AB/BtVS FF: Living Underground 42/?
TITLE: Living Underground
AUTHOR: 38gnihsurc
RATING: 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, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20-1, 22-3, 24-5, 26-7, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36-7, 38, 39-40, 41
PART FORTY-TWO
After Richard shifted back into his human form, after the others recovered and had been tended to in the early morning, he took Willow to his house.
Nothing had been said while he tugged on his worn-out jeans and t-shirt. Willow nibbled on her lower lip as she watched Stephen and Jason take Seeley towards the area where everyone parked their cars. She waved slightly at them; Jason smiled at her and then caught the new addition to their pack as he stumbled slightly. Richard stood behind her, one of his hands gently toying with her red hair, and they watched everyone leave the lupanar. Then, when they were alone, he slid his hand to her back and he guided her out of their sacred place.
Nothing had been said while he drove his car back to his home. Willow sat in the front seat and watched the familiar sights come into view; she kept one hand on the shoulder strap of her seat belt and the other hand in Richard's hand. When he parked the car in the driveway, he jumped out of the vehicle first. Willow had been surprised by the sudden burst of energy, but she enjoyed how he came to her side of the car and opened the door for her.
Nothing had been said while they walked into his home, through the front door, through the foyer, and into the kitchen. Willow shrugged out of her cardigan and set it on the back of a kitchen chair. Richard set his keys on the countertop and he checked his phone messages. He opened the fridge and pulled out two bottles of water. Silently, he offered one to Willow; she accepted it and drank from it, as did he.
She couldn't figure out what to say to him. She wasn't feeling guilty---Asher knew the full moon was her time with the wolves and he fully expected her to become Richard's Lupa in all sense of the words. She was feeling incredibly nervous, though. She had been trying to move slowly with Richard because she hadn't been entirely sure that he was ready for another relationship in which he wasn't the woman's main man. His relationship with Anita was still uneasy most of the time; Willow valued her partnership with the Ulfric and she didn't want to lose it.
They looked from the windows, to the appliances, to each other, and then quickly away to other things again.
Richard chuckled, breaking their silence. Willow looked back at him, away from the little cartoon magnets on his refrigerator, and she felt her lips curve into a smile.
She spoke first.
"I'm nervous," she admitted.
"Why?"
Willow rolled her eyes. "Richard... I didn't come here for water."
He leaned back against the counter and smiled. His expression feigned innocence. "You didn't?"
"No," she said quietly as she approached him. "And you know that," she added.
Richard nodded slowly, after a long pause. He set his bottle of water on the counter and he reached out for her. His hand wrapped around her wrist as he tugged her closer; when she was closer, he put his hand on her hip. He kissed her forehead and then whispered into her hair.
"Why are you nervous?"
Willow inhaled deeply. Then, she closed her eyes and leaned into his warmth as she opened her mouth and spoke. "We... haven't... done this before," she told him. "I mean... we've done stuff... but... this is... well... more."
Both of his hands cupped her from behind as he drew her in even closer to his body. Willow sucked in a sharp breath; she exhaled after looking into his face. His eyes still held a touch of the wolf, so the amber gleam was quite visible. "You... part of you ran with me tonight," he whispered solemnly. "I mean, you accepted... what I did to you... you've seen me change," he said, continuing in that same serious and quiet voice, "and you've embraced the pack as a part of your family. You come with us to the lupanar to celebrate what we are... and you embrace my wolf better than I do a lot of the time." He paused and slid one of his hands up to her face. "We've done so much... and... all of that stuff is great---don't get me wrong, Willow---but part of you ran with me tonight. You... you did some sort of spell and your inner werewolf ran with me through the woods!"
The witch smiled. "I didn't... really do a spell," she murmured. "I just... wanted to be with you so badly."
"That was dangerous," he said. "You could have shifted."
"I was afraid I might," she whispered. "I wasn't ready to... to do that." She blushed and then quickly added: "I'm not opposed to it, Richard, really. I just---"
"Want to be prepared."
She nodded when he finished her sentence.
Richard smiled at her and kissed her other cheek, the one he wasn't cupping in his hand. "I can understand that," he said. He grinned a little bit more. "Willow, you ran with us tonight."
His grin was contagious. She smiled back at him. "It wasn't really me---" she stopped and then she blushed. "Okay, it was amazing," she admitted. "I felt it all... the trees, the ground... the rest of the pack around us. I... it was awesome."
"It really was," he told her, nodding in agreement. "And it's gonna get better."
Willow arched an eyebrow. "You sound pretty sure about that."
He nodded again. "Oh, yeah," he said. "Remember what happened when we let our wolves play together, in my bed?" He waited until she nodded. Then, he continued talking. "Well, imagine what it will be like when they're together... when we're together---completely."
"Oh... right."
Richard laughed quietly and hugged her to him. "So, are you still nervous?" he asked.
"Aren't you?"
"Of course," he confessed. "I'm nervous I'll hurt you... I'm nervous I'll lose control---"
"Not about that," she interrupted. "Aren't you nervous about... seizing the day?"
"It's all connected," he pointed out.
She shook her head slightly. "No... I mean... don't you feel little flutters when you think about... well... we've never done this before!"
"I know," he whispered. He kissed her forehead. He stooped lower and kissed the bridge of her nose. "And I'm glad we're here. I'm glad we took our time... actually, I'm relieved, too. I know I want you, Willow. And not just because we're Ulfric and Lupa. I want you in my bed."
"You know it doesn't change my relationship with---"
"I know," he repeated.
She peeked up at him. "Richard, seriously. Because if we go down this road and---"
"I told you once that when it was going to be the two of us, finally alone and finally ready, he wouldn't be here," he said, cutting in. "But, I didn't mean permanently. I just meant not in the room." He kissed her lips once and then straightened slightly. "The past year's been tough. It's made me think a lot."
"Yeah," she agreed.
He nodded. "And, we're all in this together. I know that. Does it bother you that I may sleep with Anita?"
Willow shook her head. "Nope. Asher does sometimes. We don't... really talk about it. But, I know when he has his dates with her and Jean-Claude." She put her hands on his chest. "I know he loves me. He knows I love him. He knows I love you, too, Richard."
"We're all in this together," he echoed.
