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The Butcher's Bill (Prince x LeatrixSage)

Ethan watched Elisa through his eyepiece as she drew a leyline to her and used her demon magic. Through the eyepiece, it was a beautiful sight and he saw the rapture on her face as she seemed to come alive at working a leyline and manipulating it to open the wardrobe. There was also something else in her face, he noticed, beyond magical pleasure. Her eyes were half-lidded as she released the leyline, her lips curled into a seductive smile, a sultry aspect to her gaze as she met his eyes briefly and turned away. She was panting slightly, chest heaving and her skin looked flushed. Excited... but in what way? And the taint of her magic was on her, coating her aura and glowing red in his eyepiece, pulsing slightly and seeming to flow through her body.

Elisa wasn't looking at Ethan as she spoke, obviously tired by her efforts, but her body language seemed like she was afraid of him suddenly and she moved aside to sit down well away from him at the desk. Ethan studied her for a second and walked a bit closer to her, gazing at her intently. She wouldn't meet his eyes and her breathing was ragged. He reached out to touch her should briefly as he thanked her and found her body hot as she flinched from his touch like he had burned her.

Ethan frowned and walked to the wardrobe, examining the contents with his normal eye and his magic lens. Most were silly tinkets, cheap jewelry, some photographs of what presumably might be Claudia's family, but one item glowed to his eye and he picked it up carefully. It was a ring, simple and silver with a small pattern of roses worked into it cunningly. And it glowed to his eye, not to his lens. He had learned how to see the traces of human magic while a student at Blackfriars, and this ring was enchanted by a human without a doubt. Unlike demon magic, the human spells bound objects more permanently and in a cleaner fashion. Without perverting nature and leylines like demons did. Demon magic was like cooking food over an open flame versus boiling it or roasting it. Less smoke and ash, and a more pure flavor. And demons, he knew, were blind to human magic and Claudia, or Elisa, were unable to see the glow this ring produced.

Ethan raised the ring to his naked eyes as he pulled his eyepiece off. The inner circle had runes carved marking the binding enchantments of the magician who had created it. Definitely a spell of location, to find the wearer, and another spell of to make the wearer fall asleep he guessed. Probably triggered by a command. But Claudia had left it here and not worn it the night of her murder, meaning her killer had found and tracked her by non-magical means. Perhaps he had attended her play and escorted her home. Ethan pocketed the ring and turned to Elisa, who still looked flushed and unsteady.

Ethan knelt by Elisa and gently placed his hand on her shoulder as he stared up at her, trying to meet her gaze.

"Are you feeling ok? Is anything wrong?" he asked in a concerned tone.
 
It was hard enough to focus before he touched her. After he had, it was all she could think about. Her mind went right back to the way his touched had seemed to put his mark into her skin and how his eyes had seemed to make her burn wherever they traveled. She couldn't help feeling cruel when she flinched away from him, but Ethan said nothing and went back to the wardrobe. Even then, Elias still felt like she couldn't breath. She seemed to struggle for each small, panting breath while her heart was determined to flutter as fast as a hummingbird's wings. She should have known better... but how else was she going to help him? She had few useful skills beyond her magic, and there was no other way she would have gotten that damn thing open.

'Calm down, focus,' she hissed at herself, already feeling more like a liability than anything else. Despite her unsteady state, Elisa made herself pay attention to what Ethan was doing. He seemed to be as gentle as he was methodical as he picked through Claudia's prized possessions. The careful respect there lightened the small guilt that came with rifling through her friend's private things and thoughts. When he raised a ring up to inspect it further, she found her curiosity peeked. While the ring itself was lovely, she could see no reason it should be particularly important. That more than anything else made her feel uneasy. What could Ethan see that she could not?

She was nearly about to ask about what he'd found when he pocketed the ring and turned toward her. Their eyes met for an instant before Elisa turned her gaze down to the floor. She felt her cheeks warm as he drew closer, and her heart almost stopped as he knelt before her. His hand settled on her shoulder, and Elisa trembled as she found herself staring into the slate silver of his eyes. Her throat went dry, lusted flooded her senses, and she let out a long slow breath to cool her ardor.

She stood quickly and Ethan stood with her. They stood so close she could already feel what it had been like to be crushed against him, held so tightly by his arms that he seemed to breath for her more than she breathed herself. Her lips parted, meaning to tell him that nothing was wrong, but the words never came out. All she had to do was tilt forward, raise up on her toes... and then their lips met. Elisa gasped as if from surprise even as her arms slid up to wrap tight over his shoulders. Her lips claimed his in a ravenous hunger and her tongue boldly struck out to slide over his lips and stroke across his tongue. His arms went around her and electricity struck straight down to her curling toes so that she leaned into him to leave her body stretched over the length of his. Her breasts pressed into his chest as she gasped for air, her lean stomach pressed to his, and her thighs pressed so tightly against his own that she tensed at the feel of a growing bulge there.

Something wild stirred inside Elisa as she broke from his kiss to stare up at him. The answering passion she saw there made a devilish grin crease her red, kiss swollen lips. "This is madness," she whispered to him as one of her hands slid down over his chest and then slowly dared to travel farther. She kissed him again when she felt her knees begin to shake, and then her hand closed over that hot bulge. It seemed to sear her palm as she cupped him, boldly stroking him through the thin layer of fabric that separated them. Being so wanton made Elisa feel as heady as if she had finished an entire bottle of wine by herself. And yet, she felt as shy as a love struck girl at her first ball, tentative and exploring. He did not immediately stop her, and together they teetered until Ethan's back was pressed against the nearest wall and Elisa was hungrily devouring every drop of passion he offered her.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, a more logical and sensible part of herself shrieked that this was wrong. 'What's wrong with it, some other part demanded an answer. She was half demon, what would no longer being a virgin really make any difference in this new world of hers? That more socially acceptable part of herself had no answer... and Elisa buried it with blind determination. What had been her life was long destroyed now. She was going to take every bit of joy she could from this new one. Ethan gave her something she had never known before, and she felt as starved for it as a man lost in a desert was starved for water.
 
Ethan knew something was bothering her; he had seen the demon magic taint on her before he removed his eyeglasses. Yet still he was drawn to her, part of him wondering if she was alright, the other part wondering if what he saw was truly desire and lust. The latter idea excited him and like a moth to a flame he had put himself dangerously close to her. He had known, he admitted as he touched her, that demon magic often caused perversions and wanton behavior. Particularly with half-bloods that might be otherwise normal humans and in full control of their emotions. Was he tempting her on purpose, he wondered, as his eyes searched for hers and his hand seemed to steady her trembling body. And then her hunter green eyes met his and he froze. She took a breath, as if calming herself, but her eyes burned into him and were full of heat, desire and lust.

She stood up and he did as well, shocked by what he saw, but also excited. His heart was suddenly hammering in his chest and he couldn't think or speak. The ring was forgotten as she moved close to him, eyes still smoldering into his. Her kiss was so fast he barely could respond and suddenly her arms were around him. It was the opposite of last night; this time she was the aggressor. She wanted him and would not be denied. There was a manic ferocity in her assault on his mouth, like she was worried he would break the kiss if she let up. Her tongue pushed into his mouth urgently, as if she was trying to claim him before he could force her away. His arms clasped her tight, pressing her soft curves into him and she radiated heat into his body as his cock began to harden against her thigh. Ethan started to kiss her back now, meeting her ardent desire with his own suddenly burning passion. Their tongues were now wrestling each other as his own mouth moved in a hungry reply to her ravenous attack.

Her hand slid down him and forced a gasp from his mouth as she found his hardened bulge, squeezing him over his trousers. The touch was so shocking and pleasurable that he stumbled back in surprise and found himself pinned to the wall by her aggression as she followed him with her body. That hand on his cock, now fully hard, rubbed up and down his shaft and sent waves of pleasure through his shuddering frame. He was so unused to these feelings, the heady swirl of desire and lust that consumed him, and the physical feeling of a sexy woman stroking his manhood as she assaulted him with her mouth. He felt almost paralyzed, unable to move a muscle to resist or stop her as she coaxed him into deeper and deeper desire. A small part of him cried out that she was seducing him, using her demon magic to trick him and bend him to her will. But he dismissed it as he knew all she was doing was fanning the embers of his own emotions and bringing those smoking coals to full blaze.

"Elisa," he murmured between kisses. "This is madness, but I want you so badly. I need you." As he spoke his hands ran down her back to cup her rear through her dress. He squeezed the firm globes of her ass hard as he pivoted suddenly and spun her around, pressing her against the wall hard and turning the tables to be the aggressor again. He raised one of her legs to rest on his hip as he rubbed his hardened cock in frustration between her thighs, pressing against the layers of cloth covering her sex. A hand now slid up slowly, lifting the hem of her dress over that raised leg as it slid higher and higher, reaching her thigh before slipping to the inside and gliding to the apex of her legs. He cupped her mound over her underwear, fingers moving against the swollen lips under that thin fabric. The heat he felt seared him and he let out a moan as he rubbed her again.

"Oh god, Elisa, I want you now," he growled at her, his silver grey eyes flashing open to stare into hers, his own wild with his excitement and desire. "I don't care if its wrong, I want you."
 
Somewhere between the ethereal rush the leylines gave her and the craving her body was forming for Ethan, something else was stirring in Elisa. She would not name it. Would not even give it her honest attention. Instead, she let the touch, taste, and scent of Ethan carry her mind far away from the threatening things swirling in her heart. She lost herself on the tide that flowed from her to him and back again. Distantly she heard him speaking to her, her eyes barely opening while his lips moved against her own to form words. She sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth, wanting so badly to tell him she needed him as well... but she could not form the words.

His hands trailed fire down her back as they slid down and made her arch into him. Elisa was shocked to hear a wanton, eager moan escape her throat when his hands found her ass and squeezed. A second later, however, she was yelping in surprise and clinging onto him as her world spun. She gasped as her back hit the wall, a faint pain spreading through her shoulders as she dropped her head back to stare up at Ethan. She found herself grinning at him as he raised one of her legs over his hip, all to eager to let him take over. Her hands had each come to rest against his chest, shaking, but balled into tight fists, clinging onto his jacket to keep him close. His hips moved and Elisa trembled in his arms. The leg he had wrapped over his hip tightened to pull him closer while her back arched to press her body more tightly against his own. Even with her skirts bunched up between them, she could feel him there, nudging so close to such private and intimate places. A wild kind of thrill stirred there amidst liquid fire and tender, pink skin. She was untouched, but Elisa was no fool, she knew the storm he was building inside her and she wanted nothing more than to let him push her farther.

