The Fine Line of Heaven and Hell

A/N: A friend of mine asked me how I concentrate at my house enough to write. (My home is a very loud place to be.) I listen to music, and I mean a LOT of music. I don’t listen to rap, mostly because I just don’t like it. In fact, you could almost say I loathe it on an unimaginable level. Although I do like ICP, which is pretty much borderline rap with funnier lyrics. If I want to focus, I put in Demon Hunter, one of my favorite bands. Demon Hunter is Religious metal, but they’re still one of the best metal bands I’ve ever heard. If I want to sit back and relax while I type lazily at my computer, I listen to Atreyu or Change of Pace, and sometimes All American Rejects. I only listen to these bands when I won’t get irritated with myself for stopping and losing my place to sing along with it. Sadly enough, I just can’t seem to help myself. ^.^ If I just want some happy music to put me in a way better mood before writing, I listen to the Black Mages. For some reason, it just makes me feel like a much nicer person than I actually am. *laughs* I listen to many other bands, too, but when it comes to writing, those are probably the most frequent.

Some of the other things I listen to run along the lines of, Linkin Park, Killswitch Engage, My Chemical Romance, Evanescence, Disturbed, Devil Driver, Video game music (Mostly Final Fantasy because they just have a lot of songs I like), Finger 11, Panic! At the Disco, The Killers, Fall Out Boys, Metallica, admittedly both the new and old Green Day, Three Doors Down, Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, some Weird Al, 30 Seconds to Mars, The Fray, lots of Placebo, Simeon and Garfunkel, Johnny Cash, Avenged Sevenfold, Rehab, and Social Distortion. There’s more, but I think you get the idea by now. *grin*

Chapter 26-Something Special
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Honey-scented warmth surrounded Shuey by the time she woke up. Upon slowly opening groggy lids, she found her face right at Jerrick’s throat, one arm wrapped around her shoulders and the other draped over his taut stomach. She usually never moved in her sleep; had he moved her? While it was confusing, the warmth seemed to radiate from him, half making her want to curl closer. Frowning at the notion, her fuzzy mind remembered she’d fallen asleep waiting to do away with an alarm clock. Today was this man’s birthday, and it was something special to him.

After at least an hour of self-analysis, she’d decided that she did care for the man on some level, and that explained, possibly, why she cared so much about something as trivial as his age or his happiness. Six months ago, she’d never have even given credence to the notion that she might be lying in bed with a man she’d somehow claimed as a mate. It still baffled her why she chose him, or even how she did. Her hand strayed across the smooth expanse of his chest, idly memorizing every dip and every ridge the plane of flesh had to offer her curious fingers. Regardless of how embarrassing her position at the moment was, it was rather comfortable and she was loath to move. Unfortunately, she had assured Leon she would help make Jerrick’s birthday memorable by stopping his alarm clock.

With a small sigh, she carefully maneuvered herself out of the cozy embrace and gently got off the bed. For a moment, she considered changing out of the clothes she’d fallen asleep in. In the end, she decided she’d only slept in them, so they were still clean. Finding the current reason for her irritation, she snatched up the miserable object and looked it over carefully. How the hell did you turn this thing off? After an immeasurable amount of time trying to figure it out, she simply walked into the bathroom and retrieved her knife, only to hesitate, thinking maybe destroying it would make the man mad.

Scowling at herself, she took the offending device out of the room and eventually decided that the clerks’ desk was the best place for it. As she stared at the idiotic invention sitting silently on it’s perch, she somehow came to the conclusion that she had fallen to a new low; glaring at an alarm clock because it mutely insulted her. It was a dull silver color, the face simply a digital time piece with buttons on the top; he must hit it a lot, or he probably wouldn’t have gotten something so cheap-looking. She started as the alarm went off, glowering darkly at her ridiculous reaction. She really wasn’t a morning person. “Hey, Shu,” came Leon’s rough voice, making her jerk in surprise.

The angel stood there, looking miserably tired with one hand scratching at the stomach beneath his shirt. Once she took the time to look around, she noticed all the decorations for a birthday. Curious, she examined the room closely. The railings along the staircases had green something wrapped around them, occasional grey or black slivers of paper dangling from them. A sign on the clerks’ desk read ‘Happy Birthday Jerrick’ while the hallway towards the bar was brightly illuminated, a couple of arrows pointing down the hall. “Come on, I’ll show you the bar.” Nodding, she followed the exhausted redhead into the tavern area, eyes widening slightly at the sight of Clara and Deamon standing behind the bar talking idly to one another. There wasn’t anything particularly dazzling about it, wrapped gifts on one table, most of the chairs taken out to make room for people, she supposed. “A few people will show up later, so we had to use this room for a party.” A cake sat on the counter, alongside different types of food Shuey had never seen.

