Undercovers (2/6) [Cara/Kahlan]
Undercovers (2/6)
In which Cara and Kahlan infiltrate a Mord Sith temple to try and retrieve a very ~powerful~ amulet. Will they be able to fool Cara's former sisters for long enough to complete their mission and get out unscathed? Or perhaps the more important question: will Cara be able to resist Kahlan in full Mord Sith leather?
cara/kahlan - R
a/n: Post Season 2. The Keeper has been vanquished, Darken Rahl has returned from the dead, and I'm going to pretend that Zedd never cast that spell of undoing and thus Dahlia is still alive.
previously: part one
“Kahlan,” Cara whispered sharply, shoving Kahlan’s shoulder on top of the blanket. Weak sunlight was streaming in through the high windows in the stone above their heads, casting long shadows across the bottom of the bed Kahlan and Cara were sharing. A dazzling stripe of light was painted across Kahlan’s face, making her squint her eyes as she came suddenly awake. “Kahlan,” Cara said again, this time wrapping her hand around the Confessor’s arm and dragging her halfway across the bed.
Kahlan moaned groggily, trying to get her bearings while being forcibly yanked in Cara’s direction. “Cara, what are you - ”
Cara lifted up the blanket before Kahlan could finish her question. “Get under, quickly.” She pressed her free hand into Kahlan’s back, trying to force her downward. The sleepy look on Kahlan’s face transformed into one of panic as she caught sight of Cara’s naked body beneath the sheets. She practically squeaked as Cara gave her an exasperated look. “Someone is outside the door,” she said softly, gesturing toward the front of their room with her eyes.
“Dahlia?” Kahlan mouthed wordlessly, perched on her elbow halfway underneath the blanket.
Cara nodded and gave her head another push. “Get between my legs.”
Kahlan’s blue eyes widened in shock at the request. “What? Cara I don’t think - ”
“The only reason you would be in this bed with me is if you were servicing me,” Cara said bluntly. Kahlan’s cheeks flamed at the thought. “Just pretend. Hurry.”
Kahlan took a breath as if she were submerging herself under water and finally ducked the rest of the way beneath the blanket just as she heard the door to their chambers pop open. Cara had a hand on the back of her head, pushing down as she arched her body up suggestively. Kahlan felt a full body flush race across her skin as she tried to look anywhere but where Cara was pushing her.
Even though she was only pretending to give Cara pleasure, the blonde was surely not pretending to be completely nude.
A wholly indecent moan slipped from Cara’s mouth as she pushed at Kahlan’s head, making the blanket bob between her legs suggestively. Kahlan’s chin bumped against the taut skin of Cara’s lower stomach as she tried to avoid touching anywhere improper. Although the door had opened, Kahlan had not heard it shut, or anyone retreat, so she was fairly certain Dahlia was still in the room watching. Cara let out another lewd string of groans, getting progressively louder as her hips canted rhythmically against an imaginary mouth. Kahlan flushed deeper at the sounds Cara was making, and she couldn’t help but feel a bit flattered at the imaginary pleasure Cara thought her capable of. As Cara geared up for a massive release, Kahlan looped her arms around bare, tan thighs and held on for fear of being kicked from beneath the sheets. She could feel Cara’s leg muscles jump at the contact, could feel her stomach clench every time her cheek bumped against it. She was even fairly sure she could smell her every time she dared an intake of breath. By the time Cara finally settled back down onto the mattress, Kahlan felt rather worked up. She bit at her lips, making them swollen and red to help perpetrate their ruse, and then crawled back up to the top of the bed to free herself from the charged atmosphere beneath the sheets.
Cara kept a hand on her arm to prevent her from crawling too far away, so she ended up laying half on top of her side as she finally emerged into the light with a mess of tangled hair and falsely shiny lips. Cara’s pupils dilated slightly as they made eye contact for a moment, and then she was shooting a disinterested glance in the direction of the door.
“Is there something you needed, Dahlia?” Cara asked, trailing a hand lightly up and down Kahlan’s side, making her shiver. She was doing it under the blanket, out of Dahlia’s field of vision, and Kahlan wasn’t sure if she was entirely aware of her actions. It was almost a natural follow up of their pretend intimacy. Regardless of her motivations, Kahlan did not move to stop her.
Dahlia cocked her hip out, placing a hand on it arrogantly, reminding Kahlan grudgingly of Cara. “I just had to see for myself if this pet of yours was worth your possessiveness of her.” Dahlia finally slid her gaze to Kahlan. She actually looked mildly impressed.
Kahlan squirmed under her piercing gaze, feeling like she should be doing something other than awkwardly perching against Cara’s side. She took stock of her situation - she was naked, pressed against Cara’s equally naked body, having just emerged from a decidedly intimate couple of minutes between Cara’s thighs, all under the watchful gaze of a very curious Mord Sith. She really had no more modesty left to hold on to. Acting on impulse, Kahlan turned her head back in Cara’s direction, lowering her mouth to the smooth skin of Cara’s neck and biting down gently, laving the spot with a long lick of her tongue. Kahlan didn’t figure Mord Sith for sweetly kissing on the mouth after sex (or in any situation that did not involve using a kiss to physically dominate someone), so she decided on the next best thing. Biting seemed like something Cara would be into.
