Part 9
Herbs in the planting beds scented the air, attracting a cloud of insects, most of which were buzzing around a huge lavender bush. Sitting on a bench nearby, I enjoyed their sound, the garden's fragrance and the light breeze that created soft rattling noises when it shook the plants that were already fading with the approach of autumn. It had not taken me long to find this bench when I was wandering around the grounds of the manor looking for a place of solitude. Today had been hard for me; watching Monika go off to Germany while I stayed behind had been difficult. It wasn't that I regretted the decision to stay with Eileen and leave my old life behind, not at all. It was just the finality of Monika's leaving that hit me hard.
The drive back from the airport had been a quiet one. Eileen had given me sidelong glances from time to time but respected my wish for silence. I was thankful that driving the car had given me something to occupy my mind; the typically narrow winding roads of Ireland were a challenge for every driver not born here. As soon as the car was parked in the manor's garage, I went off, needing to spend some time on my own. Sitting in the garden had done me worlds of good; I felt more settled and in tune with my feelings once again.
The light breeze began to turn chilly as the sun slowly vanished behind the forest. Still, I couldn't find enough energy to leave this place, caught as I was in my memories. The last three days had gone by in a rush. Lena had forced Eileen to stay in bed for an entire day, serving her lots of different herb and blood cocktails to help her regain her strength. As might be expected, Eileen was a lousy patient, constantly complaining about being treated like a baby. In the end, Lena had given up and didn't object when Eileen got out of bed and marched off to the dungeon to participate in the prisoner's interrogation.
I, on the other hand, spent an extra day in bed, gratefully drinking everything Lena served me, even some blood. I was totally aware of what I was drinking, contrary to the first time where I had felt as if a spell had been put on me. Although I hadn't been keen to drink the red liquid Lena offered, I had to admit that it quickened my healing tremendously. Nevertheless, I was happy that the portion of blood had been small. Not because the taste had been abhorrent; it was more of a mental 'yuck' thing, like imagining having to eat grilled monkey's brains or a goat's eyeball.
I sighed and felt something soft rubbing against my knee. Looking down, I found myself gazing into Tóraí's yellow eyes, my faithful companion during my time of recovery. Now the cat meowed and butted my knee with her head, impatiently ordering me to scratch her behind the ears. I was quite sure it was Eileen's doing that Tóraí had shadowed me into the garden, but I had to admit that I enjoyed the comforting warmth of a purring feline on my feet, her favourite place to rest.
Absently obeying Tóraí's demand by scratching her special itchy places, I let my gaze wander, taking in the details of the manor's garden. I wasn't really into herbs but knew enough to be able to recognize some sophisticated ones like foxglove, of which there was a surprising amount. I also recognized some of the more common herbs like parsley and chives, which I had used myself when preparing meals to share with Monika. But I also saw some herbs I didn't know, and I had no idea why a lot of different ferns were scattered in the darker and probably moister areas of the garden. Anyhow, the garden was beautiful and produced an energy which did me good. It was as if the herbs effected me in a positive way just from sitting here and enjoying this marvellous place.
Even deep in thought, I felt someone approaching, knowing that it had to be Lena before I even saw her. This heightened sense thing sure came in handy, I thought. Looking up, I saw Lena leaning against a wooden post, holding two steaming mugs in her hands. I smiled and waved her closer, saying, "I promise I won't bite your head off."
Lena approached me smiling, and sat down next to me on the bench, handing me one of the mugs. "I thought you would like some nice hot tea by now. It sure got chilly out here some while ago," she said.
I took the mug with both hands, thankful for the warmth, realizing that I was indeed freezing. Lena asked in a gentle voice, "Are you feeling better, little one?"
I didn't even try to stifle a sigh, answering honestly, "I don't know. Even though I knew that Monika would leave today, it was strange to see her go without me."
"I know; it must be have been hard for you, but she promised to be back again at Solstice and bring you some … what was it called? 'Stollen' or such?"
I nodded and took another sip of the honey sweetened tea. I knew that Christmas or Solstice, as Lena named it, wasn't that far away. It was just that I felt this particular day marked the end of my old life with an aching finality. I wouldn't want it any other way, yet there remained a pain inside me, a wrenching hurt that I couldn't and didn't want to suppress.