The Halfling’s eyes were wide and curious; Leon likened it to a child watching magic tricks. It really hadn’t been so long since she was stabbing his arm and swearing darkly at him. In truth, she still hit him sometimes, but it seemed time between her attacks was stretching further and further apart. He wasn’t sure if it was a change of pace towards him and Jerrick alone, or everyone. Something told him it was merely a shift in personality around the two of them. In the hierarchy of importance in Shuey’s head, where did he stand? He was pretty sure he knew exactly where Jerrick was on her list of significant people. Honestly, he wasn’t even sure why he cared. “I want you to do me another favor,” he muttered, pulling the small pair of jeans he’d bought just for the occasion. “Steal all his fucking slacks. I want him to wear some damn casual clothes for once.”

One fine brow quirked up in question before the woman shook her head firmly. “Don’t be so lazy,” she said simply, walking over to a stool to await the other members of the party there. Blue eyes widened in surprise before Leon grinned broadly. At least he was important enough for her to be so different with. Somehow, he didn’t think that made much sense, but it still made him happy, so he didn’t really care. His mind didn’t question why such a thing would put him in better spirits; Jerrick often did the same for him. With a small sigh, he turned to do his own dirty work as the Halfling perched on the seat and aimed a steady gaze his way. Of course she was serious; she never joked around, did she?

Plodding up the set of stairs to his destination, he decided he was most likely mentally unstable. His plans for his friend’s birthday was to get him the girl he wanted in bed; wasn’t that a little strange? Didn’t it matter how Shuey felt about it? He guessed if she really didn’t want to, nothing would happen; he had enough faith in both of them to believe that. Opening the door, a pleased smile spread along his face at the sight of Jerrick still sleeping like a good boy in his bed. Creeping in, he walked to the pristine mahogany wardrobe, glancing around for anything else the demon might be able to find and wear. He never wore dirty clothes, but it never hurt to be a little cautious. After gathering all he could find, he lay the jeans on the bottom of the bed, muttering to himself when he realized he hadn’t remembered to get a shirt. Shrugging, he tossed one of the man’s button-ups with the pair of pants and left with an armful of clothes that weren’t his.

Clara and Deamon were having a heated discussion about which was better; straight drinks or mixed. Somehow that turned into the demon fixing the woman a Gypsy’s Kiss; her blue eyes twinkling with mirth. It was almost like the pair were connected in a way that no one else were; Shuey envied it, just a little bit. Sometimes, when she was with them, it was like they were in their own little world, nothing else mattered but each other. Thinking about feeling about that way about someone both frightened and intrigued her, but she supposed it was only natural not to achieve something so profound.

Leon had long-since gone and returned, three people she did not know mulling about in the bar. One was a rather bulky, tall woman, muscle-bound with a permanent frown adorning her face, her short blonde hair cut short with only a small amount of bangs not even reaching to her brow. Honestly, Shuey thought she looked more like a man than a woman, but who was she to judge a woman she’d never met? Her narrowed orange eyes branded her as part of the Nevrocrest Clan; a clan of uptight, strictly-disciplined demons who often held high ranks in the demonic army.

Another of the guests was a tall, lanky man with light blue hair and glowing light green eyes donned in a dusty blue suit and leaning on the counter with his long legs crossed. His long, flowing hair was tied back with a neat darker blue string. Even she had to admit that, although strange, the man was ethereally beautiful, reminding her he was from the Harux Clan; a clan specializing in pheromones. Their manipulative skill remained unmatched by any particular clan, though their fighting skill left plenty of room for improvement.

The third visitor perched herself atop one of the tables, her short skirt barely covering her panties as she adjusted the straps of her heels. Bouncy golden orange curls bounced around her shoulders, her slitted green eyes reminding her of a lizard. Her shirt only covered her chest and ribs, her stomach and part of her cleavage on display for all to see. Shuey wasn’t entirely sure what clan the woman belonged to, not having completely finished the book Jerrick had given her about them. A few thuds in the hallway alerted them to someone’s entrance, the demon in mind leaning into the doorway to see what was going on. A confused frown showed on his face, the rest of his body emerging into their sight.

