Kara (POV)
After I got home that morning with half the mission wrapped up, I decided to treat myself to a little personal indulgence—my newly built indoor hot spring. A gift of sorts from my magic, thanks to an Extension Charm. Changing into my robe, I crossed the threshold and couldn't help but smile at my little slice of paradise. I hung my robe neatly on the edge of the spring, then, without a second thought, peeled off the rest of my clothes and slipped into the warm, welcoming water. The pool wasn't huge—four people would be tight—but it was exactly what I needed after a mission.
"The steam makes this way too cozy," I muttered to myself, my cheeks warming a little as I imagined sharing this moment with someone—maybe a future companion. The thought was fleeting, though. With a shrug, I sank further into the water, letting it melt away the day's stress.
But then, of course, my moment of peace was obliterated by a familiar voice.
"Wow, my queen, you have a great figure." Illyana's drawl cut through the steam.
"Damnit, Illyana!" I muttered under my breath. "Ever heard of privacy?"
"My queen, I didn't mean to intrude," she said, and I could practically hear the smirk in her voice.
"Right," I grumbled, rolling my eyes. "Because your vampire senses missed the whole 'someone's in the hot spring' thing."
She lingered at the edge of the spring, clearly enjoying the discomfort she was causing me. Finally, I snapped, "What? Waiting for an invitation?"
"Yes, my queen," she purred, stepping out of her robe with an air of unhurried confidence. The heat in the room made the steam twist and curl around her, and I couldn't help noticing how perfectly her figure filled out every curve. My gaze darted away almost immediately, my face sinking deeper into the water in a futile effort to cool down.
Illyana either didn't notice or didn't care how much of an effect she had on me. She slipped into the water with a smirk, her eyes never breaking their hold on mine.
"This is incredible," she said, her voice smooth and smoky, sending a pulse of warmth straight through my chest.
I forced out a low whistle, hoping it would cover up the chaos in my head. So much for a relaxing soak. Between the steamy atmosphere and how stunning she looked, my calm was utterly shattered.
Illyana's gaze roamed over me, slow and deliberate, igniting a fresh wave of heat that had nothing to do with the spring. "You're breathtaking, my queen," she murmured, her words wrapping around me like silk.
"Thanks," I mumbled, aiming for casual but landing somewhere between awkward and flustered. My mind scrambled for an excuse to leave before I completely unraveled. "Can you even see me through all this steam?"
"Enhanced sight, my queen," she replied smoothly, her eyes unwavering. "Ever since draining La Magra, it's sharper than ever. I can see you perfectly. And honestly?" Her smile deepened. "Your beauty is almost blinding."
She edged closer, her fingers trailing lightly along my arm. The contact sent a shiver through me, and my breath caught. "And your breasts," she purred, her tone rich and teasing, "they're… incredible."
Her touch lingered for just a moment longer, and I nearly jumped. My cheeks burned, and I knew it wasn't just the water's heat. "Uh, thank you," I whispered, barely audible. "Yours too, but… maybe some space?"
For a second, her playful expression faltered, but it quickly returned, this time laced with even more mischief. "Shy, my queen?" Her hand hovered, close enough to feel the warmth but not quite touching. "We're both women, Kara. And besides…" Her voice dipped, each word thick with intent I wasn't prepared to handle. "I've been waiting for you to claim me."
I was certain my face was hotter than the water itself. This was spiraling into a full-blown disaster.
"Illyana," I began, my voice shaky, "I'm glad to have you on my team. I value you, truly. But I don't want to complicate things." Each word felt heavier than the last. "And… there's someone else I care about." I swallowed hard, barely managing to meet her gaze. "This… isn't a good idea."
For a brief moment, something flickered in her eyes—a flash of defiance—and that smirk tugged even more knowingly at her lips. Instead of backing off, she closed the space between us. The heat from her body meshed with the warmth of the spring, and the blush creeping up my neck wasn't just from the water.
When her shoulder brushed against mine, the shock of electricity that jolted through me was undeniable. This is insane. Aren't vampires supposed to be cold?
I wanted to retreat. I needed to retreat. My mind screamed for me to set a boundary, to stop this madness. But my body wasn't listening. It was drawn to her, magnetically pulled into her orbit.
"Why would that matter to me, my queen?" Illyana whispered, her breath warm against my ear, sending a delicious shiver down my spine. "You're the queen, after all. It's your right to have as many partners as you want, isn't it?"
My breath caught, and her words twisted around me, vines pulling me deeper into something I didn't want to admit I wanted. A primal part of me, one I'd buried for so long, responded to her. Craved her.
The cool stone of the spring pressed against my back, and I realized with a start that I'd been cornered. "Isn't this… a little sudden?" My voice faltered, desperate for reason, for control.
Illyana leaned in, her lips grazing my earlobe. A jolt of electricity shot through me at the soft, teasing contact. "Maybe," she murmured, her voice low and laced with temptation, "but sometimes, what you want right now is the only thing that matters."
Damn it, Illyana, you're making this harder. My mind reeled, battling the undeniable pull of my body. My arm instinctively moved to cover my chest, but the sharp sensation of my hardened nipples betrayed me. Worse, the heat gathering between my thighs was unmistakable, and the water could no longer excuse it.
