AB/BtVS FF: Alive at Last 35-6/? (Willow/Asher)
TITLE: Alive at Last
AUTHOR: 38gnihsurc
RATING: en.sea.xvii overall
PAIRING: Willow/Asher
SPOILERS: Up until Micah for AB; the series for BtVS, even though I don't really remember much of it, since I haven't watched the last seasons in ages.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone. I'm just having a little fun.
NOTES: This story is AU, since it's a crossover; because of that, I've taken a few creative liberties with explaining why the BtVS vampires are different than the AB vampires, and so on.
Previous Chapters: 1-3, 4, 5, 6-7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23-4, 25, 26-7, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32-3, 34
PART THIRTY-FIVE
Willow looked into the mirror and then back down at her chest. The dress Asher had given her seemed to be tailor made---and it also seemed to have a mind of its own. Curves she didn't think she had were accentuated and exaggerated; she had never seen her chest look so ample, and it was making her a little nervous. They had spent most of the day kissing and canoodling, but the burgundy dress made her think of things she hadn't felt in a very long time.
She sucked in a sharp breath and looked from breast to breast. "Hello, girls," she mumbled. She looked into the mirror and turned her body. "God... I didn't know my ass... or my hips... oh, man. How does this dress---maybe it's enchanted."
"Mon colibri, I do not need to enchant a dress to accentuate your beauty."
At Asher's words, Willow gasped and turned, nearly falling over in the high-heeled shoes she was wearing. She had assumed she was alone in the bedroom. At her display of surprise, he grinned and stepped towards her.
"I apologise," he whispered as he moved his hands from behind his back, producing a rose in the process. "La tienne," he explained.
La tienne = Yours
Willow felt her cheeks flushing. "Oh... Asher," she breathed. "It's... thank you." She accepted the blossom and then leaned in and up to kiss his cheek. "Thank you," she repeated as she looked into his eyes.
"You look delicious," he said quietly, not breaking their shared gaze. "It will be an honour to be seen with you."
"And here I was thinking I was the one being honoured," she mumbled as her stomach tightened nervously.
The blond vampire leaned in, inhaling as his nose and mouth inched closer to her throat. "You are anxious," he whispered, "and aroused, and it pleases me to know that."
Willow laughed nervously. "Okay... well... yay, then. But, I don't know how you feel."
"Anxious, aroused," he admitted, meeting her eyes again. "You have the ability to make me feel as though I have not lived as long as I have, Willow."
Her heart seemed to warm her blood, her body, even more after she heard those words leave his lips. She knew she was blushing but she couldn't stop it; she couldn't hide her reaction, either, because she couldn't bear to turn her eyes from his.
"Willow..."
"I don't want to leave," she whispered. "I'm scared of staying and seeing where the night takes us... but I want to stay at the same time."
"Well, we have reservations," he reminded her.
"But... I could just take this dress off, and---"
Asher shook his head and cupped her face in his hands. "Non," he interrupted. "The journey is often more important than the destination. And this journey, we will enjoy."
"But, you're looking at me like... like... well, you know."
He smiled a little. "It is your job to drive me crazy with desire... as it is mine to do the same to you," he explained. "Instant gratification is delightful... but the... the..." he hesitated to find the right word. When he did, he smiled more and continued talking. "It is the detours that count."
Willow swallowed hard. "So... we're going out."
"Oui."
"You look really good in that suit," she whispered as she brought her free hand over his chest, smoothing it over the designer lines of what had to be a tailor-made jacket.
"Perhaps, if you play your cards right, you will be able to help me out of it," he teased.
"Get your mind out of the gutter," she teased back.
"How can I, when you look so delectable?" he murmured.
Willow blushed more and looked away from him for a moment. Part of her wanted to push him down on the bed and have her way with him; the rest of her wanted to run away. Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest and she didn't think she had been that nervous in such a long time.
Asher's tongue slipped out and quickly brushed over his upper lip, before gliding over one of his fangs and disappearing into his mouth. Willow shivered; she remembered what that tongue felt like on her neck and her body reacted.
"Shall we?"
She cleared her throat. "Shall we... what?"
The vampire grinned. "Shall we proceed to the restaurant?"
"Oh... sure," she replied, smiling through her flushed face.
&&&&
"Fat liver?" Willow translated, looking from the extravagantly decorated plate to Asher's face. "You want me to eat fat goose liver?"