Cara jumped slightly underneath her at the feel of teeth almost breaking skin, loosing a groan so soft that only Kahlan could hear it. Kahlan tried not to think about which parts of this whole exchange were for show and which were actual reactions to her proximity. Crossing those lines could get more than a little bit messy for them both. Especially with their acquisition of the amulet on the line. Cara threaded a hand into the hair at the back of Kahlan’s skull, pressing her back down to the crook of her neck, effectively giving Kahlan something to do while Dahlia was still in the room. She started peppering light nips along the skin of her shoulder and pulse point as she felt Cara’s voice vibrate up and out of her mouth.
“And?” Cara asked cockily. Her hand was now pressed firmly against the small of Kahlan’s back, and it took all of Kahlan’s considerable will power not to press the front of her body more tightly against the blonde. Her head felt fuzzy and her heart was pounding.
“I should know not to doubt your taste in women,” Dahlia finally conceded.
Cara hummed in response. “If that will be all? We’re a bit busy here.” She used the hand nested in Kahlan’s hair to suddenly yank her back and away from the spot she had been deliciously nibbling on. Kahlan gasped at the unexpected jerk of pain and then found herself quickly flipped onto her back with a very warm Mord Sith straddling her completely. Cara leaned down, capturing her lips in a rough, demanding kiss, effectively dismissing Dahlia without a word.
Kahlan heard Dahlia’s footsteps start to retreat from the room, as if she were backing her way out, and then her twinkling, childlike laugh bounced it’s way across the walls. “You used to love it when I watched! I guess you have changed more than I thought, Cara. Enjoy your pet whore.” In response to Dahlia’s taunting call, Cara only moaned loudly, and slid her tongue swiftly into Kahlan’s already open mouth. Kahlan moaned too, taking her cues from Cara, and arched herself up exaggeratedly, pressing their bodies closer than they had been the entire time Dahlia had been in the room. Cara pressed back down forcefully, as Kahlan knew she would, pinning her to the bed as she swiped her velvet tongue against the entire length of Kahlan’s again and again. Dahlia finally tired of being ignored, and the echo of the closing door followed after her retreating footfalls.
Pulling back from Kahlan’s lips with a wet pop at the sound of the door closing, Cara propped herself on her elbows, hovering over Kahlan’s face. She darted her green eyes quickly between Kahlan’s deep blue ones, noting how unfocused and hooded they looked. Kahlan returned the curious stare, and thought for a moment that Cara was going to apologize, but instead she darted her eyes one last time to Kahlan’s parted lips and then rolled over and off the bed.
Kahlan stayed put, lying on her back and staring at the ceiling, concentrating on getting her breathing back under control. She couldn’t figure out exactly when she had let her body’s reactions run away with her. Her tongue slipped out of her mouth, licking gently against her kiss swollen lips. She could taste Cara and blood from her reopened split lip.
“Sorry about that,” Cara finally tossed vaguely from the other side of the room. Kahlan could hear her tugging laces. “I forgot about your lip.” Kahlan traced the cut absently with a fingertip, too absorbed in the ceiling to answer her. She wasn’t sure what she would even say anyway. Cara swiped the hair off of her face as she tugged her leathers into place, eyeing Kahlan’s sprawled form. The Confessor seemed to have gone mute. Usually Cara couldn’t get her to shut up.
“Get dressed,” she finally said, tossing Kahlan’s leathers onto the bed beside her. “We need to figure out when the treasure room guards switch shifts.”
Back to business as usual, Kahlan thought, slowly pulling her red leather up and over her body, finally covering it. The feel of it sliding smoothly along her skin jolted her out of her momentary daze, and she sat up, clutching the material to her chest. Cara regarded her oddly from the other side of the bed. Kahlan got the impression Cara both wanted and desperately didn’t want to talk about what had just happened. They were undercover right? Keeping up appearances. Dahlia could be a major problem if their deceit was discovered. Kahlan let it drop.
“Will you braid my hair?” she finally asked, tugging the tight leather over her limbs. She never thought she’d miss her corset and dress so much. Cara stepped up behind her, wordlessly combing her fingers through Kahlan’s tangle of hair. Their elaborate ruse had certainly wreaked havoc with her long tresses.
“Thank the spirits we don’t have to do this to your hair every day,” Cara said somewhat awkwardly, clearly trying to ease the tense mood that had settled over their room. Kahlan’s face broke out into a lopsided grin at Cara’s attempt at making small talk. Only a few months before, Cara would not have even attempted such a social nicety, let alone attempted it to put Kahlan at ease. She found it quite sweet.
