The two returned to the castle by the same means that they had left it, yet this time it didn't bother her. She was rather curious about what he had in a large bag he had collected after they had dressed, a good few hours later and only after he had spent himself several more times. The man was insatiable.
Returning to their room, she looked around but found nothing out of place, the buzz of the souls filling her easing and she was able to start thinking again.
When he noticed her buzz was fading, he picked out a small chunk of something and offered it to her.
Taking it, she frowned and sniffed at it, but it had almost no smell at all.
At her lingering, he pushed her hand up towards her mouth and she obediently ate it.
Not having a clue at what it was for, or why she needed to eat it, she shrugged it off and headed into the bathroom to bathe, followed closely by her new husband.
When she stripped, she noticed her body was covered in lingering bruises where he had gripped her, but they would fade soon enough.
Epharis's shoulder however still bled.
"Perhaps we should clean and dress it," he said, slightly concerned for the bite.
Murmuring her agreement, she crossed to the basin and crouched down to the small cupboard under it. Picking out a small glass bottle, she returned to him and poured a dribble of alcohol on the wound.
It began to bubble, and the lich winced, but then the holes healed over.
"Odd..." she said gently, unsure of what could be causing it. "Maybe my saliva doesn't agree with you."
He grunted his agreement and watched as she moved, filling the bath and bundling her long hair up, sliding two sticks into it to keep it out of her face.
Standing before the mirror, she looked up when he approached from behind, his arms going around her possessively.
Leaning down, he inhaled the scent of her hair and she smiled, not caring that her eyes were still a deep, bottomless black.
Turning to him, she helped him to undress for the second time, taking his hand and guiding him into the bath with her.
She waited for him to settle himself and then crept closer, his eyes opening at the feeling of her straddling him.
"Now husband…" she purred, reaching behind him to grab a cloth and intentionally pressing her breasts against his chest. His cheeks flushed slightly as he looked down at her and she felt him growing aroused again as she settled back against his thighs. "It is you who must submit to me."
Her tone was teasing, but the words sent a zing of electricity between them. She knew it would be a challenge, even if only a playful one and he would rise.
Dipping the cloth in the water between them, her lips parted as she pressed the cloth against his chest, dragging it slowly down.
His breath stopped when her hand moved down past his navel and he growled, grabbing her wrist.
Catching her other wrist, he moved her hands behind her back and held them both with one of his large fists, glaring at her.
Leaning down, he traced his lips across her jaw and up to her ear, the gentleness of it making her shiver.
Using his free hand between them, he arranged himself and then gripped her rear hard, lifting her off his lap just enough to enter her.
She gasped in delight, her back arching at the joy of being his, the hunger he instilled in her.
Her body moved of its own accord, unable to keep still as pleasure flooded her system. Still he held her wrists, keeping her controlled as he groaned, watching her body with greedy eyes.
He released her only after he had been spent, but he was quick to wrap his arms around her when she settled against his chest, her eyes shut and content to simply be in his arms.
***
It was only a few days later when they were discovered, being in bed with Epharis atop her and their lips locked in a fierce, passionate kiss as his body moved against her. Her long legs were wrapped around his middle, her arms around his neck. He wasn't being particularly gentle with her, taking out several centuries of loneliness on her soft body and leaving bruises everywhere he touched, the pain only increasing their pleasure. The sight and sounds of their intimacy had sent the maid scurrying in horror and it wasn't long before Alaric had found out.
His fury was something of legend, but his fury in the past was nothing to the fury they faced when he walked in, right as Epharis reached his peak and his lips found hers.
The heat that radiated off the king was all the warning they needed, both turning in time to see Alaric reaching for his sword.
Epharis flew off her and she immediately grabbed the blankets to cover herself, her eyes wide.
Alaric stared at her, seeing what he could have had if it weren't for his brother.
"I'll deal with you later," he snarled at her and turned on Epharis. "This is the last time you ruin my plans, Epharis. First you snatch her from my fingers, and now you snatch her from my bed."
"We are married, Alaric, she is in the right place."
Irritated by the implication that her only place was in one of their beds, probably under one of them, she frowned and pushed herself out of bed and stalked from the room.
"Fight it out like children if you want, but I was never going to marry you, Alaric," she said over her shoulder. For that matter she was never going to marry Epharis either...
The thought flittered through her mind and was gone, like so many other negative thoughts against her husband since their marriage. She dismissed it like the rest and picked one of the little chewy balls of reddish stuff that Epharis had brought back. She had grown a taste of them that was bordering on addiction and she popped it into her mouth, chewing and looking back at the two.
"You can't have me," she said after swallowing and revelled in the flood of energy that filled her body.
Alaric looked like he would have very much liked to kill her then, licking her fingers free of the last oily residue the little balls left behind.
Her attention turned back to Epharis and she smiled to see him unharmed.
Alaric stalked towards her and she backed up quickly, but he only bowed before her. Tucking something into his pocket as he straightened, he turned and stalked from the room.
"That was weird…" she said slowly, not understanding what had happened. What had gone into his pocket?
Epharis joined her and he traced his fingers along her jaw, making her shiver.
Looking down into her eyes, he smiled and leant down to kiss her forehead.
"Don't worry, my love, he won't bother us again," he murmured, not seeing the way her cheeks flushed and eyes welled at the name he called her.
Sliding her arms around his middle, she snuggled herself into his chest, feeling safe in the embrace.