We continued to sit on the bench in comfortable silence while dusk finally began to settle in. Both of us were listening to the last remaining insects buzzing around when suddenly an owl flew nearby, causing Tóraí to leave her place at my feet, thundering after the bird, probably envying the owl for the rodent it was going to catch. The manor and its grounds were Tóraí's territory, and I was sure that the owl would learn a lesson tonight.
I bumped my elbow into Lena's side, causing her to jump a bit this time. "She really is a bit territorial, isn't she?" I asked.
Lena laughed and got up, offering me her hand. "Come on, little one. I don't want you to catch a cold just after you and the thickheaded lady of the manor have recovered from your latest adventure."
I joined her, both of us walking slowly to the door that led into the kitchen, when Lena added, "Oh, by the way… I was asked to inform you that if you wanted a hot bath, there is one already drawn. Furthermore, I think I heard that the mistress decided that a bath would do her good as well." She winked at me and I felt a pleasant shiver running down my spine.
The truth was that the fight with the
sidhe draoi and Madeleine had drained more than its fair share of energy from both of us, leaving us physically and emotionally exhausted. That ordeal and Monika's departure had left the two of us no room or time to explore our relationship further. Eileen and I had slept in each other's arms, but that had been it. Unfortunately.
I had not forgotten about the shared bath since Eileen had mentioned it the first time. At that moment, I felt a wave of arousal washing over me that at the same time made me feel energetic and shy at the thought of Eileen waiting for me in the bathtub, naked.
I didn't say anything but bid goodnight to Lena when we reached the kitchen. She shuffled to the sink with a satisfied smile, clattering the empty mugs into the sink. I proceeded to the stairs, feeling a bit funny that Lena knew what would happen tonight. Maybe happen. Hopefully happen.
I walked up the stairs and down the corridor, greeted by a spicy smell that wavered in the air, an intoxicating scent of oranges and cinnamon. Slowly entering the bedroom, I heard a muffled sound coming from behind the closed bathroom door. Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I cracked open the door and was absolutely stunned. I had never heard Eileen sing before, but wasn't really surprised that she was able to keep a tune and had a very sexy voice. What really threw me was the way the bathroom had changed from functional to amazing; lit candles were scattered around and created a wonderful warm light, and the smell of sweet and spicy herbs lingered, produced by the steam rising from the water. Bunches of beautiful flowers were lying all over the floor. It was a deeply romantic setting. I felt tears threatening to fall because never before someone had done something like this for me.
While I tried to compose myself, Eileen started a new song and this time I was able to make out the lyrics though I was highly distracted by the sight of a very naked Eileen sitting in the sunken tub. Her hair was wet and looked even darker as usual, and her body glistened from the droplets of water running down her incredible body. She was washing her arms rather sensually with a sponge while she sang:
The time I've lost in wooing, in watching and pursuing,
The light that lies in woman's eyes has been my heart's undoing.
Tho' Wisdom oft has sought me, I scorned the lore she brought me,
My only books were women's looks, and folly's all they've taught me!
Her smile when Beauty granted, I hung with gaze enchanted,
Like him, the Sprite, Whom maid by night, oft meet in glen that's haunted.
Like him, too, Beauty won me, but while her eyes were on me,
If once their ray was turned away, O! winds could not outrun me.
And are those follies going? And is my proud heart growing
Too cold or wise for brilliant eyes again to set it glowing?
No - vain, alas! th' endeavor from bonds so sweet to sever;
Poor wisdom's chance against a glance is now as weak as ever.
The singing stopped and I realized that Eileen was looking at me with her head cocked to one side, her blue eyes twinkling warmly. "Hello, lass," she said.
I was so caught up in the sight of her that I was only able to stammer: "I… I …you are beautiful." I felt my face growing blisteringly hot with embarrassment.
Eileen's voice was even lower as usual when she drawled, "Why, thank you, Julia. Would you maybe care to join me?"
