Work Text:
In the darkness of the forest, Imogen ran.
Silence reigned; the birds were still, the creatures muted. They knew there was something in the trees with them, something dangerous, something hunting. The only sound was Imogen’s ragged breathing as she urged herself forward, as she pushed past the burning in her thighs, in her lungs, the branches snapping beneath her boots.
(The boots had been a concession. She had started towards the door in nothing but her sheer dress, barely a dress at all, when Laudna had caught her hand. “Tonight is supposed to be about having fun,” she had said, gently reprimanding. “Do you want to have fun, or do you want me to spend the night picking twigs from your lacerated feet? I obviously don’t mind, darling, but I did have something else planned.”
Imogen had put on her boots.)
She ran and she ran and she ran, crashing through the underbrush, winding through the trees. She had never run like this before, as if her life depended on it. If she was caught, when she was caught, her heart would be racing, hammering a frantic beat that she would struggle to calm. Good.
She braced herself against a wide tree, rough barked and gnarled, trying to catch the taste of a full breath. The silence beneath her panting was infected with a low, mocking laugh, so whip-cracked and vicious that a murder of crows absconded from their roost, fleeing that which would snap their necks and drink them dry. Imogen almost tripped over her feet in her haste to resume her flight.
Something rustled in the trees behind her, upset the wind tugging at her hair. Imogen didn’t turn to look, revelled in the thrum of anticipation twisting low in her abdomen. The gap was closing.
She banked left, racing through a copse of knotted oak trees that probably saw out the Calamity. She jumped a burbling creek and was inordinately pleased not to go tumbling ass-over-teakettle. Something splashed in the water behind her; she was already running.
She spotted light ahead through the trees; flickering candlelight, a small cabin lit up in the darkness. A sanctuary. A finish line she didn’t want to reach. She dashed towards it.
The cabin grew closer as she sprinted, the warm light in the windows a welcome sight in the gloom of the forest. It was empty, she knew. She had set the candles alight with a wave of her hand as she left.
She was within touching distance of the door when a figure swarmed from the shadows behind her. Imogen was yanked backwards, was pressed roughly against the wall of the cabin. The bite of the wood against her spine through her sham of a dress twined thrillingly with the hand tight around her wrist, the excitement blossoming in her chest. She had been worried she would reach the door. She should have known better.
She looked at the woman in front of her as she tried to catch her breath, admired the pale skin and dark hair, cheekbones that would cut your lips if you kissed them. Her smile was triumphant, predatory and fanged, and Imogen realised the extent to which she had been toyed. Her eyes, though, were warm. Laudna could never hide the warmth of her eyes.
“What have we here?” she said, low and taunting, with imperiousness that Imogen felt directly between her legs. “A pretty girl like you, all alone in the woods?” Her wrist was released only so hands could grasp at her hips, push her further into the wall.
“I just wanted the quiet. I’m not looking for any trouble,” Imogen said softly. The hush of the night remained and all she could hear was her slowing breath and the rush of blood in her ears. She didn’t need more than a whisper.
“No, I suppose you wouldn’t be,” Laudna tilted her head. “Why were you running?”
“Why were you chasing me?” Imogen countered, clenching her jaw. The hands on her hips tightened.
“Well, you could say that we’re both women alone in the quiet, and I am hungry,” she growled, baring her extended teeth. The instinctive, primal fear that Imogen thought she should probably be feeling was elusive as ever, the adrenaline instead braiding into her desire.
“What are you hungry for?” she asked, waiting desperately for an answer. Laudna didn’t reply, instead ducked her head to brush her lips, her teeth, along the line of Imogen’s jaw. Imogen forced herself to take a deep breath.
“I think you know,” Laudna said, nipping at the top of her neck. “Your heart is racing.”
“You chased—“
“No,” Laudna cut her off. “No, I can hear it.” Imogen swallowed deeply and knew Laudna felt it against her lips.
“Are you going to kill me?” she asked, though even saying made her want to laugh a little.
