A late night visit to the beach(Open) - Bathtub Beach

The man's eyes slid to Ra'idah, and he spoke to her in soft, rapid Arabic. She answered him in kind, sharply, and he stepped forward. Holding out a hand for Esteban, he spoke again in English.

"It is ... pleasure, Esteban."

The woman smiled, sitting her keys onto a countertop as she headed toward the back of the house. She was walking, and as she walked, stripping off the clothing that remained. When it came to her jewelry, though, she slid the necklace over her head and handed it to Salif with something else spoken in soft Arabic.

She beckoned Esteban to follow her, spoke in low tones as she led him into an enormous bathroom. The tub that sat in the middle of the room was where she headed, bending to begin running water into it. She hadn't been kidding about the bath.

"You must forgive Salif, sweet one. He is protective of me, as silly as that may seem. He will warm to you in time, but I should say that he is not a little bit shocked that I brought you home with me tonight, as he had no prior warning."

Esteban shook the ghouls hand

He followed her through the house and into the bathroom keeping in step with her and yet enjoying the appearance of her as her clothes fell off her.

"Of course Diosa. He has just met me. I imagine he adores you. I imagine my own staff would feel somewhat similar though they have been trained to not respond.

Esteban looked around and set things ready to clean the beautiful woman in front of him.

Her clothes had fallen away in the hallway, and she stood in her bra and the torn remnants of her underwear. Those were also quickly discarded, tossed into a laundry basket in the far corner of the room.

Then she turned, and stopped him from gathering things. She turned him to face her, already working to get him undressed as she was.

"I would imagine. Though Salif has not been trained to react in the way he has, I would suspect it is simple concern as well as the jealousy of his adoration. You are, after all, a Kindred. And one he is unfamiliar with. He does adore me, knows many of my secrets. He worries for me, as he should."

She discarded his clothing into the laundry basket as well. Then she walked around him slowly, her eyes drinking in the sight of his nudity.

"Tell me what size you are, and I will make certain you have clean clothing for tomorrow evening, sweet one."

He listened as she helped him get undressed. He nodded, understanding the place of ghouls. He had been undressed many times before but there was something about this experience that was quite different.

He gave her sizes, and then smiled at her.

"I can have my man bring some clothes if you prefer. But I will gladly wear whatever you provide.

See anything you like? imagine I am wearing some nice marks on my back."

The tone showed he approved.

There was a soft laugh, coming from his side. "My sweet one, if I could have you walk around just as you are now for eternity, I would be joyous. Since I cannot, I will not dress you as a mother dresses a babe. I meant more that the clothing I just took from you is covered in sand and earth. So until your clothing is brought, I will have some provided for you."

Then she spoke again, this time from behind him. One long, cool finger trailed over a spot on his back, and even if he could not see her, he could most definitely hear her frown.

"Yes, many nice marks. And not all of them are mine."

Esteban smiled as she circled him. He enjoyed being admired and from this woman, it meant more. So much more. A Goddess was admiring his body.

"Trophies. A small conceit. Of course from now on on, I will bear only your marks. A moment Ra'idah, and I will clear the slate. Would you like to watch?"

She pressed her palm against his back. A light touch, and shook her head as she came around to his front. She smiled, leaning close to him. Close enough to kiss. Close enough to touch.

"No, sweet one. I will not rob you of your trophies." She smiled, then turned to step into the tub. She took his hand, gently tugging him with her. The water was hot. Hot enough to be steaming.

"Are you always so eager to please, sweet one?"

"You rob me of nothing as I heal them regularly. If I kept every one I would no longer have skin on my back.

So close, the temptation was a delicious chill, a small ache. She smelled so good.

He entered the water with her, feeling the heat sooth and relax him.

"Not always. Some times I want to be pleased. Some times I can be difficult. I have been known to be downright obstinate."

He examined her body through the water, drinking up the vision of her in the water. He ran a single finger from her shoulder slowly down her arm.

"Some of this is a wish to please you, some is my training. Much time was spent on reminding me how to respect those older than myself. Some of it is just a delight in you. You are quite delightful."

