Moments

Hello all. Another chapter finished! This took a lot of work and a ton of rewrites so please enjoy and rate/review!
Nova


Moments
Chapter Seven : Dancing Shadows
Fortune favors the bold

Everything I have ever thought I knew is now gone. The world is upside down and I am floating in the ethereal matter in between both the wide open sky endless in direction and possibilities, then trapped by ground which keeps me rigidly in place. I am frozen in this small bubble floating throughout the forgotten time and space between. I am waiting, waiting for it to pop into nothingness and I will wake into the same cycle I have before this. Just a pleasant dream long enough to pass the time of an afternoon nap.

It did not, my eyes had closed for a few singular moments but opened to see his lips still gently against my own. His face filling my vision as his eyes were now closed and strangely at peace. My lack of response must have caused him concern for he parted our lips prematurely his eyes opening rapidly and focusing. Those intense jade and crimson eyes concentrated on my own with remarkable clarity. He shows not a singular sign of embarrassment and my shock allows me to reciprocate in turn, yet he is searching for something. Reaching, digging and pulling for some information within me. He raises a gloved hand to let a singular digit trace my cheek and in finishing it's arch tracing the flat expanse to my jaw and it burns a line of sensation against my flesh. I idly wonder if it leaves a mark, but such thoughts only hold mild amusement soon faded. My wandering concentration comes back to him in this endless cycle it has since I first laid eyes on him when he was but a pathetic creature wounded and forgotten. Those jade eyes pleading for my help but all I cared for was his blood. Even now it was intoxicating pulling me ever closer and tempting me. I had the restraint I did not have in those younger days, but it pulled at me still with enticing promises.

I think of opening my mouth to speak, perhaps to question his sanity, but at the slight parting of my lips he makes a sudden move. Within his first kiss to me, for I shall not call it ours as I was not a willing participant, his touch was featherlight as if his lips were a tentative butterfly perched upon the tender flesh. Such tenderness was abandoned now; with my slightly parted lips allowing him an ability to cusp them with his own he quickly moved the hand that had traced the easy line past my ears bringing it to press against the back of my head entrapping me in his movements. His lips placed one between the other he sought deeper territory. His head tilted I could feel his breath tickling the hair that had fallen before my ears. His body had been precariously placed previously but now confidence surged within him as he pressed harsher into the kiss his fingers pulled me to him. It was not gentle by any means but he did not cause harm. Instead he pressed me as close to him as my skirts would allow.

These sensations were heady, his scent a poison filling my senses akin to a deep red wine's perfume causing my vision to become unfocused. Despite myself a small noise escaped me and I could feel the rumble of a gruff noise in response. His hand slipped from my neck following the long harsh cloth making a perfect line upon my spine before finding the flat expanse of my lower pack and holding me there his other arm snaking across my shoulder. I was trapped but did not fight it. He was far too close and a part of my mind cried in anguish begging me to free myself from his clutches. Distrust brimming high within me, yet this was Ragna. If he cared not for my company he would have left my home when I gave him the option. No, I silenced my mind with a firm rebuke for this. Never in my life had such raw emotion been placed upon me; I had often watched lovers within the city when my boredom compelled me to leave the safety and comfort of my home. I never even dared to consider if I would experience the forbidden pleasures I had seen in the eyes of couples in the parks and restaurants along the by-streets. No, even if it was momentary and would be lost in mere moments...I would enjoy it.

A sharp sudden sting brought me out of my personal argument and I registered within mere moments what it was. He had bitten my lower lip, not enough to break the flesh but enough to cause the soft skin to swell, plumping my lower lip giving him something to gently suckle on. His eyes sparkled with something I could only consider mischief.

“No thinking.”His words a mere whisper barely audible due his lowered tones. They rumble against me in a wave of vibration that tickles against my insides. He was upon me again his lips trapping me and stealing my breath like the blood I stole from him. His fingers pressing tight against my shoulders I almost felt as if I was to be devoured with such a personal and passionate act. His fingers removed from my shoulders and I felt myself falling backwards. Our lips never parted and the mere sensation dizzied my thoughts. I fell soft against the pillow set into the corner as his body leaned long against me. His knee placed between my own raising to fill the space between my thighs though not high enough to be inappropriate. Another low rumble shuddered out like a bestial growl in the depth of night. Raw and powerful the sound shivered over my flesh and coaxed a reply of a small muffled moan.

We parted for breath then as he left another small bite against my lip. I was thankful for the momentary release sure my heart beating in my chest was sure to burst with sensation. My fingers raising to press against my bangs clutching desperately for command of the situation at hand. He must have sensed my attempts at regaining balance for his lips only parted long enough for him to get a good look at my flushed face with lips swollen due to the bruising kiss that pressed me against the couch.

