Chapter Two - Little Banshee
The courtyard was bathed in sunlight, dust motes floating lazily amidst the flowers that bloomed around the stone paths and benches. A single cherry tree stood in the center, pink petals fluttering down around Arwe as she sat on a stone bench at its base, back against the trunk.
The courtyard stretched out before a villa of white stone, its walls covered in heavy green vines of ivy.
A figure appeared in the window. Arwe waved.
Leaning her head back against the tree, Arwe closed her eyes and breathed in the sweet smell of Malinor spring. A moment later, she felt a shadow fall over her and she opened her eyes.
"Hello, Mae," she greeted. Before her stood a young-looking woman with dark auburn hair pulled back in an intricate braid. Her eyebrows were raised in surprise.
"Arwe," she said, crossing her arms. "You could've given me some warning, I wasn't expecting to commune."
"My apologies, cousin. I needed to speak to you with some urgency."
Mae gracefully sat down next to her and leaned against the tree. Arwe sighed and closed her eyes again, wanting a few more undisturbed moments in the sun.
"Arwe. You said it was urgent," Mae laughed, watching her unexpected guest. Arwe huffed a laugh, eyes still closed. She was thinking how to begin.
"I need your advice," she said, finally looking at her.
"Of course. Anything, cousin."
"I need you to tell me about Loreth."
This was met with silence. Mae's expression was unreadable, though her jaw had clenched and her eyes shone with emotion.
"It's not easy for me to speak of him, Arwe. Why the sudden interest?" Her eyes narrowed at her and then widened fractionally.
"You met someone. A vampire?"
Arwe shifted to face Mae fully. She looked into her shocked eyes and nodded.
"I need to know how it works… How did you… when did you know…" she struggled to formulate any single question. There was so much she wanted to ask.
Mae shook her head and huffed a laugh. It was a sad sound.
"You know, when Loreth and I met…" she trailed off, lost in memories. "I was both the happiest and most miserable I'd ever been."
Arwe waited silently for her cousin to continue. It wasn't exactly what she'd been hoping to hear.
"Loving an outsider will never be easy for our kind, you know," Mae said gently. "When it came out that I was with Loreth, I dealt with so much judgement from other Madar. My mother could barely look at me…"
Arwe felt her stomach drop, though she wasn't entirely surprised. She placed a hand on Mae's arm.
"I know it wasn't easy." She swallowed. "But, Mae… I have to know - was it worth it?"
The woman looked at her with tears brimming in her eyes and let out a hiccupy laugh.
"Yes. Always. Love like that is always worth it."
Arwe took her cousin's hand and squeezed.
"Tell me everything."
-
It was Saturday morning and Arwe felt like a youngling. She was nearly giddy with excited energy that resulted in half her crockery exploding from the force of her magic. She hadn't felt this out of control since her earliest years in Malinor.
A week had gone by since Godric appeared on her doorstep. A week since she'd felt their magic entwining together as if it'd meant to do so all along.
That whole night felt both vivid and dreamlike in her memory. She kept coming back to his sage green eyes, the cool feel of his skin, his silky blond hair in her fingers. His voice. His smile.
A week ago, when Arwe had walked into the front yard to water her petunias and encountered the strange young man standing, impossibly, at the foot of her path, she had had a moment of pure panic.
No one should have been able to breach her spells. Not even her own family.
As they talked on her doorstep, she'd subtly and cautiously reached out to feel his energy and was surprised to feel a warm, completely inexplicable sense of familiarity. She did not know this man. But her magic sang when it touched his, and she'd learned long ago to trust it with her life.
An impish impulse had her invite him for tea, fully aware he was a vampire and couldn't drink it. She was curious to see what he'd do.
What followed was a night she'd never forget, full of curiosity and wonder. When he'd taken her hand, her inner light rejoiced. When he held her to his chest, she felt comforted and safe. His roaming hands and crooked smile had set her alight with desire.
He made her want to tell him everything about herself, her people, her culture, her magic.
