NIGHTS OF HALLOW

”Did he hug you?”

Perdita turned to Sthena. She made to speak but kept mute. Then after a second, said, ”Yes.”

”Oh?” Sthena shrugged, fighting the urge to appear like a nagging, jealous man before Perdita. ”No wonder I smelt such poor perfume on you after you came back. Don’t go hugging everyone now. If you need one, I’m right here and all yours.”

”Are you jealous?” Perdita quizzed, amused.

”What if I am? What will you do to appease me?” He questioned back, now turned to fully face her. She bit her lower lip and said nothing to his question.

Sthena sighed as he spoke, ”I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable just now. I do not want to appear controlling over you or something of the sort. I just can’t help it whenever I see you with him.”

Perdita’s brows furrowed in question. She said, ”I didn’t say you are making me uncomfortable. And yes, I too would have been jealous if I saw you with someone that...that had a past with you.”

”So...” Sthena drawled, the mischievous glint returning to his eyes, making Perdita stare suspiciously at him. He went on, ”...about our earlier conversation, you wouldn’t run away like you did, would you?”

It took a moment for Perdita to understand his words. She let out a small laugh and negatively shook her head.

”That’s good to know, but then, there is no guarantee of you escaping me now.” His hand went to Perdita’s waist to draw her close to his side.

”Wait,” Perdita’s hand shot out to stop Sthena. ”Didn’t you mention you were going to use tonight to catch the culprit responsible for the death of the woman?”

”I did, but the plan has changed, as we have found another lead to tracking them down. Do not trouble your beautiful mind. Daemon and his men are taking care of everything.” Sthena answered her question. He traced her lower lip with his finger, running it down from her jaw and neck to her blossom.

”You don’t mind if I take a sip?” When she shook her head, Sthena’s mouth was quick to cover the soft swell of her breast. A small cry left Perdita’s lips when his fangs pierced the soft skin, drawing blood. But the pain was instantly replaced by pleasure when his lips moved over the tiny dots caused by his fangs.

Sthena’s lips on her skin continued to move as he nipped and sucked on the now tender skin. After a while, he retracted his fangs and looked up to the almost dazed look on Perdita’s face.

His tongue perked out to collect the last trace of blood from his lips, the eyes of Perdita following every move of his tongue. She looked up to meet his gaze, and as though drawn to each other like a magnet, their lips met in an almost ferocious kiss.

Perdita’s hand went round Sthena’s neck when he drew her closer again. She could taste the metallic tang from his lips that came from drinking her blood, which was soon replaced by the sweetness of his lips.

He tugged on her lips, sucking on them as he slipped his tongue into her mouth. Catching her tongue, he rubbed his tongue against hers, leaving her breathless from the sensation that pulled them to each other.

Moving down, his lips traced the corners of her neck, and it rested on its crook as he sucked on it. Perdita’s head was thrown back at the feeling that washed over her, pulling down in-between her legs, she tried to clasp together.

”Ah,” A moan escaped her lips when he nipped her skin. ”Did I hurt you, darling?” He asked, his voice an octave lower as his eyes locked on her unfocused ones. She shook her head, barely able to make any sentence.

A playful smile stretched on Sthena’s lips. He knocked on the carriage’s body to gain the coachman’s attention. He instructed, ”Take the carriage straight to the carriage house.” To this, the coachman nodded in acknowledgement, ”Yes, Your Majesty.”

He turned to Perdita, whose questioning expression stared back at him. ”Let me fix the pain.” He said as he apparated from there to his chambers in the castle.

Perdita seemed to be out of place for a moment until she realised what he had done. The soft mattress beneath bounced both of them with Sthena above her and his hands by her sides.

”How...” Perdita began to speak, then stopped when Sthena came down from the bed, and she followed suit. He said, ”I figured it would be faster this way than having us sit in the carriage. Though it would be an adventure if we continued there, I do not want you to be uncomfortable.”

Perdita blushed, saying nothing as images ran in her head.

”What naughty thoughts are you thinking that make you blush the way you do?” She let out a quiet laugh at his question and then climbed down from the bed to remove her shoes.

”Let me,” Sthena knelt on one knee to help her. ”I can do it myself,” Perdita protested.

”I know you can do it, my love, but let me help you,” he said and took her leg. He unhooked and then slipped both shoes off her leg. Standing to his feet once more, he stretched his hand for Perdita and made her stand.

”Do you mind joining me to take a bathe? Though I hate to see you take off this lovely dress,” Sthena grinned. He then proceeded to help Perdita take off her dress, leaving her in her inner dress, and his clothes followed suit before they walked to the bathroom.

Perdita, feeling aware of their almost naked selves, stared out of the window to see the sky had darkened more than it had some minutes ago at the soiree. She could hear the faucet running as Sthena drew the bath for both of them.

A kiss on her forehead brought her attention back to the now naked man in front of her. Even though they had seen each other before, she still felt a tinge of shyness in her.

”Do you want me to assist you?” He inquired and, without saying another word, brought her close and kissed her. ”Relax, darling. You don’t have to be shy. Come,”

”You once mentioned something about bonds,” Perdita began as soon as they settled inside the tub filled with warm water. Water splashed out of the tub from their movement.

”Yes, I did. What about it?” He replied and then went on, ”Come closer, I don’t want you so far from me.” Then he pulled her such that she had her back resting on his chest.

Perdita’s eyes flustered in awareness of the way they sat as she could feel Sthena’s member poking on her bottom. She cleared her throat to say, ”You asked what I thought about it, didn’t you?”

”Mhmm,” Sthena hummed in reply, his fingers playing with her hair he then gathered in his hand to place on the other side of her neck. He leaned into the crook of her neck, where he removed her hair from, and murmured as he began to suck on it gently at first, ”You smell so delicious, my sweet girl.”

His other hand went to hold her neck as he angled it, his lips on her skin still sucking on it as he coaxed a moan from her. ”You were saying something, my love.”

”You make it hard to say a word,” Perdita murmured. She had opened her mouth to speak but didn’t know what she was saying anymore.

”Is that so?” Sthena smiled, though she couldn’t see it. His other free hand trailed from her hand to her stomach, stopping just above her throbbing core. She stared at his hand in anticipation but, as if knowing what she thought, retrieved his hand, almost making her curse. Instead, the next second, he cupped one of her breasts and gave it a gentle squeeze to feel her quiver in pleasure in his arms.

”You can speak now. I promise not to distract you again.” He whispered near her ear, still having her rest on his chest for him to see the expression on her face. He bit her ear, enough for her to feel a pang of pain but gentle enough not to bruise it.

He then soothed the bite with his tongue that went down to her breast this time.

”Sth, ahh,” she whimpered, moaning his name as he started to suck the throbbing nipple of her breast that had hardened under his touch.

”Yes, darling,” Sthena spoke against her breast. His hot breath cooling and fanning the hotness that had enveloped her body. ”I love to hear you say my name, but that might not be the only thing filling your sweet mouth tonight, darling.”