More Than Darkness
12
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This is a crossover smutty story featuring the character of
Tess/Salida ie Tess' Voice in Neon
More Than Eyes Alone Can See, and
Merrie's OUATIM fic on ff.net, Darkness Rising. This story will make some
sense, probably, if you read it without having read either of our stories, but
it'll make a hell of a lot more if you just read them. They're all worth
reading, we promise. Anyway, on with the show.
Rated for what has happened, and what might happen.
ourselves. On with the story.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He reached over to the pillow that had been pushed out from underneath
Salida’s head and pulled a promising looking feather out of it.
Salida and smirked before his hand descended upon her body.
familiar touch, but that didn’t stop him.
movements, his head propped by an elbow as he lay on his side to watch her.
as many times as it took to satisfy him that she had paid sufficiently for what
she had inflicted on him. Not that he
hadn’t liked any of it, that wasn’t the point.
in charge once more or she might begin to get ideas.
“t met me,” she groaned breathlessly, “If I didn’t like it, you’d be the
first to know.” She whimpered in need as
he trailed the feather over her breasts, then down between them to her stomach
and sides. Incrementally it drifted
lower, controlled by Jeffrey’s diabolical plan for her eventual downfall.
presumably disappeared under it. He’d
certainly moved down her body, still not touching her, but close enough for her
to feel the heat of his body.
The feather neared her hips and she held her breath in anticipation . .
. only to have it disappear and reappear at her feet.
and Salida shrieked, tugging her foot away before he grabbed hold of her ankle
and pinned it to the bed.
“Were you expecting me somewhere else, vixen?” he asked with a smirk as
he unmercifully tickled the bottom of her foot.
some other time. But for now I grow
bored of this game,” he said, letting the feather fall slowly to her stomach.
or I might be inclined to drag this on for hours, vixen.”
She started to moan at the thought of remaining empty and unfulfilled
for hours, but the moan was turned into a weak cry as Jeffrey’s mouth seemed to
attach itself to her navel. Her body
bucked at the moist heat of his mouth.
She tried to arch her body, but was hampered by the fact that her arms
were locked in place above her head.
Just when she thought she abo about to die from impatience, Jeffrey’s
hands slid under her hips to cup her ass, pulling her body up to meet his
meandering mouth.
“Oh god, Jeffrey . . . I’m so close.”
Her words were hard to get out through a throat closed with desire and
lungs panting to fuel her straining body.
just end it . . . one way or another.”
Jeffrey saw that she had taken all the torment she could take for now
and without hesitation moved his mouth lower to latch on to her clit, sucking
on it hard. He had wanted to bury
himself in her, but that could wait. He
could wait. He did have some fucking
patience, not a lot, but somspanspan style='mso-spacerun:yes'> And he
wanted to make himself hold out for her.
sudden sensation, tried not to hurt her as he had every time before, but he
couldn’t help himself. Something about
having his mouth on her in such an intimate way robbed him of his control and
he invariably tried to turn the pleasure he was feeling into pain for her so
that she could feel the pain and pleasure too.
respond to pain like he did, but such thoughts couldn’t
make him stop now.
Salida screamed again as she felt a sharp jab of pain that shot through
every part of her body. The stark
contrast between it and the pleasure caused by Jeffrey’s suckling was
indescribable, and once again she found herself thrown into a bone-shaking,
muscle-destroying release, cries traveling unimpeded from her open mouth.
Mes oes or hours later when Jeffrey finally released her to sink back
into the mattress, she groaned. As the
haze of orgasm receded, she felt a throbbing between her legs.
me again, she thought a bit bewildered.
Feeling his weight come down next to her on the bed, she turned her head
away. A second later, lips landed on her
cheek. Struggling not to respond, she
murmured, “Jeffrey. Am I bleeding again?”
There was a short pause. “Perhaps.”
She let out a breathy laugh. “Lesou bou begin to think I’m complaining, let me assure you that I’m not.
there. A woman’s clit is a . . . knot of
some 17,000 nerves, or something like that.
That’s why it always get such a reaction.
entire body. However, if it
damaged permanently, it’s hard for a woman to find any pleasure in sex.
Unbeknownst to her, her little talk had just had a very large effect on
her husband. He was now hornier than
ever from finding out just what he’d been doing to her body.
“Oh,” was Jeffrey’s only audible response to that.
after such a declaration. He reached up
gently and removed the lace scarf covering her eyes.
candlelight in the room again, he once more began kissing her chest and collar
bone, but this time with more purpose behind it than before.
I am for you right now, vixen?” he asked, tilting his chin to look up at her
from his place above her chest.
Salida rolled her eyes slightly at that.
a short laugh.
Jeffrey didn’t respond to thatt lat latched onto her mouth, not caring
that she might not want to taste her own blood and spendings
on his lips; he only wanted to kiss her.
fucking wanted. He also wanted to feel
her arms around him so he reached up with one hand after breaking the kiss and
undid the scarves with deft fingers.
The moment her hands were freed, Salida wrapped her arms around her
husband, and pulled him down to her until she could feel his ribs expanding
with every breath, his heart pounding against her chest, his arousal crushed
against her belly. And she loved
it. Loved every feeling, from his lips
ravaging hers, to her toes curling against his feet.
Reaching over towards the table blindly, she searched for the dish of
strawberries, finally grabbing a fruit.
She broke away from Jeffrey, panting for breath, and held the berry to
his lips, a silent entreaty to eat it.
With eyes locked on hers, he did so, taking his time while she was
crushed beneath him, watching as heat uncurled in her eyes.
“I don’t think I was done earlier,” she whispered, reaching for her
scalpel again. Managing to get a hold of
one of his hands, Salida pierced the pad of one finger.
and quickly started bleeding. She
brought the finger to her mouth rubbed it against her lips, marking herself
with his blood.
Jeffrey wasted no time in kissing her blood-covered lips, pressing even
harder against her. He broke away wit
sli
slight groan and looked down at her with eyes so dark with passion they almost
seemed black. He looked at her intensely
long enough for her to feel a bit like a mouse beneath the eyes of a hawk.
him a minute later.
“You, vixen. You’re
un-fucking-believable and I love you.” With
that declaration he latched upon her lips again, deepening the kiss, thoroughly
enjoying the taste of his own blood on her lips.
taste of blood on his tongue. His blood.
