"You are going to burst my heart!" I plead, pulling my hair at the roots with my free hand.

"Then ask me to stop?" My warlord trails his fingers over my over-sensitive cock to the tip, and I moan in response, a sound that makes me leave my hair in favor of covering my mouth to glare at him for the desperate sound he produced. "You are ravishing when you're coming apart like this; it's my favorite sight. You're so desperate, you're fingering yourself like a lonely housewife." 

I tug roughly on his hair, kissing him as passionately as I dare as I yank him back down to my level. My tongue claims his mouth, earning a low groan from him as he threatens to yield. "You're so beautiful." My warlord manages to break the kiss, returning to my neck to escape my relentless lips.

Verando bites the tender skin, sucking to mark me, and I rake my nails against his back in punishment, earning myself an appreciative growl. He liked pain just as much as I did, only it was a more physical kind that he craved.  "I want you to run for office. We will need a magical leadership role when this is all over. I spoke with Ron about it. He thinks you could form your sovereignty again?"

"Are you insane?" I flinch as Verando sinks his teeth into me, inhaling sharply at the discomfort as I quicken my fingers.

"No. I'm trying to provide you a distraction; you asked me to multitask."

"I want you to f-"

"Language, my darling." He warns me with a chuckle. "This is a business meeting, after all."

"Fuck you, then stop biting me, you savage." I moan, tilting my head back as he torments me with his skilled hand, all while I'm desperately attempting to gain enough friction with my fingers. My thighs want to press together, but he's in between them, keeping them spread as I struggle to hold myself together. "Business meeting... a true delegate would have the decency to persuade me with cock. You're supposed to be making me feel better, you English bastard."

Verando places his hands on the junction behind my knees, rising just enough to meet my gaze.  "You're not crying anymore, I'd say it's a job well done? You're so busy being upset with me that you've even stopped making such ludicrous claims. Now, we are almost finished, then you get your reward."

My chest heaves; I'm a panting, drenched mess beneath him as my body trembles from being brought to the edge so many times.

"I'd like you to run for office. Or at least reclaim your throne? They aren't going to like it, but your people are going to need you to guide them back into some normalcy. If not a king, how about a diplomat, someone who speaks for their rights?"

"Randy." I plead with him for many things: his body, my sanity, the end to this torment. My fingers can't satisfy me, I'm at my wits' end, but he's forcing me to calm down, think, and rationalize. "I'm not sure if this is helping or just killing the mood altogether."

Their laws couldn't possibly cater to us, but we needed schools, training grounds, and places to practice our craft. We needed legalization. There would be a whole new battle to fight when this was over, and the goal would be to prevent any bloodshed. It only made sense that I would resume our spot in history.

 Finally, I nod as he grinds against me, ever the impatient creature. "Yes. God, yes, I'll do whatever it takes. Please. I need you inside of me."

My words bring him back to my lips once more, kissing me deeply as he shoves past my fingers, and I lock my legs around his waist. "As you command, darling." I want him to stop, and at the same time, it feels so impossibly good. My hands find his back, raking my nails into his shoulders as he fills me over and over again.

His hand covers my mouth, and I moan against his palm. "Hush. You're going to alert Artifice," he croons against my ear, kissing my cheek, unable to stop himself from groaning against me. "You feel so good, but you need to relax. You'll snap my damn cock in half."

I can't help it; I can't keep it in. I surrender to him, taking whatever he will give me, his pain and discomfort, my sanity and salvation. My body refused to lower my volume as I finally received what I needed since he looked so lost and broken. I'd gained my affirmation; he would still love me, even when this was all over. 

Shaking his head at my lack of restraint, he releases his grip on my mouth.

"Artifice, deaden the sound in this room."

"I can put your bedroom into stealth mode for private conversations; it is ideal for patient and doctor confidentiality. Would you like to activate it?"

"Yes." 

Artifice chimes in response, and the lights dim as red rims the floor where it meets the walls. 

"If you're going to be disobedient, then I want to hear you."

Dazed, I manage to glance up at him, only to regret my decision as those strong hands hook under my knees, bringing them up to my chest as he pours lubricant over the weapon he'd chosen to assault me with. Running his tongue over his teeth, I blush at the way he looks at me as if he wishes to devour me.

"I know it's hard to believe-- that it's not normal, but I want to have you just as badly as you wish to be taken when the world is going to shit." 

