He snickered, "Shall I rescue you, Isabelle?"
"...."
He grinned wickedly.
"...Please."
"My Empress is adorable. Here, hold still."
Firm hands reached around her back and began undoing complex sashes, pins and ties she couldn't even see, much less figure out how to undo on her own. Or reach.
The heavy weight on her legs jerked and jolted as he worked on her dress. Slim, firm hands slid along her back, gently leaving trails of heat across her skin.
And then, quite suddenly, her gown slipped down off of her.
She gave a soft gasp, just from how sudden it shifted.
His hand stayed firmly splayed on the small of her back, pressing hard enough to ensure she didn't slip away. "Lay still, love."
The fingers of his other hand threaded through her hair, tugging it loose from the pins and ornaments- crown included. His nails raked soothingly across her scalp, causing little tingling sensations to creep down her back.
She shivered.
The mattress dipped slightly as Phoenix eased his body against hers, covering her, yet somehow careful not to press too heavily. His arms rested on either side of her body, encircling her in a gentle embrace.
The fabric of his robe rubbed lightly against her bare flesh, tickling her sensitive nerves.
He hummed a deep, rumbling note, sending pleasant vibrations through her body via the vibrations of his own. His nose brushed gently against the shell of her ear as he lowered his head to murmur directly into her ear.
"Let me pamper you tonight, my dear. You've been so tense I can feel it just looking at you."
His lips pressed tenderly against the nape of her neck, sending a shock wave of warmth through her body. His tongue traced slow, tantalizing circles against her skin.
She shuddered, pressing her hips firmly into the mattress.
A low moan escaped her.
"That's it..." He cooed.
His fingers stroked slowly down her sides, tracing lightly across her breasts, eliciting a startled whimper from her.
Yet, his fingertips were as soft and quick as a whisper, barely there long enough for her to register it. By the time she whimpered, his hands already moved to firmly press into the flesh of her back, working a muscle she hadn't realized was sore.
She gasped.
"Ah..."
His lips descended upon her once more, brushing faintly across the back of her shoulders, and then neck, grazing her jaw, nipping gently at her ear.
She could feel his hot breath in her ear, sending shivers across her flesh. Her body writhed with pleasure, wriggling underneath him.
His hands worked quickly, dancing over her naked form as though he had been sculpting her himself. His movements were confident and practiced, an expert that showed zero hesitation or misgiving in his actions.
She panted quietly into the sheets, biting her lip.
His hands found another knotted muscle, squeezing firmly and drawing forth a shuddering groan from her. "Good girl..." He murmured approvingly. "Relax, like that..."
She squeezed her eyes tightly closed, gritting her teeth. "Ah...Phoe...ni-"
"Shh." He whispered, and his long, slim fingers slowly slid along every dip and valley of her back, gliding soft warmth and firm pressure back and forth along her spine. "Let me do all the work. Relax and enjoy it."
Her lips parted in a silent 'oh' shape.
A faint mewl escaped her throat as gentle as a breath.
Was that...me...?
His tongue, hot and wet, flick across her earlobe. "There...you're doing very well. I love when you make sounds for me."
He nibbled her ear.
His hands moved faster, rubbing in tight little circles, kneading the tension from her muscles. She let out another sharp gasp as a part of her back suddenly loosened.
"I've got you..." He crooned, and she could swear his voice had dropped an octave lower. "Just like that. That's my girl."
She bit her bottom lip, rolling her hips unconsciously against the sheets. His hands were so soft...his words so calming...she felt like putty in his grasp, melting in the heat of his body pressed so close to her. Her heart beat a frantic rhythm, threatening to burst out of her chest.
His thumbs dug deeply into the small of her back, sliding down the swell of her hips and down the backs of her thighs, sending a jolt through her entire body.
A strangled cry escaped her. "Ah...! Phe....nix...!"
He chuckled softly into her ear, nipping her earlobe once more. "Just a little more now, My Empress." He breathed huskily, and his hands glided down the inside of her thighs, stopping just short of touching her where she needed him.
She trembled violently, writhing in an impatient, demanding manner on the bed. "Haah! Phoeeen-"
A low chuckle floated by her ear.
His hand slid upward, along her spine, slipping slim, strong fingers around her neck in a way that made her heart leap in her chest. That grip vanished so quickly she almost thought she'd imagined it, though, and instead he cupped her chin with incredible gentleness, tilting her face to his.
His eyes sparkled golden in the light of the room, his pupils blown wide.
He smiled hungrily down at her. "You are mine. Tonight...tonight, My Empress, you are all mine..."
He lowered hims weight onto her, wrapping an arm around her in a tight embrace.
And kissed her deeply.
His tongue plunged deep into her mouth, swirling around hers in a passionate dance. She could taste him on her lips, on her tongue, her nose, in every fiber of her being. He tasted of cinnamon. Of sweet peppermint.
The hand at her chin slipped away, dragging perfect fingers down her throat once more.
The hand not wrapped possessively around her continued trailing downward, sliding along her body.
Without warning, he pressed hard on a spot at the bottom of her ribs. There was an audible sound. Stars exploded in front of her eyes, and she made perhaps the most obscene sound she'd made in her life.
Her whole body shook violently in aftershocks, and she found herself instantly a melted puddle on the bed, dazed and drooling, limply draped over the blankets.
Phoenix shifted off of her and reclined on the bed next to her, smiling like the cat who ate the canary.
"Much better~." His voice was musical. "Don't you think?"
She opened her mouth to speak.
"Mmugh."
Was all that came out.