She knew she should be frightened by this intensity of feeling, that she'd been taught since her youngest years never to trust outsiders. But she found it didn't frighten her. It was as if she knew deep in her bones that this man was trustworthy, even with his frightening display of dark power. She trusted her magic, and her magic trusted him with her home, with her life. She wasn't sure she trusted herself, which is why she asked him to come back a week later. She'd needed to prepare.
Her conversation with her cousin Mae had been illuminating. She had been married many centuries ago to a vampire name Loreth. His life had been violently ended by one of his enemies, a tragic death that still deeply pained Mae.
Though Arwe had great sympathy for her cousin, she also felt a stab of anxiety thinking about the vampire's true death. She tried not to dwell on it further and instead mulled over the information Mae had given her. Useful information.
As the sun set and she pottered around her living room adjusting the thick fur rugs in front of her fireplace and fluffing the pillows on her couch, she was struck into horrified stillness by the thought that Godric might not come back.
Perhaps he hadn't felt the same as her. Perhaps the whole thing was just too strange for him. Perhaps he couldn't find her again.
Perhaps—
There was a knock on her door.
Arwe's magic bucked with excitement and she reigned it in. Not entirely, but enough not to overwhelm. She smoothed her hair and Blinked over to the front entrance.
Godric's eyes locked on hers the moment she opened the door. They took each in for a few still moments, smiling softly. Then she lifted her arms and without a word he stepped into them and wrapped her in his strong embrace.
"Oh," was all she managed to say as she breathed in his scent - earthy and smokey, with something crisp and clean like winter air. Her magic wrapped around his and she could have wept from the feeling of contentment she felt.
Slowly, they pulled away from the each other, still close enough to brush noses.
"Hi," said Godric, reaching up to brush a tendril of hair from her face.
"Hi," she smiled, taking hold of his hand and entwining their fingers.
She gently pulled him through the kitchen and further into the house. They entered her living room, a cozy space with floor to ceiling windows, a metal fireplace already roaring with a fire and warm earth tone textiles covering the couch and chairs.
Godric gave the room a brief glance over before turning those sage green eyes back to her.
He was wearing loose, white linen pants and a matching button down that exposed the elegant column of his throat. She could see a blue tattoo collar encircling his collar bones. His face was devastating - young and softly chiseled, with a sensually curved mouth. She couldn't get enough of looking at him.
"Would you like to sit by the fire?" she asked, gesturing at the thick rugs.
Godric took her hand as she sank onto the rug, not really needing his support but not wanting to relinquish his touch. He smoothly dropped down onto the rug, facing her.
"I've missed you," he said quietly. He hadn't let go of her hand, and now stroked her palm with his thumb.
"I've missed you, too," she replied. Godric furrowed his brows.
"How is this possible? How is it that I feel like this?" He'd clearly been thinking about this since their first meeting. He didn't sound distressed exactly, though there was a note of desperation in his voice.
"Please tell me… is it your magic?"
Arwe squeezed his hand before letting go. She needed to focus.
"Godric, when we first met, I swore to you that I'd never cast a spell on you without your consent. I meant it. Everything you feel is uncompelled by magic," she said gently but firmly.
Godric started to speak, perhaps to apologize, but stopped when she raised a hand.
"I'd like to explain to you how my magic works, and to do that I need to first explain to you more about my kind. Please understand, though, that it's not easy for me to speak of it. It goes against my nature to share such knowledge with outsiders."
She took a deep breath and began.
"We call ourselves the Madar. Banshee is simply the Earthling name that caught on, one we haven't discouraged. Better to be known as a harmless myth than expose our true selves. I was born in a realm we call Malinor. My home."
"Like Faery?" Godric asked. He'd leaned back on his arms while he listened and his shirt had ridden up slightly, exposing a pale sliver of his abdomen. Arwe couldn't seem to stop flickering her eyes to it. He smirked and casually scratched his skin, lifting his shirt higher. Tease.
"Yes, I suppose it's similar to the Fae realm, in that it's another plane of reality connected to this one… though I've never been. The Fae are rather…" she trailed off, nose wrinkling.
"Wily? Untrustworthy?" Godric finished for her. She snorted.
"I see you're also not the biggest fan. Did a fairy girl break your heart?" she teased. Now it was Godric's turn to snort.