"Not literally, because... whoa, too many hands, but---"
Richard's laughter cut Willow off. She smiled up at him and watched as he regained control of himself. "God, you crack me up sometimes," he murmured affectionately.
"We're okay?"
He nodded again. "We're okay."
Willow nibbled on her lower lip for a moment and then she said, "Let's go to bed."
Richard adjusted his hold on her as she stepped away from him. He didn't pick her up; he didn't hold her hand. Instead, he followed her as they walked out of the kitchen and down the hall to the master bedroom. Willow didn't hesitate until she reached the threshold of the room. Richard didn't stumble, though; he settled his hands on her waist and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
"Everything alright?"
"Yeah," she whispered. She put her hands down on top of his. "It's just... it's all gonna change now, isn't it?"
"Are these second thoughts you're having?"
The witch turned her thoughts inward for a moment. She examined her feelings before speaking. "No," she said honestly. "Just an observation."
"Are you opposed to moving forward?"
She shook her head. "No," she replied, "we've been circling around this for a while now. I'm ready... if you're ready."
He pushed his body against hers and slid his hands down over the tops of her thighs. She felt his hard body and the warmth it possessed; then, she felt how aroused he was becoming. She shivered---but whether it was from the warmth, his hands, or the fact that he enjoyed being so close to her, she couldn't tell.
"I'm ready," he whispered.
Willow took the first step towards the bed. Richard followed but he didn't push her. He was patient, taking his steps only after she took hers. She went to the bed and brushed her fingers over the comforter. But before she could climb onto the mattress, she reached for the hem of her shirt and she pulled it over her head in one fluid movement. Then, she turned and faced Richard.
"I didn't think I'd be here," she said gesturing to the comfortable sports bra she was wearing. "And Asher hasn't burned all of these yet, so---"
Richard grinned. "Hold your ground," he advised. "I think you look great in that."
Willow blushed and smiled. "Well, you know how... well, with garters and proper attire and things... you know how they can be."
"I'm more concerned with what's underneath," he said.
"Oh."
His grin softened and he stepped towards her as he tugged his own shirt off. He took hers and threw both of them onto the floor by the foot of the bed. The sight of his broad chest and shoulders made her suck in a sharp breath before she reached out and brushed one hand between his pectoral muscles. His skin was soft, warm, and giving. Touching it intimately was so different from touching her vampire's flesh, which was more akin to a statue than anything else. Asher loved her and she loved him; she would never walk away from him willingly. But there was something intense about feeling a pulse beating underneath his skin and muscles, about feeling his body yield to hers as she prodded and massaged it.
Richard allowed her to explore his body, even though she touched him many times before that, and he didn't do anything other than hold her hips or kiss her forehead from time to time. After several minutes passed, though, he started to explore her skin. He brushed her hair off of her shoulder and he lowered his mouth to the flesh he found there. He kissed on one side of her bra strap, then on the other, while his hands gently massaged her back. Instead of sliding them into her back pockets, he slid them into her pants---but not into her panties---and he cupped and squeezed her muscles. Willow moaned and dropped her head to his chest. The light dusting of hair there tickled her lips and nose when she inhaled deeply and absorbed the scent that was uniquely him and their pack.
"Can I take your pants off?" he asked quietly, while nuzzling her ear.
"As long as we get yours off, too," she whispered. She turned her head and caught his mouth in a kiss. "Fair's fair," she added in a mumbling voice.
Richard chuckled against her lips. Willow took advantage of his laughter and deepened the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed their bodies together even more; Richard turned them towards the bed, so the backs of his knees were against the mattress, while they continued to tease each other with lips and tongues.
Several kisses later, he pulled away and sat down. Willow moved to follow him; however, he prevented her from moving. He gripped her hips and lowered his head so he could kiss the soft line of her stomach. Willow gasped and looked down as he licked a path towards her navel. He peeked up at her with his still-slightly-amber eyes and she could have sworn she saw a smirk forming on his face. Before she could comment on his enjoyment (and her torment) he licked a path towards her breasts while his hands started to unfasten her pants.
He slowly eased her pants down her legs. She stepped out of them, feeling a little silly and very exposed in her underwear that was styled after boys' shorts and her sports bra. Richard smiled as he brushed a finger along the elastic waistband of her shorts; his nose crinkled a little in amusement as he dared to travel lower and trace over the fake Y-front flap of her shorts.
"Cute," he commented.
"Cute?"
He grinned at her. "I really like cute," he told her.
"Oh... okay, then," she whispered. "Your turn," she added.
Richard chuckled. "Not yet," he insisted.
"Richard..."
He moved quickly. He picked her up and he moved her onto the bed. She flopped onto her back and watched as he loomed over her body. Her mouth began to water as she looked into his hungry eyes, feeling his gaze ignite a hunger inside of her as well. Her hands smoothed themselves over his chest and they rested on his shoulders for a moment before traveling lower and sliding over his back.
The Ulfric kissed her. He nibbled on her lower lip for a moment before seeking a deeper kiss. He made her temperature increase and her heart pound; she knew he could feel and hear what he was doing to her. Her wolf, who had been so sated only moments ago in the clearing, suddenly seemed to be stalking around inside of her body. She wanted out and Willow didn't want to fight anymore. It had felt so good to let the wolf be free at the lupanar; she wanted to feel that again.
A low groan escaped her throat, only to be swallowed by Richard. She wriggled a little and moved her hands until they reached the waistband of his jeans. She wanted to feel skin on skin. She wanted him as exposed as she was, and even more. She tightened her grip on his jeans and she felt her arms move. She tugged and then she heard a loud ripping sound.
Richard lifted his head and ended the kiss abruptly. He looked over his shoulder. Willow lifted her head off of the pillows and saw that she had torn his jeans; they had been ragged enough that they shredded, but she suspected magic played some part in her actions.
"How'd you do that?"
"Don't know," she replied. She let the denim scraps fall to the bed. "Don't care, though." She cupped his face in her hands and forced him to look back at her. "Is it okay? I'm sorry if you were attached to them but---"
"I'm just running out of old clothes to wear on full moons," he interrupted. "How'd you do that... really, Willow."
"I... she... we..." she trailed off, unsure of how to explain herself.
