break on through to the other side (pure debauchery for wearenotbroken)

[deaths_head]

(takes place about two months after Cole Marteniz is born.)

If someone had told The Shade one year ago that he'd be in love with a living woman, have a foothold in the land of the living, and raising a son of his own, he'd never have believed it. Hell, he might have laughed in someone's face, or worse.

Then again, if someone had told Josiah Cole, when he was a mere boy of twenty seven, that one day he'd be a lord of the dead, owner of a living soul, and glorying in the dark pleasures of dominating the sweet body of the one who belonged to him, of being overtaken in much the same way...well, he'd have blushed beet red and been unable to speak for a month of Sundays in pure embarrassment.

Still, for every time he took his beloved to bed and made slow, gentle love to her, he was twice over turning her over his knee and spanking her until she came, or pleasuring her until she lost all touch with reality and every stroke of his fingers was a hairsbreadth from truly painful, or in rare moments when he felt secure enough, allowing her to bind his hands and do whatever she wanted to him...even if that meant, on occasion, abandoning him in favor of pleasuring herself until just the sight of her, lost in her own satisfaction, was nearly enough to trigger his own release.

The more they flirted with the darker side of their love life, the more The Shade suffered from the darker hungers that lurked in his true nature. In life, he had been a good man accustomed to the atrocities of death, even accepting of them...and in death, he was a creature who thrived on those same atrocities. Inflicting pain, drawing blood, seizing absolute power, total dominion over all he surveyed. From his realm, he demanded absolute control, and from his souls, he stood for no less than absolute surrender.

In life, he was a troubled man, but a good one. In death...he was no longer a good man. And, now that his son had been born, and thriving despite the fact that he was undead, The Shade was looking to a future he wasn't sure he could truly have.

Not as long as they kept flirting with his dark side.

When he explained, in highly censored terms, what he was planning, Jean Summers agreed to watch Cole for the night. So, while Courtney took a brief respite in the human world to reunite with her family and see a living doctor for one final checkup, The Shade brought Jean over and settled her with Cole in the sanctuary that hid his true home. He worked carefully to plan their evening, and by nightfall, when Courtney returned to the house, she found it dark the moment she entered, the only visible light a soft glow at the top of the stairs. The glow came from their bedroom, with the door standing just ajar enough to see that candlelight was responsible for the glow.

When she did open the door, she saw several candles had been lit around the room, offering just enough light to see by. The bed had been turned down, and the entire scene was very sensual, even romantic...except for the fact that two pairs of handcuffs were latched to the headboard, each free shackle waiting for a wrist to clamp around.

And then there was The Shade, who was leaning in the corner of the room, nearly lost in shadow but clearly toying with a long length of black silk...and looking as severe as she'd ever seen him.

For a long while there was silence until...

"Take off your shirt." No greeting, no movement. The words were quiet, even, but firm and clearly brooked no argument. He wanted to stop flirting and see how far he could go before she turned back, wanted to see how far this envelope could be pushed.

He wanted Courtney for the night, on his terms, wanted to know if she could handle the worst of his needs...and he wanted to see the worst of hers. He wanted to know everything that made her happy, kept her sated, made her wet, even if it pushed his own limitations.

The Shade wanted, needed to know if they could accept each other completely, in the most intimate way possible, before he could even consider giving her his mother's engagement ring.

Comments

[deaths_head]

He wanted to tell her no, he wanted to warn her not to give him that kind of permission, but before he could stop himself he was shifting, settling her back on the bed, and when he drew back his gray eyes were darker than she'd ever seen with passion and something almost sinister.

"I know you're okay, but I don't wanna push you too hard." he warned, even as he ran a hand down the center of her body, between her breasts and down her stomach as he held her gaze while his fingers slid inside her again, stroking slowly. "And in case I can't help myself...we need a safe word."

He paused, then some of that danger left his gaze as he huffed softly, rolling his eyes. "Startin' to think I need a damn safe word when I'm runnin' the show here..."

[wearenotbroken]

Shifting with him as he moved her to the bed, she laid back with a small smile even as she saw the darkness in his eyes and the hint of something a lot darker underneath all of that.

"You're not, I promise." She murmured, her body seeming to arch to follow the path of his hand before she shuddered with a gasp when he slid his fingers into her again. Almost immediately her body responded, her hips rocking towards his hands as she fluttered and clenched around his fingers, still impossibly wet and hot from her orgasm seconds before.

