A Moth to a Flame

Author's Notes: Please note that I've updated the flags for this story. It's funny... I knew how much sado-masochism this story was going to have, but it wasn't until I actually wrote it out that I realized that it came out to more than "small amounts of S&M".

Chapter 3: Touching the Flame

Felix faltered for a moment, and then shot back, "Yeah. It's me."

Karst put a hand on her hip and studied his face. "What do you want?"

He'd decided before even knocking on her door that if she gave him a good chance at a direct approach, he'd take it. "The same thing I've wanted every time I came here," Felix said. "And this time I'm not leaving until I get it."

"Ooo, he speaks in riddles," she said in a venomous tone, but she did stand aside to let him in. That, he decided as he worked his snow-dripping boots off, was a point in his favor. "If you're hungry, I've cooked up a delicious meal... potatoes."

He finished stepping out of his boots. The house, heated by a large fire, felt toasty on his feet. "I'll eat anything you cook," he promised, taking off his gloves.

He was rewarded with a burning ember from the fireplace, flung right in his face. He cursed as it singed his cheek.

"Stuff it," she snapped. "You think I'll bend over for your cheap flattery?"

"I'm thinking," Felix said, picking up one of his discarded boots and stomping out the ember so that it wouldn't start a fire, "...that I should say what I feel."

"What you feel..." She sneered. "How pathetic."

"Is it? Because it looks to me like right now, you're feeling something yourself," he retorted. "Anger."

"There's no shame in admitting anger," Karst smiled wickedly, reaching over to take up her scythe from where it leaned against the wall. "Or hate. Or derision. Or hunger for power." She ran a finger along the blade of the scythe, looking at Felix suggestively. "But you, you poor boy, you're not feeling any of those things, are you? You're feeling something that makes you much more vulnerable..."

"Why are you angry?"

"Could it be..." she drawled, fondly clasping her hands onto the handle of her scythe. "...because you allowed my sister to die? Because you betrayed me and saved the life of my enemy, Isaac? Because you left me for dead after lighting Mars Lighthouse, not even looking for my body so as to give me a decent burial?"

"That's all old news," Felix said, and suddenly lunged forward to seize Karst's scythe, tear it from her hands, and fling it across the room. "And it's all bullshit! I couldn't help Menardi against Isaac, I had to protect Sheba! I betrayed your revenge scheme that had nothing to do with our mission, not you! And if I hadn't lit Mars Lighthouse, you would have been dead for real! You know all that, damn it."

"You've disarmed me," Karst observed dryly. "Well done - I hadn't expected that. What now? Do you cut me open with that sword of yours before I get another chance?"

He looked at her for a moment and then, with a laugh, unbuckled his sword belt and tossed the weapon aside. It landed beside the discarded scythe. "There, no more weapons. Now we'll just have to talk to each other."

"Talk? Is that what you came here for? How boring." She folded her arms. "You've said all you have to say, and you're right about it all. But I'm still angry with you." A deep smirk came over her face. "Oh, but don't worry... you can keep coming here to deliver exotic trinkets, mend the roof, chop up firewood, smooth out the terrain in the yard, and escort me to little events. I don't mind. You make a very good slave." She reached over to pat his cheek.

Felix stared at her, aghast. How... how dare she use me like that... After I forgave her for betraying me, after I lit Mars Lighthouse for her, how DARE she! He wanted to punch that smirk right off her smug face. No, better yet, he'd use his power and summon spikes of earth from the ground. See her try to mock him while impaled on spikes of solid rock. He'd love to make her beg for his forgiveness. But...

"Poor dear," Karst laughed. She lightly drew her fingernail along his cheek, leaving a shallow cut in his skin. "Even knowing how much I despise you, you'll still do anything I want, won't you? Now do you understand... how pathetic your feelings are?"

"No. I don't." He took her hand away from his cheek and held it in both of his. "Do you know what I think? You're being inconsistent. One moment you're defensive, the next derisive, the next vengeful. I think you're trying too hard to hide what you really feel..."

He began softly caressing her palm, pleased that her hand felt so much warmer than it had at Mars Lighthouse. No, not just warm... it was hot. Burning with fierce Proxian life. She looked up at him timidly, uncertainly. She was unsettled by what he was doing now and had no idea what he would do next.

