121 Massage by the Lake
As Bellingham was confirmed to be devoid of any further opportunities for merit, the remaining Vampire Hunters quickly left.
After resting, Arnold Stark and Aveline Hightower had regained some of their strength. Alonso Delgado led a large group, including his family and other Bellingham notables, to the city gates to bid the Vampire Hunters farewell. They watched as the two bloodsteeds carrying Arnold and Aveline vanished into the horizon on their way back to Seattle.
Watching the bloodsteeds recede into the distance, the old man turned with a sigh. Compared to Arnold Stark, who treated him with undisguised disdain, he would have much preferred to entertain that young man.
Unfortunately, he had left in too much of a hurry. Judging by the time, he was probably already out into the wild.
Cascadia was not a neatly contiguous territory. Between its twelve cities and 205 counties lay numerous "no man's lands"—areas scattered throughout where vampires roamed freely.
… …
Nestled deep within such ambiguous territories, where neither humans nor vampires fully claimed dominion, lay a small lake. Its tranquil water, a mirror to the pristine blue heavens, held the sky captive in its depths. The rain had long since surrendered, leaving the afternoon sun to cast a warm, benevolent gaze upon the land, a gentle caress on the skin.
At the lake's edge, I held Rose Hightower in my arms and whispered, "Let me tend your wounds."
Rose's cheeks flushed with a delicate blush as she unbuttoned her crimson dress and pulled it over her head, revealing her porcelain skin now tinged with honey from more than a month's travel in the wilderness.
I pulled a blanket from my silver bell and laid it on a flat rock, guiding Rose to lie down. The flesh wound near her belly button wasn't deep, but the Crystal Realm tigervamp's essence had penetrated inside, wreaking havoc on her internal organs. Fortunately, H.A.R.M. had effective medicines designed for such injuries.
Opening my palm, I drew a tiny stream of water from the lake with a flick of my mind. Using the Melting Sun Furnace, I warmed the water to body temperature and gently rinsed Rose's wounds clean.
Rose's eyes widened as she sensed the subtle change in my aura—a Leviasaur Lord seemingly peeking out from inside of my handsome look. Though curious, she remained silent. A martial artist progressing this rapidly must have secrets, but she knew I wasn't like Karim Shaheen—a Leviasaur masquerading as a chivalric swordsman.
She had witnessed my battles with vampires firsthand, and knew that no beast vampire could master human techniques as swiftly as I had learned Harmonious Quartet. Moreover, no vampire in human disguise could make love with such tenderness and respect—the kind that had helped heal her deepest traumas.
I gently applied medicinal balm to her wound, then retrieved a vial of elixir for her internal injury. Though she could have taken the vial by hand, she instead parted her lips, allowing me to feed her the elixir.
The afternoon sun painted her skin gold as she surrendered to the soothing caress of the balm, eyes fluttering closed, a sigh escaping her lips. But the sigh turned to a gasp as my hands abandoned the task of healing, venturing instead on a journey of their own. They glided across the smooth expanse of her upper abdomen, mapping the delicate rise and fall of each rib with feather-light touches that sent shivers dancing down her spine.
A shy smile bloomed on her lips, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "It tickles," she breathed, a soft laugh escaping her. But even as she spoke, her body spoke a different language. She arched her back, her hands reached behind to unbuckle her bra, an invitation I couldn't refuse. It was a delightful contradiction: the long, elegant lines of her slender frame, the powerful sweep of her legs, all juxtaposed with the generous curves of her breasts, the lush fullness now escaped the confines of her bra.
I didn't stay on her softness long, but continued to move upwards, to work on her shoulders and arms. The muscles of a Crystal Realm expert were deceptively resilient, impenetrable even by bullets. Yet, they yielded to my touch, thanks to thousands of years spent forging my body with an angelic grade Crystal Realm tempering technique. I molded and caressed her flesh with depth and intensity she'd never known. Her eyes fluttered closed, a serene smile curving her lips as I worked.
I slipped a hand beneath her waist, a silent invitation she accepted with a purr of anticipation. As I turned her, I knew I was about to deliver a celestial experience. Her soft moans and contented sighs confirmed it.
Her back was a landscape of supple muscle and delicate curves, each contour yielding to my touch. I kneaded and stroked, releasing knots and coaxing tension from her body. A low hum of contentment vibrated from her as I worked down her long, elegant legs, soothing the powerful muscles until they melted like ice under the sun.
A wave of warmth spread through me as I reached the juncture of her legs, where they met the soft curve of her hips. With a gentle tug, I slid her undergarments down her long, elegant limbs.
A blush crept across her cheeks as she buried her face in her hands, a picture of shy innocence. Then, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, she turned and kicked free of the garment, her body plunging into the cool embrace of the lake.
The lake must be quite deep - her dive created only a small splash and gentle ripples before she disappeared beneath the surface without a trace.
Suddenly, she erupted from the depths, a mischievous naiad sending a cascade of shimmering droplets my way. My clothes clung to me, instantly soaked. Desire surged through me, hot and insistent. I quickly stripped, diving headlong into the blue water. But she had already vanished again.
Activating my Aura Observation technique, I found her crouching in the lake's depths. I could have easily caught her using my Leviasaur Lord abilities gained through Nine Cycles Sanguine Resurrection, but where would be the fun in that? Instead, I savored the chase, the thrill of pursuit.
She burst through the lake's surface, laughing as she sent sprays of water at me. I followed, our bodies weaving through the water, sunlight dappling our skin. Finally, she slowed, her laughter fading to a soft sigh as I caught her. She turned in my arms, her body melting against mine, the water a silken sheet enveloping us both. In that moment, there was only the sensation of skin on skin, the warmth of our embrace, and the gentle rhythm of the water carrying us away.
Near the lake's edge, the water lapped at our shoulders, cool and teasing. She turned, pushing her back against my chest, then leaned forward to give me better angle. My heightened martial senses made me acutely aware of her readiness. I took my time with gentle caresses—one hand exploring between her legs, the other tenderly teasing her breast. She responded with soft moans, pressing back against me, her cheeks flushed with desire.
I entered her with reverence and tenderness. Body tempering had allowed me to command every fiber of my being with precision. Her moist heat guided me, each glide a testament to the exquisite fit of our anatomy.
My movements were a slow exploration. With my newfound dexterity, I sought the essence of her, the core of her desire. When I pressed against it, a low moan rippled through her—a primal sound that echoed the awakening within. "There," she breathed, her voice thick with need, "yes, right there."
… …
Rose's eyes squeezed shut, as waves of pleasure rippled through her, each one more intense than the last. He filled her completely, stretching her to the very edge of sensation, yet his thrust remained exquisitely controlled, his body a symphony of strength and suppleness. He found every hidden rhythm, every iliusive button, every secret chord within her, until her entire being thrummed with an unbearable delight.
His tempo quickened, each thrust a jolt of electricity that sent shockwaves through her core, she had no time to even let out her satisfied moans. She gasped, her breath catching in her throat as she surrendered to the overwhelming tide of ecstasy. Her body arched, a bow drawn taut, ready to snap under the exquisite tension.
Just then, the air crackled with a sudden chill, a discordant note in the symphony of passion. From the edge of the forest, a shadow detached itself, a figure moving with the lethal grace of a predator. With terrifying speed, the shadow descended upon the couple, who seemed to have abandoned all awareness and caution.