He didn’t know why, he didn’t bother
explaining it, he just did.
Salida felt his arms tighten around her again, and knew that his finger
was still bleeding and that he was marking her with it . . . but she didn’t
care. She was covered in paint, and
dried sweat, and now blood. A shower had
already been in order, so this wasn’t anything to worry over.
Jeffrey even more.
Wrapping her arms back around his lanky body, she gave herself over to
the kiss, opening her mouth as wide as she could to allow Jeffrey to do what he
wanted. And what he wanted, apparently,
was to devour her. His hands slid into
her hair to keep her head still as his lips and mouth slid over hers with
urgency, possession, and a need that could only ultimately come from love.
reassurance, shelter, strength confirmed and given, and so many other things
that she couldn’t define. So she
accepted them, and accepted that this man made her feel that way, and that she
never wanted to feel this way about anyone ever again.
against his lips as he pulled away to let them both breathe.
My husband. My one and only.”
Jeffrey looked up at her with wide eyes at that, as if he had somehow
forgotten that she was even there or that she could still speak.
of him was screaming for release, but he didn’t give in.
aroused that his control would be fucking snatched away the moment he entered
his wife’s body. That notion had more
than a little fucking appeal so that was the one he went with to explain his
actions to himself. He continued kissing
her, his eyes shut tightly as he kissed her as possessively as he ever had.
even said it – but sometimes in the height of everything he needed reassurance.
Reassurance that she was still there,
still his, and not some kind of fucking psychotic
hallucination. So he took his
reassurances where he could, when he could, and as often as he could.
As he took possession of her mouth again, Salida deliberately moaned
into his. When he growled a mere second
later, she moaned again, knowing that he could feel the vibrations of the sound
waves inside his chest, just as she could feel his.
They kissed long and hard, and once again had
to pull apart for air. Panting for
breath, Salida looked up into her husband’s eyes, about to ask why he hadn’t
taken her yet. They were both ready,
both more that willing . . . and yet he held back.
him. But as she looked into his eyes,
she saw just how tight that control was, but also saw that he wanted it tighter.
totally forget everything – names, places, loves – everything but need.
could. But could he wait when he wasn’t
touching her so intimately? Could he
bottle his all his need until the
moment he entered her?
“Do you trust me?” she asked him, willing to set aside her own need for
the moment so he could wait until he was ready to take the last step.
He nodded, apparently beyond speech at this point.
Taking that as approval, Salida levered herself up off the bed, resting
her back against the headboard, and then turned her confused husband until his
back was pressed against her front, his head just a little below hers.
murmuring in a low voice.
She told him how much she loved him.
Told him how safe and accepted he made her feel.
presence. Told him just what each of his
looks did to her, how they sent her heart racing and her blood boiling.
his chest and arms, touching him while not allowing him to touch her.
completely honest with him.
“Vixen?” he murmured, his voice roughened with lust.
but let me up,” he demanded a bit forcefully, but caressed one of her arms with
his still slowly bleeding finger to show that he wasn’t upset with her.
him to sit upright again, he immediately turned arouo tho that he was facing
her, grabbed both of her legs and pulled her down into a reclining position
onto the bed. Then, without even giving
her a chance to process what was happening, he thrust into her with such a
mixture of savageness and ruthlessness that it left them both moaning.
hands and elbows until their bodies were nearly touching each other and began
in as slow rhythm as he could currently manage that increased in speed with
every thrust of his hips. His arms
wouldn’t be able to hold the position for long, but for now it was delightful
torture to feel such an expanse of skin so close to his own yet not touching.
Salida could faintly hear herself crying out each time he entered her,
could feel her body arching and writhing, trying to get closer to him as he
held himself above her. It was torture
to feel him filling her, and thrusting into her, and pressing her hips into the
bed without feeling his arms around her or anything more than his hot breath on
her face. But she waited.
sign of weakness on his part.
It was several minutes later when his arms started to tremble, and the
moment she noticed, her arms went around his neck and her legs around his
waist, and she turned them swiftly. For
several seconds she was on top, impaling herself on his body as she moved her
hips in tiny, fast, circles. But Jeffrey
didn’t give her the pleasure of staying in that position for long.
again, this time letting his full weight rest on her as he pounded her into the
mattress.
Now that he didn’t have to put all his energies into not touching her,
he took advantage of their close proximity and captured her mouth with his in a
passionate kiss. Their tongues and
mouths’ battle matched the battle of their flesh, and that made the kisses all
the more passionate. Jeffrey was soon
nibbling at Salida’s bottom lip hungrily as his body’s pace quickened even
further. It wasn’t quite hard enough to
draw blood, but from the way he felt his control begin to slip as he continued
to thrust into her, he knew it was close.
throw his head back with a moan but he continued the kiss, breathing hea
th
through his nose so he wouldn’t have to come up for air.
purpose or destination, he simply had to touch her, and it had found its
favorite spot. But still he kept kissing
her. He broke away so that she could
take a few gulping breaths before continuing the kiss even more forcefully than
before.
Salida could feel that her lips were swollen from the intensity of her
husband’s kisses, but at the moment she didn’t give a damn.
arms around her, and the thrusts making her cry out each time their hips
met. She was doing all she could to move
with him, to complement each and every move of his body, to match him movement
for movement . . . but she was quickly entering a state of hazed arousal where
the only thing she’ be able to do was hang on as he made them both come.
She was about to make that plunge, when she felt a stab of pain in her
lip. Sluggishly realizing what was going
to happen if she didn’t break the kiss, she pulled Jeffrey’s
head away before pressing it to her neck, a silent request that he move his
attentions somewhere where it wouldn’t be as obvious if he broke the skin.
mouth, Salida gave a small moan as her head fell back against the pillow and
her legs slipped around Jeffrey’s hips.
This was it; she was loosing the focus to do anything but let him
pillage and possess her soft depths.