"I think you're feeling guilty, that after what you tried to do to me, I forgave you, and saved your life. Maybe the reason you're pushing me away with your anger, your derision, is because you think you don't deserve me."

"Quite full of yourself, aren't you, you presumptuous bastard?" She snatched her hand away. "A woman can have many reasons for refusing a man. Haven't you considered what I've told you many times - that I want this whole world to kneel before Prox, that I want every person in Weyard to cower before the Fire Clan? Will you really help me make that happen, even if it means killing your sister?" Felix was silent. "I thought so. We've been enemies from the moment we met, you poor, idealistic little boy. We will be enemies until we die. I'm thankful for this little interlude... it's been nice having someone treat me like a lady. But you're a bigger fool than I thought if you think this can go further."

It was Felix's turn to smirk. "You always talk big about Prox conquering the world, but we both know that's all a load of crap. You've never wanted to hurt innocent people. You're still just hiding your feelings. And I can prove it, right now."

Before Karst could react, he seized her and pulled her to him. His mouth closed over hers, and he kissed her with a year's worth of frustrated passion.

She tried to push him away at first, but without much force, and after a moment she melted. As he held her, he massaged her back with one hand and explored the bare skin of her waist with the other. Her legs went limp as she relied upon him for support. Her lips were hard as leather, but smooth and warm. Exploring her mouth, he reveled in the affectionate embrace of her tongue, the sweet taste of her saliva. She gripped his arm with one hand, the back of his head with the other, and pulled in closer, deepening their fierce kiss still further, making him even more aware of the wonderful curves of her body pressing against him. He felt dizzy from the onslaught of sensual delights: the intoxicating smell and feel of her, the taste of her mouth, the way she matched the ferocity of his kiss, as though they were caught in an oral war. For all his efforts, all his bravado, he had never truly believed that he could be with her like this.

Their mouths broke apart at last, leaving her gasping for breath. "I think I've proved my point," Felix said.

She looked up at him, breathless. Their mutual surrender was undeniable.

Until she pushed away from him, stepped back. "No," she said, her voice thick with regret. "You're still wrong."

"Karst -"

"I'll admit that I feel for you, but it's still no good for us to be together."

"Bullshit," he snapped, grabbing her arm. "I want it, and you want it. We've both fought this - fought each other - for too long."

"That's the point," she retorted, jerking her arm free. "I can't stop fighting, Felix. Every time I talk to anyone, I end up turning on them, like I want to attack them. Why do you think I'm always alone when you come here? Because no one but Agatio can stand to even be my friend. To be my lover... it would be quite painful for you, Felix."

"I'll take my chances." He stepped closer, gently took a lock of her ruby hair in his hand. "I told you when I came in, Karst, this time I'm not leaving until I get what I want."

"So if I tell you I love you... will you leave, then?"

He let his hand drop from her hair to her shoulder, running his fingers over her smooth pink scales, between the ridge of small spikes. His heart was pounding with love for her.

"No," he answered, bending down to kiss her neck. "I think I'm going to need... something a bit more solid than that, to prove that I really have what I want."

She put her arms to his shoulders, lightly panting with excitement. "You don't... know what you're getting into."

He took her in his arms, guided her back towards her bedroom, and lay her on the bed. "I'm willing to suffer whatever it is. You're worth it."

She gave him a smile that was more like a grimace. "Can't say I didn't warn you."

He took off his cloak first, so that he could enjoy the sight of her slowly removing her leggings. Her legs were smooth and long - for her height, anyway - and having never seen a Proxian's bare feet before, he was interested to note that nearly everything up through the ankle was covered with scales. The rest of her legs, however, were nothing but creamy pink skin.

She was wearing long sleeves over her arms, and she removed those while watching him take off his shirt. The shirt wasn't exactly the best fit, and it took a few moments of struggle to get it off. "Mmm," he heard Karst purring. "That's it... take it off... My, you are a nice slice of beefcake, aren't you?"

He chuckled. "Speak for yourself, you sultry wench."

"I don't think so. A man like you could have any woman... more fool you for choosing me." She put her hands to the hard collar she wore around her neck.

He turned to working off his pants. When he got them off and looked up again, it was a shock that she had already removed not only her collar, but the only article of clothing covering her torso as well. He stared at her healthy-sized breasts. There was a horizontal strip just below her collar that was lightly scaled, but otherwise her twin mounds were only soft flesh and a pair of large nipples. The odd thought that they were barely half the size of his sister's crossed his head, but their relative quality didn't matter to him. All that really registered was that Karst, the woman he loved, was actually allowing him to see her breasts. Having only been intimate twice before, both times with women who meant nothing to him, this exposure seemed absolutely wondrous.

