Authors Note: I guess I'm going to have to bump the rating up to M for this chapter. Most of the story will be fairly PG-13 but this chapter does contain adult content. You've been given fair warning if that isn't your sort of thing.

Chapter 4

A shadow moved in the dark. She was not alone in the house.

Immediately Katlyn reached for her sword, but her hand met air where Dawnbreaker's hilt should have been. Silently cursing herself for leaving the blades behind earlier that night she tried to locate the unknown figure in the dark in order to use her Thu'um against the assailant.

"Relax lass. It's me." A familiar voice came from the darkness.

"Brynjolf?" Katlyn let out a huge sigh of relief. The arm right arm dropped to her side no longer in need of a sword.

"Aye lass. Didn't mean to scare you." Brynjolf said in an almost teasing voice.

"By lurking in my house alone in the dark, is that how you meant to not scare me?" Katlyn asked annoyed now. She couldn't see it but she could hear his smirk in his voice. She didn't need this right now, not on top of everything else that had happened to her recently. Her nerves were shot.

"I was about to light a candle, actually." As he finished speaking the candle on the bedside table flared to life. Now illuminated the Guild Master turned to her and smiled.

"Uh huh, sure you were." Katlyn rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes I was actually, sorry you don't believe me. And by the way, I thought Nightingales weren't afraid of the dark." He quipped sliding down and lounging on the bed. Katlyn sighed growing more annoyed with him by the second.

"What are you even doing here, Brynjolf?" She demanded determined not to get drawn into one of his games.

"I saw your lights in the windows earlier tonight and Delvin said you hadn't reported in. I thought there might have been trouble on the job and I came to see if you were alright. . . Are you alright, lass?" he asked softly. Katlyn almost couldn't believe the sincerity in his voice. Ice once more gripped her chest at his words. He'd seen the light from the fire as she'd been bathing earlier. If he'd seen her lights and known she was in town, who else might have? Panic started to well up in her stomach. If the city guards discovered what she had done. . . . Katlyn didn't know what she would do. "Get it together, Kat!" she mentally scolded herself. She crossed her arms to hide the fact that her hands were still trembling.

"No, there was no trouble with the job. It's done. The trouble was after. After I left the city I ran into a bunch of mercenary thugs who wanted to pick a fight. They said they'd herd the Dragonborn was a woman and didn't believe I could hold my own in a fight let alone slay a dragon." Katlyn lied keeping her voice even. The story was technically true, it just hadn't happened that day.

"I hope you showed them the error of their ways." Brynjolf scoffed. He knew very well that she could fight. In the year since she joined the Guild he'd taught her a considerable amount himself.

Katlyn raised her eyebrow and smirked in an expression that plainly said 'what do you think?'

"Anyway," she continued, "I just felt a little on edge after and didn't want to deal with Delvin or Vex until I'd had some air, a hot bath, and a good night's sleep. I've had two of the three so if you wouldn't mind-" she said pointedly indicating the door with a tilt of her head.

Brynjolf just sat there smirking at her from her own bed. Katlyn sighed angrily.

"I'm going downstairs to take this armor off and when I come back you better not be here." She stomped off down the stairs.

She paused at the bottom of the stairs to make sure he didn't have the audacity to follow her. Satisfied with the silence, she removed the hood, the gauntlets, and the bulk of her armor leaving only her boots and black underclothes remaining. After careful inspection Katlyn was surprised to find that none of Grelod the Kind's blood had gotten on her armor. She went to the wash basin and washed her face and hands with a damp cloth. Then she took her hair down from the knot on top her head and brushed it. Throughout the process Katlyn concentrated on taking slow deep breaths in an attempt to calm down. As she slowly worked the brush through her hair she felt her hands gradually stop shaking. When she was finished she hoped Brynjolf would be gone so she could go to bed and forget this awful night.

When Katlyn reached the top of the stairs she found Brynjolf still lounging on the bed only now he was shirtless and holding a tankard. On the bedside table was a bottle of mead and another full tankard that had not been there before.

"I thought you were leaving." Katlyn said angrily putting her hands on her hips.

"I never said that." Brynjolf gave her a smile that had no doubt charmed the underwear off many women in the past. Katlyn dropped her hands balling them into fists, clenched her teeth, and made a frustrated noise. "You seem tense, lass. Maybe you should have a drink?" he said indicating the other tankard with a nod of his head. Katlyn walked forward, picked up the tankard, downed the beverage in two swallows and placed it back on the table with more force than necessary.

"There I've had my drink." She walked to the foot of the bed and sat decidedly turning her body away from him. For a moment she buried her face in her hands and rubbed her temples. After a minute she spoke up.

"You're not leaving are you?" she said in a defeated tone.

"Now you're catching on." Brynjolf said warmly. Katlyn herd movement behind her and then she felt him pressed up against her back. "You need to relax, lass." He said in her ear then slowly he continued, "Now how about I pour you another drink and you let me give you a back massage?"

Katlyn slowly took in a breath through her teeth. It was a tempting offer. Brynjolf's massages were amazing and after riding all day and the tense night she'd had her sore muscles could definitely do with one. Without waiting for her to respond his hand was on her shoulder working the stiff muscles. Katlyn had no more fight left in her and gave in. His hands just felt too good.

"I thought you said something about another drink."

"Certainly, lass." Brynjolf kissed the side of her neck before moving to refill the tankard on the bedside table. A moment later he returned and placed the tankard in her hand.

"Thank you," she said quietly accepting the drink from him.

"Of course," he responded just as quietly kissing her cheek before returning to his previous position behind her.

