Gabriel Lawrence (wildhead) wrote in shadows_rpg, @ 2021-08-03 12:02:00 |
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Entry tags: | #june 2018, gabriel, gabriel x zania, zania |
Who: Zania and Gabriel
When: evening, Thursday, June 14th
Where: the spice shop, then home
Warning: turns NSFW
Status: complete
Since the salon and the spice shop had similar hours of operation, and weren’t located too far apart -- what was far apart in Point Pleasant, really? -- Gabriel often walked over to the Castells’ place once he’d closed up shop, if he knew Zania was working. It was a walk he enjoyed, and he’d started getting to know some of the people he often passed along the way. It was starting to feel more and more like home up here, especially now that the weather had gotten better. Mostly better anyway; he’d never needed to wear a jacket in June back in New Orleans, but Gabriel was adapting.
Today was one of those days, so once he’d swept up and killed all the lights, Gabriel slipped into a hoodie and locked the salon up. Anubis was right by his side as always, gazing up and down the street until Gabriel was ready to walk. Their stroll was pleasant but uneventful, and soon enough he was pushing the spice shop door open and stepping into that warm and rich-smelling air. It was a scent that was so closely tied to Zania in his mind, it always gave him a happy pang in the chest, and he smiled as he headed toward the counter to find her.
While the spice shop was never exactly busy, it had seen more traffic today than the previous three days combined. At first Zania thought it was coincidence, but as conversation continued to turn to the same event over and over, she realized it was all tied together. People died in Point Pleasant all the time, probably more often than normal. The local mortality rate was probably shocking. But she couldn’t recall the last time a witch had died from anything other than natural causes. Camila Ward’s death was anything but natural. The details in the paper had been sparse, leaving the rumor mill to fill in the gaps, and Zania was sure she’d heard every possible cause as people filed in to purchase supplies, most of them essential for increasing the strength of their wards. The precautions were probably unnecessary, but it proved good for business.
She looked up when the bell over the door rang, her hand stilling as she made notes on what needed restocking, then smiled when she laid eyes on Gabriel. This was her favorite way to end the day, with him sauntering into the store, keeping her company as she closed down and locked up. “Hey, you,” she smiled, coming around the counter to greet him. When she was close enough, she lifted up on her toes and pulled him down for a kiss. “Have a good day?”
Gabriel had heard something vague about a murder from a couple of his clients that day too, but none of them had been witches, so he hadn’t heard much detail. He was still something of a stranger in Point Pleasant too, considering he hadn’t been there a full year yet, it was taking a while for folks to warm up enough to confide in him. Gabriel kind of missed the gossip and chatter at his old barber shop, but he knew things would get more relaxed. In the meantime, the way Zania smiled at him made everything seem good, and Gabriel gave her a lazy little grin. He slipped his arms around her and kissed her back. “Mmhmm,” he hummed as she stole another smooch. “Just peachy. It shouldn’t be this fuckin’ cold in June, but what are you gonna do?” Gabriel chuckled. “Yours?”
Zania loved easy affection between them. It wasn’t something she’d always had, but she found it addicting, like she’d never be able to live without it now that she had a taste. She hummed against his lips, then reluctantly pulled back to finish closing up at the counter. “That’s what you get for moving to Maine,” she smiled, stopping to pet Anubis before continuing on. “Our hottest is probably like a pleasant spring day in New Orleans.” She had a better idea now that she’d visited. She thought she might love the summers in short spans, but wasn’t sure she could stand the heat long term. Then again, if that seemed like a real possibility, she’d find a way to make it work. “Been kind of a weird day. Busy. Lots of gossip going around.”
He chuckled his agreement about the weather as he followed Zania to the other side of the counter. Gabriel perched on the stool back there, lounging a bit while she finished up. “Oh yeah?” he prompted curiously. “What kinda gossip?” Since the spice shop was far more magic oriented than his own place, he wondered if the stuff Zania had been hearing was of the supernatural variety. Things had been pretty quiet in this town for a while, but Zania had warned him more than once that was unusual. It seemed to make everybody kind of nervous.