"I've had strange dealings with their kind before, but that's a story for another time. What is your home like?"
Arwe thought for a moment, picturing the rolling green hills and deep valleys of Malinor. The capital city, Maldes, twinkling with a thousand lights in the distance. The Arkes sailing across the sky, scales glimmering in the sunlight.
"It's much like Earth. We have mountains, rivers and forests. There are some creatures that are unique to our realm, animals. We haven't really concerned ourselves with much technological advancement, unlike humans. We live a simple life."
Godric gestured around himself. "So you've always lived like this?"
Arwe hesitated. They were getting into a topic she preferred to avoid for the time being.
"I used to, yes. But the last few centuries, I served in a political position in the capital. It was… hectic, and never my true calling. I felt compelled to return to Earth. I'd always loved it here," she said, smiling.
Godric was looking at her strangely.
"You speak of Earth so fondly. What of the darkness here? The greed, the corruption?"
Arwe sighed. "Godric, there is no realm in the universe that doesn't have those things, of this I'm certain. I've painted you a pretty picture of the Madar, of simple folk who live peacefully. But up until just a few centuries ago, we were at war with each other. The same darkness you speak of exists in all creatures."
Her words lingered heavily in the air between them. Godric looked away, eyes distant.
"When I was turned, for a long time after, I thought that vampires were the most violent, selfish creatures to walk the Earth. Little more than beasts, despite the lofty titles and political grandstanding. I accepted it as my nature and was the worst of them. They called me Death… and I deserved the title." His voice was flat, hard.
"And yet here you are. Remember what I said about my true name? That it is knowledge given only to the closest and truest of friends?" she asked gently, chasing his gaze.
He smiled bitterly and looked into her eyes. His were old, tired, carrying the weight of millennia. Hers were equally ancient, but kind and gentle.
"Why did you choose me?" he asked, so quietly she strained to hear.
She stroked his cheek, smiling gently. She was surprised to feel an almost maternal instinct to soothe him, to chase away his doubts. He was so lost.
"Magic bonds are a rare and beautiful mystery, Godric. My magic found you out there in the woods, and yours greeted it like an old friend. I don't know why it happened, but I am so thankful it did."
He was silent, thinking over her words.
"So… your magic somehow got stuck to mine, like a snag."
"No! It's much more than a snag," she protested, offended.
Arwe settled back into the rug and considered how to explain.
"Our magic comes from a being we call Orsa. She is pure magical energy. When we are born, it is Orsa's light that animates us, gives us everlasting life. It is the source of our magic. When a Madar dies, their inner light rejoins hers. A full circle."
Godric was listening intently, fascinated.
Arwe realized she hadn't brought herself anything to drink, having been so absorbed with Godric when he arrived. Her throat felt scratchy from so much talking.
"Will you excuse me a moment? I will get a glass of water. Would you like some blood? I have donor blood in the kitchen. O-negative."
Godric huffed a surprised laugh.
"You got me blood?" He seemed touched.
Arwe smiled shyly and Blinked into the kitchen, quickly filling a glass with water and taking out the blood bag from the pot she was keeping it warm in. She Blinked back onto the rug.
Godric simply shook his head in amazement, not commenting on her shortcut to the kitchen. It'd taken her a less than ten seconds.
Arwe playfully extended her glass to Godric, who bumped his blood bag against it. He huffed a laugh and took a sip.
"You were telling me about Orsa's light," he prompted.
"Yes. Orsa's light is the source of my magic. It's more than spells and tricks - it's my life source, the energy that binds and connects me to all my kin and to the world. It's what allows me to commune with other Madar. It guides me, protects me."
She was surprised to find herself getting emotional. It was incredibly rare for her to have to explain it, and to hear it spoken so plainly, so simply, was beautiful to her. The fact she was sharing it with Godric brought tears to her eyes.
"You may not have Orsa's light in you, but there is magic inside of you just as surely as there is a moon in the sky. Magic is not a dumb tool to be used by conjurers of cheap tricks. It is Life and Love itself."
She wiped her eyes and took in a shuddering breath. He brushed a tear from her cheek, fingers gentle as the breeze.
