Healing Fire

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone pertaining to Star Wars. They belong to George. I just like to borrow them to play for awhile.

Note: If anyone is unfamiliar with Pablo Picasso’s piece “Guernica” go to the following link to see what it looks like. It may not be pretty, but the history behind it is so amazing. And yes, I did do a project involving the piece. http://www.terra.es/personal/asg00003/picasso/grguer2.jpg


Standing on the curb, I looked up at the complex towering in front of the street. I held up the address Ronnie gave me, and it was the right place. I blinked and stared once more at the complex. It was my first “house call”, in fact the first “house call” for anyone at the studio. Ronnie said it was a way to help reach more people who were in need of our services. I thought it was just a way to make more money, but who was I to question my boss?

One question I did ask Ronnie about this whole “house call” policy was whether it was safe for us. I mean, going to a place we’ve never been to give our services to people who could not (or would not) come to the massage studio. It all seemed a little off-base to me. But Ronnie assured me that all the clients wanting house calls were screened so that none of them were anyone of questionable intent. You know, serial killers, molesters or anything of the sort. Riiiight. I felt really comfortable with this new concept.

Before I could lose my nerve and head back to the street to signal another taxi, I strode up to the front door with my satchel in hand. My fist rapped on the door, and I straightened out my long, black jacket over my uniform. My hair was still good; the chopsticks were doing their job in keeping it up and looking professional. The door opened, but I didn’t see anyone standing on the other side. Pushing it open, I stuck my head inside and looked around. No one stood in the room, and, against my better judgment, I stepped into the building to examine the place.

The door shut behind me, and I jumped before spinning around, which isn’t easy to do in heels. Still, there was no one in the room, which was beginning to make my skin crawl. Only a few lamps along the walls gave off any light, but it wasn’t much light. Most of the room was shrouded in shadow, and I wanted to kick myself for doing something like entering a strange, and apparently empty, house.

Inhaling to calm my jumpiness, I took a few more steps into the room, calling,

“Hello? Is anyone here? Hello!”

No one answered me…as if I was really expecting someone to call back. Shaking my head, I made my way to the door when I heard a strange whirring noise like something mechanical. I stopped and turned to look about the room again, and I saw something on the floor. It looked like one of those automatic vacuums you’d see on late-night infomercials. But this one wasn’t flat. It was shaped like a small trash bin on wheels.

Taking a step towards it, I stared down at the thing and wondered whether I should touch or kick it. Then, it let loose a string of high-pitched beeps before asking, “May I inquire your name and purpose on my master’s premises?”

“Uh…I’m Natalie Grant, and your…master had called ‘Hands of the Seasons’ for a house call masseuse,” I replied, still staring at the robot, if that’s what it really was.

“Yes, I recall that information given by my master,” the robot said before making a U-turn and heading down a hallway. “Please, follow close.”

Raising an eyebrow, I wondered what sort of eccentric weirdo inhabited this dimly-lit house and had robots for servants. Well, there was more time for wondering later, and I quickly tailed the little robot. My heels clicked on the tiled floor of the hallway trying to keep up, and I barely had enough time to look through the rooms we passed. Ok, I admit I was a little curious about the owner’s other tastes besides his servants.

The robot led me into an open, but still rather muted, room, and I looked around for a lamp or light switch. Finding a table lamp, I turned it on, and the room brightened some. Not much, mind you, but much better than it had been with just the wall lamps.

“My master is still training, but he shall join you soon, Lady,” the robot told me, making another U-turn and rolling to the door. “Please, make yourself comfortable.”

“Right, thank you,” I said, watching the robot disappear down the hallway. Then, I turned and had a good look around the room. Shelves filled with books and other odd antiquities lined the walls, and I thought, ‘Wow, he’s got a library in this place. I always thought it’d be cool to have one this large.’

Setting my satchel by the table with the solitary lamp, I walked over to the closest set of shelves. I was curious to see what sort of trinkets shared space with the books. Looking over the shelf, I saw tiny to medium-sized statues and odd little pyramid-shaped items. Tilting my head, I reached down to pick one up, but a chill running through my spine stopped me. I put my hand down and shifted my attention to the books.