I couldn't move, I couldn't speak, but I was more than able to make an idiot out of myself. "Ugh," was all I was able to articulate while I continued my imitation of a stone statue. Eileen's skin looked like bronze or gold in the candlelight, her long black hair cascaded around her shoulders and her eyes, those eyes…
Sweat was dripping down my forehead, and the heat I felt was not only caused by the room's sultry temperature. There was a fight going on inside of me. On the one hand, I wanted nothing more than to tear off my clothes and jump into the water-filled tub, getting as close to this vision of beauty as possible. I wanted to feel her and touch her and never let go of her again. But on the other hand, I felt trapped because deep inside me was still a part that couldn't believe that Eileen would find me suitable as a mate. Even worse, how could she possibly enjoy sex with me? Suddenly I felt very ugly and heard a voice of my past whispering in my head:
no one finds you desirable. You are used goods and a lousy lover. I wanted to turn around and run away as far and as fast as possible.
Eileen's voice held me captive when she said, "Julia, look at me, please. I want to suggest something, alright?"
I nodded and looked at her as she asked, still feeling slightly ill.
"Julia, why don't I turn around until you are undressed and in the water with me. This tub is really big enough and what I said to you is still true - I won't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable." She held out her strong arms, muscles flexing, and crooked her fingers in a gesture of invitation when she continued, "But I am sure that you will be able to enjoy a bath before going to bed, don't you agree?"
Undress? Naked? Me? For a moment I wondered if now would be a good time to faint. Instead, I successfully moved my feet to enter the bathroom, closing the door behind me. Eileen was still patiently waiting for an answer. I took a deep breath, acknowledging to myself that the situation was far better than any fantasy I ever had. Eileen had never shown me anything beside warmth and acceptance, and remembering our last make-out session, I knew that my fear of rejection was stupid.
I decided to throw my caution overboard and listen only to my heart, asking, "Would you wash my back if I joined you?"
If possible her smile grew even brighter and she nodded, turning around. My God, she was a vision, and the emotions I felt from her through our bond were intensifying my own, nearly causing my knees to buckle. I steadied myself with a hand on the wall before I carefully stepped out of my shoes. My trousers and shirt followed and I laid both carefully over a wooden bench, next to Eileen's clothes. My bra and my briefs were next, and then I was ready to join her, just not sure how as I looked for a way to get into that huge tub.
"Eileen?" I asked to get her attention.
"Yes, lass?" she purred.
I felt a certain part of my body responding to that sound, and swallowed against a suddenly dry mouth. "Ah, how do I get in the tub without drowning myself?"
"I would never let you drown, but I guess you wouldn't want me to turn around before you are inside the tub, right?" she asked.
I nodded, but realized that she was not able to see what I was doing and was about to answer verbally when she suddenly said, "I thought so."
How? Oh, the little shit! "Eileen, you are cheating!" I cried.
She mumbled something under her breath. I was close to throwing one of the candles at her before I decided that my first priority was to cover my naked body with a towel..
"You said you wouldn't look!" I complained.
"I didn't. I just said that I wouldn't turn around."
I could clearly visualize her pout and had a hard time staying angry, but I was not letting her off the hook so soon. "You are busted! Now turn around and help me in the damn tub before I freeze to death!"
She complied immediately and turned around, facing me. I let the towel fall to the floor, my whole body growing hot under her gaze. Her smoldering gaze was like fire on my skin. I fidgeted until she finally reached out her hand, saying in a gentle voice as if speaking to a spooked horse ready to bolt, "There is a small step, be careful."
I took her hand and after fumbling a moment, found the step. The warmth of the water on my body was pure bliss to my sore muscles. I kept hold of her hand and looked straight into her eyes, saying, "Eileen, I trusted you not to look. That wasn't fair. You know how hard this is for me."
This time I didn't need to visualize the pout. Her mouth was a shape made for kissing. "But Julia, I am only human," she said, "and I really like what I saw."
"You are not human at all, you, you…" Oh, I had no idea what to call her and simply splashed water into her face without further warning. She didn't hesitate long before taking revenge, and after a very short time there was a lot less water in the tub, the floor was soaked, and both of us were dripping wet when we agreed to call it a tie, shouting with laughter.
That was fun.
All of a sudden I was very aware of the fact that the water now only reached Eileen's waist. My view was drawn to her full breasts and the marvelous tribal tattoos circling both her upper arms. Eileen wasn't shy about the fact that we were sitting close to each other. She bent forward slightly to smooth the wet bangs out of my eyes, while at the same time bringing her breasts closer to my body. I had a hard time processing her question when she asked, "Would that be a good time to start washing our back, sweetheart?"
