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“I’m gonna need a private room with Laudna for a little bit.”
The sentence is barely finished before Imogen grabs Laudna’s hand and the two of them are disappearing up the stairs to a chorus of agreement. At least their friends understand.
The door to the guest room clicks shut and they stand facing each other, color high in their cheeks. Imogen reaches lightly trembling fingers out to touch Laudna. She is still pale but the pink that dusts her high cheekbones is new. Laudna cups Imogen’s hand pressing it to her cheek and smiles. The first genuine smile she’s felt in days, maybe longer, maybe ever.
“Is it really just us?” Launda hears the familiar soft brush of Imogen’s thoughts in her mind and is warmed in a deep aching place that feared she’d lost this forever.
Laudna nods as she leans forward brushing her lips over Imogen’s. She wants to be soft and slow, wants to take advantage of the time, the safety, the comfortable bed only a few feet away. She buries her hand in Imogen’s soft curls deepening their kiss. She takes control of their pace, encouraging Imogen to step backward toward the bed until her calves hit the mattress. Imogen eagerly takes the hint allowing their momentum to push her to sit on the bed.
Imogen sits and their lips pull apart, their kisses turn to smiles again. Launda kneels between Imogen’s knees resting her hands on firm thighs, grounding herself. Her dark eyes dart back and forth taking in the details of Imogen’s face, the kiss reddened lips, the slightly mussed curls, the wide pupils of her eyes glinting at her with want.
“You are so beautiful,” Laudna’s voice comes out in a low whisper. She reaches her hand to brush Imogen’s cheek softly and her eyes flutter shut as she leans into the touch. After a brief moment Lauda brushes her thumb over Imogen’s lower lip and says, “open your eye’s darling.”
Imogen obeys almost instantly; her eyes open darkened to a shade of violet Lauda has never seen. Their eyes meet and hold.
“I want to see you,” Launda thinks the words rather than speaking, her tongue weighted under so many emotions. “I want you to see me.”
It is Imogen’s turn to nod in understanding. She keeps their gazes locked as she reaches out with her hand for the clasp of Laudna’s high-necked blouse.
“May I,” Imogen’s soft drawl brushes Laudna’s mind again.
“Please,” Laudna replies without hesitation.
Imogen deftly removes the clasp of the broach at Laudna’s throat. The green gem gives her a slight pause as shivers travel down her spine. How close they had come to losing everything. She can feel the what ifs at the back of her mind threatening to take over the moment until she hears the reassuring melody of Lauda’s thoughts once again.
“She is locked away. We did it my love.”
Imogen draws a shaky breath returning her focus to the moment at hand and to the woman in front of her. She removes the broach, without another thought she deposits it on the nightstand allowing her to begin work on the corset, metallic ribs around Laudna’s chest removed with ease keeping eye contact until the fabric falls away revealing pale skin, soft small breasts back lit now by a pale, pulsing, lavender glow.
Imogen looks down as her fingers drift over the new scars there, healed by whatever spell it was that Essek cast, and whatever magic it is that keeps Laudna alive to experience this joy. Imogen’s fingers trace the faint shape of the soul anchor beneath Laudna’s skin, and she leans forward placing soft kisses on her sternum. As she does her emotions are a jumble of joy, desire, relief and a thousand other things she can’t take time to catalogue.
She kisses her way up Launda’s chest to her neck, to the curve of her jaw, finding her lips once again.
“Beautiful,” that single word is the only coherent thought Imogen has as her tongue begins brushing Laudna’s lips deepening their kiss, their connection.
As they continue to kiss Laudna slips her hands up Imogen’s torso finding buttons and clasps to remove her top letting it fall as her hands explore, a mirror of Imogen’s hands touching her own body. The pleasant weight of Imogen’s breasts in her hands and her thumb brushing a dusky nipple causes one of them to let out a low moan but neither of them is sure who it was.
“I’ve missed you, darlin’,” Imogen thinks as she arches into the touch, a bit warmer than ever before. The knowledge of why sending a wave of happiness chasing after the thought. “Your hands are warm.” The thought is followed by a feather-soft bit of laughter. Imogen can barely contain her smile.
Just a few days ago she felt Laudna slipping away, drowning in the sea that is Delilah Briarwood’s dark thirst for power, and she had no idea how to save her. But not now, not today. Today they were handed a miracle, and Imogen isn’t going to waste it. She also knows she has to acknowledge the gravity of all of it.