"When I first saw you, I was beyond shocked. I was panicked. You shouldn't have been able to find me. But you did. My magic called out to you, invited you in. When I first reached out to you, your energy felt… familiar, safe. Like family. Meeting you was important enough that my magic rebelled against my wishes and beckoned you in."
She leaned closer to him. Her eyes locked with his, searching.
"My magic called out to you because it recognized that you and I were always meant to meet, that the endless years ahead of us would be richer by each other's side."
Godric's eyes shone in the firelight, a dazzling intensity burning inside their depths. He lightly pinched her chin between two fingers and drew her in closer. Arwe's eyes dropped to his mouth.
Slowly, reverently, he leaned down and captured her lips in a slow kiss.
At the touch of their lips, Arwe's magic roared to life.
With a soft moan, she leaned into the kiss, reaching up to cradle his face.
He let out a low growl. Gathering her in his arms, he pulled her into his lap and slanted his mouth hungrily over hers.
She felt his fangs drop and pulled away to see his face. His pupils were blown wide, almost black except for the thin ring of green around his irises. His fangs were gleaming and white, and she gently reached up and ran a finger down its length.
His eyes rolled back into his head and he let out a groan so deep his chest rumbled with the sound.
"Arwe…" he growled, looking at her with those burning eyes.
"Yes," she gasped.
"I want to drink from you. Do you know what would happen?" he asked, a note of desperation in his voice.
Arwe realized with horror that she'd wanted to discuss blood drinking before they almost ripped each other's clothes off.
"Orsa, I feel like a youngling…" she muttered as she scrambled off his lap.
Godric chuckled and smoothed her hair out of her face.
"I feel the same. I'm acting like a randy twelve year old," he gestured towards the tent in his pants. Arwe giggled and shielded her eyes.
"Over three thousand years old and you blush!" Godric laughed in amazement, poking her playfully in the shoulder.
"It's… we're… Madar are somewhat conservative in Malinor. I'd have more experience if I'd spent more time on Earth," she explained, embarrassed.
"So you've spent more time in Malinor than here?"
"Yes. I'd visited Earth as a youth and wasn't impressed… though back then there were so few people that it felt mostly like an empty world, and the other supes were terrifying to little-me." She giggled at the memory, recalling her earliest misadventures on Earth.
"Then I had to stay in Malinor because of…" she trailed off, breath hitching. She glanced up at him and continued, "…because of the war I mentioned."
Godric furrowed his brow in concern, seeing her upset.
"That is for another day," she said softly. He nodded and took her hand again.
"Yes, so… I've visited Earth more often following the early Middle Ages. I especially loved the music."
"And what of the other pleasures of Earth? Human, vampire, other lovers?" he teased with an impish smirk.
Arwe laughed.
"I suppose I'm strange that way even for a Madar… I prefer to have a connection with someone first. It doesn't happen very often."
Godric was quiet, considering. Even without reaching out with her magic, she felt he was taken aback, maybe even a little hurt.
She realized the impact of her words and raised their entwined hands to kiss his knuckles.
"I don't mean like this. I've… 'vibed' with others before. Its the same as humans or other creatures simply liking each other. But this…" she gestured between them. "This is new. I've never had my own magic distort my spells for someone else. I've heard of this happening to other Madar, but it's a rare and beautiful thing. A magic bond." She blinked back tears.
"Arwe…" Godric murmured, kissing her hands. It seemed like neither of them could stop themselves from kissing and touching each other every chance they had.
"Blood. Blood sharing. That's what we were going to talk about, right?" she laughed, blinking away her tears. She felt like she'd been crying constantly since Godric got here.
The vampire sprung to his feet in one fluid motion and reached for her.
"Perhaps a tea break?" he grinned boyishly and Arwe could have melted.
She grabbed his hand and let him pull her up. She paused and looked at him thoughtfully.
"Could we try something?" she asked. Godric shook his head and laughed.
"I feel like all I have been doing since I met you is trying new things! Why not!" She tried to gauge whether he'd sounded slightly hysterical just now.
In for a penny, she supposed.