He brushed his nose against hers. "Your beast," he whispered.
"I want you so much," she told him. "All of me... wants all of you."
"And you're not afraid of what this means?" he asked.
She bit back a sigh. She was a little frustrated with his hesitation, even if it was only to ensure that she was certain she wanted him and that private time together. She knew that once they really joined their bodies and spirits, that their relationship would be cemented. Not as solidified as her relationship with Asher, because of the vampire magic involved, but it would still be very solid. She would be his Lupa in every sense of the word---except for the one that meant that her body would turn into that of a werewolf every full moon. He would be her king as long as he was Ulfric for the pack. She wished he wouldn't hesitate; she thought he was sure.
"Sorry, but... I need to know," he whispered.
"Yeah," she agreed. She kissed his lips and then both of his cheeks. "I am sure about this," she murmured. "I don't want to hold back anymore, Richard. I want you to be yourself. I want you to show me---"
"I could hurt you---"
"No, you can't," she interrupted. "Not seriously, anyway. I have my wolfie side, Asher's marks, and the pentumvirate to protect me." She kissed him again. "Don't hold back because I'm not going to."
"What does that mean?"
She blushed. "Well, when... well... we floated for a while. Literally. In the air."
"Floating?"
"Yeah," she replied. "Floating." She brushed her thumbs over his lips. "Don't hold back," she whispered. "Promise me you won't hold back."
Richard sighed quietly. His breath teased the pads of her thumbs. "A lycanthrope can... can break a human's hips if he's not careful---"
"You won't hurt me," she interrupted.
"How---"
She cut him off again. "I trust you."
The Ulfric's eyes softened. "Just like that?"
Willow smiled and nodded. She slid one of her hands into his hair and gently nudged him down for a quick kiss. Then, she whispered, "Just like that, Richard. Just love me."
He finally smiled back at her. "Okay," he relented. Some of the tension seeped from his body and that caused Willow to relax a little bit as well. She felt as if the fight had left him, as if they would finally get to move onto everything they had decided upon a few moments ago, in the kitchen.
With a smirk, Richard gestured towards her remaining clothes and said, "You have to take those off."
"You're on top of me," she pointed out. "It's kinda hard to wriggle out of them when I'm tangled up in you."
"That can be easily fixed."
Richard fixed the situation. He eased off of her body and, while propping himself up on his side with one arm, he helped her writhe out of her sports bra. Willow blushed; he smiled into her eyes. When his hand traveled to her stomach---simply resting there and going nowhere---she sucked in a sharp breath. When he leaned in and pressed his open mouth to the swell of one of her breasts---only sucking a little---she shuddered and closed her eyes.
"Tasty," he whispered as he released her. He smirked and loomed over her; he lowered his mouth to her breast again and slowly sucked her nipple into his mouth.
"Stop teasing," she muttered.
Richard laughed softly against her skin. He kissed his way up to her lips and lingered there for a while. She enjoyed his kisses; they brought with them a faint flavour of forest from that night under the full moon. They warmed her better than the rising sun could, as its light streamed in through his bedroom windows' curtains. He hovered over her, instead of remaining at her side, and she could feel the heavy pulse of his arousal against her thigh. She wanted to reach down and touch him, explore him the same way he was exploring her, but she couldn't because he managed to pin her hands above her head without her realising what he had done.
"No fair," she whispered.
He grinned against her mouth. "Very fair," he whispered back between kisses. "Your hands cause quite a bit of damage."
Willow laughed after his good-natured teasing. He kissed his way down to her neck and he found the place Asher frequently liked to bite. Her laughter faded rather quickly; a moan leaked from her throat. She moved and turned her head but she could only reach behind his ear with her mouth. The scent of pack, of Ulfric, was so strong, though, and that made hidden or invisible parts of her rise to attention. She inhaled deeply. He stopped kissing her and returned the gesture. He buried his face in her hair below and slightly behind her ear and he breathed in deeply; a low growl escaped him and she felt his animalistic side greet hers.
Their instincts took over. Later, when Willow would look back on that moment, she would be able to admit to herself that much of the next few minutes were a blur. She vaguely remembered, between the kissing and the groping, that Richard managed to tug her shorts off. She could recall the feel of his cheeks' stubble against her inner thighs, but only as if it were a foggy watercolour painting of experiences. All she could remember clearly was the feeling that she had often associated with Asher---a sensation of completeness, brought on by finding a true partner.
Richard seemed to have more sense---or more experience dealing with the metaphysical in bed---and he stopped what they were doing to reach over her towards the bedside table. She blinked blearily for a moment to see that he was looking for a condom in the drawer. She breathed a sigh of relief. With Asher, she never worried about protection because the chances of him being able to reproduce were slim to none; however, with Richard, she would always have to worry about that. She wasn't sure the Circus of the Damned was a good place for a baby.
He kneeled between her legs and she watched him roll the latex sheath over his erection. For a moment, she wondered how on earth he was going to fit inside of her. A small flutter of panic welled up in her chest. She remembered the game in kindergarden with the shapes that fit into the appropriately shaped holes in a slab of wood; she had learned then that the rectangle block didn't fit into the square hole and she wondered if at that moment she would learn that Richard didn't fit into her.
As if he was reading her thoughts, he slid his hands up her legs. "Relax," he whispered. "We'll go at your pace," he added in a sincere tone of voice.
"Richard---"
She stopped talking and closed her eyes when she felt one of his fingers sliding into her core. It wiggled slowly, working its way into her body. Then, he slid another finger inside to join the first one. She whimpered and her hands gripped the bed covers. He spread his fingers apart and pumped in and out very patiently. A few minutes later, he added a third finger.
"Just take a deep breath," he whispered. He leaned over her as he continued to prepare her, stretching her as he teased her nerves even more. After a kiss, he lifted his head and said, "How does that feel?"
"G-good," Willow said as she exhaled shakily. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Just... a little more, okay?"
Richard nodded and kissed her again.
Willow lost herself in his manual ministrations. She closed her eyes again and rocked with his hand. He toyed with her but in a methodical fashion; he never let her get too close to climax and he was very concerned about gradually stretching her and getting her muscles to relax. After what seemed like entirely too long, though, she didn't think she could stand any more teasing. Thoughts of the kindergarden shapes game had long since faded from the front of her mind. When she told him that she was ready, he told her to open his eyes and tell her again. When she did, he arched an eyebrow in silent question.