"In this case, it is duck," the vampire corrected her. "And it is not 'fat liver,'" he said, sneering a little as he said the words in English. "It is foie gras. It is a delicacy."
Willow tried not to wrinkle her nose. She remembered the smell of liver and onions at Sunnydale High's cafeteria, and while the dish in front of her did not smell like the school's recipe, she wasn't sure if she would be able to get past that memory to taste what Asher wanted her to taste.
Asher leaned forward, out of the cushioned seat of the booth in which they were seated, and he motioned to the plate. "There is caramelised pineapple... a port reduction... ginger..." he trailed off and then motioned towards her glass. "Plus, an excellent sauternes... a rich dessert wine with a hint of a roasted flavour, to compliment the dish."
She smiled. His earnestness was endearing. She saw how much he wanted to taste those foods again and she felt her disgust melt away.
"Okay," she murmured, "I'll try it."
"Merci, mon colibri," Asher whispered.
As he leaned back, his arm brushed hers. She turned her head and looked into his eyes as she lowered her mental shields and invited him into her mind, into her senses. Then, she picked up her fork and turned her gaze towards the dish in front of her.
"How do you want me to do this?" she asked quietly. "A little pineapple, ginger, and foie gras... all on one fork? Or one at a time?"
Asher's eyes seemed to widen and she could see how hungry he was---hungry to taste food again, hungry to share the experience with her. His desire made her stomach tighten and her face flush.
"If you would... some of each on the same fork, as it is meant to be tasted?" he whispered.
She smiled more and nodded, before cutting some of the pineapple and ginger, before slicing her fork into the seared foie gras. Asher leaned back and stretched his body a little against the chair, tipping his head back and closing his eyes.
Willow was amazed at how the foie gras melted in her mouth. She almost missed Asher's reaction---purring, followed by a little moaning, combined with some very intense feelings sent through their link---because she was enjoying the appetiser so much. She ate several bites in a row, mixing the seared meat with different combinations of the garnishes on the plate; every bite was as delicious as the one before, if not more.
"Oh, please," Asher rasped. "Mon colibri, please... a rest, if you will."
"Some wine?"
"Only a little," he purred. "It is all so delicious... and my senses... your shared senses... it has been so long since I have tasted this dish."
Willow set her fork down and she turned towards him. She pressed her lips against his and showed him through their link how his pleasure was her pleasure. He wrapped his arms around her and returned the embrace, kissing her deeply and passionately despite their rather public setting.
A small moan escaped her throat and mouth, only to be swallowed by Asher in the heat of their kiss. However, as their kiss faded in intensity, her quiet mewling sounds could be heard between presses of lips.
"Oh... Willow," he whispered.
"The wine," she croaked.
Asher had been kissing along her hairline, but he started to chuckle when she spoke. "Do you think you are ready for more?" he asked in a whisper.
"I don't know," she admitted. "It's all so good... my senses are already kinda on overload... but your senses are on overload too, and you're letting me feel what you're feeling and oh, man, what's beyond overload? Because I think my senses are there."
He chuckled and hugged her to his body. "We still have the main course and dessert---"
"Dessert?!"
Asher kissed the top of her head. "Perhaps a dessert wine? Scotch? Coffee?"
She patted his stomach, feeling his muscles trembling slightly, and then she said, "We'll see, okay?"
"Alright," he agreed.
&&&&
After veal in a chèvre noir sauce, with a rich, red, Spanish wine, Willow had nearly been ready to curl up and to start purring. She had allowed Asher to choose everything---and everything he had chosen had been incredibly delicious, so she hadn't regretted her decision. But, her stomach was full and her nerves were buzzing, and she wasn't sure she could handle anymore seduction-through-food.
Asher had to bribe her with kisses and the promise of a relaxing bath before dawn in order to get cheese and champagne, and then he bargained a few dates of her choosing to get her to taste scotch for him. She had been surprised that she liked the way that whiskey tasted in her mouth, smoky, rich, and warm, and she admitted that he would always be able to get her to drink it for him because she had enjoyed the experience so much.
"Perhaps I will keep some fine single malts in our suite," he mused, watching her inhale the aroma of the golden liquid.
"And pull them out for special occasions?" she asked, smiling back at him.
"If you wish me to," he murmured.
Willow grinned at him before pressing her lips to his for a quick kiss. Her body was humming with warm energy and every time his fingers brushed her bare arms, she felt her skin and muscles shiver. She suspected he felt her reaction as well, because he repeatedly teased her flesh with his fingertips.
