Treasure Ch. 04

"Aren't you concerned about the consequences?" he inquired in a lazy voice as she writhed in his grasp.

"Should I be?" she retorted, staring down at him. He brought his head up so it was level with hers, then opened his mouth and let his massive, slick tongue wander over the skin of her torso, snaking over her breasts and circling the rosy tips of her nipples. "Aaaaah," she gasped, leaning into it and shuddering. He curled it around her waist and then withdrew it back into his mouth, his eyes positively burning as he lifted her a little higher.

"Perhaps," he mused. "You see, I rather like the way you scream...and that makes punishing you all the more enjoyable for me."

"You wouldn't make me scream," she shot back down at him, although there was a new tremor to her voice. Her skin was slightly wet from where his tongue had ravaged her, and she shuddered as the cool air of the cave played over it.

"We'll see about that." Suddenly, he opened his mouth and lowered her towards it, and she let out a shriek of horror and confusion. She lifted her knees high to keep her feet from dangling into his open maw, but he extended his tongue and swirled the tip of it against her clit. She choked out a moan, squirming against his grip, and he lowered her even more so she was straddling his tongue, her legs splayed on either side of his jaw and dangling off the sides. His tongue squirmed beneath her and she shuddered, trying to lean away and flinching as one of his bottom teeth pricked against the skin of her back. Her eyes widened with horror despite the delicious sensations wracking her body. She was in his mouth, and even though it was very much still open and not likely to bite her in half or swallow her, the thought filled her with unease.

But his tongue was everywhere, sliding beneath her thighs, hot and slick against her lips, cupping her ass, the tip of it stroking the small of her back, and her eyelids fluttered shut. She was riding his tongue like a bull, like a lover, and she shook as pleasure coursed through her system like electricity. His hold on her wrists was unrelentingly strong, and no matter how hard she writhed in his grasp, she couldn't break free. A couple of his teeth pricked the undersides of her legs where they sat atop his jaw, but she was too high from the things he was doing to her to pay that any mind.

"Adeon, what are you doing?" she moaned in a strangled voice. He ignored her, letting out a rumbling sigh of contentment that washed over her in a rush of breath, and she quivered as he moved the tip of his tongue to probe against her entrance. He slipped the first few inches of it into her and she saw his eyes close languorously. He was really enjoying himself, she thought bitterly, but then he pushed it further inside of her until she was completely filled with his tongue. "Adeon," she gasped, and she felt rather than heard him chuckle. It moved slowly inside of her and she thrashed in his hold with a yelp, sweat beading on her temple. A feverish heat was blossoming throughout her body, and she twitched as it gave another luxurious curl inside her. He was moving it faster now, slick and hot and thick against her passage, and Catherine thought she just might explode into a thousand tiny pieces. He pushed it in a little further and rolled it, making it wriggle and expand inside her, and she writhed against him as she came with a shuddering gasp. He let out a low, hungry noise as he felt her pulse and clench against his tongue, but never halted his movements. Catherine struggled fruitlessly in his grip, her chest heaving, her body slick with sweat.

"Please, I can't take any more," she begged. He gave her wrists a little jerk to silence her and then began to move his tongue in and out of her, fucking her slowly with it. Her legs spasmed with pleasure and she let her head loll back in ecstasy, her lips parted as she struggled for breath. "Oh god, oh god, no, no, no, not again...Adeon...oh...oh," she breathed, the furious tremors of another orgasm wracking her body. He pressed on, gleefully ignoring her protests, and she went hopelessly limp in his grasp. "No more," she pleaded in a shaky voice. "Please..." But he continued his torturous motions, curling his tongue against her tightness, pleasuring her mercilessly. He began to move it in slow, hard, deliberate strokes, like he was lapping her up from the inside, and in minutes she was thrashing again in his grip, stars bursting in her vision.

A strangled choking noise escaped her lips as she came again, and then she let out a moan of protest as he withdrew his tongue and teased it against her clit. Perfectly limp in his hold, she watched hopelessly as the tip of his tongue continued its skilled ministrations, lashing her with heavy, wet strokes. Her insides ached to be filled again, and her hips were bucking towards him despite her exhaustion. His tongue tapped a hard, firm pattern against her clit as she came again, twitching weakly, and then, after a few moments, he lifted her gently out of his mouth. She hung there slackly, staring at him blearily with eyes half-lidded from exhaustion, and his lips curled into an amused smile.