She wondered what kind of safe word to use but then she laughed as he wondered if he needed one. "Would you like one?" She asked "innocently".

[deaths_head]

She was just teasing, but she'd awoken something in him, turning his eyes dark and dangerous again as he stroked her a little harder, thumb teasing over her clit.

"Yeah. Mercy." he growled, working her towards climax again. He could feel her fluttering around his fingers, so close already after her last orgasm, but just when he recognized those spasms coming quicker, hinting at an orgasm, he stopped, hand going still, waiting for her body to calm again.

"Like the kind I won't be showing you." he continued, slipping back into the role he'd assumed. "I been nice, but now it's time I make you work 'fore I let you come again."

[wearenotbroken]

Courtney gasped as he stroked her harder again, causing her to clench around his fingers as the sensations consumed her again and she gave herself over the mindless pleasure, letting everything go blank except for how he was making her feel as he continued to touch and tease her till she was so close that she actually started to shudder with the beginning of her release.

But then he denied her, causing her to whimper in surprised complaint as her eyes opened wide and she looked at him again. She wanted to ask him what he wanted her to do but he hadn't given her permission to speak and he wasn't the only one good at slipping back into the role assumed.

Instead, she pressed her lips together, pleading silently with her gaze as she waited for her instruction.

[deaths_head]

Instead of giving her an instruction, The Shade just smirked at her, gaze warm with arousal and hard with that darker edge as he began to work her with a strong, slow touch, free hand sliding up to cradle one breast, thumb teasing an erect nipple until he felt her body start to contract again...and stopped yet again, denying her release just when she was about to come.

He was well aware that she was trying to torture him as much as he was torturing her. If he was going to torment her, this time he wasn't going to use a spanking to do it.

[wearenotbroken]

She could have cursed and praised him all at the same time for knowing her so well as he worked her again, causing her to gasp, arch, whimper and moan as he teased her body till she was oh-so close again that she was trembling right on the edge of another orgasm...till he stopped again.

Panting, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were feverishly bright with mindless need as she squirmed on the bed. "Please...please...please..."

[deaths_head]

The Shade leaned in abruptly, eyes snapping with that volatile combination of arousal and threat, so sharp it was like lightning deep in his pupils.

"I don't recall giving you permission to beg, my little mage." He snarled softly. "I'm gonna have to punish you for that. Shame, you been such a good girl so far."

As he spoke, The Shade did it again, watching her face as he began working her again, fingers twisting inside her and curling up to bring her close before stopping so she couldn't come. He kept going as he spoke, denying her one orgasm after another and glorying in the way she writhed and cried out, mad and desperate and so beautiful it hurt.

"I could tie you up like you do me...or I could give you another spanking without letting you come after. Or maybe I'll dig out one of them little toys you like to tease me with when you use it on yourself. Y'know, I think I may do a couple of those...tie you to the bed, use those toys and make you come 'till it hurts. 'Cause I know you wanna come right now, you wanna come for me and be my good girl, don't you?"

The Shade had stopped touching her again, but started once more, slow, firm strokes, carefully coaxing her to the edge without giving her enough to push her over, his face still hovering inches over hers, transfixed by her torment.

"Now you got my permission to beg." He growled, thumb stroking her clit in earnest to finally drive her swiftly towards orgasm.

[wearenotbroken]

Courtney froze seconds before he scolded her, realizing what she had done by begging. She had broken the rule of the game by speaking out of turn but she wanted to whine at him that it was near impossible at this point. Not when he was torturing her so sweetly.

Of course it was near impossible to speak or to remember when his fingers curled inside of her, stroking her again as her legs trembled and her toes curled. She swore she could even feel a cramp in her leg from the override of pleasure coursing through her as she writhed and panted.

Her skin felt hot and tight and she literally felt like she was going to break, just spontaneously combust, as he brought her close to the edge again and then yanked her back. Shaking now, she tipped her head back against the bed as he slowed his fingers down, a fine sheen of sweat covering her body as she gasped for air, silently pleading now.

At least until he gave her permission. "Plesae." She tried pressing her thighs together before straightening her legs again, reaching to blindly grab onto his arms as she arched and bucked her hips. It was mindless pleading after that. just soft babbles and moans as he finally took her over the edge. Then the sounds became one long syllable as she shuddered, coming hard finally. So hard that she was sure she was actually going to black out.