“A local witch died yesterday,” Zania said, her focus on Gabriel despite her original intent to close up. “Camila Ward. Earth witch. She came in every so often, bought pretty run of the mill supplies, but nothing that made me think she was into anything interesting. The paper says no forced entry, undetermined cause of death, but rumor is her eyes had gone completely white and all her teeth had fallen out.” She wanted to know if the teeth had been taken or not, but that wasn’t something anyone seemed to know. Zania was willing to bet Harper Lyttle Wolf would know for sure, but she hadn’t taken the time to call and ask. There was a chance that she wouldn’t tell her if it was an open investigation, but she was betting she would bend the law a bit under these circumstances. “A number of the local witches are… worried.”
Gabriel’s eyebrows crept up toward his hairline as Zania talked, and he couldn’t help but pull a face at what she said about the woman’s teeth and eyes. “Her eyes turned white? What the fuck,” he murmured softly, mostly to himself. “That’s some bad juju, cherie. A couple clients mentioned a murder to me today, but I didn’t ask a lotta questions, and nobody said shit about that, wow. Did you know her, or her family?” Most of the witches in this town seemed to know one another really well, and he wanted to give condolences to Zania if Camila had been a casual friend or anything like that. Gabriel didn’t think he’d met her, but his Zan knew a lot of people, so it was possible he’d forgotten.
“I knew her as a customer, but not socially,” Zania said, trying to recall what she knew about the woman. “She was older than me, so we didn’t run around in school or anything. And her family’s not really involved like the Six are. I don’t think they practiced a lot, but I can’t imagine them not having basic wards up.” Not that that stopped everyone and everything, but it would be foolish to live in Point Pleasant and not have some kind of magical protection if you were capable of it. The event didn’t upset her so much as creep her out, the lack of answers making her feel somewhat vulnerable. “I doubt some of the weirder aspects are common knowledge, but my shop kind of becomes a gossip hub when something supernatural is involved. It makes me want to go home and reinforce the wards, maybe check some of the local ley lines. How did you guys handle bad juju back home?”
It was selfish, but part of Gabriel was relieved that this hadn’t been some close friend of hers or something. He was sure she would’ve been more upset if that was the case, but still. The family had already been through hell, they didn’t need more of it. He pursed his lips and hummed a bit at her question. “I had plenty of wards, kept them small eyes open everywhere,” he said. Gabriel gave a little half-smile and made a wavy snake gesture with his hand. “But there’s a lotta bad juju down there naturally, you know? It’s kind of like here, but ... more southern flavored, I suppose. It’s not goin’ anywhere, you just learn to live alongside it, try not to cross it. Maybe this lady got into some dark magic, pissed off the wrong entity.” It definitely sounded like something supernatural had killed her -- it was the eye thing. Any psycho could’ve taken her teeth, but all white eyes? It was weird.
“Maybe,” Zania said. “It’s entirely possible to trigger something without even knowing it. I should know.” She thought of how simple it had been, just breaking a seal, and shuddered. Ridding herself of a demon had fucked up her eyes, but it was a much smaller cost than her life. It stood to reason that Camila could have been tied up in something similar, but hopefully her death would be the end of it. The alternative was a road Zania refused to go down without reason. She was not the sort to live in fear. “There’s a lot that happens around here that we never have answers to. It’s sad, and frustrating, but this could be one of those times. But if anyone knows anything, I’m sure it’ll come around eventually. We’ve just gotta keep our ears and eyes open, us and all your little creatures,” she said with a little smile.
The first part made Gabriel snerk and nod -- he’d seen first hand what Zania had been through with that curse, and he knew she hadn’t intended to do any of it. At least it hadn’t killed her, like it might have done to this poor woman. Gabriel smiled warmly back at her, hoping to be reassuring in the face of forces that couldn’t always be protected against. “I got as many eyes and ears as you need, babygirl,” he murmured. Gabriel stood up from where he’d plopped down and wrapped his arms around her for a gentle squeeze. “Hopefully it’s a one time thing. We’ll do what we do to protect ourselves, see what happens, you know? It’ll be okay.” He pressed a kiss against her head. Zania wasn’t a woman who liked or needed to be babied -- something he found very sexy, of course -- but everybody needed reassurance sometimes.
It was nice to have someone who could listen and be chill about the situation, especially since that was the opposite of what Zania had been dealing with all day. She didn’t like the lack of answers as much as the next person, but she refused to let herself get all worked up about it. There was probably nothing to worry about, but even if there was, there was nothing she could do about it that she wasn’t already doing. “I know,” she smiled, leaning into Gabriel’s hold, hugging him back. “I feel good about the protections in place. And I’ve got good people around me. I’m sure we’ll be fine.” Their property had been in the Castell family for so long that the wards had soaked into the foundation of the house itself. It would be difficult for anyone intending to harm them to step through the door, let alone get their hands on her.