“Vixen? Are you alright?” Jeffrey
asked, feeling her tense slightly and pulling away from where he was ravaging
her neck. He didn’t slow down his
thrusts – he couldn’t have if he wanted to – but he did look at her intently, a
slight frown on his face. When she didn’t
answer, onlyned ned and nodded, he smirked and allowed his thoughts to grow
hazy with lust and arousal again. He was
very fucking close, and by the looks of things, so was she.
you, raging like a fucking storm? I
fucking do, and it’s almost unbearable.
release. I feel myself standing
backwards on the edge of a fucking cliff about to be pushed off.”
harder until he was grunting through his words with every thrust as he spoke.
and her fingernails dug long gouges in the naked skin there.
shuddering through his body and he threw his head back with a moan.
dark and wild, his hair plastered to his forehead and cheeks with sweat, and
his mouth opened slightly as he gasped for breath.
as he leaned over to whisper in his wife’s ear.
Salida felt tears come to her eyes as her husband told her he loved her,
then cried out as she felt him ram into her so hard that she was left with no
other choice but to come. The moment he
felt her tense around him, Jeffrey let out a long, shuddery groan as he lost
not just control, but any awareness of the woman under
him as anything more than a haven.
As his hips kept hammering into hers, she kept letting out choked sobs,
as if her entire body was so involved in her release that she couldn’t even
manage to let out a single scream at one, the pressure of all the pent up
sensations working free in short bursts of sound that corresponded with her
inner contractions.
For her part, Salida felt as every muscle in her body were being ripped
from her bones. They’d played for so
long . . . every orgasm previous to this was like the first tremors of an
earthquake. Instead of bleeding off
need, it’d only made things worse by not granting total release.
almost more than she could stand.
“Oh sweet fucking God,” Jeffrey chorused to her own curse as he felt her
inner muscles clamp down on him harder than he thought he had ever felt before.
And it didn’t stop there.
she dragged him down with her and it was his turn to be the one trying to keep
up. It was all he could do to keep
thrusting as she kept pulling at him, her hips and legs squeezing almost
painfully at his sides. He felt his arms
trembling and knew he couldn’t keep his body propped up on them any longer, so
he did something he never thought he would have ever done.
she was on top, letting her ride out her orgasm on top of him.
control, but the sight of her above him – breathless, her body shuddering with
desire and need, sexy and beautiful – almost made up for it.
Salida didn’t know how long it took for her orgasm to pass.
hearing a duet of pained moans and sobs, and she felt Jeffrey deeper inside her
than she ever had, and the next . . . and the next she was collapsed on his
chest, one of his arms around her waist, the other in her hair as she gasped
for breath, her body still shuddering occasionally and her eyes still tearing.
“Well,” Jeffrey said quietly, stroking her hair softly.
squeezing her tightly to his body. She
was somewhat cutting off his ability to breathe properly, but he didn’t care.
their sweaty bodies still heaving against each other, her naked breasts crushed
against his chest. He absently ran his
fingers through her sweaty hair, marveling at its color and texture as if it
were the most interesting thing in the entire world.
him, and it was as if he were only just now realizing it.
wanting to ruin the comfortable silence they found themselves
hands to the sides of her face and lifted her head up off of
her chest before kissing her thoroughly on the mouth.
back down gently before letting his own head fall back upon the bed.
feeling. He felt thoroughly and
completely well-fucked, and he was reveling in the afterglow.
“Flatterer,” she murmured, once she had gathered the breath to do
so. “Once you’ve had your fill,
his neck, then tried to roll off him.
tired voice, “I’m not going far. I just
don’t want to crush you.”
“You’re not. Stay,” Jeffrey said
firmly, holding her tightly. “If you
were fucking crushing me I would have rolled you off by now.
It didn’t take much to convince her, mainly because she didn’t really have
the energy to move or fight.
me fall asleep. I want to go to sleep
clean.”
“Why?” Jeffrey asked, rolling his eyes.
right now. He knew the two of them were
a sticky mess, and he didn’t care. He
knew the sheets were too, and he didn’t give a flying fuck.
“I care,” she muttered.
of killing people, them one of mine is a love of being clean.
manic, but it’s still something I need.
I never said you had to take one.
Just me.”
He laughed softly at that. “As if
I could stay out here waiting patiently as you were in their naked under the
hot water,” he said with a snort and Salida felt her head bounce as his chest
moved. “Maybe someday I’ll let you take
showers on your own,” he said, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully.
today.”
“Mmm.” Thinking about what he’d
just said, Salida replied with a bit of disbelief, “Don’t tell me you’re
considering around round . . . because I’m exhausted.”
makes you think I wasn’t just planning on enjoying the scenery?”
Salida actually lifted her head to stare at him with her eyebrows
raised.
“What? You act as if you’re
surprised,” he said with a laugh. “Now
fuck, you’re right. I’m exhausted too,
but come on. I’m not the fucking patient
type, remember? Poor fucking impulse
control?” He paused to think a moment.
with myself.” He smirked and looked at
her. “Those little marks you left me are
going to hurt like hell under that hot water though.
of hurt, either. Oh well.
I’d do it all over again. Besides, we
didn’t get to use everything we were going to, now did we?”
laughed. “You’re going to have to wait
until tomorrow, lover. I mean it when I
say I’m exhausted.” Choosing to ignore
his look of dismay, she groaned, and pried herself from his chest, grimacing as
their ‘stickiness’ became even more apparent.
“Shower and bed, hot stuff. I
give you full permission to accost me once the sun rises, but not until then.”
“How long is it until sunrise?” Jeffrey joked with a wicked grin on his
face. He put up his hands before Salida
could hit him with one of the pillows. “All
right, all right. Shower it is.
in watching soap and water run slowly down your naked body,” he said, leering
in her direction. In truth, he was more
than ready to fall into a contented sleep now but he had to keep up the
appearance of being the nearly insatiable psychotic bastard that she knew and
loved, didn’t he? He winced a bit as her
movements tore at some of the clotting in the numerous cuts across his chest
and they began bleeding again.
“Fuck,” he muttered, sitting up on the bed and swinging his legs over
the side. He then stood up slowly,
under him. They were covered in a
variety of substances, mostly sweat and droplets of blood, but just the thought
of sleeping on them made him cringe. He
didn’t really mind whether or not he was clean when he went to sleep, but dirty
sheets irked at him for some reason. If
he hadn’t known how bad they looked he would have been fine.
fucking sleeping in the other room tonight.
and I don’t think we’ve got any more.”
way to the shower, stopping at the bathroom door.