The jeans rode low around his hips, taut muscles showing where the bottom two buttons of a pristine button-down shirt undone. The top two buttons were also unbuttoned, the hallow of his throat revealed; she hadn’t ever looked at a man so long. An easy-going smile slid it’s way across his features as the Harux waved him over. They grabbed one another’s arms and patted at each other’s shoulders in what she supposed was a greeting. The girl seated upon the table hopped down, skipping over to the man and dangling herself around his neck, nearly toppling him over in the process. Frowning, Shuey felt something strange again, yet another feeling she couldn’t really identify. Jerrick twirled the girl around a bit before setting her down and giving the Nevrocrest woman a tight hug, surprising the Halfling when she hugged him in return. She even ventured to ruffle his skillfully unkempt hair.

He waved over to Clara and Deamon, speaking to them for some time before calling out to his weary angelic brotherly friend. Not sure why she felt irritated, and becoming more annoyed at being aggravated by not knowing why, Shuey almost felt the need to leave the room. As the demon chatted animatedly with the others, she finally realized just how much she’d been missing out on. Were these people the people he cared for? She really had no one to care for her, or for her to care for. In this fucked-up place, the only person she could rely on was the man before her, and that was all. Seeing it made her feel more isolated than she ever had before. She guessed it was easier not to feel lonely when you didn’t see how happy it made people to see their loved ones. She would probably never have that, either. She’d come to learn how to survive better, not to seek out relationships she wasn’t supposed to have.

Just as she began to stand to leave, grey eyes focused on her, his smile forcing her to sit as he began walking over. She hated this feeling more than words could describe, almost like disappointment; as if she’d gotten her hopes up yet again. The closer he drew, the more Shuey wanted to…. What did she want to do? Frustration welled up inside her again as she tried to ignore the way her heart rate increased, the thumping resounding in her own ears as he leaned over. What was wrong with her? “Did you steal my alarm clock?” he whispered in her ear, his heated breath sending shivers down her spine. The sound of his voice made most of her nervous jittering cease, her shoulders relaxing the slightest degree as pianist fingers ran through her russet strands. Pecking her softly on the lips, he smiled at her calmingly, allowing her stress to vanish before she even knew exactly what she was anxious over. Seemingly satisfied, Jerrick refocused his attention on the three strangers. “This is Shuey,” he said with a grin, hand in her hair not leaving it’s silky haven. “Shuey, this is Beatrice Nevrocrest, from the Nevrocrest Clan. She was our nanny growing up, weren’t you Beatrice?” A curt nod from the stout woman was all she received. “The gay-looking guy over there is Rivet Harux; an old friend from training. He’s also a Lieutenant.” The lanky man winked at her flirtatiously, chuckling when Shuey only stared at him and nodded in acknowledgement. “And that,” he said, pointing to the strange girl with lizard-like eyes, “is Jessica Lizoli. She’s like a… I guess you could say that she’s more like a… well.. She’s a very worthy companion,” he finally finished, the woman in question pouting childishly.

“She heads an independent group further north of here. They’re completely neutral with exception to Jerrick,” Leon offered. “He’s done a lot for them.” The angel was leaning lazily against the far wall, his arms crossed against his chest. He looked so tired, even though he smiled their way broadly. “This, guys, is Shuey… Jerrick’s chosen mate.” There was an awkward silence as the five around them absorbed this new information. If she were honest with herself, Shuey would have admitted that she wasn’t sure she trusted all these people to know things like this, but she supposed that Jerrick must trust them more than she could fathom to understand, so she let it go.

The demon’s hands in her hair relaxed her reawakened nerves as the silence wore on. “Well?” he asked frankly, grey eyes bright with excitement. It would’ve been nice if she’d known something like this would happen. Then at least she could’ve vanished before it did.

Then, as if her silent prayers had been answered, the lingering quiet was shattered. “You owe me fifty bucks, Deamon,” came Clara’s carefree voice, Shuey glancing over her shoulder to see the blonde holding out her hand and scrunching her fingers in a gimme motion. The dark-skinned man laughed, pulling out his wallet and forking over the cash, his red eyes glowing in a more natural way than normal. The easy-going atmosphere was set in wake of awkwardness, the stout woman known as Beatrice smiling softly at him and nodding her acceptance quietly.