“I almost lost you,” Imogen whispers aloud this time speaking softly into the space between them.
Laudna meets her eyes, reaching out to cup her face. “But you didn’t,” Laudna responds, “We didn’t.” Instead of words Laudna brings a single thought to the front of her mind. She focuses on the image of her shadow hands intertwined with Imogen’s, giving her the strength to cast Delilah out, to trap her forever. Her eyes plead for Imogen to understand.
Emotions play across Imogen’s face as she feels Laudna’s thoughts wash over her. In that ethereal mental space between them she sees their entwined shadow hands. She feels their connection and allows it to settle deep in her soul. She trails her fingers up Laudna’s back drawing herself back into the moment. Their touches have slowed to soft strokes of fingers, the fires still burning but banked a little.
Imogen is tired of thinking about Delilah, tired of the loss and tragedy that seems to have been hot on their heels for weeks. She is tired of thinking about the end of the world. That can all wait until morning. They have fucking won this battle. This battle Imogen would have sacrificed anything to win turns out to have been solved by a Drow genius and abandoned mage tech left behind by gods damned Ludinus. Imogen almost laughs at how crazy it all sounds. Instead, she gently pushes Laudna back a little and starts to remove the rest of her clothes and her boots.
“You wanted to see me,” Imogen raises an eyebrow as her thoughts project into Laudna’s mind and a mischievous grin crosses her lips, “so look.”
Laudna feels the thoughts brush across her mind with a caress of all the emotions carried with them. The relief, the love, the desire, Imogen’s feelings are conveyed right along with the words. Lauda feels her usually sluggish heart stutter step in her chest. The wash of feelings threatens to overwhelm her in the best way as she rises from where she was kneeling to run her eyes over Imogen’s now naked body stretched back on the bed.
Lauda does not look away as she removes her own clothing, leaving her skirts in a pile on the floor and steps out of them to stand at the edge of the bed. Imogen is bare before her in so many ways. Laudna pauses to take in the scars that snake around Imogen’s limbs, purple lightning tracing paths over lightly tanned skin.
She begins to trace the marks up Imogen’s legs fingers chased by lips memorizing the paths magic has wrought on her beloved’s skin. Laudna wants to learn every inch of Imogen’s body. She has spent so long yearning for Imogen, for a moment for the two of them to truly connect. So much of their time together has been rushed and quiet, moments stolen in the dark hoping no one hears them.
Tonight is not that, tonight is everything they’ve never had. “I like having you all to myself.” Laudna thinks as her tongue finds a particularly sensitive spot on the inside of Imogen’s knee. The feelings she sends along with the thought make it clear she doesn’t just mean the absence of the intrusive gaze of her patron but their friends downstairs, of the wild shit that just seems to follow them wherever they go. “I like being able to enjoy you, take my time with you.”
The combination of the words in her mind and the soft lips on her skin draw a moan from Imogen. The leisurely drag of lips up her thigh following her scars sends sparks dancing over her skin. It is divine torture having Laudna touch her so slowly. “You’re a tease,” Imogen isn’t fully sure if she thinks the words or says them but quickly decides it doesn’t matter.
Lauda lifts her head pausing in her explorations. “Am I? Or are you just impatient?” A wicked grin curls the corners of her mouth at the question.
“Don’t you think we’ve both waited long enough?” Imogen asks aloud, her voice rough from desire.
Laudna pauses as though deep in thought tapping a finger against her lips. “I don’t think we are still waiting,” her voice is teasing, “I just think you should be a good girl and let me take my time.”
Imogen feels the words “good girl” in a deep place. And she knows Laudna can read the response on her, feel it in her emotions.
“Hmm, interesting,” Laudna purrs in Imogen’s head. She returns to her earlier activities kissing and stroking Imogen’s skin, mapping her scars. She continues to take her time being thorough in her attentions but strategically avoiding those places she knows Imogen wants her most. Kissing over the curve of her hip, up the soft rise of her belly, licking and tasting the slight salt of Imogen’s skin, breathing in her scent of ozone and lilacs.
As Laudna continues Imogen makes small needy sounds when the other woman hovers close to sensitive spots. Her breath quickens as Laudna gets closer to her breasts. She feels the desire rising within her. She wants Laudna’s mouth on her breasts. She wants to feel lips and teeth on her nipples. Imogen’s hands drift to Laudna’s hair, tangling in the long dark strands. Trying to apply pressure, to direct her where she wants her.