Gabriel didn’t much see the point in getting worked up over that kind of mystery. It wasn’t like there were actionable things they could do when they had no idea what had happened in the first place. He understood that events like that tended to cause a tizzy in a community, he was just glad it wasn’t a tizzy that would infect their house. He gave Zania a lazy smile and gave her a smooch before he pulled away. “Now, what can I do to help you close up?” he asked, glancing around them. “You want me to sweep or what?” The sooner they could lock the doors, the sooner they’d be home and more comfortable, and Gabriel could get Zania feeling all distracted in their favorite ways.
Zania looked around the shop, trying to decide what needed attending to tonight and what could wait until tomorrow. “Could you get me a count of how many candles I’ve got left? The black and the red. I can sweep tomorrow, but if I’m low on stock I want to make sure to get those ordered tonight. I just need to close out the register, then we can lock up.” Luckily, candles were easy to acquire and all she had to do was purify them before sale. It wasn’t necessary for the non-witching community, but Zania didn’t like to sell anything to her witchy customers that wasn’t clean and ready for use. It was just good business. “I got a new dress for the party Friday night,” she smiled up at him as she began to shut things down. “I think you’ll like it.”
He nodded at his marching orders and started toward where the candles were kept. Gabrial shot her a grin at Zania’s mention of a dress. He’d almost forgotten that they were attending another Event that weekend. A country club normally wouldn’t be his scene at all, but it was fun sometimes to get dressed up in his own particular style and mingle with the boring white people. He and Zania always stood out, and Gabriel loved it. “Oh yeah?” he asked, intrigued. “Do I get to see it first? Or you wanna surprise me?” He started counting, lips moving silently as he tallied up her stock.
Zania hummed as if she was thinking about the answer. “Maybe,” she purred. “It’s short and red. So long as you like it as much the second time around, I’m sure you can have a preview.” She didn’t always enjoy the Overlook parties, but they were an excuse to get dressed up and they did occasionally help her business. Not the tea side, mind you, but there was always someone who needed something, but hadn’t quite made it into the store. Having Gabriel at her side made it far more enjoyable and she knew she’d spend most of the party looking forward to the afterparty in their bedroom. Maybe the dress should have been a surprise, but she was sure she could find something to make it special for the night of the event.
Short and red sounded promising, Gabriel liked seeing Zania in both of those things. Half-grinning, he finished counting and came back to the counter, sliding a pad of paper closer to him to jot down the numbers for her. Then he slouched against the counter’s edge again and looked Zania up and down appreciatively. “I dunno man, now I kinda want to get the whole package reveal the night of,” he murmured. “It’s what, tomorrow? Saturday?” She would be hot as fuck no matter what she wore, and Gabriel was sure she would be more than happy to strip it all off once they got home from the event. “Is Nic comin’?”
“Let’s keep it a surprise then,” Zania grinned, glancing up at him as she checked over the numbers and made a little note in her notebook. It would be more fun with her hair and makeup all done, so she was fine with waiting, aware she’d be spending the evening anticipating their return home. “It’s tomorrow night, at the country club, because that’s, like, the only venue people use for that sort of thing. Nic’s kind of up in the air about it. Like, I know it’s not your thing, but it’s even less Lem’s thing, so I think he’s trying to decide if it’s worth the hassle.” She hoped he would go, but more because she thought it would be good for him to get out and do something that wasn’t at the house or the shop. She honestly wasn’t sure who Nic would talk to besides her and Gabriel, so she got that he might want to pass on this one.
One day wasn’t too long to wait to see his already-hot girlfriend all gussied up, Gabriel was sure he could be patient until the next night. “Yeah,” he said slowly, the word followed by a soft chuckle. “I can’t even really picture her in a dress. That lil girl’s weird.” Lem was weird for many other reasons besides her wardrobe, of course, and Gabriel’s tone was mild and had a touch of respect. He tended to like weird people, but he hadn’t quite figured Nic’s girlfriend out yet. Since Zania wasn’t writing or counting anymore, Gabriel slipped his arms around her waist to love on her again for a minute. “Whether they go or not, we’ll have a damn good time,” Gabriel murmured, giving Zania’s ear a nuzzle. “And an even better time after.”