Kahlan was just starting to pull on her gloves a few minutes later, when she noticed a red mark on Cara’s neck. Without thinking, she reached out to grab the other woman’s arm, stopping her before she reached the bedroom door. Cara froze, eyeing the brunette curiously as long fingers brushed the hair off her shoulder. “Oh,” Kahlan said, realizing belatedly what the mark was and how it had gotten there. She rubbed her thumb gently along the four perfect teeth marks glaring red against Cara’s otherwise perfect, golden skin. “Sorry,” she said sheepishly as Cara shrugged. The blonde brought her still bare hand up to Kahlan’s lip, passing it over the split she had reopened. It stung ever so slightly at the friction.
“Now we match,” she breathed softly. Kahlan nodded slightly, sucking her bottom lip into her mouth absently once Cara had retracted her finger and turned to open the door. She imagined she could taste her skin there.
They both walked out into the empty hallway without another word.
It was really a stroke of luck that the hallway passing outside the treasure room was on the way to a lot of legitimate places. It wasn’t like they had to skulk around in the lower reaches of the temple to try and catch a peek at who was standing watch. The morning guard was a tall, lean soldier who carried an axe in his belt. He looked capable enough, but wasn’t anything that Cara and Kahlan couldn’t handle. They made quick work of taking stock of his weapons and where he liked to stand before heading down to the dining hall for breakfast.
Kahlan took her place behind Cara as they picked their way through a throng of fierce looking Mord Sith. Kahlan found herself unconsciously looking out for Dahlia. She couldn’t decide if it would be best to keep eyes on her at all times, or to hope that she would stay far, far away. It turned out she didn’t have to wonder for long because Dahlia came sidling up beside them after only a moment.
She spoke to Cara as if Kahlan weren’t there, bragging about a new capture she had made - a young man who supposedly knew the whereabouts of the Seeker and Mother Confessor. Cara’s interest perked up at the mention of the Mother Confessor, and Kahlan concentrated on looking anywhere but at Dahlia.
“Why don’t you come have a look? I could use your expertise,” Dahlia said, finally arriving at the point of her conversation: getting Cara away from Kahlan. Baiting her with news of her former companions was exactly the right information to use.
Kahlan was uneasy at the prospect of separating from the only person in the temple she trusted, but if the man truly knew anything about her, it would be too monumental a risk to accompany Cara only to be recognized for who she truly was. Cara shot her a questioning glance, and Kahlan nodded slightly that she’d be okay on her own for a bit.
Cara ordered her back to their chambers with a tray of food and a list of things that needed getting done. Turning her back to Dahlia for a moment, she then mouthed watch the guards.
“Yes Mistress Cara,” Kahlan replied submissively as she backed away from the two blondes and headed back in the direction she had just come from. It was going to be a long morning.
As morning turned to late afternoon, Kahlan made her third pass along the hallway outside the treasure room. Cara had still not returned from her excursion with Dahlia and Kahlan was starting to become a bit worried. The blonde could surely handle herself, but they were in a temple full of Mord Sith. It wouldn’t take much for something to go wrong. Kahlan chewed on her lip as she darted her gaze toward the guard standing watch; it was a different man from that morning. This man was stockier and was carrying a sword instead of an axe. Kahlan filed the details away with all of the others she had accrued since breakfast. During all of her free time that morning, Kahlan had been attempting to ward off thoughts of what Cara was doing with Dahlia by running through potential scenarios for retrieving the amulet. She had pretty much made up her mind that it would work in their favor to confess the guard rather than incapacitate him with death. They could have him keep watch while they were inside and then order him back to his post once they were done, leaving no physical evidence of their theft behind them. She was just about to turn around and head down an adjacent hallway and back to her room when she caught sight of Cara and Dahlia walking toward her, side by side, quite a bit further down the corridor. She froze, pressing herself tightly against the wall in an effort not to be seen. She was very curious as to what exactly Cara and Dahlia’s relationship had once been, and this seemed like the perfect chance to covertly observe them.
Kahlan let her eyes rove over the familiar features of Cara’s face. She looked relaxed, sated, the way she normally did after a good battle. Kahlan’s stomach twisted again at the thought of what had been the cause of that expression. Torture? Sex? The two were Cara’s primary outlets when she needed release, and Kahlan wasn’t sure which one would be worse in this situation. She felt anger bubbling up inside of her at the thought of Dahlia encouraging Cara to torture the man she had captured. Her nails dug into the stone wall as an even worse thought flashed through her mind - Dahlia kneeling between Cara’s legs. Just the thought of it nearly caused her to vault out from her hiding spot to grab the other woman by the throat. Instead of doing so, she dug her fingers into the grooves between the stones of the wall she was pressing against and focused herself on quieting her breathing so she could hear what the two were discussing. Unfortunately, neither was speaking loud enough to be heard.
Kahlan’s hiding spot was about ten paces from becoming visible to the two women briskly walking toward her, so she darted back down the hall she had been heading for, quickly making her way back to their bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind her.