"Have you learned your lesson?" he asked her in a husky voice, lowering her to the ground on her knees. Little spasms coursed through her legs, (which had turned to jelly a long time ago), as she flopped over limply, and she gave him a slow, quivery nod. From above her came the unmistakable sound of skin shifting against rock, and she looked back up to watch as Adeon--back in his human form--knelt over her, turned her onto her back and spread her legs wide. Green scales were still retreating into his pale skin. He pushed himself impatiently in between her legs and she saw his erection, stiff and ready, pressed against her hip. Oh, she thought tiredly. He really had been enjoying himself. "Oh, I'm not done with you yet," he breathed hoarsely, entering her slowly and eliciting a weak little cry from her. "Poor little Catherine," he crooned as he began to glide in and out of her lazily, his eyes burning with unadulterated delight, his grip tight on her legs.

He turned his head to nibble the area just below her ankle, letting out a contented sigh as he moved inside of her, and Catherine moaned wearily. Tilting her hips, he knelt down lower until his face was only inches from hers and quickened his pace, bracing his hands on the floor and pounding into her with abandon. Despite her exhaustion, her arms rose to tangle him in her embrace, drawing him closer, urging him on. His breath was becoming ragged and she was matching his movements with her hips, making frantic noises with each of his thrusts. As he slammed eagerly into her, he lowered his mouth to her ear as if confiding a secret and whispered breathlessly, "You taste divine."

That sent her over the edge again and she clung to him desperately as she rode out the shock wave of yet another orgasm, letting out a shaky cry. With a soft moan, he followed suit, then raised a hand to brush his thumb against her throat, his breath coming in sharp bursts in her ear. She kissed his cheek and tightened her embrace around his torso, and he sighed delightedly before moving to kiss her. Kissing Adeon, Catherine decided through the delirium of her orgasm-induced haze, was something she would never grow tired of. He took his time, slowly exploring her mouth with his tongue, his soft, hungry lips moving leisurely against hers. Goosebumps prickled up her arms when she realized she could taste herself in his mouth.

"Was that really supposed to be a punishment?" she wondered aloud after he pulled away, breathless from exhaustion. He slipped out of her and rose into a sitting position, smiling widely.

"Was it not?" he inquired, still panting slightly. His upper body shone from a thin, delicate layer of sweat on his shoulders.

"I'm not entirely sure," she murmured.

"Maybe I'll have to try harder next time," he commented, and she shook her head as he reached for her to pull her up.

"Can we just lay here for a moment?" she sighed wearily. "I think that would be nice." He paused for a moment, but then lowered himself down onto the floor next to her. Together they stared silently at the ceiling, and he gently trapped one of her hands in his. A blissful smile crawled across her lips, and she turned her head towards him as he took in a slow breath, clearly preparing to speak.

"Catherine," he said softly, not quite looking at her, and she rolled onto her side, watching him worriedly.

"Hmm?" He hesitated, his eyes darting towards her uncertainly. Placing a hand gingerly on his shoulder, she moved a little closer to him. "Adeon, what is it?" she insisted, and he finally turned onto his side to face her. His hands lowered to gingerly hold her waist, and he leaned closer to her-so close that their noses were almost touching.

"I love you," he breathed.

"What?" Catherine whispered, staring at him. He was so close to her, however, that she was struggling to keep herself from going cross-eyed. His eyes flickered across her face as he studied her reaction, brilliant and green and filled with uncertainty.

"I love you, Catherine," he repeated softly. "I love you so, so much." He paused and swallowed hard, his fingers idly stroking the skin of her waist. "I try to imagine a life without you sometimes, and it hurts," he continued slowly. "I think about you constantly. Your eyes, your lips, your voice. The way you look at me," he added, fixing her with that penetrating stare. "You're very fidgety, you know that? Always moving. But not when you look at me. You're perfectly still. And your eyes are so wide, like you're always seeing me for the first time."

"I didn't know that," Catherine said quietly.

"How could you? You don't see it."

Up close, she could see the intricate pattern of swirls and lines of color in his irises, count each thin, silvery eyelash. "Adeon," she began, but he grazed his lips against hers in a soft half-kiss.