Once they had shared another glass of scotch, Asher paid the weighty bill and then he guided Willow out of the restaurant and into the limousine he had waiting for them.
The redheaded witch snuggled into the vampire as the long, black car drove through St. Louis. As she hugged him, she felt his hand travel into her hair. Its fingers wove through her red tresses, gently massaging her scalp and lulling her into a state of comfortable happiness.
A few minutes passed in silence and then she said, "That was incredible, Asher."
"You enjoyed it?"
"Sooo much," she murmured. "It was all so good... but you loved it, too, and I could feel that more than... it's just all so intense."
"Other things can be that intense, too," he whispered into her hair.
Willow shivered and turned her head to smile at him. She smoothed his hair back, away from his scarred skin that he had kept hidden during their date, and she kissed along his uneven cheek before kissing his lips.
"I'm sure they will be," she whispered in reply.
&&&&
PART THIRTY-SIX
She knew she shouldn't be nervous. She knew that she and Asher had done many things together, but when she saw Asher standing in their bedroom and removing his suit jacket, she felt her heart's pace speed up inside her chest.
"What are you afraid of, mon colibri?" he asked without looking away from the wardrobe.
"Oh, you know," she murmured, leaning against the door frame, "the usual." She chuckled softly. "It's kinda funny. I mean... you don't scare me. And we live together... but tonight was---is, I mean... is so... y'know?"
"Come to me," he silently demanded across their link.
Willow gasped, surprised by his direct behavior, and then made her way into the room in bare feet under her skirt. Asher smiled at her, as she approached, while untying his tie; after the knot was undone, he reached out and took her into his arms.
"Hi," she whispered.
"Hi," he murmured, sounding a little amused.
"Thank you for everything," she told him quietly. She put her hands on his chest and leaned up to kiss his lips. "You're always so good to me, Asher."
"I enjoy taking care of you," he replied, sliding his hands from her arms to her shoulders, to her back and then below. He cupped her to his body, eliciting a quiet noise of contentment from her lips. "I love seeing you smile," he whispered before kissing her cheek. "So radiant."
"Are you trying to sweet talk me?" Willow teased.
Asher's lips curved into a smile. "Perhaps," he admitted. "Will it work?"
"Already has," she replied, smiling back at him.
He brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers, before sliding his hand into her hair and guiding her closer to him. Their first kiss was gentle, but their second kiss was overtaken by passion, and by their fourth kiss, they were moving towards the bed. Asher held her close, even as she tried to wriggle against him for more friction---which frustrated and aroused her at the same time.
"Impatient," he scolded as he slipped his fingers under one of the straps of her dress. "We should take our time."
"Okay... you were the one that wanted... the wall and---"
"And now, I wish to take my time," he interrupted, smiling at her as he pinned her to the mattress. "Do you object?"
"I... well... no," she whispered. "Not so much."
"I fed earlier, so I do not have to wait---"
Willow smiled at him and brushed her hair to one side as she tilted her neck to one side. "But, you want to feed from me," she murmured. "It'll feel good for both of us," she added. "And I know blood play is kind of a vampire's fetish."
"I have plenty of those," he whispered, kissing along the skin of her neck to reach her shoulder. "But, I want to make you happy, mon colibri."
"I am," she whispered in reply.
He moved down further and kissed her collarbone, before licking a trail over the tops of her breasts that were exposed by the V-shaped neckline of the dress he had selected for her. The sensation of his tongue against her skin caused Willow to wriggle between him and the bed. She reached up and rubbed his neck and shoulders through his shirt with her hands, trying to silently tell him how good she was making feel.
Asher took his time undressing her, slowly pulling the dress down her body and kissing nearly every inch of skin he exposed in the process. Willow whimpered and shivered, not able to do much else. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the sensations he was stirring inside of her, letting the rest of the world fade away until nothing but them, in that moment.
She hadn't realised what had happened to them, until Asher nipped at underside of his breast with his dull teeth and whispered quietly. "Mon colibri, perhaps we would be more comfortable on the bed, instead of floating in the air above it?"
Willow opened her eyes and saw that they were floating a few feet above the bed, between it and the ceiling. She chuckled and turned her gaze back to Asher. "Have you ever made love with a witch, Asher?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Non, mon colibri," he replied.
She grinned. "Well, the floating is kind of just the beginning."