“Impatient girl,” Laudna follows the thought with a soft knowing laugh.
“Touch me,” Imogen tugs at Laudna’s hair again pulling up toward her breasts, “please.” Imogen knows she is pleading. She also knows she doesn’t care.
Laudna pauses for a moment to look up at Imogen. The sight takes her breath. Imogen’s back is arched slightly pushing her breasts forward. Her skin is flushed, her eyes closed, head back against the pillows.
“Look at me,” Laudna’s thought has just a touch of force behind it, designed to get Imogen’s attention. Imogen lifts her head once again and looks down making eye contact. Imogen is taken by what she sees as well. Laudna’s dark eyes sparkle with desire and mischief. Her long dark hair falls across Imogen’s stomach contrasting against her skin. She barely has time to take in the scene before another thought enters her mind and her body responds in a deep warm pulsing place.
“Good girl,” Laudna smiles up at Imogen with a wink. “Watch me.” Laudna maintains eye contact as she moves upward dragging her tongue along the curve of Imogen’s full breast until she finds a pert nipple and takes it in her mouth. As she does her eyes drift shut, and Imogen sighs out her satisfaction at the sensation she’d been longing for.
Imogen feels the tug of Laudna’s mouth pulsing through her body, her inner walls contracting in rhythm. Laudna reaches out to Imogen’s other breast rolling her other nipple between her fingers, doubling the sensation.
Imogen watches Laudna’s mouth, watches Laudna’s fingers, pale against her flushed skin but dark at the tips. Watching seems to affect the sensation exponentially, sending signals all through her body and causing her breath to hitch in her chest.
“Fuck,” the word comes out of Imogen’s mouth as a moan. Laudna takes that as encouragement and continues letting her teeth sink slightly in around the nipple she has drawn into her mouth. The added intensity sends another curse on the heels of the first one. Laudna knows she could spend all night here, worshipping at Imogen’s beautiful breasts and soaking in the sounds escaping Imogen’s throat.
Lauda takes her time kissing between Imogen’s breasts, switching her attention from one to the next and back, paying extra attention to the lightning scars here too. She runs her tongue following one up the side of Imogen’s throat to just below her ear. Imogen’s body shivers with pleasure at the touch and the soft brush of breath.
“Kiss me,” Imogen whispers wanting to feel those lips against hers again.
Laudna does not resist the request. She kisses Imogen deeply, not holding back a bit of the desire, the want, living deep within her. She realizes she’s truly free to express all of it. There is no need to hold back, to protect Imogen from the danger that lived inside of her. She kisses Imogen again and again, pressing the length of their bodies together, skin on skin, limbs entwining. Laudna hadn’t allowed herself to recognize how much she had been holding back. She tried to protect Imogen from a darkness that wasn’t actually hers. The shadows that still swirl around her are no longer a threat, just an additional beautiful mystery.
This realization causes Laudna to pause and pull back just an inch in order to make eye contact once more. Imogen’s eyes are dark, pupils blown with arousal. It takes a moment for Imogen to focus, her breath stuttering out, her body humming with need.
“What is it, Darlin’,” Imogen’s mind begins working before her voice. Her thoughts are still scattered but concern comes to the front seeing Laudna’s seriousness written across her flushed face. She reaches up lightly brushing dark strands of hair from Laudna’s face.
“I’ve been so afraid, Imogen,” Laudna’s voice shakes at the admission, but she wants to say this out loud. “So afraid of what she could do to you. Of what she was doing to me. Terrified of what she might make me do to you. I was so afraid I was holding you back. I was terrified of losing you and terrified of holding on. Terrified she would use you, that she would know too much.”
Imogen cups Laudna’s cheek gentle and understanding. She already knows all the things Laudna is saying but there’s something healing in hearing the confession spoken softly between them while they are wrapped so intimately around each other.
“I know,” Imogen says softly, her thumb brushing along Laudna’s cheek. “She knew the only way to take you was to drive us apart. She knows we are stronger together. She knew, and she lost.”
Imogen leans forward kissing Laudna again. “She can’t have you and she sure as hell can’t have this.” Imogen’s thought is direct and Laudna welcomes it, letting it soothe her spirit and calm her mind.