"And I love the way you say my name," he purred against her mouth. She smiled and placed a finger on his lips, and he looked up at her inquisitively.

"Don't interrupt," she said playfully, and he grinned up at her in a way that conveyed nothing but breathless, awestruck happiness. Her chest ached at that expression. "I love you too," she told softly--so softly, like it was a secret. The suddenness with which she spoke those words surprised her, but they came easily, automatically, like breathing. And despite the doubt that she had experienced earlier that day, and the confusion that the fairy-girl had imbued in her, she knew that she meant it. The smile faded slowly from his lips, and he stared at her incredulously. "I do," she whispered, brushing her nose against his.

"Say it again for me," he insisted, something like panic in his voice, and she smiled and gave his lips a small kiss.

"I love you," she crooned, and he let out a slow breath, closing his eyes.

"Catherine," he sighed blissfully, uttering her name like someone would a prayer, and he pulled her into his arms. She nuzzled into him, explosions of butterflies erupting in her stomach. He handled her gently, like she was something beautiful spun from sugar, planting slow kisses everywhere he could reach, covering her in soft touches. Suddenly, he met her gaze, and the look in his eyes was wild. "Come outside with me," he urged her, and she smiled.

"Let me get dressed."

"If you insist," he sighed, a hint of disappointment in his tone, and she laughed as she rose to her feet and scurried towards the wall of the cavern, picking her crumpled dress up off the floor and wriggling into it. She heard fabric rustling behind her as she dressed herself, and when she turned back to him, he was fully clothed and tugging the hem of his shirt over his stomach. She waited patiently and brushed the thin layer of dust off her dress as he pulled on his boots, and then he captured her right hand in his left and led her towards the entrance.

Catherine's eyes squinted against the brightness of the afternoon sun as they exited the cavern, and he tugged her in the direction of the downward slope of the mountain. She frowned a bit in confusion, but followed his lead. He veered to the left once they had descended several feet, and Catherine was surprised to see that the path led to a long cliff that jutted out from the side of the mountain. She cringed a bit as he led her towards the edge, and he grinned when he saw her expression.

"Surely you trust me more than that," he laughed, easing her onto the edge of the cliff with him. He knelt into a sitting position, his legs dangling off the sides of the rock, and Catherine uncertainly followed his lead, perching herself next to him. The mountain face was steep and treacherous-looking beneath them, and she felt a nervous sort of thrill surge through her chest as she swayed her slippered feet in the air next to his. "Don't look so terrified," he assured her, slinging an arm around her. "I come here all the time. The sun sets just over there," he continued, gesturing towards an area of the horizon several inches away from the toy-sized kingdom. "But I've never watched it with anyone."

"I don't think I have either," Catherine admitted, and she gently laid her head against his shoulder. His muscles seemed to ooze into relaxation as she leaned into him. The world beneath them shone with a gold aura in the twilight, bright and alien-looking, and Adeon's warmth staved off the chill of the air. The dark outline of the forest stayed shadowy and dangerous despite the unearthly glow of the setting sun, and for a moment she marveled at its sheer enormousness. There was no way she could have ever fathomed going in a place that large and dangerous without a method of flying. But the forest made her think of the strange fairy-girl, and worry settled in her stomach with the weight of one of Adeon's massive piles of treasure. "Adeon," she said after a moment.

"Mmm?"

"How do you think this is going to end?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Endings imply tragedy and loneliness and demise," he said dryly, and she rolled her eyes.

"Don't be so dramatic," she sighed. He slipped her hand into his, flashing her an apologetic smile.

"Endings are dramatic," he murmured. "I don't want to go through any sort of ending with you."

"That's very sweet of you," Catherine said, "but really. What on earth is going to become of us? This isn't a situation that just resolves itself, is it?"

"I'd hardly call it a 'situation,'" he retorted. "Why? Do you have something particular in mind?" Catherine flushed, and his grin widened in surprised delight. "Oh, it seems you do," he continued gleefully, squeezing her tightly against his chest. "Tell me, darling, does it involve a lovely house in the countryside?" He brought his mouth very close to her ear and gave it a playful nibble, and she squealed and tried to squirm out of his grasp. "An extravagant wedding with roses and wine and a dress embroidered with pearls? A lovely honeymoon in a faraway country?" he growled against her skin, and she let out a bark of laughter, pressing a palm to his face and trying to lean away from him. His fingers found her ribs, pinching and tickling her mercilessly, and she dissolved into hysterical laughter.