"Richard, stop teasing," she insisted.
"Are you sure?"
She pouted and nodded.
He smiled before leaning down and drawing her lower lip into his mouth. He sucked and nibbled on it. As he did that, he slowly removed his fingers and replaced them with something much more solid. She felt his flesh press against her entrance, clumsily seeking permission for a moment before his hand guided it as his hips slowly pushed forward. Willow moved her legs apart, as widely apart as they would move, and she wriggled a little; it was too hot and too intense but not enough at the same time, and she didn't really know what to think or do.
The wolf inside of her batted at his. For a moment, Willow wondered if she would see the spirits between them if she opened her eyes. When she did look up, though, she saw Richard staring down at her; his eyes were nearly all amber and she could see a struggle for control still in his face.
It only took a few seconds to make a decision. She hadn't been completely aware of making the decision and she suspected her inner werewolf had more to do with it than her human mind, but those facts didn't seem to matter. Her hands slid down to to his lower back before inching down, over his muscled flesh, as if trying to reach the tops of his thighs. Her legs reached up and wrapped around his waist. She pulled him closer.
Richard buried himself to the hilt. The end of him hit the end of her and for a moment her vision turned bright white. There was pain but then there was something else---something warmer and much nicer---and she didn't mind the pain so much.
Their wolves met as their bodies met and Willow lost track of where the spirits and the bodies began and ended. Everything about and between them had blurred. For a moment she had a vision of being in a forest, Richard pressed against her back, and then before she knew it, she was on the bed with him hovering above her. For a split second she thought she had felt the sensation of fur in the vision, but then Richard changed the angle of his thrusts and Willow's mind seemed to shatter.
She had a vision of the lupanar, of the pack watching them claim each other as mates and leaders, and the firelight from torches made Richard's eyes even more entrancing. The howls and yips of the pack were their soundtrack as they announced their primitive marriage. A voice in the back of her mind told her that she should be doing that on the next full moon but before she could tell Raina to go away, Richard nipped the side of her neck and growled.
"Tell her to go away," he warned. "This is our time."
Willow couldn't find the words to tell Richard that Raina never really went anywhere---for a while, she suspected that Anita was just ignoring the former Lupa or was just completely oblivious to the little comments she liked to make at the most inopportune moments. She didn't want to talk. She didn't want to tell him that the dead were never really gone. She wanted to focus on living and on what was happening between them.
As if he could tell that she was struggling with some thoughts, he stilled his hips. She whined in protest. He pulled out of her body and she nearly howled in disappointment. He flipped her over before she could even think to struggle against him.
He gripped the back of her neck with one of his hands. A tingling sensation developed along her spine and it traveled directly into the pit of her abdomen, electric and warm and completely unexpected. It reminded her of her time in the dungeon with Asher and Nathaniel for a moment; then, she felt her wolf still in anticipation and she knew something else was about to happen.
Richard released her neck and gripped her hips in his hands. Without warning, he forced his way back into her body, joining them together in one fluid thrust of his own hips. Willow whimpered---but she didn't know if it was because his actions hurt or pleasured her. She could smell the forest, Richard's presence around her, and the clean scent of morning that came shortly after sunrise. She could feel the bed, the sheets, Richard's skin, and the odd sense of fur brushing along her insides. And then there was the rhythm he was pounding out and forcing her to follow.
She rocked back against him and squeezed her hidden muscles around him, even though the latter was difficult to do because she almost felt as if those muscles were being forced to move in the opposite direction. His hands traveled over her body, cupping and caressing when they could, and she felt his breath hot on her shoulder. Everything about their experience contributed to the intensity of sensation brewing deep inside of her. Every nerve in her body felt as if it were vibrating excitedly. She wanted to collapse but she wanted to continue.
Their wolf spirits were mating the same way they were; their frenzied actions and the brushes of fur between their bodies seemed to enhance what Willow was feeling. It almost felt as if she were experiencing an out-of-body moment at the same time---but everything was very much inside of her body.
Richard nipped her shoulder. He brought her out of her disintegrating thoughts.
"Close?" he asked, rasping a little.
She nodded and shifted her weight so that she could reach back with one hand and caress whatever of Richard's body that was within her grasp. She connected with his arm and then followed it up to his shoulder and neck. Richard caught her hand and kissed her fingers. His other hand left her hip and it traveled around her stomach, to settle in the apex of her thighs. His fingers moved in slow circles, seeking something. When he found those exposed, swollen nerves, Willow yelped and moaned his name. Her body stilled and she couldn't do anything but wait for the waves that were building inside of her abdomen. Part of her mind was telling her to shoo his hand away, to stop what he was doing, and the rest of her was desperate to feel climax crash over her.
Richard roared and stopped moving with one more final push. Her muscles were pulsing and she knew that hadn't helped him hold out any longer. She was breathing shakily and when it became too much, she whined and shuddered. Her knees and elbows were threatening to stop supporting her. Even Richard seemed unsteady.
A moment after she thought that, he collapsed. She collapsed under the weight of him and even though she knew he would squish her if he stayed on top of her for too long, she instinctually remained where she was.
His fingers strummed along her ribcage. Then, he slowly eased them onto their sides. He remained inside of her, though, as if they were simply taking a brief moment to catch their collective breath.
The wolf inside of her was still, too. She had a fleeting image of the Lupa and Ulfric standing tail to tail, but then Richard kissed her shoulder and rubbed his hand over her stomach.
"Wow," she whispered, unable to say anything more constructive.
He chuckled lazily and kissed her neck. After a moment, he asked, "Are you okay?"
"Very," she mumbled around a yawn.
"Sleep," he advised. "I'll watch over you."
Willow wanted to tell him that there were no dangers, no predators lurking in the woods. But, an odd sensation was washing over her. Contentment combined with exhaustion, from the run and hunt as well as from their mating, was seeping into every bone and every muscle. He was still heavy inside of her but that didn't bother her too much. She closed her eyes and kissed his forearm, as it was cradling her head. Then, darkness claimed her and she fell into a very peaceful sleep.