There was a smile against the skin of her neck. “Why would I kill you?” The smile was replaced with a kiss. “What a waste that would be.” Imogen exhaled shakily as Laudna’s thumbs started to trace the crest of her hip bones, slow and maddening. She raised her head so she was looking Imogen in the eye. “There is something I want from you. Perhaps there is something you want from me.”
There were a great many things she wanted from Laudna, and Imogen knew that if she played her cards right she would be gifted every one of them. “I don’t—“
“You’re out here, all by yourself. It must be lonely.” One of Laudna’s hands slipped from her hip to drag up her thigh, gathering up her dress. “Are you lonely?”
“Yes,” Imogen whispered.
“I can make that loneliness vanish. I can make whatever pleasure you give yourself in the dark of the night look pathetic. The things I would do to a woman as beautiful as you would make you so wet you’d want to spend the rest of your life on your knees.”
Fucking hell, Laudna, Imogen said into her head. Laudna punctuated her smirk with a light rake of her nails up the skin of Imogen’s thigh. “And what would you want in return?” she asked aloud.
“I’d want to taste you,” Laudna said. She lifted Imogen’s wrist to her mouth. “I’d only take a little. Only what you could spare.” Laudna kissed the soft skin at the base of her hand, flicked her tongue over the pinprick of scars that dotted her wrist, silver constellations buried amidst the lightning. “It’d only hurt if you wanted it to.”
Laudna’s thumb was circling high on her thigh, inside her dress. Imogen didn’t know how long she could keep this up. “Alright,” she said, her voice wavering. “As far as deals go—“
“I’d need an assurance, first,” Laudna interrupted. “To make sure it was worth my while.” She was still holding Imogen’s wrist to her mouth. “Just a taste.” For all the appearance of capture, Laudna waited for Imogen to nod her consent. As if she would ever deny her.
There was a sharp pain as Laudna bit into her wrist, familiar and craved. Imogen didn’t try to swallow back the low whimper it pulled from her throat. She pressed herself back into the wall, let her hand rest gently on Laudna’s waist. Laudna didn’t seem to notice, her eyes closed in bliss; she didn’t hide how much she enjoyed drinking from Imogen any more. Sometimes watching her made Imogen want to sob. Her heart stuttered as Laudna sucked gently and pulled Imogen into her mouth. It felt just as life altering as it had the first time.
Laudna was true to her word and pulled back, having taken only enough to coat her tongue. She kissed Imogen’s wrist clean and encircled it in her grasp. “Exquisite.” Imogen wanted to kiss the blood from her lips. Not yet. “Alright. We have an agreement.” Laudna leaned in and whispered in her ear. “Invite me in.”
Imogen would have gladly stayed here, caged to the side of the cabin for whatever was coming next, but she pressed up into Laudna and slowly walked the three steps to the door. Laudna released her wrist when she reached the threshold. Imogen wordlessly stepped backwards into the candlelight. She stopped when she was out of reach.
Laudna cocked her head, narrowed her eyes. “Invite me in,” she repeated, harder and firm. Imogen bit down on her bottom lip as she watched Laudna evaluate her silence, as she loomed dangerously in the doorway.
Imogen slowly undid the top button of her dress, then the next. She wet the tips of her fingers with her tongue and slid her hand inside, cupping a breast, pulling gently on her nipple. She knew Laudna would be able to hear the quiet moan it prompted. She looked her in the eye and pulled harder.
There was a shaky exhale from the door, almost a growl. Imogen slowly undid another button, then another, until her dress fell open, hanging precariously from her shoulders. She wasn’t wearing anything underneath.
She would be punished for this, she knew. It was why she had done it.
“Let me in,” Laudna demanded. She was hungry; Imogen could see the excitement in her eyes. Imogen was going to let Laudna do whatever she wanted to her. Clever girl, Laudna praised in her head. Imogen knew that if she slid her hand between her legs right now she'd be unfathomably wet.
Laudna didn’t have to wait for an invitation; they’d been staying here for three weeks. Imogen had refused to revoke her ingress, even temporarily. She was able to cross the threshold and was choosing not to. Imogen would show her gratitude twice over when Laudna gave her the chance.