Before I could find my voice, Illyana kissed me. Soft at first—tentative, yet electrifying. Her lips ignited something deep inside me, a spark I hadn't expected.
A low moan escaped, a primal sound I couldn't hold back as I leaned into her. The fight slipped away, crumbling like water through my fingers. My defenses were gone, completely obliterated.
Her hand, emboldened by my response, trailed down my body, her fingertips grazing my skin. Each delicate touch sent waves of shivers coursing through me, more intense than the last. My eyes fluttered shut, surrendering to the sensation—the warm water, her intoxicating scent, and the maddening thrum of desire building within me.
Her fingers brushed along my thighs, each stroke making my breath hitch, the anticipation swirling dangerously close to unbearable. I couldn't stop the ache inside me, growing with every second.
"Illyana…" My voice barely broke the surface, a whisper that was part plea, part warning.
She smiled, soft and knowing, her eyes gleaming with mischief and something deeper as her fingers ventured dangerously close to where I wanted them most. Her teasing touch sent shockwaves through me, every motion lighting me up with exquisite intensity.
When she finally touched me, a sharp, involuntary whimper escaped. The sensation was blinding, cascading through me in waves of pure, raw pleasure. Each breath felt like it might shatter me—my body trembling under the intensity. For a moment, there was no room for anything else—her touch, the spring, and the exquisite sensations overtaking me.
I was lost, utterly surrendered to her touch, my mind a whirlwind of lust and heat. I couldn't think, couldn't focus—there was only the feel of her fingers, her steady hand guiding me through a maze of pleasure. My skin burned where she touched, every nerve alive, pulsing with a need I couldn't ignore.
The warmth of the water pressed against me, amplifying every shiver, every gasp. Her fingers circled, stroking with slow precision, spiraling me toward something dangerously sweet and unbearable. Each movement was deliberate, savoring every reaction, and every sound I made.
"Come on, just go for it already—stop the teasing," the words slipped from my mouth, between the kisses.
I wanted to scream, to beg her for more, but I was powerless to do anything but surrender, my body arching toward hers, craving more of her touch. Her hand slid lower, teasing until it finally reached my clit. A strangled moan escaped me as pleasure rippled through me in long, heated waves, each one more intense than the last. My muscles trembled, fighting against the overwhelming tide of sensation flooding me.
My heart was pounding in my chest, so loud I thought it might drown out everything else. I could feel myself slipping away, caught in the whirlpool of sensations, my body no longer my own.
"Illyana…" My voice was barely a whisper, thick with desire, but my breath hitched as I reached the peak of it. The tension was so tight, I thought I might break. And when she finally gave me what I wanted, when her touch deepened—everything exploded in white-hot bliss.
My body convulsed in the pleasure, every part of me tightening and releasing in a glorious rush that left me breathless and trembling. I was floating in a haze of feeling, every inch of me alive, consumed by the sweetness of it all.
Then, as if fate itself had a cruel sense of timing, a voice cut through the moment like a blade.
"That fucker. Doesn't she have her own part of the brownstone?"
I froze, the words reverberating from the bedroom connected to the spring.
"Sarah," I hissed under my breath, my face flaming with embarrassment and frustration.
Illyana, of course, was entirely unbothered, her lips curling into that wicked smirk I'd come to both dread and crave. "Well," she drawled, pulling back just enough to meet my gaze, "it seems our privacy has been… interrupted."
My hands fumbled for my robe, my pulse still racing from the aftermath of everything that had just happened. "This isn't over," I muttered, mostly to myself as I hastily tried to cover up.
"Oh, I'm counting on it," Illyana teased, her voice laced with satisfaction, the words heavy with promise.
With a volatile mix of embarrassment, annoyance, and a lingering, unsatisfied desire, I stormed out of the hot spring room, more than ready to confront whatever absurdity Sarah had brought this time.
"Sarah, you couldn't have picked a worse time," I snapped, yanking open the door, only to find her standing casually in the middle of my room as if she owned the place. "And for the last time, this is my room. Why do you keep barging in? Or—" I narrowed my eyes at her. "—were you trying to sneak Karen in for another session on my bed?"
Sarah's face turned crimson in an instant. "Sis, that was uncalled for!" she shot back, her defensiveness clear, but she was clearly caught off guard. "I just got back, saw your car downstairs, and thought I should remind you—" She crossed her arms, trying to regain her usual composure. "—you've got a contract to sign today. You know, the military gig for Krypton Technologies? Ringing any bells?"
The reminder hit me like a bucket of cold water, and I blinked, realizing the moment I had almost forgotten. "Right. Uh, thanks." I stammered, still reeling from the earlier tension that Illyana's… distractions had left behind.
Sarah's eyes narrowed as she studied me, and I cursed her uncanny ability to pick up on the smallest details. "What's up with you?" she asked, suspicion creeping into her voice. "Your face is flushed, your breathing's all over the place, and you smell… weird."