“Rachel..” My eyes opened and his eyes burned into me. Not my face, no now his eyes were flickering over the entirety of my form from where my dress had bunched the lace then pressed flat beneath the weight of his own leg to the curves hidden beneath the heavy cotton of my upper bodice and cloak. A finger flicking up the small red hook ties of my top obviously approving of how tight the hooks were placed. “Stay still.”

Dangerous words, I am quick to attempt to rebuke such a salacious comment but before words can exit my lips he has grabbed both of my arms and is holding them on opposing sides of my head. “Or I'll make you.”

I was now at quite the disadvantage, but to let him know it would be a stabbing and possibly fatal wound. Even within such passionate boundaries I did not for a moment want to be taken as harmless. I leaned up as much as my craning neck and shoulders would allow and he seemed quite sure it was only to let him partake of a kiss. What he found were twin incisors sharp as needles leaving two pricks against his lower lip. He smirked pulling away as his fingers released my wrists though lingered against the flesh there. “I suggest you do not take to such threats, idle as they may be.”

He shook his head sending wild sterling strands waggling around his face before one of his hands lifted up to my twin hair bands. “Alright then. Rachel would you, please, stay still?”
His mocking expression unearths a slight chuckle from within me and he takes it for deserved approval. Threats were not the way to win this battle, or any as far as I was concerned. His fingers played idly with the long golden strands pulling them to twirl around a single gloved finger before letting the tightly wound strands lose again to fall and merge with their brethren before his hand once more voyaged to the tie itself. A single tug on either one set the hair free letting it fall in long waves along the couch, spilling over the edges of it. His palm cups some of it cradling as he leans past me to bring it to his nose, a small smile on his lips. “Do you always smell this good?”

A flash of heat rooted itself to my cheeks no sooner than I had calmed the previous wave. My crimson and ruby eyes quickly averting to corners to stare intently at the fabric of this settee. I did not wish to see that smirk when he noticed my cheeks flushed with color once more. “I-I take rose baths every evening...” Why was I telling him this? The small voice of doubt was already accusing me of showing weakness but I could find no other explanation to give. Eyes slipped from their corners daring a glance at the man who held me captive beneath his form only to see a slight bit of redness in his own cheeks, something almost close to embarrassment glinting in those eyes. So he was not impervious either and his suave karma quickly dispersing with the mere thought of me nude in clear water. This thought birthed a grin which I quickly suppressed.

He did not dawdle on such thoughts as fingers straightened the strands of loosened hair before it snaked towards my front brushing across the the thin line of exposed sensitive flesh not covered by my traveling cloak's high collar, the large red ribbon resting and concealing any form of femininity I did have. His fingers touched along the bows edge tracing it idly before he raised the hand and quickly removed the glove in it's entirety. The left now exposed I knew the right would never attain similar treatment for his tainted grimoire was all he had to keep his arm intact. He raised that bared set of fingers to touch along that sliver of flesh once more before he pulled the edge of the red silk sending the cross insignia cloak sliding away from my neck and shoulders. His fingers curling to grab a hold of one crossed end and remove the entire piece from behind me. We both watched it slump to the floor. My bare neck exposed to the drafty air of the music room only enhanced my overall feeling of exposure but he only smiled running one covetous set of fingers down the milky flesh.

“Ragna, we should stop.” This was wrong, and it was only now that my inner mind was quickly reminding me of it. I was serving as a distraction, no matter how much I may want him to continue. This was forbidden in every sense. Our history, our futures. I was only serving to cloud his judgment as he was quickly serving to cloud mine.

She was thinking again. It was really fucking obvious since every damn time she did her eyes seemed to just glaze over and she stopped responding. I hated that, when I had her attention her eyes flared like they were lit by a fire. I was quickly starting to like that look. Really like it.

Of course a part of me was screaming I didn't know what the fuck I was doing or why. In a way that voice was right, but I didn't give a hell. She was beneath me and for the first time there were no walls, no hidden secrets and pieces of her finally made sense. I wanted her. I wanted her more than I wanted the cauldrons destroyed or any of the other shit I had wanted.

I lean myself down feeling the heat of her body and I leave a quick bite against her jugular. “I said no thinking.” A muffled sound escaped her throat and her limbs went some what rigid at my sides, I couldn't help but give a small laugh at that. Her reactions weren't like any girl I'd ever been this close to, sure I didn't exactly have a long fucking track record but enough to know. She was timid, unsure completely lost in her own damn mind. I was going to drag her out of that screaming if I had to.

