by Helen Scott
When his lips kissed a line from my jaw down to my neck I enjoyed it; I even rolled my hips so my core moved against his cock, even if it was between clothes. He groaned and nipped at my neck and suddenly my mind flashed with images of Ailsa fucking him and Niall at the same time, of him watching me while he fucked her until she came on his cock and he filled her with his cum to the point that it was dripping out of her afterward. It happened so many different times and now they were all playing in my head at once. My stomach turned.
I threw myself backward off his lap and pushed myself over to the wall. My stomach heaved, but I didn't throw up. The world spun around me and when Dres came toward me I crawled backward, surprised that I was still able to move, that I was free. Maybe they had forgotten to chain me up this time.
"Tessa..." Dres said.
"No, no, no. Please don't, you have her, why do you need me as well?" I sobbed.
"Tessa, it's Dresden."
"I know who you're supposed to be, you asshole!" I shrank back into the corner belatedly scolding myself for getting into a situation with no exit.
"It's really me, Ladybird, I'm really here. Your memories are messing with you, that's all."
"Go back to Ailsa. Don't you dare touch me," I screamed as he reached out to me.
As soon as the words left my mouth he backed away, which was different. Usually when I told them not to do something they did it all the more. My breathing slowed slightly as I watched him keep his distance.
"Ladybird, you're having a flashback. Remember how I tripped and fell, busted my nose up? You have wings, you can fly away from me if you want, but I'm not here to hurt you," Dres said.
It sounded familiar, flashes of what he described danced in my head. I looked down at my outfit, it certainly wasn't the burlap sack I had been wearing. The feeling of confusion threatened to overwhelm me.
"You're here in the infirmary at Valkyrie, with me, the real me," Dres said, keeping his voice soft as though he was talking to a wild animal.
"I remember," I breathed as I thought about how we had walked in here, and I had cleaned him up with a wet washcloth.
"Good, and you know it's really me, right, Ladybird?"
I nodded. "They never used my nickname."
I felt startled, and slightly drunk, like I'd just woken up after a long night of partying and the alcohol hadn't worked itself out of my system yet. It was all making my head hurt.
"Can I hold your hand?" Dres asked.
I held it out to him and he scooted closer so he could take it. My heart was pounding at his touch, but when he didn't try and do anything else I began to calm down, and that was when the tears started. He let me cry. I wasn't sure how long we sat there, but it was long enough for me to cry the pain out.
Once the tears had slowed and my breathing was back to normal, Dres asked a question I never would have expected, although that was probably naive of me. "Can I look at your memories?"
"What?" I choked out.
"I can look at your memories and see what might have triggered your flashback, if you want, that is."
"I know what triggered it. You. Sex. All of that."
"Do you want to tell me about it?" he asked.
"Not really, but if you want to know you can look at my memories, so long as I don't have to remember them as well."
"No, you won't. I think it would be good for one of the team to know what you went through, don't you? That way if we're in a position where you might get triggered we will know and be prepared for it."
"Sure," I said, understanding his point but not feeling thrilled about anyone seeing that side of me, the side that had been helpless and hopeless.
As I watched, his eyes fluttered shut and he looked almost like he was dreaming with his eyes flicking back and forth as he continued to hold my hand. A few times I thought I saw him wince, but it could have just been a twitch of his face. When his eyes were done moving he seemed to straighten and come back to himself. Eventually they opened and were full of pity.
"I didn't let you go through my memories for you to look at me like that." My voice sounded strained to my own ears as I swallowed the knot of tears that was forming in my throat once more.
"Sorry." He blinked rapidly and the look disappeared. "Can I give you a hug, or is that too much?"
"A hug would be nice," I said quietly.
He crawled over toward me and pulled me onto his lap so he could cradle me against his chest. The sound of his heartbeat in my ear relaxed me more than I thought it would, and I felt my wings retreat back into my body as though someone was giving me a quick but firm back massage. For the first time I let myself think about everything that had happened not with fear or guilt, but with pride that I'd survived and come out stronger on the other side, because I'd be damned if I was going to let that bitch make me weak.
22
Tessa
We had been sitting together for a while, me listening to his heart and him just holding me. My brain was exhausted and my body was getting that way too. I kept trying to adjust my thinking so that I was framing my survival in a positive light, that I'd endured, and I couldn't help but wonder if Dres was helping me with that, subtly nudging me in the right direction.
"I'm not," he said quietly. "I'm just paying attention, that's it."
The silence descended once more and I wasn't sure how to break it. There was an intimacy between us now that was deeper than sex. I'd opened myself up to him and he hadn't shied away.
"I'll never turn away. I'll always be here to share your pain, I just hope I'm not the one who causes it."
"You didn't cause it," I said as I turned to look at him. My hand went to his face and I saw the guilt shining in his eyes. "I needed to come to Hyperborea. There was nothing you could have done that would have changed what happened."
"I shouldn't have had a meltdown when we first got here, then Niall would never have found you."
"You were more than entitled to that meltdown. In fact, if you hadn't had one I would have been even more worried about you." I pushed up and brushed my lips against his. "You did nothing wrong."