"Yes, Miss Detective," I said dryly, crossing my arms in an attempt to look unaffected. "You walked in at a really inappropriate time."
"Oh." Sarah's expression shifted from skepticism to realization, her eyes going wide. "Oops."
With that, she spun on her heel and bolted from the room, disappearing faster than she'd arrived.
Good riddance, I thought, slamming the door behind her. But as I leaned back against it, the full weight of the situation hit me, and I groaned, both at the absurdity of it all and at the still-raging tension inside me that Sarah had so unceremoniously interrupted.
"Illyana, get out here!" I yelled, doing my best to steady my voice, though my pulse was still racing.
Seconds later, she sauntered into the room, still completely naked, every movement oozing confidence. "My Queen," she purred, a wicked grin tugging at her lips, "do you want to finish what we started?"
"Ah, yes, no!" I stammered, my voice a jumbled mess of internal conflict. My body screamed yes, but my mind was in full-blown panic mode, waving every red flag it could find. The heat in my cheeks was spreading, and damn it, her casual nudity wasn't helping one bit.
"I don't appreciate your actions," I said, attempting to sound authoritative but failing miserably. It was hard to maintain a stern tone when my eyes kept flickering down, despite my best efforts to look anywhere but at her cleanly shaved vagina. Was it like that for vampiresses? The thought crossed my mind.
Illyana smirked, clearly loving my struggle. "My Queen, I apologize, but your body seemed to be telling a very different story."
"Whatever," I snapped, desperately trying to regain some control. "If I look at a lemon, I salivate—it doesn't mean I want to eat it. Now lie down on my bed. I need to finish checking your body."
Her grin widened, amusement dancing in her eyes as she leaned back casually. "I can assure you, my Queen, it works exactly the same as yours. Same trigger points, same g-sp—"
Before she could finish, I swatted her upside the head, cursing under my breath. "Damn perverted vampire," I muttered, though I could feel the traitorous warmth crawling down my legs.
Using my telekinesis, I hoisted her onto the bed, earning a low chuckle from her.
"Kinky, my Queen," she teased, stretching out like a cat, clearly enjoying every second of this.
I ignored her, trying to focus on the task at hand. Activating a diagnostic spell, I let the glow of my magic bathe her body, examining her from head to toe.
"How are you feeling?" I asked, the words barely coming out as anything other than business-like, though my skin still buzzed from the energy between us.
Illyana's face lit up, her tone almost giddy. "My healing's accelerated, and I'm faster than ever."
"Good," I said with a nod, mentally ticking off my checklist. "The operation was a success. Now it's time for you to step up as their leader. Find your subordinates and establish your base of power. I won't interfere. The intel I left behind for SHIELD erases the memory and location of that place from anyone who saw it."
"Yes, my Queen," Illyana said, her tone shifting to something more serious. She bowed deeply, and when she lifted her head, she was no longer in the Brownstone.
Blinking, she surveyed her new surroundings—a vast, dimly lit hall with high, vaulted ceilings. "Shadow Teleport? This… is the Temple of Eternal Night?" Her voice was laced with satisfaction as she smiled. "Perfect. This will do nicely as my base."
With one fluid, graceful leap, she landed atop a high platform, her eyes scanning the empty expanse below. "No followers yet…" she mused, her gaze flicking around the space. "Yeah, that won't do. Time to fix that."
Her eyes gleamed with ambition as she turned her focus outward, already plotting her next move.
...
After ensuring Illyana had left, I knew it was time to shake off the lingering heat of the moment and prepare for the day ahead. The Krypton Technologies contract wasn't going to sign itself, and showing up as I'd just walked off the set of Vampire Queen Confessions was out of the question.
Pulling myself together, I took a deep breath and headed to the wardrobe. The doors swung open to reveal an array of clothing—timeless, versatile pieces designed to meet any occasion with style and confidence.
My fingers landed on a fitted midi dress in deep charcoal gray with a structured neckline and cap sleeves. The fabric skimmed over my figure with just enough tailoring to feel polished without being restrictive. A slim gold belt at the waist added a touch of sophistication, drawing the eye to the silhouette without feeling ostentatious.
"Alright, Krypton," I muttered, pulling the dress off the hanger. "Let's close this deal."
I slipped into the dress, appreciating how the soft yet structured material moved with me. Next, I grabbed a pair of black leather heels—classic with a modern pointed toe. The moderate height was practical but still gave me the confidence boost of a little lift.
The look was coming together, but my hair was another story. Still damp from the spring and tumbling in wild waves, it screamed just wrestled a vampire and won. Sighing, I grabbed a blow dryer and brush, taming the chaos into sleek, polished waves that framed my face.
For jewelry, I kept it understated yet elegant: a delicate gold chain necklace and small stud earrings. A gold cuff bracelet adorned one wrist, tying the look together with just enough sparkle to catch the light without overwhelming the outfit.
Snagging my leather work tote from the chair, I slung it over my shoulder and gave my reflection one last glance. Feminine, professional, and ready to command attention without demanding it.
"Looking good, feeling… well, capable," I murmured, adjusting the belt one last time. With that, I turned and strode out the door, ready to seal the deal.