The Luck of the Draw

"We'll be right there, dear Onis." Winking, she blew him a kiss before gently shaking Chevelle awake. "Time to wake up, sleepy."

"What?" she drawled, sleepily.

"Time to get moving, my sweet." Callia cooed, stroking Chevelle's hair. The blond elf nodded and searched out Callia's lips. She kissed her softly. A groan came from the across the room.

"Onis, go away."

Chevelle turned and looked at him. "Good morning."

"Good evening. It's time to go. Though I would rather join you," he stated, boldly.

"Onis!" Callia exclaimed, "OUT!"

Chevelle hushed her with a kiss and climbed off the bed. She glided over to Onis with an inherent grace that far surpassed that of an elf's. Lifting her hand, she stroked his cheek and peered deeply into his eyes. "I can feel your desire for me. It is potent and takes on a life of its own. But what you must realize, I am here to serve another. I can only act with her consent."

Onis shifted his eyes to Callia and sent out a silent plea. She smiled. "Remember what I said, dear Onis."

He nodded, drawing in a deep breath. "I'll just leave you two alone to dress. We'd like to get going so please be quick."

"Yes, Onis." Callia replied, rolling her eyes at him. "I suppose next you'll send Strykar in here to roust me from bed."

"That wouldn't be a bad idea."

Callia growled at him and hopped up from the bed. "I'm up, okay?"

Onis laughed and left the room, closing the door behind him. "He is quite attractive." Chevelle stated, as she turned back to Callia.

"Yes, he is. I coveted his attentions for a long time. Even now, there are times I still want him," she replied. "He wants you and perhaps he will have you. If you want him, I give you permission to go after him. I told him that if he was a good boy that I would allow him to join us. Would that please you?"

"Yes!" Chevelle exclaimed.

Callia smiled and stood up, laughing as her heart swelled with joy. "So be it then. I do wish, however, to enjoy your lush charms and attentions for a while longer. Let us hasten to dress and join the others. I do not relish my boon companion coming in here and giving me a lecture."

Chevelle looked at her inquisitively, taking in the tone of Callia's voice and her body language as well. Interesting, she thought, sizing up the matter. Callia wanted her boon companion, but as she could glean from the subtleties of her demeanor he did not share the same feelings. Or did he? Chevelle knew she must keep a watch on both of them, taking in what they said and didn't say. How they dealt with one another, what their body language revealed about their friendship.

Callia wasted no time donning her armor and helped Chevelle into hers. They walked out of the room together and joined the others.

"So where we headed?" Callia asked, as she leveled her gaze unto Strykar's stormy visage. She took instant note of the tumultuous glare in his eyes. Curiously, she studied him, noting the rigid stance he took and how he clenched his fists at his sides. Was he mad at her? She wondered. She arched her brows in silent askance. He shook his head and looked away. She wondered if anyone else noticed it, for the tension was thick enough to be cut with a knife. It was palpable and tangible, taking on an almost lifelike quality, humming between them like a living current. Chevelle gasped as she felt it, and nudged Callia.

"We need to find a way to the upper levels of this castle. We are here to find a way to rid this cursed place of the evil that plagues it. Strahd still lingers within this castle. Perhaps if we destroy him and his evil minions, it will provide a gateway back to Faerun." Strykar replied, his voice hard and stony.

"I am definitely all for that. This place sends chills down my spine and makes me feel like I'll never be warm again." Callia grimaced, as an icy shiver coursed through her.

"I think we keep these rooms in mind when we need to rest. We know we can bar the doors." Squib suggested.

"How much of this floor have we not covered?" Callia asked, recovering from her bout of chills.

"There are several rooms down the west hall and we still don't know what lies to the south," Onis replied.

"Plus we haven't found the way up to the next level." Shaad offered.

"I can see another tower to the east that I know we haven't been in." Lorna added, "It looks dark and spooky, though."

"This whole place is dark and spooky." Strykar scoffed, tersely.

Callia nodded in agreement. "How are we on supplies? Have we plenty of wooden stakes? Is there any more furniture we can bust up to make solid stakes? Are your holy symbols at the ready? Do we still have any holy water?"

"Yes, I have all three." Tordrith replied, brandishing his silver holy symbol of Uthgar.

"What kind of creatures have you encountered?" Chevelle asked.

"The worst kind...undead." Strykar growled, grimly. "Wraiths, Vampire Spawn, Shadows."