He sighed and kissed me back, and just like that the tension between us shifted and became something else, something needy and uncontrollable. He pulled away and said, "I don't want to freak you out again."
"You won't. I've got it under control now, just stay away from my neck, if that's okay?"
"Can do," he replied before kissing me once more.
This time when our lips met the tension that had been simmering there manifested and although it was still sweet and tender, I could feel the need that flared between us underneath. I pushed up so I was straddling him and reached between us to pull off my tank, freeing my breasts and making us about even on the clothes front. "I want you, the real you, the you that's here with me."
"You have me, always and forever," he replied, kissing me while his hands roamed up my sides and enclosed my breasts.
For a moment he just held them and then slowly his fingers dipped as he found his way to my nipples, brushing over them again and again, not pinching or tweaking, just a gentle repetitive motion that had me feeling like I was going insane with need. Each time they connected a bolt of lightning shot from my chest to my core making me squeeze my thighs around him.
"We should get naked," I breathed. "It'll make this whole sex thing a lot easier."
"Are you sure you're ready for that?" he asked as he looked deep into my eyes.
I nodded and pushed to my feet, kicking off the boots and letting the belt drop to the floor taking skirt thing with it before shimmying out of the leggings. Dres followed suit. Without breaking eye contact he unbuckled his belt and toed off his shoes, letting his pants drop to the floor.
My breath caught as my eyes traveled down the length of him. He wasn't ripped like Finn, but he was lean and muscular in a way that spoke of an innate strength, not one that had to be honed in a gym to show up. His dark hair flopped over his forehead as he looked
down at me.
"If you change your mind or want me to slow down just say so, okay?" His voice was thick with lust and it only made me want to crawl up his body even more.
"Okay," I agreed as I looked up into his chocolate-colored eyes.
As soon as the word left my lips his hands gripped me by the ass and picked me up, carrying me over to the couch. He lay me down gently, making sure not to jostle me, and as he did so his mouth trailed down my chest until he got to my breasts. His lips closed around one of my nipples and I arched into him, needing to feel more, connect more. When his hand found my other nipple I couldn't stifle the cry that escaped my lips.
My nails dug into his back making him growl at me before his body moved away. Just as my eyes flew open to see where he'd gone his tongue swiped across my folds. When it flicked across my clit my body practically jerked off the couch. I felt like a woman possessed and not in control of my own actions.
He slid a finger into my molten core and I rocked my hips upward to meet it. I wanted him so badly, wanted the pleasure he was giving me, that I could already feel my orgasm building as he thrust a second finger into me. His thumb began to circle my clit between the laps his tongue was taking. Within moments my whole body was trembling, and Dres held me there, slowing down just enough that my orgasm didn't break, and I was stuck on the edge of a cliff I desperately wanted to go over.
"Dresden, stop teasing me," I panted.
"I want you to come when I put my cock into you, not before, and then I'll make you come again," he said, nipping my inner thigh when he was done talking.
He kept me on the edge of an orgasm for a few more minutes and by the time he scooted up to face me again I was ready to strangle him with the amount of need I was feeling. His mouth met mine and I could taste myself on his lips, sweet and smoky. My hand dipped between us and grasped his cock, working it feverishly as I wanted him to feel the same need I did.
"I do, Ladybird, I do," he murmured against my lips before deepening the kiss once more.
I positioned his cock at my entrance and tilted my hips up, encouraging him to enter me. Dres's hand slipped down, pushing mine out of the way, and began working my clit with methodical circles that were going to be the death of me. When the thick, blunt head of his manhood nudged a little further into me I whimpered with my need.
His mouth connected with mine while his fingers worked me until I couldn't keep up with the kiss any more. I couldn't focus on anything but the sensations he was giving me, and just as I went over the edge he thrust into me in one smooth stroke and I felt my muscles clenching around his cock. A moan that was close to a scream left my lips and I was twitching all over the place while he began to fuck me.
The slow steady motions kept my orgasm longer than usual and I felt completely wrecked afterward. My body was limp and just moving along with Dres's thrusts instead of meeting him motion for motion. When my breath evened out and I was able to open my eyes again he was grinning down at me.
"Welcome back, Ladybird. Ready for round two?"
"Round two?" I practically spluttered, unsure if I could have another orgasm again so quickly after how strong the last one was.
"Round two," he confirmed with a nod.
Then he really began to move, and I understood how much he'd been holding back before. He pounded into me with an unforgiving rhythm that was brutal to try and keep up with and after a while I gave up, preferring instead to play with his nipples while they were in front of me. As though he'd heard my thoughts, and perhaps he had, he lifted me up and kissed the daylights out of me.
"Flip over," he said when the kiss broke.
I eagerly complied; being fucked from behind was one of my favorite things. With my ass in the air I felt him push at my opening once more and when he slid in I used the couch to muffle my cry of pleasure.
"Sit up, curve your back, and don't you dare muffle that cry again or you'll get a spanking," he said, his voice so low that it practically rumbled through me.