Long, powerful fingers wrapped around her calf and Elisa gasped as if the touch had shot pain up her leg. Everything in her seemed to focus there, to that place where strong fingers and a rough palm were dragging against skin that had never been touched by anyone else before. The one knee that held her up wobbled so that Elisa clung to Ethan's shoulders for support. Her heart beat like a drum in her ears and she barely breathed as that hand traveled higher. Over her knee, along her pale, creamy thigh... her skirts fell back with a rustle of fabric to leave her entire lower half naked to the cool air and Ethan's gaze. His hand cupped her, her meager shift caught between those delicate lips of her sex and his questing fingers. The memory of how wonderful they felt inside her made Elisa burrow her face against Ethan's shoulder. She held her breath, every inch of her body shaking as those sweet fingers danced against her, seeking places she knew so little about and yet had no will to deny him.

Ethan's moan vibrated through her body, but the growl in his voice as he told her that he wanted her made her heart stop. Elisa's head snapped up so that her own bright green eyes met the full onslaught of the passion flashing inside the stormy, silver depths of his. The wildness she had felt was alive in him, so much so that it frightened her to see. It called to some old, primal part of herself that demanded she answer his his challenge and give him everything. He wanted her, she wanted him... what put ice into Elisa's blood was the one thing she had been forcing her mind not to think.

'This is wrong.

Elisa's heart seemed to break as that word crossed his lips. He did not care if it was, she did not care either, but it was still... wrong. Her mouth moved, trying to tell him something, anything, but she couldn't get the words off her tongue.

'I need you, I want you... Ethan...I-'

"Elisa!" a sharp knock at the door made Elisa jump as if someone had just slid a knife between her ribs. The dangerous thoughts that had just slid through her mind vanished as quickly as they came as her eyes fearfully turned the feeble door that still protected them from the horror of scandal. The moment Ethan's body pulled away a merest fraction to turn his attention to the offending noise, Elisa disentangled herself from his arms and his body. She threw her skirts down and brushed them out quickly, putting the entire room and everything else she could between them.

'You fool,' she scolded herself, shaking so badly she thought she may come apart at the joints. 'You have everything to loose in his arms. A good reputation is all any woman has. Loose it and you'll wish being half demon was the only stigma against you.

"Elisa, are you okay?" the door slid open to let a small, round face poke inside. At the sight of John's shaggy brown hair, Elisa nearly collapsed. "What is it?" The boy demanded, shooting an evil glare at Ethan. "Did he hurt you?"

"No, of course not," Elisa hushed him. She knew she was flushed, panting, her heart was still beating so faced she swore her ribs would be bruised tomorrow... but a boy could be fooled. "I miss Claudia is all. I was crying. Lord Colton was being a good friend and was looking after me." The lie tasted as bitter on her tongue as his title and Elisa felt a weight settle heavily into her heart. "Would you do us a favor, John? Go fetch the troupe together. Lord Colton has questions for them."

"Right you are," John said slowly, still glaring at Ethan as he pushed the door open wide before turning to walk down the hall. His voice rang out clear as a bell over the odd collections of noises all over the theater. One by one people would seem to appear from every corner possible until they all sat on stage to await the reason behind being summoned.

"I'm sorry," Elisa made herself turn and face Ethan again. She felt at war with herself, but buried it beneath the sensibility that had been carved into her every bone during her childhood. "My behavior was... deplorable. Working so much magic... it has side effects. I am truly sorry for compromising you like that, Lord Colton. I know I stand to loose more, as a woman. But, you're reputation in work is as precious as my own in polite society. I... wont let it happen again."

'Tell him! her heart screamed, and then ached painfully as Elisa forced herself to turn away from him and begin the walk back to the main stage.

"This way, Lord Colton."
 
Ethan was so far gone into his passion he didn't notice the knock until Elisa started under him. All he cared about was her sweet mouth against his and the hot warmth of her sex in his hand as he felt her juices begin to soak through the delicate fabric that separated her bare flesh from his. Then suddenly, she was pushing him away and he heard a voice calling her name. Oh god, what have I done, he thought to himself, his skin flushing a darker red now as shame replaced the ardor that had overcome him. Ethan, you damned horny fool. What were you thinking!

As the door opened, he stepped back to arms length, body still facing Elisa and away from the door to hide the large bulge that now stretched halfway down his thigh in his loose trousers. He turned and gave what he hoped was a reassuring and casual smile, but likely came across as a forced baring of his teeth. With a sigh, he realized it was only the boy. While the boy clearly disliked Ethan, he might be easily fooled and Elisa deftly handled him as Ethan collected himself with deep, steady breaths.

Elisa's apology once John had left was strangely upsetting to Ethan. As she spoke, she seemed to truly be sorry for assaulting him, not just embarrassed or guilty. As if she really did not wish to have kissed him and touched his manhood so lustily. He colored slightly, realizing that she might truly have been perverted by her use of the leylines. Maybe there was no attraction or underlying desire for him. The thought was strangely disappointing and he felt suddenly more the fool for responding so quickly and passionately. He had no excuse of being corrupted by magic. He had no excuse except either he was a manwhore that reacted this way to all women who kissed him, or that he had deeper feelings for Elisa. Neither was a pleasant explanation to give to the uncomfortable lady.

"And I apologize as well, again," he said stiffly. "I do not mean to impugn upon your honor." Elisa was leaving, walking ahead of him and he followed, eager to have to explain no more. His words were hollow, he knew. And the heat and desire he had felt back were not addressed at all. He decided that Elisa chose to ignore Ethan's complicity in their tryst, he would act as if nothing had happened as well. "Yes, let's question the troupe, very good."

Ethan had regained his composure and was acting normally, at least on the outside as they reached the stage. They waited until the entire group of actors was assembled, a gay and brightly dressed group in typical circumstances, but strangely somber and cautious as Ethan and Elisa stood before them. Claudia's death had hit them hard, both the loss of a dear friend, but also the fear that the Butcher might be after more of them. Ethan pulled his eyepiece on, ignoring the typical stares and curious expressions on the faces of the actors as they studied that strange apparatus. He regarded them carefully for a couple silent and awkward minutes before he placed the leather harnessed goggle back in his back, satisfied that no traces of demon magic were present on any of the assembled humans.

"I am Lord Colton, Her Royal Majesty's Magical Crimes Investigator," he said at last, gray eyes cold and piercing as he let them travel over every actor trying to see if one of them looked nervous or flinched. "I would like you to tell me anything you can about Claudia's last night, and in particular, anything you know about a certain, mysterious male admirer she had who might have given her this ring." With a flourish, he produced the silver ring to the assembled group of actors, who all craned their necks forward in curiosity.
 
Ethan's apology made Elisa's shoulders tighten. She didn't want to hear it. All it did was make what had just happened seem all the more wrong. That sickening feeling of shame and guilt tried to make her agree, but Elisa viciously buried them. She wasn't sorry and she was not going to feel ashamed. He wasn't sorry either. Elisa glanced over her shoulder as he followed behind her to see for sure. The desire and hunger she had seen in his eyes still clung to his body. Even if she couldn't see his aura, the way he moved said everything she needed to know. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart fluttered at the sight. Elisa smiled as she turned her head back around. Maybe it was wrong... maybe it wasn't... what mattered most to her was that he wanted her.

'And I want him.

Elisa's heart thrilled at the thought, but it all stayed quietly buried beneath the icy facade the world demanded of women that were respectable. Only harlots and mistresses enjoyed sex. Women of good breeding and respectability should feel nothing but distaste and duty for carnal acts. They lived in a backward world, she supposed, but the rules maintained the pecking order. Everyone knew what was expected because everyone knew the rules and their place on the ladder. The distant thoughts distracted her mind and gave Elisa's body time to cool. The passion that had taken her did not pass, it simply settled into the background and waited.

A completely different sort of nervousness made her stop short at the sight of the troupe all gathered together. There were only twelve now, without Claudia. Seven men, five women, all in various states of dress and undress with bits of costume and make-up half finished. Of course, the show must go on. Elisa smiled at the stray thought and relaxed when several friendly smiles greeted her. If they knew what she was, what Claudia had been, they made no sign of it. Every face seemed to carry the same strange blend of friendly familiarity, sadness, and happiness at seeing her.

Without a word, Elisa made way for Ethan. He seemed like he had the first moment she had met him now. Military exactness and astute professionalism flooded off of him in waves. It was a side of him she respected, but she wasn't entirely sure she liked. Really, she much preferred the wild aggression and gentle care he had so expertly used against her in those brief moments of loosing his control. It all made him seem like an animal kept on a tight leash. What seemed strange was that he was holding his own leash... of course... was her life not the same? If she wanted it... she could take anything from anyone... very few humans could withstand even the most simple of suggestions and yet, Elisa always held herself back from the lines as much as she could. A demon on a self made leash.

The image that went through her mind nearly made her laugh. Elisa covered the small sound with a clearing of her throat. Lilly, one of the younger girls, gave her a knowing look, but said nothing. William, a tall, reedy man in the back grinned at her as if she had just blurted out some horrible obscenity in the middle of church. All of this passed as Ethan spoke to them and no one else seemed to have noticed anything. As he introduced himself, Elisa stepped closer behind him to rest one hand against his back. If she was honest, she just wanted to touch him. Her excuse, however, was feeding him a small flow from the nearest line to offer her sight to him again. She knew enough to tell when someone was lying to her or hiding something from her... but he knew far more about people and their reactions than she. It seemed to her that giving him her sight would help far more than trying to translate what she saw.