Pushing against the air, Willow sat up a bit and kissed Asher's lips. She concentrated and put her hands on his chest; through his shirt, she sent tingling sensations from her palms and fingers into his skin. He gasped, sucking in a breath he did not need, and then he closed his eyes as she teased him.
"Why are we floating?"
"Because I feel good... like I'm floating on the inside... and magic sometimes makes what I feel happen," she explained as her hands moved over his torso and arms. "And that's one of the consequences of being with me," she whispered, before brushing her nose against his. "So, if this is a problem---"
Asher replied with a kiss.
That kiss blossomed into many more kisses, until they were both naked and pressing their bodies together in search of more passion, more sensation, more warmth. Asher attempted to ease her onto her back; at the same time, Willow was trying to push him over so she could lift herself onto his body. The tug of war---or push of war, in this case---continued for nearly an hour while they tried to drive each other towards insanity.
Willow kissed and sucked on his neck to win the pleasurable battle, using one of his fetishes against him. He was distracted with her nibbling and she straddled him and pushed him down, so it was his back resting against the invisible barrier.
"And now what are you going to do, hmm?" he inquired, smirking up at her.
"What do you want me to do?" she asked teasingly.
Asher grinned and tugged her down, moving her so she had to stretch out on top of him; then he kissed her, plundering her mouth with tongue and teeth. When he nicked her lip, she moaned and allowed him to suckle the blood that seeped through the tiny cut; when he massaged her back, she pressed her body into his even more to increase the pressure of what was building up inside of them.
Eventually, though, simple friction and kissing wasn't enough for either of them. Willow eased up, off of his body enough so that she could move down to his waist and take his erection into her hand. She hadn't done that in a long time, since Oz, but she remembered how to position him so she could easily impale herself.
She had been tighter than she thought she would be and it was as if she could feel every inch of him sliding into her body, despite her arousal. Her hidden muscles clenched around him---not to fight the intrusion but to keep it, to keep him buried inside of her.
"Oh god," she whispered, her head falling forward as her hands dropped to his chest.
Asher didn't say anything. Instead, he reached up and cupped her face in his hands so he could hold her still while he kissed her. Willow moaned into his mouth while her nails dug into his pectoral muscles. He groaned and she swallowed the sound; he growled and she shivered as the vibrations traveled through her body.
It took a few minutes for Willow to regain some of her senses, some of her mind, but she eventually did. She opened her eyes and looked at Asher, while pulling her hair off of one side of her neck---the side he preferred---and she smiled at him.
"Bite me," she whispered.
"Mon colibri, we don't have to---"
"I'm not a freak," she assured him quietly, "but I'm not hiding from what you are... or what I am, for that matter. Let's do this the way we're supposed to."
"And which way is that?" Asher asked as he rolled his hips and thrust into her a little.
"Blood and magic and our link," she murmured after she recovered from the sensations he inflicted upon her. "All of it together."
Asher kissed her breasts. "What if it's too much?" he inquired between kisses. "What if we should only feel... in small doses?"
"Then we wouldn't have gotten together," she whispered tipping backwards slightly and feeling how good a change in angle could feel. "Trust me, Asher... I want you to bite me."
"You... you do?"
She nodded and leaned forward again, offering him her neck. She knew that he would enjoy her blood and that she would enjoy being bitten. She knew that his power would curl inside of body and that she could send some of it back into him, increasing their pleasure more than anything else could. His bite would bring them more in that moment than anything else could and their link would magnify everything they felt because they would share the sensations they experienced.
When Asher sank his fangs into her throat, she moaned and dug her nails into his shoulders. She scratched him as she felt him push his powers into her body. She directed her magic around that force and sent some of it back to him; at the same time, she opened her link to him completely and showed him everything she was feeling.
Asher reciprocated as he drank her blood, sending her his feelings. Willow writhed against him, rocking her body against his, and she guided him into a slow rhythm that their hips could follow while his teeth were buried into her neck.
After several climaxes on the physical and mystical levels, Asher withdrew his fangs and they slumped against each other. Willow could not catch her breath and she wasn't sure if that mattered. She had never felt so satisfied, so consumed, so happy---that she had reached such a level of satisfaction both pleased and saddened her. However, the happiness outweighed the sadness, so she burrowed into his arms and savoured the moment---even after she lowered them back to the bed.
"I... I have so much to say but I can't say it," she whispered.