It was only a minute or so later when Kahlan heard the flat tones of Cara’s voice carry through the wooden door. “I don’t think so,” she said, voice muffled. Kahlan stood absolutely still, ears straining to pick up Dahlia’s voice.
“Suit yourself,” Dahlia finally spoke. There was silence in the hall for an endless string of seconds, and then Kahlan jumped as Cara suddenly pushed open the door. The blonde gave her an odd look at finding her staring fixedly at the back of the door.
“Something wrong?” she asked, giving Kahlan a questioning glance from the side of her eye.
“What have you been doing all day?” the brunette asked, her voice coming out a lot harsher than she intended. She sounded jealous, but the words had left her lips and she could not take them back.
Cara immediately got defensive. “I was finding out if that man actually knew anything important,” she said slowly, like she was talking to a child. “What would you have had me do? Leave him there to tell Dahlia whatever she wished to know?”
Kahlan took a breath, realizing belatedly that she appeared to be a bit irrational when it came to Dahlia. Her dislike of the woman was clouding her judgment. She took a step toward the blonde, reaching out to put an apologetic hand on her arm. She had discarded her gloves upon arriving back to their room, so when her skin made contact with Cara’s leather, it was exceedingly obvious that the material covering the blonde’s arm was spattered with sticky blood. Kahlan pulled her hand back slowly, turning it palm up to inspect the dark red smears on her fingers. She made eye contact with Cara as she held her hand up for the other woman to see.
“Did you torture him?” Kahlan asked softly. She was watching Cara’s face for a reaction, a flicker of guilt. As far as she knew, Cara had not engaged in any kind of recreational torture when not fighting for her life in quite some time. Kahlan didn’t know how she felt about this potential backslide.
“I didn’t kill him if that’s what you’re asking,” Cara answered, her voice unwavering.
The thing about Cara, Kahlan had learned, was that she rarely ever apologized for any of her actions because she rarely did anything that she did not unequivocally believe to be the right course of action. If she killed someone, it was because they were trying to kill her or kill someone she was sworn to protect. If she tortured someone, it was on the orders of her Lord Rahl, to protect her home and her people. She was not someone who acted selfishly or impulsively. In this instance, the captured man could have not only exposed their subterfuge within the temple, but he could have endangered Richard and Zedd by divulging their whereabouts to a temple full of eager to kill Mord Sith. Kahlan could hardly blame her for taking action. On the other hand, she couldn’t deny that she was glad Cara had not needlessly killed the man.
“Did he know anything?”
Cara shook her head, peeling off a glove. “He may have come across us some time ago, but he did not have any relevant current information.”
Kahlan let out a relieved breath. “Good.”
Cara removed her other glove, tossing it onto the chest of drawers pressed against the wall. The chest also carried a bowl full of wash water with a few clean towels stacked beside it. Cara picked one up, submerging it in the chilly water, and then rung it out. She stepped back over to where Kahlan was standing, pulling her bloodstained hand back up between them. Kahlan gave Cara a questioning glance as she began to gently wipe the blood from her skin, but the blonde would not raise her gaze. “Tell me about the guards,” she finally said, wiping gentle circles against the angry stains the blood had left.
Kahlan watched her work as she outlined her plan of action.
“Mistress,” came a pitiful moan from the center of the cavernous torture chamber.
Dahlia sauntered up to the young man suspended from the roof by only a shackle and chains. The muscles in his shoulders were bulging in a way that looked acutely uncomfortable, especially when paired with the dozens of welts peppering the rest of the bare skin of his upper torso. Cara had been surprisingly thorough. Dahlia thought he looked like a work of art.
“Have I pleased you Mistress?” the man called again, desperate for any sign of approval from the blonde before him.
“You’ve done well, Benjamin,” she cooed to him, dragging a finger down the center of his chest. He visibly relaxed against his restraints, a smile lighting his bruised and blood crusted face.
“I lied, just like you asked me too, Mistress. I would never tell that other Mord Sith what I really know about the Seeker. Never.” Dahlia backhanded him across the face.
“I told you not to speak of what you know unless I ask you to.”
“Forgive me Mistress, forgive me!” Benjamin begged, speech slurred as blood dripped out of his mouth and down his chin. Dahlia was hovering very close to his face. She smiled again at his apology, giving his cheek an affectionate pat.
“Just remember what I’ve asked of you and you will please me greatly.” Benjamin nodded at her eagerly. “We will find the Seeker and the Mother Confessor,” Dahlia proclaimed, speaking in Benjamin’s direction, but no longer addressing him directly. “And Cara will be the one to kill them both.”
Benjamin nodded enthusiastically, and Dahlia took both of his cheeks in her hands, looking him straight in the eyes. “They will pay for taking her away from me.” Dahlia paused, letting a vicious smile quirk at her lips. She finished in a manic whisper, “And I will bathe in their blood.”
