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Zenos wasn’t there when Mira arrived, the Royal Menagerie in Ala Mhigo still and calm in the night. She’d gotten to the roof unnoticed. Thancred’s lessons in stealth finally paid off, although she couldn’t say why she came here. It was an urge she felt in her heart, tugging insistently until she stole away from Sharlayan in the dead of night to come back to the first place where she’d truly felt hopeless. The memory of him ending his life vividly bursting forth from her memory, her fingers itching with the regret that she couldn’t stop him, couldn’t reach out to him in time before his blade sliced through his fragile skin.
She didn’t wait long, soon hearing his heavy footsteps on the flagstones, a somber melody she felt in her bones.
“Were you waiting long, my friend?” Zenos asked, seemingly also knowing he would find her here. She wondered if his heart was incessantly thrumming within his chest as well.
“I knew you would come,” she replied, not bothering to face him. He walked up to her, his weighty aura imposing as he came to stand at her side.
“Because you desired it,” Zenos offered, his voice thick as honey.
“Perhaps,” Mira deflected, silent for a moment as she let his presence coat her skin. “Are you able to read minds, now?” She had asked jokingly, but there was a part of her that wouldn’t have been surprised if he could.
“‘Twould be a useful skill, but no,” the Garlean replied, mimicking Mira’s pose as she leaned on the railing. “Though it does not take such preternatural ability to see that you are troubled.”
The Viera scoffed, her brow furrowing. “Troubled? Quite the understatement.”
“I know you will rise above any struggle, as you always have, often to my own detriment,” Zenos said, surprising her with his candor.
“What makes you so sure?” she asked, picking at her nails, her eyes unfocusing as she looked out over the Lochs.
“What yet leaves you unconvinced?” Zenos retorted, “Do I truly know you better than you know yourself?” It wasn’t entirely untrue; those eyes of his could see into her soul, her very being, entrancing and terrifying both at once.
“May I ask something of you?” She chewed her lip, a shiver of nervousness tensing her muscles.
“Anything.” His answer came without pause.
“Could you help me forget? Just for this one night? Would you ease my burden?” she posited, finally turning to look up at him. His face was mostly shadowed, but the light of the moon turned his flaxen locks into a glowing halo, softly blowing in the breeze.
“What would you have me do?” he asked softly, though Mira had a feeling he already knew the answer.
“Kiss me… touch me…. Could you…? Please, anything… .” Mira’s voice faded, hot tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. Zenos pulled his weapon from his back, propping the vicious scythe against the railing before doing the same with her axe, freeing the heavy weapon from her holster as if it was a toy.
He drew her into an embrace, their bodies fitting together perfectly; her hands on his shoulders, one of his on her waist while the other tilted up her chin. She sighed into his kiss, his hand moving to the back of her neck so she couldn’t pull away. Zenos directed her with a finesse she hadn’t expected, her lips parting eagerly to welcome his slick tongue. Her hands creeped up to the sides of his neck, tangling in his soft blonde locks, flames already crawling over her skin.
Mira could feel the barely restrained need in his kiss, fierce and ravenous, like an animal about to break the lock on its cage. Mira wondered how long he’d felt this, this hunger… and if it was for as long as she had. She tugged his lip between her own, biting down with enough force to make him grunt, tugging her body even closer to him. Even being as tall as she was, he towered over her, but the vulnerable feeling she had only heightened her arousal, her hips jumping forward as he licked into her mouth, eager to discover his own.
Zenos grabbed a handfuL of her hair, tugging her head back. “If we continue, I will not stop,” he warned, the dangerous lilt in his voice making even more levin shoot to her core. “Not until you are mine .”
“ Good ,” Mira challenged, ready for him to eat her alive, to burn her away until she would rise, gasping, from the ashes.
“Kneel,” he commanded. The Warrior quickly complied, ignoring the hard stone beneath her knees. There was already a prominent bulge at his crotch, and she watched his fingers deftly undo the closure of his trousers after opening his coat. Her mouth started to water, the need to taste him as urgent as her need to breathe.
