This is riiiiight after 'In A Different Light'. This chapter is entirely the reason for why I have this fic listed as Mature rating. It isn't the most GRAPHIC OF ALL SEX, but I figured better safe than sorry.

It was easy to get lost in that kiss this time around. She was careful about his hair, making sure her fingers were in it, but never yanking. Her other hand simply curled her fingers with his. Enjoying that little act of affection alone.

She never asked for more than he was willing to give. Hell, he wasn't exactly the cuddling type. Yet here he was, cuddling her against him on his lap. Keeping her close as though somehow she could vanish from his grip like a good dream that ended too soon. So many of the women in his life were cold, but she was like fire. She warmed him from the inside out and he felt oddly at peace when he had her there.

He finally drew from her lips and started to kiss a slow path down along her jawline and to her ear, nuzzling against the little space behind it before kissing down to where her neck and shoulder met. Lips caressing the skin there with a soft gentleness, though he hadn't entirely expected the attempt at a muffled groan from her. That had been a hell of a reaction and he nuzzled against her neck before he found himself trying to speak.

Words escaping in a ragged voice, "I know you have offered plenty of times before, Itisha. But may I…" He trailed off as he closed his eyes with a shiver. Her hand sliding down and brushing her thumb against his bottom lip. "May I feed from you?"

He was asking her that? Itisha blinked slowly as she doesn't move suddenly. Just her hand caressing his face, studying the feel of it to memorize it, "You may. Although biting my neck may have me… ah… it is one of those things I really enjoy even without the magical stuff that seems to come with people biting necks anyway."

The admission makes Ash smile softly as he nuzzles against her neck again, "I noticed." Though he so would have rather the lead up for that not on the chair. As comfortable as she was making it. Instead he flashed them into his bedroom. The soft covers giving under his weight as he still cradled her against him as he had been. Eyes remained closed as he gently runs his tongue along her neck to cause a soft shudder and a groan. A curling smile on his lips and he kissed her neck gently as he felt his incisors grow and he opened his mouth. A hesitation as he made sure she had a good hold of his hand and he sunk his teeth in, closing his eyes as he shudders at the sound of her cry of pleasure.

He didn't dig or pry thoughts and memories from her. Something she must have learned to keep under a better lock and key. Although he could feel her emotions far more strongly than before. There was also the very odd feedback of the empath in her feeling his emotions. He had to wonder if for a brief moment she felt her own emotions through him. He felt his head spin as he drew back and licked at the wound until it healed fully before licking at his own lips. He had never fed from anyone but Artemis before. Eyes scanned over Itisha half-draped in his arms. Breathing heavily as she tried not to move too much.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, waiting to see if she would respond. Making sure she even could respond.

There was a slow blink as she studies him, his own eyes almost mirrored by those crystal blue and mercury swirled eyes, "Oh yeah. I am way good. Just trying not to leap on you like some sex starved cat in heat or something."

That made him blink and then laugh as he dipped his head to kiss her softly. A short moment before bringing his lips up from her, "Then you have a heck of a bit of self-restraint. I don't think I have met anyone that has enjoyed it quite that much."

She laughed softly, "I strive to be unique in this world, Ash. Gotta stand out after all, right?" That was followed by a sudden sound as he rolled with her, suddenly he was hovering over her. Acheron's black hair pooling around them with her own white braid flung off to the side. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared up at the intensity in his eyes.

"You are unique, Itisha. That is what I…" His gaze softened a little, the words still difficult for him to summon, "It is what I love about you. You stand out like a bright star. You warm me like the sun. You make me feel like that someday I can find some hope to fix all the screwed up I am."

"Damn… keep talking like that and a girl might think she is something special. Bring me the button up shirts, I think my ego is getting bigger." She teases softly, lifting her head up to kiss the end of his nose. In all honesty, it was just hard to believe that someone really felt that way about her. That he felt that way about her. She knew he didn't often cuddle… or really willingly do the sex part. Thus she would happily let him make the moves on this front.