There were thick, hard-backed books lining almost all of the shelves. I didn’t think the owner had ever thought to pick up a paperback. Of course, looking around the place, why should he even bother when he could afford better? Looking closer at the titles, I couldn’t read any of them. All of them seemed to be written in some foreign language I didn’t recognize.

‘I guess when you live in a place like this, you obviously have enough time to learn a language or two…or a hundred,’ I thought, moving away from the shelf.

Something on the wall drew my attention, and I wandered over to the only wall without any bookshelves. There was a fireplace in the center of the wall, rather ornately decorated. On either side of the fireplace hung a large painting. The one on the left was Picasso’s “Guernica” and the opposite side was Van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” Both were rather well-done copies of the originals, and I walked closer to the Picasso.

Staring at the piece, it was even more amazing than what I had seen in textbooks and images on-line. I had never seen the original, but looking at even a copy was almost like viewing the real one. It was said to be one of Picasso’s greatest works, and after seeing this one, I had to nod in silent agreement.

“I take it you like the piece?” A soft, but definitely masculine voice asked.

Spinning around to face the door, I was greeted by a figure dressed in a long, black cloak. The hood was drawn over his head, but something seemed familiar about him. I couldn’t quite place it until he strode to sit in one of the chairs. Watching him pull back his hood, my eyes grew wide as saucers when I saw the crown of horns on his red and black tattooed head. Darth Maul, lord of the Sith, had requested a house call masseuse…and I was that masseuse. Holy shit.

The question he asked earlier finally registered, and I cleared my dry throat, saying,

“Uh…yes, I did a study on ‘Guernica’ while in college. I was just a little surprised that…”

“That I would show an interest in it?” he finished my question, and I bit my lip remembering he could read my thoughts, too.

“Right. I’m Natalie Grant, and I’m sorry for not introducing myself earlier. I’m the masseuse from ‘Seasons.’”

Maul nodded and motioned for me to sit down, and I took the chair across from his. I tried to get comfortable in the chair, but having a Sith lord staring at you really doesn’t make one feel at ease. Not that it was bad restlessness really. I enjoyed being under the scrutiny of an overlord of darkness. Honest. Ok, so I was a tad nervous…but what could I do? He was the client, and I the masseuse.

Looking around the room just to prevent me from staring at him, I tapped my satchel with my foot and glanced at it. Then, I raised my eyes and found Maul still staring at me, a smirk on his face. How could a smirk look that good? Of course, it was on his face, so that probably added lots of brownie points. A low chuckle came from him as he shook his head slightly.

It finally dawned on me that he was reading my thoughts again, and I wanted to bang my head on the table. I’d have to learn how to control my mind around these Force-users some time in the future. One problem was that I didn’t know many…just Qui-Gon and now Maul. Sighing, I cleared my throat and returned to my professional manner.

“Did you have a particular room in mind for your treatment…Lord Maul?” I asked, giving him the title I thought most proper. I tried to stop any and all thoughts running through my mind at that question.

He raised an eyebrow and asked,

“Are you that eager, Miss Grant?”

Huh? Tilting my head to the side, I realized what I had just asked him…and what images must have snuck through somehow. Oh, this wasn’t going to be an easy session, but I was the professional here. I was going to stay professional, damn it. At least, I would attempt to stay professional.

“I apologize, but you did ask for my services, Lord Maul,” I told him, bowing my head slightly.

“Please, just Maul,” he said, waving his hand slightly. The door to the library opened by itself, and he rose from his chair, motioning me to follow him.

Getting up, I grabbed my satchel and walked just behind him into the hallway. The door closed after I left the room, and once more we were shrouded in the darkness of the hallway. I could barely see Maul’s outline, and I walked faster to keep up with his long, fluid stride. At least the dimness of the place made sense now. And it did suit him.

We passed the entryway, and I saw the little robot moving about in what I guessed was the living room. Shaking my head, I focused once more on the cloaked Sith lord in front of me. The hallway seemed to stretch forever. I wondered how large the complex really was or if it was just some trick to make the outside look smaller while the inside was huge.

