Summary: Annelyse gives Kenna some advice, and Kenna makes good on a promise. And of course, some flirting and innuendo. 🙂
Part 1Â (PG-13)Â Part 2 (PG-13) Â Part 3 (NSFW)
Kenna finally drifts into a restless sleep near dawn. There are so many thoughts in her head that she can’t seem to quiet her brain enough to be able to sleep. She’s a little concerned now, that people will do figure out that there’s something between her and Diavolos beyond an uneasy relationship borne of necessity. It would cause even more tension, and that’s the last thing she needs on an already nerve-wracking journey. And yet…she knows, even if people found out, even if they all told her she was making a mistake, and urged her to stop, she doesn’t want to stop. She wants more of him, wants him.
She wakes when Annelyse comes to get her for breakfast, dressing quickly and walking into the corridor. Kenna assumes Diavolos is still in the sleeping quarters, and casually tells Annelyse she’ll go get him. Diavolos is just tugging his shirt on when Kenna enters, and she closes the door behind her. Diavolos looks up, a grin crossing his face when he sees her.
“Queen Kenna,” he greets her.
He pulls her into a kiss, and she lets out a surprised “Oh!” when he leans down to suck and bite at her neck gently, his hands wrapping around her hips.
“We have breakfast the meeting,” she finally gasps out, even though her chin tilts up and her hands grasp at his shirt.
“I’d rather have you,” Diavolos says, and she groans at the obvious desire in his voice.
“Later,” she moans as he kisses her again.
He grumbles but releases her, stepping back. “You look surprised,” he says, and Kenna shrugs.
“I didn’t know if…” she trails off.
Diavolos frowns, just slightly. “I told you this wouldn’t be a one-time thing,” he reminds her.
He brushes a surprisingly soft, sweet kiss over her lips. “I meant that,” he says sincerely.
His lips apply gentle pressure to hers again, his arms creeping around her back, and Kenna knows someone will come looking for them soon if she doesn’t stop him. She presses against his chest, and he chuckles as he steps back.
“Are you planning on having this meeting every day?” Diavolos asks as they walk out of the sleeping quarters. “There’s only so much to talk about.”
“I know,” she says. “I just feel like we need to be doing something to prepare.”
“If you talk about the same plans every day, you’ll start to overthink and question them and change them. And that never ends well. Trust your instincts,” Diavolos tells her.
“How can I?” she asks, frustrated when her voice shakes just slightly. “My instincts got Gabriel killed, and Dom captured, and-“
“Stop,” Diavolos says suddenly, grabbing her shoulder and turning her to face him. “Your instincts saved your life. They saved Tevan’s life, and helped you forge an alliance with Rowan Thorn. They helped you stop my father,” he admits, his expression darkening briefly.
Kenna sighs, resting her hands lightly on his chest. “I’m just worried about this meeting with Azura.”
“I know.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Diavolos is right, Kenna realizes. This meeting is almost exactly the same as the last one, and she can feel herself start to question their strategies. So she shakes it off, cutting the meeting short and deciding they don’t need to meet every day unless something changes, or until they get closer to the Iron Empire. Everyone agrees and disperses, and Kenna finds herself lingering over the maps of the Iron Empire once again. There’s only so much to do on the ship, and she’s still just as bored and restless as she was the day before.
Annelyse knocks on her door a few minutes later. “Are you okay?” she asks.
“Fine,” Kenna assures her. “Why?”
“You just seemed distracted at breakfast and during the meeting. Did something happen?”
Kenna’s head whips up and Annelyse smiles. “I’m assuming if it would affect the rest of us and this meeting with Azura, you would let us know.”
“Of course I would,” Kenna promises. “Nothing happened. I’m just going a little stir-crazy, being stuck on the ship.”
“It is rather unexciting,” Annelyse sighs.
She looks at Kenna, eyebrows slightly raised inquisitively. “You and Diavolos seem to be getting along.”
Kenna carefully keeps her expression neutral. “He’s had some good ideas. I think bringing him will prove invaluable.”
“I agree.” Annelyse opens her mouth, then hesitates slightly before saying, “For what it’s worth, he seems nothing like his father or half-sister and half-brother. And he obviously likes you.”
Her carefully controlled expression crumbles just slightly as Kenna feels her cheeks turn pink, and Annelyse laughs. “And you seem to like him too.”
“Do you think I’m making a mistake?” Kenna asks, feeling suddenly vulnerable. She knows what Leon and Val and Raydan would have to say about this, but Annelyse has always seemed more open, less likely to jump to quick judgments.
Annelyse considers her. “Only you can answer that, Kenna. I think you’re incredibly intelligent. I trust you to know what you’re doing. If you suspected Diavolos had ill intent or was manipulating you, I know you wouldn’t let it go.”
She’s right, and it relieves Kenna at least a little. As much as she likes Diavolos, she’s not one to be completely blinded by her feelings, whatever they may be.
“Thank you,” she tells Annelyse gratefully.
“Of course,” Annelyse replies easily. “You may not trust my fashion sense, but at least you’ll listen to my life advice.” Her tone is teasing and Kenna laughs as she heads out the door.
After she rolls up the maps, Kenna reclines on her bed, the gentle rocking of the ship lulling her into a light sleep. The dream she has is filled with images of Diavolos, so vivid that when she wakes up later in the afternoon, she’s flushed and panting, the blanket twisted around her feet. She groans quietly, untangling her legs and rubbing her hand over her forehead, then rises after a minute and walks up to the deck. Val is leaning against the railing and scowling. “This is boring,” she announces when she sees Kenna. “Want to spar?”