[deaths_head]

The darker part of him was almost disappointed that she didn't pass out from the force of it, but it was easily pushed aside. Taking her apart just so, deconstructed into this beautiful, unmade creature writhing in his bed and sobbing with pleasure was enough to control that black hunger to strip her right to the bone.

Leaning over, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, murmuring soothing nonsense as he worked her, stroked her as her orgasm washed over her, coaxing every last tremor of pleasure he could from her body until she was whimpering not with pleasure, but discomfort. Even then, he touched her, but finally let her go as he withdrew...then as she watched, brought his bare fingers to his mouth and licked them clean, a low sound of pleasure rolling from deep in his chest as the taste of her filled him.

When he was done, he stopped to watch her for a long moment, then shifted to stretch out over her, his still clothed body pinning hers gently to the bed. His arousal was still rock hard against her, but he bent to kiss her lazily, like a cat after too much cream.

"So," he drawled, watching her with a small smile as he slid one hand over her arm, twining his fingers with hers, "You want your turn yet? Or you want more?"

[wearenotbroken]

She kept her eyes closed as he leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead before stretching out over her when he was finally done teasing her. Opening her eyes with a slow, dreamy sort of smile, she leaned up to kiss him while sliding her arms around his shoulders, not evening minding the taste of herself on his tongue as she swept hers over his.

Then she pulled back, shifting so he could take her hand into his own. "Yes, I want my turn." She nodded before the smile became a smirk. "In that very large lovely bathtub you got for us."

[deaths_head]

The Shade made a low sound of relief between a growl and a snort as he pressed his face to her neck for a moment, then drew back to kiss her again, deep and hungry.

"I hope you mean both of us, 'cause you damn near drove me crazy, little mage." He growled between kisses. "And just so's you know...the cuffs are for me...if ya want. Key's on the bureau if you wanna...mess with 'em."

[wearenotbroken]

The smile that appeared on her face was slow but brilliant as she gave his hand a squeeze, looking so damn pleased as she beamed up at him. "Aww, you got those for me?" one would have thought he had just offered her flowers or diamonds, some girly sort of gift from the way she was fawning before she kissed him again.

Then she pulled back with a smirk. "How about we get cleaned up a bit and then we'll use them?"

[deaths_head]

The dazzling smile that spread across her face made The Shade smile in return, a rare broad and jovial grin that spread across his face and made him look truly human. Only his little mage, the angel with the rosebud mouth who liked to be enslaved when she wasn't tying him up and making him beg for mercy, would treat bondage gear like a gift of expensive jewelry.

"We clean up now, we're just gonna get dirty again, I reckon." He pointed out, bending to kiss that rosebud mouth again as he rolled off of her and got to his feet, offering her a hand up. "But it's your turn, so you get to do whatever you want to me."

[wearenotbroken]

Courtney loved the genuine jovial smiles that came from him, mostly because they were rare (though not as rare as when they had first gotten together) and she smiled some more.

Stealing another kiss, she nipped at his bottom lip before he rolled away to his feet and she shifted to sit up. "You'll have to carry me, you know." She pointed out with a mischievous look. "I can't feel my legs quite yet."

[deaths_head]

Shrugging with that same smile still at the corners of his mouth, The Shade leaned over and scooped her easily into his arms. Granted, he was more comfortable with touch around their home, but his ease was still hard-won. This was part of what he needed to discover tonight: if he could let go of that fear, accept what her power did and learn to enjoy it.

He had to, especially since his son would have that same ability to stir the memory of life in his cold, dead heart with just one touch.

"Am I bein' arrogant if I'm proud of that?" he asked with a smirk as he carried her into the bathroom, where the massive tub in question sat: a beautiful claw-foot iron tub large enough to accommodate The Shade and at least two other people comfortably.

[wearenotbroken]

She knew that he was working on being more comfortable with her power and what it could do to him. He had gotten better but it was still a hard fought battle with every time he relaxed being a victory though it was often just as much of a struggle the next time to bring those walls down.

"Not at all, you should be very arrogant." She grinned, glancing at the tub before focusing on him again. "It was a lot of fun to get to this point."

[deaths_head]

"Then tar me, feather me, and call me a rooster, 'cause I'm rulin' the roost." he drawled, setting her to sit on the wide, curved lip of the tub before leaning over to turn on the faucet to let the tub fill up. Sitting beside her, The Shade leaned over to start unlacing his boots.