“Yeah, but I like her,” Zania grinned. “She means a lot to Nic. I’m glad things seem to be getting back to normal with them.” She knew it wasn’t that simple, that normal wasn’t just going to happen because Vex and the rest of them had returned, but things had improved drastically for both of them. And for the first time in forever, Nic seemed to be looking at what he wanted for his future. She didn’t know where that would take him, but it was something. As Gabriel’s arms wrapped around Zania, she leaned into his hold, humming as she smiled. It always felt good to be in his arms. “I’m looking forward to it,” she grinned. She’d have to talk Nic into staying with Lem that night. Even with a few noiseless charms in place, she wanted the house to themselves.
Gabriel was also happy that things were looking up for Nic and their weird neighbors. He liked them too, he just didn’t know them as well as the Castells. But in any case, his quasi-brother-in-law seemed much happier these days than he had in months, and that was always a good thing. Especially because it seemed to make Zania happier too. His girl’s happiness had become one of Gabriel’s biggest priorities. He gave a deep chuckle and kissed her cheek a couple of times before letting her go again. “C’mon, let’s get home so I can spoil you,” he said, patting her ass gently. “Got some steak marinating in the fridge ... plenty’a good dessert for after.” Gabriel grinned suggestively.
Zania knew her living situation wasn’t conventional, but when had her life ever been? Maybe it wasn’t ideal long term, but for the moment she had the people she cared about closest to her and that suited her just fine. Asking Gabriel to move in with her was one of the best decisions she’d ever made. It had been good to have him there for all the months that Nic and Lem were suffering, as her own support system. Now they could go home together, dine on the delicious meal that Gabriel had planned, and crawl into bed together. It was just about perfect. “I love it when you spoil me,” she smirked, watching the way their auras weaved together when they were close. It was even more fascinating when they were in bed, bodies intertwined, but she was rarely able to focus at that point. Gabriel’s version of dessert tended to do that to her, and with that on her mind, they might just have to skip the meal and have dessert first. She doubted he would mind. “Let’s go,” she grinned. “Now I’m hungry.”
Living with Zania and Nic was far better than living on his own or with his auntie, in Gabriel’s opinion. There was always company around, he and Nic got along fine, and he rather enjoyed doing a lot of the cooking for the household. Sure, sometimes he wished for a little more privacy, but sometimes having to restrain themselves was fun. “Let’s go,” Gabriel agreed. He waited patiently while Zania got her stuff and locked up the shop, so they could climb into the car and head out. Gabriel couldn’t help but flirt with her a bit more in the car, which led to some light groping, and by the time they pulled up at the house he felt more horny than hungry himself. “So am I goin’ to the kitchen or the bedroom first?” he asked, flashing Zania a grin as he cut the car engine.
It was amazing how he could turn her mood around, how the day could be filled with fear-fueled whispers and still end with them groping like horny teenagers. Truth be told, that was one of the things she loved about him. They could have a comfortable, adult-like relationship, yet still have the fire and the passion that seemed to dwindle in relationships as they got older. Even after six months and everything they’d been through, he could still get her wound up in a matter of minutes. Seconds, probably. Zania wouldn’t put it past him. “Bedroom,” she smirked, reaching for him and pulling him into a kiss that would’ve been an answer in itself. “I think dinner can wait a bit longer, don’t you?”
Gabriel still felt like they were in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, even if it was one of the longest he’d ever been in already. He knew it was different with everybody, maybe this honeymoon would last a long time. Surely they would eventually have challenges and hard times, but Gabriel still had a good feeling about the two of them trying to work it out instead of splitting apart. He’d definitely never been with anyone he wanted to stay with so strongly. And damn did he feel it keenly in his body when she kissed him like that. “Mmm,” Gabriel hummed, lingering close to her lips for a moment. “You’re gonna need room service once I’m done with you, girl.” He grinned and gave Zania’s bottom lip a playful nip, then pulled away to climb out of the car. He was ready to get upstairs with her.
“Well, that’s nothing to complain about,” Zania snickered, climbing out of the car so they could move towards the house. If not, she might just jump him in the car, something that would probably be far more uncomfortable than she remembered it being when she was younger. There was no reason to fool around in the car when they had a perfectly good bedroom to retire to. Yet getting there patiently, without distraction, seemed beyond her. She couldn’t just hold his hand, she had to pull him against her as they walked up the front steps, lingering where she could be a step up from him, kiss him on his level. Her teeth scraped across his bottom lip and she relished in the feeling of his body pressed against hers, trying to remind herself how much better it would be without clothes if she could only get them up the stairs.