TBC
Part Three
In which Cara and Kahlan infiltrate a Mord Sith temple to try and retrieve a very ~powerful~ amulet. Will they be able to fool Cara's former sisters for long enough to complete their mission and get out unscathed? Or perhaps the more important question: will Cara be able to resist Kahlan in full Mord Sith leather?
cara/kahlan - R
a/n: Post Season 2. The Keeper has been vanquished, Darken Rahl has returned from the dead, and I'm going to pretend that Zedd never cast that spell of undoing and thus Dahlia is still alive.
previously: part one
“Kahlan,” Cara whispered sharply, shoving Kahlan’s shoulder on top of the blanket. Weak sunlight was streaming in through the high windows in the stone above their heads, casting long shadows across the bottom of the bed Kahlan and Cara were sharing. A dazzling stripe of light was painted across Kahlan’s face, making her squint her eyes as she came suddenly awake. “Kahlan,” Cara said again, this time wrapping her hand around the Confessor’s arm and dragging her halfway across the bed.
Kahlan moaned groggily, trying to get her bearings while being forcibly yanked in Cara’s direction. “Cara, what are you - ”
Cara lifted up the blanket before Kahlan could finish her question. “Get under, quickly.” She pressed her free hand into Kahlan’s back, trying to force her downward. The sleepy look on Kahlan’s face transformed into one of panic as she caught sight of Cara’s naked body beneath the sheets. She practically squeaked as Cara gave her an exasperated look. “Someone is outside the door,” she said softly, gesturing toward the front of their room with her eyes.
“Dahlia?” Kahlan mouthed wordlessly, perched on her elbow halfway underneath the blanket.
Cara nodded and gave her head another push. “Get between my legs.”
Kahlan’s blue eyes widened in shock at the request. “What? Cara I don’t think - ”
“The only reason you would be in this bed with me is if you were servicing me,” Cara said bluntly. Kahlan’s cheeks flamed at the thought. “Just pretend. Hurry.”
Kahlan took a breath as if she were submerging herself under water and finally ducked the rest of the way beneath the blanket just as she heard the door to their chambers pop open. Cara had a hand on the back of her head, pushing down as she arched her body up suggestively. Kahlan felt a full body flush race across her skin as she tried to look anywhere but where Cara was pushing her.
Even though she was only pretending to give Cara pleasure, the blonde was surely not pretending to be completely nude.
A wholly indecent moan slipped from Cara’s mouth as she pushed at Kahlan’s head, making the blanket bob between her legs suggestively. Kahlan’s chin bumped against the taut skin of Cara’s lower stomach as she tried to avoid touching anywhere improper. Although the door had opened, Kahlan had not heard it shut, or anyone retreat, so she was fairly certain Dahlia was still in the room watching. Cara let out another lewd string of groans, getting progressively louder as her hips canted rhythmically against an imaginary mouth. Kahlan flushed deeper at the sounds Cara was making, and she couldn’t help but feel a bit flattered at the imaginary pleasure Cara thought her capable of. As Cara geared up for a massive release, Kahlan looped her arms around bare, tan thighs and held on for fear of being kicked from beneath the sheets. She could feel Cara’s leg muscles jump at the contact, could feel her stomach clench every time her cheek bumped against it. She was even fairly sure she could smell her every time she dared an intake of breath. By the time Cara finally settled back down onto the mattress, Kahlan felt rather worked up. She bit at her lips, making them swollen and red to help perpetrate their ruse, and then crawled back up to the top of the bed to free herself from the charged atmosphere beneath the sheets.
Cara kept a hand on her arm to prevent her from crawling too far away, so she ended up laying half on top of her side as she finally emerged into the light with a mess of tangled hair and falsely shiny lips. Cara’s pupils dilated slightly as they made eye contact for a moment, and then she was shooting a disinterested glance in the direction of the door.
“Is there something you needed, Dahlia?” Cara asked, trailing a hand lightly up and down Kahlan’s side, making her shiver. She was doing it under the blanket, out of Dahlia’s field of vision, and Kahlan wasn’t sure if she was entirely aware of her actions. It was almost a natural follow up of their pretend intimacy. Regardless of her motivations, Kahlan did not move to stop her.
Dahlia cocked her hip out, placing a hand on it arrogantly, reminding Kahlan grudgingly of Cara. “I just had to see for myself if this pet of yours was worth your possessiveness of her.” Dahlia finally slid her gaze to Kahlan. She actually looked mildly impressed.
Kahlan squirmed under her piercing gaze, feeling like she should be doing something other than awkwardly perching against Cara’s side. She took stock of her situation - she was naked, pressed against Cara’s equally naked body, having just emerged from a decidedly intimate couple of minutes between Cara’s thighs, all under the watchful gaze of a very curious Mord Sith. She really had no more modesty left to hold on to. Acting on impulse, Kahlan turned her head back in Cara’s direction, lowering her mouth to the smooth skin of Cara’s neck and biting down gently, laving the spot with a long lick of her tongue. Kahlan didn’t figure Mord Sith for sweetly kissing on the mouth after sex (or in any situation that did not involve using a kiss to physically dominate someone), so she decided on the next best thing. Biting seemed like something Cara would be into.