The vampire kissed her neck and licked at the wound he created. "I felt it all," he whispered in reply.
TBC...
AUTHOR: 38gnihsurc
RATING: en.sea.xvii overall
PAIRING: Willow/Asher
SPOILERS: Up until Micah for AB; the series for BtVS, even though I don't really remember much of it, since I haven't watched the last seasons in ages.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone. I'm just having a little fun.
NOTES: This story is AU, since it's a crossover; because of that, I've taken a few creative liberties with explaining why the BtVS vampires are different than the AB vampires, and so on.
Previous Chapters: 1-3, 4, 5, 6-7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23-4, 25, 26-7, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32-3, 34
PART THIRTY-FIVE
Willow looked into the mirror and then back down at her chest. The dress Asher had given her seemed to be tailor made---and it also seemed to have a mind of its own. Curves she didn't think she had were accentuated and exaggerated; she had never seen her chest look so ample, and it was making her a little nervous. They had spent most of the day kissing and canoodling, but the burgundy dress made her think of things she hadn't felt in a very long time.
She sucked in a sharp breath and looked from breast to breast. "Hello, girls," she mumbled. She looked into the mirror and turned her body. "God... I didn't know my ass... or my hips... oh, man. How does this dress---maybe it's enchanted."
"Mon colibri, I do not need to enchant a dress to accentuate your beauty."
At Asher's words, Willow gasped and turned, nearly falling over in the high-heeled shoes she was wearing. She had assumed she was alone in the bedroom. At her display of surprise, he grinned and stepped towards her.
"I apologise," he whispered as he moved his hands from behind his back, producing a rose in the process. "La tienne," he explained.
La tienne = Yours
Willow felt her cheeks flushing. "Oh... Asher," she breathed. "It's... thank you." She accepted the blossom and then leaned in and up to kiss his cheek. "Thank you," she repeated as she looked into his eyes.
"You look delicious," he said quietly, not breaking their shared gaze. "It will be an honour to be seen with you."
"And here I was thinking I was the one being honoured," she mumbled as her stomach tightened nervously.
The blond vampire leaned in, inhaling as his nose and mouth inched closer to her throat. "You are anxious," he whispered, "and aroused, and it pleases me to know that."
Willow laughed nervously. "Okay... well... yay, then. But, I don't know how you feel."
"Anxious, aroused," he admitted, meeting her eyes again. "You have the ability to make me feel as though I have not lived as long as I have, Willow."
Her heart seemed to warm her blood, her body, even more after she heard those words leave his lips. She knew she was blushing but she couldn't stop it; she couldn't hide her reaction, either, because she couldn't bear to turn her eyes from his.
"Willow..."
"I don't want to leave," she whispered. "I'm scared of staying and seeing where the night takes us... but I want to stay at the same time."
"Well, we have reservations," he reminded her.
"But... I could just take this dress off, and---"
Asher shook his head and cupped her face in his hands. "Non," he interrupted. "The journey is often more important than the destination. And this journey, we will enjoy."
"But, you're looking at me like... like... well, you know."
He smiled a little. "It is your job to drive me crazy with desire... as it is mine to do the same to you," he explained. "Instant gratification is delightful... but the... the..." he hesitated to find the right word. When he did, he smiled more and continued talking. "It is the detours that count."
Willow swallowed hard. "So... we're going out."
"Oui."
"You look really good in that suit," she whispered as she brought her free hand over his chest, smoothing it over the designer lines of what had to be a tailor-made jacket.
"Perhaps, if you play your cards right, you will be able to help me out of it," he teased.
"Get your mind out of the gutter," she teased back.
"How can I, when you look so delectable?" he murmured.
Willow blushed more and looked away from him for a moment. Part of her wanted to push him down on the bed and have her way with him; the rest of her wanted to run away. Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest and she didn't think she had been that nervous in such a long time.
Asher's tongue slipped out and quickly brushed over his upper lip, before gliding over one of his fangs and disappearing into his mouth. Willow shivered; she remembered what that tongue felt like on her neck and her body reacted.
"Shall we?"
She cleared her throat. "Shall we... what?"
The vampire grinned. "Shall we proceed to the restaurant?"
"Oh... sure," she replied, smiling through her flushed face.
&&&&
"Fat liver?" Willow translated, looking from the extravagantly decorated plate to Asher's face. "You want me to eat fat goose liver?"
"In this case, it is duck," the vampire corrected her. "And it is not 'fat liver,'" he said, sneering a little as he said the words in English. "It is foie gras. It is a delicacy."
