Fan Fiction ❯ The Fragile (No One Like You: Revisited) ❯ Underneath It All ( Chapter 3 )

Elise had pulled a chair over to her window. She sat staring into the town below. It was quiet, partially because it was six in the morning, and partially because this town was full of demon activity that scared to townspeople. But that's why she was here, living with Dante, in near bliss. Contrary to popular belief, he was a gentleman. When he wanted to be. But, just then, her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the open door. She jumped at the sound of it because he never got up before nine. And when it was absolutely necessary, she had to practically assault him to get him up.

"My, aren't we awfully jumpy today?" He asked with a smile, leaning on the frame of the door.

"Only because you're never up this early."

"Couldn't help but be."

"Why?" Elise turned around in the seat to face him.

He walked over. "Couldn't sleep."

"Again?"

"Yep."

"I guess you have some serious problems."

"Then so do you." He said as he sat himself down on the edge of her bed.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Why is that?" Asked Dante.

"What?"

"Yours."

"Oh, um, I think they're a warning."

"A warning for what?"

"Sarlone."

"Jesus, I'm so sick of hearing about that bastard."

"I'm sorry, but you don't understand what he can do."

"Then why don't you tell me?"

"Because it's more than a matter of telling, it's actually comprehending. And you can't because you've never been there. You don't know what it's like to have it done to you or to your greatest partner." Elise was more concerned than angry, but her tone made that doubtable. "The thing is, I want you to understand but I don't want you to have to go through everything that comes along with that."

"Hey, I didn't mean to…"

"I know. I thought you might've realized by now that when it comes to him my temper and patience are short."

"I see that now."

Elise looked into his eyes and saw something else that was worrying him, besides the dream. "What happened this morning?"

"Nothing."

She got up and went over to sit down right next to him. "It was something. And don't lie to me."

"Got a phone call."

"From who?"

"Prank."

"Really? Was that the only one…?"

He started to say yes but switched to the truthful answer. "It was Sarlone."

"What did he want?"

"He just wanted to `talk.'"

"Yeah," she said, turning away. "It's just talk he wants."

Late that night, or early the next morning…

As he slowly opened the door to Elise's room he thought to himself how beautiful she truly was under the moonlight. Just something he wanted to hold and be close to. Something he wanted so badly he could barely contain himself. He carefully stepped through the doorframe and turned his back to her, closing the door. Dante had no idea why he was doing what he was, except that he loved this woman. And he didn't know why he did that. He had never loved anyone like this before and he guaranteed himself he'd never do it again.

Kneeling down next to the side of her bed, he reached his hand out to touch her. But he was stopped as Elise whipped around and grabbed his hand. "Couldn't sleep?"

He shook his head. But she wouldn't let go of his hand. Sensing something was wrong, Elise moved so she could see Dante under the small amount of light in the room. What little bit of clothing he was wearing was clinging to his perfect body. Her lips crept into a slight smile as she noticed that his boxers were doing the same. Looking back up to his face she saw that his hair was sticking slightly to the sides of it, so she stretched her arm out and lightly teased his scalp with her fingernails. Then, she ruffled his hair, setting it free again. Dante looked at her, questioningly, but she tugged on his arm. "Come here," she said.

He was unsure but he climbed up next to her anyway. Elise pulled over the blanket and, after he'd lain down, threw them across his body. "Try." She said as she rested herself on her right side, facing him. Grabbing his hand in her own, in a tight grip telling him she didn't plan on letting go anytime soon, Elise placed her arm over his chest.

"Okay?"

Dante looked over at her. "Yeah, I will."

He lay there for a minute until he realized how hot it was. Releasing himself from her grip, Dante sat up. He understood that he might have been about to do something very stupid and suggestive but he reached down and pulled his shirt over his head, anyway. Fully doubting himself, he laid down next to her to find that she'd rolled over, presenting him with her back. Dante reached out and touched her shoulder. She didn't move.