“No. Despite what I said earlier,
I intend on falling asleep here and now.” “I didn’t want to sleep here anyway.
declaration, she led the way into the bathroom, walking slowly, Jeffrey right
behind her.
“Oh, I didn’t even fucking notice that was Sands’ room.
“That’s my boy,” she murmured, turning on the hot water.
Despite Salida’s efforts to shower quickly, it took them some time . . .
mainly because she got sidetracked by the visual
evidence of what her quest for Jeffrey’s pleasure had done to his body.
she made sure to wash them thoroughly.
Having done that, and made the appropriate apologetic noises, which her
husband brushed off, the two climbed out of the shower and toweled each other
off. Another few minuwas was dedicated
to re-bandaging his finger. Then she
sent him into Sands’ room to find his pajamas while she got herself dressed.
shoulder, plainly asking what she was doing on the other side of the bed.
hold him from behind. Then, with her
head resting against his shoulder blade, she murmured, “I want to stay
here. In
Orleans
“You mean for awhile, I take it?” he asked, relaxing into the warmth of
her touch.
She nodded.
weeks on end. And I’m not saying that I’m
closed to the idea of ever leaving . . . I’d just like to stay for more than a
few weeks.”
“An apartment," Jeffrey muttered, rolling around the idea in his
brain. “Yeah, I suppose we could try
that. I like it here too.
similar to decay that appeals to my sense of
destruction. You can smell the city rotting
on the air like the scent of an exotic flower,” he said with a laugh.
that competent. So as long as
neither Sands nor I manage to kill someone in public, we should be fucking
fine,” he said with a slight frown, as if willing the other currently sleeping
occupant of his brain to listen up and behave.
“Will Sands have a problem with it, do you think?”
Jeffrey’s initial response was to fuck whatever Sands thought, but he
forced himself to think about it. “I
think he likes it here too, although he’s never said as fucking much.
apartment’s not something we can all fucking agree on, he’s going to make my
fucking life miserable, snobbish bastard that he is.
he’s been somewhat better lately. Well,
until I had to break his fucking finger.
Sands’ broken pinky finger, “will be the last fucking one I’ll have to break
either. He’s like me in that regard.
it finally does, it sticks forever. So I
might have to have another little . . . chat with him in the future,” he said
with a shrug as if breaking your own finger to get through to the person
sharing your body was an everyday part of life.
“Okay,” Salida murmured. Jeffrey
simply shook his head, aware that his bride was drifting off.
sleep, her arms still wrapped around her husband.
******************************
A week later, Salida, Jeffrey,
and Sands were having lunch, taking a break from looking for an apartment.
because she didn’t want to have to pick out furniture.
never know what kind of fucking perverting things people have done on
furniture.” Jeffrey was letting the two
of them struggle with it since he didn’t care either way and Salida seemed to
be holding her own. Getting irritated,
but holding her own.
“Not everyone is a fucking billionaire like you, Sands.
looking at a room that costs mfor for a week than I get in income in a
month! Anything that expensive is not
only ridiculous, but it gets attention, and I thought we were trying to avoid
that.”
Sands took a long drag of the cigarette Jeffrey had started before
speaking; blowing smoke out through his nose as he talked.
sure you and Jeffrey have participated in that hotel room of ours.
it were. Now if you hadn’t had the hotel
service cleaning up after you, do you really think you would have? Now in a fucking apartment, there’s usually
not someone cleaning up after the owner’s messes, savvy?
grab their shit, and go.
“With a fucking furnished apartment they don’t even have to fucking grab
their shit. They just
is, as long as it looks presentable enough to show and sell.
on someone’s sickchair or fuckbed.
And who’s to say that you’ll like the
furniture anyway? Maybe you’ll hate it.
nesting instinct bullshit. Doesn’t that
incline you to want to choose your own furniture?
like that?” he asked taking another deep drag on the cigarette before coughing
softly with a grimace of distaste. “Jeffrey,
why the fuck do you smoke these things? They’re
terrible.”
“Fine. Since you don’t seem to
care where we end up, as long as it
doesn’t have furniture, I’ll go find
the fucking apartment, and you can foot
the bill for the damn furnishings.”
Finding herself suddenly irritated beyond what the situation called for,
Salida dropped her napkin on the table and got up.
hotel. Why don’t you let Sands
He apparently needs it.” With a
final glare, she turned on her heel and started stalking away.
“What the fuck is her problem?” Sands asked Jeffrey even as he felt
himself rising from the table and walking after her.
“Vixen, wait!” Jeffrey called out, grabbing her arm to stop her.
laid? Who the
fuck cares? Let him suffer.”
Sands scowled at that. “I’m still
here, you know. And it’s never
the first place, sunrise. What the fuck
else am I going to do with my money as long as I stay with you two fucking
wastrels here? And what the fuck is your
problem, anyway? I didn’t say I wouldn’t
let you two fucking lovebirds get an apartment together, just that I didn’t
want it to be furnished. That’s fucking
it. I don’t know why you’ve been on my
fucking case lately.”
Deciding to go in the order the complaints had come to her, Salida
addressed Jeffrey, “I thought you two were going to try to fucking get
along. And that includes letting him
fill needs that you get filled for free.”
Sands sneered at her for that one.
Salida immediately jumped on him next.
“My fucking problem with you is . . . I don’t fucking know. You’re just getting on my nerves.”
effort to lower her voice and put a leash on her temper.
words. “I just need some time to
myself. I need to figure out what I
want.” Seeing the look of dismay on
Jeffrey’s face she quickly amended her last statement.
what I .
lot faster if I don’t have to put up with his snide comments.”
grip, she kissed his cheek. “I’ll meet
you back at the hotel tonight. I
promise.”
“Fine. Bonding time with Sands it
is,” Jeffrey said with a sigh. “I’ll see
you at the hotel tonight.” He looked at
her with worry remaining his face for a moment longer before turning to walk
back to the table and pay the bill, ignoring the stares the other patrons of
the restaurant were giving him.
“Something’s wrong with her,” Sands whispered once they had paid the
bill and left the restaurant, Salida no where to be found.
“Yeah, no shit Sherlock. But
what? I don’t like this.
“I’m sure she’ll tell you what’s wrong.
ways to get information out of her. She
is your wife, after all.”