Rivet merely shrugged, stating it had nothing to do with him and congratulating them both while the smaller girl seemed to get overly excited. In an attempt to pounce Shuey, she wound up face-down on the counter, her lizard-like tail waving about frantically behind her. During the entire time of the small party, Jerrick never left her side, usually touching her subtly, and sometimes not-so-subtly. It seemed that the time drew long; before she knew it, Clara was tapping her shoulder and giving her a soft wink, one thumb pointing towards the bar entrance. “Better get going, the party will end soon,” she murmured, leaving with a reassuring smile.

Did everyone know about that damn dress?

Leon distracted the demon at her side as she made her escape, only to waltz back into unfamiliar territory. Slipping out and heading up to the room, she hesitated before opening the door and retrieving the clothing bought specifically for the day. Sure, she felt unsure, but even if they wound up having sex or something, that part wasn’t the big deal. Her problem was in the meaning simply wearing the dress entailed. Wearing the garment was a way of telling the man she cared about him, which she supposed she did, after so much aggravating self-analysis. Her fingers ran along the smooth fabric as she examined the clothing carefully. Peering into the bag, she spotted the lacy, red underwear that Leon had bought. Didn’t it disturb him to know that she’d be wearing that?

Frowning, she stared at them as if they’d insulted her, wondering whether or not to actually put them on. Unaccustomed to such frivolous things, Shuey wasn’t sure she’d like it. Willing to try it at least once, she began to undress. Donning the rosy things, she realized something for the first time; lace was very uncomfortable. As she scrutinized the reasoning behind wearing them, she ultimately decided that they would be far more useful back in the bag from which they came. After nearly fifteen minutes of uncertainty, Shuey finally emerged from the bathroom with a small bag in her hand, white, flowing dress adorning her pale skin. The skirt ran just above one knee on one side, falling to mid-shin on the other. The angled cut was rather interesting, she had to admit, but still seemingly pointless. The sleeves were long, ending with a flare that covered all but the tips of her hands and didn’t even begin until after the shoulder. This left her shoulders rather bare. A bow was tied around the waist, not a jokingly red gift bow, but a quaint, pristine white one. The bow itself hung on her left hip, making her wonder if it was meant to hang so low.

Letting out an uncharacteristic sigh, she thought over her own actions. Really, she wasn’t stupid; she was pretty sure what all this would lead to, and that Leon was also pretty confident as to what this situation would turn out like. Honestly, what made her so willing to go along with such a thing, anyway? Well, she supposed, considering recent events, she hadn’t minded so much for a while now, so maybe it didn’t matter as much as her mind tried to make it matter. Lithe fingers spread themselves over semi-pleated fabric, bare feet stepping out into the larger section of the room, bag held lightly in one hand. Sadly, her time of peace was cut short, the door handle turning and Jerrick’s frame emerging from behind it.

Those grey eyes widened, darkening as quick as a sudden thunderstorm as one hand went behind him, the resounding click of the door, the sound of a lock being turned. “What’s this?” he asked, his voice already lowering a slight degree, barely perceptible yet still there as he gazed steadily at her, absorbing every detail before him. The look was making Shuey slightly nervous, now that she thought about things instead of just moving forward. Was it usually so much more….suspenseful when one knew what happened ahead of time?

Taking the time to breath and relax herself a little, Shuey glanced down at the bag in her hand, holding it out towards the man as he drew near. “Your gift from Leon,” she stated simply, allowing him to take it once thin pianist fingers wrapped around the handles. A look of confusion crossed his face before he laughed, the melodious voice putting her anxiety to rest.

“You look amazing,” he murmured in her ear, surprised at the small blush that spread across her cheeks at the compliment. “Is this a gift from Leon, too?” he inquired, fingers tugging at the bow, running lightly along her side as if it were idly moving as they spoke. It was relaxing, though she’d never outwardly admit it, to have him touch her so casually. Her mind had been right originally; it wasn’t a big deal. She shrugged nonchalantly as he ran his hands along the dress, sometimes taking a pleat between his fingers and brushing her legs when the cloth ended, other times simply moving them along her back or sides as he evaluated the dress’ full look.

“Are you done?” she asked coolly, a chuckle escaping the demon standing behind her, the hand toying with the bow’s ribbon slipping around her as he leaned over her shoulder to whisper in her ear.