As it was, she knew some of what was offered to them. Lilly had seen Claudia leave for home alone after the night was over. Her aura showed over-bright, but that could simply be nervousness. Aurora, a french woman with a vicious tongue, seemed detached and cold, very impatient with everything. To Elisa, is was nothing new. The woman was always waspish, even when she was happy. A copper-headed gentleman with deep brown eyes that seemed intent on tearing his cap in half muttered something under his breath about Claudia kissing a man back stage. No one else seemed willing to say much more than that on the subject.

Jeff was missing, but she hadn't expected him to climb out of his bottle to go through this. Just seeing the ring Ethan held up to them would have twisted the man in ways that would never come undone. As it was, a few didn't want to look at it. Whoever had done this had money. Money meant to them that justice would never be seen. That was how it worked. They were on the bottom of the ladder, holding up the rest. The ones that stood on their shoulders ran this world and their money enabled them to do whatever they pleased in it. Everyone knew it, and they all broke beneath it. All but Rosa.

Rosa was a gypsy woman nearly twice Elisa's age who barely looked old enough to be away from her family. She had aged with incredible grace. Her mother's gypsy blood gave her skin that looked almost golden in candle light, hair as black a raven's wing and eyes as dark and deep as the black, bottomless reaches of the oceans. A vast wisdom always seemed to linger there and those cutting eyes drew Elisa's attention unbidden. Something passed between to two women before Elisa quietly moved away from Ethan. Rosa, too, simply walked away from the others.

"What is it you know?" Elisa whispered. She would never understand why, but Elisa trusted the woman without question. She was perhaps the one person that could tell her anything, and Elisa would believe it as if she herself had been there to see it happen.

"You know Claudia had many.. friends outside the theater," Rosa started, her accent clipping hard on consonants and over stressing vowels as she spoke. "There is a woman that tells fortunes... she asked me about learning her future. She said she was in love, I never thought..."

Elisa waited as the older woman sighed. "What, Rosa?" she asked gently, keeping her attention from straying to Ethan's ever watchful gaze. "I know you would have never hurt Claudia. Who did you tell her to see?"

"I don't know her name," Rosa growled at the words through her teeth, seeming more angry at herself than anything else. "Across the bridge, not far from work houses and ports. She keeps a small shack in an alley behind a baker. I told her people sometimes go there to ask the woman that lives there about their fortunes. It's an easy walking distance from where she..."

"No, Rosa," Elisa smiled sadly, understand well the older woman's pain for feeling responsible for Claudia's last night. "It is not your fault, or mine, or anyone else's here."

"I know that, girl," Rosa smiled as she scolded her, making Elisa laugh. "I miss her."

"We all do."
 
Ethan heard Elisa approaching behind him and felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise and tingling spread through his body. He was so aware of her and for a moment his mind could think of nothing else, the troupe was forgotten. And then she touched his back. He gasped at that soft contact, initially from just her touch on him again after their most recent heated exchange of passion, but then he felt her magic flow into him and the gasp turned into one of surprise at her... gift... to him. It was a subtle effect, but the auras and energies of everyone stood up. He could see how they ripple and changed as each person talked. Inexperienced as he was, he could guess, or almost feel, their emotions rippling as they talked. He had long relied on his own human eyes and judgment, tracking the smallest tic or expression on people, but this sight she gave him let him know when their faces did not match their emotions. Or those who hid their emotions expertly; and this was a skilled group of actors.

It was a truly useful tool, Ethan decided once he grew comfortable that no other taint more perverse than just sight was leaking to him. And he confirmed his own suspicions that the acting troupe was genuinely bereaved, shocked and not suspects in Claudia's murder. He could see how useful such sight might be in his regular investigations and that thought brought him back to Elisa, aware suddenly of her hand pressed against his back and her closeness. He felt his pulse quicken again and fought to remain impassive as he could almost sense her body heat as she stood so near.

He had to figure out how to handle this growing attraction, which got worse by the second. A passion that was, he wondered, potentially mutual. Though there was the potential her earlier assault on him was driven entirely by her strong use of demon magic. He knew he should send her off, drive her far away from him before she tempted him too much, but he knew he couldn't. She was far too useful to him in solving this case that had tormented him for five years. And far too intriguing for him to banish so easily from his life. There had to be a middle ground...

He almost missed the last person's comments about the fortune teller, but reined in his wandering mind to listen intently. It was the only solid lead they had from the interviews. This lead and the mysterious ring her had found. While the ring was evidence of human magic, it might be the work of a hedge witch or wizard as well, not necessarily a member of the Royal Society and trained at Blackfriars. He was somewhat hesitant presenting it to the Royal Society immediately, concern based on his lingering and stubborn belief that there might be a rogue magician in their ranks involved in these crimes, or at least his father's death investigation them.

"I see, well thank you all very much, please send a message if anyone visits or tries to get into Claudia's room," he said at last, presenting his business card to the nearest actor who took it with some alarm. He tipped his bowler hat and turned to nod at Elisa to have her precede outside to his waiting carriage.

He gave orders to his driver to head to the fortune teller, letting his mind consider the ring and the fortune teller for a long silence, before his thoughts turned inevitably to Elisa. He couldn't broach the subject of their latest liaison without some awkwardness, but at last spoke, starting with her gift during the interviews.

"Thank you for providing me with your.... sight. It was extremely useful," he said with a glance towards her. She looked thoughtful next to him as the carriage rattled through the busy mid-day streets heading for the bridge and the fortune teller. "Does your use of magic... affect you?" he said after a pause, gently inquiring about the earlier event and wanting to find out how much was her own desires, versus the demon taint of perversion that must accompany her use of leylines.
 
Elisa and Rosa had turned back to Ethan and the others with hands clenched together to offer and take support from each other only to give each other brief smiles and let go to part ways as the troupe slowly stirred to get back to work and Ethan gave Elisa a short but pointed nod. It seemed all too natural to submit to his silent command and turn to leave the theater ahead of him. The behavior was outside her normal character, after all, she had never been able to really trust a man before. This, somehow, felt right. She risked a glance over her shoulder to look at him to find he was nearly right behind her and watching her in return. She blushed as she quickly looked forward again. His nearness was beginning to affect her in more ways than in just the reactions he stirred in her body. The lightness in her heart seemed so much more terrifying than any physical danger the man could ever represent to her honor.

Elisa smiled and ducked her head down to hide it as Ethan helped her gently into the carriage and then took his place beside her. God help her, was she falling in love with him? It would be a thoroughly stupid thing to do, utterly foolish and completely outside anything good for her, or him. What could she really hope for? Marriage was out of the question. She was too old and he had a title to pass to an heir some day. What kind of heir could she really offer him; one with demon blood and magic no one trusted. She could be his mistress. A kept woman in some hotel or apartment, hidden from the world least she risk public ridicule and scandal. She had seen a woman once, as a girl, enduring the stairs and whispers because the man that kept her had brought her to a dinner. Could she suffer that to be at Ethan's side?

Elisa's mind was dragged away from the frightening thoughts by Ethan's voice. She looked up to find him watching her and she smiled as warmth flooded her cheeks. "of course, I hoped it would be, you're very welcome." She answered him quickly and turned her attention to the street and those milling around outside the carriage. She had hoped focusing on them would keep her mind from straying again, but Ethan's question did a far better job of clearing her scattered thoughts.

A fresh heat spread color through her cheeks and down her neck. It was a simple enough question, but she found she loathed to answer it. A quick glance in his direction made Elisa's stiff shoulders drop as she exhaled a long breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. He was waiting for something, his eyes searching her own, but she wasn't sure what it was he really wanted to hear. Dropping her eyes to her lap, Elisa pulled off her gloves and gave them a gentle shake before laying them flat over her legs in an attempt to work out her nerves.

"The simple answer is yes," she admitted quietly, mulling over her words carefully. How to explain? "Using the lines affects anyone that touches them. They are the source of everything... and everything goes back to them. How can anyone touch them and not be affected? They are the veins and arteries of the earth, filled with the energy needed for every living thing to exist. Stand inside one and tap into it and you can see the other side..." Elisa's words trailed off and she shook her head. "But, that is even harder to explain than the rest."

She sighed as she leaned back, her corset pinching a little as she looked up into his ever watchful gaze. "So, the easier answer is yes, it affects my body. There is no way to avoid that. But, that is all it affects. My mind and soul are my own. You... your people... Magicians, you call it a perversion. Say it breaks the laws of nature and leaves a mark of tarnish behind. From where I stand, you are completely wrong. It does not pervert me because my mind is not affected. Using the lines does not make me inclined to do anything I do not or did not want to do in the first place. The taint you claim is left behind on my soul is merely a residue of energy build up. When it is eventually filtered out, my aura is left as clean as any other human that walks this earth." An irate note entered her voice, but even to her own ears, she sounded more tired than angry.

"And, if I am half demon, I stand outside the normal laws of nature anyway, so how could I possibly break them?" Elisa smiled up at him and shrugged her shoulders as if to cast off a burden that rested there. "I understand that Demons are by no means good, and you, I, and every other living creature on this earth is right to mistrust them and fear what they can do. But, all in all, I think you, and everyone like you, vastly misjudges those of us that use the lines. I think, in truth, you are simply ignorant of us. You fear what you do not understand, and as I don't understand you, you do not understand me." Elisa laughed, somehow feeling much better now that she had answered him. Of course... she felt she had told him much more than he had wanted, or even needed to hear.

"I am sorry, Ethan," she sighed, not noticing the little slip when she used his name. "To be honest with you, that subject is a heated topic for me and the few I know like me. You and your order terrify us all." She gave him a grin as she leaned closer to him to whisper playfully: "Don't you know that you are the monster that hides under my bed?"
 
Ethan gazed at her, his steel grey eyes lingering on her hunter green orbs as she answered his question. She was uncomfortable speaking about the topic, particularly to him, he understood, but he judged her response honest. She hadn't even known she had demon blood, just that she had special powers... powers with side effects. Those people like her that she had found had evidently never spoken of her true nature, just warned her about magicians and humans that looked to kill people like her. A mistrust born of ignorance. A life of living in fear, hiding and being scared, all on top of her personal tragedy and being a woman with no wealth or family. Alone in this heartless city.