Cara jumped slightly underneath her at the feel of teeth almost breaking skin, loosing a groan so soft that only Kahlan could hear it. Kahlan tried not to think about which parts of this whole exchange were for show and which were actual reactions to her proximity. Crossing those lines could get more than a little bit messy for them both. Especially with their acquisition of the amulet on the line. Cara threaded a hand into the hair at the back of Kahlan’s skull, pressing her back down to the crook of her neck, effectively giving Kahlan something to do while Dahlia was still in the room. She started peppering light nips along the skin of her shoulder and pulse point as she felt Cara’s voice vibrate up and out of her mouth.
“And?” Cara asked cockily. Her hand was now pressed firmly against the small of Kahlan’s back, and it took all of Kahlan’s considerable will power not to press the front of her body more tightly against the blonde. Her head felt fuzzy and her heart was pounding.
“I should know not to doubt your taste in women,” Dahlia finally conceded.
Cara hummed in response. “If that will be all? We’re a bit busy here.” She used the hand nested in Kahlan’s hair to suddenly yank her back and away from the spot she had been deliciously nibbling on. Kahlan gasped at the unexpected jerk of pain and then found herself quickly flipped onto her back with a very warm Mord Sith straddling her completely. Cara leaned down, capturing her lips in a rough, demanding kiss, effectively dismissing Dahlia without a word.
Kahlan heard Dahlia’s footsteps start to retreat from the room, as if she were backing her way out, and then her twinkling, childlike laugh bounced it’s way across the walls. “You used to love it when I watched! I guess you have changed more than I thought, Cara. Enjoy your pet whore.” In response to Dahlia’s taunting call, Cara only moaned loudly, and slid her tongue swiftly into Kahlan’s already open mouth. Kahlan moaned too, taking her cues from Cara, and arched herself up exaggeratedly, pressing their bodies closer than they had been the entire time Dahlia had been in the room. Cara pressed back down forcefully, as Kahlan knew she would, pinning her to the bed as she swiped her velvet tongue against the entire length of Kahlan’s again and again. Dahlia finally tired of being ignored, and the echo of the closing door followed after her retreating footfalls.
Pulling back from Kahlan’s lips with a wet pop at the sound of the door closing, Cara propped herself on her elbows, hovering over Kahlan’s face. She darted her green eyes quickly between Kahlan’s deep blue ones, noting how unfocused and hooded they looked. Kahlan returned the curious stare, and thought for a moment that Cara was going to apologize, but instead she darted her eyes one last time to Kahlan’s parted lips and then rolled over and off the bed.
Kahlan stayed put, lying on her back and staring at the ceiling, concentrating on getting her breathing back under control. She couldn’t figure out exactly when she had let her body’s reactions run away with her. Her tongue slipped out of her mouth, licking gently against her kiss swollen lips. She could taste Cara and blood from her reopened split lip.
“Sorry about that,” Cara finally tossed vaguely from the other side of the room. Kahlan could hear her tugging laces. “I forgot about your lip.” Kahlan traced the cut absently with a fingertip, too absorbed in the ceiling to answer her. She wasn’t sure what she would even say anyway. Cara swiped the hair off of her face as she tugged her leathers into place, eyeing Kahlan’s sprawled form. The Confessor seemed to have gone mute. Usually Cara couldn’t get her to shut up.
“Get dressed,” she finally said, tossing Kahlan’s leathers onto the bed beside her. “We need to figure out when the treasure room guards switch shifts.”
Back to business as usual, Kahlan thought, slowly pulling her red leather up and over her body, finally covering it. The feel of it sliding smoothly along her skin jolted her out of her momentary daze, and she sat up, clutching the material to her chest. Cara regarded her oddly from the other side of the bed. Kahlan got the impression Cara both wanted and desperately didn’t want to talk about what had just happened. They were undercover right? Keeping up appearances. Dahlia could be a major problem if their deceit was discovered. Kahlan let it drop.
“Will you braid my hair?” she finally asked, tugging the tight leather over her limbs. She never thought she’d miss her corset and dress so much. Cara stepped up behind her, wordlessly combing her fingers through Kahlan’s tangle of hair. Their elaborate ruse had certainly wreaked havoc with her long tresses.
“Thank the spirits we don’t have to do this to your hair every day,” Cara said somewhat awkwardly, clearly trying to ease the tense mood that had settled over their room. Kahlan’s face broke out into a lopsided grin at Cara’s attempt at making small talk. Only a few months before, Cara would not have even attempted such a social nicety, let alone attempted it to put Kahlan at ease. She found it quite sweet.