Imogen slid two fingers between her thighs. She had been right. “Imogen,” Laudna hissed, “let me in.”
“I don’t recall telling you my name,” Imogen drawled as she pulled her fingers back.
In her head, Laudna said, Will you— Imogen slid her wet fingertips into her mouth. Fuck, she hissed. Next time I touch myself I’ll be thinking about this.
“Oh fuck, Laudna.”
“I don’t recall telling you my name,” she mocked haughtily. Her fingers were white with how tightly she was clutching the door jam.
We all have different talents, Imogen said.
You’re not going to get to experience my talents if you don’t do as you’re told.
Imogen ran her wet fingers down the centre of her chest. “Laudna? Come and get me.”
The words were still on her lips when Laudna propelled herself through the open door. Imogen slammed it with a wave of her hand as Laudna blurred before her, moving faster than anyone should be able to, as her hands clutched at Imogen’s waist, her hips, her hair. Laudna kissed her, hungry and possessive. Imogen could taste her blood on her tongue.
She revelled in the feeling of cold hands against the skin of her ribs, delicate fingers raking down her sides. Laudna slipped the dress from her shoulders, let it pool on the floor at their feet. She helped pull off the damn boots. Imogen kissed her gratitude into her mouth, slid a hand into Laudna’s hair, pressed their bodies together as tightly as she could. To be fully exposed under Laudna’s hands was a dream she never wanted to end.
Laudna’s kiss slowed to something more controlled, more languid, but no less intense. She was pulling back control from her desperate freneticism. Imogen gave it to her willingly. Imogen walked her hands to the fastenings of her corset but Laudna pulled them away, repositioned them on her waist. Imogen took her instruction gladly.
With a soft press of a hand to her stomach, Laudna guided her to the bed. She pushed Imogen down, watched as she hit the sheets, as she scrambled enthusiastically backwards until her head rested on the pillow. Laudna watched her from the end of the bed, still fully clothed, her hands tightening at her sides. Imogen’s eyes were on her hands when she said, “Are you thinking about touching me?” Laudna nodded, her eyes tracing slowing down Imogen’s body, spread out before her. “What are you going to do, Laudna?”
Imogen felt her answering smirk directly between her legs. “Whatever I want.” She knew this was for her benefit. Laudna had no inherent need to take her, but Imogen wanted nothing more than to be taken. Laudna liked to give her what she wanted. What she wanted was for Laudna to break her. “Hands on the headboard, Imogen.”
She lifted her arms and obediently wrapped her hands around the wooden slats. There was something tied there that hadn’t been when she woke up. “Don’t move,” Laudna commanded. Imogen held on tighter and Laudna hummed in approval when she saw the flex of her forearms, the tightness of her wrists. “Good girl.” Imogen made no attempt to stop the moan that rumbled low in her throat. Laudna knew what she liked.
Laudna had apparently decided that turn about was fair play; she removed her corset, drawing the laces open slowly enough to make Imogen ache. The buttons of her shirt came next, just as teasingly. “Laudna,” she whined, but didnt let go. She allowed herself to squirm against the bed.
“Oh, is this hard for you?” Laudna derided, letting her skirt fall to the floor. “Not getting to touch?”
“Yes, yes, please let me touch you,” she begged with little hope.
“Imogen, if you let go of the headboard I’ll never let you touch me again.” A blatant lie but one she let sweeten her resolve. Laudna lifted her shirt over her head and stood before her in only her underwear. Imogen let herself stare at the dip of her waist and the pale skin over her ribs. She was mainly bones and the scant papering of muscle that allowed her to be functional and she was the most beautiful woman that Imogen had ever seen.
Laudna slid the hammer from her hair and let it fall around her shoulders in an inky waterfall. Imogen wanted to wrap the streak of white around her hand.
Laudna crawled between her legs and straddled her hips. She splayed a hand between Imogen’s breasts to stop her from bucking up into her. Imogen knew better than to complain.