"You've seen me disappear and appear elsewhere," she said. He nodded, raising an eyebrow.
"Translated from my language, it means 'blinking'," she continued. "I suppose because it takes the blink of an eye? It's a bit silly," she chuckled. It was fun explaining things to Godric, things that were so natural and familiar to her that to hear them explained to an outsider gave her a new appreciation for them. She'd honestly never considered translating her power of travel into an Earthly language, and somehow calling it 'blinking' sounded funny to her. She loved it.
"You want to try 'blinking' with me?" Godric asked. She giggled at the word, making him smile. She nodded.
"I've done it with others before. I'd love to try it with you."
She stepped closer to him and put both hands firmly on his shoulders. She waited for him to nod his consent.
"It'll feel like you're being squeezed through a tube, but it's not painful. And it only take a blink of the eye, as the name suggests."
"I trust you," he said softly, looking into her eyes. Her magic fluttered giddily.
"I will count from three. Three… two… one."
She felt her magic flare and her body contort and fold in on itself. A second later they were standing in her kitchen.
"Alright?" she asked, still holding his shoulders.
Godric shook his head again, looking at her with an unreadable expression. He was silent for a few moments, something intense playing out behind his green eyes.
"I never doubted the existence of magic. After my human death, what else could give my body new life? What else could give me the power to create my progeny? I've met witches, demons, angels and fairy princes…" he looked away, lost in his endless vault of experiences and memories.
"I didn't know there was more to discover. I'd grown disenchanted with the world, lost in the endless march of time. You are… a miracle." He cupped her face, eyes filled with tender wonder.
Her eyes blurred with tears again and she let out a shaky laugh.
"Orsa, I've been crying every second that you've been here! But it's because I feel the same. You are my miracle."
Arwe leaned in and kissed him, letting her magic wrap lazily around his. She felt him shudder under her fingertips and he kissed her with a gentleness that made her weak in the knees.
"Tea," he reminded against her mouth, pulling away a fraction.
She laughed and went to prepare the tea. Godric sat down in the same chair from the week before. He watched her with a relaxed, contented look on his face.
"As we've established, I am not human," she began, winking at him over her shoulder. He rolled his eyes.
"Yes, that's well established."
"Vampires survive off of human blood, but as far as I understand, you can also share blood with other vampires, correct?"
"Yes. Though it doesn't have nutritional value, it builds bonds between us and can strengthen our powers, especially within the same bloodline."
Arwe nodded, finding this interesting. She wasn't unfamiliar with vampire culture and had crossed paths with them over the ages, but she hadn't known the significance of blood sharing between vampire family members. It felt like sacred knowledge.
"Interesting. Is the effect stronger between progenies and… parents?" she hesitated, unsure of the term.
"Makers," Godric corrected with a smile. "And yes."
Arwe set two steaming mugs on the table, one in front of Godric. He raised an eyebrow and she blushed.
"You said it smelled nice, so I thought you might enjoy having it," she explained.
"You shouldn't waste your tea on me," he admonished gently. Arwe gave him a stubborn look.
"If you enjoy it then it's not a waste!"
He smiled fondly and shook his head, cupping the mug and inhaling from it.
"It does smell nice. Thank you."
Arwe settled into her chair and bit her lip.
"To be honest, I didn't know what effect my blood would have on you, or yours on me. As I've said, we don't really mix with other supes, though such relationships are not unheard of. I asked for advice from my cousin Mae. Long ago she loved a vampire and they lived together as husband and wife."
She found herself blushing again like a girl. Speaking about marriage suddenly made her feel nervous, and she was annoyed at herself.
Godric seemed to pick up on her thoughts and his lips twitched, though he didn't comment. She was relieved.
"As I explained before, it is Orsa's light that gives us life - our blood simply moves it through our bodies. The light is also the source of our powers, and when it's in the blood… well." She paused, letting it sink in.
Godric looked thoughtful.
"You think your blood could grant me your powers?"
"Yes. Mae told me that when her husband drank her blood, he was able to Blink, cast spells, and even managed a Scream."
His eyebrows lifted. She could see him processing this information, expression unreadable.
"What about when Mae drank his blood?"