Chevelle's eyes widened in horror. It had been an undead creature...a lich...that had disintegrated Lydra.

"No," she gasped.

Onis stepped up beside her and rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We'll look out for your well-being. We have been fighting all kinds of undead ever since we came to this accursed place."

"Thank you," she smiled, touched by his concern.

Loading up their packs and weaponry, they set out, leaving the safety of the barred rooms to explore and clean out the entire floor of vile undead creatures. They fought another shadow and several zombies who were in a room to the south. Strykar and Tordrith showed their true mettle by turning and destroying the shadow and zombies.

Days passed, flowing into each other until they started to feel endless. Battles were fought and undead creatures destroyed, but without certain casualties. Though no one died, members of the party had strengths and resiliency weakened. Callia ran afoul a nasty shadow that drained her until she no longer had the strength to hold her axe.

Retreating to hide in a dark room, she watched as Strykar stepped up and held out his holy symbol. The creature recoiled and incinerated from the holy light.

"Callia...." he yelled as he sought her out as she cowered in the dark room. Brandishing his lantern, he knelt beside her. "Are you alright?"

"No, I feel so weak," she whispered.

"Can you walk?" he asked as he held out his hand to her.

"No, I don't think I have the strength," she shook her head and touched his proffered hand. "Are we going to rest?"

"Yes, we are all going to rest. Let me carry you back to the rooms we've been holing up in for safety," he said, as he lifted her up into his arms. "I'll take care of you."

Callia smiled weakly and turned her head as they followed their companions back to the two safe rooms.

"Callia, are you alright?" Chevelle exclaimed, as she ran over to Strykar.

"The Shadow drained most of her strength. I will do what I can for her and she'll have to do some recuperating on her own." Strykar replied. "She's very weak."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked, concerned.

Strykar looked down at her, begrudgingly. He noted the pleading look in her eyes. "Yes, I'm sure there will be some way you can help her," he reluctantly agreed, despite the fact he wanted a few moments with Callia alone.

"Thank you, oh, thank you. You don't know how much this means to me," she chimed as she stroked Callia's hand.

"Actually, I do." Strykar replied, exhaling deeply. Emotions warred within him. He felt torn between all that he stood for and all that he held dear. Callia was one of the few women to ever break down his barriers with little effort. She was almost an enigma to him, so very different in her beliefs and ideals. Her very nature was as foreign to him as the feelings he felt and fought against. He didn't want to feel such blind love for her. She reveled in carnal lust. She was wild and hedonistic, but as he gazed down into her pale face, he realized he loved her more than life and would fight to the death to possess her.

Chevelle stared into his ruggedly handsome face and studied him thoroughly. She saw the emotions flicker within the depths of his eyes. She silently gasped and held her breath. He did love her, she thought, clearly reading it within his eyes. They mirrored his soul and Chevelle knew this man held Callia in high regard, despite their obvious differences. She could almost feel his heart swell with the love he felt as he dared to stem the tide of his feelings. She followed them into the room, where he gently laid her down on a bed before securing the door. He gaze passed over Chevelle. "I am going to try to heal the damage done to her," he said, softly.

She nodded, watching as he lay his hands upon Callia's body and channeled a force of positive energy through his own body to bestow upon her. Heat infused her body, chasing away her weakened condition and restoring some of her strength back to her. Her fingers gripped the luxurious bedcovering and she moaned. Her eyes flickered open and she took in the sight of Strykar leaning over her.

"What happened?" She murmured, noticing Chevelle standing behind Strykar.

"Do you not remember?" Strykar asked.

"Vaguely...didn't we encounter another shadow?"

"Yes, but I saved you from it. You are safe now and nothing more will harm you this night. I will stay here by your side." Strykar pledged as he held her hand and stroked her face.

"May I have a word with Chevelle?" Callia asked, her eyes pleading. Strykar nodded, sighing heavily. He had saved her yet all her concerns were centered on Chevelle. He left the room, his shoulders slumped in near defeat. Callia beckoned Chevelle to her, patting the bed beside her.

Chevelle sat down. "How are you feeling?"

"I'll be fine. I'll be back up before you know it." Callia quipped.

"What did you need to have a word with me about?"

"I wanted to tell you that I appreciate your concern. You mean a lot to me, my sweet. I have so enjoyed you." Callia started. "I have noticed the looks and unspoken need lingering in Strykar's eyes, though."

