“I love you my goddess. I love you, Emma.” Cern murmured against her skin as he laid her back in the clovers. Her bare skin was caressed by his shed vest and her discarded clothing, tickling her slightly as his lips worked their magic over her body.
“You can't love me. You barely know me.” Emma gasped as he tugged at one breast with his teeth.
“Well that's simply not true.” The stag replied softly and lasciviously. “I began to love you the moment you connected with me when I was on the human plane. The moment you understood my pain and chose to help me instead of condemn me.” Cern murmured, running a trail of kisses over her swollen stomach.
“Since that day, I kept an eye on you, your interactions were always full of compassion” His fingers teased her thighs apart. “Then you brought me back after sacrificing yourself for your mates. Why? Why did you do that?” He looked directly into her eyes, searching her soul.
“I think you feel it too. I think you sense our connection. I think you felt it the first moment I touched you in human Form on your plane. I think, even in my memories, you knew. You knew. If your family hadn't had a Pact with another, you would have belonged to me.” Cern didn't have to search far to see the confirmation he was looking for in Emma's eyes. She had felt it too, he was sure. And Emma, Emma realized as he spoke that she was certain he was right, and little cracks began to appear in her armor as Cern thrust into her. Emma cried out and gripped his shoulders tightly, unaware that her nails were lengthening, digging into his shoulders. She dug her heels into his hips, urging him to come closer, go deeper. She tilted her hips up to meet his next thrust and the stag bellowed to the skies at the pain and pleasure she was giving him and drove more ferociously at her, while his fingers brushed her clit.
Emma arched her back, realizing she was close to climax already. She tugged Cern's face to hers and met his lips with her own. She wanted to absorb the lust rolling off of him, take in every morsel of his pain and turn it to something beautiful. She wanted to return his love. She could no longer deny how drawn to him she was. Her climax struck her, making her gasp and shiver. Cern shouted her name as her muscles tensed and he experienced his own release. Emma grazed Cern's neck with her teeth, and latched onto his shoulder, noticing too late it was her Demon's teeth descending on the flesh. Cern gasped and twitched, his climax rolling into a second stirring of arousal as the bite pushed his senses over the edge. He panted and bucked, feeling a second release building.
“I'm sorry.” Emma gasped, licking away the blood, but Cern shook his head, in a daze, the feeling of her tongue only increasing the sensations and his lust.
“I love. I love you.” He murmured with each thrust until he was spent. He collapsed beside Emma and held her close until they could breathe normally again.
“Come home with me. Don't run from me this time. Come let me attend my goddess, let me bathe you, feed you, dress you.” He ran his calloused fingers down her side and stomach. He wanted to ask for so much more, but he would wait. He would continue to break down her defenses a little at a time. Then one day, maybe... He nuzzled his face into her hair. “I love you little one. Give me the chance to prove it. To prove I have changed.” He begged. Emma remained silent through his request.
“You ask for too much Cern.” She said quietly. “This is my second betrayal of Bel and Luci. You know what they would feel if they found out you lived.” Emma rolled over in his embrace to face him and laid a hand alongside his face. She could see his pain, but there was more, she could feel his spirit gentling, just from being in her presence. Surely, this was not the same spirit they had Banished. Or even the same one she had Resurrected.
“I can see you now.” She murmured. “You're so beautiful.” Cern's heart, which had been wracked with pain at her refusal, suddenly warmed. He felt life returning to him, for the first time in ages, and a spark of joy flamed to life within him. His goddess was connecting with him, she called him beautiful. He brushed a soft kiss across her lips.
“Then at least allow me to lead you to the spring in the forest where you may refresh yourself before leaving.” Cern whispered. Emma blushed and nodded softly. Carrying their clothes, the stag took Emma's hand gently and led her into the forest. A short distance in, they came to the edge of a very clear blue-green pool of water that was quite deep. When Emma trailed a finger through it, she was pleasantly surprised to find it rather warm. Cern shook out their clothing and hung it over a branch to keep them clean as Emma sank into the water with a grateful sigh. Cern slipped in beside her and drew her body against his own.