I could feel her pulse against me as I let lips trace down a line to the collar of her shirt. The harsh beats of her heart driving me on like a war march. I reached the end of my path a small divot of rough cotton my final stopas the harsh material keeping me from going further. My fingers slipping quickly between us to fight with the red hooks. With the cloak out of the way I could actually feel the curves of her body. She may have been turned young but her body wasn't underdeveloped. I could feel the curve of her breasts even though her very very inconvenient layers. The first tie popped free and I peeled it back placing a bite on her collarbone. She squirmed and a low rumble left my throat. The noise she let loose, a pant with a small noise behind it was driving me insane. My hands starting to shake as all I wanted were these damn ties out of my way. I wanted to see it, to see what she kept hidden beneath all these fucking layers.

“Why are you doing this?” I had just managed to get three ties unhooked when her words stopped me cold. Her eyes were staring into me now, I leaned back so we could look at each other. Rachel always fascinated me in way that made me want to force her to give me answers and bash her with my sword. Somethings still weren't explained...but that didn't matter to me right now. I wanted to show her she didn't have to marry some prince, some ass with a title who wouldn't give a shit about her. I didn't want her to, it pissed me off to think that she even considered it. I didn't answer her, my eyes staring out into the music room as I backed away from her. Her hair and clothes disheveled around her and my fingers managed to half undo the fourth button. I could see the lace of the frock underneath.

“Answer me.” I felt my mood fall with it. What could I tell her?
“Because...” I search for an answer. I can't say because I don't want you to fucking cry again, or because I'm jealous to all hell that you want to marry some prince...”because it's right.” I don't know when my fucking curiosity became something more. What dragged me to her, made me want to kiss her, to, for lack of a better term, fuck the sadness out of her. To show her there was more to life than her duties...but maybe I was just trying to prove that to myself. Some unknown emotion spread across her face before for the first time since I started this she initiated. Her arms wrapped around my neck lifting her to me before she pressed her lips to mine, and it was one of the most arousing things I'd ever experienced. Those rose soft lips slightly swollen shoved against mine as her body brushes against me, it set my head spinning.

She pulled away and those crimson pool eyes just stared at me. Those damn eyes...”Ragna...” My lips found her neck again to muffle the groan and her breath hitched as she felt it. I fucking love the way she says my name. So low it's a whisper and seductive as hell. She needed to be out of these clothes.

Now.

“Why are you letting me do this?” I managed to growl out.
My hands were working overtime trying to get the damn things undone as my lips were trying to conquer every bit of flesh they could find. Another hook popped out of my way, and another. Two more and it would be out of my way. Her own fingers stopped me as she pulled off my jacket. She wasn't thinking anymore that was for sure.

The jacket thrown and with it my blade, it fell to the floor with an echoing thud into the empty room. Her body arching beneath me as I finally remove the last button. Only a thin piece of silk between us. I was always told these kind of things had corsets underneath, I was happy to find I wasn't going to have to fight her out of that mess too. My fingers tracing along her stomach and ribs as I pulled the hooks away exposing her thin frame. I pulled back to admire my own handiwork but she quickly snaked her arms around me leaning up placing a bite of her own the sharp edges of her canines along my neck leaving two small pricks as she pulled away. It must have bled because she started to lick leaving a peal of small and happy moans after each taste.

The first time she bit into me it was terrifying. I didn't know what was happening and I was trapped beneath this girl...this was different. It made my body shiver as my fingers pushed up her sides to try to remove her of her sleeves. Get rid of all that lace keeping her from me. I shrugged off my belts as I felt her fingers tracing up feeling the tips even through the heavy silk and cotton. The gii style front of mine once just a training outfit I never really parted with. When you got a gift in clothes from one of the six heroes...even I didn't want to part with the damn thing.

Of course right now, I'd prefer it was in piles on the floor along with her skirt. My eyes memorized the curve of that thin bit of silk my fingers tracing beneath her ribs before falling towards the edges of her skirt. Each time that small figure arched enticingly as I moved up her ribs before falling again as I moved back. It was hypnotic in a way as my fingers would brush just the underside of her breasts before falling away again. Rachel's brow was starting to crease in frustration and her teeth biting on her lower lip. Flared red cheeks, eyes unable to concentrate...it was beautiful.

She wasn't as small as one might expect. Her breasts small orbs only allowing a slight crease against her ribs and were just large enough for a hand. My hand lifted up allowing two fingers to flick up the expanse of each round bit of flesh and she gasped her body twitching involuntarily before thumbs traced along the underside making her cheeks flare and her hips shift.