When Maul stopped in front of one door, I watched him make a slight gesture with his hand. Just like the others, this door swung open without any physical assistance, and he stepped aside, looking at me. Glancing from him to the doorway, I walked inside and found the room dark. Not dim like the others, pitch black. No surprise there. I felt his presence enter the room next to me, and as Maul strode by me, I thought I felt his palm brush against my hip. Maybe he didn’t see me…and maybe I was the queen of Sheba. Right.

Watching him enter the darkness, Maul seemed to disappear in the void that was the room. It would have been amazing…if I weren’t left standing alone with just him in his house. The thought sent chills down my spine…not all bad, but not all good either. Then, I heard something from the other side of the room, and a single flame grew into a crackling fire. His dark figure was framed in the light, and as he turned, several torches hanging along the walls blazed to life.

My eyes opened a little wider; definitely impressive, but when wasn’t a Sith lord impressive?

“Never.” His voice filled the room even though it was barely above a whisper.

Blinking, I knew I shouldn’t have heard him as we were standing on opposite ends of the room. His control of the Force was quite amazing. Even if it was something I could never understand, the displays were quite intriguing. ‘What you feel is…more than mere intrigue, Miss Grant,’ I heard his voice, soft as velvet, cut like a razor through my mind.

“Uh…Natalie will be fine,” I said, trying to stop the shudder that threatened to course through my shoulders and back. “Shall we begin, Maul?”

Holding his hands out to either side, he bowed his head and then shifted his stare away from me. I followed his gaze and saw what looked almost like a futon. But it was raised up on legs kind of like our massage tables. It had much more cushion than our tables, but it was also built lower to the floor. And it matched the room…black as night. No surprise here whatsoever.

When I surveyed the room, I found a round table near the futon, and there was also a stereo system on the fireplace mantle. Setting my satchel down on the small table, I unzipped it and brought out my CDs. I flipped through the sleeves until I found what I was looking for, “Nightwish Slow Mix.” Pulling it out, I walked over to the stereo and slipped in the CD, pushing ‘Play’. Soon we were hearing the first notes of ‘Angels Fall First’ one of my favorites.

I turned back to the futon and stopped in my tracks, my jaw threatening to drop. Maul had already shed his cloak and tunic, and he leaned against the futon displaying his glorious upper body. There was no better way to describe him…even “glorious” didn’t seem to do Maul justice. He was all muscle, like some statue drawn out of marble…or onyx in his case. The contrasting black and red designs were like some intricate map covering his body.

It took me a moment to remember how to breathe, and I coughed in order to be able to break my stare. Nope…even while blinking I could still see his imposing form. Inhaling, I strode over to the futon and slipped off my jacket, laying it over my satchel. I returned my attention to him, forcing my eyes to stay on his…which also might have been a mistake. Giving Maul a small smile, I said,

“Just lie back and leave the rest to me.”

That smirk crossed his face again, but he obeyed and leaned back against the futon. Maul was about the normal length of most of my male clients…but his presence was much greater than any I’d worked with before. That made it a little tougher to focus, but it made me more determined to do my job right. Of course with a client like Maul, I had the motivation to do the job well. Yes, it was my job to put my hands all over attractive men. Could I help it if I liked it as much as the clients sometimes?

Moving to the head of the futon, I had to lean over a little to place my hands on the muscles at the base of his neck. His skin was almost hot to the touch, but it didn’t burn. It was almost a soothing heat, and I worked my fingers into the muscle. I hadn’t been far off when I said he was like a statue; he was rock-solid tense. My God, how a person could go with this kind of tension was beyond my understanding.

I kneaded his neck with each individual finger almost like a small prick, starting with my index fingers and ending with the smallest. It was one of my tricks to loosen up the muscle before going deeper into the tissue. Then, I positioned my palms to either side of his neck and slowly moved his head from side to side. First left, then right, once more to the left and right again. While doing this, I made small circular motions against the neck muscles.

Hearing a small release of breath, I stole a glance down at Maul and found his eyes closed. He looked as though the strain I felt on him was gradually leaving. I had to smile at the relaxed look on his face…something I was sure not many people had seen.

