Rise of the Night/Run of Night

Shadow's explanation left her feeling a little bit of closure. She had been wondering for so long why he had run. She supposed it made sense. His loose control of his magic when they were younger had gotten them into trouble. And she very clearly remembered the night the New Brotherhood deal had gone so horribly wrong. She had spent hours out with Congo looking for Shadow until they had finally found him, bloody and broken by the rival gang.

She could see wanting to learn control after all that. When he started playing with his magic, she watched closely. Lupus did not have magic and what the magi could do had always interested her. The star he formed of ice and darkness was beautiful.

"I know I haven't gotten you anything for your birthday for the past six years so here is something," he said as he placed it in her hand.

“It’s so beautiful,” she said, closely inspecting the star in her hand. It was cool to the touch. “Wait, it’s made of ice... won’t it melt?”

"Normally, yes, however I placed a shard of my magic inside so that it will never melt. Not as long as I'm alive,” he explained, looking proud of himself. She beamed at him, very impressed with the gift. It really was lovely and so sweet.

As she was tying it around her neck, she looked up at him to tell him thank you and he was suddenly very close. He kissed her.

Her eyes widened for a moment before closing and she returned the kiss. He was being cautious, gentle. She kissed him harder, getting a hand in his hair at the back of his neck and the other on his shoulder. He responded by putting his arms around her, the dark tattoos on his arms stark against her light skin. They pulled away for a moment to catch their breath before he pulled her tight against him again.

Lyla found herself straddling his lap as they kissed again. She ran her fingers lightly down his arm, tracing the shape of the muscles she found there. She felt a little light headed but she couldn’t help but fall into his scent, into the way he kissed her. His hand moved over her waist and hip before slipping under her shirt to move over the warm skin there.

Then his hand found the scar just above her hip. And he stopped moving. Lyla tried to regain his attention by kissing along his jawline but he tried to tilt so he could see what he was feeling.

“What is this?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she said, pulling his hand up between them. “Don’t worry about it.” She kissed his neck, nibbling gently at the skin where his neck met his shoulder.

“Let me see,” he said, pulling his hand free and pushing her shirt up a little to get a better look. She moved his hand away again and pushed her shirt back down. “Lyla,” he said, stern. “Please.”

She stayed still for a moment before sighing and moving back from him. She lifted her shirt to bare her middrift and clearly show the scar on her left side. Though she couldn’t see it now, she knew exactly what was making his eyes go big and surprised. It was about two inches long and twisted in the middle to form a misshapen “V.” The evidence of stitches was still there along the entire line.

“...what happened?” he asked, slowly running a finger along the scar. “Did this happen while I was gone?” He looked crushed, like he felt guilty that he hadn’t been there to prevent it. It would be like him.

“I was stabbed. During a run,” she said softly. “I was watching a politician for Congo in an area of town I hadn’t had the chance to sweep yet. I didn’t know the territory like I should have. I told Congo it would be alright. I was being cocky. I was on the roof, getting ready to go.” She let out a breath for a moment, remembering. “I stood up and they were suddenly behind me. I didn’t even know what had happened at first.” She cringed. “Then he twisted the knife and pulled it up as he pulled it out. He nicked an artery. I... well, you know I never had much of a pain tolerance. He left me to bleed out on the roof. I guess he figured no one but their own would check up there. If I remember correctly, he was some sort of private security. You’d... you’d have to ask Congo. I don’t remember much of it. One of my runners found me in a puddle of my own blood about a mile away. He said he just followed the blood trail. I don’t remember getting there.”

“You... you walked a mile with a knife wound to the belly?” he asked, looking taken aback.

“I guess? I don’t know, it’s all kind of blurry. I mostly remember the pain. That’s about it.” She rolled her shirt back down over the scar and tried awkwardly to smile. “It was about three years ago. I lucked out. Good thing I train my runners so well.”

Shadow pulled her close again, hugging her to him. She slipped her arms around him in return and lay her cheek against his chest. How did he manage being this temperature? Everyone but other Lupus always seemed so cool in temperature to her.

Well. She’d fix that.

She kissed him again before pulling him down under the blanket of the bed and pulling him close to her. He followed without protest, catching a hand in her hair. Lyla nipped his lower lip until he pushed close to her and kissed her with a renewed intensity. She grinned despite herself.

Maybe Shiva had it right all along... she thought, running her hands over his back and sides as he explored her sides and belly, one hand slowly snaking up to trace her breast. His kisses had trailed down to her neck and collarbone, leaving her breathing a little quicker.

They were both so lost in it all that neither one noticed the young man who had slipped in through the rafters until he was almost right next to them.

“Lyla?” he said after giving a short cough.

Lyla yelped in surprise, bright red in the face when she recognized one of her newer runners, Kit. She stayed under Shadow, trying to regain her composure. Shadow straightened up and looked back at the young Diamond Dong, glaring.

“Kit, what’re you doing here?” Lyla interjected, trying to keep control of the situation.

“Enjoying the show,” Kit said with a grin. Lyla added her own glare to Shadow’s. “Sorry, sorry! Shiva told us all to find a safehouse to stay at for a couple days. I thought I’d come here.”