"Adeon!" she gasped. "I'm going to fall...!"

"Would you cook dinner for me every night? Would we grow apples in our garden?" he pressed, and she beat her fists against his shoulder in protest. He finally pulled away, flopping onto the ground and laughing as she glowered down at him. "You," he sighed wearily, still smiling, "are so incredibly adorable when you blush."

"I think I would like those things," she said, a hint of playful reproach in her voice. He raised a hand to trail his fingers down her arm.

"Would you, now?" he inquired.

"Maybe." She lowered herself onto the ground next to him, and he rolled over onto his side to face her. His eyes were dancing excitedly, and he brought his face very close to hers.

"We should leave," he whispered. Catherine watched him uncertainly with wide, unblinking eyes.

"Leave? Where would we go?"

"Anywhere--wherever you'd like. We could start a new life there, far away from these people. There are people who worship dragons, you know," he added, smiling widely. "Or who at least wish to coexist peacefully with them. We wouldn't have to hide anymore." He lifted her chin with his finger. "I know you've been getting lonely," he continued, his smile fading a little. She hesitated, looking down at the ground, and he brought his face a little closer to hers. "Something the matter?" he murmured.

"I don't want to go anywhere," she admitted, looking up at him pleadingly. "This is my home, Adeon. I love these people." A fleeting look of anger crossed his expression, and she watched him worriedly.

"Why?" he insisted, a spiteful hiss entering his voice. "What have they done for you? They abandoned you without a second thought..."

"Because YOU told them to!" she snapped loudly. A low rumble sounded in the back of his throat, and she glared at him. "You stop that," she added scoldingly, and he narrowed his eyes irritably, but ceased his growling.

"Don't you see?" he pleaded, and he suddenly looked a little more distraught than angry. "Catherine, they think you're dead. It would be so easy to just...vanish. And perhaps in a few years, you could return for a day or so--"

"Why can't I return now?" she shot back. "To see everyone, just for a day? What harm could it possibly do?"

"Because," he said softly, and there was a new tremor of madness in his tone, "they would try to keep you from me. And I would murder every man, woman, and child in that kingdom before I let that happen." She stared at him in disbelief, but the expression of sheer rage on his face was utterly unwavering.

"What a monstrous thing to say," she whispered, and he glowered at her, his upper lip curling with malice.

"And what am I, if not monstrous?" he hissed. Catherine scrambled to her feet and turned away from him, raising and hand to cover her mouth. Tears stung at the corners of her eyes and she rubbed them impatiently, sniffling quietly. From the recesses of her vision, she could see the blurry silhouette of Adeon stand and walk towards her.

"Go away," she snapped. "I won't talk to you when you're like this." She felt his hand brush her shoulder and jerked it away from him, whirling to face him. He was watching her with a pained expression. "Would you really do it?" she demanded, and he looked down at the ground.

"Only if I had to," he said quietly. "Only for you. I would do a lot of horrible things for you, really."

"I wouldn't want you to," she shot back, crossing her arms. He reached out for her, but she glowered at him, standing just out of reach. A long, heavy sigh escaped his lips.

"I know you wouldn't," he replied, suddenly sounding weary. Her brow furrowed in confusion, and he stepped forward to gather her back into his arms. "I just don't know if I could help myself."

"I could never forgive you for such a thing," she snapped, pressing her palms against his chest to free herself, and he held her fast and silenced her with a warm squeeze of his arms.

"I'm sorry," he sighed into her hair, and she felt her body droop in relaxation as he spoke. "I don't want to fight with you." She let out a long, frustrated breath, scowling somewhere in the direction of his bicep.

"I don't want to fight with you either," she admitted grudgingly. They stood like that for a while, her head tucked under his chin, his hands stroking her back in long, even motions from her shoulder blades to the base of her spine.

"Sit with me," he finally said, nodding towards the ledge, and she sighed before lowering herself back onto the rocks with him. The sun was lowering gradually towards the horizon, and she leaned her chin against her palms, resting her elbows against her knees. His hands were braced behind him on the rock, his long torso arching as he watched the sky meditatively, and she looked at him sadly.