Gabriel had been in a few brief-but-boring relationships, and the contrast to the chemistry he had with Zan was amazing. He didn’t think he’d ever been with someone who was so happily in touch with her sexuality. It always made his own fires burn hotter. Gabriel indulged the kiss on the stairs, his hands roaming over Zania’s back and sides and ass while it was all in easy reach. If he’d been more sure of his balance, or they were already up the interior stairs, he would’ve snatched her up to carry to the bedroom, but it was a bit far to risk from where they were now. Instead Gabriel gave a low groan against her lips and squeezed both sides of her ass tight before he broke the kiss off. “You’re tryin’ to get me arrested for public indecency,” he murmured with a grin. His jeans felt far too tight in the front now, but there wasn’t much to be done about it outside. “Get that cute ass inside.” He gave it another little smack before he let her go.
Zania moaned softly as Gabriel squeezed her ass, unconcerned with who might catch sight of them. Her neighbors? She doubted Lem and Vex gave a shit, and the rest of her neighbors kept to themselves. That wasn’t a good enough reason to put on a show though. She pushed her body against him, snickering as she teased, then pulled back to hurry up the steps and to the door. Nic was already home, so the door was unlocked, but there was no telling where he was and she didn’t care to find out. Her focus was on Gabriel and getting him up to her room as quickly as possible. Someday they wouldn’t have to make it that far, the wall inside the entryway would be good enough, but she wanted privacy no matter how impatient she was feeling at the moment.
He wasn’t sure how Nic dealt with their couple-ness in the house besides maybe some good headphones and discretion, but Gabriel definitely didn’t want to make the guy feel uncomfortable in the shared areas of his own home. He was well aware of how much of a newcomer he was to the Castell family, and he was grateful that Nic had accepted him so readily and been so cool. Not that Zania’s brother was very much on his mind at the moment, as they made their way up the steps. Anubis had followed them inside, and Gabriel mentally told him to go about his business and chill downstairs. As soon as that bedroom door was closed and locked behind them, Gabriel shed his jacket and moved to strip his shirt off too while his feet worked on sliding out of his sneakers. He was more than ready to feel his girl’s skin against his own.
Zania was pretty sure that Nic would throw up a spell to keep all outside noises out. It was something she would’ve done herself, except she was too preoccupied with stripping herself of her shirt and shoes before shimmying out of her jeans. As much as she loved it when Gabriel undressed her, she was feeling far too impatient for that kind of slow build. Plus, her jeans were tight and much easier to remove herself. It only took a second before her hands were back on him, unfastening his pants as she attempted to kiss him and pull him towards the bed at the same time. It probably would’ve made more sense to do one and then the other, but where was the fun in that? She laughed when her ass hit the mattress and slid her hand into his pants, wrapping her fingers around his cock. God, he was so delicious to the touch, she was practically salivating in anticipation.
He’d been impressed before with the speed at which Zania could undress. It was like a magic trick. Gabriel laughed softly when she advanced on him again, fully bare while he hadn’t even gotten his jeans off yet. He bent down to kiss her and shuffled along in the direction she was pulling -- they’d proven themselves to be good multitaskers already. It delighted and aroused Gabriel that Zania was so impatiently horny, and his cock was already halfway hard by the time Zania got her hand around it. He hooked his thumbs into his waistbands and pushed his jeans down. His were fairly tight too and it took a little maneuvering to get them off but finally he was naked with her, both of his hands finding her ass to pull her in closer as he claimed her mouth again.
Zania knew she should try to be more patient, that there were some men who preferred to take the lead and didn’t enjoy a woman steering him this way or that. Luckily, Gabriel had never shown him to be that sort of man because Zania didn’t give a shit. She knew what she wanted, so why was it necessary to slow down and play coy? Besides, it was an absolute delight to feel him swell in her hand and know it was just for her, the way she touched him and the way she looked. She moaned softly when he captured her mouth again, glad to finally be rid of their clothing, and melted against him as he grabbed her ass. Now was the time that she didn’t mind slowing down a little bit, now that they had their clothes off and could really enjoy each other’s bodies instead of fumbling along with their clothes. The time was much better spent in her opinion.