“And it’s better for you to keep the comments about my wife to yourself,
savvy?”
“Savvy. Now come on.
tonight,” Sands said with a smirk. Jeffrey
sighed, but did as Sands wanted for a change, his thoughts still on Salida.
******************************
Salida was only a few blocks away
when a wave of tiredness swamped her. “Oh,”
she moaned, leaning against the side of a building.
her head to clear it. Once she could see
without a double image, she hailed a cab, deciding the best thing to do was
Jeffrey – energetic late nights – and her body was obviously telling her to get
some rest.
Ten minutes later, she was sagging against the wall of the elevator,
waiting to get to her floor. The
sensation of moving was making her somewhat motion sick, but she decided it was
nothing more than exhaustion. Making it
into her hotel room, she decided to use the restroom before heading for
bed. However, this only prompted another
aggravation.
pt'>
Damnit.
largest bitch when I’m on my period?
falling into bed. At least this explains why I’ve been on Sands so much lately.
immediately fell asleep, not waking until Jeffrey got home and tried to wake
her.
******************************
The first indication that she was
no longer alone came when she felt lips on her face and hands lightly skimming
over her arms. With a moan of
displeasure, she rolled onto her side, not wanting to be bothered or
woken. However, her guest didn’t give
up, persistently trying to rouse her in more ways than one.
That’s too bad, because I’m
fucking not in the mood. It was
true. She ached; her head, her back, her
abdomen. So just wanted to be left
alone. “Go away,” she muttered, reaching
out with one arm and trying to push the intruder away.
Jeffrey frowned at her words and her actions and left off on trying to
wake her gently and attempted to just wake her up.
honest with each other about things like this?
lunch today for almost no reason at all, and now you treat me
– Sands could test a fucking saint’s patience at times – but why are you acting
like this with me? What the fuck’s the
matter with you?”
“There’s a fucking jackhammer in my head, I think someone broke my
spine, my abdomen feels like someone was practicing seaman’s knots with the
muscles, and I’m tired. Will you please
lower your fucking voice?” Now that she
was completely awake, Salida noticed another complaint.
rolled her eyes. “It’s that fucking time
of month, ok?” Her face flamed.
been . . . irregular. But joy of joys,
it didn’t last forever and you now have proof that I am a mature woman.”
“Oh,” Jeffrey said quietly, and immediately acted just like most every
other man on the face of the planet when confronted with the grim realities of
a woman’s period; he clammed up and wished he hadn’t said anything.
“Stop acting like an ass, Jeffrey.
I must admit expecting a different reaction from you.
virtue or something.” Salida made an
effort to hide her irritation. “If you
want to make me feel better, you can get me some Ibuprofen from the cabinet.”
Jeffrey just raised his hands in a gesture that said he wasn’t trying to
do, or assume anything, and got up to go to the bathroom.
located the Ibuprofen and brought the bottle along with a glass of water back
to Salida. “I’m fucking sorry, alright?
relatively sure he wasn’t trying to piss you off this afternoon earlier.
the hell of it. And granted
today. I think he likes to banter with
you, honestly. And holy fuck, I’m
defending Sands,” he muttered, his eyes widening slightly in disbelief.
feeling alright.”
“Why should I need to be feeling alright for you to sleep?” she asked
irritably, immediately regretting it. “I’m
sorry. I had no idea I was such a bitch
during . . . this.” She actually smiled,
though, at one thought that occurred to her.
“Just let Sands know he’s not allowed to make any PMS jokes.
want to hear it from him.” She resisted
the urge to start rubbing at her own skin.
She felt like she ought to be shedding it or something.
Jeffrey actually laughed at that.
tell him.” He lay back down on the bed
so that they were facing each other. “Goodnight,
vixen. If you’re sure you’re alright I
won’t fucking bug you about it anymore, ok?”
Salida hesitated for a moment, but feeling Jeffrey’s eyes on her, she
murmured, “I’m fine,” hoping he’d take her uncertainty as weariness.
closed her eyes, tried to make herself more comfortable, and pretended to go to
sleep.
******************************
Jeffrey was woken several hours
later, well past dark, by Salida’s voice.
Stirring, he opened his eyes and looked across the bed to where she’d
been, emphasis on the ‘been’ because she wasn’t there anymore.
up in a chairarinaring at herself in the dark reflection of the window.
and she was muttering under her breath.
Brief headshakes punctuated her words now and again, and her hands were
constantly wringing.
/spa/span>Oh fuck.
happening. “Vixen?” he called out
softly, “Are you alright?” Immediately
he closed his eyes and cursed himself for an ass.
course she’s not fucking alright.
stood, walking slowly toward her. “And
don’t give me some bullshit about how it’s just your fucking
something was wrong. I
your fucking period. I don’t believe
that anymore. Now tell me what the fuck’s
wrong with you.”
She turned her face from him, one hand going up to rest limply against
her temple. “They’re too loud,” she
complained weakly. “They do nothing but
fight, and fight, and try to eat each other.
And I can hear them all. And she’s
left me alone. I need her.
“Vixen, listen to me,” he said, walking even closer to her.
Tess. Well you don’t need that fucking
bitch’s help. You’re strong, vixen.
this on your own.” Jeffrey was cursing
the situation. He didn’t have the
medical experience that Salida did. He
didn’t know what to do if things started getting . . . out of fucking hand.
out of hand. “You’ll be alright.
beside her. He didn’t dare touching her,
as much as he might have wanted to, in fear of setting her off even further.
“Nooo,” she moaned.
everything they do.” The hand at her
head slowly started thumping against her temple.
He won’t. He’s different.”
panicked. “You’re different than all the
rest, aren’t you?” she asked in a very youoiceoice.
“If you’re really fucking my vixen and not someone else come out to
play, then you betcha, sugarbutt.
I fucking know you’re real. If you’re
not my vixen, then get the fuck out of here or shut the fuck up so I can talk
to her for a few minutes.”
century.
“I’m me,” she whispered.
Desperation filled her eyes. “You’re
not going leave me, are you?”
“Did you fucking leave me when I was hell bent on seeing you dead?
I’m
real. I’m here. And I’m
savvy? I don’t care how many fucking people
you’ve got in there. Tell them all to
fuck off. I don’t share.
