Charles and Serena

A steamy excerpt from the second book in my series Silvan Sisters. This is after an evening of festivities with a visiting wolf pack where Serena fights for her right to claim Charlie as a mate. The scene you are reading is the first time either of the characters have had sex.

Getting ready for bed, neither is looking to sleep, the wolves' fever having had an effect on them both. He leaves for a spell, and she finds herself alone thinking about the night. It had been fun, and she enjoyed most of it. The fight for him alone was worth going. She even liked the dancer and thought her wonderful, in her own way. Curious to see what she might do if left untested, she let it play out, finding his response to her enjoyable to watch. When it became clear she was expected to pick up where the dancer left off, Serena was willing. If a show was required, she would do it to let them know Charlie was hers. She was surprised when he refused and brought her home.

True, she had not wanted her first experience to be in front of an audience. It was that thought that had her upset more than anything else. She told herself it would be fine, but the tears refused to stay back, and Charlie had seen them. Serena found his actions in her honor worthy of who she thought him to be. The look on the mother's face was quite a sight as they left.

Sitting on the bed, she notices the blankets remain on the floor. She picks them up, hoping he plans to return and not go back. Her eyes close as she lifts the fabric to her and breathes deeply. The mix of their scents come together among the cloth in a soft embrace. Remembering how close she came to losing this, her face becomes tight and stained.

When he returns to the room, she is still crying. "Serena," he says softly as he comes up behind her. She throws her arms around him, smelling the oils from the soapstone* she made him. Hugging her back, he suggests, "You would feel better after a bath." She holds tighter in her desire to be with him. When he gently pulls her away, her eyes plead to stay. "I'm not going anywhere." Charlie kisses her hand tenderly. She relents, letting her gaze stay upon him as long as possible.

She enters the washroom to find the bath already drawn and a floral scent about the room. Looking at the water, she smiles, as rose hips float off to the sides. Beside the bath, on the towel, is a note.

I would not dare wash you. So this will have to do. Stay as long as you like. I'll be there to hold you when you come out.

I love you.

She looks down where the note had been and laughs. The towel lying underneath has been folded into a star. Getting in the water, she finds the temperature perfect, and the roses are a nice touch. Surrounded by soft petals, she lies back to enjoy while their deep reds bring visions of him. She lifts her leg looking up. The fox's vanity is appreciated as she smiles down on herself. Taking the sponge, she delicately washes away the sorrow with a mediative touch and dips to wet her hair. Once cleaned, she lies back to take in the remaining warmth of the water.

She stirs, sure she fell asleep. She dries and puts on clean clothes. Looking at the bath one last time, she leaves. When Serena returns, the beds are back together where they always should have been. He lies with an arm stretched out for her. Smiling, she removes her pants and climbs in beside him. He brings her close to smell the rose on her skin, fighting a losing battle against his desire.

Her body next to his makes him want her. Knowing she is his, he longs to prove it. Not to the pack, but by the gods' will alone. Getting up, he sits on the bed. No longer can he ignore his need. With everything he has, he heads for the door. "Where are you taking off to," she asks.

His response stings. "I know. I said I would hold you."

She gets up. "I thought you were no longer upset with me."

"I'm not." His voice is breathless as he tries hard not to turn. "I do not dare to stay. Holding you close..." His words trail off. Serena is aware of the tension they bring while she tries to ignore her fear. If holding her creates the need to leave, this response means his feelings are changed. The thought destroys something deep within her.

"Holding me," her voice breaks. "Charlie, what do you mean?"

"It makes me want you more than ever," he replies through gritted teeth.

"Want me?" The understanding hits. Serena's heart soars, and she goes to him. Her touch makes him weak as she turns him to face her. "That is no reason to leave."

His body trembles. "You do not understand. I can't hold back," he pleas.

Her fingers follow the curve of his chest, receiving a strained groan. Holding every inch with her gaze, Serena plays his words in her mind. The set of his jaw, the build of his arms, his chest, stomach, and hips entice her. Her words are sweet as her hand softly rests on his skin. "I no longer ask you to."