He felt a surge of empathy rise up and he fought to keep his face impassive. He had an urge to embrace her that he struggled to overcome, turning and glancing away at the busy streets, still gloomy at mid-day with the overcast and smoky air that hung thickly overhead. What he thought of most was how she described the leylines affecting her. Her words had been carefully chosen and she had clearly said that the leylines, while perverting in their nature, did not make her do anything that she did not want to do. That her magic would not make her a killer, or evil, for instance. But to Ethan's mind, he only thought of what that implied for her lust filled assault on him earlier. Her kiss was not a moment of insanity caused by magic, but rather driven from a repressed desire that she had released from a lack of self-control. She wanted him as much as he wanted her, and that thought was scary.

"We are not all monsters, nor should you fear us," he said finally, eyes turning back to her again. He tapped his gloved hand on his thigh as he considered what she had said again. "Evil exists in many people with no demon blood. I suspect even amongst the ranks of the Royal Society of Magicians. Everyone has a choice in how they behave, although I suspect some people have such a base nature they may be forced to evil regardless. I only hunt criminals... criminals who use magic to do their deeds. While half-demons and other supernatural beings are viewed with suspicion by many humans, including myself I admit, I know first hand that they are all not bad. And some can be trusted." He turned and grasped her hand with his own, aware now how close they were. His iron self-control faltered briefly as he felt his pulse quicken, but he kept himself from kissing her. He had to learn to control his emotions again.

"And I trust you, Elisa," he murmured. "And I need your help, with your abilities and my skills, I think we can bring this killer to justice. There are some... feelings... we may both share, towards each other. For now, let us focus on this case and avenging the loss of our loved ones. I don't know what will happen with us... but I need your help now."

He squeezed her hand gently and the carriage lurched to a stop outside a narrow alley in a dirty part of London filled with warehouses and factories. It was a winding way with high stone buildings on either sides. Small shops and stores seemed to dot it, but the alley itself was so unappetizing in appearance and dark that Ethan could scarcely believe shoppers would venture into it without a very specific knowledge of what they sought. He reached across Elisa's body to unclasp the carriage door, his chest pressing against her shoulder and face inches from her lips. Then he motioned for her to precede him onto the street.

As they entered the alley, a trickle of nasty, black water draining down the cobblestones in the middle, he unconsciously extended his arm for her to take in an attempt to give her comfort. Some of the shops they passed were more wooden stands, selling strange herbs, poultices and potions. Others were small stores with doors and dark windows, advertising trinkets, curios, charms and spells for all manner of problems; love, money, health, fortune and fame. An alley of hedge magic, sold to the desperate or disillusioned of the lower class. It was likely illegal, the Royal Society enforced the sale of fake magical charms and actively arrested anyone selling curses or dark magic, but some of these self-taught practicioners had some ability and Ethan knew that the more prosperous of these dismal shops were the ones that word of mouth had validated as effective. The few people walking in the alley were furtive and kept their eyes averted from the well-dressed couple that walked it slowly, examining the stores carefully. A few of the proprietors of the stands half-heartedly called out to them, offering them love potions and fertility aids.

Near the middle, there was a sign shaped in the Tarot card called the Lady. The faded paint on the chipped doorway read "Esmeralda Constantinus, Teller of Fortunes and Futures." With a nod to Elisa, Ethan opened the creaky door and stepped into the small store. The smell of incense and a pungent aroma of oils filled his nose. The room itself was draped in heavy silk sheets and Arabic tapestries, light coming from a scattering of oil lanterns in the corners. An elderly woman sat on a leather chair at the only table, reading from a book and stroking an old, gray haired cat that lounged on her lap. She had a colorful mismatch of clothing, from a bright yellow scarf wrapped around her head and large gaudy earrings, to a blue shawl and green and red peasant style dress. Her wrists were bedecked with bangles and bracelets, seeming made of tin and brass, that clacked noisily as her hand moved on the purring cat. There were two wooden chairs across from her that she motioned to without looking up.

"Come in, come in," she said, her voice raspy and with a slight accent that was difficult to place. She glanced up and gave a crooked smile, her black eyes glinting in the dim light. Then she added with a cackle, "I've been expecting you, of course!"
 
He was right, of course. A bad person could come from any walk of life. She knew that better than most and felt Ethan must think the same way. He was gracious as he spoke of half-bloods and other supernatural things. She wondered briefly what he meant, her world being somewhat limited to humans, demons, and half-bloods like herself. Stories swirled around her thoughts that made her smile, ghost stories and tall-tales. Of course, she could barely declare them all false when she herself existed, now could she?

His talk of the 'feelings' between them made Elisa's cheeks flush and her eyes shine as she looked up at him. She searched his gaze but their was only a slight shadow of what had been there before. It's absence made her wonder, but the admission that he felt something certainly had her heart beating faster than before. He squeezed her hand and Elisa felt as if he were squeezing her heart instead. This man, she realized, could become far more dangerous to her than any demon or killer could ever be. The carriage lurched and they rocked in their seats as they came to a stop. Before Ethan could let her hand go, Elisa tightened her grip, holding him still for a moment. There was so much she wanted to say, but all she could manage was simply. "I trust you."

She let his hand go, and Ethan reached across her to push the door open. For a moment, she was surrounded by him, and then he was gently handing her down to the damp street below. His scent seemed to cling to her skin and her clothes as if his constant presences was forever marking her. It made her wonder if belonging to him was something she could truly abide. Before her mind could linger too long on those thoughts, Ethan distracted her by offering his arm. She took it willingly and found herself clinging onto him. His strength supported her and his calm demeanor eased the adrenaline flooding her system. This woman could know who the killer was. Elisa reminded herself to breath as he led her by the dirty little shops and the rag-tag people that milled about. She was no stranger to places like this, but something was making her more uneasy than was normal.

Inside the shop he had singled out, Elisa found a familiar scent. She sniffed delicately at the air, frowning until she realized what it was. Claudia had often come home smelling of the same scented smoke that now swirled about the woman that greeted them. The little grey monster on her lap made Elisa's skin crawl. She hated cats, always had. They were lazy, arrogant beasts. Just the sight of the thing made her want to give it a zap from a line to make it yowl. The woman petting it didn't fair much better in Elisa's opinion. She wrinkled like old leather and had a laugh like dry leaves and dead twigs snapping and crackling under foot. Esmeralda, the sign above the door had read. The name didn't suit what Elisa was seeing.

Her remark of expecting them set a burr into Elisa, one that very nearly made her growl at the old bat. She was like the duchess, arrogant and bitter, it was no wonder she made Elisa's nerves raw. The older woman grinned at them, and Elisa forced a soft, welcoming smile to her lips as Ethan gently allowed her to slide into a seat. His nearness was enough to still her, and Elisa waited quietly. She found herself watching him curiously. She wasn't sure what he would do, or really, how he worked. So, she watched. What better way to learn?
 
"I'm sure you say that to all your customers," Ethan said with a smile at the old lady and bowed. He walked to the table and helped Elisa sit first, pulling her chair out and sliding it under her, before he sat down as well. He had a strong urge to pull his eyepiece out, but suddenly relaxed as he realized Elisa was with him and could tell him if she saw any demon magic being worked. He felt a slight surge of pleasure at the usefulness of his new partner. Did he really think of her as his partner? He dragged his mind back to the crone in front of him.

The old lady, Esmerelda no doubt, shut her book and placed it carefully on the edge of the table as she fixed them both with a crafty eye. She studied Ethan first, taking in his demeanor and dress with a narrowing of her eyes, then she glanced at Elisa again, smiling slightly as she looked at Elisa's face and dress. No doubt finding the quality of the Lady's clothing below Ethan's finely tailored appearance.

"Is it love? Do you wish to know if you will find happiness together... despite your backgrounds and your family's wishes?" she said with a smile. "Or perhaps, when you should marry and who you should tell? Or something simpler, your individual fortunes?"

Ethan gazed at her with a steady face, but was worried that he flushed as he felt his skin grow hotter as she mentioned love first. It was exactly the fortune he would love to hear, if he had any faith in her quackery and Elisa wasn't sitting next to him. He knew she was guessing. What else would a couple want that visited her? But, she struck close to home and it irritated him.

"Actually, we want to know about one of your customers," he said, interrupting her. "Claudia Dunbridge, an actor who lived at Miss Cromley's Boarding House. Perhaps you recall her? I am Lord Colton, Her Royal Majesty's Magical Crimes Investigator and this is my... partner, Lady Elisa who is assisting on this investigation. Claudia was killed yesterday, and we believe you might help us find her killer."

Ethan let the words sink in as he studied her reaction. Her wizened and wrinkled face went through the gamut of emotions, confusion and then distrust, a haughty look as he suspected she'd tell them she couldn't share fortunes, then shock at the news of Claudia's death, and finally sadness. Yes, the fortune teller knew Claudia and knew her well, Ethan could tell. No doubt a hapless victim of this con artists charms.

'C-claudia is dead!?" she said, voice trembling as she stared at him with wide eyes. "That is impossible, I've seen her fortune... there was no way she could be murdered, unless... magical crimes you say? Was it magic that killed her? Magic can distort my fortunes... change lives and alter natural order... tell me was it magic?"

Ethan regarded her coldly for a second. Perhaps she believed what she told was the truth, but she seemed oddly shaken that she hadn't forseen Claudia's death. "It was magic," he said at last. "Demon magic most likely. Although she also had acquired this." He produced the ring as he finished, the silver circle glinted dully in the dim light of the room.

Esmerelda's eyes widened and she crossed herself when she saw that ring. "I told her not to wear it... not to trust it. That it would lead her to evil. She swore she wouldn't anymore!" Tears formed in the corner of her eyes and she dabbed at them with her spindly fingers as she fought to control her sudden grief.

"Yes, she was a customer... and a friend. I didn't even charge her for fortunes anymore; she just came to talk... she had problems. Challenges that I helped her deal with," the woman said at last, eyes glancing at Elisa when she mentioned problems. "I had told her fortune and it wasn't destined to be wonderful, though I'd not had the heart to tell her that. No love, no fortune and no fame. That was what she cared about. But some happiness, yes, there was hope for happiness with the right man. And the man she had met recently, he was definitely not the right man for her. I couldn't even get a reading on him. It was like he didn't exist to the deck at all, just a shadow of her imagination. I've never seen such a reaction before from my cards."