"As have I. He loves you." Chevelle stated.

"I am very aware of that. My feelings are the same for him. I don't know when or how it came to be, but it has taken hold of me and won't let go. It is somewhat terrifying to me, though. I have never felt this deeply about someone. He looks at me and I melt. It's not purely sexual like in the past. Chevelle, my sweet, I want you to know that even though you still are here to serve and protect me, I do not claim ownership over you. Follow your heart's desire. I have." Callia smiled and leaned toward Chevelle for one last kiss.

"Thank you so much!" Chevelle squealed, kissing Callia back.

"Do me a favor?"

"Anything!"

"Help me out of my armor and then send Strykar back in here to me." Callia asked and Chevelle eagerly set about the task, removing Callia's studded leather armor and the silks she wore beneath it. She winked as she headed for the door.

"Strykar?" she called. "Callia needs you."

Meeting him in the doorway, Chevelle touched his arm, a wicked grin gracing her face. "She's all yours."

Stepping from view, Chevelle let Strykar enter the room.

"Strykar?" Callia called as she turned and saw him leaning against the closed door. His eyes narrowed as he took note of her naked form. He had saved her yet she had selfishly turned to her female lover.

"Yes, Callia?" He asked, placing one foot in front of the other and slowly stepping toward her. "Come here to me. Join me. We need to talk."

Sweat beaded on his brow as he feared the worst. "Callia?"

She patted the bed, making room for him. "Please, sit down."

He did as she asked and took a seat beside her. Callia took a deep breath and looked up into his eyes. "You told me when I drew the Moon card to ask my heart's desire. I did. It was the one wish I whispered which I don't think anyone else heard. I think it has come to pass, and I couldn't be happier about it."

"You asked for a lover, did you not? You have Chevelle now. Is that what you wanted to tell me? Will you send me on my way if we ever return to Faerun?"

Callia let out a chuckle. "No, my heart, that is not what I asked for. She came with the Knight card."

"I told you that you tempted Fate."

"Shhhh....listen to me. I asked my heart's desire. I asked for you. For your love." Callia replied as she touched his face, her fingers gliding over his lower lip.

His eyes brightened, as did the smile on his face. "I am honored, but you needn't have wished for my love. You had but to look deeply enough into your heart to know it was there."

A blush colored her cheeks an enticing shade of pink. "Sometimes I am hopelessly blind," she admitted, sheepishly.

"I have fought it, though. I thought feeling this was wrong. I follow all the rules and you follow none, save what feels right at the moment. Your very nature is foreign to me, yet I find myself drawn to you like a moth to a flame. All I know is that when you are near me, I feel complete. I am not a man ruled by my physical desires, but with you, it takes hold of me and I can no longer deny what I feel," Strykar admitted, taking her hand in his. "I love you, Callia."

"I love you, too," Callia replied, her smile so glorious it reflected in her tearful eyes. Drawing her into his arms, he held her tightly. She squirmed against him as the full plate mail armor poked into her naked flesh. "Strykar," she squeaked, "Your armor..."

He chuckled and released her. "Is that a hint, my love?"

"Yes and no," she pressed her arms against his chest. "It was hurting me, but I also want to feel your skin against mine."

"If you hadn't divested yourself of yours, mine wouldn't be hurting you, my dear," he quipped as he gave her a wink.

"It was heavy," she retorted.

"I know it was. Though it denied me the chance to remove it from your beautiful body myself. I know I have seen your naked body often enough, but I wanted to undress you before I showed you how deep my feelings for you run. I promise I'll be gentle."

Strykar stood up before her and began to remove his armor, which took him several minutes to strip down to his shirt, leather vest and breeches.

Anticipation flooded her core as she longed to see him in the flesh. She sucked in a deep breath as he pulled his shirt over his head. Muscles rippled with his fluid movements. She watched in awe at the beauty of his physique. He kicked off his boots, tossing them to the side. Lastly he dropped his breeches, peeling them down past his swollen cock, large and painfully erect. They, too, were kicked aside.

Wetness pooled in the cleft of Callia's thighs. She quivered at the thought of feeling his powerful form gliding over her and his large cock deep within her.

As large and well endowed as he was, she had no doubt he would fill her as she'd never been before. Her heart pounded and she licked her lips, even as she felt her pussy lips moisten.