She feels herself being lifted, and her legs brought to his waist. Throwing her arms around him, their kiss is passionate with a longing for more. He takes her to the bed and lays her down. She groans to have his touch find the curves of her body. Their lips lock, and his hand rests on her breast. The fire makes him pull back.

Scooting up underneath him, she lifts her shirt over her head before returning his hand against her. An act which excites him, and the pain of his desire rises against her. She thought it would be strange, but his hardness between them could not be more welcome. With her hand guiding his hip, she brings it to her.

Desires building, passion rising, he allows her this pleasure, enjoying her heat. The softness he finds himself surrounded with makes him ache, and hearing her moan is all it takes to see his attention lost to it. This maid is his, a reality Charlie still finds hard to believe with history having been so cruel. He watches her in awe as her body molds to his. Her face rejuvenated by a lack of troubled emotion as she enjoys their intimacy. The sense of calm emanating from her is addictive. It is hard for him to imagine how he could produce such an effect.

Charlie pushes to her to have her gasp, her mouth opening deliciously. He leans down to kiss her, and Serena eagerly accepts, causing a surge to go through him, straight to her heat. The feel of the cloth between them, damp with her wanting, has him wish to rid of it. Reluctantly, he moves to take it from her.

Placing a hand against her thigh, Charlie reaches for his desire, slowly coming above the line of cloth at her waist. The emotion reaching nervousness, he bites his lip when moving underneath, amazed to have her raise towards him. Her breath becomes heavy as she opens herself, and he rounds the silky patch of hair. Finding her sex, the feel of her wet on his fingers lets him know of her willingness. With his lips locking to hers, he goes deeper. Slick with her dew, he gently slides through her inner folds, feeling her for first the time.

"Oh, Charlie," she gasps.

"You okay?" He asks.

"Yes," she moans. "That feels really good."

"And this?" He pushes into her soft embrace, and she gives way. Her breath shakes, losing all words. His hand on her sex works his first claim well, exploring places never known. She brings him to her chest, pushing her bare breast against his skin. A passionate groan escapes him as her hips rock to meet his hand. Grabbing hers, Charlie places it between his thighs.

Feeling him hard and wanting, Serena stills with her eyes wide. It takes a grain for her to take hold and rub over the flesh. Her gaze falls to it, and the sight proves to impress. He stands ribbed to his navel, the head thick, the shaft long. This, too, has been a source of apprehension, but also wonder.

During their nights together, she has had the opportunity to learn his body. Most of them spent avoiding that fact and ignoring this completely. Showing a lack of interest kept Charlie from trying, and she had been more than happy with those results in the beginning.

It is not as though Serena has never seen the male sex, but never in a state of her own passion. Then, it was a visit where she accompanied her mother. As a healer, she sought to help all those in need, but the examination found, no matter the age of existence, a pretty maid yielded ghastly results.

However, the past days she has spent with him have built a longing to know him. The night at the lake was the first she admitted her desire. Then, he could have had his pleasure, and she would have accepted him. Her longing remained once the effect was gone, but fear of losing him kept her away. She thought to guard her body, and therefore her heart, against it. Her greatest dread was of his Wolf's rejection of her elfin nature. It would have been devastating to give herself to him, only to find they could never be together. Afraid of nonacceptance, she wished to avoid fate and fought the influence.

It was Jack's words which led her back to the waters. He called it a tool, but tools are only useful when used. It was a statement she sent rolling around her head for nearly a week. Everything she had done with him on that bank played through her dreams again and again, and Serena had had enough of it. Dousing herself stripped away any misgivings her maiden mind had created and saw her fears removed. Her acceptance created the desired effect when going to him. But when he began to resist, her fears returned. Fear, which became her biggest regret.

As he lay there, dying, giving herself to him was the one thing she wished she had allowed. She could not do what her kind has always done. In her life, there will only ever be Charlie. Thoughts of finding another to place her heart with made her blood run cold. It was this fact which saw her lay beside him. Without him, she was never to experience that joy, nor did she want to.

His return from death's eternal hunt has given them the chance to make it right. Still, even with her new height, her body remains small. Something that large is bound to be difficult to take. She casts the thought away with her wanting and knowledge that Charlie would never hurt her, and attempts to watch the way he moves under her touch, trying to determine the best way to accomplish this.