Gabriel had always been a ‘go with the flow’ kind of guy, especially when it came to sex. Sometimes he felt more dominant and assertive, sometimes he was happy to be directed and taken, and he thought he and Zania had reached a good place where they could communicate those desires without having to hash it out verbally. Plus, who didn’t like knowing they were wanted by their person? It just felt damn sexy. Gabriel kissed her deeply, his hands kneading her ass cheeks for a moment. They were naked now, but still standing up, and he was ready to fix that part. He moved his hands to Zania’s waist and lifted her up to put her on the bed, crawling up after her a second later. Hovering with his body over hers, he kissed her mouth one more time before he started trailing his lips down her neck and chest. He gave a soft little groan as he caught one of her nipples with his teeth and sucked for a moment.
Zania loved how attentive Gabriel was to her needs and, though she always tried to do the same for him, sometimes he made it difficult. Like when he started kissing down her neck and chest, she found it hard to do much more than enjoy his mouth on her skin. She reached for him, touching him wherever she could, but as he moved down her body, his cock moved out of her reach, and she was forced to enjoy his mouth on her tits while she pawed at him eagerly. Not that she was complaining. His teeth on her nipples wrung a moan from her lips and she could feel warmth begin to spread between her legs. She pressed them together, seeking some kind of friction, but tried her best to be patient and enjoy the burn of arousal that spread throughout her body as he worked on her nipples with tongue and teeth.
One of Gabriel’s top needs was to please his woman, so he never felt shorted or left out when he got to lavish her with pleasure. She was always so responsive and active, making her feel good was a delight for him too, and Zania never left him unsatisfied. Gabriel feasted at her breasts for a little while, caressing and toying with them with one hand while his mouth played with her nipples. After a moment he skated those fingers down her stomach to slip between her thighs, his palm resting against her mound as he found her clit. She was already giving off so much heat, he was more than a little tempted to just bury his cock inside of her, but everything was better when done with finesse. Gabriel started to rub her slow and gentle, almost a tease, his dark eyes opening to glance up at her face.
Zania moaned softly, arching towards his mouth as he worked her nipples into tight little buds. Before she could get to the point of squirming beneath him, she felt his hand skim down her body and she hummed in approval. Gabriel was such an attentive lover, always seeing to her needs, sometimes before she could voice them. She was already wet when his fingers slipped between her folds and she groaned at the touch, pressing her hips into his hand. She knew she was being needy, but Gabriel had never complained and she would make sure he enjoyed himself as well. It was just nice to sit back and enjoy on occasion, especially with a lover who could satisfy her so completely.
She didn’t seem needy in the slightest to Gabriel -- he wanted to give her pleasure, to get her all worked up and desperate for more of him, that was all part of foreplay, in his opinion. Not to mention he happened to love the way her pussy felt under his fingers, and the way she arched and moaned and breathed. Zania was sexy to him in any state of being, but having his woman stretched out naked before him, already squirmy with pleasure, was an event to indulge in. Gabriel released her breast and moved his mouth back up to Zania’s, kissing her deep as he stroked at her slick flesh with a bit more purpose. After a moment he slipped one finger into her and let out a soft groan in his throat, nipping lightly at her full bottom lip.
Gabriel had the best hands, Zania thought as she writhed beneath him. He knew how to touch her, how to tease her, how to stroke her with just the right amount of pressure—not too hard, and not too soft. He was taking things slower than necessary, and it resulted in her becoming more desperate for him, pushing back onto his finger, already hoping for more. “Fuck,” she gasped, her hands moving to brace herself on his arms, enjoying the feeling of strong muscle beneath his skin. She pulled one knee up as she kissed him, wrapping her leg over Gabriel’s body, attempting to pull him closer. As good as those fingers were, she wanted more.
Gabriel was powerless to argue with that sort of body language, burning for Zania just as much as she was for him. He loved the way she touched him, never failing to make him feel sexy and desired, which he’d always believed was important for both partners. Gabriel moved his hand from Zania’s body to his cock, guiding himself to her slick heat even as he rolled on top of her. A second later he was pushing in deep, and a low moan escaped him as she enveloped him. “Ohmygod, babygirl,” he whispered, grinding against her a bit. Gabriel’s lips met hers again, but he was already feeling a little breathless, so it didn’t last long before he moved his mouth down to kiss and nip at Zania’s neck.