Her first lick was flavored with salt and musk, her lips wrapping around his thick crown for more. Mira squeezed a hand at his base, stroking him as she took more of his length into her mouth. Zenos placed a gentle hand on the back of her head, weaving his fingers into her dark hair.
She felt saliva drip down her chin, pulling more and more of him into her wet mouth, wanting to choke on it. Tears sprung to her eyes, the Warrior trying to relax her throat so he could fuck it, but his hand gave her hair a sharp tug to keep her where she was, making her do the work. Mira sucked hard, eyes fluttering shut, a deep moan creeping through the silence of the night. She snuck a look at Zenos’s face, looking down at her beneath heavy eyelids as she tightened her grip. He bit his lip, stifling another moan, while the hand twisted in her hair quickly pulled her off of his cock.
“Enough,” he growled, his voice strained as he stopped himself from releasing into her velvet mouth. “I shan’t have our night end so quickly, my beast,” Zenos continued, “Not until we are both satisfied.” He kneeled down for another kiss, enveloping her in his arms. It felt like he was liquid surrounding her, fitting to every curve, his mere presence so much larger than her own body.
Zenos helped her gently onto her back, the scent of crushed flowers filling her nostrils while he busied his mouth on her neck. He pressed his hips hard against hers where he had straddled her, his cock rutting against her sex.
Their clothes were barely a formality, cloth and leather falling to the ground around them while frantic hands scrambled to reveal skin, quickly changing to gentle caresses once the barrier was gone. Zenos treated her body with a strange reverence, his eyes and hands memorizing her every curve, every scar and every mark. Somehow they didn’t need instruction, the night nearly silent as Mira drug her nails down his back, Zenos choosing to use his lips to map her flesh. They closed warm around her nipple, the addition of his teeth making a cry pierce the quiet.
He had so much smooth skin to touch that it was nearly daunting, from his broad shoulders and back down to his thick waist. She traced the warm flesh with her palms, not surprised when her fingers caught on raised scars. Mira took her time rounding over his backside, grabbing a rough handful when he found her lips with his once again. Zenos distracted her with his tongue to disguise the path his hand took, winding around her breast and down her side, stroking Mira’s hip so lightly she shivered. She moaned when he teased around her thigh, sucking and nipping at her neck while he danced around where she truly wanted him to touch.
“Shall I taste you next?” Zenos asked, his hand dipping between her wet thighs to swipe at her arousal. He wrapped his tongue around his shining finger, a deep, agreeable rumble resounding in his chest. He wasted no time, spreading her legs with his broad shoulders as he settled between them. Zenos’s hair tickled Mira’s thighs, his lips following in its wake when he kissed a sloppy line to her mound. He ran a hand through those flaxen locks to get them out of his way, fixing her with a look so intense she shivered.
Mira looked away when his tongue slid between her folds, unable to watch as he performed such an intimate act, until he squeezed her leg tightly enough to bruise.
“Watch,” the former Legatus commanded, a single word drawing her eyes back to his. His assault upon her was quick, not the remotest bit shy when presented with her sex. His nose pressed against her soft curls, and Mira felt his lips close around her sensitive clit, his tongue swirling over it until she squealed with overstimulation. Pressing a thick fingertip to her entrance, he pushed inside her slick, welcoming warmth, all the way to the knuckle before withdrawing and adding a second. The Garlean flexed his digits, reaching as deep as he could, his cock weeping at the thought of soon burying it in her velvet. She was brought to the brink with incredible speed, barely able to choke out a ‘close’ before she was pushed over the edge.
Eyes bleary with pleasure, Mira looked down at her torturer, burning the sight of him between her thighs into her brain. Zenos looked incredibly amused and even more so pleased with himself, resting his head against her trembling thigh while he sucked her release off his fingers. She would have smacked the smirk off his mouth had he not just allowed her to come in it.
She coaxed him up for a kiss, feeling him rut against her, sliding his length between her lips. Mira clung to him, his need blanketing her like a warm coat, wrapping tightly around her heart.