As if he’d never answered, she said to herself, “Everyone leaves or
makes me leave. Even
abandoned me in the end. What if I
needed her? She doesn’t care.”
the side and screamed, “Wake up you lazy bitch!
Fucking come back here and help me!”
Then, before Jeffrey could get to her, she crumpled to the ground,
shivering. “So cold,” she whispered,
over and over again. “I don’t want to be
here.”
Jeffrey couldn’t hold himself back any longer.
lost within the whirlwind of her own mind made something inside of him ache.
his arms and damned the consequences. “You’ll
be alright, vixen. I’m not going to
fucking leave you. Not now, not fucking
ever, savvy? And
especially not fucking now.”
Her eyes opened slowly, and when they did, the total lack of recognition
in them chilled him. The woman in his
arms slowly pulled away as if waiting for him to attack.
Where am I? This isn’t a
hospital, is it?” Her voice sounded like
Salida’s, but it had less of an accent.
“And it looks like the fucking ride just got more interesting,” Jeffrey
muttered to himself, running a hand across his face wearily.
Tess, right?” he asked with a wince. “If
you fucking are, I’ll kindly ask you to fuck off and let me have my wife back.”
As soon as the words were out of his
mouth, Jeffrey cursed.
her probably wasn't the best of ideas just yet.
too quiet for anyone else to hear. “Just
. . . this isn’t a hospital; it’s a hotel room in
Orleans
sure it’s all way too much for you to fucking handle so why don’t you just go back
to sleep and save us all a hell of a lot of trouble, savvy?”
But Tess wasn’t paying any attention to him.
her head in the same way Salida had. “What
happened to get them so riled up?” She
turned her head and closed her eyes, obviously trying to concentrate.
shuttling back and forth behind her eyelids.
“Where did it go? Why isn’t it
offering advice?”
“What is ‘it’?” Jeffrey asked, not really wanting to know.
voice. The one that’s always louder than
the others. It
said it would take care of things for me so I wouldn’t have to deal with this.”
“My fucking wife is not an it you bitch! She has
a name; Salida, sunrise, my fucking beautiful vixen.
the fuck out of here before I fucking figure out a way to make you leave. I can
already tell you and I aren’t going to get on, so give me my fucking wife back!”
he shouted.
The other woman suddenly grew angry, but it was an icy anger.
. absence, then you haven’t been helping.
I can feel how tired my body is.
It –” she stopped and corrected herself, “She hasn’t been getting enough sleep to keep herself strong.
in here.” She pointed towards her
head. “That was always . . . her . . .
job. And that’s all she did.”
back against something. “And if I’m
right, the hormone flux going on in my body isn’t helping matters any.”
symptoms of hearing things; her eyes were darting around the room.
Whisperers shut up. I never could.
protect me, but she overextended herself.
She needs rest. But if you don’t
subdue the other voices in our head . . .” she trailed off, clearly loosing
concentration.
Fuck.
head, then what? You go completely
fucking psychotic? Been there, done
that, earned a fucking free club membership.
What the fuck happened to my wife?
Tell me you fucking bitch, or I’m going to take my my frustration on
you.” He didn’t think he could actually
hurt her, but she didn’t necessarily know that.
“She’s in there . . . I can feel her.
She’s just drowned out by all the res–
snapped forward. “Ouch.
stop fucking overreacting and listen to the nice doctor.”
“You don’t have to be so loud . . .
oh. I s I suppose it’s alright.”
“Stop fucking overreacting, yeah right.
I’m fucking talking to another woman in my wife’s body,” he paused a
moment and frowned. “Is this how it’s
fucking like all the time? Fuck, I
figured that talking to Sands and I at the same time would bckincking weird,
but I had no fucking idea.” He waved off
the thought and turned back to Tess.
“So, I’m supposed to listen to the nice doctor.
where I’m sitting and I’ve never really liked doctors all that much, too many
fucking questions, but whatever. So
talk, doctor. I’m all fucking ears,” he
said with a resigned sigh, leaning back against the chair Salida had been
sitting in. “Hmm.
though, huh?” he asked with a smirk, bringing her attention to the fact that he
was sitting there buck naked and had been the entire time.
Tess immediately blushed a bright, fiery red
and averted her eyes. “That might be
nice,” she muttered, leaning her head against the wall and trying to resist the
lure of the voices. “Let’s just get this
done with. I –”
start. “You’re not cartel, are
you?” There was suspicion and a hint of
in in her voice.
Jeffrey rose to his feet and began searching the side of the bed for his
discarded boxers from the previous evening.
As he pulled them on he asked.
“What are you talking about?
Cartel? As in, what, a drug
cartel? No I’m not a member of any
fucking cartel. I’m just Salida’s
husband.” He could have said more, but
he decided to leave it at that.
thought with a wave of angry rage passing over him.
much he hated secrets? “Tell me why
you’re afraid I’m a member of some kind of cartel.”
“They called me back . . . something about getting married.
a life,” she said dully. “I need my
case. I assume she didn’t get rid of it.”
“Hold the fuck up for a second! Let’s
start at the beginning,” Jeffrey said, sitting down on the bed and crossing his
legs in front of him. “I’m Jeffrey,
Salida’s husband. You’re Tess, Salida’s
alter-ego. We’re in a hotel room in
Orleans
much I know. Now what I don’t fucking
know and very much would like to learn, is what the fuck you’re talking about.
men. pan>pan>And my temper’s a little bit on the
extremely short side. So please,
enlighten me. Don’t leave me in the dark
here, I don’t fucking like it.”
Tess swallowed hard and closed her eyes.
Through gritted teeth she hissed, “Look.
We don’t much time before I loose it too.
I tell you, and get explanations from her later.”
manically on the floor. “I’m being
completely serious, here. I –
stopped, her voice changed, so it was more liked Salida’s.
lover. Just make it stop.
I can’t hear myself. Please let –
off with a gasp. “I need my case.”
“It’s fucking in the bathroom.
Stay there and I’ll go get it, savvy?”
Jeffrey didn’t even wait for Tessa’s nod before jumping up off the bed
and practically racing to the bathroom.
He came back a moment later with the case that was so desperately needed
in his hands and turned it over to her without another word.