TBC...
AUTHOR: 38gnihsurc
RATING: 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, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20-1, 22-3, 24-5, 26-7, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36-7, 38, 39-40, 41
PART FORTY-TWO
After Richard shifted back into his human form, after the others recovered and had been tended to in the early morning, he took Willow to his house.
Nothing had been said while he tugged on his worn-out jeans and t-shirt. Willow nibbled on her lower lip as she watched Stephen and Jason take Seeley towards the area where everyone parked their cars. She waved slightly at them; Jason smiled at her and then caught the new addition to their pack as he stumbled slightly. Richard stood behind her, one of his hands gently toying with her red hair, and they watched everyone leave the lupanar. Then, when they were alone, he slid his hand to her back and he guided her out of their sacred place.
Nothing had been said while he drove his car back to his home. Willow sat in the front seat and watched the familiar sights come into view; she kept one hand on the shoulder strap of her seat belt and the other hand in Richard's hand. When he parked the car in the driveway, he jumped out of the vehicle first. Willow had been surprised by the sudden burst of energy, but she enjoyed how he came to her side of the car and opened the door for her.
Nothing had been said while they walked into his home, through the front door, through the foyer, and into the kitchen. Willow shrugged out of her cardigan and set it on the back of a kitchen chair. Richard set his keys on the countertop and he checked his phone messages. He opened the fridge and pulled out two bottles of water. Silently, he offered one to Willow; she accepted it and drank from it, as did he.
She couldn't figure out what to say to him. She wasn't feeling guilty---Asher knew the full moon was her time with the wolves and he fully expected her to become Richard's Lupa in all sense of the words. She was feeling incredibly nervous, though. She had been trying to move slowly with Richard because she hadn't been entirely sure that he was ready for another relationship in which he wasn't the woman's main man. His relationship with Anita was still uneasy most of the time; Willow valued her partnership with the Ulfric and she didn't want to lose it.
They looked from the windows, to the appliances, to each other, and then quickly away to other things again.
Richard chuckled, breaking their silence. Willow looked back at him, away from the little cartoon magnets on his refrigerator, and she felt her lips curve into a smile.
She spoke first.
"I'm nervous," she admitted.
"Why?"
Willow rolled her eyes. "Richard... I didn't come here for water."
He leaned back against the counter and smiled. His expression feigned innocence. "You didn't?"
"No," she said quietly as she approached him. "And you know that," she added.
Richard nodded slowly, after a long pause. He set his bottle of water on the counter and he reached out for her. His hand wrapped around her wrist as he tugged her closer; when she was closer, he put his hand on her hip. He kissed her forehead and then whispered into her hair.
"Why are you nervous?"
Willow inhaled deeply. Then, she closed her eyes and leaned into his warmth as she opened her mouth and spoke. "We... haven't... done this before," she told him. "I mean... we've done stuff... but... this is... well... more."
Both of his hands cupped her from behind as he drew her in even closer to his body. Willow sucked in a sharp breath; she exhaled after looking into his face. His eyes still held a touch of the wolf, so the amber gleam was quite visible. "You... part of you ran with me tonight," he whispered solemnly. "I mean, you accepted... what I did to you... you've seen me change," he said, continuing in that same serious and quiet voice, "and you've embraced the pack as a part of your family. You come with us to the lupanar to celebrate what we are... and you embrace my wolf better than I do a lot of the time." He paused and slid one of his hands up to her face. "We've done so much... and... all of that stuff is great---don't get me wrong, Willow---but part of you ran with me tonight. You... you did some sort of spell and your inner werewolf ran with me through the woods!"
The witch smiled. "I didn't... really do a spell," she murmured. "I just... wanted to be with you so badly."
"That was dangerous," he said. "You could have shifted."
"I was afraid I might," she whispered. "I wasn't ready to... to do that." She blushed and then quickly added: "I'm not opposed to it, Richard, really. I just---"
"Want to be prepared."
She nodded when he finished her sentence.
Richard smiled at her and kissed her other cheek, the one he wasn't cupping in his hand. "I can understand that," he said. He grinned a little bit more. "Willow, you ran with us tonight."
His grin was contagious. She smiled back at him. "It wasn't really me---" she stopped and then she blushed. "Okay, it was amazing," she admitted. "I felt it all... the trees, the ground... the rest of the pack around us. I... it was awesome."
"It really was," he told her, nodding in agreement. "And it's gonna get better."
Willow arched an eyebrow. "You sound pretty sure about that."
He nodded again. "Oh, yeah," he said. "Remember what happened when we let our wolves play together, in my bed?" He waited until she nodded. Then, he continued talking. "Well, imagine what it will be like when they're together... when we're together---completely."
"Oh... right."
Richard laughed quietly and hugged her to him. "So, are you still nervous?" he asked.
"Aren't you?"
"Of course," he confessed. "I'm nervous I'll hurt you... I'm nervous I'll lose control---"
"Not about that," she interrupted. "Aren't you nervous about... seizing the day?"
"It's all connected," he pointed out.
She shook her head slightly. "No... I mean... don't you feel little flutters when you think about... well... we've never done this before!"
"I know," he whispered. He kissed her forehead. He stooped lower and kissed the bridge of her nose. "And I'm glad we're here. I'm glad we took our time... actually, I'm relieved, too. I know I want you, Willow. And not just because we're Ulfric and Lupa. I want you in my bed."
"You know it doesn't change my relationship with---"
"I know," he repeated.
She peeked up at him. "Richard, seriously. Because if we go down this road and---"
"I told you once that when it was going to be the two of us, finally alone and finally ready, he wouldn't be here," he said, cutting in. "But, I didn't mean permanently. I just meant not in the room." He kissed her lips once and then straightened slightly. "The past year's been tough. It's made me think a lot."
"Yeah," she agreed.
He nodded. "And, we're all in this together. I know that. Does it bother you that I may sleep with Anita?"
Willow shook her head. "Nope. Asher does sometimes. We don't... really talk about it. But, I know when he has his dates with her and Jean-Claude." She put her hands on his chest. "I know he loves me. He knows I love him. He knows I love you, too, Richard."
"We're all in this together," he echoed.
