TITLE: Living Underground
AUTHOR:
38gnihsurcRATING: en.sea.xvii overall
PAIRING: Willow/Asher, slight Willow/Richard and Willow/Asher/Nathaniel... plus, regular Anita pairings
SPOILERS: For the two fandoms... up until Micah for AB; the two series for Buffyverse stuff.
WARNINGS: A little bit of BDSM.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone, except the Master of the City of Lafayette and her entourage.
NOTES: This story is a sequel to "Alive at Last."
Previous Chapters:
1,
2,
3,
4-6,
7,
8,
9 PART TEN
Asher smiled as Willow moaned and tipped her head back against his shoulder, arching her back and lifting her breasts out of the soothing bath water. He kissed her neck and stroked his bare fingers along the inside of her thigh, feeling her muscles tremble under his touch.
"No more," she whispered. "Please..."
Nathaniel, who was busy kissing her collarbone and breasts, smirked up at Asher; the vampire returned the expression with one of his own and he continued teasing his lover.
They were in the bathtub in Asher's and Willow's suite, taking time to show appreciation after their first scene together. Nathaniel was busy thanking Willow as much as he could, showing his appreciation in pleasurable forms. First, he washed her hair and massaged her back; then, when Asher's hands became a little frisky under the water's surface, he joined in by teasing the places Asher had not yet reached.
Nathaniel helped him help Willow reach another orgasm. Instead of moaning or whining, a breathy sigh escaped her lips and her whole body tensed before seeming to turn completely boneless. She reached out and touched Nathaniel's face while nuzzling Asher's throat and sighing happily.
"Is it always like this?" she asked.
He shook his head, not wanting to talk about darker times when love did not bring dominant and submissive together. He kissed her temple and hugged her close. "Non," he said quietly, "but for us, it will be."
"Good," Willow whispered.
Nathaniel smiled at Willow and then the two of them seemed to move in unison, turning towards Asher. He put his hands up and protested, saying that he did not orchestrate their evening for such treatment, but neither of them heeded his protests. Willow kissed him and slowly sponged his chest and arms with soapy water, while Nathaniel started to wash the vampire's hair.
"Thank you, Asher," Nathaniel said after rinsing the suds from his long, blonde hair. "I needed that... and I don't think I'd get it if you didn't teach Willow."
Asher cupped Nathaniel's chin in one hand and kissed both of his cheeks. "De rien," he murmured. "I enjoyed it as well."
The wereleopard kissed the vampire's mouth and then he snuggled up to his cool body. Asher put an arm around his shoulders and then offered Willow the same comfort. They rested against him, smiling through their light nap, and Asher savoured the quiet time as much as he had enjoyed the time spent in the dungeon.
Their rest only lasted fifteen or twenty minutes. Asher could feel Jean-Claude coming closer and he sensed the Master of the City was not alone. Asher roused Nathaniel first, but the wereleopard refused to move, protesting with a weak growl. Willow opened one eye and then wrapped one of her arms around Asher's torso, securing herself to him.
"Alright," Asher muttered, "but when we have an audience---"
"Don't care," Nathaniel mumbled. "I'm just... too relaxed to move."
A moment later, Jean-Claude stepped into the room, Anita behind him. The necromancer peeked out at the threesome in the tub, a frown marring her pretty face.
"He is unharmed, ma chérie," Asher told Anita.
"I... I wasn't checking to see if---" she stopped short and blushed. "Okay, maybe I was. I just... I worry about him."
"In situations where no one can stop him from going too far," Asher reminded her. "Do you really believe that I would go too far?"
"I... no."
Asher frowned and closed his eyes, hurt by Anita's intentions. He heard Jean-Claude explaining that she shouldn't ruin the afterglow---that it was almost important as the time before, in relationships that were caring and affectionate. Anita sighed and stepped towards the tub.
She sat down on the edge and it wasn't until she cleared her throat that Asher opened his eyes. She wasn't frowning, but she wasn't smiling, and if anything, Asher would have guessed that she was very uncertain.
He wanted to reassure her. He wanted her to be alright with the arrangement he hoped to keep in place for at least a few months---possibly longer. So, he released Nathaniel's shoulder and reached out to touch her hand. She accepted the contact, turning her hand over so they could hold onto each other.
"I would never abuse your animal to call, Anita," he said quietly. "I know Nathaniel is an important part of your life... of your home."