"I understand when a human drinks a vampire's blood, the vampire can sense them? Feel their emotions?" she asked.
"Yes, we call it a blood bond. With humans, enough blood exchange can lead to a permanent bond."
Arwe suddenly felt nervous again. She swallowed.
"Mae told me that the first time she drank his blood, it was enough to forever bond them. We Madar have so much magic inside of us - you feel it even without a blood bond, right? So once our blood mixes in each others bodies, our magic binds it together."
The knowledge felt heavy, momentous. Earlier, she had blushed at the thought of marriage, but as she pondered her own words, she realized that a blood bond would be a much bigger commitment. While a magic bond was a recognition of a magical mate, a blood bond would actually permanently bind them together. It would allow them to share powers and sense each other's emotions. Forever. It was a kind of marriage, a union of their magical energies.
Godric was still silent, his expression blank. She suddenly felt fear unfurl in the pit of her stomach. Could this be the end? Was this too much to handle? Would he… leave?
He must've sensed her rising panic, as his stony expression broke into one of concern. Lightening fast, he reached for her and grasped her hand.
"Arwe," he said firmly, looking into her eyes. She blinked at him, trying to gain control of herself. She was three thousand years old but at that moment felt like a girl about to get her heart broken by a boy. She fought not to cry.
"Please, look at me," he commanded gently. His eyes were intense, but there was a tenderness in his touch.
"It's a lot to take in. I'd never heard of such a bond. You mentioned to me earlier how difficult it was for you to tell me about your people, your magic. I am deeply honored that you would trust me with this knowledge. I understand what that feels like…" he trailed off, searching for words.
"I attribute my and my bloodkin's continuous survival to my extreme suspicion of others. I have never trusted anyone other than my progeny. For the last near century, I've retreated almost entirely from vampire society. I never thought I'd come across someone who I'd want to share life with again."
Arwe saw the loneliness in his eyes, the exhaustion. She wanted to reach inside him and pull all that pain out. She waited instead.
Finally, after many moments of silence, he looked up at her and she saw a red film of blood tears in his eyes. She gasped.
"I never thought I'd feel the Maker's call again, but my blood sings with it when I'm with you. Even knowing you are not human and that I cannot turn you, every fiber of my being wants to claim you as my own," he admitted, a single tear trailing down his pale cheek.
Arwe bowed her head, tears finally slipping down her face. The power of his words, the weight of such a sentiment, made her weep with gratitude.
As one, they both stood from the table and fell into each others arms. Arwe pressed her face into his neck and allowed herself to cry, let her magic burst around her and encase them both in its warm, crackling energy.
Godric was stroking the back of her head, his nose and mouth pressed into her temple. He kissed it gently, murmuring in Gaelic words of devotion.
She looked up at him, cheeks wet. Streaks of blood ran down his face. He was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.
Their lips met in a breathless kiss.
Arwe's magic roared and without thinking, she Blinked them into her bedroom.
She broke away from him fractionally to make sure she hadn't flubbed it and Blinked him halfway into the floorboards. It was dark and the only source of light was from the hallway and the moonlight spilling in through the window, bathing them in shadows. Godric barely seemed to register where they were before kissing her deeply again.
Her hands ran through his hair, grabbing tufts of it as she moaned into his mouth. She felt his fangs snick down and she pulled away, breathing heavily.
"No bonding tonight," he said, sounding breathless. She nodded. There was still so much to talk about.
"But… can you still… uh…" she stuttered, tugging on his hair. He threw his head back and laughed while she blushed, embarrassed. This new romance was an unexpected way to make her feel young and dumb again.
He looked back at her, blazing heat in his eyes. His mouth was still crooked into a smirk.
He leaned in and grazed his lips over her temple.
"So the little banshee still wants to play…" he growled, his fingers tightening on her waist. She bit her lip and almost moaned.
"Oh yes… this little banshee wants to… uh… hm…" She couldn't think how to finish the sentence. She felt Godric shaking with laughter.
Starting to laugh herself, she pinched his side.
"I'm not good at this! I'm trying," she giggled.
He smiled down at her, arms still wrapped tightly around her waist.