“Rachel!” The crackle of a bad signal and the shouting of an angry, as well as bitchy, voice stopped us both cold. Her eyes flew open and her panting lips closed as her eyes looked for the obtrusive noise.“For fuck's sake Rachel, answer me!” Her body raised slightly pressing a wet kiss against my lips. Neither of us wanted to stop. She parted her lips and my tongue took advantage dipping into it and pressing against her own. Another of the sounds, I was trying to push her back. “Damn it Rachel I know you're there, answer!” I growled my foot trying to find the device, I'd smash it if I had to. She moved away pressing a single finger to my lips. I wanted to grab her hand, stop her from moving but she was faster than I was.

Kokonoe, being a daughter of two heroes, her and I found an understanding in one another. Both our parents of that lineage we both did our best to keep beneath verbal lock and key. Still she was crass and undignified in every way. Brilliant perhaps but no amount of genius ever made up for appallingly bad manners. My hands reached through my clothes pulling the small square device from the hidden pocket within my cloak. A single finger opening it as I still detested this device. Any relationship with Kokonoe was very one sided. When she wished to contact me she used this small communications device but should I wish the same I either had to hope it was convenient or break in which often involved conquering her latest playing thing, the Red Devil of Sector Seven. I was hardly above violence, but just to visit her it became annoying to have to go through such means.

I brought it to my ear though I should have known to not bring her so close to my sensitive hearing range. “There is no need to shout Kokonoe.” My annoyance must have weaved a rich tapestry of anger for it only fanned her own flames of indignation.
“What the fuck are you doing?!” I sighed sitting back against the couch and Ragna was quick to attempt to pull my attention away. His lips kissing against my pulse and tracing upwards against my jaw causing my head to tilt backwards. He was crawling over me now his lips leaving bites and kisses trailing down until he was against me. Naughty little beast, I could barely concentrate on what Kokonoe was shouting about. “You're fucking with all the causality markers; my tests are off the chart. The fabric of reality is going to rip if you keep this up! What the hell are you doing?!”

Another growl left his throat as his fingers were tracing along my ribs again. The fire on my insides igniting faster than I could calm it under his menstruations. My nails snaked into his hair grabbing onto it in an attempt to get him to both stop and to stay close. His breath hot against my ears making me dizzy. “Watch your pulse damn it!” She was screaming at me and I forced in a shaky breath. “You're blood pressure is way too high. If you keep this shit up I'll have to drag you in for another fusion.”

My nose scrunched and a hand placed on Ragna's chest forced him to stop. Though she was an inconvenience she was unfortunately fully correct, I could not afford to let this continue. “What precisely has you calling in such an outrage, Kokonoe. I highly doubt my heart rate is something so dire as to invoke you to call me in such a rage.”
I could hear Kokonoe take a long breath and what I thought was a sniffle. Ragna had taken my fingers into his own his other hand, the one affected with a false grimoire, teased into my hair flattening out each strand. My face must have shown it's concern for he wasn't attempting to drag at my attention any longer, instead leaving only the smallest of kisses on my cheek before taking his place on the couch beside me. His fingers letting go of my own before he began to slowly readjusting my top and pulling the hooks into place. I tried to force myself to concentrate elsewhere. I didn't want this to end...for this one moment of joy to shatter within my own fingers. Kokonoe had regained her composure and her voice was controlled as she spoke.

“I'm going to give you access to the rift. Bring your pets and Ragna... all hell has broken loose.” I could feel my brow lowering as inside I was caught. She knew he was here...what else did she know? I rose and Ragna did as well pulling his jacket and refastening it.

“Yes Kokonoe...we'll be there momentarily.” Long digits moved without me as I was once more feeling the pull of what happened outside of this small bubble of pleasure. The cloak replaced I tied the bow with perfect succession as he finished gathering his blade once more into it's protective sheath. It had been wrong from the first moment he stepped into my garden and I did not send him away as quickly as he had come. When I let him kiss me...I had set gears in motion that had best been left alone. I adjusted my cloak as he stood in front of me.

My hand was raising with my twin black ties in hand to place my hair into it's customary holding. His pale fingers curling over them stopping them. “Please, leave it down.”

I frown, his request was one I was not sure I was willing to accept, but his finger reached pulling one tie from my fingers as the soft silk slipped without complaint into his palm. His fingers tied it into a knot at his wrist before slipping his glove over it. He must have seen my look of trepidation for he quickly leaned downward placing his lips against my own. “Don't regret it...” he whispered to me his breath tickling along my ear as we parted.
“I won't.” My only response. He stepped back from me and smiled. Those eyes filled with sorrow, passion...so many emotions that I'm sure were mirrored in my own. The rift opened grabbing us both. I did not call Nago and Gii just yet, they would come when I called regardless of where I was. Our eyes coming clear as we stood in the central lab of Sector Seven with Kokonoe's arms crossed over her chest. Her pink hair frazzled around her ears and her twin tails twitching agitatedly as those golden eyes stared darts at Ragna.

“Where the fuck have you been?!”