Laudna leaned forward and kissed her softly, much more in line with the kisses she gave when they woke up entangled at dusk. Imogen couldn’t help but smile against her mouth. Laudna ran the tips of her fingers over Imogen’s collar bones, over her shoulders and the join of her neck, dragged them up her arms until she could grasp firmly at her wrists. She held her as tightly as she could as she slid her tongue into Imogen's mouth, as she pulled gently at her lip with her teeth.
The strength of the grip was at odds with the softness of her mouth and Imogen knew that something was coming. The anticipation thrummed pleasantly between her hips.
Laudna reached between Imogen’s hands and unravelled a strip of material, frayed at the ends and twisted around the headboard. She lifted a questioning eyebrow, then laughed at Imogen’s eager nod. Laudna wrapped it snuggly around each of her wrists and waited for her approval. Imogen expected her to tie it off but she flicked her hand and muttered an incantation under her breath. The two ends mended together to form an unbroken loop. When Laudna looked down at her, her smile was so smug that Imogen wanted to swallow it.
You’ve been thinking about this, she teased, rolling her wrists.
No knots for you to untie with your mind when I’m not looking.
Oh, I learned my lesson last time, don’t worry. She’d felt the aftermath of her punishment for days, had been so turned on by the constant reminder, but Laudna had refused to touch her, had forbidden her from touching herself. It had been an amazing, agonising cycle. She’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Laudna sat back up, pressed her palms to Imogen’s hipbones to steady herself. She unclasped her bra and tossed it to the floor. She contented herself watching Imogen for as long as she wanted to, restrained underneath her; Imogen felt treasured and objectified at the same time.
Laudna reached up and gently drew her nails down the line of Imogen’s ribcage, over her stomach. She retraced her path and skimmed the bottom of her breasts with the back of her knuckles. Imogen was using all of her willpower to not squirm below her, to not give in to the way Laudna was purposefully provoking her.
She ghosted her fingers over Imogen’s chest, her collar bones, up the exposed column of her neck. Over her jaw and her shoulders and upsetting lightly over her nipples. “Laudna,” she whined.
“Yes?”
“We had a deal.” Touch me, she wanted to say, wanted to beg.
“We did,” Laudna agreed, leaning down to kiss her. It was a rough kiss, open mouthed and possessive, and Imogen reared up as much as she could to press back into her. Laudna kissed down her jaw to her neck and every part of Imogen started to hum with the knowledge of what was coming, with the anticipation of those teeth in her neck, the sting of the bite.
When Laudna kissed under her jaw Imogen couldn’t help to hiss her pleasure, her encouragement. She tilted her head away and exposed herself. Laudna’s kisses were gentle, and soft; there was so scrape of teeth against her neck, no pressure. Laudna kissed her neck again. And again. “Laudna?” she asked, her voice breathy and confused. She was answered with a falsely innocent hum. “Aren’t you going to bite me?”
Laudna didn’t answer, just lowered the trail of her lips to the join of her neck, along the dip above her clavicle. “Laudna? Laudna, bite me.” Lips against her sternum, the inside of her breast, the delicate skin of her ribs. There was a tumbling spill of black hair dragging over her stomach. “Bite me.” She was aware that she was begging, that what could have been a demand was a plea. “Laudna, you promised.” Another hum, a smirk kissed into the dip of her waist.
Laudna settled herself between Imogen’s legs, kissed the crest of her hip and the inside of her thigh. She slid her own underwear down her legs until there was nothing left between them. When she glanced up at Imogen her expression was boastful, as if making her beg wasn’t as easy as breathing.
She was looking Imogen in the eye when she first ran her tongue between her legs, from her entrance to her clit. “Fuck,” Imogen hissed, and dropped her head back onto the pillow. Imogen tugged on the binds around her wrists, felt them pull and chafe and refuse to budge. She wanted her hands in Laudna’s hair, on the back of her head, wanted to guide her and hold her in place. She pulled down again and succeeded only in tightening the ties.