"Tell me of this man, anything you can share," pressed Ethan suddenly, leaning forward slightly. "Anything to help avenge her murder."

"Well, she met him at the theater, after the show. He was a gentleman she said, wealthy and dressed properly. Of course she thought he was good looking as well. His name was Lord Brown I think, but it sounded false to me. He had made her swear to secrecy and said she couldn't tell anyone... he was too important for gossip to get out. He had given her the ring after their second meeting and said to wear it a a token of his love. But she showed it to me and I could see it was evil, see the magic on it. Nothing good would come of it and I urged her to not see this gentleman. Begged her. She was a good girl and said she would listen to me."

Ethan nodded and spun the ring on his fingertips before pocketing it again.

"Elisa, is she telling the truth?" he asked suddenly, turning to stare at Elisa. The crone whitened at that question, eyes going wide as she regarded Elisa with fear and shock, wondering what powers the young woman had that this investigator would ask her so directly and with such confidence.
 
"Is it love?"

Elisa could barely resist looking in Ethan's direction. She would pay almost anything to know the answer to that question. However, where the curious light in her eyes may have given her away, Elisa's face remained a passively amused mask that was clearly designed to make the unfortunate man or woman that gained her attention feel like the biggest fool on earth. She had learned the tailor-made expression years ago as a young girl. It was the look you gave a maid when she dropped a tray or a butler when he missed a button on his jacket. That look that said your best was obviously not good enough.

Before Elisa could say anything, Ethan began to ask his questions. She remembered very clearly what it was like to be wriggling around his questions. Every one carried a point and no matter the answer, yes or no, it was used to create a more detailed picture for the next question. He was a hard man to dodge, and all he used were his words as far Elisa could tell. While he spoke her attention remained firmly on the older woman that sat across from. The emotions that played on her face reflected themselves in the softly shining color that hovered mere inches above her skin. She seemed completely transparent. Of course, most people were, but it always made Elisa feel uncomfortable. She was far more accustomed to those that would hide what they truly felt behind their well painted and constructed lies. Such blatant honesty from a stranger was... somehow off-putting.

Elisa felt her back stiffen when the older woman's eyes settled on her. The mention of problems made her raise one sardonic eyebrow at the old bat, who quickly turned her attention back to Ethan. She didn't want to know what the woman knew about Claudia, herself, or their collective issues. Rather, she would simply like to know the old woman would never say a word about anything she did know. However, as she spoke about Claudia's fortunes, Elisa felt her heart begin to soften. It was the future most women in their position knew they would have. A life alone in a constant struggle to make ends meet with only the slim hope that they will have some happiness before they die. It was uncomfortable, even more so when her words began to mirror Elisa's thoughts.

Happiness with a man, not a husband, not love, but happiness. Elisa's heart ached with a longing for more and a sadness for knowing she wasn't likely to know more than that. It was the same for all the others. Maybe some would marry and be content in their little worlds, but Elisa came from Ethan's world, she could never marry a simple man and lead a quiet, simple life... she would never be able to make herself settle. Of course, things had gotten more complicated now.

"Elisa, is she telling the truth?"

Ethan's sudden question startled her. She turned to give him a searching looking before her shoulders gave a gentle shrug and she looked the old woman over again. She was pale and barely breathing now, a look of fear in her that thoroughly amused some darker part of Elisa. "Her aura mirrors the emotions she seems to be having," Elisa answered carefully, picking and choosing her words delicately. "That doesn't tell me if she is being completely honest or truthful, it simply suggests she is." She let her words hang in the air, pleased to see a little touch of panic in the older woman's eyes. If she had to guess, she would say the woman was being as honest as she could be.

"I don't think there is much else you could learn from her," Elisa admitted after a moment. Part of her wanted to ask about the magic the woman claimed to see in the ring. Ethan had obviously seen something as well or it wouldn't be so important. She decided at length to let the matter rest for the time being. She could ask Ethan about it later without displaying her own lack of knowledge here. Quietly, Elisa gathered a small amount of energy from the lines into her body and reached out to touch the old woman's hand. Esmeralda snatched her hand away, but Elisa merely smiled as the energy passed from her and into the other woman. "If anyone else comes asking about Claudia, you will forget you ever met her. The next time you hear her name spoken aloud, all memory of her and everything you heard, saw, or felt will be gone. You will not remember until I come to ask you about an old friend."

The energy the now rested inside the older woman coiled, took shape and command from Elisa's quietly spoken words, and then settled in the back of the woman's mind to await the trigger to begin their task. Smiling, Elisa sat back in her chair to and turned her attention to Ethan. Part of her dared him to complain while some other part feared he would object more strongly than she might like. "For her protection and ours. If we visit again, she'll remember who asked her about my friend."

Not wanting to give him the chance to stop her, Elisa stood, gave a brief nod to the woman, and turned to leave. Even with her sight and the lines at her will, she couldn't be sure how he would react and it frightened her. She wasn't afraid of his anger, that she could weather as easily as any man's anger. What she feared most was... how he saw her. What did he see? Ethan was right behind her as she stepped into the ally. A glance at his face told her nothing of his thoughts and she found she dearly wished to listen in. Her fingers twitched, but she folded her arms around her middle to restrain the urge. There was something different about him, and she was not going to pry into his private thoughts, not even to find out what she so desperately needed to know.

Something shifted in the air and Elisa's attention was drawn elsewhere. This wasn't a very busy street, but it seemed oddly quiet. It was still, as if the world were holding it's breath in anticipation of something greater. Elisa's heart skipped a beat, and then began to pound at a frantic pace. "Ethan, something's wrong," she hissed at him. There was a pull on the lines, one so strong it stole the breath from her lungs and made her vision tilt a little. They took more than she had ever dared to attempt, and the raw power of it terrified her.

"Someone is here," she whispered as she instinctively moved closer to the protection Ethan's presence offered her. "They are pulling on the lines, all the lines."
 
Ethan frowned when Elisa used her magic on the old fortune teller. He knew her intentions were benign, to protect the old woman from unwanted prying and sharing clues that they had, but he was troubled with the idea of affecting people's minds against there will. It raised the specter again of whether she had affected Ethan. He had some protections at least, and he mentally recited the mantra again to steel his mind against unwanted incursions. He didn't think she had done anything to him since they first met, but he wondered if he would even know. Was his passion for her entirely natural? A carnal weakness of his own creation? Or perhaps she had stirred something with her magic beyond what she stirred with her appearance and personality. He would have to talk to her... some ethics in what she did and why needed to be agreed upon if he was to work with her. Her magic could be used as a weapon and she was in many ways like Ethan, who had the privilege of carrying a loaded firearm and a hidden sword in otherwise unarmed London. Ethan honored that privilege and didn't shoot or stab people with his own weapons unless absolutely necessary, for his self-defense or the defense of others. He would have to speak with Elisa on this point in private.

They stood up to leave and he pressed a quid into the old lady's hand in thanks. It was a generous fee for her information, but he sensed she had been a true friend of Claudia's and that she did not hold back what she knew. With a tip of his hat, he escorted Elisa to the door and let her precede him into the gloomy alley.

The hairs on the back of his neck rose as they stepped out and it seemed unusually dark. Darker than minutes before when they had entered the fortune teller's small shop. And the quiet alley seemed empty suddenly, as if all the pedestrians had sensed some disquiet and fled all at once. From behind them, the alley seemed strangely quiet and even darker, a darkness that seemed to be growing deeper as he watched it. Elisa's hissed warning jarred Ethan to action and he stepped in front of Elisa without thinking. A hand reached into his black bag, searching for the iron net as a first defense. He glanced up as his fingers found it, body coiling to throw it at the wave of darkness that seemed now to be surging forward down the alley like a flash food of pure evil.

Out of that darkness a human shape emerged. Human in rough appearance at least, but unnatural and twisted details became visible as the form sharpened into that of a demon. Red skinned and scaly, the demon was almost snorting as it breathed heavily. Its powerfully muscled body was tense as it twitched and pranced lightly on two cloven hooved feet. A long red tail flicked behind it in excitement or anger. Its face was almost human, but with sharp teeth that were bared in a feral grin, a pair of glowing red eyes, and two smooth black horns that curled back from its temples. On it's chest was burned a pentagon, the five pointed star of binding was still smoking and emitting flickers of flame. A powerful full-blood demon killer, a B'halzal most likely, bound by a human magic into submission. Ethan's training and experience fighting demons kept him from freezing and likely saved his life as he threw the net forward just before the demon attacked him physically and with magic at the same time.

The demon screamed, a blood curdling and fear inducing cry of madness, as it leaped towards him with its clawed hands outstretched. The iron net met it mid-air and it thrashed against that web as Ethan felt its magical attack strike him ahead of the demon's body. Perhaps the iron net had diffused the energy, and maybe the bowler hat with its hidden iron cup helped, but the pain that still lanced through Ethan's body was substantial. He let out his own scream as his body tensed and stiffened, his hand going to his brow as he stumbled backwards. All his training and mental defenses were assaulted and he barely held onto his mind as he was aware of the demon throwing the net aside and knocking into him, sending him sprawling onto the hard, slick cobblestones with his hands up in an attempt to ward him as its cruel claws rent at his chest. The demon was shredding his shirt, but found a fine iron mail undershirt beneath that seemed to thwart it, at least momentarily. Ethan's hand was trying to reach his pistol, but the magical pain that lanced through him and the weight of the demon were overwhelming. He couldn't think, couldn't move and struggled helpless under the monster that now was reaching for his unprotected throat!
 
The way the darkness moved like water pulled by some greater force enthralled Elisa. It was not the shadows that moved, not really, it was simply their essence pulled along by the line energy. The way it folded around him shielded his aura and blocked him off. He had been standing right there and she couldn't see a trace of him before.