"Callia," he whispered as he joined her on the bed, enwrapping her in his embrace. "I will be gentle with you. Tell me if I hurt you and I will stop. I know in my heart I should wait until you have your full strength back, but I can not. Needing you is an ache that I must soothe."

"Your love will heal me and I rest afterwards," she replied as she nuzzled against him, reveling in the heat and protection his larger body provided. Strykar caressed her softly and sought out her lips.

The tender kiss, which started out slow and soft, soon gave way to deep and passionately demanding, just the way Callia liked it. She reveled in its intensity.

Strykar took his cue from her lead and slid over her body, pressing her firmly into the mattress. Her arms came up around him. She ran her fingers through his hair and down his back, tracing over sinewy muscles. She caressed his muscular arms, feeling their bulky strength.

"Tell me if I'm too heavy for you," he whispered as he broke their kiss. His hands skimmed her sides, eliciting soft signs from her.

She purred softly, giving herself over to the heady sensations. The heat of his body scorched her flesh and left her aching for more. Tenderly, he sought out her breasts, suckling each nipple. Callia moaned, arching her body up into his seeking mouth. He teased her, swirled his tongue around her nipples, and coaxed them into taut peaks. Callia panted huskily and gripped his muscular biceps. Warmth flooded from her core. Strykar shifted to her side and slid one hand down her body, parting her thighs as she stroked her smooth, hairless pussy.

Spreading the folds of skin that hid her clit, he tweaked it then began to stroke ever so lightly. A loud moan slipped from between her lips as a jolt coursed through her, setting off sparks within her. He teased her, with his fingers plucking her clit and his tongue circling her rosy nipples.

"More," she groaned as she spread her legs to accommodate him.

Ignoring her demand, he focused on her clit, finding the spot on it that made her squirm. She bucked her hips.

"Please..."

Lightly, he slapped her thigh and nipped at her taut peak, telling her to be patient. He wanted to take his time pleasing her, making their first time together memorable. With feather light strokes, he flooded her with erotic sensations. She writhed, enjoying his touch. Dipping even lower, he traced his fingers over her moist slit, readying her for his penetration.

As wet as she was, he easily slipped in two of his fingers. Stroking them in and out, he added yet a third finger and emulated what it would feel like when he finally gave her his cock. Kissing his way down her body, he sniffed at her pussy, relishing the aroma of her wetness. Pulling away her fingers, he licked her swiftly, sending a sudden jolt racing up her spine. With a soft growl, Strykar plunged his face into her pussy. Callia squealed as his tongue found her clit then poked into her dripping slit. He devoured her, bringing her to an almost instantaneous climax. Relentlessly, he licked, suckled and plunged his fingers back into her. Callia bucked her hips as her breathing came on short gasps. She panted heavily and cried out. His name lingered on her lips as another orgasm washed over her. She shook uncontrollably, lost in the intensity of their passion.

Callia grasped his hair, running her fingers through it. She attempted to pull him up to her, but found her strength had waned.

"Strykar," she whispered.

He rose above her and captured her lips in a stunning kiss. Callia could taste herself on his lips. It fueled her desire even higher. She sought out his cock, touching, stroking him, feeling its hardened strength. Hard as steel yet soft as velvet, she noticed her palm barely wrapped around it. He was indeed as large and as well endowed as he had looked. She pumped her hand, feeling him from base to tip. Strykar let out a moan of his own. He nestled himself between her legs and pulled her cock out of her hand.

"Are you ready for me?" he asked, as the tip of his cock skimmed over her pussy.

"Yessssssss...." Callia moaned and spread her thighs as wide as she could to accommodate him.

Slowly he entered her, allowing her to adjust to his size. "Tell me if I hurt you. I do not wish to cause you any pain," he whispered as he slowly sank his entire length into her.

Callia moaned in sheer delight. This was what she had been waiting for. From the moment she'd laid eyes on him, she had wanted him. "Yes," she blissfully sighed.

Strykar let out a moan that echoed hers. "Ah, my love, you feel so good. You fit me perfectly," he whispered, feeling her tighten around his shaft. "I knew you'd feel like this. So hot, so tight...."

He kept his thrusts gentle and deep, rocking into her slowly. She met his thrusts, moving her hips in time with him. She moaned as he repeatedly grazed her inner pleasure spot. She could feel her orgasm building with his every thrust. Callia squealed and clawed at his back, gripping his cock with her pussy muscles even tighter.