"I could do more to you." he pointed out quietly as he did, his voice low and still fond, but factual rather than self-loathing. "Take a paddle to your ass, tie you down and order you not to come while I'm finger-fucking you...punish you when you disobey me." He turned to meet her gaze, his own sober and open.

"In life, I was comfortable with death. In death, I crave far worse. I'm a sadist at my core, Courtney, and I wanted you to see that tonight. I want you to understand...exactly what that means."

[wearenotbroken]

"So basically you were testing me." She murmured, lifting her chin slightly as she watched him closely, her eyes smoothing over the lines of his features as she really didn't need him to give her an answer.

"And did I pass?" She asked, arching a brow at him then.

[deaths_head]

He smiled a little again, huffing silently with laughter and shaking his head. He could do so little to hide from her...it was another thing he loved about her.

"Maybe I was, a little. And I think maybe you have, passed I mean." he admitted quietly, meeting her gaze again. "Now I gotta pass."

[wearenotbroken]

"Well, I should hope that I have." She reached out to slide her fingers down his arm as he continued to undress. "I crave the darker stuff as well, Shade. I didn't know how much till I was with you but the idea of you paddling me, tieing me up and fucking me in any sort of way just...makes me really hot." She thought that was the best way to explain it.

Then she looked confused. "Pass what? I don't need to test you." She reached out for his hands to tug him closer, then she moved her hands to start undoing his pants.

[deaths_head]

The Shade had his boots off and was skinning off his tunic when she reached out to touch him, catching his attention. The feel of power leeching under his skin was familiar as her hand ran up his arm, and it was only in that moment that The Shade realized it more than familiar: it was becoming comforting.

Letting himself be pulled closer, he didn't stop her from unfastening his pants, watching her face as the realization filled him, sudden and sharp.

"I need to test me." he replied a little distractedly. He paused, then added, "And I gotta start by tellin' you...in life, my family called me by my Christian name. Josie for short. You can, if you want."

[wearenotbroken]

"I know that, sweetie." She replied, glancing up at his face as she worked his pants down over his hips so they would drop to the floor and he could finally kick them off. "I just figured that you were more comfortable with being called Shade."

"But I will call you whatever you wish me to call you." She murmured as she leaned in to press a soft kiss to his hip, teasing her lips lightly over the skin there even as his arousal nudged against her shoulder. Then, turning her head, she let her lips trail along the side of him...

[deaths_head]

"I am. That's the point." he replied honestly. He wanted to open that door, give her that access...test his own limits and see if he could bear to let her all the way in.

There wasn't much more room for thought as she helped him finish undressing...and let her mouth trace the line of his cock, a teasing brush of her mouth that stole his breath, breath she put into his lungs with every touch.

As the tub finished filling, The Shade used power to shut the water off, his eyes locked on her as his hand shot out to tunnel into her hair. He wanted to force her down, to urge her to go down on him, but he restrained himself and let his hand merely lay there against her scalp.

After all: it was her turn.

[wearenotbroken]

Her eyes went hot and dark the moment his hand was in her hair and she could see him struggling against his own urge to take, to rule, as he had moments before. She could have tortured him but she rewarded him instead...mostly because it was more torture for him than denying him.

So she wrapped her mouth around him, instantly taking him deep with no warning, letting his cock slide over her tongue and into her throat where she swallowed so that the ring of muscles would constrict around him. Only then did she used suction, fighting her own urge to gag and push him away as she held him deep and then pulled back slowly. She did it a couple more times before releasing him with a soft gasp.

[deaths_head]

She took him so abruptly it didn't register right away, and the moment it did he let out a low growl of pleasure, more of a snarl, his mind was wiped clean of everything but the wet heat of her mouth, the silky slide of her tongue, and the friction as she took him deep...

Twice more she took him there, and it was all he could do not to force it, to just take what he wanted with no thought for her welfare, for her comfort. It was a war against his nature, but with her mouth on him, her hands on him, her power in his veins, human nature won out and so when he realized his fingers had tightened in her hair, he loosened them, and let her up when she could take no more of him.

Groaning harshly, he dragged her up instead and kissed her, hard and hungry and desperate.

"For such a nice girl, you're a bigger goddamn sadist 'n I could ever hope to be." he half-laughed, half-snarled against her mouth.