Elisa let out a muffled scream when the demon yelled and lunged for them. She backpedaled until her back hit the grimy wall, her eyes wide with terror as Ethan shouted and fell to the ground. Panic seized her mind and she watched the demon fling the fragile looking iron net aside. She could see the energy he was holding like a stain on his aura, bright and as ready for a fight as the demon seemed to be. The mark burning on his chest meant little to her, but she could see how it warped things he tried to do, limiting his ability to use his magic.

For what felt like hours, Elisa stood there, frozen with fear. She wanted to help, but she couldn't move. She was again the small girl curled up in a corner and screaming for her mother to get up from the floor and save her. It was the blood staining Ethan's shirt that snapped something inside her. Rage at being turned into a victim rushed through her with every heartbeat. Hate for what the demon had done to Ethan focused her anger and cleared her mind.

Elisa reached out for a line, her clothes and her hair raising as if from a strong wind, snapping around as she gathered the energy she needed. She couldn't pull as much as the demon, but any amount of energy, however small, would feel like fire turning his skin black as she ripped it through him. An savage snarl escaped her lips as she ripped the line through the demon. It howled in rage and pain and turned its gaze on Elisa.

Her hunter green eyes glowed with an ethereal light as she met the demon's heated gaze. She refused to flinch away from him as he turned on her with what seemed to be a sneer. She felt him reach for a line and Elisa desperately pulled at the line again, letting it burn through him and then gather in her own chi. He suffered the abuse with little more than a grimace as he came toward her and Elisa's desperation grew. Her aura was expanding and she felt as if she were burning from the inside out. It was too much to carry, but she didn't know how to focus it. She tried to force the mass into her arm and down to her hand, but that made her arm feel as if it were splitting open. Tears gathered in her eyes and Elisa screamed in pain as she bottled the energy in her fist.

"Little mutt," the demon hissed through it's pointed teeth as it swung at her. In desperation, Elisa absorbed the blow. His claws carved into her right shoulder, and then her left hand closed around his wrist. He growled at her, and then Elisa screamed as forced the energy she had gathered back into him.

The demon howled.

Elisa fell.

She could remember him staggering around and holding his head... the world flickered.. dimmed...
 
Some men lost their mind in battle when their life was on the line, fear and adrenaline blanked their thoughts and made them reckless or cowardly. He'd seen soldiers fly into berserk rages, do crazy and pointless acts, or huddle behind a wall too shocked to even move or talk. For Ethan, such moments usually brought a clarity of purpose and thought that made everything simple and let him focus his actions. He felt almost calm as he watched the demon's clawed hand start to inch towards his throat as he vainly tried to pull it away with his own. The demon was too strong, too powerful, and Ethan was pinned too completely. He was going to die, he realized and accepted the thought with hardly any emotion as the scaly hand tightened around his throat. It would be a pity. Dimly he was aware of someone yelling and he thought of Elisa. He felt a hot rage surge in him, an emotion he'd never experienced in battle before. The demon would kill her next. He suddenly felt frustrated and helpless, powerless to stop that inevitable next act as he redoubled his efforts to free himself from the red-skinned attacker.

And suddenly the demon was off him, knocked backwards by some unseen force as Ethan was gasping for breath again. He saw the demon staring at Elisa, pure hatred and anger flaring again in its eyes. Ethan was forgotten as it stalked towards the young woman, who looked so helpless against the wall. But she fought it, somehow, using her magic to hit it with some unseen blows as it staggered slightly in its advance.

"Nooooooo! Elisa - you bastard, come to me!" Ethan screamed as he fumbled with his holster. He pulled his pistol out as the demon suddenly jumped towards Elisa, aiming a massive blow at her that the woman absorbed with a fragile shoulder. She seemed to strike the demon with her own hand as she fell, causing it to howl and straighten in pain instead of continue to attack her on the ground. Ethan squeezed the trigger and emptied all six iron tipped bullets into the demon's body as it towered over the motionless woman, screaming his own rage and anger at it as the shots echoed loudly in the narrow alley.

And still the demon stood, smoking bullet holes scattered across its chest as it looked at Ethan in pain and shock. It grimaced and staggered towards him, somehow alive and functioning despite the six bullets lodged inside its torso. Ethan scrambled up and grabbed his cane, pushing a hidden catch on the the handle that caused the wood sheath that made up most of the cane to drop and expose the glinting, narrow metal blade of the sword hidden inside. It was enchanted steel, custom made by a Magician friend and designed primarily for killing demons. The demon staggered forward and Ethan lunged, executing a slicing stroke at the monster's neck. The magical blade cut through the flesh, muscle and bone with a sizzling flash of blue fire and the demon's head tumbled to the ground as its lifeless body twitched and collapsed next to it.

As soon as the body hit the cobblestones, it began to glow and intense heat radiated from it. Ethan cursed and ran to Elisa after sheathing his cane. He scooped the unconscious woman up in his arms and started to run with her, leaving his bag behind. There was nothing in the bag he couldn't replace. As he fled with her, he glanced back and saw the demon's body now glowing like a hot coal as it began to incinerate itself. Groaning, he urged his trembling legs to move faster. A blast of heat and blinding light erupted from behind him as the body cremated itself in an intense and almost explosive bonfire. Ethan had carried Elisa far enough away to save them from that blast of self-destruction, and he paused to catch his breath as looked behind him again. All he could see was a smoldering and smoky spot in the middle of the alley that marked where the demon had fallen. The cobblestones beneath had been fused together by the heat and now glowed a hot red in the gloomy light.

Ethan was met at the alley entrance by his driver, who he refused to let take Elisa from his arms. He carried her into the carriage himself and ignored the large crowd of spectators outside the alley as the driver took them with all haste back to his town home.

Ethan's servants helped him carry Elisa upstairs and he instructed them to lay her in his bed and draw a bath as he examined her shoulder. Her dress had been shredded and she bore four deep claw marks from the demon's fingers, the flesh likely bruised as well. But, he was thankful that the wound did not appear that serious. Whatever ailed her seemed to be a more magical injury than he could see with his own eyes. He ripped her sleeve off, baring her chest to her corset and cleaned her wound thoroughly with antiseptic and hot water, before wrapping a bandage around it. Her dress was filthy with demon smell, soot and dirt and after a moment's hesitation, he slid it off of her. He undid her corset next and left her in a thin shift on the bed with his sheets pulled over her. He felt somewhat guilty undressing her, but he didn't want her lying in those clothes. And he had seen her naked already, this was something he had to do for her recovery. There was no erotic thrill, at least none he would admit.

Sighing, Ethan stripped off his own clothing and was thankful for the now torn mail undershirt that had saved his life. Despite that hidden protection, he had half a dozen deep scratches on his chest that would likely scar and add to the collection of wounds that dotted his body. He immersed himself in the clawfoot bath tub in the middle of his room and bathed in the hot water as Elisa slept. After cleaning his own wound in the bath, he rose and slipped on a thick, cotton robe. The scratches on her chest were still bleeding enough to stain a shirt and he wanted them to air out before he bandaged them. He summoned the servants to empty the water and refill the tub in case Elisa woke and paced the room anxiously. Finally, after the clock had tolled another hour, he settled in a leather chair by the fireplace, watchful eyes on the sleeping woman in his bed.
 
Fleeting images and random sensations passed by one after the other. That acrid smell burnt amber that had clung to the demon hanging in the air with the more natural scent of Ethan wrapping itself around her. His arms supporting her weight and carrying her somewhere. The Jerky, tossing ride in the carriage and his breath fanning her face and neck. Urgent and sharp voices, quick commands and the scurry of those that moved to obey. Her shoulder throbbed and she heard fabric tearing, and then warm water against the torn skin soothed out the pain. She thought she felt the rough fabric of her clothes being taken and then soft, cool sheets replaced them.

Elisa's mind lingered in darkness for a time. She was unwilling to wake at first. She was snuggled comfortably into the soft sheets, adrift between dreams and reality. She breathed in the pleasant, masculine scent that clung to the pillow, and then Elisa's eyes sprang open. At first she did not move. She simply took in the mostly dark room and it's unfamiliar surroundings. For a moment, she was simply confused and felt lost, until she realized the smell that had woken her was the scent that clung to Ethan.

A gasp escaped her throat as she sat up with a start. Elisa was in Ethan's bed. Naked.. and lying in his bed. Elisa nearly crawled out of the bed, but stopped when she noticed him. A dark shadow sitting before the fire place. Her heart stopped and she held her breath. Elisa could feel Ethan's eyes on her and she sat back on her heels to snatch the sheets up and hide her nakedness from him. Embarrassment colored her cheeks a deep red. He had watched her wake, seen how she had tossed the sheets aside and tried to crawl out of the bed on all fours... god, he had watched her. Elisa shivered, thrilled and horrified by the knowledge that Ethan had not only been able to see everything, but he had likely been the one to undress her in the first place.

Flushed, embarrassed, and feeling like a worm on a hook, Elisa forced herself to look in his direction. "What happened?" she asked quietly. Ethan gently explained she had fainted, that the demon was dead, and that she was safe now. Part of her knew he was leaving things out... but, maybe it was for the best that she would not remember what had happened to that demon. A shiver went through and Ethan stirred. Wither from worry or unease, Elisa wasn't entirely sure.

"I'm all right," she assured him, and then shifted off the bed by inches to take the sheets with her. The floor was overly cold beneath her feet as she tried to stand. She teetered, and then he was there, supporting her weight against his side and holding her as if she would fall apart if he squeezed too tightly. "Thank you," she murmured, smiling a little. "I think I might have lost some of my aura. I guess it was a bit foolish..." she let her words trail off, not really knowing how to explain any what had happened.

Elisa felt absurdly helpless and tried to stand on her own. It proved completely pointless. Even if she could walk alone, it seemed Ethan was bond and determined to make certain she did not slip or fall. One arm rested gently at her elbow, his other wrapped around her back and rested along her ribs, holding her weight supported against his side. The sheet was no protection from his touch or his nearness, and Elisa gave-up trying to keep herself stiff. Instead, she relaxed into his warmth. It felt wonderful, why should she deny herself his comfort?

The steaming water in the tub caught her attention and Elisa nearly melted. "Is that bath for me?"
 