I did as he asked, somewhat surprised and yet extremely thankful that none of this had triggered any other flashbacks. When he started moving again I felt him curl around me so that his hands were holding onto my breasts. My nipples were pinched between two of his fingers as he pounded into me. Each thrust making him pinch a little harder and sending more lightning bolts down to my core.
One of his hands left and began working my clit again. I expected him to do it for a little bit and go back to the pulse pounding thrusting he'd been doing a moment before. He didn't. He stayed curled around me, his fingers performing some sort of magic with my clit that had my body flaring to life all over again. Faster than I would have thought possible he had me at the edge of an orgasm, when he lifted my back to his chest using the hand that was holding my breasts; the change in angle threw me over the edge. I bucked against him, my body wanting to curl in on itself, but his arm held me steady, exactly where he wanted me. I felt him pause for a moment and wondered if he'd gotten a little too excited.
"Even if I did, Ladybird, I could keep going. It's one of my talents. We aren't done until you want to be done," he said before turning my face to his so he could kiss me again.
Sweat slicked us both by that point and I wasn't sure how to react to that information.
"You don't have to react, love, just enjoy the ride."
I wanted to see his face again while he was inside me, and before I could voice my opinion he was already pulling out and leaning back on the couch. His hands went to my hips as he moved me to sit on top of his cock. As I positioned it underneath me my eyes locked with his, and as I slid down I had to fight not to give in to the urge to close my eyes and let my head tip back. I wanted to see him after all, so why waste it.
His dark eyes searched mine as I began to ride him. I started slow and steady before increasing my pace until I could hear our skin slapping against one another. His hands were on my breasts playing with my nipples while I rode him, never stopping, until I felt his body start to tense up. My thighs were burning and I wanted to pause, but I didn't want to stop whatever was making him react that way so I kept going.
Dres's eyes had been reduced to slits as he watched me, occasionally breaking eye contact to look down at his cock disappearing into my pussy. In that moment I never wanted to stop fucking him, I wanted the pleasure and intimacy I felt to last forever. My hands shifted so that I could reach his nipples with my thumbs and when I started playing with them he gasped before his hands left my breasts and dropped to my hips, encouraging me as he started to thrust more frantically into me.
I was sweaty and panting and moaning every time our skin smacked together and the last thing I had expected was the shout of his orgasm as it seemed to take him by surprise. That was exactly what happened though. His face screwed up and a yell exploded out of him as his hips jerked a few more times. I kept riding him, trying to prolong his pleasure as he had with me but I could only hold out for a little bit since my legs were quickly turning to jelly. As I settled onto him I watched as his breathing slowly returned to normal, as did mine. The sweat was drying and I dropped my forehead to rest on his shoulder.
"Fuck, that was amazing," he whispered sending joy surging through me.
"Yes, yes it was," I agreed before I curled into him as much as I could without letting his cock leave my body.
"If you don't get off me, I'm going to want to do this again within a couple minutes." His tone held the note of a promise in it, which made me grin against his chest.
"Promise?"
"I do, and as much as I hate to burst this happy bubble we've created, we should also think about getting back instead of just fucking each other's brains out for the next few hours."
I sighed. "You're right, although I'm sure everyone will know exactly what we were up to in here that took so long."
"Probably," he agreed.
"Can we snuggle for a little bit?" I asked tentatively. I hated being the girl who needed comfort after sex, but I had ho
nestly not been sure I would be able to make it through that without freaking out again. That I did made me beyond happy, but I knew I wasn't out of the woods when it came to flashbacks just yet.
"We can, but only if you get off my dick first," Dres said with a chuckle.
I lifted up and scooted to the side so I could lean against him, taking in the clean fresh scent of him, surprised by how damn good he smelled even covered in sweat. His arms wrapped around me and pulled me in closer, the warmth of his body chasing away any cold that was starting to seep in. I threw my legs over his lap and rested my head on his chest. Sure it wasn’t a typical kind of cuddle, but it worked for us, and we weren't exactly typical lovers.
23
Tessa
By the time we emerged night had fallen. I felt Dres reach out to the guys and locate them as though he was talking to them aloud. This new sensitivity I had was going to take some getting used to, just like the wings that I could make appear at will. So much had changed in such a short time, so much about me in particular that I was starting to get whiplash.
"They're up having dinner in the suite. Erissa is with them," Dres said. His voice sounded warmer to me now. I wasn't sure if it actually was, or if I was just more aware of how his subtle shifts in tone or body language were meant to communicate things to me.
We bounded up the stairs because I, for one, was starving, and I had a feeling after the amount of energy we had just used up Dres would be hungry as well.
"Nice of you to join us," Griff said, raising an eyebrow at us as we walked in.
"This smells amazing," I gushed, trying to show the High Priestess how thankful I was for the food, and also distract a little bit from Griff's comment.
"Please join us and eat, Chosen One," Erissa said.
"That's new," Kai snorted.
"Please call me Tessa," I said, shooting a glare over at Kai. When he winked at me in return my jaw almost fell open.
"What we have been discussing is that apparently the Room of Prophecy exists outside of all the worlds, and yet in all the worlds at the same time," Finn said, patting the cushion next to him.