"I'll teach you," he murmured before kissing her again. This time she didn't hold back her moan and pressed herself into him wantonly.
He lifted her with a single arm and walked them towards the bed, laying her down onto the soft duvet. She grasped his shoulders and pulled him down on top of her, needing to feel his weight on her body. His mouth crushed hers in a hard kiss, tongue tangling with hers. She licked his fang and he moaned, fingers clenching on her hips.
He broke away from her lips to trail open-mouthed kisses down the side of her neck, nipping her skin gently on the way. She wondered if it was difficult for him to resist biting her, and right at that moment there wasn't anything she wanted more in the world than for him to sink his teeth into her neck.
"You're intoxicating… you smell so sweet, my little banshee…" he was murmuring against her skin, hands slipping under her dress to run up her bare thighs. She felt goosebumps break over her skin and her magic start to buzz like static around them. She felt a brief rustle of fabric and realized he'd pulled her dress up and over her head before she had time to blink.
He gazed down at her bare body, taking her in. His attention made her flush with desire.
"Touch me," she begged. He growled in response and reached down between her legs, slipping a finger into her wetness while his other hand roamed over the curve of her behind. His mouth found her nipple and he lightly grazed a fang over it, making her cry out.
His fingers were spinning their own magic between her legs and she felt a delicious tension start building in her core. The glass in the windowpane started to rattle from the force of her magic spinning out of control.
"Come for me, Arwe," he commanded, never taking his eyes off her face. The last thing she saw before her vision exploded in blinding light were his burning green eyes. She cried out, losing herself completely.
When she opened her eyes again, he was smirking down at her. She huffed a breathless laugh and kissed him, humming happily into his mouth. Soon the kiss deepened again and she ground herself against his hardness.
"Why are you still dressed?" she complained and grabbed at his shirt, quickly undoing the buttons until she could push it over his shoulders. She immediately ran her hands over his smooth, pale chest and down to his narrow waist, following their path with a trail of kisses.
"You are so beautiful," she breathed into his skin, loving the cool feeling of his skin against her mouth. "I'm aching for you."
In a flash, Godric flipped them so Arwe was straddling his hips. He looked up at her with pupils blown wide, blonde hair tousled and a rosy flush high on his cheeks. His fangs were long and white, brushing against his lower lip. Her magic swelled at the sight and his eyelids fluttered.
"Gods, your magic feels amazing."
"Yeah?" she panted and sent him another wave of energy, caressing his skin.
He reached out an arm and grabbed the back of her neck, pulling her to him. Right as she thought he was about to kiss her, he paused and bit down on her lower lip with his blunt teeth, sucking it into his mouth. She groaned and rolled her hips against his pelvis, nearly crazed with need. Her long hair pooled around them in dark sheets.
"Please, Godric," she begged into his mouth. With a growl, he ripped the rest of their clothes off with vamp speed and rolled back on top of her.
He curled an arm around her head, looking into her eyes as he positioned himself between her legs. Her chest was heaving and her breasts grazed his chest with each breath.
He pushed into her and they both groaned. As he began to thrust, she felt the tension immediately start building, stronger than before. The windows were shaking and the light from the hallway was flickering wildly as she lost herself more and more to the feel of him inside her, around her.
Right as she was about to fall over the edge, Godric roared and bit into his own wrist, a trickle of blood spilling down his chin. She followed right after to the sound of the lightbulb exploding.
Arwe lay with her head pillowed on Godric's chest, idly tracing his tattoos with her finger. He had one arm behind his head and the other wrapped around her shoulders.
Her magic was a gentle ripple over her skin, sated and happy.
"That was…" she trailed off, speechless. She felt the vibration of his laugh through his chest and smiled.
"You caused some mayhem, little banshee."
Arwe glanced towards the open doorway where shards of glass glittered on the floor.
"Yeah… orgasms can do that. I once blew out an entire window." Godric glanced down at her, a wicked gleam in his eye.
"That sounds like a challenge. I only got a measly lightbulb."
She laughed and pointed at her window. It had a long, deep crack running diagonally through it.