Ethan had been dozing slightly when Elisa's motion had caught his eye and woken him. For a second, he was frozen at the sight of her. Naked and on all fours, her luscious breasts swinging below her chest as she started to get off his high bed. Then she saw him and he flushed at her surprise, realizing she thought he had been watching her quietly. She sat back and clutched the sheet to herself for modesty, startled and wide-eyed.

"Elisa - it is alright. You are safe. The demon is dead. You are in my room," he said, his voice soothing as he stood up and walked towards her. She was attempting to stand again, clutching the sheet to the front of her naked body and he saw her wobble almost immediately. He closed the remaining distance and gently grabbed her for support. He tried to hold her at a slight distance, hand on her side and the other on her elbow, but she soon pressed against him and he drew her in tight to him, reveling in the feel of her soft and warm body pressed against his. Only the thin sheet and his cotton robe separating their naked flesh.

"It's ok, you are fine, I am here with you," Ethan whispered, lowering his cheek to press against her the red tresses she was burrowing into his shoulder. Rocking her gently, he felt her finally relax against him and became aware now of his own hammering heart as he held her close to him. So many emotions were threatening to well out of him, the fear of losing her, the anxiety of his own near death and rescue at her hands, and the overwhelming happiness he felt with her in his hands. Her question about the bath jarred him and he stiffened slightly.

"Yes, the water is still hot as they've had it covered... I think you should take a bath. The demon taint and smell is over you and you will feel better," he replied as he escorted her to the tub and flipped back the cover. His hands went to the sheet where she clutched it with one hand still above her breasts, her bare backside hidden from his view still. Gently he grabbed the edge of the sheet, fingertips brushing against the well of the top of her breasts as he pulled it from her slowly. He kept his grey eyes fixed on her green ones as he spoke, "It's fine, trust me Elisa, I've seen you naked already, please get in... you are too weak still for me to leave you."

He let the sheet fall, still keeping his eyes on hers. He was aware now of his own robe falling open at the chest, the still slightly bloody tracks of his own wounds visible. He tugged it shut when he saw her eyes drop to them.

"I'm fine, you need to bathe."
 
"Thank god," she whispered as Ethan led her to the tub. His support proved to be very much needed after all as her knees wobbled beneath her with each step. He was right, of course. The harsh smell of burnt amber still clung to her skin and her hair. Wither from using so much of the lines or from the demon himself, she wasn't sure, but she wanted it gone. She shivered as he flipped the cover back, eager to hop into the warm water. But, as he turned to face her, Elisa's heart slowed... and then seemed to stop.

She held her breath as his hand came up to gently grasp the sheet. As his fingers brushed her skin she sucked in a small breath and her eyes jumped up to his. Ethan's bright silver stare held her still as he pulled the sheet away from her. She didn't try to stop him, but instead simply let her arms fall to her sides. She stood their before him, the fire's light playing on her skin, and felt as if she would die if he touched her. One brush of those fingers over her skin and she would come undone.

"I do trust you," she admitted quietly. He had already seen her naked before... what did she really have to be shy or embarrassed about with him? Besides, she didn't want him to leave. His robe slipped, and Elisa's eyes were attracted to the movement. She gasped at the sight of his wounds and reached out toward him only for the robe to be snatched closed again. Her hand dropped back to her side as her cheeks flooded with color. Those wounds stirred up a fresh rage at the demon that had attacked them, but his nakedness beneath that robe had set her heart to pounding for very different reasons.

"Yes, of course," she made herself nod in agreement and tried, a little too quickly, to get into the tub. She teetered, and his hands caught her with that same gentle care, steadying her balance until she sank into the warm water. Elisa sighed and tensed as the hot water swept over her skin. She gasped when it first touched her shoulder, and then laid back with a contented sigh as the heat leached the pain from her body. Her body went limp and relaxed in the water as she breathed out her stress and tension.

"Thank you," she sighed, eyes closed and finally completely at ease. She found she did not care so much about the awkwardness of this, or the complete lack of propriety. Behind these walls, safe in his home, who would ever know about this quiet, intimate moment? "This is wonderful."

Elisa smiled up at him, her eyes bright from the fire light and shining with the honest happiness she felt. He looked dangerous and tempting, standing over her, silver eyes missing nothing. It made her heart flutter, but Elisa's smile simply grew.
 
As she turned from him to enter the bath, Ethan let his eyes wander down her body and take in her curves again. He couldn't help himself, she was simply too attractive for him to not look. It was fortunate he was looking as he was able to notice her teeter and grab her quickly, holding her naked body against him as he helped her slip into the tub. That contact and their sudden closeness stirred his loins and he felt his cock hardening under the thin cotton robe. He knelt by the tub to hide his growing arousal and placed his hand on her neck tentatively as she leaned against the side of the tub. In the clear water, he could see the swell of her breasts, the dark circles of her nipples, and the fiery red patch of hair between her legs.

As he rubbed her neck, he felt all the passion, desire, lust and attraction he had been battling swell back up again. How close she had been to dying today made him realize how much he wanted her and needed to have her by his side. All his concerns about being improper or immodest seemed petty and trivial after their life and death battle with the demon. And he knew, by her own admission, that she had desires for him as well. They could both die tomorrow, victims of another demon sneak attack that they might not be lucky enough to fight off. He couldn't bear to not take a chance to show her how he truly felt about her. To risk everything to see how strong her feelings back were.

"If you want, I can join you and help you bathe," he asked her suddenly, voice husky and low. There was no masking his desire and his intentions now. He was clearly stating he wanted to be naked with her in the tub, and willing to accept all the temptations that act might entail. "Elisa, it would please me, very much, to be with you right now, especially after today..."
 
Elisa felt more than she saw Ethan's eyes travel down the length of her body and back up again. Just knowing that he was looking was making her heart beat faster. She could feel the slight tightening in her soft, pink nipples and the stirring of warmth that gathered between her thighs. An ache built there, one she was becoming all too familiar with. The way Ethan's fingers settled around her neck and gently rubbed out the tension there did nothing to ease it. If anything, it made it worse. The more relaxed her body became, the more it seemed to ache for him.

Her mouth went dry and her throat seemed to close at the sound of his voice when he spoke. It only compounded the affects his words had on her piece of mind. She tried, but she couldn't meet his eyes as color flushed her skin and something exciting uncoiled inside her. Elisa licked her lips nervously and then caught herself biting at her lower lip. It was a nervous tick and she made herself stop doing it. She wanted this... why was she so nervous? She was laying naked before him without shame, she had practically attacked him only a few hours ago, and the night before she had done nearly nothing to stop him from exploring her body as he pleased.

The weight of what the day had brought to them settled on Elisa's shoulders slowly. She had only been able to shake off her fear of being hurt to help Ethan because she had feared loosing him more than she had the risk of dying. The thought of loosing him put a chill into her blood and she reached up catch his wrist. She held tightly onto him, reminding herself that this was real, he was here, everything was okay.

"I'd very much like it if you joined me," Elisa spoke slowly, but her eyes rose to meet his as she answered him. She watched those endless silver pools as she reached a shaking hand out to him. It was an easy thing to slip her fingers past the edges of the rob and rest her palm over his chest. His skin felt hot beneath her hand, the pounding rhythm of his heart matching the frantic racing of her own. "Please stay with me?" she asked quietly, her voice barely more than a whisper as she bolstered her courage and gently slid her hand up his chest and over his shoulder to nudge his robe open, up, and then down and off. She felt herself tremble as the fabric slid down his arms and fell to the floor. For several seconds, she was too afraid to look away from his eyes... He moved, Elisa startled, and then her eyes traveled hungrily over the wide expanse of his chest and down his flat stomach.

At the last second, Elisa looked away, turning to face the fire while her heart seemed to be doing everything in it's power to escape the confines of her ribs. Her face was brightly flushed from nervousness and excitement, the stain of color traveling down her neck and into the pale skin of her breasts. Elisa shifted in the water to make way for him, but she was too nervous to look at him. Like any decent woman of her era, she had never seen a man undressed, and now Ethan was just as starkly naked as she was and climbing into the tub to share her bath with her. God help her, she felt as if she would die from the tension in her body.
 
Ethan felt himself tremble as Elisa's hand touched his wrist. His skin seemed to burn under that touch just as her eyes, full of desire, scorched into his now. When she said she would like it if he joined her he felt a surge of lust and excitement fill him. If she had said no, he didn't know how he would have responded as he felt barely in control of his body. But upon hearing her invitation, he was ready to tear his robe off, only pausing when he saw her shaking hand move to touch his chest. That light contact sent shivers down his spine. Elisa slowly pushed his robe off, revealing his broad chest and shoulders. He let the thin garment fall as he knelt naked next to the tub now. Her eyes traveled slowly down his muscled and scarred body, but she averted them at the last second as if afraid to see his throbbing manhood that stuck out hard and straight between his legs. That gesture reminded him of how inexperienced and innocent she truly was, despite her confidence and magical powers.

Ethan stood up as she moved forward in the tub and gently slid in behind her, placing his legs around her smaller frame. His hands reached forward under the water to cup her breasts from behind, pulling her back to lie against his body. His hard cock rubbed against her back as she settled in against him, his hands lightly kneading and circling her breasts as they floated slightly in the water. Those soft mounds felt marvelous and with the water helping them defy gravity moved in mesmerizing circles as his fingers teased them.

"Oh god, Elisa," Ethan murmured as he lowered his mouth to kiss and nibble on her ear. "I don't care about tomorrow, I need to be with you tonight. I don't care if this is wrong or improper... I can't lose you."

He reached over and grabbed the bar of soap with his hand and began to wash her front while he kissed her neck and cheek. It was more of a tease than a proper washing, running his soapy hands over her breasts and then going lower underwater, gliding over her smooth stomach and flaring hips. Finally he took one hand and slid it between her thighs, over that patch of tangly red hair at the apex of her legs. He cupped his fingers over her sex in the hot, soapy water, brushing them through her folds as he let his thumb circle lightly around the aroused nub of her clit.

"Fuck, I want you so badly," he whispered again, craning his neck to find her lips with his mouth now. His tongue was urgent and the kiss needy, he was hungry for her taste with two days of pent up desire being released finally with no fear of being improper anymore.
 