As they continue to kiss, coming together and separating for long moments Laudna’s hands drift lower her nails lightly tracing scars down Imogen’s back. Laudna can almost feel Imogen’s power in those scars, the vaguest tingle of electricity against her fingertips. She chases the feeling over the curve of her hip, up and down Imogen’s thighs, until her hand finds its way, at long last, between their bodies. Her fingers tease at the junction of Imogen’s thighs, encouraging her legs to fall open and she whimpers against Laudna’s lips.
Laudna trails her fingers through Imogen’s curls feeling heat and wetness and reveling in the knowledge that it is all for her. Imogen bucks her hips as a needy sound escapes her lips. Laudna feels that sound through her body. She teases again drawing another whimper refusing to advance, retreating slightly lightly dragging her nails up the inside of Imogen’s thigh. She brushes lightly over Imogen’s labia, a ghost over the sensitive flesh.
“Please,” the word echoes within them reverberating with the desire Imogen is feeling.
“Look at me,” Laudna repeats, the thought is commanding this time.
Imogen obeys with another soft whimper, opening her eyes to meet Laudna’s gone black with desire.
As soon as Imogen’s eyes open and meet Laudna’s she stops teasing and she slides two fingers into Imogen’s wetness, curving to hit just the right spot.
Imogen keeps her eyes open maintaining that contact even as her mouth opens with a moan. She’s been hungry for this all night, longer if she’s honest. They look at each other without fear, without hesitation. The curtain that had separated them, haunted them, is drawn back. Imogen gives herself to the pleasure Laudna builds within her knowing with her whole being that there is no reason to hide.
“That’s it my sweet, show me your pleasure,” Laudna encourages.
Imogen does, her hips setting a rhythm with Laudna’s thrusting fingers, she lets every obscene, delicious sound she feels escape her lips. She wraps her leg over Laudna’s hip allowing her fingers to find spots deeper within her. Imogen can feel tension beginning to coil deep, low, and hot within her. It is both too fast and not nearly fast enough.
“Fuck me…Fuck yes…Right there,” Imogen’s thoughts are as staccato as her breaths as Laudna revels in both. Laudna’s thumb strokes Imogen’s clit in time with the pace of her fingers buried to the knuckle inside Imogen. She tangles her free hand in Imogen’s hair tugging, holding her so she can look in her face.
Their eyes never leave each other. Imogen wants to be seen, Laudna wants to see it all, to take it all in and hold it in her heart, her mind, her body. For the first time in 30 years, she feels like all of those things belong to her and with that she truly feels the ability to give them to someone else.
Laudna feels Imogen tightening around her fingers, knows that she’s close.
“That’s right love,” Laudna adds another finger inside Imogen, “Show me your pleasure, give it to me.”
Imogen digs her nails into Laudna’s back as pleasure rocks through her at the stretch of Laudna’s fingers. She keeps her eyes locked with Laudna as she feels herself begin to slip over the edge of release. Sounds escape her and she makes no effort to muffle them. She releases everything she’s been holding her body quakes and wetness floods between her thighs.
“Yours, Laudna, yours to take,” Imogen gasps, “All yours.”
Laudna presses their foreheads together as she guides Imogen through her release taking everything that has been offered. Their breaths mingle in the space between them as they both pant from the exertion. She kisses Imogen again, exploring deeply as she gently removes her fingers. She swallows a final whimper from Imogen at the loss.
Imogen moves her hand to draw Laudna’s up as she breaks the kiss. She pulls back slightly bringing Laudna’s glistening fingers to her lips making sure she is watching as she takes them into her mouth. Imogen tastes herself on Laudna’s fingers and groans. Release has only made her hungry, hungry for Laudna’s pleasure too. Hungry to see her fall apart and come together at her touch.
With a shift of weight Imogen pushes Laudna back on the bed. Laudna does not resist. The sight and feel of Imogen cleaning her fingers has brought her own arousal burning to the forefront. She had been so focused on Imogen’s pleasure she hadn’t realized her own body was aching to be touched.
Now lying atop her Imogen kisses Laudna with unrestrained desire. She presses her body the length of Laudna’s letting her thigh slot between the other woman’s legs. She feels heat and wetness against her skin, and she wants to explore. Leaving Laudna’s lips Imogen trails down kissing the hollow of her throat darting her tongue into the dip between sharp collarbones.