At any time he could face an army of demons without an ounce of fear or worry but when it came to things, like this, with Elise he was terrified. But he gathered up his courage and moved to spoon himself to her back. He slipped his right arm around her waist and pressed his cheek to her nape and closed his eyes. Having known her for only two months, Dante wondered how he could possibly love her this much. Then again, he never understood matters like love. They confused him.

Elise slowly opened her eyes, trying not to attract his attention. She didn't know if he was aware of it, because of how silent and peaceful he sounded, but he was hard. And she knew he was awake so she decided to see how far she could take him without really "doing" anything sexually. So, she started off by grabbing his hand again. Dante sprang up, practically throwing the blanket off of himself in the same movement.

"You're awake." He said almost like a question, not wanting to believe she was.

"I have been."

"Then… I…" Dante pulled his arm away and pushed himself back, so his right foot touched the wooden floor and he sat on his left.

"Dante, it's not a big deal."

"Right. Whatever you say." He looked away so he didn't have to show his embarrassed expression. "It may not be to you but… you don't get it."

Not liking the Dante she saw and wanting him to do that again, Elise touched his knee. Dante didn't respond so she went a little further. She slid four fingers up his leg, under the thin fabric of his boxers. Pulling her hand together in a fist, brought Dante's attention to her, but, before he could do anything to stop her, she tugged down a little, exposing the top of his hipbone. "I think I get it perfectly." She said as she brought out her forefinger and pointed it to his crotch.

Dante didn't even have to look to know that she was pointing at an erection. His erection. While he grabbed out for the sheets to cover himself with, he saw a smile on her face. Not understanding, he pulled them but found that she was not allowing that to happen. "Why are you ashamed?"

"Because I should be," Dante said as Elise let go, permitting him to hide himself. Then he fell back on the bed, sighing.

Elise was upset because she knew he wasn't coming back into that position again. So, taking matters into her own hands, she grabbed his right hip and pulled him over onto his left side. Dante started to protest but she silenced him by pressing her back against his chest, as he'd done earlier. Finally realizing how much she wanted it, Dante pressed his knees into the back of hers and wrapped his arm around her waist again. Elise reached behind her and squeezed his upper thigh, after she pushed his boxers up as far up his leg as she could get them to go. As he softly moaned while he pressed his erection against her, Dante brushed the hair away from her neck and kissed the soft flesh. Then he propped himself up on his elbow and started to plant soft kisses trailing from her neck to her mouth. And, there, she encouraged more by pressing her lips firmly against his. Elise rolled over, allowing Dante to shift so he was half-covering her.

"Still ashamed?" Asked Elise as he pulled back to take a breath after a few minutes where his lips never left hers.

Dante cupped her cheeks in his hands. "No" He kissed her again.

As she slipped her tongue through his lips she heard another moan escape from him. Elise was taking him and she knew it and loved every minute of it. She started to explore his mouth but stopped and drew back. "What is it?" Dante asked, worried but impatient.

"I just thought about something… but it's nothing." She quickly added.

"What did you think of?"

"…Sarlone." She spoke softly, not daring to look at Dante.

"Can we worry about him in the morning? Because I don't think he understands this." He said as he nodded his head toward his crotch.

Elise laughed and slipped her hand inside his boxers, resting them on his hipbones. "I think he does but we can wait to discuss him. I think there's more important business to take care of, right now."

After only a few months of being with this man, Elise had built up such an attraction to him. With every other guy she liked she had been able to hold it in but Dante… he was a different story. Under the pale moonlight shining in through the window, his hair was shining a brilliant shade of silver. It made him seem like an angel. And Elise had always thought that there was no way on Earth that he could be half-demon. According to her he should've have been half angel.