Kahlan was just starting to pull on her gloves a few minutes later, when she noticed a red mark on Cara’s neck. Without thinking, she reached out to grab the other woman’s arm, stopping her before she reached the bedroom door. Cara froze, eyeing the brunette curiously as long fingers brushed the hair off her shoulder. “Oh,” Kahlan said, realizing belatedly what the mark was and how it had gotten there. She rubbed her thumb gently along the four perfect teeth marks glaring red against Cara’s otherwise perfect, golden skin. “Sorry,” she said sheepishly as Cara shrugged. The blonde brought her still bare hand up to Kahlan’s lip, passing it over the split she had reopened. It stung ever so slightly at the friction.
“Now we match,” she breathed softly. Kahlan nodded slightly, sucking her bottom lip into her mouth absently once Cara had retracted her finger and turned to open the door. She imagined she could taste her skin there.
They both walked out into the empty hallway without another word.
It was really a stroke of luck that the hallway passing outside the treasure room was on the way to a lot of legitimate places. It wasn’t like they had to skulk around in the lower reaches of the temple to try and catch a peek at who was standing watch. The morning guard was a tall, lean soldier who carried an axe in his belt. He looked capable enough, but wasn’t anything that Cara and Kahlan couldn’t handle. They made quick work of taking stock of his weapons and where he liked to stand before heading down to the dining hall for breakfast.
Kahlan took her place behind Cara as they picked their way through a throng of fierce looking Mord Sith. Kahlan found herself unconsciously looking out for Dahlia. She couldn’t decide if it would be best to keep eyes on her at all times, or to hope that she would stay far, far away. It turned out she didn’t have to wonder for long because Dahlia came sidling up beside them after only a moment.
She spoke to Cara as if Kahlan weren’t there, bragging about a new capture she had made - a young man who supposedly knew the whereabouts of the Seeker and Mother Confessor. Cara’s interest perked up at the mention of the Mother Confessor, and Kahlan concentrated on looking anywhere but at Dahlia.
“Why don’t you come have a look? I could use your expertise,” Dahlia said, finally arriving at the point of her conversation: getting Cara away from Kahlan. Baiting her with news of her former companions was exactly the right information to use.
Kahlan was uneasy at the prospect of separating from the only person in the temple she trusted, but if the man truly knew anything about her, it would be too monumental a risk to accompany Cara only to be recognized for who she truly was. Cara shot her a questioning glance, and Kahlan nodded slightly that she’d be okay on her own for a bit.
Cara ordered her back to their chambers with a tray of food and a list of things that needed getting done. Turning her back to Dahlia for a moment, she then mouthed watch the guards.
“Yes Mistress Cara,” Kahlan replied submissively as she backed away from the two blondes and headed back in the direction she had just come from. It was going to be a long morning.
As morning turned to late afternoon, Kahlan made her third pass along the hallway outside the treasure room. Cara had still not returned from her excursion with Dahlia and Kahlan was starting to become a bit worried. The blonde could surely handle herself, but they were in a temple full of Mord Sith. It wouldn’t take much for something to go wrong. Kahlan chewed on her lip as she darted her gaze toward the guard standing watch; it was a different man from that morning. This man was stockier and was carrying a sword instead of an axe. Kahlan filed the details away with all of the others she had accrued since breakfast. During all of her free time that morning, Kahlan had been attempting to ward off thoughts of what Cara was doing with Dahlia by running through potential scenarios for retrieving the amulet. She had pretty much made up her mind that it would work in their favor to confess the guard rather than incapacitate him with death. They could have him keep watch while they were inside and then order him back to his post once they were done, leaving no physical evidence of their theft behind them. She was just about to turn around and head down an adjacent hallway and back to her room when she caught sight of Cara and Dahlia walking toward her, side by side, quite a bit further down the corridor. She froze, pressing herself tightly against the wall in an effort not to be seen. She was very curious as to what exactly Cara and Dahlia’s relationship had once been, and this seemed like the perfect chance to covertly observe them.
Kahlan let her eyes rove over the familiar features of Cara’s face. She looked relaxed, sated, the way she normally did after a good battle. Kahlan’s stomach twisted again at the thought of what had been the cause of that expression. Torture? Sex? The two were Cara’s primary outlets when she needed release, and Kahlan wasn’t sure which one would be worse in this situation. She felt anger bubbling up inside of her at the thought of Dahlia encouraging Cara to torture the man she had captured. Her nails dug into the stone wall as an even worse thought flashed through her mind - Dahlia kneeling between Cara’s legs. Just the thought of it nearly caused her to vault out from her hiding spot to grab the other woman by the throat. Instead of doing so, she dug her fingers into the grooves between the stones of the wall she was pressing against and focused herself on quieting her breathing so she could hear what the two were discussing. Unfortunately, neither was speaking loud enough to be heard.
Kahlan’s hiding spot was about ten paces from becoming visible to the two women briskly walking toward her, so she darted back down the hall she had been heading for, quickly making her way back to their bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind her.