"Not literally, because... whoa, too many hands, but---"
Richard's laughter cut Willow off. She smiled up at him and watched as he regained control of himself. "God, you crack me up sometimes," he murmured affectionately.
"We're okay?"
He nodded again. "We're okay."
Willow nibbled on her lower lip for a moment and then she said, "Let's go to bed."
Richard adjusted his hold on her as she stepped away from him. He didn't pick her up; he didn't hold her hand. Instead, he followed her as they walked out of the kitchen and down the hall to the master bedroom. Willow didn't hesitate until she reached the threshold of the room. Richard didn't stumble, though; he settled his hands on her waist and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
"Everything alright?"
"Yeah," she whispered. She put her hands down on top of his. "It's just... it's all gonna change now, isn't it?"
"Are these second thoughts you're having?"
The witch turned her thoughts inward for a moment. She examined her feelings before speaking. "No," she said honestly. "Just an observation."
"Are you opposed to moving forward?"
She shook her head. "No," she replied, "we've been circling around this for a while now. I'm ready... if you're ready."
He pushed his body against hers and slid his hands down over the tops of her thighs. She felt his hard body and the warmth it possessed; then, she felt how aroused he was becoming. She shivered---but whether it was from the warmth, his hands, or the fact that he enjoyed being so close to her, she couldn't tell.
"I'm ready," he whispered.
Willow took the first step towards the bed. Richard followed but he didn't push her. He was patient, taking his steps only after she took hers. She went to the bed and brushed her fingers over the comforter. But before she could climb onto the mattress, she reached for the hem of her shirt and she pulled it over her head in one fluid movement. Then, she turned and faced Richard.
"I didn't think I'd be here," she said gesturing to the comfortable sports bra she was wearing. "And Asher hasn't burned all of these yet, so---"
Richard grinned. "Hold your ground," he advised. "I think you look great in that."
Willow blushed and smiled. "Well, you know how... well, with garters and proper attire and things... you know how they can be."
"I'm more concerned with what's underneath," he said.
"Oh."
His grin softened and he stepped towards her as he tugged his own shirt off. He took hers and threw both of them onto the floor by the foot of the bed. The sight of his broad chest and shoulders made her suck in a sharp breath before she reached out and brushed one hand between his pectoral muscles. His skin was soft, warm, and giving. Touching it intimately was so different from touching her vampire's flesh, which was more akin to a statue than anything else. Asher loved her and she loved him; she would never walk away from him willingly. But there was something intense about feeling a pulse beating underneath his skin and muscles, about feeling his body yield to hers as she prodded and massaged it.
Richard allowed her to explore his body, even though she touched him many times before that, and he didn't do anything other than hold her hips or kiss her forehead from time to time. After several minutes passed, though, he started to explore her skin. He brushed her hair off of her shoulder and he lowered his mouth to the flesh he found there. He kissed on one side of her bra strap, then on the other, while his hands gently massaged her back. Instead of sliding them into her back pockets, he slid them into her pants---but not into her panties---and he cupped and squeezed her muscles. Willow moaned and dropped her head to his chest. The light dusting of hair there tickled her lips and nose when she inhaled deeply and absorbed the scent that was uniquely him and their pack.
"Can I take your pants off?" he asked quietly, while nuzzling her ear.
"As long as we get yours off, too," she whispered. She turned her head and caught his mouth in a kiss. "Fair's fair," she added in a mumbling voice.
Richard chuckled against her lips. Willow took advantage of his laughter and deepened the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed their bodies together even more; Richard turned them towards the bed, so the backs of his knees were against the mattress, while they continued to tease each other with lips and tongues.
Several kisses later, he pulled away and sat down. Willow moved to follow him; however, he prevented her from moving. He gripped her hips and lowered his head so he could kiss the soft line of her stomach. Willow gasped and looked down as he licked a path towards her navel. He peeked up at her with his still-slightly-amber eyes and she could have sworn she saw a smirk forming on his face. Before she could comment on his enjoyment (and her torment) he licked a path towards her breasts while his hands started to unfasten her pants.
He slowly eased her pants down her legs. She stepped out of them, feeling a little silly and very exposed in her underwear that was styled after boys' shorts and her sports bra. Richard smiled as he brushed a finger along the elastic waistband of her shorts; his nose crinkled a little in amusement as he dared to travel lower and trace over the fake Y-front flap of her shorts.
"Cute," he commented.
"Cute?"
He grinned at her. "I really like cute," he told her.
"Oh... okay, then," she whispered. "Your turn," she added.
Richard chuckled. "Not yet," he insisted.
"Richard..."
He moved quickly. He picked her up and he moved her onto the bed. She flopped onto her back and watched as he loomed over her body. Her mouth began to water as she looked into his hungry eyes, feeling his gaze ignite a hunger inside of her as well. Her hands smoothed themselves over his chest and they rested on his shoulders for a moment before traveling lower and sliding over his back.
The Ulfric kissed her. He nibbled on her lower lip for a moment before seeking a deeper kiss. He made her temperature increase and her heart pound; she knew he could feel and hear what he was doing to her. Her wolf, who had been so sated only moments ago in the clearing, suddenly seemed to be stalking around inside of her body. She wanted out and Willow didn't want to fight anymore. It had felt so good to let the wolf be free at the lupanar; she wanted to feel that again.
A low groan escaped her throat, only to be swallowed by Richard. She wriggled a little and moved her hands until they reached the waistband of his jeans. She wanted to feel skin on skin. She wanted him as exposed as she was, and even more. She tightened her grip on his jeans and she felt her arms move. She tugged and then she heard a loud ripping sound.
Richard lifted his head and ended the kiss abruptly. He looked over his shoulder. Willow lifted her head off of the pillows and saw that she had torn his jeans; they had been ragged enough that they shredded, but she suspected magic played some part in her actions.
"How'd you do that?"
"Don't know," she replied. She let the denim scraps fall to the bed. "Don't care, though." She cupped his face in her hands and forced him to look back at her. "Is it okay? I'm sorry if you were attached to them but---"
"I'm just running out of old clothes to wear on full moons," he interrupted. "How'd you do that... really, Willow."
"I... she... we..." she trailed off, unsure of how to explain herself.
He brushed his nose against hers. "Your beast," he whispered.