Gently, I lowered his head before moving to his left side and securing my hands on his shoulder. I squeezed the muscle, rolling it in my hands while making my way down his upper arm, past the elbow and over his forearm. When I reached his hand, I massaged between each finger and entwined my fingers with his. Then, I slowly twisted his wrist to either side, pressing it back and pulling it forward. Releasing his fingers, I held his hand and softly traced the red designs seared into his skin. The detail was simply beautiful, I couldn’t help admiring it.

My eyes flicked to his face again, finding his eyes still closed with that look of near-content on his face. God, he was so beautiful; his body, the designs gracing it, practically everything made me want to touch him…even more than a masseuse normally would. I wondered if his lips were as soft as they looked.

Something ran against the side of my face, and I turned to peer into the darkness, finding nothing. My mouth twisted to the side, but I returned my gaze to Maul only to notice what felt like a hand travel down my neck and along my collarbone. Blinking, I still saw his hands where they were, one lying by his side, the other in my grasp. Then, a second invisible hand brushed down the bare part of my back and over my buttocks, gently squeezing my derriere and drawing a breath from my lips. It had to be him…there was no other explanation.

Rising, I made my way to the right side and almost lost my balance on the way over there. I caught myself by laying a hand on Maul’s thigh rather close to his pelvis, still covered by his pants. But I removed it quickly to not cause him concern. Of course, he had already disrupted my session, so what was another small disruption? Still, I was the professional here, and I would do my best to stay that way. Riiiight.

After repeating the same technique, I stepped down to his leg. I licked my lips as I thought through the procedure I was doing for Maul. It definitely required a more…intimate closeness. Oh, what the hell? I’d throw all caution to the wind just for that momentary closeness.

Wrapping my hands as much as I could around the top of his muscular thigh, I pressed deep into the muscle making a gradual descent. A soft growl came from above where I leaned over the futon, and I gazed up at him. I thought I saw his lips twitch, but who could tell in the dim light? Reaching the narrow part of his thigh and knee, I kneaded down his calf to the ankle.

He was wearing boots made of a soft, pliable leather which definitely made stretching his legs easier. Pulling down on his ankle, I laid his leg down softly and moved to the other. Once more, I encircled his upper thigh with my hands and started to massage down. I glanced up to check on Maul and saw his hand was clenched into a tight fist. I started to pull my hands away when I heard his voice, husky and low, in my mind. ‘No…don’t stop.’

Blinking, I returned my hands to where they were and slowly pressed my thumbs into the muscle, working my way down. Even beneath the cloth of his pants, I could feel the heat radiating from his body. Bending down, I rubbed the side of my face against his leg, feeling the heat pulse into me. A moan escaped his mouth, and I sighed against him.

Suddenly, his hand darted out and grabbed my right wrist, and I gasped, lifting my head as Maul sat up. His eyes were set in a fierce gaze locked with mine, and I couldn’t move at all. He pulled me to the side of the futon and wrapped a powerful arm around me, pinning both my arms. I squirmed around a little, shocked at the sudden mood shift, but I ceased when I felt him press his face into my hair.

Inhaling deeply, he sighed, and I heard his voice, a low growl, right next to my ear.

“Your mane would do you more justice if it were released.”

His warm breath in my ear made me shudder, and I leaned back into him even more. With his free hand, Maul grasped the chopsticks holding my hair and drew them out, dropping them to the floor. My hair fell down my back, and Maul released me, threading his fingers into my hair. I felt him press his lips against the back of my head, and he drank in my scent again. His touches were enough to make me press against him as much as I could, and I longed for more. And he knew it.

Placing his hand on the back of my head, he ran his palm over the entire length of it, and I drew in a sharp breath. ‘Ah…so that is what you favor, Natalie?’ His voice seemed to caress my entire being, and I believed I could stay with him like this forever. Then, it felt as though several hands stroked my hair, and my eyes rolled up as I moaned, laying my head on his shoulder.

He claimed my mouth in a scorching kiss, his tongue demanding immediate entrance to mine. I didn’t try to fight him and thrust my tongue against his only to be greeted by a bolt of energy. Snapping my eyes open, I pulled out of the startling kiss. It didn’t faze him as he lowered his mouth to my neck, tracing a line with his tongue down the vein to my collarbone. That made me forget what had shocked me before, and I leaned my forehead against his neck.