She gets lost in the skin following her hand, it covers the tip, going beyond, and he gasps. Her attention shifts from his face to her fingers as she tries to decide which to focus on. "It is okay to look," he teases. She blushes at being called for her indecision. Gazing on him, her eyes widen once more as thoughts of his size return. "Are you okay?"

She meets his face, "I am fine. Why do you ask?"

"You look afraid," he explains.

"Not of you."

"Then what?"

Serena giggles, "I am unsure how I might be able to pleasure you." Charlie looks as though she has said something inconceivable. "How do you expect us to fit?"

"We can stop," he states.

She rises to face him with a serious expression. "I do not wish to go another night without knowing you. I want you, Charles Ashwood. I have only ever wanted you." The use of his name stirs him. His body shakes to feel her grip on him. "There has not been a span where you could not come to know me," she adds.

"Serena," his voice is strained with emotion.

"Take me, Charlie. Know that I give myself to your embrace."

Her words bring him pain, not unwelcome. His eyes fill with tears to face the truth of his lonely existence. A maiden priestess of the hunt, with elfin beauty to rival all, offers herself to him freely, all while knowing his nature. Beautiful inside and out, Serena is the treasure he never thought to find. Yet, here she is, accepting his touch and wanting it.

Adjusting himself to rise, she watches his muscles ripple impressively. Taking hold, he pulls away her last remaining piece of clothing. He is surprisingly gentle as the cloth comes from her body. A sweet caress of loving tenderness, each touch of his fingers against her skin sends the most delightful sensations. When it is gone, she is almost sad for it to be over.

As he stands in front of her, a well of emotion burns in each of them. The challenge of the task before them could not be more perfect. In one quick motion, he sweeps her onto the bed, but Charlie does not lie beside her. The curve of her breasts, the flat of her stomach, the roundness of her hips, and her slender legs all displayed before him is a site he longs to take in. His admiration rests on the newly revealed area between them, an area which she has never allowed him to see.

With his heart beating faster, his breath catches, and his head feels light as he watches her lying there. His chest rises and falls with his breath, and the pack of his stomach twitches to hold him back as he decides his next move. "Well, are you going to continue, or do you just want to look," she says, slowly opening her legs to entice him.

Where once she was afraid, she lies there welcoming. When she reveals what the patch of blonde between them hides, his excitement grows. The slit of her catches his full attention, as it opens to show the riches within. Seeing the soft pink flesh, he desires to take it, to claim it as his.

With the arms that make her feel safe as they hold her each night, he places a hand beside each shoulder and lifts towards her, one leg between her opening thighs. His erection falls against her hip, which sinks into the bed as she moans. Serena watches as his leg comes from the floor, and he gently places it next to the other, spreading hers even more. He looks into her widening eyes when he falls into place and sees her breathing change. Leaning over, he touches her face. "Are you sure?"

She blinks slowly with her desire before whispering, "Yes." His eyes do not leave her as he reaches between them. Feeling her soft wet flesh against his cock, warm and inviting, he finds the spot that was made for him. She offers a small amount of resistance to his advance, seeing him pull back.

"I do not wish to hurt you," he tells her, and Serena smiles.

"It is okay," she assures.

"Maybe you have a point." Charlie goes to move away.

Catching him, she pleads, "Baby, I want you. You do not have to hold back."

Her words are the fuel that has him push past her wall. She squeals as he enters, wrapping herself around him. The pain of the stretch is almost pleasant. It is her shock which sees her call out. He looks at her, frozen in his concern. "I am alright. You did not hurt me, Charlie. It is okay."

"I cannot do this," he breathes.

"You can. Fear has been our burden for too long. I would do away with it here and now."

"Serena, you're bleeding," he says as he looks down.

"Charlie," she reaches out to him as he gets up.

"You said I didn't hurt you," his voice strained.

"It does not hurt. It did not then. I do not want you to stop. It was enjoyable," she confesses.

"I...,"

"Charlie," she gets up to meet him. The movement stings, and she feels the pain for the first time seeing her wince. Her maiden blood rests on him where he entered. It is a bright and brilliant red that he avoids seeing at all costs. He stands there shaking. "You can stop that. Come here. I love you," Serena tells him. He shakes his head, not looking at her. "You have done nothing wrong. That can happen the first time."