She held her breath as he moved behind her to slide down into the water. Elisa risked only a small glance back at him, but what she saw made her cheeks flood with color. His legs settled to either side of her own and she closed her eyes as his arms wrapped around her. His hands covered her breasts and her already taunt nipples hardened beneath his palms. The water sloshed around them as he pulled her back against him to rest her shoulders against his hard chest. His shaft was hard and hot against her back; just the feel of it against her skin made her body tremble with an exhilarating blend of anticipation and fear. The way his fingers kneaded and played with her breasts worked the tension steadily out of Elisa's body until she lounged against him.

She was practically purring with pleasure when he murmured to her. The gentle kiss and nibble at her ear made her smile and squirm in his lap so that she could feel his cock rubbing against her skin. "There is no tomorrow, so you can never loose me." she whispered back to him. The way it felt to slide her body against his was intoxicating and she found that once she had started, it was difficult to stop. Moving against the hard muscle of his chest, his shaft hot and hard against her back as she moved, it stirred something wild inside her.

Her head tilted to the side as he began to kiss along her neck and check, offering his lips more skin to explore. She had barely noticed his hands reach for the soap, but as he began to wash her, her back arched to raise her breasts out of the water. Elisa gasped and let her head fall back onto his shoulder and watched his hands move over her skin. Her peeked nipples ached and tingled simultaneously and he easily drew a soft moan from her lips.

There were so many things she wanted to say to him in that moment, but every word was forgotten as his hands began to slide down her body. She went stiff, barely breathing, as they traveled down her stomach and over his hips. For a moment, she pressed her legs tight together. As one of his hands drew closer to the soft patch of hair between her thighs, Elisa mastered her fears to make her legs relax and then slowly part for him. His palm slid over her sex and she gasped desperately at the air as her hips raised instinctively to meet his touch. One hand clung to his arm, not trying to stop him, but simply clinging to him as his fingers parted the soft, slick lips of her slit and pressed gently passed them.

"Ethan," his name came out as a strangled moan, the sound cut short by his thumb brushing over her clit. The little bud was so tender the sensation boarded on painful. He whispered again that he wanted her, and before she could answer him, his lips had claimed hers in a kiss so hungry and demanding she couldn't breath. Her heart beat frantically in her chest, her free hand reached up to slid into his hair, and she held him there as she gave back to him all the pent-up, frustrated desire that had been plaguing her. Whatever fears she may have harbored were lost beneath the rush of lust that claimed her.

Instinct drove her, and Elisa turned over in his lap, sloshing water over the edge of the tub and onto the floor. Her hands found the edge of the tub to support the majority of her weight. Her pressed were crushed against his chest, his thick shaft rubbed against her stomach, and for a moment she stared at him. Lust shown bright in his eyes, their grey color appearing black in the fire's light. Elisa felt her body tremble, but she was grinning at him as she brushed a teasingly soft kiss against his lips.

"I don't care what happens tomorrow," she whispered, her lips brushing against his as she spoke. "Tonight I want you." She had barely finished speaking before she dragged him into another hungry kiss, her tongue eagerly seeking out his own. Her legs drew up slowly along either side of his until she rest on her knees, and then her arms wrapped around his shoulders to pull her body tight against his own.
 
Ethan was lost in their kiss. His world had become Elisa's warm mouth and the slippery feeling of of her body rubbing against his skin in the sloshing hot water of the tub, her back rubbing his cock as she arched it, and her soft folds pushing against his hand as she bucked her hips in pleasure. He didn't want this moment to stop, finally kissing and touching her as intimately and passionately as he desired, with nothing to hold them back.

Then Elisa broke the kiss and moved away, forcing a groan of surprise out of Ethan before he saw her turning in the tub, splashing water over the sides as she pressed herself against him again, but this time facing him. Her hardened nipples pressed into the scarred flesh of his chest and he moaned into her mouth as her stomach brushed his engorged shaft. She was kneeling on his legs now, pulling him forward into a wet embrace as their lips were locked again. He slid one of the hands he had wrapped around her down to cup her ass cheek, squeezing it roughly as he pulled her closer to him, grinding her harder against his throbbing rod trapped between their stomachs.

"Elisa..." he whispered, tangling his other hand in her wet, red locks and tugging her head back lightly to stare into her blazing green eyes. He said no more, further words seemed pointless and let his blazing eyes speak volumes as he stared down at her with lust and desire filling his face.

Ethan adjusted himself and used his strong arms to lift her up by her hips to stand in front of him in the tub. Her pale skin glowed with a wet, yellow sheen as it reflected the flickering firelight, water streaming down her body as steam rose from it. Ethan had intended to stand up as well, to dry her off and take her to his bed, but he was transfixed at the sight of her naked body only inches from his face. And there, right before his eyes was the red thatch of hair that marked her sex, a furrowed ridge hinting of her lips beneath. With a groan, he realized he couldn't restrain himself and wait for the bed. He had to taste her, right now.

Ethan reached behind one of her legs to lift it by her thigh, placing her foot on the side of the tub and unfolding her most intimate parts to his hungry gaze like petals of an opening flower. Seizing her ass cheeks in both his hands, he pulled her hips forward as he pressed his mouth against her slit, engulfing her sex in a kiss as passionate and deep as he had just used on her mouth. He ran his tongue through her wet folds, tasting her arousal as her own tangy juices replaced the bathwater. Exploring every crevice and furrow, every valley and ridge, he kissed and licked through that mysterious crevasse from bottom to top. Finally, he worked his mouth up to circle the nub of her clit in its wrinkled hood before taking it between his lips to suckle on gently.

Ethan's eyes were open and glittering as he stared up at Elisa above him, still sucking her clit. He met her gaze between the swaying mounds of her breasts as he grazed the aroused nub in his mouth with his teeth lightly.
 
Elisa whimpered as the hand tangled in her hair pulled her head back. Her lips were red and swollen from kissing, her eyes dazed, but bright with desire as they raised to meet Ethan's gaze. The needy sound in his voice made her smile and she slipped one hand between them to run her fingers lightly over his lips. She was lost in his eyes as his arms shifted around her. The controlled power in him became even more apparent to her as he lifted her bodily out of the water. Elisa laughed as she got her feet under her weight and stood. He shifted as if he would rise as well, and then stopped.

"Ethan?" she asked quietly, curious as he stared at her body. She nearly stepped out of the tub, but his hands still resting on her hips held her still. He groaned and caught one of her legs by the calf. He pulled, and Elisa settled her hands on his shoulder for balance as she let him move her leg. He settled her foot on the edge of the tub and cool air assaulted the hot, moist lips of her sex. "Ethan, what are you-"

Elisa let out a yelp of surprise and her fingers dug into his shoulder as his mouth covered her sex. She nearly pushed him away, but as hit tongue explored the most intimate places of her body, the pleasure melted away her shock until she was swaying slightly on one shaking leg. His hands gave her nowhere to go, their firm grip on her ass keeping her locked in place as he lapped the damp heat of her fluids out of her. Elisa's cheeks flooded with color when she looked down. But, when his eyes met hers, she couldn't look away. His tongue was a wriggling brand of fire inside her and it easily drew soft moans from her.

When it flicked over her clit, her hips jerked. When he sucked at that tender bud, she gasped and tried to pull him closer. The act seemed far too sinful to indulge, and yet to sweet to bare giving up. His teeth grazed her, and Elisa yelped as her body tensed and trembled. There was something building inside her, a tight coiling low in her stomach that left her whimpering.

"My God, Ethan," she gasped out as one shaking hand slid into his hair. She meant to pull his mouth away from her, to try and escape the overwhelming sensations he was causing, but she couldn't. "Ethan, please..." she whispered, unsure herself what she was asking him for. Did she want him to stop.. or to continue... God help her, she didn't know. She pulled gently at his hair, but never put forth enough effort to actually stop him. The more his tongue, lips, and teeth devoured her, tormenting skin so sensitive she could barely stand without his help, the less effort she put into trying to move away from him. All the while, she could not look away from him and she watched him lick at her slick folds and nip and suckle at her clit. It was heaven and hell combined so well that she couldn't tell which side they were worshiping as he slowly drove her mad.
 
Ethan could hear Elisa moaning and calling his name. Her fingers on his shoulder and in his hair were clenching, almost hurting him as she gripped him harder and harder as he continued to please her with his mouth. His own moans were muffled by her soft folds as he didn't let up, continuing to press his mouth against her sex as he licked and kissed her faster and with greater intensity.

He could tell she was inexperienced, a virgin she had claimed, and her reaction seemed to bear that out. Her body was trembling above his face as she clung to him with her hands, legs shaking and weak, almost balancing herself now on his hungry mouth. Her face was contorted in pleasure, but also had some fear in it. Her breathing was coming ragged and fast, breasts heaving above him as she struggled to ride out the waves of incredible pleasure she was feeling in her body. Ethan knew she would be scared, the looming orgasm that called to her would be frightening if it was truly her first. She probably couldn't imagine feeling more pleasure than right now and the unknown relief that called to her was likely terrifying to embrace. She looked like she was desperately clinging to a cliff by her fingers, despite every throbbing and tingling nerve in her body urging her to throw herself off that ledge and plunge into the dark precipice of her first orgasm.

"Cum for me Elisa, let yourself go," he called to her, lifting his mouth for a brief second. He could tell she wanted it, no, needed that sweet relief and he decided to help her with some more stimulation. One of his hands slipped from her ass cheek and he slid his index finger into her tight passage in a steady, smooth push. Her walls gripped him hard, hot and wet around him as he started to move inside her, coaxing her with that digit to cum for him. As he fucked her with that finger, knowing it was more than enough stimulation for her virgin sex, he also rubbed his middle finger against her puckered rosebud, circling and pushing on it lightly. Anything to get her to cum and overcome her fearful resistance to his stimulation.

"Cum Elisa, cum on my face!" he murmured again before lowering his mouth to suck her clit hard. He felt her start to stiffen above him and clench his finger tighter. She was almost there, he could sense it, and he gripped her ass cheek hard with the one hand that he steadied her with, ready to catch her if she faltered.
 
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