"I would like that, but Eileen… I… there are some scars and I…" Again, I felt unable to form a coherent sentence.
"Julia, look at me."
I slowly lifted my gaze. Eileen went on, "Julia, there is no need to feel ashamed or think you are less beautiful because of scars. I have several on my body as you will see. In my view, scars are proof that you were strong enough to survive a terrible event, and every warrior wears them with pride, so you should do the same."
Once more, she was able to touch my heart and soul with her words. Instead of answering her, I turned around, making myself vulnerable, granting her an unhindered view of my back. The next thing I felt were her soapy hands making slow and soothing circles from my shoulder blades to just above my buttocks. Her touch was warm and feather light, and I felt my anxiety fall away, replaced by a tingling sensation that shot down my spine and went right to the center of my being. Every touch she gave me made my arousal build higher and higher until I felt the urge to tilt my neck, granting her easy access to the sensitive area of my throat. Eileen responded with a deep growl that vibrated straight through me. She started to nip my pulse point, pressing her bare breasts against my back. The feelings drove me crazy and caused my nipples to harden in response.
"Please," I groaned, feeling my fangs grow longer. "Please, please, Eileen," I repeated, not knowing myself what I was begging for.
"Shh, sweetheart." Eileen placed tiny kisses on my upper back, holding me nestled close and caressing my ear with her hot breath. "I don't want to hurry," she said. "As much as I want you, Julia, and believe me that I really do… we don't have to do anything tonight that goes beyond what we are doing now."
"What? You have no idea what you are exactly doing to me!" I felt like hitting her for wanting to talk when all I wanted her to do was to make love to me, to make me hers completely, to bite me, to drink my blood, to be one with her.
Eileen chuckled dryly, her mouth still close to my ear. The sound made me shiver. "Oh, I do have a very good idea if it is close to what you are doing to me," she said. "But I do want to go slow. I want us to get used to each other and to each other's body. I don't want you to regret anything and I don't want you to feel obligated."
I turned around in her arms and cupped one of her breasts in my hand, feeling the nipple harden against my palm. I ran my other hand over her belly, the muscles clenching under my touch. "Feeling obligated? Are you nuts?" I whispered.
She moaned with pleasure when I played with one of her firm breasts, tugging the nipple and squeezing it gently. Our roles were reversed and I was the one in power, and it felt amazing to know that I was the one making her writhe with need. Eileen's fangs were showing, a sure sign that she was losing control. I knew that we were walking close to a line that I wanted to cross tonight, so I continued my sensuous assault on her, fully aware of the fact that I had never before been the one to take the initiative in love play. With her, it just felt natural.
I loved the feel of Eileen's body; she was all firm muscle covered by skin that felt as smooth as silk. Nothing had ever given me more pleasure than seeing her arousal so clearly written on her face. Nothing had ever been more important to me than to make her understand what I wanted right now. I stopped my wandering hands, causing her to groan in protest.
She opened her eyes and gave me a heavy-lidded gaze, murmuring: "Don't tease me like that."
I smiled and let my hands wander anew before stopping again. She growled, breathing heavily. When I felt that I had her full attention, I said, "Do you want me to stop? Cause I sure don't."
She closed the distance between us, her wet body gliding against mine, and dropped a soft kiss on my mouth. "Are you sure?" she asked.
My nerves were burning and my brain was empty of thought, but somehow I was still able to respond, "Sure… absolutely sure." The delicious heat of her flesh against mine made me relax, and I let her take over again. I rested my hands on her shoulders, feeling her muscles flex under my touch. She bowed her head and took one of my nipples into her mouth, twirling her tongue around it; my whole body throbbed in response. My head lolled back and my eyes closed involuntarily, never before had I known such pleasure, never before did I feel like I was being cherished, worshipped, loved.
I breathed, "Don't stop, don't…" I didn't want to lose any of these wonderful sensations. Her tongue left my body and I groaned, "No!" feeling betrayed. Opening my eyes to see what she was up to, I hoped that she would continue what she started.
Eileen smiled down at me, bending forward to brush first my lower lip and then both of my fangs with her tongue. Heat washed over me like a red wave before she withdrew again. She was driving me absolutely crazy!
Payback is a bitch, I thought.