“Would you like to pick up where we left off yesterday, or start over fresh?” he asked with a light nip to her ear, tingles jumping along her skin at the action. How would she know? She’d never done this before, so she wasn’t entirely sure how to go about….it. Sensing the beginnings of stress, and the endangerment of the mood, Jerrick gave her a small squeeze, arm pulling her gently towards the bed. “Don’t worry about it; I guess I’ll lead the way this time.” The statement made her face flush, which he found rather cute. Facing her, back to the bed as he took hold of one hand. “You can start here,” he murmured, raising it until fingers brushed the collar of his shirt. Really, he’d never expected her to be this shy…especially after last night. “So timid, how cute.”

This earned him an irritated glare, accompanied by a muttered, “Shut up,” as her hands began to unbutton the shirt covering his immaculate, lithe torso. Leaning over, Shuey just went with whatever crossed her mind, kissing the hollow of his throat as the first button was undone. Satisfied, the demon moved to sit on the bed, pulling a startled Halfling with him, landing her into his lap as she had been before. Maybe if he started with something she’d already done, she’d get more comfortable. It seemed his notions were correct, teeth scraping at his collarbone and fingers beginning to move at a faster pace. He rubbed slow circles at her thighs, slowly moving towards the hem of that amazing dress.

A low hum of satisfaction put all her conflicts at ease, subsequently causing a slight twinge of irritation somewhere in the back of her mind. A hand cupped her cheek, pulling her towards his lips instead of his neck. At the light flick of a tongue against her lower lip, her mouth parted and allowed the more experienced man to explore her slowly, that eerie, almost tickling sensation nearly driving a small laugh from her. His tongue brushed her own, shivers dancing along her spine and a moan slipping from pout lips as white teeth sunk into one softly. The hand at her jaw moved south, knuckles running along her neck, perfectly trimmed nails running nearly imperceptibly beside them. Fingers brushed the top of the dress, the index running lightly along the edge of the cloth delicately.

“Shuey,” he whispered softly as he pulled a bit further away, “Let me touch you.” The request was plenty fair, considering she had one hand tracing small ridges along his abdomen. She would admit, to anyone in this state, that he looked delectable in an unbuttoned shirt and a pair of jeans riding low on his hips. When she nodded her consent, he smiled at her, the hunger in his eyes showing blatantly in her face. His hand slipped behind her, fingers taking hold of the zipper and tugging it down slowly. Just the noise had her trembling in anticipation. The top drooped when the zipper came undone, part of her cleavage and the top of a simple white bra showing as that hand slid down to cup her rear. He pulled her closer, allowing her to feel the forming hardness pressed against a suitably sensitive region. She shuddered noticeably, Jerrick unable to retain the grin it gave him.

Lips found their way along her neck, teeth nipping the pale flesh there from time to time, a tongue caressing smooth skin, leaving Shuey gasping and making the nicest little moans he’d ever heard. The hand groping that wonderfully pert ass returned to it’s task, sliding the dress further down to drop along her waist, the v of her pelvis exposed for his viewing pleasure. Unclipping the bra was harder than he had expected, causing him to pause in his ministrations to use both hands to unbuckle the small clasps in the back.

The garment clung to her breasts, the straps falling further down her arms than they had been before. Instead of immediately removing the offending article, pale hands explored the taut expanse of stomach Shuey’s body had to offer. Vaguely muscled, but not overly so, milky, smooth skin all waiting for him to lay claim to. She fidgeted slightly as he surveyed her body, fingers fluttering across her flesh like small moths or something. When he leaned further forward, she wasn’t sure why. His lips pressed against the flesh of one breast, triggering a few sparks somewhere inside her that she didn’t recognize. Heat was beginning to swirl faintly in her stomach as she pressed herself closer to that lithe form.

His hand finally pulled at the bra, her arms moving accordingly, even as he bent low and took a perked nipple into his mouth. The first real moan escaped the goddess above him then, her fingers curling into his hair and pulling at it in that way he was rather taken with. A free hand caressed the other mound, finger swirling playfully at the tip before pinching at it lightly. “Ngnn…,” came that musical voice from above him, his eyes darting up to see darkened orbs watching him, lashes low over dazzling eyes. It was then he noticed the dampness on his pants, nearly startling him out of his attentions. The hand at her thigh continued it’s trek upwards, groping at creamy flesh as it reached his grasp until he met the bend of her leg and torso. For the first time, he was truly surprised at the fact that nothing lay in the way of his curious fingers. Apparently Shuey found no need for underwear.