"What are you staring at? Do I have a blemish or something?" Karst demanded.

Felix shook off his gawking and, though Karst was still wearing her usual short skirt and he a protective undergarment, he climbed onto the bed and made for her. His desire was getting fiercer by the minute, but he forced it under control, once more bringing his mouth over hers in a fierce kiss. He wanted her to enjoy this, and to do that he'd have to take it as slow as he possibly could.

He stroked her back with one hand, enjoying the feel of her bare skin, so warm. Still kissing her, he brought his other hand up and slowly ran it along the curve of her breast. She moaned into his mouth and lay back against the mattress. Their lips broke apart. He saw her eyes were dazed with pleasure, and smiled.

"Just wait, you sultry wench. You think you're feeling good now..."

Pressing his fingers more firmly against her breasts, he began caressing them vigorously. Karst groaned deeply beneath him, her nipples almost immediately hardening at his touch. Though smaller than those of either of his previous lovers, something about her rosy breasts made them feel positively wonderful in his hands. The urge to plant himself between her legs was irresistibly strong by now, and he was thankful they still had enough clothing on to prevent that act. To make her his, he'd have to hold out long enough for her to come first.

Then again, she was proving incredibly responsive. He bent down to run his tongue over her hot belly, and her moans grew almost feverish. Was this a Proxian trait, for arousal to come so quick and intense? It didn't matter, he decided... so long as it kept up. Deciding to make sure of that, he took a hand from her chest and slipped it between her legs, up her skirt, and over her secret treasure. The response was immediate.

"F-Felix!" she gasped, her body bucking like it had been hit with a jolt of lightning, her eyes widened with animal alertness. As he continued softly rubbing, she thrashed about on the bed, moaning in a fever pitch of burning arousal.

Felix smiled, and stopped rubbing for a moment so that he could move back over her and look into her face. She was panting fiercely, eyes staring straight ahead, paralyzed by the intense sensations he was giving her.

"You're mine, you sexy little witch," he gloated, proud to be able to please her so well. "I'm going to make you feel so good, you'll beg me for more."

Then, to Felix's shock, Karst's eyes suddenly went from a vacant stare to a fiery blaze of fury, her whole face clenching into a snarl of hatred. She lunged for his chest.

"Arrrr!" he cried out as her teeth bit into him, ripping through flesh.

"I'll beg you, will I!?" she roared. "I'll eat your heart out first, you bastard!" She again sank her strong, sharp teeth hard into his chest, making him grunt at the pain.

His warrior's instincts sprang forth, urging him to fight back. Karst's hair is long; grab a handful of it. Yank her off of you. Slam her against the bedpost. Pummel her face with your free hand. Make her bleed worse than she's made you bleed. Hurt her worse than she hurt you.

Yet something stopped him. Why had she gone for his chest, and not his throat? A woman of her strength could have torn open his jugular before he even knew what was happening.

And the pain... the initial shock of it had been unpleasant, but there was a sweetness to it as well. There was such raw passion in the way she bit him, and though it was aggressive in nature, it was nonetheless arousing, even pleasurable, to feel her bestow such passion on him. And maybe that's the way she meant it... maybe she didn't know any other way to express her love, or maybe she sensed that he'd enjoy it that way, that he loved the thrill of pain in the heat of a battle. Pain was good; it let you know that you were alive, gloriously alive. A warrior knows that he is dead when his pain ends. And it had been too long, he realized, since he'd felt true, fierce pain like this. For months he'd faced nothing but incidental cuts and scratches. This was a stab right at his heart.

As Karst continued biting, he resumed rubbing at her bud, his determination to make her climax now renewed. With his other hand he warmly massaged her back. There was a sublime enjoyment to this, as well... To gently stroke and caress her at the same time as she was savagely attacking him. To force himself to be tender and loving while his instincts screamed for him to be aggressive and merciless. This inner struggle was gratifying and liberating - perhaps the same way that Karst's attack was apparently liberating for her. They were both fighting, even as they made love: she fighting against him, he fighting against his impulses.

"I can't stop fighting, Felix," you said. It's not just you, Karst... I can't stop fighting, either. You and I are the same...