Willow tried not to wrinkle her nose. She remembered the smell of liver and onions at Sunnydale High's cafeteria, and while the dish in front of her did not smell like the school's recipe, she wasn't sure if she would be able to get past that memory to taste what Asher wanted her to taste.
Asher leaned forward, out of the cushioned seat of the booth in which they were seated, and he motioned to the plate. "There is caramelised pineapple... a port reduction... ginger..." he trailed off and then motioned towards her glass. "Plus, an excellent sauternes... a rich dessert wine with a hint of a roasted flavour, to compliment the dish."
She smiled. His earnestness was endearing. She saw how much he wanted to taste those foods again and she felt her disgust melt away.
"Okay," she murmured, "I'll try it."
"Merci, mon colibri," Asher whispered.
As he leaned back, his arm brushed hers. She turned her head and looked into his eyes as she lowered her mental shields and invited him into her mind, into her senses. Then, she picked up her fork and turned her gaze towards the dish in front of her.
"How do you want me to do this?" she asked quietly. "A little pineapple, ginger, and foie gras... all on one fork? Or one at a time?"
Asher's eyes seemed to widen and she could see how hungry he was---hungry to taste food again, hungry to share the experience with her. His desire made her stomach tighten and her face flush.
"If you would... some of each on the same fork, as it is meant to be tasted?" he whispered.
She smiled more and nodded, before cutting some of the pineapple and ginger, before slicing her fork into the seared foie gras. Asher leaned back and stretched his body a little against the chair, tipping his head back and closing his eyes.
Willow was amazed at how the foie gras melted in her mouth. She almost missed Asher's reaction---purring, followed by a little moaning, combined with some very intense feelings sent through their link---because she was enjoying the appetiser so much. She ate several bites in a row, mixing the seared meat with different combinations of the garnishes on the plate; every bite was as delicious as the one before, if not more.
"Oh, please," Asher rasped. "Mon colibri, please... a rest, if you will."
"Some wine?"
"Only a little," he purred. "It is all so delicious... and my senses... your shared senses... it has been so long since I have tasted this dish."
Willow set her fork down and she turned towards him. She pressed her lips against his and showed him through their link how his pleasure was her pleasure. He wrapped his arms around her and returned the embrace, kissing her deeply and passionately despite their rather public setting.
A small moan escaped her throat and mouth, only to be swallowed by Asher in the heat of their kiss. However, as their kiss faded in intensity, her quiet mewling sounds could be heard between presses of lips.
"Oh... Willow," he whispered.
"The wine," she croaked.
Asher had been kissing along her hairline, but he started to chuckle when she spoke. "Do you think you are ready for more?" he asked in a whisper.
"I don't know," she admitted. "It's all so good... my senses are already kinda on overload... but your senses are on overload too, and you're letting me feel what you're feeling and oh, man, what's beyond overload? Because I think my senses are there."
He chuckled and hugged her to his body. "We still have the main course and dessert---"
"Dessert?!"
Asher kissed the top of her head. "Perhaps a dessert wine? Scotch? Coffee?"
She patted his stomach, feeling his muscles trembling slightly, and then she said, "We'll see, okay?"
"Alright," he agreed.
&&&&
After veal in a chèvre noir sauce, with a rich, red, Spanish wine, Willow had nearly been ready to curl up and to start purring. She had allowed Asher to choose everything---and everything he had chosen had been incredibly delicious, so she hadn't regretted her decision. But, her stomach was full and her nerves were buzzing, and she wasn't sure she could handle anymore seduction-through-food.
Asher had to bribe her with kisses and the promise of a relaxing bath before dawn in order to get cheese and champagne, and then he bargained a few dates of her choosing to get her to taste scotch for him. She had been surprised that she liked the way that whiskey tasted in her mouth, smoky, rich, and warm, and she admitted that he would always be able to get her to drink it for him because she had enjoyed the experience so much.
"Perhaps I will keep some fine single malts in our suite," he mused, watching her inhale the aroma of the golden liquid.
"And pull them out for special occasions?" she asked, smiling back at him.
"If you wish me to," he murmured.
Willow grinned at him before pressing her lips to his for a quick kiss. Her body was humming with warm energy and every time his fingers brushed her bare arms, she felt her skin and muscles shiver. She suspected he felt her reaction as well, because he repeatedly teased her flesh with his fingertips.