Anita's lower lip trembled for a split second and only he had seen it. "When I think of him going into that... sort of... thing... I think about the time we met in the hospital---"
Nathaniel turned towards her and opened his eyes. "We didn't go that far... and I still got what I needed, Anita," he interrupted. "I won't go that far... if I'm in a place with people I trust."
The necromancer nodded. "That's true, I guess," she admitted. "I still don't understand, though."
"I'll help," the wereleopard said. "We can talk about it... if you want."
Anita nodded. She used her other hand to touch Nathaniel's forehead. "Yeah," she agreed. She leaned down and kissed him; then, she kissed Asher. The vampire closed his eyes and deepened the kiss before she could pull away. When the kiss did finally end, she said, "I'm sorry I... I'm such a pain sometimes."
The vampire chuckled. "Only sometimes?" he teased, trying to lighten the mood.
Anita snorted and kissed him again. "Ha, ha, very funny," she mumbled before pulling away from him. She looked at Willow, who had opened her eyes during the conversation, and then said, "I'm not going to kiss you."
Willow smiled and stretched her body against Asher's, and he noticed how much more comfortable she was with public nudity. Granted, half of her body was covered by his, but since they started living together, he noticed a big change. She wasn't as comfortable with nudity as the shapeshifters were, but she was getting used to wearing fewer clothes and to sharing a bathroom (but not the toilet, for obvious reasons, nor the bathtub) with both Asher and Jean-Claude, when the Master of the City was evicted from his own bed.
He also knew that she was too satisfied and lazy to move much.
"That's okay," Willow murmured. "I won't take offense."
Anita smiled a bit. Then, Jean-Claude joined her at the tub's edge. The couple sat together, bodies touching, and Asher admired the sight in front of him before anyone said anything.
"If this works for you guys... maybe it will be a good solution for everyone," Anita said in a quiet and uncertain voice. "There's a lot going on... and this is a good thing for you and Nathaniel," she said, meeting Asher's eyes.
"Willow enjoyed herself as well," Jean-Claude pointed out.
Anita's gaze turned on the redhead. She smiled slightly and nodded. "I did... I wasn't sure if I would... but... it's all so exciting," she told the couple sitting on the edge of the large bathtub. "I don't think I could pick one side over the other... to give up control is just... and to take control..." she trailed off and Asher nearly chuckled as she flushed a bright red colour. "Sorry," she added, "I'm rambling a little."
Jean-Claude laughed and shook his head. "It is perfectly understandable," he assured her. "You experienced something quite intense. I would be surprised if you simply took it in stride." He put his hand upon Anita's shoulder and gently squeezed. "I am glad you could share it with mon chardonneret. He deserves to have a partner in all things."
"I have tried to send her away," Asher joked, "but she refuses to leave."
"Darn tootin'," Willow murmured as she snuggled into Asher's body. "It'll take something pretty big and bad to make me lea---"
The word died on her tongue. Asher tightened his hold on her, while Nathaniel reached out and brushed his fingers through her damp hair. He shared a sad look with Jean-Claude because he didn't know what to say. He was scared that something would happen---that her former friends, the ones that chased her from her home and family, would take Willow away from him. He did not think he could survive losing her. If she was killed, he knew he would not survive. He did not think that Jean-Claude could bring him back from the madness that would take over his heart and soul---he did not even know if the others would be immune from her death, which scared him as well.
"You should have a guard with you at all times," Jean-Claude advised.
Willow huffed. "Guys... c'mon."
Anita shrugged. "If they got you alone... it might not turn out so hot. And I don't mean violent or messy," she said. "Emotionally, it could be a wreck. And things could happen---"
"Ma petite has a point," the black haired vampire said quietly.
"I don't want you working for a little while," Asher whispered, rubbing his fingers along Willow's arm.
She nodded. "Yeah," she breathed, sounding reluctant.
"If you are with one of us... or Richard.... Requiem... even Damian---"
"Or Faith," Anita added, "since she's usually with Damian, these days."
Asher nodded and continued talking. "Any one of us would be suitable, as an escort," he said. "Not because I believe you need protecting or are unable to protect yourself, but because we will feel safer knowing someone is looking out for your well-being." He brushed his fingers over her cheek. "If anything happened to you, I would not survive, mon colibri..."
"Well, when you put it like that," Willow muttered, a smile slowly teasing her lips, "it's kind of hard to say 'no.' But, when I get bored, I expect you to entertain me."
The blond vampire grinned. He did not think that would be a difficult bargain to fulfill.
TBC...