But Eileen wasn't unaffected herself. Her face was flushed and her voice sultry when she said, "Lass, let us take this into the bedroom. We'll be more comfortable there."
I replied, "I am comfortable, honestly," with a bit of desperation, not feeling the need to change places. Despite my protest, I felt myself lifted up, water trickling off my body. Gasping, I threw my arms around her neck as Eileen carried me carefully out of the bathtub and over to our bedroom, grabbing some towels on her way. For a moment I was surprised that I didn't feel cold after being out of the warm water, but I quickly forgot about that when Eileen begun to shower every little part of me she was able to reach with kisses, never allowing the heat inside me to diminish.
Next I was lowered gently on the bed. My breathing grew erratic when Eileen took one of the towels and begun to slowly, oh so very slowly dry me with the soft material, deliberately lingering on some places. I was torn between cursing her and cheering her on, but more than everything I wanted to touch her, I needed to touch her.
She denied me the wish, pressing my arms gently but firmly to my sides and saying, "No. This is just about you, Julia. My pleasure will be for you to enjoy."
With that she lay the towel aside and started a leisure exploration of the front of my body, cupping my breasts with her callused hands, taking her time playing and softly pinching my nipples. I was tingling from head to foot, feeling a strange kind of energy running through me, and thought I would die if I didn't find release soon. Seemingly unaffected by my whimpers and moans, Eileen kept her slow pace, only chuckling a bit when I cursed her.
"You know lass, you have the most perfects breasts. So soft, so wonderful," she said before gently latching unto my nipples with her fangs. The brief burst of pain turned immediately into indescribable pleasure, and I felt the wetness between my legs multiplying in response. Eileen continued nibbling my nipple so sweetly with her fangs until I arched up against her, reaching out a hand to touch her back and wanting to draw myself closer. Once again, she took hold of both of my hands and brought them up over my head, pining them to the bed.
The shudder I felt this time wasn't a pleasant one, bile rose up my throat. I felt trapped. A nightmare of my past was threatening to overcome me as I remembered in a flash the last time I had been in exactly the same position with someone else looming over me - Jennifer hurting me solely for her pleasure, not stopping even so I begged her. No safe word, just violence and pain that didn't end when I passed out, as she told me later with cruel amusement. I felt sick. Out of habit long practiced, I did now what had helped me survive in the past: I closed down, fled to the one safe place within me that nobody could reach, stopped feeling and stopped seeing, and began to pretend it wasn't me being abused.
Unlike the other times, I felt someone coming after me, a gentle presence, a soothing voice that was calming to my frayed nerves. Although I was still afraid, I realized that it was a familiar voice calling me back through our bond. I was hesitant to respond at first, but her summoning became more insistent while remaining non-threatening. Somehow I understood it was Eileen's voice that was penetrating my shelter, and I willed myself to emerge from it.
Remaining gripped by fear, I carefully opened my eyes, unsure what I would find. I saw Eileen starring down at me with concern. "Julia, did I hurt you? Are you okay?" she asked.
My own voice sounded foreign to my ears when I said with great effort, "I… I need a minute, please."
Shit! Would there ever be a time I would be free of the demons of my past? I grabbed one of the blankets lying around and used it to cover my nudity, ashamed that I obviously hadn't been able to distinguish between Eileen's and Jennifer's touch.
Eileen said in a soft voice, "Don't shut me out, Julia. Please."
I stifled a hysterical laugh and said. "I am a basket case, Eileen. That's it, plain and simple."
Her blue eyes gleamed with gentleness when she asked, "Why do you think so? Tell me."
For a moment I fought with myself, not sure if and how much I should tell her. So far Eileen only knew part of my past and how I had been abused by Jennifer, but there were things I hadn't told her. Despite feeling stupid and ashamed about my panic attack, I decided to tell Eileen about my flashback and about my past experiences with intimacy. I felt that I owed her that much after destroying what had started out as a night of pleasure. After my first tentative sentences, Eileen tenderly probed for more. Everything tumbled out, the whole story. It wasn't easy and I felt embarrassed about some of the things I told her.
Eileen listened patiently without interrupting. She lay stretched out next to me with a hand on my stomach, caressing my face with her other hand as if she understood I needed the contact to assure me she was really there. It helped me to feel her soothing touch as I stammered my sorry tale.