Once they had shared another glass of scotch, Asher paid the weighty bill and then he guided Willow out of the restaurant and into the limousine he had waiting for them.
The redheaded witch snuggled into the vampire as the long, black car drove through St. Louis. As she hugged him, she felt his hand travel into her hair. Its fingers wove through her red tresses, gently massaging her scalp and lulling her into a state of comfortable happiness.
A few minutes passed in silence and then she said, "That was incredible, Asher."
"You enjoyed it?"
"Sooo much," she murmured. "It was all so good... but you loved it, too, and I could feel that more than... it's just all so intense."
"Other things can be that intense, too," he whispered into her hair.
Willow shivered and turned her head to smile at him. She smoothed his hair back, away from his scarred skin that he had kept hidden during their date, and she kissed along his uneven cheek before kissing his lips.
"I'm sure they will be," she whispered in reply.
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PART THIRTY-SIX
She knew she shouldn't be nervous. She knew that she and Asher had done many things together, but when she saw Asher standing in their bedroom and removing his suit jacket, she felt her heart's pace speed up inside her chest.
"What are you afraid of, mon colibri?" he asked without looking away from the wardrobe.
"Oh, you know," she murmured, leaning against the door frame, "the usual." She chuckled softly. "It's kinda funny. I mean... you don't scare me. And we live together... but tonight was---is, I mean... is so... y'know?"
"Come to me," he silently demanded across their link.
Willow gasped, surprised by his direct behavior, and then made her way into the room in bare feet under her skirt. Asher smiled at her, as she approached, while untying his tie; after the knot was undone, he reached out and took her into his arms.
"Hi," she whispered.
"Hi," he murmured, sounding a little amused.
"Thank you for everything," she told him quietly. She put her hands on his chest and leaned up to kiss his lips. "You're always so good to me, Asher."
"I enjoy taking care of you," he replied, sliding his hands from her arms to her shoulders, to her back and then below. He cupped her to his body, eliciting a quiet noise of contentment from her lips. "I love seeing you smile," he whispered before kissing her cheek. "So radiant."
"Are you trying to sweet talk me?" Willow teased.
Asher's lips curved into a smile. "Perhaps," he admitted. "Will it work?"
"Already has," she replied, smiling back at him.
He brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers, before sliding his hand into her hair and guiding her closer to him. Their first kiss was gentle, but their second kiss was overtaken by passion, and by their fourth kiss, they were moving towards the bed. Asher held her close, even as she tried to wriggle against him for more friction---which frustrated and aroused her at the same time.
"Impatient," he scolded as he slipped his fingers under one of the straps of her dress. "We should take our time."
"Okay... you were the one that wanted... the wall and---"
"And now, I wish to take my time," he interrupted, smiling at her as he pinned her to the mattress. "Do you object?"
"I... well... no," she whispered. "Not so much."
"I fed earlier, so I do not have to wait---"
Willow smiled at him and brushed her hair to one side as she tilted her neck to one side. "But, you want to feed from me," she murmured. "It'll feel good for both of us," she added. "And I know blood play is kind of a vampire's fetish."
"I have plenty of those," he whispered, kissing along the skin of her neck to reach her shoulder. "But, I want to make you happy, mon colibri."
"I am," she whispered in reply.
He moved down further and kissed her collarbone, before licking a trail over the tops of her breasts that were exposed by the V-shaped neckline of the dress he had selected for her. The sensation of his tongue against her skin caused Willow to wriggle between him and the bed. She reached up and rubbed his neck and shoulders through his shirt with her hands, trying to silently tell him how good she was making feel.
Asher took his time undressing her, slowly pulling the dress down her body and kissing nearly every inch of skin he exposed in the process. Willow whimpered and shivered, not able to do much else. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the sensations he was stirring inside of her, letting the rest of the world fade away until nothing but them, in that moment.
She hadn't realised what had happened to them, until Asher nipped at underside of his breast with his dull teeth and whispered quietly. "Mon colibri, perhaps we would be more comfortable on the bed, instead of floating in the air above it?"
Willow opened her eyes and saw that they were floating a few feet above the bed, between it and the ceiling. She chuckled and turned her gaze back to Asher. "Have you ever made love with a witch, Asher?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Non, mon colibri," he replied.
She grinned. "Well, the floating is kind of just the beginning."