“Sure,” Kenna laughs.
She needs an outlet after that dream, she thinks wryly.
~~~~~~~~~~
Kenna finds Diavolos on the deck just before she heads to her cabin for the night. It’s cloudy, the stars covered by slowly drifting puffy clouds above them. Diavolos grins as she approaches, that smug grin that makes her want to kiss him just to wipe it off his face. Kenna purposely keeps a respectable distance between them, aware that Leon is on watch tonight. Still, she’s acutely aware of his presence just a foot away.
“It’s not a good night for star-gazing,” Diavolos says casually.
“It’s not,” Kenna replies, peering down and watching the black waves roll against the side of the ship.
“It is later though,” he says in a low voice, reminding her of their earlier conversation and glancing over at her, that damnable grin back on his face.
“It is,” she agrees, failing to hide the smile on her face as she pushes back from the railing.
“I’ll be in my cabin,” she murmurs as she walks off, just barely hearing Diavolos chuckling behind her.
She’s so desperate for him, has been wanting him all day, that as soon as they’re inside her cabin and the lantern is lit, she nearly rips his shirt off. Diavolos raises an eyebrow and leans down, nipping lightly at her earlobe as he says, “Someone’s impatient.”
“Yes,” she answers, pressing her lips to his chest, pulling away for a moment so he can remove her shirt, frustratingly slowly.
“Diavolos,” she whines, scraping her teeth over his collarbone and smiling when he jumps.
“You’ll pay for that,” he murmurs in her ear, biting her throat and then soothing her skin with his lips.
Before she can respond, he makes quick work of the rest of her clothes, then takes his boots and pants off and lifts her easily. She groans as her hips collide with his, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and pressing sloppy, impatient kisses to his mouth as he walks them to the bed. Kenna is curious how much control he’ll let her have as he sets her on the edge of the bed and pushes against her shoulder.
Even after just a few days of knowing him, and one night together, she can tell he likes taking charge and being in command. Still…she resists him urging her down to the bed, instead trailing one of her hands up his thigh and around his hips, digging her fingers into his skin. He tilts his head down, watching her with dark eyes, his hands burying in her hair, as she grips his length and leans forward, running her hand and mouth teasingly over him until he groans her name. She can just barely see his eyes close when she sucks harder and twists her hand, his hips bucking into her as he curses. His eyes fly open after a minute, his breathing ragged as he pulls her back, staring at her.
“Get in the bed,” he says hoarsely.
Kenna slides up him, shivering at the possessive way he grips her hips and claims her mouth with his.
“I want you in the bed, Kenna,” he commands her again, lifting her up.
She clamps her legs around him tightly, running her tongue along his neck and kissing her way up to his ear. “No,” she whispers hotly. “I want you in the bed.”
Diavolos’ brow furrows as he weighs her words, making a frustrated sound when he tries to set her down on the bed and she wraps her legs tighter around him. “You like to be in control,” she murmurs in his ear.
“I do,” he confirms.
“Not tonight,” she tells him, and she can see him finally give in, the guttural groan he releases, his grip on her legs loosening enough so she can stand and nudge him to lay down.
There’s something about the sight of Diavolos, naked and waiting in her bed, that makes her breath catch and her stomach clench. She gets the feeling he doesn’t relinquish control very often. His hands settle on her thighs as she climbs over him. She leans down to press her lips to his with a breathy sigh, jerking when he bites her lip. As much as she wants to enjoy him being at her mercy like this, she doesn’t want to wait anymore. She scoots back, taking him in her hand before sinking on to him.
“Oh,” she groans as he stretches her, his hands gliding up to her hips.
Diavolos runs his hands up her sides, skimming along her breasts before running his thumbs over her nipples as she rocks against him. Her eyes close, her head dropping forward as she feels her muscles start fluttering around him. She whimpers as he thrusts up into her, hard, and slips his hands around her back to pull her down to his chest.
“Hells, Kenna, you feel…” he trails off with a groan as she moves faster, her fingers gripping his hair, his digging into her back and hips hard enough that she knows he’ll leave marks. His name is a near silent moan as he lifts her up and down, increasing their pace until she comes, burying her face in his neck to muffle her cries. Her teeth graze his shoulder and his hands tighten around her hips as he reaches his release, groaning her name as he drops back against the pillow.
Kenna relaxes against him, her eyes drifting closed as he runs his hand up and down her back, squirming when he tickles her side. His chest rumbles as he laughs quietly. When her breathing has slowed, she pushes herself upright, letting out a surprised shriek as he suddenly lifts her and rolls to his back, tucking her securely against his chest.
It’s surprisingly intimate, his arms wrapped snugly around her while she runs her fingers through his hair. She must fall asleep, because she’s next aware of Diavolos sliding out from under her and pulling the blanket over her.
Diavolos grins when she blinks sleepily up at him. “You fell asleep,” he says as he dresses.
“Mmm. Sorry,” she murmurs, yawning.
“I’ll just assume I wore you out,” Diavolos teases her, and she shakes her head, a smile crossing her face.
Diavolos kneels beside the bed as he laces his boots, and she pulls him in for a sleepy kiss. “I’ll see you in the morning,” he says, smiling and giving her another quick kiss.
“Good night,” she yawns, unable to keep her eyes open any longer, and she hears him laugh quietly as he slips out the door.