Laudna gently circled her clit with her tongue, soft and light. The teasing pressure pulled a moan from deep inside her, obscene and shaking. She felt Laudna smile against her as she did it again, and again, as she refused to touch her harder. “Laudna, please,” she murmured, unsure whether she wanted to let her legs fall open wider or clamp her thighs around Laudna’s head. Laudna lay her arm over Imogen’s hips and pressed her down into the bed to calm the roil of her hips, to force her to steadiness.
Laudna pressed the flat of her tongue against her, roughened her movements before sucking hard and doing it again. Imogen was reduced to a torrent of curses, of hissed affirmations, of Laudna’s name spilling from her in supplication. She could feel how wet she was under Laudna’s tongue, knew she had coated her lips, her chin. She wanted Laudna to kiss her if only so she could taste herself on that sharp mouth.
When Imogen was starting to lose herself, could feel herself getting close, she felt Laudna’s fingers slide over her, lower than her tongue. Laudna rested them gently at her entrance, drew lazy, swooping circles over her until Imogen moaned, “Yes, oh fuck, please,” then slid two fingers slowly inside her.
It was the best thing she had ever felt, Laudna’s tongue on her clit, Laudna’s fingers buried deep inside her, everything about her out of reach with the harsh grasp of the restraints around her wrists. She was going to come like this, bound and begging, then she was going to make sure Laudna knew how much Imogen loved her.
When her legs started to tremble, when she knew that the next time Laudna slid into her she was going to come around her fingers, when all at passed her lips was an unintelligible scramble of please, over and over again, Laudna spoke into her mind. Imogen, she said, I want you in my head.
I am, she replied with effort. I’m here, Laudna.
All the way, beautiful. She slowed the movement of her fingers and Imogen bucked against her. All the way inside, alright?
Imogen did not have the willpower to resist her, to question her. She brushed her mind against Laudna’s, disassembled her mental walls. Laudna welcomed her in and Imogen nestled herself into her mind, felt how turned on Laudna was by the sight of Imogen tied up for her, the feel of her swollen clit under her tongue, the clench of her around her fingers. Laudna lifted her wet lips from between Imogen’s legs and it was the only thing that stopped her from tumbling over the edge.
Laudna was still sliding her fingers inside of her, achingly slowly, but the pressure on her clit was gone. Imogen felt her own frustration warring with Laudna’s anticipation and was too far gone to understand why until Laudna’s excitement overwhelmed her, until there was a kiss on the inside of her thigh and Laudna murmured her own words back to her in her head. We had a deal, she said, and sank her teeth into Imogen’s leg.
It was like nothing she had ever experienced before, all encompassing and shattering. She felt a familiar dull pain that soothed quickly to a not-unpleasant ache and a wholly unknown deep, sensual pleasure as her blood flowed into Laudna’s mouth. Imogen felt it through their connection, knew it for the first time, understood it in a way that Laudna would never be able to convey in words alone. Laudna moaned unrestrainedly against her and Imogen vicariously felt the warmth coat her tongue as Laudna sucked hard against her thigh, felt Laudna taste the electric pulse of the magic that ran in her blood, taste the love that suffused every part of her, taste how turned on she was, how close. Laudna’s thumb brushed against her clit and Imogen fell apart.
It was the most intense experience of her life, clenching around Laudna’s fingers as she drank from her, as Imogen shared the primal, possessive pleasure that Laudna felt taking Imogen inside her. Laudna kept sliding her fingers inside as Imogen writhed against her, kept sucking gently against her leg. Laudna didn’t taste the coppery edge that Imogen would have with a mouth full of blood; to her it tasted sweet, bold, like the darkest of wines, the most euphoric of ambrosias. Imogen would have chased this feeling to the end of the world, now intimately knew the restraint Laudna exercised simply being near her.
Along their connection, Laudna knew when she couldn’t take any more, when the delicious high of the comedown slid into oversensitivity. She removed her fingers but not her mouth, gentled the draw as Imogen tried to catch her breath. She felt how turned on Laudna was, felt her grinding down into the bed to chase any sort of pressure between her legs.