Karst's teeth cut good and deep. In between bites, he saw that her mouth was splattered with the red of his blood, and a stream of it ran down her chin. Though her body was trembling and her face contorted with near-euphoria from his handling of her private parts, she forced a smile as she licked his blood from her teeth. The sight was undefinably sexy. She moved forward and licked up some of the blood from his wounds, making him gasp. The pain - and pleasure - was almost as sharp as when his Proxian lover actually bit him. She was driving him so mad with lust that he began to fear he would ejaculate before he even got a chance to enter her.

She let out a throaty moan, her eyes rolling back as he rubbed a particularly sensitive spot. She had to cling to his shoulders for support as she moved in for another bite.

It hit him that she was working in a pattern, imprinting a circle around the area over his heart with her teeth marks. Of course... she'd said she would eat his heart out. "Take it if you want it, Karst," he hissed through his teeth as she gave him another shot of sweet pain. "It belongs to you..."

Suddenly her teeth released their grip. "Ohh...yes... yes... ohhhhhh...."

She fell back on the bed, moaning and crying as her orgasm ran through her. Felix sat back and watched her fluids flood over the inside of her skirt and spill onto the bed sheets. Their lovemaking had somehow taken them to the edge of the bed, and her euphoric spasms made her slide, feet first, half off the bed.

Karst lay there, quivering. "F... Felix..."

The weakness in her voice snapped his mind back into action, and he moved to bend over her. "Karst? Are you alright?" He stroked a hand down her side.

She sighed with relief. "I... I was afraid you'd left me..."

"Not going to happen." He pulled her skirt down her shapely legs, spilling a good deal of her cum on the floor, and her lovely womanhood was revealed. Heart pounding, he slowly ran his tongue up its surface, drawing another moan of profound pleasure from his love and prompting her legs to spread. Her pussy was still wet with cum, but the taste was not bad. "I've got to have you, Karst..." he breathed, removing his undergarment so that his erection was at last free. "Are you ready?"

"That's why they're open..." she muttered softly, not bothering to get a peek at his manhood.

He forced himself to take it slow, putting one hand on her leg and holding his cock steady with the other, positioning it at her entrance. This was it... she was really going to let him have her.

Trembling with anticipation, he pushed in. Her folds were different from those he'd penetrated before; their texture was rough instead of soft. Another Proxian trait, he supposed. And yet another such trait - he found his progress impeded, where he expected free passage. He pushed his tip around her cavern, looking for another route. But he found himself blocked here, blocked there...

Felix froze, suddenly realizing just what was blocking him.

"What is it?" Karst asked.

He stared at her. "You're a virgin."

"Of course. Aren't you?" she demanded, though with a tone that showed she had little doubt that he was.

He couldn't bear to disillusion her - not at the moment, not with their sweet consummation about to be realized. His previous ventures were meaningless, but there was no time to explain that to her now. So he just nodded.

"Then just break through my barrier. One good, hard thrust ought to do it."

"No. I'm doing this slow." He began gently pressing against her hymen. It was almost too much for him to believe... that he would be the first to have her.

"You idiot! That's not how - there's a reason the word 'fucking' is used to describe sex, you know!"

"I'm not going to hurt you," he insisted, and slowly pushed through until her barrier broke, and he felt the warm trickle of blood down his member.

"You wimp," she called him, but her face showed only astonished gratitude.

At last, he was within. His heated desire, which a minute ago had felt as though about to flood over, was temporarily appeased by this satisfying moment. Holding onto the edge of the bed, he began thrusting, setting a steady pace while being careful not to hurt her. The feeling was exhilarating; her abrasive folds gave his cock all the friction it could ask for, and more. All of her Proxian body was naturally hot, and the heat rising in her crotch raised the temperature of her cunt almost to the cooking point.

"You're... so... hot..." he panted.

Karst smirked. "Can't take it?"

"Take it?" He answered her with a chuckle, bending down to kiss her neck. "I love it."

His only worry was that, while he was clearly giving her satisfaction, it wasn't nearly as much as he was getting from thrusting into her incredible passage. He'd already made her cum, but he wanted to give her a good fucking, too. To that end, his hands found their way to her breasts and fondled them even as he continued his thrusts.