Zania had always loved how perfectly aligned they seemed to be in their needs. Gabriel never left her wanting, never made her wait when she couldn’t wait any longer, and was always ready for more right when she needed him. She loved foreplay, especially when he went down on her, but there were times when she was too impatient to have him inside her. There was nothing like that connection, not just of their bodies, but of their spirit—of their magic. She moaned as he slid into her, filling her so completely, and met his lips with a breathlessness of her own. “Gabriel,” she murmured his name as she ground against him, arching into his touch, his mouth on her neck. “So good, babe.”
Even if the two of them didn’t last -- and he was starting to think they would -- Gabriel didn’t think he could ever go back to fucking non-witches. That feeling of having a part of him even more intimate than his body tangled up in another person’s essence ... it was addictive. He’d never felt closer to anyone in his life, and so far that felt nothing but good. Gabriel nipped lightly at the top of Zania’s creamy shoulder as he started to roll his hips. The friction sent delicious shivers down Gabriel’s spine, and he felt his body getting hotter, as it always did when he was basking in Zania’s fire. Gabriel shifted his knees a bit and began to thrust with more purpose, though he still paced himself for the moment. It would be really easy to lose control with how damn good everything felt.
There was definitely something special about being with another witch, an additional level of intimacy that Zania had never found with a normal human. At one point in her life she’d been curious about others, the psychics and whatnot, and if she’d be able to feel them the same way, but she doubted she’d ever know for sure. She certainly wasn’t willing to give up what she had to find out. Gabriel was a man like no other, who managed to encourage her passionate side without riling up her darker urges. Every time he touched her, her fire burned hotter, yet he kept her grounded at the same time. She shifted beneath him, an active participant in their coupling, her eyes glazed as she watched their auras intertwine and merge. It was beautiful, gorgeous really, but she couldn’t focus on it when he was pushing her steadily towards orgasm.
When Gabriel had more or less run away from New Orleans, he certainly hadn’t expected to find this where he landed. He’d had plenty of girlfriends in passing throughout the years, but nobody had ever made him feel like Zania did. She was wild and fierce and fully her own person, and she’d brought fire into his life -- it hadn’t been boring before, obviously, but these days he felt more positive excitement than anything else. And goddamn, the sex was fantastic. Gabriel moved with her, the pleasure-knot inside of him twisting tighter as his hips worked against Zania’s. He could tell by the way her body gripped him that it was feeling good for her too, and Gabriel let her pleasure amp up his own. As much as he wanted to stare at her face, it was getting harder to keep his eyes open, along with harder to breathe, and Gabriel let his bow down next to hers so his mouth was close to her ear. “You feel so good,” he whispered to her, punctuating it with another groan as his thrusts got quicker and hungrier.
Zania wanted to tell him how amazing he was, how he made her body sing in a way that she was positive no one else ever had. She’d had good sex before him, the best always with other witches, but the level of trust he’d earned from her completely raised the bar. Maybe that was why the connection was so strong, because it wasn’t just physical, but mental and emotional, possibly at the soul level. She didn’t know if such a thing existed, but she’d believe it with the way he made her feel. She wanted to tell him, but the pleasure was so much that words failed her. She cursed and moaned, clung to him as he sped up, her own body rocking beneath his to match the rhythm. There was no way to stop the cliff she was running towards and, by god, she didn’t want to. She gasped his name as her body began to tremble and clench around him, her back arching off the bed and her nails digging into his shoulders. Her orgasm hit hard and, if she’d had her eyes open, she’d have marveled at the colors that exploded all around them, auras fully intertwined in the moment, but it was too much. She couldn’t look; all she could do was feel and it was fantastic.
As much as he would love to hear all of that, Gabriel felt it already, and sometimes that was more powerful. He’d enjoyed plenty of sex in the past, and always thought he was pretty good at it, but he’d never had experiences as powerful as he did with Zania. Maybe it was being in love with her, maybe it was the way their magic interacted, or maybe those two things were tied up together too, Gabriel didn’t know. He just knew he was hooked as fuck on her. He couldn’t hold out through her intense orgasm, all the additional clenching and bucking and even the sting from her fingernails drove him over his own edge. He pounded into her for a few more shaky thrusts, his low groans mingling with Zania’s noises, and then bliss flooded Gabriel’s body as he came with her. He saw sparkles behind his closed eyes, and it felt like every cell in his body was popping with pleasure, his cock pulsing sweetly inside of her. Gabriel rode the wave as long as he could, until everything started to relax and he could look at her again, a dopey little half-grin on his face.