Pushing against the air, Willow sat up a bit and kissed Asher's lips. She concentrated and put her hands on his chest; through his shirt, she sent tingling sensations from her palms and fingers into his skin. He gasped, sucking in a breath he did not need, and then he closed his eyes as she teased him.
"Why are we floating?"
"Because I feel good... like I'm floating on the inside... and magic sometimes makes what I feel happen," she explained as her hands moved over his torso and arms. "And that's one of the consequences of being with me," she whispered, before brushing her nose against his. "So, if this is a problem---"
Asher replied with a kiss.
That kiss blossomed into many more kisses, until they were both naked and pressing their bodies together in search of more passion, more sensation, more warmth. Asher attempted to ease her onto her back; at the same time, Willow was trying to push him over so she could lift herself onto his body. The tug of war---or push of war, in this case---continued for nearly an hour while they tried to drive each other towards insanity.
Willow kissed and sucked on his neck to win the pleasurable battle, using one of his fetishes against him. He was distracted with her nibbling and she straddled him and pushed him down, so it was his back resting against the invisible barrier.
"And now what are you going to do, hmm?" he inquired, smirking up at her.
"What do you want me to do?" she asked teasingly.
Asher grinned and tugged her down, moving her so she had to stretch out on top of him; then he kissed her, plundering her mouth with tongue and teeth. When he nicked her lip, she moaned and allowed him to suckle the blood that seeped through the tiny cut; when he massaged her back, she pressed her body into his even more to increase the pressure of what was building up inside of them.
Eventually, though, simple friction and kissing wasn't enough for either of them. Willow eased up, off of his body enough so that she could move down to his waist and take his erection into her hand. She hadn't done that in a long time, since Oz, but she remembered how to position him so she could easily impale herself.
She had been tighter than she thought she would be and it was as if she could feel every inch of him sliding into her body, despite her arousal. Her hidden muscles clenched around him---not to fight the intrusion but to keep it, to keep him buried inside of her.
"Oh god," she whispered, her head falling forward as her hands dropped to his chest.
Asher didn't say anything. Instead, he reached up and cupped her face in his hands so he could hold her still while he kissed her. Willow moaned into his mouth while her nails dug into his pectoral muscles. He groaned and she swallowed the sound; he growled and she shivered as the vibrations traveled through her body.
It took a few minutes for Willow to regain some of her senses, some of her mind, but she eventually did. She opened her eyes and looked at Asher, while pulling her hair off of one side of her neck---the side he preferred---and she smiled at him.
"Bite me," she whispered.
"Mon colibri, we don't have to---"
"I'm not a freak," she assured him quietly, "but I'm not hiding from what you are... or what I am, for that matter. Let's do this the way we're supposed to."
"And which way is that?" Asher asked as he rolled his hips and thrust into her a little.
"Blood and magic and our link," she murmured after she recovered from the sensations he inflicted upon her. "All of it together."
Asher kissed her breasts. "What if it's too much?" he inquired between kisses. "What if we should only feel... in small doses?"
"Then we wouldn't have gotten together," she whispered tipping backwards slightly and feeling how good a change in angle could feel. "Trust me, Asher... I want you to bite me."
"You... you do?"
She nodded and leaned forward again, offering him her neck. She knew that he would enjoy her blood and that she would enjoy being bitten. She knew that his power would curl inside of body and that she could send some of it back into him, increasing their pleasure more than anything else could. His bite would bring them more in that moment than anything else could and their link would magnify everything they felt because they would share the sensations they experienced.
When Asher sank his fangs into her throat, she moaned and dug her nails into his shoulders. She scratched him as she felt him push his powers into her body. She directed her magic around that force and sent some of it back to him; at the same time, she opened her link to him completely and showed him everything she was feeling.
Asher reciprocated as he drank her blood, sending her his feelings. Willow writhed against him, rocking her body against his, and she guided him into a slow rhythm that their hips could follow while his teeth were buried into her neck.
After several climaxes on the physical and mystical levels, Asher withdrew his fangs and they slumped against each other. Willow could not catch her breath and she wasn't sure if that mattered. She had never felt so satisfied, so consumed, so happy---that she had reached such a level of satisfaction both pleased and saddened her. However, the happiness outweighed the sadness, so she burrowed into his arms and savoured the moment---even after she lowered them back to the bed.
"I... I have so much to say but I can't say it," she whispered.
The vampire kissed her neck and licked at the wound he created. "I felt it all," he whispered in reply.
TBC...