I'm a mess of profanity as my body is rocked by the intensity with which he slams into me. The bed shudders in response to his merciless treatment. I feel strange as my whole body begins to tremble. I can't control it, I feel myself threatening to implode, and all I can do is surrender to it.

"You're my version of fucked up, because we were forged of the same fire. I like that you remind me of the job, that you find a way to laugh when everything is falling apart, and think it's hot as hell that you want me to bury myself in you while you cry. Does that make me a monster, too?" His palm rests over my throat, possessive, claiming me as I peer up at him while my body is on the verge of collapse. 

"Yes," I whimper, making him smirk. 

My entire body contracts as I arch off the bed, hearing him curse as he spills himself into my depths, bringing me to my own completion. Panting hard, he's careful to release my throat as he rides out the waves of some of the most incredible sex I've had. It was as if I'd orgasmed with my entire body, as if every nerve ending was on fire; it was more than I could take, and yet, I never wanted it to end. 

I'm shaking beyond my control, an oversensitive mess as my body attempts to recover. Ever the gentleman, he keeps himself on his elbow so that I don't bear the full weight of a lycan man. 

Rolling on my stomach as he withdraws, I'm breathless as I try desperately to remember the date and time. My heart pounds in my ears, my chest heaving as I come to. "What the hell was that?" I manage, only to stiffen as I feel his touch, "Please not again, I need a break." I whimper, gripping his wrist, only to hear him chuckle as his palm rests on my low back. 

Carefully, slowly, he kneads the muscles on my back in a slow massage. "I'm just offering you some aftercare. You're going to be so sore tomorrow; that's what that was."

"I'm sore now!" I complain, limp against the bed as I relish in the feeling of his warm hands. "Not only did you fold me in half, but you seem to forget my body isn't as durable as yours."

"I do believe I recall multiple instances where you were quite insistent that I... what was it... fuck you?" Despite my complaints, Verando goes over every inch of me, reminding me why he is so different from all the others. He loved me, truly loved me, and the aftercare was proof of that.

After the long moments spent massaging my tight muscles and aching thighs, he lies down beside me. I rock myself back against the warmth, wrapping my arm around his as I claim him for my own for the evening. "Thank you for that." I finally add through a yawn, "I'm not.. ok.. but I'm a lot better than I was."

Verando passes his nose against my hair with a light inhale, humming in quiet appreciation for my scent as he pulls my back tightly against his chest. "Let's see if you're still thanking me tomorrow. I wasn't particularly kind, and for that, I'm sorry."

That was future Nic's problem; for now, I was blissfully unaware of the throb in my lower back or the finger prints aching in my muscles.

"By the way, darling. I received a call this morning to inform me that our wedding arrangements hadn't been finalized. Nice venue by the way. I took care of it."

I flush at the realization and glance over my shoulder at him, only to see that he's already beginning to drift off. 

Was it part of why he was so upset?

"Randy?"

Verando yawns, nuzzling my neck with his nose as he pulls me that much closer. "Hmm?"

I kiss the back of his hand, my body compelled me to act, to be honest with this man who loved me so entirely, "I killed Red. I didn't want you to have to do it, I-" I hesitate, "I wanted to do it; I had to be sure it was done."

The silence between us builds, and for a moment, I'm worried I've lost him. Could he ever forgive me? After what feels like an eternity, Verando kisses the base of my neck, allowing me to breathe. "Thank you." I can't help but wonder if I'm being taken for a fool. "That couldn't have been easy."

"I don't understand.." I admit.

He holds me as his entire body melts along the back of mine; every possible piece of us that could touch melds together. "I know you value life; I also know that I would have wanted her to suffer, allowing her to escape yet again. I'm alright with this, more than alright. I just wish I were stronger, and that you didn't have to do it."

Caught off guard, I sit in silence, hearing the slow, long breaths of a man on his way to sleep. I'm appalled by how at peace he was with this. "Wow. I wasn't expecting that." I admit, honestly. "Are you sure this isn't some post-sex euphoria? Are you going to be pissed tomorrow?"

I can practically hear the eye roll as he sighs contentedly. "I have my moments. I'm grateful for you; you know me better than I know myself some days. I love you, darling. Even if you are a dreadful wedding planner." His voice drifts, and I can't help but wonder if he'll even remember this in the morning.

"Artifice. Off." Snagging the tablet off the nightstand, I get to work on getting this wedding off the ground. My inspiration is renewed.