Tensing at a foreboding pause in Jerrick’s movement, she looked for a reason for it; had she done something wrong? Hesitating, she jerked when something moved to the inside of parted thighs, the motion making her legs quiver. “Shuey…” Her voice was caught in her throat, so she really couldn’t reply, thumb running along the junction of thigh and pelvis, nearly brushing that spot. Quicker than she could think, the dress had been pushed up over her head and discarded in the floor, leaving her completely bare while the man beneath her remained mostly clothed. Still somewhat dazed at the sudden movement, she blinked when she found her nude body flush with his own naked skin, toned torso leaving a wonderful feeling being pressed so close. He bucked up against her, tearing another moan from her throat, even though the fabric was rough against her clit.

His shirt vanished at some point, Shuey not taking notice while he was kissing her and touching her chest in a way that made most of her thoughts run rampant and scatter through her mind. That heat began pooling low in her abdomen, her entire body craving something she couldn’t quiet understand. Her fingers moved of their own accord, taking hold of the button restraining that pulsing organ that was pressed against her through the jean fabric. With startling movement, he took her hand away, rising while holding her up and laying her down horizontally. “I don’t want you to push yourself,” he murmured in explanation, slipping off the pants and leaving himself in a pair of silken black boxers.

He moved atop of her, sometimes putting a comfortable weight along her body, other times, leaving her mouth abandoned to lick and nip at her chest and stomach. With each touch, she found herself craving more, a heated flush spreading on her cheeks upon realizing it. He seemed to move further south, hover over her groin until her eyes met his. “What- Aahh!” A quick tongue laved at her, sending shockwaves of pleasure through her hazy mind. “Nggaahh!” The wicked muscle explored her inside and out, her thighs attempting to both spread and close at the same time. A pale hand ran soothingly along her thigh before moving to meet his mouth, one finger prodding at her entrance before finding its way inside. The feeling made her shiver, but it was nothing like what that wicked muscle did.

Another finger followed the first, spreading apart and leaving a somewhat uncomfortable feeling before going deeper inside her and crooking upwards. “Haa,” she panted, not sure what to do with herself while he toyed with her down there. “Mnnggghh..”

Her moans were like music, her taste an entirely acceptable one. Her creamy thighs quivered in indecision until he slid the fingers out. “Wha--?” came the confused questioning from his new lover. With a twitch of lithe hips, the lowered boxers fell away from his groin, hardened member bobbing out with the motion. Dual eyes gazed at the organ until the widening of Jerrick’s grin disrupted her. He crawled up that lithe body, allowing whatever happened to touch her caress her skin. His cock met the wetness of her groin, rubbing against the clitoris as his hips shifted. “Nnggh,” she murmured, her lips seeking his the moment they became in range.

Positioning himself carefully, the head of his member waiting eagerly at her entrance, he looked at her steadily. “Are you afraid?” he asked, nearly apologizing when he saw the nod of confirmation. “Do you want me to stop?” he asked quietly, knowing that after this point, nothing she could say would probably stop him. Clawed fingers pulled his face close, nearly making him fall on her completely as she kissed him fervently, her tongue flicking along his lips in question before he indulged her. He nipped at the muscle playfully before pulling away, pecking pout, swollen lips before thrusting his hips forward. Dual eyes widened, watering slightly before he stopped completely, ready to pull out if he was hurting her that much. “You okay?” he panted, the warmth of her silken folds calling for his dick to thrust completely in.

“It hurts,” she muttered, her legs spreading further apart and her arms wrapping around his neck. “Go ahead,” she said after a moment, still wincing when he pressed completely in. Nails dug into the back of his neck, causing more pleasure than pain at the moment. Leaning down, Jerrick bit at her pale throat, sucking on it and completely laving it with his affection. It seemed to relax her further, so he began to thrust, noting the contained grimace of a woman losing her virginity. Her tolerance for pain was surely pretty high, if this had such a small affect on her. Her warm softness squeezed at his member as he moved his hips, one of her hands straying to his back and running along his own side. A quiet whimper of pleasure spilled from her lips as she bucked upwards, the pain already easing into pleasure as he moved.

Her back arched as he bit down on one perky nipple, the pale pinkness turning a vivid red at his ministrations. “…More,” she panted, her pelvis jerking up to meet his slower-paced movements. Eager to oblige the impatient woman, he thrust into tight heat faster, and maybe even a little harder, her legs wrapping around him as a heady moan danced from that beautiful mouth. Claws dug at his skin, leaving tiny trails of blood in their path before the wounds healed up in wake of her fingers.