Ash laughed softly and nuzzled her cheek, taking in her scent. Sulfur and earth. On most, the scent probably would offend the senses. On her, she reminded him of campfires. The lingering herbal scents helped with that. Soothing all over again, "Well, we can't have that now can we?"

Head shook as she studied him with the light that came through peeks of his hair, "Nope. Can't at all. Need to take me down a few pegs."

There was absolutely no intention to take down any sort of pegs. Frankly, he thought all of that and more. He looked her over and eyes settled on her neck for a bit before meeting her eyes with his own, "I might need to take my time doing it." He murmurs, shifting to lay along her side and he appeared a thick blanket over them for the sake of doing so. Fingers traced her cheek as he dipped down and claimed her lips. He could feel her hesitation melting as he felt her reach up and touched him against his chest. It took but a moment and their clothes were vanished, with only the blanket over them. Skin pressed against skin as he felt his hardness press against her hip. Her hand traced over his chest and he shuddered softly before drawing back.

When Ash shifted to lay down more, arms shifting to stretch one arm out to prop under her head and another at her hip, he smiled as Itisha smiled right back at him. Itisha nuzzled him and seemed happily content in rolling over and studying him, "Take all the time you need, Acheron. I am resisting you so very hard right now. Look at me. Resisting."

"Well, I do happen to know something that might have you moving a little more." He tells her softly, his hand trailed slowly along her body until he brushed against the side of the neck that didn't get bitten into yet, "A combination of things. Which if you feel so inclined to 'jump me like a sex-starved cat in heat' I would not mind in the least." He wouldn't mind if she did it right then.

That made her shudder and she closes her eyes at the thought, "Promises, promises. I need you to lead this dance. I don't want to screw it up." She admits finally. It would take all of her control to not score his back with her nails. To not pull his hair. Didn't want to make heat of the moment mistakes.

She was afraid. Her being afraid of his pain. A thoughtful sound and he rolled onto his back and pulled her against his side, "Then climb on up." His words soft as he watched her sit up and perch carefully high on his waist. Hands gripped her hips and moved to scoot her back until she was sitting oh so close onto him. That long cord of a braid fell onto his chest as she leaned forward enough to give an easy access to her neck.

He lined her up with the tip of him against her folds and he opened his mouth again and rested his fangs on her neck. A deep breath taken and he bit down right as he plunged into her. Both of them groaning at the pure pleasure. He could feel her shaking as he started shifting his hips to encourage her to ride him at a slow and thorough pace so he could feel every bit of her and hear all of her pitched sounds. Mouth drew away as he licked her neck and nibbled it before closing his eyes and groaning with her. It was a pleasant torture and he could feel her trying to keep from digging her nails into him. He gradually picked up the pace and rocked his hips inside of her as he watched her arch her back, blanket falling down around her hips as she came.

He was too used to trying to get it done as quickly as possible, he didn't want to rush the time with her. He reveled in her pleasure. It didn't take much longer to find his own. A cry out to join hers as she came again. Her hands curling into fists on his chest as she draped herself on him and nuzzled his cheek.

"You knocked me right off the pegs. Look at me, I can barely hold myself up." She breathed against him with a soft giggle. Good gods, that had felt amazing. It had been far too long since she did that, "Feeling all nice and fed?"

He closed his eyes and lazily played with her hair. A chuckle at her teasing before nodding, "Mm, yes actually. I think I will be good for a while." A snuggle against her as he carefully extracted himself and rolled over with her so that he could cuddle her against his chest like a pillow. "I think you went and knocked me off the pegs too." He murmured. Exhaustion nipped at the corners of his consciousness.

"Good." Itisha mused as she snuggled and kissed his jaw, "Mm, I might have. I would be lonely being the only one without pegs to hang out on. I vote for rest. A nap sounds magical right now."

"A nap sounds good." Acheron murmured as his hand slowed in its play of her hair, 'I love you, Itisha.' He murmured softly in Atlantean. There was a brief pause and a smile when she returned his words in kind. She was learning the language ever so slowly.

'I love you as well, Acheron.'