But it wasn't enough. Karst abruptly reached up with her legs and pushed him off of her. The shock of losing the wonderful embrace of her cavern hit like a punch to the gut. "You're being too damn gentle!" Karst snapped.

"You could have just said so. I can -"

"Get back on the bed and lie down! I'll do it!"

He sighed and did as ordered, hoping he could soon be inside her again. Karst knelt over him, straddling his midsection with her legs, and slowly lowered herself onto his tip. Inch by inch, letting out a low moan all the while, she impaled herself on his hard cock until, to his surprise, she had swallowed his entire length.

"Ah..." she sighed happily, and for a minute she sat still, simply basking in the feeling of having him so deeply inside her. Felix enjoyed the moment himself, now appreciating the fact that they were physically joined, temporarily meshed into one being. The feel of her buttocks resting on his crotch was pleasant, as well. He lazily caressed her luscious thighs.

"Now..." Karst said at last, raising herself up, "...this is how you do it." She proceeded to alternately hoist herself up so that only his tip penetrated her and drop herself down on his pelvis, as though duplicating Felix's thrusting in reverse, only with considerably greater force. He briefly considered informing her that, while he had never had a woman ride him before, he was fairly certain that this was not how it was done - but reminded himself that Karst's temper wouldn't tolerate that.

Her hands lay on his chest for support, and she felt up his pecs appreciatively as she worked. Her thrusts showed no restraint, and Felix was thoroughly delighted by both the sight of her breasts bobbing and the harsh strokes that her abrasive folds gave to his cock.

However, with each stroke Karst let out a grunt, and after a couple minutes of her treatment, Felix realized that besides the pleasure in that grunt, there was a taint of pain. The harsh penetrations she was forcing on herself were genuinely hurting her. Maybe she was fine with that, Felix considered, but he certainly was not. He slid his hands up to her waist, gripped firmly, and in one smooth motion rolled to the left, his cock still buried in her up to the hilt, switching her onto her back so that he was once again on top.

Karst opened her mouth to object, but before she could get a syllable out he was thrusting into her again, and her objection turned into a gasp of delight. As he continued her eyes again lost focus as she yielded to a chorus of moans and cries that came like music to his ears.

It was working. He'd learned from her how to give good strong thrusts and force his entire length in each time, but unlike her, he could do it without causing her pain. Without the interference of the pain, the pleasure his cock gave her became purer, stronger, overwhelming. Nor did thrusting his entire length in fail to increase the bliss he felt while mating with her.

He gripped Karst's scaly shoulders, massaged them lovingly. The feel of her scales lifting and tilting, yet never bending, was a unique pleasure, altogether unlike working soft skin. He felt a few nips in his palms, and realized he was puncturing his hands on her ridge of small spikes. Let it be, he decided. Her scales felt so good in his hands, and the pain was just a pinch of spice to the experience.

Though it felt like an eternity of bliss while it lasted, it wasn't long before Karst abruptly screamed, "Felix!" and seized his biceps in a death grip. "Oh gods, Felix!"

She arched against him, her walls tightening around his member, and began dragging her nails down his arms, gouging out considerably deep and painful cuts. It was all too much for Felix, and he felt himself about to release.

Both times he'd reached this point before, he'd pulled out before he could inseminate his partner. But this time he was in the grip of uncontrollable passion, and he pumped his load fully into his mate without a thought for the consequences, forcing his cock still deeper inside to make sure she got every drop. She aided his effort, squeezing her legs so tightly around his pelvis that it hurt. They clung to each other lovingly, crying out each other's names as they rode out their climaxes together.

PAIRINGSPAIRINGSPAIRINGS

Felix had planned on staying inside afterwards, but he quickly had to admit that when his cock was limp, the feeling of having it buried in her rough folds was awkward at best. However, he more than happily settled for the two of them laying in each other's arms, looking into each other's eyes.

"What will you tell your family and friends?" she asked.

"The truth. If they can't handle me being with you, that's their problem."

"You say that now, but when the people you love turn on you..."

"Let's just enjoy this moment for now. We'll worry about that tomorrow."

"Fine by me."

"So... how was it?" he asked, gently stroking her side. Her second orgasm had hit her even harder than the first, and he made an effort this time to soothe her gently down from her high.

"Oh... tolerable," she said with a smirk. "Nothing special. Honestly, it made me wonder what the big deal is about sex."

He returned her smirk. "Well, at least I tried."

"So, how was it for you? Worst sex of your life, I'll bet."