“On your hands and knees, my beast,” he directed, hoisting her up to help her turn over. Mira felt his palm trace up her spine, pressing hard between her shoulder blades to angle her wanting cunt towards him. Zenos groaned deliciously as he pressed into her, warm and tight. Feeling him inside her was sublime, her elbows already beginning to quake at the promise of another climax.
Any lingering guilt that Mira may have had regarding their tryst was swiftly pounded out of her, the Prince’s rhythm hard and fast from the start. He’d given her little time to adjust, and even with her abundant arousal, there was a spike of pain that cut through the pleasure. She was ashamed at how good it felt, being used by him, until her muscles clenched and she heard him exhale the most beautiful moan, his steady rhythm stuttering.
“Who else but you could give me this bliss?” he asked, more of a statement than a question, which was fine as Mira had lost the ability to speak, entirely fucked-drunk on him. Slowing his thrusts only slightly, she felt his fingers dance around her tail, bristling at his exploratory touch. There was a clear lack of Viera in Garlemald, so she didn’t fault him for being curious about the differences in their anatomy. Especially not when he pressed his thumb against its base, stroking upwards in time with his hips. Mira sputtered out a curse, hearing him chuckle with amusement at discovering a most sensitive area of her body.
“Pleased with yourself?” she barked, moaning as he repeated the motion, edging her ever closer to completion.
“Very.”
Zenos tugged her up, pulled her back flat against his chest, pressing his arm tight across her stomach to keep her exactly where he wanted. She could hear his panting breaths, punctuated with stuttered words that she swore sounded like her name.
“ Zenos ,” Mira moaned, feeling his fingertips slide between her legs, intent on having her peak along with him. She let her head fall back, her eyes fluttering shut.
“ Mine ,” he replied, guttural and possessive. He sunk his teeth into her shoulder, emptying himself deep within her warmth. She covered his hand with hers, pressing his fingers hard against her clit until her climax claimed her as well.
Zenos had done what Mira had asked; she’d forgotten. Forgotten her mission, her duty, thoughts of the possible outcomes. Gone. There was only him, milking himself inside her, his arms wrapped around her as if she were his anchor in a storm. And when she could not hold herself upright for a single second longer, he helped lower her gently to the ground, regretfully slipping free from her. He turned her to face him, Mira taking a deep breath of those sweet flowers that had become her bed. She felt something heavy drape over her shoulders, vaguely recognizing it as Zenos’s coat becoming a makeshift blanket. It smelled like ash, like machine oil and cedar, a bizarrely comforting scent that suited him.
He held her gently, fingers rubbing comforting circles on her back. Her pulse was still pounding in her throat, the rush of blood in her ears nearly deafening, but ever-so-slowly she came down from her high. Zenos absently kissed her forehead, her temple, anywhere he could reach without too much jostling. She wanted to scream at him to stop ; stop being so gentle and attentive, stop making her feel safe and cared for, not only because of who she was. She needed him to hate her, not the opposite.
Mira couldn’t stop tears from spilling down her cheeks, sobbing softly against his chest. The irony was not lost on her, the Warrior of Light seeking comfort in the arms of her enemy, but when Zenos kissed her trembling lips and pulled her tighter to him, she couldn’t deign to care. She felt his thumb brush against her cheeks, along with a tut of displeasure. She looked up at him through still watery eyes, a frown on his lips.
“Tears do not suit you,” he said, matter-of-fact. She choked out a laugh, feeling ridiculous.
“I know,” she replied, ashamed at how quickly she’d lost her composure. “But I could only hold this in for so long.”
“Why do you worry so? Surely your enemy will fall quickly to your blade. Your prowess is… nearly unparalleled.”
“If only I felt as confident in my abilities as you do,” Mira mumbled, knowing his sharp hearing had picked it up anyway.
“Was I not your most formidable foe?” Zenos asked, a stark disquiet in his voice that Mira had never heard in all his grandiose monologues.