She pauses once again to trace the outline of lavender light pulsing in Laudna’s chest, marveling at the beauty of it behind her ribs. Imogen peppers her breasts with soft lingering kisses. As she takes one nipple in her mouth Laudna’s back arches up into the sensation.
“So perfect,” Imogen thinks as she sucks a dark, pert nipple into her mouth. She has always thought Laudna’s small breasts were perfect and knowing how sensitive they are is just proving her point.
Laudna is far too distracted to send coherent thoughts to Imogen, she just lets her feelings flow instead. She lets desire and arousal wash through her with abandon knowing Imogen will pick up the waves as they break within her.
Imogen shivers as the sensations Lauda is experiencing brush against her thoughts like an echo. Lauda is always welcome in her mind and that has never been more true than right now. When it is just the two of them, like this, Imogen opens her mind to all the sensations.
She continues kissing and nipping down Laudna’s torso, along her ribs, the dip of her navel. Imogen settles herself between Laudna’s thighs breathing in the clean earth and dark, heavy scent of Laudna’s arousal. Imogen strokes Laudna’s labia with soft fingers collecting wetness on the tips of her fingers. She draws the fingers away fascinated by the dusky color, like ink in water. She turns her attention to the source of the wetness pooling, dripping to the sheets beneath them.
Imogen has always loved Laudna’s darkness, since they first met. She is drawn to the mystery of her, the fun scary. She wants the dark ichor on her skin. She wants Laudna’s magic to touch her soul, maybe even take a bit of it, or to be honest, a bit more of it. Imogen wants every bit of Laudna, even the parts others run from.
“Can I taste you,” Imogen wants Laudna more than she’s ever wanted anything, but she also wants Laudna to know the choice belongs to her.
“Oh, gods yes,” Laudna’s words come out in a rush.
Imogen does not hesitate. She spreads Laudna open and brushes her tongue over warm, soft skin teasing Laudna’s opening with the tip. She moans softly as the taste she’s been longing for hits her tongue, rich and musky. Imogen teases upward in long swipes over Laudna’s swollen clit.
Laudna cries out at the contact, arching her hips upward seeking more pressure, more pleasure. Imogen resists, keeping the contact just too light to push Laudna toward climax.
“Now who is a tease, darling,” Laudna’s voice is breathy and light.
“Fair is fair,” Imogen replies but she relents a little and follows the thought with more pressure from her tongue and the tips of two fingers pressing inside just to the second knuckle. She loses herself in the feeling of Lauda around her fingers and under her tongue and the soft hum of Laudna’s mind brushing the back of hers. The sensations amplify and build as Imogen pushes her fingers further inside
Laudna moans into the stretch of Imogen’s fingers and the pressure of her tongue. She lets herself go, gives herself over to the pleasure coursing through her body. Gives herself to Imogen.
Imogen feels the surrender in Laudna’s body, feels it echo in her thoughts. Her body opens, her hips lift as Imogen slides her fingers in further. Imogen revels in the feeling of truly being with Laudna, of hearing her guttural moans of pleasure, of tasting her on her tongue, of feeling her thoughts. She stops teasing, stops holding Laudna on the edge and drives her higher.
“That’s right, Baby,” Imogen encourages Laudna on as her tongue finds just the right rhythm against her and her fingers thrust harder.
“Yes,” Laudna’s voice escapes her in a gasp as her body tightens pleasure zinging through her body like Imogen’s lightening. She tightens her hands in Imogen’s hair holding her in place as her hips thrust in a staccato beat and release unfurls through her.
Imogen guides her through the aftershocks with soft kisses and stroking fingers. She slides back up Laudna’s body until they are once again face to face. Their eyes meet and they smile in unison. Laudna reaches up to Imogen’s face wiping her thumb along her chin. The evidence of her arousal is inky on Imogen’s lips.
“I’ve made a mess of you, love,” Laudna says softly a bit of shyness sneaking into her voice.
Imogen laughs lightly and kisses Laudna, deep and slow. She takes her time with the kiss letting Laudna taste herself on Imogen’s lips. They tangle arms and legs settling together like puzzle pieces convex settling with concave until they pull their lips apart and look into each other’s eyes.
“I love your mess,” Imogen strokes Laudna’s cheek, “I love you.”
Laudna smiles, not feeling the need to speak just letting the feelings welling up within her to wash over them both. She lets herself drown in the lavender light of Imogen’s eyes truly, deeply, seeing and being seen.