"No, I just got bulletproof glass." Godric roared with laughter.
Smile still lingering on her face, Arwe continued with her idle tracing, lost in thought.
"You've mentioned your progeny. Can you tell me about them?" she asked.
Godric seemed pleased at the question. He circled a finger around her shoulder as he thought where to begin. It made her shiver.
"My child is Eric, a Viking prince. I turned him over a thousand years ago, when I found him dying on his funeral pyre, not far from here." His gaze was distant, lost in memories.
"How did you know you wanted to turn him?"
"I had watched him in battle and found him glorious, a beautiful and fearsome warrior. I knew immediately that I wanted him."
Arwe nuzzled into his side, watching him as he spoke. She could hear the love and respect in his voice as he spoke of his child.
"As he lay dying, I came to him and offered him immortal life at my side. We would be everything to each other - brother, father, son." His voice was wistful, soft. She again had the feeling of something sacred being shared.
"Where is he now?" she asked.
"He is a Sheriff in Shreveport, Louisiana."
Arwe nodded. She knew of Sheriffs and vampire royals, and even recalled an encounter she'd had with a wily female Sheriff nearly a century ago.
"You must miss him," she said gently, dropping a kiss on his chest. He sighed.
"Yes, it's been almost seventy years since I've seen him…" He sounded vaguely upset admitting this.
Arwe propped her chin in her hand and looked at him properly.
"Godric, if we plan to bond, I think you should ask for Eric's blessing."
He looked at her gently and caressed her chin.
"I was thinking the same thing, my love." The endearment made her magic swell happily and he chuckled.
Arwe hid her face in the pillow. "You felt that?!"
He laughed and kissed her shoulder.
"I did indeed. How will it be when we are bonded if your magic is already so powerful? I may go insane," he teased.
Arwe laughed in response, though it did give her pause. She thought more of what Mae had shared with her.
"Mae said her bond was like a union of energies. Perhaps it will not feel like separate magics, but a seamless blending of the two? I am also curious if I will get any of your powers…" she trailed off, looking at him thoughtfully. Her brow furrowed.
"Now that I think of it, what are your powers?"
Godric looked mischievous.
"Perhaps we'll keep it as a surprise…"
Arwe poked him in the side, laughing.
"Can you… turn into an animal?"
"I am not a were." He sounded vaguely affronted.
"Not even a bat?"
He paused.
"Actually, yes, some vampires can turn into bats."
Arwe gaped at him until he laughed.
"Can you?!"
"I cannot, and it's not a power I feel particularly regretful about not having."
Godric's grin faded and he looked down at her with a sigh.
"It's almost dawn, my love. I should go," he said, eyes roving over her face. He then carefully pulled away and swung his legs over the side of the bed.
She sighed as well, already feeling the loss of his presence.
Godric was silent for a moment, then turned to her. The look in his eyes was open, vulnerable.
"You could come with me?" he asked.
Arwe sat up, aware her hair was a tangled mess.
"Are you sure? I imagine it's a vulnerable feeling to allow someone access to you during the day…"
Godric nodded, taking her hand. He raised it to his lips and smiled self deprecatingly against her skin.
"It is. My old habits are rearing their ugly heads and screaming at me not to let anyone into my lair. But you are not just anyone…" He laid her hand against his cheek and nuzzled into her palm. She stroked his bottom lip with her thumb.
"It's alright to want to take it slowly, Godric. You don't have to push yourself if you're not ready," she said gently. "We are immortal. We have all the time in the world."
He had turned to face her fully on the bed, his bare chest gleaming in the moonlight filtering through the window. It made her realize not a single room in her house was light tight. And also that he looked gorgeous in the moonlight.
"Then perhaps a compromise. I will give you the location and access to my home and you can come visit me tomorrow night. I'd like to wake with your smell in the air."
Instead of answering, Arwe channeled her magic through her skin into his, where it swirled happily. He laughed in delight.
"It's a date," she whispered into his lips.
She snuggled back under the covers and watched him dress, eyes half closed.
Godric leaned down and kissed her goodbye.
"Until tomorrow, my love," he whispered against her mouth. When she opened her eyes, he was gone.