Laudna was still feeding when Imogen rebuilt her walls, as she pulled back from the immersion in her mind; the pulse of Laudna’s arousal tangling into her haze was tipping into pain. Imogen steadied her breathing but knew there was no hope of calming her heart.
She started to feel the fuzz of lightheartedness creep in at the edges. “Baby,” she said softly, and Laudna pulled back, kissing the tender, bruised flesh around her bite. Laudna rested her forehead on Imogen’s thigh as she gathered herself.
“Laudna,” Imogen said, suddenly discontent with Laudna so far from her. “Come up here, ok? Laudna, I want to touch you.” Laudna slowly shook her head without raising it from the soft skin of her thigh. “Laudna,” she said again, “please come here. I felt how wet you are, I want to make you come.” There was no response.
Worry was starting to swirl in her chest when Laudna looked up at her. Her eyes were wide, pupils blown. She wasn’t smiling, but there was a twist to her mouth. Imogen’s worry quickened to an indescribable thrill. “Untie me,” she said. “Laudna, untie me right now.” Laudna tilted her head, dragged her gaze down every exposed inch of Imogen’s body, as if she hadn’t just taken her fill. Imogen yanked on the material tight around her wrists to no avail. “Now, Laudna,” she demanded but they both heard the words she did not say, the ones that meant Laudna needed to listen to her.
Laudna lifted herself from between Imogen’s legs, resettled herself over her waist. She let her full weight rest against her, steadied herself by placing her hands on either side of Imogen’s ribcage. When she slid a hand between her thighs, when she circled her own clit with two fingers, the moan that escaped from her lips almost made Imogen come on the spot.
Imogen watched helplessly as Laudna touched herself, as she ran her fingers through the wet slick between her legs, grinding against Imogen’s stomach, her fingers trapped between them. “Laudna, please,” she groaned; it was all she could say.
“You knew there would be consequences,” Laudna said condescendingly, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back. “When you made me watch from the door.”
“I know, I know I’m sorry.” She wasn’t sorry. Laudna scoffed; she knew Imogen wasn’t sorry either. “I’ll make it up to you, just please let me touch you.”
Laudna ignored her. She made Imogen watch as she slid two long, delicate fingers inside herself. “Fuck,” Laudna hissed, and pressed down into herself, rubbed her clit against the palm of her hand.
Imogen lost whatever negligible control she had. Laudna wouldn’t untie her, wouldn’t let her touch, but Imogen managed a quick flick of her hand, a word mumbled under her breath as she conjured her mage hand; she wouldn’t be able to feel anything, but it was the closest to her hand on Laudna that she could manage. Laudna would be able to feel it.
Dark eyes snapped open and the hand resting between Imogen’s ribs jerked as her pathetic attempt at a cantrip was counterspelled. Laudna stopped moving above her, then slid her fingers from inside herself. Her face was a cold mask that sent a pulse of exciting uncertainty between Imogen’s legs.
“Did I say you could do that?” Laudna asked, voice low and harsh. Imogen shook her head. “Then why did you do that?”
“Please let me touch you,” Imogen rasped. Laudna’s fingers grasped her chin before she could blink.
“I don’t believe that was part of our deal.” Laudna rolled her hips and smirked at the whimper it pulled from Imogen. “I am going to make myself come as you watch. It’s all you deserve.”
Imogen turned her head before Laudna could let her go and wrapped her mouth around two of the fingers clutching at her. She slid them as deeply into her mouth as she could take, tasting the slick of them both as Laudna pressed down on her tongue, entangled and mixed together. Oh fuck, Imogen, Laudna moaned into her head as Imogen sucked as hard as she could, far shakier than stern face above her. Fuck, ok. Fuck. She slid down until they were fully pressed together.
Laudna slowly slid her fingers from Imogen’s mouth and leaned down to replace them with her tongue. She kissed her with intent, raw and possessive, then slipped her hand between their joined bodies. Laudna gasped into her mouth when her fingers found her clit again, still wet from Imogen’s mouth. She lifted her other hand and tangled her fingers into Imogen’s, still tied to the headboard.