Once in the water, she turned so that she could lean her back against him. She rested her head against his shoulder, groaning softly as she let the heat of the water seep through her, into her. She did look good in the water.

One leg lifted, coming out of the water just enough to stretch, her hands running over the muscles and flesh almost reverently. She laughed softly.

"I thank you. But it begs the question, I must ask. Is this all a ruse for you? Something that you have been trained to do, simply by virtue of myself being older, much older than you?"

She turned her head so that she could look up at him. She was smiling, faintly. "There is no need to be reverted to training with me, sweet one. I wish you to be yourself."

Her head against him, her body laying against his, He drinks her in, admiring the leg so perfect as the water gleaned on her skin and dripped from perfect ankles.

"No, this is not a ruse. I am giving you honesty, even to making sure you know of my training. I am sure it colors some my politeness, some of my submission. I would not have been released if I had not learned so well."

He examined her hair, the way it drifted against his body in the water. He ran his hands through the hair gently, feeling its texture against his fingers.

"But what you are getting is me. I will relax given a little time. Neither of us know each other yet."

He kissed her neck. "Though I am enjoying"

Her shoulder. "the process"

under her ear. "Immensely."

The hair was soft. In fact, all of her seemed quite soft, even though she had perfectly toned muscles. She sighed as he ran his hands through her hair, a purring note of encouragement. She shivered when she felt the touch of his lips against her skin.

"You do flatter, sweet one. I should warn you that I am a horror when I need to be."

She reached for a sponge, dipped it into the water as she ran it over her legs. Then she laughed.

"Of course, I don't expect you to see that side of me for a time, sweet one."

He chuckled. "I believe you. I believed you the first time you told me you were a harsh mistress. I am sure I will get to see many of your moods and manners before too long. We can concentrated on pleased for a while."

He smiled and squeeze a sponge out onto her hair, making sure the water went backwards instead of into her eyes. He ran his hands through it, feeling the wet tresses and kissed the top of her head. He concentrated on this, his hands wanting to caress every part of her.

She let her head fall back as she felt the water being squeezed onto it. She smiled as her eyes closed, letting out a soft purr of contentment.

"Oh, you will see much out of me, I expect." Her lips curved into a smile at his comment that they should concentrate on 'pleased' for a while.

"Thus far, sweet one, I would say that you are nearly perfect. You need a bit of training, of course, to know the personal preferences for things. But even if I have not seen you in all of your forms as yet, such as the ones you spoke of before. Difficult, and the like. I enjoy a bit of a challenge. How does one expect me to respect them if they do not stand up for themselves? If I wanted one who would follow blindly, I would surround myself with weak-willed servants. So I do expect to see some argument from you sometimes, sweet one."

He filled the sponge again and wet down her hair some more. He smiled as she purred. His hand

"Personal preferences...those words never sounded like so much fun. I assure you I am no milquetoast. Or a perfect little lackey. My fire is subtle but there. Just don't 'train' it out of me. I have seen it done to some."

He smiled and kissed behind her ear.

She purred again, tilting her head to give him better access to her neck. She smiled again, gentle, and subtle. Well, as subtle as she could be, anyway.

"Sweet one, if I find a behavior is particularly upsetting, a behavior I wish to never see from you again, we will have a much longer discussion. I do not wish to change who you are, simply train you to what is my preferences. Just because they are a preference does not mean you need to follow them at all times. I do not need a mindless automaton. I may be harsh, but I am also patient. If something is so upsetting to me that I feel the need to 'train it out of you' as you put it, we must have a bigger discussion. I would not simply order you to 'never do that again', as that rarely works, and does, more often than not, inspire resentment. I was right, sweet one. Far too free for far too long. And you do not fully understand as yet what it is to be mine."

She didn't sound upset or disappointed. She sounded as though she were affirming something that she already suspected.

And such a lovely neck it was. He took a finger and eased a stray hair around her ear. He started to kiss that neck softly, up and down the length of it.

And laughed into that neck. continuing to kiss that soft flesh.