"I want you so much," she told him. "All of me... wants all of you."
"And you're not afraid of what this means?" he asked.
She bit back a sigh. She was a little frustrated with his hesitation, even if it was only to ensure that she was certain she wanted him and that private time together. She knew that once they really joined their bodies and spirits, that their relationship would be cemented. Not as solidified as her relationship with Asher, because of the vampire magic involved, but it would still be very solid. She would be his Lupa in every sense of the word---except for the one that meant that her body would turn into that of a werewolf every full moon. He would be her king as long as he was Ulfric for the pack. She wished he wouldn't hesitate; she thought he was sure.
"Sorry, but... I need to know," he whispered.
"Yeah," she agreed. She kissed his lips and then both of his cheeks. "I am sure about this," she murmured. "I don't want to hold back anymore, Richard. I want you to be yourself. I want you to show me---"
"I could hurt you---"
"No, you can't," she interrupted. "Not seriously, anyway. I have my wolfie side, Asher's marks, and the pentumvirate to protect me." She kissed him again. "Don't hold back because I'm not going to."
"What does that mean?"
She blushed. "Well, when... well... we floated for a while. Literally. In the air."
"Floating?"
"Yeah," she replied. "Floating." She brushed her thumbs over his lips. "Don't hold back," she whispered. "Promise me you won't hold back."
Richard sighed quietly. His breath teased the pads of her thumbs. "A lycanthrope can... can break a human's hips if he's not careful---"
"You won't hurt me," she interrupted.
"How---"
She cut him off again. "I trust you."
The Ulfric's eyes softened. "Just like that?"
Willow smiled and nodded. She slid one of her hands into his hair and gently nudged him down for a quick kiss. Then, she whispered, "Just like that, Richard. Just love me."
He finally smiled back at her. "Okay," he relented. Some of the tension seeped from his body and that caused Willow to relax a little bit as well. She felt as if the fight had left him, as if they would finally get to move onto everything they had decided upon a few moments ago, in the kitchen.
With a smirk, Richard gestured towards her remaining clothes and said, "You have to take those off."
"You're on top of me," she pointed out. "It's kinda hard to wriggle out of them when I'm tangled up in you."
"That can be easily fixed."
Richard fixed the situation. He eased off of her body and, while propping himself up on his side with one arm, he helped her writhe out of her sports bra. Willow blushed; he smiled into her eyes. When his hand traveled to her stomach---simply resting there and going nowhere---she sucked in a sharp breath. When he leaned in and pressed his open mouth to the swell of one of her breasts---only sucking a little---she shuddered and closed her eyes.
"Tasty," he whispered as he released her. He smirked and loomed over her; he lowered his mouth to her breast again and slowly sucked her nipple into his mouth.
"Stop teasing," she muttered.
Richard laughed softly against her skin. He kissed his way up to her lips and lingered there for a while. She enjoyed his kisses; they brought with them a faint flavour of forest from that night under the full moon. They warmed her better than the rising sun could, as its light streamed in through his bedroom windows' curtains. He hovered over her, instead of remaining at her side, and she could feel the heavy pulse of his arousal against her thigh. She wanted to reach down and touch him, explore him the same way he was exploring her, but she couldn't because he managed to pin her hands above her head without her realising what he had done.
"No fair," she whispered.
He grinned against her mouth. "Very fair," he whispered back between kisses. "Your hands cause quite a bit of damage."
Willow laughed after his good-natured teasing. He kissed his way down to her neck and he found the place Asher frequently liked to bite. Her laughter faded rather quickly; a moan leaked from her throat. She moved and turned her head but she could only reach behind his ear with her mouth. The scent of pack, of Ulfric, was so strong, though, and that made hidden or invisible parts of her rise to attention. She inhaled deeply. He stopped kissing her and returned the gesture. He buried his face in her hair below and slightly behind her ear and he breathed in deeply; a low growl escaped him and she felt his animalistic side greet hers.
Their instincts took over. Later, when Willow would look back on that moment, she would be able to admit to herself that much of the next few minutes were a blur. She vaguely remembered, between the kissing and the groping, that Richard managed to tug her shorts off. She could recall the feel of his cheeks' stubble against her inner thighs, but only as if it were a foggy watercolour painting of experiences. All she could remember clearly was the feeling that she had often associated with Asher---a sensation of completeness, brought on by finding a true partner.
Richard seemed to have more sense---or more experience dealing with the metaphysical in bed---and he stopped what they were doing to reach over her towards the bedside table. She blinked blearily for a moment to see that he was looking for a condom in the drawer. She breathed a sigh of relief. With Asher, she never worried about protection because the chances of him being able to reproduce were slim to none; however, with Richard, she would always have to worry about that. She wasn't sure the Circus of the Damned was a good place for a baby.
He kneeled between her legs and she watched him roll the latex sheath over his erection. For a moment, she wondered how on earth he was going to fit inside of her. A small flutter of panic welled up in her chest. She remembered the game in kindergarden with the shapes that fit into the appropriately shaped holes in a slab of wood; she had learned then that the rectangle block didn't fit into the square hole and she wondered if at that moment she would learn that Richard didn't fit into her.
As if he was reading her thoughts, he slid his hands up her legs. "Relax," he whispered. "We'll go at your pace," he added in a sincere tone of voice.
"Richard---"
She stopped talking and closed her eyes when she felt one of his fingers sliding into her core. It wiggled slowly, working its way into her body. Then, he slid another finger inside to join the first one. She whimpered and her hands gripped the bed covers. He spread his fingers apart and pumped in and out very patiently. A few minutes later, he added a third finger.
"Just take a deep breath," he whispered. He leaned over her as he continued to prepare her, stretching her as he teased her nerves even more. After a kiss, he lifted his head and said, "How does that feel?"
"G-good," Willow said as she exhaled shakily. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Just... a little more, okay?"
Richard nodded and kissed her again.
Willow lost herself in his manual ministrations. She closed her eyes again and rocked with his hand. He toyed with her but in a methodical fashion; he never let her get too close to climax and he was very concerned about gradually stretching her and getting her muscles to relax. After what seemed like entirely too long, though, she didn't think she could stand any more teasing. Thoughts of the kindergarden shapes game had long since faded from the front of her mind. When she told him that she was ready, he told her to open his eyes and tell her again. When she did, he arched an eyebrow in silent question.