Imogen didn’t protest the back of Laudna’s hand rubbing against her oversensitive clit as she fucked herself. The cold, gentle press against her added to the moans she swallowed from Laudna’s mouth, the feel of Laudna shifting above her. Imogen felt herself rebound, felt that tight coil of want start to build again. Are you wet, baby? Imogen asked in her head.
Fuck, Laudna hissed back. Obviously, Imogen. I can still taste your blood and I’m trying very hard to make this last.
Oh, you want it to last? she teased, shifting her hips so that Laudna’s hand increased its pressure. Laudna cursed against her mouth. You're not thinking about how hard I came when you bit me? How wet I was with your fingers inside me?
Stop it, she demanded, but the quiet gasp against her lips spurred Imogen on.
You’re not thinking about when you caught me, how desperate I was to please you? You’re not thinking about how you could have put me on my knees right there on the forest floor and I would have thanked you for it?
“Imogen, please,” Laudna said aloud as her body began to tense. Imogen bit down on her lip, sucked it into her mouth.
You’re not thinking about how beautiful you look as you fuck yourself on top of me, when I can’t do anything about it? Not thinking about me tied up at your mercy, about putting me in my place? About how the memory of this is going to get me off for years, Laudna. She was about to come, Imogen could tell from the hitched breath against her lips, the shaking of her legs. “I want to watch you come, Laudna. I want—“ Laudna gasped into her mouth as she came, as she ground down against Imogen, her fingers pressing down hard against her clit.
Imogen wanted to hold her but contented herself to kiss her, lazy and languid, kept kissing her as Laudna lost herself, then wound her way back, until she had the wherewithal to roll gently from on top of Imogen to tuck into her side. She carelessly patted Imogen twice on the cheek in gratitude as she tried to steady her breathing. She always forgot that she didn’t need to breathe.
“Happy birthday, love,” Laudna murmured into her neck.
Imogen laughed softly. “I love you. Thank you for indulging me.”
“Yes, yes, it was a great hardship,” she smiled, and gently kissed the soft skin over her pulse point. She threw an arm over Imogen’s waist and nuzzled in.
“Laudna?” she asked, and was answered with a contented hum. “Will you untie me, please?”
“Oh fuck, shit,” she hissed as she scrambled, reaching up towards Imogen’s hands. “Sorry, sorry sorry.” She muttered something under her breath and the material around Imogen's wrists disintegrated. Laudna gently took her wrists in hand and held them to her chest. “Are you alright?” she asked with a slight frown, kissing the edge of Imogen’s wrists, rubbed raw from where she had struggled.
“I’m all good, honey,” she replied honestly, smiling at the soothing chill of cold lips against angry skin. Laudna rested her head next to Imogen’s on the pillow and tangled their fingers together. Imogen luxuriated in the steady, slow breathing by her ear, let herself relax in contented silence.
Laudna reached over and lovingly brushed the hair from her face with a fond smile, tucked it behind her ear. “Thank you,” she said.
“For what?”
“For taking something painful and rewriting it. For making it feel special.” Her voice was tender, and earnest. Imogen could do nothing but cradle her face and kiss her softly.
“Well, anytime. And I do mean that quite literally.”
“Hmm, yes,” Laudna said, then kissed her again. “You did seem quite eager.” She traced her fingers between Imogen’s breasts, danced them down her stomach.
“But you know, I think I may need to renegotiate our deal.” It was embarrassing for her to sound so breathless, but Laudna’s thumb was stroking slowly over her hip and there was nothing innocent about it.
“Oh?”
“I’m gonna need a clause where you put me on my knees or I’m afraid I’ll have to walk away.” She was inordinately pleased by the hitched breath in her ear, the involuntary tightening of the hand of her hip.
“I’d just catch you again,” Laudna whispered into her ear.
Promise? Imogen asked, and ground her hips insolently back against her.
“Promise,” Laudna swore, and kissed her until she couldn’t breathe.