Rifling through it, she pulled out two syringes – one with a blue cap,
one with a red one. “I’ve only got the
concentration to tell you this once. The
ones with the blue caps are tranquilizers.
Blues made you snooze. The ones
with the red caps are dopamine inhibitors.
Red for meds. Now, the inhibitor
is going to make everything in here go to sleep – including your wife – and the
tranquilizer will knock me out. Be
patient and her her sleep. It might take
a few days for her to be back to normal . . . whatever normal for her is.”
injections. “If I wake before she does,
just give me another tranquilizer, but no more than three in forty-eight hours,
because then you’re risking an overdose.”
With hands that trembled, she injected herself, first with the
suppressant, then with the tranquilizer.
“Expect one of us to wake within the next twelve hours.”
Jeffrey just stood there dumbfounded for a number of minutes watching
his wife’s sleeping body. “What the fuck
do I do now?” he asked himself aloud. had had listened to Tessa’s instructions carefully and was pretty sure he could
handle things, but watching her sleep, the open bag with the colored syringes
within at her side left him at a loss.
“Vixen just better be the one to fucking wake up,” he muttered to
himself and lay down beside her to watch her sleep.
******************************
The first time Salida woke, it
was just long enough to confirm where she was.
In the hotel, with her husband by her side, and all quiet on the home
front. The second time she woke, it was
to stumble to the bathroom to relieve herself and get a drink for her dry
mouth. The third time she woke, she was
alone in the bedroom, although she could hear sounds coming from the living
area.
Carefully getting to her feet and waiting for the room to stop spinning
around her, she made her slow way to where her husband was sitting.
Sands in control at the moment.
She opened her mouth to speak to him, but her voice choked, and she
coughed hoarsely once or twice. Enough
for Sands to notice her presence.
“Well, someone’s in trouble,” he smirked.
though, do you?”
Salglarglared at him, and stumbled over.
“Lemme talk to Jeffrey,” she muttered, climbing into his lap, apparently
more than willing to wait for the opportunity to talk to her husband.
Sands just looked down at her in his lap and cleared his throat before
speaking. “Ok . . . um . . . just sit tight.
I don’t think he’s had very much sleep, sunrise,” he said softly, trying
not to think about the woman that was currently seated in his lap.
in a chair rather than on me? It’d make
things a lot easier on the three of us, me especially.”
“What the fuck do you want you –” Jeffrey came awake with a growl before
noticing Salida’s for his his lap. “I
see you’re awake, vixen. And in Sands’
lap,” he said, narrowing his eyes slightly.
of his fingers? Because I know very well
the only fucking way you ended up here is if you put yourself here.”
“Thank God,” Sands muttered, his shoulders slumping a little in relief.
Salida looked at him, not quite totally awake, her face comically
glaring for a moment. Then she started
to get back up. “Go back to sleep if you’re
going to be grouchy.”
“Oh no. You obviously wanted to
talk to me; you had Sands wake me up. And
we’ve definitely got things we need to talk about.
“Don’t wanna talk,” she eredered rebelliously at the same time she
settled back in.
good.” She looked up at him, her eyes
wide and vulnerable. “You left.”
Tess was always the one to have schizophrenic episodes, not me.
looking out. It feels different.”
“I left because I couldn’t stay awake to watch over you any longer and I
didn’t want Sands in there by himself.”
“I wouldn’t have done anything,” Sands grumbled and Jeffrey stilled him
with a hand, too tired to argue.
“And as for the reason I’m mad; were you ever going to tell me that you’re
somehow connected to some kind of drug cartel, Salida, or were you just hoping
that I wouldn’t find out?”
Shaking her head to help clear it, she pointed out, “You never
asked. And if you haven’t noticed it
yet, we rarely talk about things that no one asks about.”
why I had to kill Tess. So they wouldn’t
come looking for her. I certainly don’t
want to –” Jeffrey
cut her off.
“First of all, Tess isn’t really fucking dead.
than I. Second
of all, don’t give me some bullshit about how I never asked.
maybe we should start talking about some of those things – now’s as good a time
as any. What the fuck do you want to
know?” Jeffrey asked with an irritated sneer, spreading his arms a little.
perhaps Sands will. He’s still lurking
around here somewhere. Sands, you still
here, you bastard?”
“Yes, I’m still here, Jeffrey,” Sands said in a calm voice.
anger that Jeffrey was right now.
“I thought you had the questions,” Salida asked uncertainly.
and he soon felt hot tears falling on his skin.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make
you mad,” she whispered. “If you want me
to go back to sleep until you can stand to talk to me, I will.”
“Shit, don’t fucking cry, sunrise,” it was Sands who spoke first,
risking Jeffrey’s wrath but more than willing to face it at the moment if it’d
get his alter ego off Salida’s case.
Having her cry against him was making him fucking uncomfortable.
fucking head and get some sleep. She’ll
still be here when you come back and I swear I won’t do anything to her,
savvy?”
“I didn’t mean to hurt you, vixen.
I’m sorry,” Jeffrey said softly, anger still lightly coating his
words. “I’ll be back when I don’t feel
more like shouting at you than kissing you.
I’m not really mad, I don’t think . . . I’ll just . . . I’ll be back and
we’ll talk.”
“Fuck, he really left,” Sands muttered after a few minutes.
Salida wearily got up. “Well, I
think you’re spared from apartment shopping at the moment,” she whispered,
trying to smile. “Tell him that he’s
free to wake me if I’m not already.” And
with that, she walked back the couple’s bedroom and quietly closed the
door. Once isolated, she turned on the
small TV just to provide background noise as she spent the next half hour
slowly crying herself to sleep.
******************************
Jeffrey woke up feeling like an
ass. He felt better, but fuck it, he
still felt like an ass. “If you want to
fucking salvage the love of your marriage, I suggest you get your ass in there
and comfort your fucking wife, asshole,” Sands muttered upon feeling Jeffrey
wake up. “I heard the TV on for awhile,
but I think she just turned it on so I wouldn’t hear her fucking crying.
“Shut the fuck up. I know I’m an
asshole, alright?
I don’t need to fucking hear it from you.
marriage advice? I would have thought
you’d be happy to see the two of us fighting.”
For a moment Sands was at a loss.
“I-uh-fuck. You fucking tell her
this and I’ll be the one breaking
fingers, savvy?