"Richard, stop teasing," she insisted.
"Are you sure?"
She pouted and nodded.
He smiled before leaning down and drawing her lower lip into his mouth. He sucked and nibbled on it. As he did that, he slowly removed his fingers and replaced them with something much more solid. She felt his flesh press against her entrance, clumsily seeking permission for a moment before his hand guided it as his hips slowly pushed forward. Willow moved her legs apart, as widely apart as they would move, and she wriggled a little; it was too hot and too intense but not enough at the same time, and she didn't really know what to think or do.
The wolf inside of her batted at his. For a moment, Willow wondered if she would see the spirits between them if she opened her eyes. When she did look up, though, she saw Richard staring down at her; his eyes were nearly all amber and she could see a struggle for control still in his face.
It only took a few seconds to make a decision. She hadn't been completely aware of making the decision and she suspected her inner werewolf had more to do with it than her human mind, but those facts didn't seem to matter. Her hands slid down to to his lower back before inching down, over his muscled flesh, as if trying to reach the tops of his thighs. Her legs reached up and wrapped around his waist. She pulled him closer.
Richard buried himself to the hilt. The end of him hit the end of her and for a moment her vision turned bright white. There was pain but then there was something else---something warmer and much nicer---and she didn't mind the pain so much.
Their wolves met as their bodies met and Willow lost track of where the spirits and the bodies began and ended. Everything about and between them had blurred. For a moment she had a vision of being in a forest, Richard pressed against her back, and then before she knew it, she was on the bed with him hovering above her. For a split second she thought she had felt the sensation of fur in the vision, but then Richard changed the angle of his thrusts and Willow's mind seemed to shatter.
She had a vision of the lupanar, of the pack watching them claim each other as mates and leaders, and the firelight from torches made Richard's eyes even more entrancing. The howls and yips of the pack were their soundtrack as they announced their primitive marriage. A voice in the back of her mind told her that she should be doing that on the next full moon but before she could tell Raina to go away, Richard nipped the side of her neck and growled.
"Tell her to go away," he warned. "This is our time."
Willow couldn't find the words to tell Richard that Raina never really went anywhere---for a while, she suspected that Anita was just ignoring the former Lupa or was just completely oblivious to the little comments she liked to make at the most inopportune moments. She didn't want to talk. She didn't want to tell him that the dead were never really gone. She wanted to focus on living and on what was happening between them.
As if he could tell that she was struggling with some thoughts, he stilled his hips. She whined in protest. He pulled out of her body and she nearly howled in disappointment. He flipped her over before she could even think to struggle against him.
He gripped the back of her neck with one of his hands. A tingling sensation developed along her spine and it traveled directly into the pit of her abdomen, electric and warm and completely unexpected. It reminded her of her time in the dungeon with Asher and Nathaniel for a moment; then, she felt her wolf still in anticipation and she knew something else was about to happen.
Richard released her neck and gripped her hips in his hands. Without warning, he forced his way back into her body, joining them together in one fluid thrust of his own hips. Willow whimpered---but she didn't know if it was because his actions hurt or pleasured her. She could smell the forest, Richard's presence around her, and the clean scent of morning that came shortly after sunrise. She could feel the bed, the sheets, Richard's skin, and the odd sense of fur brushing along her insides. And then there was the rhythm he was pounding out and forcing her to follow.
She rocked back against him and squeezed her hidden muscles around him, even though the latter was difficult to do because she almost felt as if those muscles were being forced to move in the opposite direction. His hands traveled over her body, cupping and caressing when they could, and she felt his breath hot on her shoulder. Everything about their experience contributed to the intensity of sensation brewing deep inside of her. Every nerve in her body felt as if it were vibrating excitedly. She wanted to collapse but she wanted to continue.
Their wolf spirits were mating the same way they were; their frenzied actions and the brushes of fur between their bodies seemed to enhance what Willow was feeling. It almost felt as if she were experiencing an out-of-body moment at the same time---but everything was very much inside of her body.
Richard nipped her shoulder. He brought her out of her disintegrating thoughts.
"Close?" he asked, rasping a little.
She nodded and shifted her weight so that she could reach back with one hand and caress whatever of Richard's body that was within her grasp. She connected with his arm and then followed it up to his shoulder and neck. Richard caught her hand and kissed her fingers. His other hand left her hip and it traveled around her stomach, to settle in the apex of her thighs. His fingers moved in slow circles, seeking something. When he found those exposed, swollen nerves, Willow yelped and moaned his name. Her body stilled and she couldn't do anything but wait for the waves that were building inside of her abdomen. Part of her mind was telling her to shoo his hand away, to stop what he was doing, and the rest of her was desperate to feel climax crash over her.
Richard roared and stopped moving with one more final push. Her muscles were pulsing and she knew that hadn't helped him hold out any longer. She was breathing shakily and when it became too much, she whined and shuddered. Her knees and elbows were threatening to stop supporting her. Even Richard seemed unsteady.
A moment after she thought that, he collapsed. She collapsed under the weight of him and even though she knew he would squish her if he stayed on top of her for too long, she instinctually remained where she was.
His fingers strummed along her ribcage. Then, he slowly eased them onto their sides. He remained inside of her, though, as if they were simply taking a brief moment to catch their collective breath.
The wolf inside of her was still, too. She had a fleeting image of the Lupa and Ulfric standing tail to tail, but then Richard kissed her shoulder and rubbed his hand over her stomach.
"Wow," she whispered, unable to say anything more constructive.
He chuckled lazily and kissed her neck. After a moment, he asked, "Are you okay?"
"Very," she mumbled around a yawn.
"Sleep," he advised. "I'll watch over you."
Willow wanted to tell him that there were no dangers, no predators lurking in the woods. But, an odd sensation was washing over her. Contentment combined with exhaustion, from the run and hunt as well as from their mating, was seeping into every bone and every muscle. He was still heavy inside of her but that didn't bother her too much. She closed her eyes and kissed his forearm, as it was cradling her head. Then, darkness claimed her and she fell into a very peaceful sleep.
TBC...