“Cern, I..”
“Shh.. Just let me hold you for a while longer, my goddess.” Cern murmured. She relaxed slightly in his grip.
“I have to leave soon. I have to meet Bel.” Emma said softly. With a sigh, Cern released her. She walked further out into deeper waters and rinsed herself thoroughly, lightly scrubbing her skin. Cern greedily watched her every move. The water seemed to sparkle and shimmer brighter in her wake, as though it were somehow clearer, healthier. Oh how he desired this woman and the life she could bring to him.
“I can feel your lust from here you know.” Emma called casually. The stag made no move to deny it, but instead waded out towards her, surrounding her with his long arms and drowning her in a deep kiss.
Lucian shook his head. He felt strange. The wave of pressure and sickness building and ebbing within him startled him. He stood from the table dizzily. He and Bel were helping the kids with some drawings. Bel threw a swift look at him.
“Lucian? Your eyes.” Bel said quietly. Luci quickly stumbled from the room, he heard Master Bel telling the children to stay where they were as Bel followed him out into the gardens.
“Master Bel I..” Luci shook his head again and fell to his knees. “I can feel it trying to take over.” Luci covered his face. Perhaps he should ask Bel to take his life and be done with it. A gentle hand landed on his head.
“Never Lucian. Never.” Bel said softly. “We'll figure this out. Even if I have to make a trip to Hell to find answers.” Luci looked up at him gratefully, then fought a shudder as a wave of shadows swarmed over his skin.
----------------------
Emma straightened her clothes and stepped back into the Manor. The kids came rushing towards her with handfuls of drawings that she delighted in, oohing and aahing over them all while trying to shove back her feelings of guilt. She helped the children hang the pictures before going in search of Bel. She tried to keep her expression carefully neutral, but Bel took one look at her stricken face and opened his arms to her. She rushed into his embrace.
“It happened again, didn't it?” Bel asked softly, running a hand over her hair. She nodded. Bel hummed, pieces starting to fit together in his mind, but he didn't have the whole picture yet..
“How's Luci?” Emma asked softly.
“He had another attack.” Bel responded and Emma stiffened.
“Is he..?”
“He's ok now. I sent him to rest.” Bel answered quietly. “You should probably visit him later and offer him some of your blood.” Emma nodded
“Emma, beloved, do you want to postpone our lesson today?” Bel asked her gently, raising her face to his with a finger under her chin. She bit her lip and shook her head. This was important to her. She had so much power bubbling up inside her, but she always seemed to get in trouble with it because she didn't know what she was doing, what her limits were. She hadn't been born with all this power, and what she had been born with, she hadn't known existed until Bel showed up in her life, and it's not like she'd truly gotten truly used to it before she had to leave her old life behind... Bel nodded as if hearing her thoughts.
“In that case, I thought we'd start with plants. They're a little more simple where healing is concerned. Less energy, less complicated biology. I know you have the capacity to heal much more, but we want to do this without invoking your instincts.” As he spoke, Bel led her towards the bushes in the garden. “Our children can sometimes be a little rambunctious.” Bel chuckled, indicating a bush that had several broken branches. “I've seen you induce things to bloom, to grow, now, can you heal something that is broken, or almost dead? Without inducing your tears or relying on instinct? Can you pull from that same place that encourages something to grow to fix what your children have damaged?” Emma looked dubiously at a branch, hanging by just a bit of bark. It had begun to wither and dry out, the leaves curling and turning brown. She'd never tried to put something back together again. Heal it, yes, but never reattach something. She looked at Bel with doubt.
“I don't know where to begin..” She offered helplessly “How do I..?” Bel stood behind her and took her in his arms, sliding one of his hand down her arm until her hand rested in his.
“Let me guide you. It's more a matter of feeling, remember, belief, knowing your limits are both very important, but also, you are restoring life here. You will be trading some of your life, your health or vitality, to restore that of the plant's.”