There was nothing quite as intense as a shared orgasm and it left Zania completely spent by the time she began to catch her breath. She felt both heavy and weightless, unable to move, though her fingers gently stroked Gabriel’s arms where she’d clung to him moments before, soothing the little bite marks her nails had left in his skin. Eventually she nuzzled into him, meeting his little grin with a smile of her own. “You’re incredible,” she murmured, then closed her eyes as she rested her forehead against his. She wasn’t really tired, but it felt good just to rest there against him until her body felt capable of moving again. “Love you,” she said softly, then pressed a little kiss to his lips. The more often she said it, the more she began to doubt there would ever be anyone else.
It was such a nice mindless space to be in -- that happy warmth suffused through his whole body, the weirdly comforting sensation of his erection fading inside of her, knowing Zan was just as satisfied as he was. It always felt like their magic was cuddling too, earth and fire tangled comfortably together. “Love you more,” he murmured against her lips, his standard answer. She wasn’t the first girl he’d said those words to, but Gabriel had never meant them as much. Or at least not in the same way. He kissed her a few more times, soft and slow, then pulled back enough to look down at her. “I do, y’know,” he said softly, shifting one hand up to toy with a dreadlock at the side of her head. “Love you. I never felt like this about nobody else.”
“Not possible,” Zania grinned against his lips. She loved that response from him. Every single time. It never got old. Her own response varied, but tonight’s was the most common. She didn’t doubt his love for a second, but it was sometimes hard to believe he loved her as hard as she loved him. But that was her own quiet insecurity, the one that worried she wasn’t enough. It was a weird space to be in, aware that she was often too much for other people. Too much, or not enough. But with Gabriel, things really did seem to be just right. She looked up at him with sleepy eyes, lazy even if she wasn’t really tired. “Me neither,” she said softly. She’d loved other men, but not like this. Not so completely, and she wondered if she wasn’t lacking some form of common sense. She should be scared, but she wasn’t.
Gabriel had been raised mostly by women, and he’d had a lot of female friends back home, and he’d seen too many of them try to shrink or contort themselves to fit others’ expectations. It always made him a little sad. Zania was A Lot sometimes, willful and blunt and powerful like a wildfire, and Gabriel loved her that way. She was bright and brilliant, and even if that made some weak-ass people flinch, anything less wouldn’t be Zan. Her simple answer made him smile again, and he pressed another lingering kiss to her lips. Part of Gabriel wanted to just flop down on top of her and doze off for a couple of hours, but he knew that wouldn’t end up comfortable for either of them. So with a soft sigh, he started to disengage their bodies so he could stretch out at her side. “You gettin’ hungry yet?” he murmured.
Zania was glad that her answer was enough for him, that he could accept it as the truth without needing more information to back it up. She didn’t like to talk about her past relationships, especially since some of those men were still in her life. What mattered was that they were in her past and that she loved Gabriel now, loved him more than she’d ever loved any of them. She hadn’t even realized something like this was possible for her. It made her possessive, almost greedy, but she thought she could manage it. Zania stretched as he climbed off of her, then looked over at him with a smile. “A little,” she said. “I thought I might take a quick shower. Wanna join me? Or were you thinking about napping?” As nice as it might be to doze right now, if she did she knew she’d wake up in the middle of the night, starving and wide awake.
As a man with his own extensive past, Gabriel didn’t feel the need for them to deep dive into their previous relationships. None of that shit mattered anymore. Gabriel was happy not even knowing who in town Zania had been with in the past -- it was small as hell, he was sure he’d encountered some exes by now. He didn’t care. Zania was his now and vice versa, they made a good team and made one another happy, and that was all he cared about. “Might be lazy for another few minutes,” he told her with a lopsided smile. “Then I’ll get my ass up and start cooking.” He never felt obligated to do so, and it was clear in his tone that it was something he wanted to do and wasn’t put out.
If Gabriel hadn’t been interested in cooking, Zania would’ve happily taken it over for him, but she enjoyed his cooking far more than her own and he seemed to enjoy doing it. Maybe she could show him her appreciation by whipping up something fun for dessert. She’d have to think about it. “No rush,” Zania said, smiling warmly at him before giving him a soft, slow kiss, then climbing off the bed. She loved being lazy in bed with Gabriel, but knew that if she started now, there’d be no getting her up later. And as lovely as that sounded, she had things she wanted to do tonight before settling into bed. “I’ll see you in a few,” she said, letting her gaze drift over him before slipping into the bathroom.