I think she’s fucking growing on me.
And no, I don’t mthatthat I want to fuck her – well, I do actually, I’m
not going to lie, but it’s different than that – and why the fuck are you
talking to me about this now? Go in
there and talk to her.”
“Fuck you,” Jeffrey muttered, but did as Sands instructed.
door, he just entered and walked over to where Salida was asleep on the bed,
and he cursed to see that Sands had been right and she had cried herself to
sleep. “Vixen?” he asked softly,
She started, immediately tense under his hand.
giving him room to sit and putting some distance between them.
her mouth to start talking, but nothing came out.
simply shrugged and waited for him to make the first move.
With a sigh he took a seat on the bed and cleared his throat.
from Sands. I didn’t mean to get so
angrth yth you. And the only reason I
fucking left was because I didn’t want to fight with
you. You know how fucked up my mood
swings can be. I was looking to pick a
fight and if it wasn’t going to be with Sands, then it was going to be with you
and I didn’t want that to fucking happen, alright?
Hearing Tess talk about something about your past that I never knew hurt me,
like hearing about something I should have known from another person, even if
it was still technically you. It pissed
me off. I’m still pissed off, but I’m
willing to talk to you about it. So
please, vixen. Tell me what she was
talking about. Fuck,
at this point you don’t even have to tell me that quite yet.
still fucking awake at least.”
“It’s not my past,” she whispered.
“Having a past, implies having lived.
the only past I have. The rest belongs
to Tess, and I did what I could to get rid of it.”
scooted towards him a little. Glancing
up at him through her eyelashes, she asked in that same soft voice, “Are you
mad at me, or because of me?”
“I don’t know, vixen. I’m not
really mad at all any longer. And I
shouldn’t have been earlier. I should
have been fucking relieved that you were alright and
left it at that. But I didn’t, and I’m
sorry. I got pissed off because I
thought you were keeping secrets from me.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized again.
“I-I just never thought about them as my secrets.
you.” This time when she scooted over,
it was close enough that he could pull her into his arms if he wanted to.
“I understand, vixen. You don’t
have to tell me anything unless you think that a part of that past is going to
come up and bite us on the ass. Beyond
that I could fucking care less,” he said pulling her
into his arms in a tight embrace. “I
thought I fucking lost you, vixen. I
didn’t like it. I don’t want it to
happen again. But it’s not really up to
me, is it? No more than watching me go
through another fucking psychotic episode would be up to you.
down to bury his nose in her hair, inhaling deeply.
“Tessa’s father runs one of the biggest drug cartels in
Salida said quietly. If she was
realistic with herself, this could indeed come back to bite them in the butt.
“I take it you aren’t fucking joking,” Jeffrey muttered into her hair,
not lifting his head.
“No.” Taking a deep breath, she
started giving him the bare details she thought he needed.
breed. Her only purpose was to become a
doctor, and then go back to
to serve her family. There’s a lot I don’t
know, but they weren’t kind to her. The
smallest infractions had the biggest consequences.
staked outside one August day from sun-up to sundown without shade or
water. That’s the day I . . .” she wasn’t
sure how to continue. “Well, I suppose
you get the picture. What drove Tess
into reclusion in her own mind was a letter saying it was time for her to go
back home and face her family. And get
married to a man she’d never met. She
couldn’t take it. And to make sure they
wouldn’t keep hunting her, I staged heath.ath.”
“I see,” Jeffrey muttered, holding her even tighter than before.
little . . . show? I know I sure fucking
did,” hmittmitted softly. “Or will they
be coming after her, and in effect, you?
things. I’m used to the idea that
sure – but I never thought you would too.
said, smirking into her hair.
Ignoring his comments, Salida whispered, “They might be a little
suspicious at the absence of a body . . . but that's why I choose to do what I
did. It’s entirely plausible that a body
could have been swept downriver. And I
left traces of hair and blood on the steering wheel, just in case.”
shiver a little. “I remember being lost,
and I didn’t like it,” she breathed, trying to get closer still.
that. And then I woke up and you were
gone.”
“I’m sorry, vixen,” he said softly, pulling away so that he could look
her in the eye, his arms not leaving her shoulders.
asleep. And I didn’t trust Sands to
watch over you. I suppose I should have.
At least I would have been nearby when
you awoke, but I didn’t.”
She just nodded, and for several moments they sat in silence.
. . . I thought that might be it.”
“That what might be it? What did
you think, that I was going to leave you?
with you. But I came back and here I am.
Do you see?
mind, I wouldn’t leave. I’m sure I’d
annoy the hell out of her and I’d constantly try to find a way to bring you
back, but I wouldn’t leave you. I don’t
give up things that are mine. And you’re
mine, wife. I’m not leaving you unless
it’s against my will, and even then I’ll put up one hell of a fucking fight.
Her only answer was a nod, but Jeffrey could feel her relaxing in his
arms. He could feel her eyelashes
against his neck, brushing against him every time she blinked, the intervals
slowly growing longer and longer. He was
almost startled when she said, “I’m going to fall asleep if you don’t do
something about it.”
“Was that a statement, or a request, vixen?” he asked before kissing the
side of her neck gently.
“A statement,” she breathed. “I’m
still a little confused.”
Jeffrey sighed and pulled away to look at her again.
running a hand down one of her cheeks gently.
“I don’t know. My head is all
mixed up.” Rubbit het her face with one
hand, she continued, “I feel . . . high I suppose.
Jeffrey sighed deeply once more.
return to normal. Whatever normal for
you was, were her words. I suppose that’s
to be fucking expected. It’s not every
day that you have problems with voice inside your head trying to take over.
Sleep if you want, vixen.
word.”
“Ok,” she whispered. Pulling the
loose blankets around her, she settled back against him.
“Yes, vixen?”
“I love you. And I’m glad you’re
here.” She was clearly fighting against
sleep now.
“I love you too, vixen,” Jeffrey said without hesitation.
once near choking words. “And so am I,”
he said, holding her tightly under the blankets as they lay, side by side.
tomorrow, savvy?”
“Alright.” And with that
reassurance, she dropped off into sleep, her face and body finally letting go
of her tension. Her eyes were still a
little puffy . . . but she was here, she was his, and she was beautiful.