back. He suddenly realized that he might actually be in deep shit with the elf this time. Could she still be angry with him enough to hurt him and if so, what would she do? He just didn't know her well enough to answer that question. He continued following her trail, but this time was more wary about it. It wouldn't do to let Nim get the upper hand.
Nimbrethil watched silently as Bishop entered the woods and saw him pause and look quickly around. A slight smile curved her lips as she realized he had determined her trail was too obvious. That was just one of the things she most admired about him. He wasn't easy to fool. Still, with her elven eyesight, she had a much easier time seeing in the darkened woods than he did. Even though there was a moon tonight it wouldn't help him too much. That gave her the advantage in this situation and she wondered if Bishop would leave and go back to the keep or foolishly press on. After a few minutes had passed, she saw him continue to follow her trail, albeit much more cautiously, and another pleased smile curved her lips. That was the another thing she admired about him. He didn't back down from a confrontation. Quickly and silently she continued walking deeper into the woods, looking for the best spot to spring her trap.
Bishop felt his unease growing the deeper he went into the woods. He knew she had the advantage of him in the dark, and it would probably be in his best interests to just turn around and go back to the inn. So why don't you do just that ranger? His conscience mocked him and he took a deeper look at his reasons for going on. Nim was fun to be around and sex with her was the best he'd ever had. Her view of the world was similar to his and she understood him in a way no one, not one person, in his life ever had. He thought back to how she had defended him to the others, how she had accepted and understood the whole incident with his village. She was the first person to ever want him around for who he was, not just because he had some useful skills. Nodding to himself, he realized that he wasn't ready to turn his back and walk away from her. If he wanted things to continue between them the way they had, then he would just have to take whatever punishment she saw fit to inflict on him. Hopefully, he wouldn't come off the worse for wear in the confrontation. He suddenly froze and listened intently. Was that movement to his left he had heard? After hearing nothing more for a few seconds, he shrugged and took a couple more steps forward and that was when a dagger was pressed to his throat. Freezing where he was he held his breath, waiting to see what she would do next. When the silence stretched on he finally managed to whisper "Nim?"
"Dina!" (Be silent!) Nim snarled.
Bishop carefully swallowed, feeling the dagger press into his throat more as he did. From the tone of her voice he could tell that she was beyond pissed at him.
"Get on your knees Bishop," Nimbrethil ordered. When he growled and refused to do so, she pressed the dagger into his throat a little more. "Now."
Deciding discretion was the better choice, he did as ordered and went to his knees. He felt her press against him, the dagger she held at his throat not wavering in the slightest. Her next words, growled low in his ear, caused another shiver to run through him.
"Everyone, including you, thought what you did earlier today was so funny," Nimbrethil snarled. "Well, I didn't find it amusing at all. Mulling it over, I realized that none of you probably understood what you did to me. So I've decided to enlighten you on what the true offense was."
Bishop held himself completely still, the lethal anger in her voice making him very nervous about her having a dagger at his throat. He knew she was quite capable and willing to use it on him if he gave her any more of a reason to do so than he already had. Despite always thinking that death was nothing to be afraid of, he realized he wasn't ready to die just yet. Life had become way too interesting to piss it off.
"You see Bishop," Nim continued. "What you did was humiliate me in front of humans. It was bad enough that our companions witnessed it, but the fact that Nevalle and those soldiers in the courtyard were witness to it as well?" She couldn't keep from growling angrily at the thought.
Bishop closed his eyes as he finally understood why she was so angry. How could he have forgotten her feelings about humans as a race? She had openly expressed her contempt for them in the beginning. But because she had been less hostile and condescending of late he had forgotten that. Was it enough for her to want to kill him?
Nimbrethil watched his eyes close as what she said hit home. "I suppose that because you are human yourself that it just never occurred to you how I would see it." Bending closer she lowered her voice to a whisper and pressed the dagger in just enough to break the skin and draw a little blood. "Now what do you think I should do about it, hmm ranger?"
Bishop felt the dagger break the skin and his heart started racing. However, he soon realized that it wasn't fear that he was feeling. He could feel himself getting excited over the whole situation. The lethal way she held the dagger, the growl in her voice, her breath in his ear, all was combining to turn him on. He tried to steady himself for he needed to focus on not getting his throat slit by her. Instead of calming him down however, that thought fired his blood even more.
Nimbrethil's eyes widened at the reaction he was having. Any other man in his position would be fearing for his life right now, but not him. "How interesting," she murmured to him. "Your heart is racing, your blood is pumping but not with fear." Reaching around with her other hand she grabbed him and heard him groan. "This excites you doesn't it Bishop?" she whispered. "Most men would be ready to beg for their life right now, not getting turned on."
"I am not most men," Bishop snarled. "I thought you had figured that out by now elf."
Nimbrethil found herself having to hold back a chuckle at that. His excitement stirred her own, just as his scent and his presence always worked to fire her blood. She had never intended to kill him anyway, just give him a good scare so he would think twice before he did something to humiliate her again. "Seeing as how this is your first offense, I'm willing to let it slide. I do like having you around, and that is why I will not kill you, at least not yet," she growled. Reaching up, she buried her other hand in his hair and pulled his head back so she could look him in the eyes. The feral gleam and open desire in his eyes stirred the flames of her desire even higher. "You will however have to work at appeasing me ranger," she growled huskily before capturing his mouth and kissing him fiercely. As she did so, she removed the dagger and tossed it away.
Bishop felt her remove the dagger and throw it aside as she kissed him and with a growl yanked her tight to his body. As fast as his hands could move, he unfastened her armor and yanked it off, desperate to feel her naked body against his. He could feel her hands working at his armor and soon they were both naked. Spreading her legs, he thrust hard into her and heard her growl in response. So aroused was he that it only took a couple of minutes before he gained his release. He felt her shuddering against him and realized that she had come at the same time. They sat there holding each other for a few moments before he felt her mouth nibbling along his neck up to his ear.
"It's going to take more than that to appease me Bishop," she whispered in his ear and felt him start to harden inside her once more. "I want you to make me scream."
Roughly shoving her onto her back, he pinned her beneath him, staring down into her green eyes. "I'll make you scream so loud they'll hear you in Neverwinter wench," he growled before capturing her mouth in a bruising kiss. He began thrusting in her again as he ran his hands over her body, his touch rough, ungentle.
Nimbrethil felt the excitement building all over again and writhed and moaned under him. Growling at him to move faster and harder, she thrilled to the savage way in which he thrust into her. When she finally climaxed again, she did indeed scream his name, the pleasure exploding over her in waves. She only vaguely heard him howl her name as the heat of his release filled her, before he collapsed on top of her breathing hard. Panting, she wrapped her arms and legs around him to hold him to her.
Bishop felt almost drained, both physically and emotionally. He had never experienced anything like this before and found himself feeling awed over it. She was the most amazing woman he had ever been with. Never had any woman made him feel this way and he had to unwillingly admit to himself that this was why he stayed. She made him feel special, needed, wanted. He had scoffed at others who said they had found the perfect woman for them, thinking them fools. However, he was finding out that such a thing was indeed possible. By rights, he should be running for the hills right now. She had already made him think and feel things he swore he would never allow himself to think or feel. Yet, the idea of leaving her, of going elsewhere without her was unpleasant. Not wanting to deal with that thought, he pushed it aside. Rolling to the side he stared up at the sky and felt her curl up next to him. Slipping his arm around her waist he closed his eyes and concentrated on her and nothing else.