"I do not think you should be near me," Charlie states.

She throws herself on him. "I am not going anywhere."

They stand in the middle of the room with her holding him. She is desperate to see him understand while he fights the urge within him. He is pained to admit his looking was for other reasons than to see if she was alright. The overwhelming sensation of flesh around him was so greatly enjoyable that he had to see what was causing it. When he spied the crimson stain, he lost the strength to continue. He says nothing but turns his head to the sides, trying not to make it obvious he is crying. The idea of hurting her rips him apart.

"Do you still want me," he hears her say. "I am still willing." He looks at her. Serena pulls him back towards the bed, but he resists. "Please."

"I'm sorry." He grabs his clothes and leaves.

"Late night snack," Bear Claw invites as Charlie enters the kitchen. He says nothing. "Something wrong?" The boy remains silent. "Talk with me. Maybe I can help."

Charlie scoffs, "That is rich, you offering to help me with this."

"I have known that maid most of her life. I may have an understanding of what you are dealing with," the master concludes.

"It's not that."

"Then what?"

"You did not want us together. Why would you..."

"Help you?" Bear Claw interrupts.

"Yeah," Charlie looks to the floor.

"Look here, boy. I do not pretend to know why she has chosen you. There have been many who can say they have tried to get the maiden, Serena Swallowtail, to give them a breath of attention. And for some reason, they have all seen the other side of the door. You are the only one she has ever found worth her affections. I have to admit that scared me at first. I actually like you, and I never did not want you with her, but when your Wolf came, I was afraid for her."

"Cause I would hurt her," Charlie pushes out through tight cords.

"No." The conviction in his voice makes Charlie look at him. "I have never feared what you might do to her," the master confirms. "It was what you were to find returning home." Bear Claw takes a deep breath before continuing. "Elves are intolerant of that what they perceive as different. You already know that. As a Wolf among them, yours will be delivered harshly throughout your life, and by your side, Serena will come to know your torment."

"I do not wish her to be subject to that," Charlie begs.

"Nor did I. So, I tried to get between you," Bear Claw admits. "It would seem that if we like it or not, she will not have it any other way. You are the one who Maiden Swallowtail has given her heart, and therefore the envy of elfin society."

"Speaking of maids," Charlie begins nervously. "That is sort of the reason why I am out here."

"If you tell me that you are inclined towards a wolf bitch this conversation will not end well for you."

"No, wait, what?" Charlie stammers. Bear Claw eyes him back. "I didn't..., I... I... I don't... Oh, gods."

"What is it you wish to say," Bear Claw eyes him coldly.

"I wanted to ask if..., well," Charlie stammers

"Spit it out, boy!" the elf demands.

"Can they bleed? I mean do they, does it hurt them," he asks hastily.

Bear Claw stands there staring at him from across the table. Taking another deep breath, he bites his lip. "Um, wow, okay." One more, and he starts. "Is that what happened? I mean. Why you are out here with me and not in there with her?" The boy's face says that it is. "Do they..., yeah," the master sputters.

"They do," says the mercenary entering the room. "It can hurt, but it does not have to. However, most will bleed." Charlie groans.

"And you know through experience?" Bear Claw asks with a raised brow.

"Not my own," Lethal explains, grabbing some fruit.

"How long have you been there?" Charlie returns.

"If you were smart, you would be getting back to that room," his brother offers.

"I am not so sure," the master reasons.

Talking to Charlie, Lethal continues, "She offers a rare opportunity."

"We don't have to rush things," the master points out.

Still ignoring him, Lethal comes up beside Charlie, "She fought a bitch to claim that right."

"She did what," Bear Claw exclaims.

"There was an interested wolf maid," Charlie explains. "Serena refused to allow her to have me."

"Bitch," Lethal says.

"I wouldn't go that far," protests Charlie.

"No, she is a bitch," the master informs. "Wolves call their females bitches."

"Oh." He feels a bit slighted.

"If that is true, then our master of mystery is correct. You need to get your ass and your cock, back in there." Charlie looks defeated as he pushes back the chair and heads down the hall.