When I finished, Eileen said calmly, "Thank you for trusting me with all this. And let me tell you something: you are no basket case. You are a woman who overcame a demon I wouldn't have wanted to fight against. I'm not sure I have survived. You are a very brave person, Julia, and I am honored that you trust me so much. I do love you!" She leaned over and gave me a careful kiss, clearly not wanting to spook me.
Tears were pooling in my eyes. It didn't sound as if she thought little of me or was disgusted about the thought of touching me. The ice clenching around my heart began to melt.
Though I was exhausted, I was truly relieved not only by Eileen's words, but by the love and the righteous anger that was coming from her through our link. The love was for me, the anger was directed towards Jennifer, the person who had violated me for so many years. Once again, I blessed the bond we shared that made it so much easier for me to figure what was going on in Eileen's mind; I knew I could trust what I felt flowing from her.
For a moment we stayed quiet, just content to be close to each other. I was absorbing what she had said, and she was looking at me with an incredible tenderness that was like a caress for my soul. Eileen finally broke the silence, saying, "Lass, what do you say if we just go to sleep? I can only guess how tired you are and I would very much like to hold you if I may."
I nodded and replied, "I would like that very much. I love you, Eileen."
Eileen covered us both with the blanket and I cuddled into her as her strong arms surrounded me, making me feel safe like nowhere else. I began to understand in my heart that she was the one place I could flee to when I needed a safe harbor. Eileen was my shelter. With my head resting on her shoulder, I thought again about what had happened earlier. I had enjoyed Eileen's touch, heck, more than enjoyed it until the point when I experienced that terrifying flashback. I wiggled around a bit, thinking about how much power my past still had in my life and how much I abhorred that fact. I wanted to control how I felt about my past, now allow bad memories to control me. I knew that telling Eileen about what had happened to me was a way of putting to rest the shame and the loneliness that continued to plague me. I had told her things I haven't even told my therapist. But still…
I made a decision and asked shyly, "Eileen, are you asleep?"
"No. How could I with you wriggling around like a young dog?" she replied.
I had to clear my throat before I could go on. "Can I touch you?" I asked.
It took a moment before she replied, "Julia, you don't have to ask. I am always more than willing to be touched by you. I belong to you." She paused briefly before continuing, "But maybe it would be better if we just went to sleep now, lass."
"I am exhausted, that is true." How could I explain? Searching for words, I said haltingly, "But I need this. I need to leave the past behind, I need to feel like I'm the one in control of it. Please, Eileen."
She nodded and I closed the scant distance between us. For a while we simply kissed each other, slowly and with more tenderness than passion. It was such a relief to feel love flowing so freely between us, love freely given and received.
Soon our kisses deepened as desire took hold and the atmosphere around us begun to change. This felt cleaner to me, the ghosts of my past beginning to lose their substance. I tentatively withdraw my lips from hers and started to touch Eileen in earnest, running my fingers down her sides, stopping from time to time to kiss a particularly sensitive spot or one of her scars. I watched with fascination the way goosebumps followed the trail of my fingers on her skin. It didn't take long before she begun to writhe under my touch, but she made no move to interfere in what I was doing. She allowed me to take the lead, something unknown to me. I cherished this gift very much.
A wave of her arousal drifted to my nose, a scent like earth and spice. The fragrance made my mouth water. I couldn't keep from telling her, saying, "You smell so good."
Eileen gazed at me with passion-darkened eyes and said breathlessly, "You could smell it much better if you were closer to the source, now, wouldn't you?"
I laughed but I had other plans and avoided the source of the mouthwatering scent. Instead, I settled in the cradle of her thighs and swirled my tongue around her jugular vein, remembering how much I had wanted to have her mouth there earlier. The lazy circles I drew with my tongue drove Eileen absolutely wild. She started to whimper every time I bit down a bit with my fangs, not actually drawing blood but just teasing little nips. I was far from unaffected myself. The longer I touched her, the more of her I tasted, the more aroused I became. To be the one in control really did it for me. I felt safe and loved, and the way Eileen reacted to my touch made me also feel sexy and powerful, "Eileen, look at me," I said, stopping for a moment. She opened her eyes, hazy with arousal. "Eileen, I love you. I love your body. So strong, yet so utterly soft," I said. "Will you let me make love to you?"