It was only a minute or so later when Kahlan heard the flat tones of Cara’s voice carry through the wooden door. “I don’t think so,” she said, voice muffled. Kahlan stood absolutely still, ears straining to pick up Dahlia’s voice.
“Suit yourself,” Dahlia finally spoke. There was silence in the hall for an endless string of seconds, and then Kahlan jumped as Cara suddenly pushed open the door. The blonde gave her an odd look at finding her staring fixedly at the back of the door.
“Something wrong?” she asked, giving Kahlan a questioning glance from the side of her eye.
“What have you been doing all day?” the brunette asked, her voice coming out a lot harsher than she intended. She sounded jealous, but the words had left her lips and she could not take them back.
Cara immediately got defensive. “I was finding out if that man actually knew anything important,” she said slowly, like she was talking to a child. “What would you have had me do? Leave him there to tell Dahlia whatever she wished to know?”
Kahlan took a breath, realizing belatedly that she appeared to be a bit irrational when it came to Dahlia. Her dislike of the woman was clouding her judgment. She took a step toward the blonde, reaching out to put an apologetic hand on her arm. She had discarded her gloves upon arriving back to their room, so when her skin made contact with Cara’s leather, it was exceedingly obvious that the material covering the blonde’s arm was spattered with sticky blood. Kahlan pulled her hand back slowly, turning it palm up to inspect the dark red smears on her fingers. She made eye contact with Cara as she held her hand up for the other woman to see.
“Did you torture him?” Kahlan asked softly. She was watching Cara’s face for a reaction, a flicker of guilt. As far as she knew, Cara had not engaged in any kind of recreational torture when not fighting for her life in quite some time. Kahlan didn’t know how she felt about this potential backslide.
“I didn’t kill him if that’s what you’re asking,” Cara answered, her voice unwavering.
The thing about Cara, Kahlan had learned, was that she rarely ever apologized for any of her actions because she rarely did anything that she did not unequivocally believe to be the right course of action. If she killed someone, it was because they were trying to kill her or kill someone she was sworn to protect. If she tortured someone, it was on the orders of her Lord Rahl, to protect her home and her people. She was not someone who acted selfishly or impulsively. In this instance, the captured man could have not only exposed their subterfuge within the temple, but he could have endangered Richard and Zedd by divulging their whereabouts to a temple full of eager to kill Mord Sith. Kahlan could hardly blame her for taking action. On the other hand, she couldn’t deny that she was glad Cara had not needlessly killed the man.
“Did he know anything?”
Cara shook her head, peeling off a glove. “He may have come across us some time ago, but he did not have any relevant current information.”
Kahlan let out a relieved breath. “Good.”
Cara removed her other glove, tossing it onto the chest of drawers pressed against the wall. The chest also carried a bowl full of wash water with a few clean towels stacked beside it. Cara picked one up, submerging it in the chilly water, and then rung it out. She stepped back over to where Kahlan was standing, pulling her bloodstained hand back up between them. Kahlan gave Cara a questioning glance as she began to gently wipe the blood from her skin, but the blonde would not raise her gaze. “Tell me about the guards,” she finally said, wiping gentle circles against the angry stains the blood had left.
Kahlan watched her work as she outlined her plan of action.
“Mistress,” came a pitiful moan from the center of the cavernous torture chamber.
Dahlia sauntered up to the young man suspended from the roof by only a shackle and chains. The muscles in his shoulders were bulging in a way that looked acutely uncomfortable, especially when paired with the dozens of welts peppering the rest of the bare skin of his upper torso. Cara had been surprisingly thorough. Dahlia thought he looked like a work of art.
“Have I pleased you Mistress?” the man called again, desperate for any sign of approval from the blonde before him.
“You’ve done well, Benjamin,” she cooed to him, dragging a finger down the center of his chest. He visibly relaxed against his restraints, a smile lighting his bruised and blood crusted face.
“I lied, just like you asked me too, Mistress. I would never tell that other Mord Sith what I really know about the Seeker. Never.” Dahlia backhanded him across the face.
“I told you not to speak of what you know unless I ask you to.”
“Forgive me Mistress, forgive me!” Benjamin begged, speech slurred as blood dripped out of his mouth and down his chin. Dahlia was hovering very close to his face. She smiled again at his apology, giving his cheek an affectionate pat.
“Just remember what I’ve asked of you and you will please me greatly.” Benjamin nodded at her eagerly. “We will find the Seeker and the Mother Confessor,” Dahlia proclaimed, speaking in Benjamin’s direction, but no longer addressing him directly. “And Cara will be the one to kill them both.”
Benjamin nodded enthusiastically, and Dahlia took both of his cheeks in her hands, looking him straight in the eyes. “They will pay for taking her away from me.” Dahlia paused, letting a vicious smile quirk at her lips. She finished in a manic whisper, “And I will bathe in their blood.”
TBC
Part Three