For a long while they remained silent: Katlyn sipping on her mead, Brynjolf massaging her back. After another bit Brynjolf lowered his hands.

"Alright, lass. I think I'm done." Relaxed, Katlyn leaned back against his bare chest and he wrapped his arms around her. The mead and massage had done its work and for a few moments they remained on the bed just lounging in each other's arms. Then Katlyn pulled away slightly and turned her head back towards him. She raised one hand and languidly stroked his cheek feeling his facial hair. She looked into his eyes which were a much paler green than her own, then down at his lips.

"Bryn?" she asked softly.

"Aye, lass?" his husky voice barely above a whisper. Katlyn's hand wandered from his face up to behind his ear where she entwined her fingers with his hair. Instead of answering she pulled him toward her and gently kissed him. Brynjolf responded in kind, kissing her back the same way she kissed him: not overly eager but not detached either. The kiss was somewhere in between, each enjoying the kiss for what it was as if they had all the time in the world. Then Katlyn broke away.

"Just that." She said breathing slightly harder than normal. Brynjolf cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Just that? Is that all?" He asked seductively. His breath was warm against Katlyn's ear and she shivered slightly in response.

"Maybe" Her voice was lightly teasing. His eyes met hers and saw the mischievous intent sparking. Katlyn smirked widely and raised and lowered her eyebrow at him seductively. Brynjolf knew what that look meant: it was an invitation. And it was all the invitation he needed. He pulled her to him again slightly rougher than before. Katlyn's hands were no longer content to remain in his hair but instead roamed over his muscled torso suddenly grateful he had the audacity to remove it before.

Brynjolf's body was that of a true Nord: broad shoulders and muscles everywhere and Katlyn's hands explored every inch of it. His kisses became harder and demanding eliciting pleasurable noises from Katlyn. But he was far from satisfied. Brynjolf slipped his hand under the black fabric of Katlyn's shirt feeling her smooth skin. He cupped her breast and gently massaged in the way he knew she liked. A loud moan escaped her lips as she leaned her head back and closed her eyes giving in fully to the sensations.

Suddenly Brynjolf sat up pulling Katlyn up with him and in a swift motion pulled her black shirt up over her head exposing her to him. He lavished her breasts with kisses before working his way down her body to her stomach then began unlacing her black pants. Panting, Katlyn watched him as he pulled the laces free with torturously slow movements. When the laces were undone Brynjolf gently pulled the pants off allowing his fingers to stroke her skin all the way down her legs. His eyes dark with lust he paused a moment to take in the site of her bare body before him.

"You know this is completely unfair" She commented coyly.

"What is?" Bryn panted confused.

"You have far too much clothing on"

"Is that right, lass?"

"Aye, it is" she said with mock seriousness.

"Well then we better fix that hadn't we?" Brynjolf suggested coyly. His hands started to fumble with the laces to his leather pants. Katlyn and moved over to him. She moved his hands out of the way and began tugging at the laces herself while her mouth spread kisses over his chest and collarbone.

"Let me help with that" her voice was barely above a whisper. The laces came free and she tugged his pants the rest of the way off. Katlyn took in the sight of him as she lay back down against the pillows.

Brynjolf looked down at her his gaze intense. He wanted her. Badly. He reached down with his fingers and gently stroked her. Katlyn moaned in response to the sensation. A crooked smile crossed his face as he felt her wetness. Carefully he settled himself between her legs and slowly entered her body.

Katlyn's fingers dug into Brynjolf's back in response to his intrusion into her body. After a moment she felt herself adjust to him and she relished the feeling of his fullness within her. Once he was all the way in Brynjolf began to move against her finding a slow rhythm that worked for them both. He continued at that pace for a while but then the tension increased and their kisses became more frantic and their pace more frenzied.

Katlyn felt a wave building in her lower stomach like a tsunami building far in the ocean rushing towards the shore. But the wave never arrived, like it had frozen solid before it could break. She realized what was happening. Brynjolf was keeping her right on the edge of her peak on purpose just to torment her.

"Bryn," she scolded through a clenched jaw. She felt him smile against the base of her neck.

"Aye lass? What do you want?" His voice was deeper than normal and not as composed as he would have liked.

"You know what," She couldn't see his face but glared daggers into his shoulder.

"Beg me for it," He demanded into her ear still keeping his maddening pace. Begging? Katlyn would do no such thing.

"I hate you." Brynjolf let out half a chuckle before altering his angle and pace slightly. He knew her body well enough by now to know what she needed. And it was all it took. He felt her tighten around him and her nails dug into his back threatening to break the skin. She cried out as the wave came crashing down and her body was wracked with pleasure. Her muscles trembled and she felt as if her body was liquid. Brynjolf reached his own peak only a few seconds later and she felt him fill her with his seed. He remained inside her for a moment breathing heavily against her neck.

"No, ya don't" he whispered gently kissing her neck and cheek.

"No, I don't" She admitted nuzzling him with her forehead.

A few minutes later after cleaning up a bit, Katlyn lay still naked in the bed with Brynjolf against her back. His arm was wrapped comfortable around her waist and she held his hand. Though he could be an annoying bastard at times, Katlyn was glad he had been with her tonight. She knew being alone with her dark thoughts would have been too much for her to take. Grateful, she squeezed his hand gently.

"Bryn, you're not going to leave now are you?" she asked in a small voice.

"Lass, it's the middle of the night." His tired voice came from behind her ear somewhere.

"Good," she whispered not loud enough for him to hear. She snuggled closer to him and closed her eyes.

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