"No," he said flatly.

The smirk dropped from her face. She stared at him in confusion. "You said..."

Remembering how volatile she was, he brought a soothing hand to her shoulder and said in his most reasonable voice, "Karst, let me explain."

"You lied to me." Her eyes were already flashing with anger.

"Let me explain," he repeated.

"When was this?" she demanded. "You weren't lusting after women when you came to Prox. And I can't imagine any Proxian girl would have let you in her bed while you were a captive. So what was it: were you fucking some village girl when you were supposed to be concentrating on your mission, satisfying yourself after leaving me dead at Mars Lighthouse, or cheating on me these past months?"

"Cheating, technically. But I wasn't -"

"I let you fuck me, you bastard!"

She tried to claw his face with her hand, but he caught it. "Listen, damn it! You've been treating me like dirt since I started coming to see you, remember? It's not as though we were lovers. I thought... I thought if I ever got a chance like this with you, I should have some practice. And I needed some way to let out my frustration over not being able to have you." He took a breath. "They meant nothing to me. I only did it twice, and I didn't even cum inside them; I took it out. You're the only woman I've ever wanted."

She yanked her hand out of his grip and rolled over so that her back was to him. "Rather ironic, isn't it," she laughed bitterly, almost choking on her sobs. "After all that, I didn't even please you as much as your practice runs."

"What? You were spectacular," he protested, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You were three times as good as I dreamed you'd be. Next to you, my first two were like screwing a down pillow."

She snorted with disbelief. "I'll bet they didn't leave you with bleeding wounds."

Felix chuckled. "I loved that part. You really know how to fight..." He reached his hand over and traced a finger over her lips. "You gave me a good fight. No other woman can do that for me. And so long as our mood swings keep complimenting each other..."

"And if they don't," she pointed out, "...I could wind up hurting you very badly."

"It'd have to be fucking agony for me to not enjoy it. Besides, I think you have better control than you give yourself credit for. And look... just a little healing psynergy takes care of the scars." He concentrated, using Ply to the wounds Karst had inflicted on him in their lust. When he opened his eyes, she still had her back to him. "Don't be like this. I swear, I never meant to hurt you. I told you the truth, didn't I? I always planned to tell you; I thought they wouldn't matter to you."

She turned to face him, but though she allowed him to put his arms around her again, she did not touch him. "So who were they? Did little Sheba let you try out her pussy? You two were always close."

"I'm not a predator," he snapped.

"So who -"

"No one you know."

She nodded, and laid her hands on his shoulders. "Alright. To tell the truth, I had foreplay with men twice before, before you and Menardi left. Neither of them could go all the way. They couldn't take the pain. So, I suppose we're even."

But she was still hurt by his revelation; he could see it in her eyes. It didn't matter that she wasn't entirely pure either, or that he'd always wanted it to be with her. All that mattered was that he hadn't waited, that he had been with other women before her. He wished he could take back what he'd done.

"And they were Proxians," she chuckled. "To think, that the first man to withstand a round of lovemaking with me would be a soft-skinned southerner." She leaned forward to plant a few kisses along his shoulder and neck. "Does it bother you that I was with other men?"

"...Not really. I'm still amazed that I'm the first to actually join with you." He brushed a lock of hair from her face. "I'd like to be the only man to have ever touched you, but I never figured I could be. I never even thought I could have your virginity." Clearing his throat he added, "By the way, I'm sorry I... released into you."

Karst shook her head. "I wanted you to. If I get pregnant, though, you'd damn well better help me take care of the baby."

"Of course."

They stared at each other for a moment. "Mmm. You know, dear boy, that almost sounded like a proposal."

"That it did, you sultry wench." He kissed her lips. "Only if a baby comes, though. Why don't we double the risk..."

"My, so eager to have me tear at your flesh again?"

"I'm just longing for it. And don't go so easy on me this time."

His mouth closed over her left breast. She moaned with delight at this new treatment, almost throbbing with arousal. As he eagerly suckled her, an idea struck him. The strip of scales at the top of her breasts. Scales have no nerve endings, but beneath them are plenty - that was why she'd so enjoyed his shoulder massage.

He couldn't try his idea at that moment; he didn't have what he needed right at hand. But another time... Yes, he promised himself, there will be many, many other times. I won't let her go now, no matter how painfully hot she burns in my hands.

END