“This one is taken, kid,” Shadow said. “Beat it.”

Lyla rolled her eyes. Men. “He’s right, Kit, try the spot on Lunar Way and 13th. We haven’t used that one in awhile, but it should be stocked.”

The young runner nodded, took a glance at Shadow only to catch another death glare, and darted back out of the safehouse. Shadow turned back to her, gently pushing her back down against the mattress.

“Now,” he said, stealing a quick kiss, “where were we?”

“Somewhere between here,” she kissed him back, long and passionate. “...and here.” She had a slid a hand down to the tightness at the front of his pants. He grinned.

Shadow nuzzled Lyla’s neck as she unbuttoned his pants, pushing them down over his hips so she could get a good handle on his cock. He sucked in his breath as she started to stroke it, her free hand teasing along his ribs. She smiled as she moved her hand up and down, feeling him stiffen all over at her touch. His breath was hot against her neck as he suddenly started fumbling with her tank top.

Lyla propped herself up and helped him get the shirt off, turning her attentions to his once hers had been discarded. She gently pushed him back into a sitting position so she could kiss his chest and he could get his pants fully removed. They were quickly added to the pile, as were her shorts. Once there was nothing impeding them, they came together with a sense of desperation. Years of tension finally being released as Shadow pinned her down to the bed and began sucking on her right nipple while massaging her left breast.

She gasped and moaned quietly, running her fingers through his hair. He had a firm grip on her hip when he returned his mouth to hers. She had wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him even closer. His erection pressed against her thigh and it was all she could do not to beg. He ran a hand over her calf down to her ass, savoring every inch. He was smirking when he caught her gaze again, apparently liking the look she gave him. She was biting her lower lip and looking at him pleadingly.

Luckily, he seemed to catch on and his hand slipped down between her legs. She gasped again as his fingers found how wet she was for him. He gently slid his fingers over her, exploring before pushing two fingers inside her.

“Tease,” she snarled, moving her hips towards him as he moved his fingers in and out of her. He laughed softly, his voice raspy with lust. He shifted his weight and then the tip of his cock was pressed against her. She felt a small whimper escape her lips. She wanted him. Badly. But he was simply holding himself over her with a patience that was maddening.

“Lyla,” he said, drawing her eyes back to his face. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” she breathed, kissing him hard. And with that he pushed inside her, drawing a low moan from her throat. He grunted softly once he was all the way in. She nipped at the tension in his neck muscles. “Please, Shadow...”

He laughed a little again and obliged her, starting his rhythm of thrusting slow and easy. She arched her back, responding to each stroke and trying to match him.

“Little eager?” he asked, returning a hand to her breasts.

“Just fuck me,” she said, accentuating her request with a groan as he moved inside her.

“Yes, ma’am,” he rumbled and picked up the pace. Lyla gasped. Luna above, he felt good. Her breath was coming in shorter and shorter gasps as they continued, her fingers dug into his back and hair.

“Ahh... ahhh... Shadow...” she moaned. Shadow grunted softly in her ear, focused. He would slow slightly before pumping into her quick and hard enough she thought she would scream loud enough to alert everyone in the council building. Then he would slow again, teasing her. Their foreheads were pressed together, their hot labored breath mixing as they fucked. He was taking his time, being careful.

“Damnit,” she snarled.

“What? Is something wrong?” he asked, pausing.

Lyla responded by flipping him onto his back and straddling him. She put her hands flat on his chest and took over. She could swear his eyes almost rolled back into his head as she moved her hips in a steady circle.

“Oh, Lyla,” he managed to get out, his hands moving up her thighs to her hips. As she continued to control the thrusts, she had to lower herself slightly to pick up the speed. She moved her hands to the bed on either side of Shadow’s chest and bounced her hips on top of him. He grunted softly, no doubt enjoying the way her erect nipples slid across his chest as she moved.

Soon he was using his grip on her hips to match her movements so he could better thrust into her. Lyla could think of nothing but this moment, the way his hard member felt... every single inch as he entered her. She wanted to enjoy it, to burn the image of him below her, sweating and focused on their love making. That was her Shadowstep, no mask, no military training. Just the man.

Then he turned the tables on her and flipped her back over, thrusting hard and strong to make her gasp and moan and claw at the sheets. She was breathing just as hard as he was, lost to his thrusts. She was close and moaned it out to him, encouraging him to continue his pace. He groaned in response and soon she was hanging onto him for dear life, his panting in her ear mirroring her own.

“Shadow!” she managed. “Aahhh..!”

“Lyla!” he called back as she came just before he did, slamming into her as hard as he could for his final stroke that left them both shaking and gasping for air.

They lay panting, the last twitchs of orgasm still holding both of them. Shadow slid out of her and collapsed half next to her, half on top of her. Neither could move for several minutes, just catching their breath and riding the high. Once they could move, it was just to reposition into a more comfortable cuddle.

“Thank you,” she finally said, tracing the tattoos on the arm he had draped under her breasts.

“For what?” he asked softly.

“For being here,” she said. “For coming back. For being you.”

“Mmm,” he murmured, kissing her cheek. “You’re welcome. Thanks for the good sex.”

Lyla laughed, still slightly breathless. “You’re welcome too.”