Grasping my shoulders, Maul turned me around to face him and pulled me on the futon, covering my mouth with his again. This time, the energy that passed between us when our tongues danced only made me lean into him more. His hands rubbed up my sides and behind my neck to the tie of my uniform shirt. With deft fingers, he unbound the bow and released my mouth long enough to pull it over my head. Once more, my uniform ended up on the floor. But who could care when you had a Sith lord ravishing you?

I knelt before him in just my skirt and bra, and his gaze roamed from my face to the bottom of my skirt where my legs parted. Sitting up on my knees, I allowed him to bunch up my skirt and grasp my underwear in one hand. He ripped them off in one smooth motion before wrapping his arms about my waist and placing fiery kisses along the skin above my bra. Air hissed from my mouth as I embraced his shoulders, my hand caressing the back of his smooth head and urging him to continue.

Lifting his head to gaze at me, the smirk returned to Maul’s beautiful face, and he tore the bra from my breasts. He enveloped one nipple with his mouth, swirling the hardened nub around and biting gently. I gasped at the feeling but still clutched him to me. His hand fondled my other breast, his thumb teasing the nipple hard. All of this made my mind whirl, and I found myself looking down at the horns on his head. Lowering my mouth to the one in the center of his forehead, I gently sucked and barely brushed my tongue against the soft base.

A guttural moan came from Maul, and he began squeezing my breast even harder before moving his hand lower. Reaching under my skirt, he cupped my buttocks and pressed my nether regions closer to the swelling in his pants. I felt the moisture trickling from inside me down my leg, and I wanted him inside me soon. Running fingers over his head, I gently ran a fingernail against the base of the tiny horn above his ear.

Instantly, his hands grasped either of my wrists and held them behind my back. Flared golden eyes stared into mine with passion and desire, and as he restrained me with one hand, Maul released his glory. I caught only a glimpse of him before he drove it straight into me.

Screaming in utter pleasure, I fought to release my hands from his grasp, and with another thrust inside me, he let go. I flung my arms about him, fingernails digging into the flesh on his back. His breath hissed against my face as he shoved deeper into my opening.

Oh, this man, this dark and glorious man. How can he be so amazing? My thoughts were jumbled and wild, but I felt him press his forehead against mine. The sensation I received from that touch pulled me even closer to him as I felt my climax drawing close. With gentler thrusts, Maul gradually pressed me to the edge. One more shove released the wave to wash over me as he filled my insides.

Pressing his mouth over mine, I felt another wave of ecstasy coursing through me along with mine. His pleasure mingled with mine, entwining until I couldn’t tell where mine stopped and his began. My back arched my body closer to him, and a hand held me there as his thrusts slowed. He lowered me to the futon, his lips still locked with mine, and the sensation was gradually subsiding along with the force passing between us.

My arms still held him close even after my breathing returned to normal. His tongue softly massaged mine before he released my lips. When my eyes finally opened, I saw him gazing down at me…warmly. I didn’t expect that from an overlord of darkness, but I also didn’t expect him to be so gentle towards the end. He lowered his face to mine, his lips beside my ear, and he murmured,

“You are…very good.”

A soft laugh left my mouth, and I said, “You’re not so bad yourself…” continuing in my thoughts. ‘You incredible man.’

‘I heard that.’ His voice resounded in my mind, and that amazing smirk appeared once more.

‘I know,’ I thought with a grin. “You know…should you ever need our services again…”

“I know to ask for the best…my caged tigress.”

Laughing again, I told him, “Just ask for Natalie.”

Lifting his head to stare down at me with those glittering gold eyes, Maul frowned. “It doesn’t do you justice…I think ‘Natalya’ is a more fitting name.”

Strangely enough, I liked the ring it had to it…even if it wasn’t my name. I found him chuckling low in his chest against me, and he grinned at my confused look. “It will be my name for you…alone like this…Natalya.”

“And what makes you think you’ll have me alone like this again?” I teased, raising an eyebrow. When his grin faded to a frown, I softly kissed him, saying, “Of course, I’m joking. Besides…it’s an offer I can’t refuse.”

“Agreed.” He growled low, nuzzling my neck before searing my mouth with his.

~~The End~~