"I will understand with time."

Slowly, she began to turn. She turned until she faced him, her hands slipping beneath the water to run along the length of his legs, up his thighs. She slid gracefully up until she was once again straddling his lap, that queer, subtle smile on her face.

She wrapped her own legs around his hips, then reached for the sponge in his hand. Slowly, she dripped water over his shoulders as she watched him.

"You will indeed, sweet one. In the meantime," she smiled, leaning close to run her hands and the sponge over his torso. "Why do you not tell me what it is that is your preferences?"

She moved enough so he could consider that back, the strength and power hidden under curves and smooth flesh. As she turned, hints and promises that bloomed. Shoulders perfectly proportioned, a slender waist without appearing thin or malnourished, Hips out of dreams and breasts... for some reason they were perfect. She was perfect. And his.

His hands ran up those legs as they approached him, from ankle up the calves and along the sumptuous curve of her thighs as she came to rest straddling him. He wondered about that smile as his hands continued over her hips and around that waist, to hold her lightly.

He moved forward as her legs went around him and he smiled as she squeezed hot water down his back. He smiles and it is a luxurious, seductive smile.

"My preferences. Are we talking about here or everywhere?"

He kissed her provocatively, slow but not soft.

As he kissed her, she let her hands wander over his torso again. She was bathing him, albeit in a distracted fashion as she came to rest in his lap. The water made soft lapping noises as she moved, the small ripples and waves that marked her passage through the tub beginning to slowly cease. Her eyes had closed as she let him explore her mouth again, a soft growl in her throat.

She pulled away gently, just enough to be able to look at him again.

"In all things, sweet one. Here, as well as in general. Tell me of your preferences."

He leaned back, one hand on her hip and one moving to grab a sponge and starting to rub lightly across her belly, her sides, her back, her chest as he spoke.

"My preferences. Surprise, variety, sharp, power, elegance. I like alcohol or wine on hand for the taste. I like loose robes at home with nothing underneath. I miss waking up to play.. since I have not spent the day with anyone but my Sire since my change. I like to work when the mood takes me, sometimes for hours, sometimes for days. I like to smoke and walk in the moon light. I prefer to feed out. Surprise, smooth, sharp, power, elegance."

He watches her as he continues on.

"In flavors, in clothing, in work, in life and in play.

She smiled as he washed her, returning the favor while listening to him intently. She let water dribble over his shoulders, leaning close to capture a trail of water down his neck with her tongue.

"I see. You have been lonely."

It wasn't a question.

Esteban shivered lightly and tilted his upwards, exposing much more neck.

"Why do you say that?"

He uses the sponge to slowly wash every inch of her back in small circle, going further and further down.

She smiled as she continued to watch him, a happy noise made in her throat as he washed her back.

"Because you miss waking up beside someone. It means that you are lonely. Not only that, sweet one, but you cling to those whom you call 'lovers' as though they can give you some sort of solace. You say it is for inspiration, and I've little doubt that is true. But you would not be so eager, sweet one, if it were only the inspiration."

He shrugs looking into her amazing eyes

"You are probably right. I notice lately I have been thinking upon such things more. I have been spending more time among the mortals. London was not good for me. It strangled part of my soul. "

She slid across his thighs, and he had little doubt that she would have taken him within her in that one movement had he been ready for her to. She let the sponge fall back into the water as she ran her hand around his neck, cupping his cheeks gently as she stared into his eyes. She held his eyes for a long time before she spoke, pressing herself against him with a gentle pressure. Her voice was low, barely more than a whisper.

"London is never a good place, sweet one. Too often, the Courts are harsh, and the Kindred more so. But you are not there any longer. The horrors and pain that followed you in London cannot touch you here. You are not stifled any longer. I would have you, if you felt I were stifling you in some manner, please inform me of such. For a Rose such as yourself, I know well how upsetting that being stifled in such a manner can be."

She paused, leaning in to kiss him gently.

"And you have no reason to be lonely any longer. I holy hope that I may bring you a measure of true happiness, a measure of being complete, sweet one."