“This is different,” she diverted, sniffling still. “And I must say I am fairly surprised you aren’t rooting for my demise. Hoping they’ll do you the favor of wiping me from existence?”
“Never, my beast,” Zenos assured with a delicate stroke to her hair. “Where would the satisfaction be in that?”
“Ah, yes, forgive me. I forgot you want to kill me yourself,” she replied with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. Mira almost missed the quirk of his lips, almost as if to say ‘perhaps’ instead of ‘yes.’
There was much more that could have been said in the silence that fell over them, but no words were exchanged. Mira traced his features, something deep within his eyes that she’d not seen before; and when she could no longer take his intense gaze, she folded herself back against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. She could have fallen asleep easily, the lure of waking up next to him in the morning sunlight almost too powerful, but she extracted herself after another lingering moment.
“I should go,” she said, beginning the search for her clothing. She hoped he hadn’t managed to tear any of it, otherwise she’d have a lot of explaining to do.
“Stay,” Zenos replied, grasping her wrist before she could move too far from him. “Just for a moment more.”
Mira swallowed thickly, biting her lip before returning to his side. She didn’t want to face her feelings, not now. Not when so much was riding on her actions the following day.
“Indulge me, Warrior of Light,” Zenos requested, nuzzling against her neck, breathing in her scent. His arms twined around her, warm and strong, easily able to snap her in half if he so desired. She stroked his hair, Zenos exhaling the deepest sigh she’d ever heard uttered. He truly was a pitiable creature; so starved of a gentle touch that he’d nearly begged his enemy to hold him. Mira continued her affections, her other hand tracing the column of his throat before sliding her palm down his pectoral, under his arm and around to his broad back. Her fingertips easily found the dip at his spine, following the crevice from nape to lumbar.
Zenos’s lips pressed against her skin, butterfly kisses to her pulse point, sweet enough to have her shiver. “Kiss me,” she blurted, mouth working before her brain could catch up.
It was too soft, too reverent and gentle. It felt wrong - Mira knew it was wrong - but she couldn’t stop drinking it down, couldn’t stop pressing her bare flesh to his, couldn’t stop the moan when he grabbed a handful of her arse and squeezed. Mira pulled back abruptly, licking his taste off of her lips, needing to stop this before she couldn’t help but rut against him.
“I’ve stayed overlong,” she said curtly, moving to stand once again. The same pressure on her wrist stopped her, the man trying to pull her back against his warm chest. “Don’t… please ,” she added, continuing to resist the temptation to fall into his embrace once again. He released her, watching her as she dressed for a long moment until he did the same.
Mira helped him back into his heavy coat, her quick fingers making short work of the myriad buttons and clasps. She was at a loss for words, trying to avoid awkwardly thanking him for fucking her into the dirt, so she busied her hands with adjusting his collar and tucking a loose strand of hair behind his ear.
“I hope I fulfilled your… request,” Zenos said, really making Mira believe he could read her mind.
“You did,” she replied, a quiet ‘thank you’ following, despite her attempts to subdue it. Pulling her into another embrace, Zenos gently kissed her, using his last opportunity to comb his fingers through her soft hair. Mira felt bizarrely content, those thoughts of waking beside him pushing to the forefront of her mind. Releasing her, she lifted her palm to cup his cheek, his head tilting just slightly to lean into her touch. He turned to retrieve his weapon, glancing at her over his shoulder.
“Be sure to cover your neck, else your friends might worry you were beset by a ravenous animal,” Zenos said, clearly amused. Mira raised her hand, fingertips tracing the divots his teeth had left in her flesh. Undoubtedly the skin would bruise, purple and blue and magenta as the shifting sky before sunrise.
“Farewell, my enemy,” she bid him, all her barely restrained exhaustion hitting her at once.
The walk from the aetheryte in Sharlayan was nearly unbearable, each step a throbbing ache between her legs. At least there was no one to distract Mira on her way back to bed.
Falling on top of the mattress, she quickly drifted into a blissfully dreamless sleep. The guilt of what she’d done would have to wait until the morning to shame her.