"Goddess, yes," she breathed in reply. From this point on, I knew the house would have to be on fire before I could stop. I slid down her body, taking the time to kiss her firm smooth belly before continuing my journey further south. There was little hesitation in what I did, since I simply did to her what I had always dreamed of someone doing to me. I pressed kisses over her hips and the tops of her thighs while Eileen's hands tangled in my hair; careful not to pull. All the while, inviting whimpers rose from her throat.
In a low voice I asked, "You like what I do?" She only nodded in reply and so I continued.
Very slowly I dipped a couple of my fingers into her wetness, fascinated by the smoothness of her inner walls. Jennifer had never allowed me to touch her so intimately. Eileen's immediate reaction was a growl that came from deep within her chest, vibrating through her whole body and into mine. If there ever had been any kind of doubt in my mind about her being hot for me… well. I didn't have that doubt any more. Looking up at her face while I moved my fingers around, I saw that her mouth was open and her fangs were elongating from the pleasure. Eileen's tongue played around them, flicking her fangs in sync to what I did to her.
I pressed my fingers deeper into her, marveling at the slickness, and heard her needy whimpers as she got even wetter. Never before had I felt such an intensity of love, lust and control. I began to grind my own hips into the mattress, seeking to relieve a bit of the pressure that had begun to build between my legs. The smell of Eileen's arousal had multiplied while I continued to caress her sensitive flesh, stroking and teasing her, while all the while my own pleasure was cresting higher and higher. Eileen's scent made me feel intoxicated, and through our link I felt that she was close to release. Her breathing had grown erratic and her whimpers came in a constant rush.
I could have taken more time, could have been a bit more playful, but I felt driven to continue bringing her to release, loving her. There would be other opportunities to go slow and to get to know her body better. I felt that she liked what I did to her; hell, the smell and the sounds coming from her were proof of that. I continued my lovemaking and became even bolder.
When I touched her clitoris with the fingers of my other hand, Eileen growled, "Don't stop. But inside… keep touching me there. I need you to stay inside. Please."
I carefully worked the fingers inside her while continuing to make slow circles around her clitoris. It didn't take long before I felt her inner muscles clenching around me. Her body jerked and twitched in a sensual dance on the mattress before she released a feral roar that nearly caused me fall over the edge with her. She was so beautiful, her whole body flushed and sweaty, still trembling from little aftershocks and absolutely desirable. I took the blanket and covered us before crawling up her body and wrapping myself around her. I listened to her fast and steady heartbeat under my ear, feeling absolutely swollen with happiness. I was more than a little bit proud about what I had accomplished.
"Lass," Eileen said hoarsely," you nearly killed me, but what a way to go…"
"I take it you liked what I did?" I asked smiling, trying to forget about my own itching ache.
"Liked? Liked isn't the right word." She turned in my arms until we were face to face and beamed at me. "I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to a long life with you. And not only because of your cute nose."
She dropped long lingering kisses on my collarbone that made me aware of the increasing pressure between my legs. I couldn't stop a small whimper escaping my throat. Eileen turned me over on my back. Feeling her warm breath on my ear, she growled, "I would very much like to return the favor if you could trust me enough." Her eyes were filled with love and a playfulness that sent a pleasant shiver down my spine.
Could I trust her? Yes. The more important question was: could I trust myself? Would I ever find out without trying? I replied, "Yes, I trust you. The only thing I ask of you is to be gentle… but not too much."
Eileen weaved a special kind of magic. She was the most gentle lover, assuring me all the time of how much she loved me and how beautiful she found my body. Asking me if I liked what she did and what I would prefer. I was able to relax more and more, finally giving myself wholly to her. It wasn't easy for me to let go, but in the end, I found the release I sought so desperately. Both of us were left spent and satisfied and happy.
I stayed awake a while, Eileen quietly snoring next to me, wondering about everything that had happened since I came to Ireland. Thinking about how much had my life changed. I felt as if a weight had been taken from my shoulders and could truly say that whatever the fates would throw in my way in the future, I felt that I would be able to cope. Not alone, not easily; I wasn't self-delusional, but together with Eileen and her love, I knew at long last my life felt like it was worth living.
THE END