Slipping one hand between them, a clever thumb rubbed at the small bump of her clitoris, earning him a louder moan, at least three octaves above her natural voice. One hand tugged at his hair, urging him to leave the perky stub clasped in his teeth. “Nnn.. Jerrick…” came the pleasured voice, his own groan slipping away from him. His hickey had already faded away, leaving him to growl lowly and begin again. As he suckled at her throat, Shuey felt the need to be a little less one-sided, nipping at the ear near her mouth and pulling another grunt from him.

“You feel so good, Shuey,” he whispered into her throat, jerking forward as she began to tense in orgasm. Those tight, squeezing walls were the end of him, his seed spurting forth before he could even moan in the wake of utopia. Resting his full weight atop of her, he panted at her neck, thrusting shallowly until he came down from the high of orgasmic bliss. She was still quivering beneath him with each forward movement of his hips. “..Hmm….” he murmured lightly, smiling at the thought of finally getting the woman he longed for. “You’re finally mine, Shu.”

The scowl on her face said that she didn’t appreciate the use of her loathsome nickname, her arms pushing at his chest to gain a little comfort. Moving to the side in compliance, he tugged at her until she submitted, curling up against him with her head on his chest. “Shut up and sleep,” she muttered tiredly, not bothering to swipe at the red-tinged black wing that draped around her. No sooner had she said it, she felt herself drifting away in the warmth of her mate’s arms. Lanky hands ran along Shuey’s lithe back as she dozed, the demon unable to sleep now that she was with him in such a manner. He wanted to watch her sleep, as strange as it seemed. A sense of satisfaction and possessiveness overcame him when he thought about her being his for much longer.

Yes, he looked forward to the future.


A/N: Sorry, my sex scenes aren’t exactly amazing. *frown* I try, though. Maybe my beta will fix it up a little. *winks* Well, I guess it doesn’t really matter at the moment, considering I’m posting it now. ^.^
Sorry it’s late, work is still kicking my ass, and as you can see, it’s a pretty lengthy chapter. (Nearly double my normal amount). *sigh* Well, I end with my review replies (that I said I wasn’t going to do after the first chapter).

Alicat: I am to assume that you definitely dislike dresses? Tom girl. ;) I’d imagine Shuey simply dislikes them because they’re impractical. (Me saying imagine when I created her.) She’s weird like that. *chuckle* Well, I hope you enjoyed your boom chika wow wow. *laughs*

Ashesxx2xxashes: You know, when writing your screen name, I always accidentally hit 3 instead of 2. O.o If I somehow don’t catch that sometime, I apologize ahead of time. To be honest, the idea of Jerrick’s birthday came on a whim, mostly because I was thinking of the list of things one of my friends gave me for their birthday. Admittedly, some (most) of it was disturbing. And for the record (as I’ve stated previously) I loathe crappy romances. My only fear being that whatever I write winds up just another trashy romance novel. Ew. I see those at places like Walmart and want to throw them in the floor sometimes. (sometimes I’m violent like that). That’s my goal; 100 reviews (56 out of 100 is good, right?), and as far as chapters go….. I have no clue.

Anon: I figured it was something cooler than that…. Until I read a story with like, three Anons on it and they each said something completely different. *sigh* Honestly, you should’ve just said, ‘sure, that’s what it means.’ It would’ve made me happier. *chuckle* I’m kidding. And as previously stated (I think), I didn’t really expect a birthday party for Jerrick either, but hey… It’s all good.

Blacktalon: Seriously, I appreciate the bluntness. I did say so… maybe. *laughs* I think a negative view of things is good from time to time. It helps me spot out flaws in my stories and make future ones better. I aim to one day become professional grade. (That doesn’t mean I’ll be a professional. I don’t really plan on being an author.) If something happens to plop in my lap, then sure, I’d probably print one of my stories, but mostly just because I can, and it’s something that would be interesting to accomplish. Of course, I’d definitely sign under a pen name. BUT, I don’t have to worry about that, now do I? *snicker* I like Shuey’s character, too. I put her through a Mary Sue test every time I think she’s changed a bit to make sure she doesn’t go overboard, too. And for future notice; sucking up scares me. *winks* I’ve already promised myself I’d finish this story, even if I don’t actually post the others. I think I will, though, because I actually enjoy writing (and sharing now).

Thanks for reading everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the previous ones.