In a quick movement Elise pushed him onto his back and pinned him to the mattress. A sly smile crossed his face. "You like that don't you?" She asked as she slid his boxers down. He nodded eagerly. So she pulled them all the way down to his ankles, where he kicked them off. Wanting him more badly then ever, Elise reached down to touch him but he leaned forward, grabbed her waist, and pulled her down, devouring her mouth. Slowly, Elise slid her hand down his chest and to his lower body, letting her fingertips graze his firm buttocks on the way. Dante kissed her harder. As she gripped his penis, she felt his cold, impatient hands slip under her shirt, telling her to remove her hand and let him take it off. So she let go and lifted her arms up, allowing Dante to slide it over her head. She lowered her hands and eliminated herself of her shorts and panties. He sighed in delight as he finally viewed her in all of her glory.

It had been something he'd always wanted. She was a beautiful woman and the heat of lust accentuated that.

She released a feral growl as she straddled him again. Dante quickly decided that he wanted to be in control, so he pushed her down and grabbed the back of her knees, pushing her legs up, so she was bent to nearly double, and as wide as they would go. But he didn't do it right away; he waited, teasing her. With his left hand on her shoulder blade and his right stroking her side, Dante realized how much he was getting to her. Her breathing had increased and she was squeezing her nails hard into his biceps. He waited for a minute, looking at her body. He lay down on top of her and sucked hard on her nipples until he finally was ready to do what he'd always wanted. Then he let go, but not without one last touch with his tongue, and leaned in close and whispered to her. "I'm sorry, baby." He said right before he thrust himself inside of Elise. She bared her neck and released a loud, pleased moan. Then, he grinned as he started to move.

At first, Dante purposely made his pace slow and even, letting her get used to him, but as he heard her plead for more he quickened his thrusts and pounded himself into her harder than he had intended. But she welcomed it, by sliding her hands down his back to squeeze the pale flesh of his ass. Dante's white locks fell down in his face as his thrusting became more rapid. They stuck to his face as sweat touched them. He shook them away and bent his head down, still impaling her, and licked the canyon between her full breasts. In response, Elise wrapped her legs around his waist; he felt her thighs tense as she came. Dante moved up and kissed her neck then smiled as he moved again to kiss her lips but quickly lost a moan against them as he spilled his seed inside of her. He felt himself fall down on her, panting.

Somewhere inside, he knew he should pull out but he simply didn't feel like it, besides, he rather liked it inside of her. She felt too damn good to ever let go of. Dante looked up at her as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders, then kissed her softly, being completely satisfied with their small exchange. He closed his eyes and grabbed his cock, slowly pulling himself out. Dante rolled over onto his back, dragging Elise down with him. She lay her head down on his chest, her right hand resting on top of his nipple. Snuggling in close to him, Elise soon found that Dante had rested one of his hands on her hip, the other on her arm.

She loved this new, passionate Dante that she found and completely embraced him. He was Prince Charming and she was the Princess he'd come to rescue, she thought to herself. And he had rescued her so very well.

She buried her cheek in the warmth of his torso and traced intricate patterns on his skin. Gliding her right leg between his, Elise finally found that she could rest peacefully there, in the warmth of her lover's arms. Dante pulled her as close as he could manage without hurting her and found that he, too, could rest for a night without those horrid dreams. "Why are you so perfect?" She asked catching him completely off guard.

"What?" He looked down at her.

"You heard me, why are you so perfect?" Elise propped herself up on her right elbow but never moved her left from his chest.

"I'm not." Dante denied.

"Oh, but you are."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Then tell me how."

"Okay, that'll be easy. First of all, the most noticeable thing, you are absolutely gorgeous. Never in my life have a met a man that rivaled you. I don't know what it is," she admitted. "But I think it has something to do with that damn hair." She ran her fingers through it lovingly.

"And… you wanna flatter me some more?" Asked Dante as he leaned down and kissed her slowly but passionately.

"Yeah, I do. And, more of the physical crap that everyone sees, your body is perfect. I mean, seriously, could you get any more attractive?"

"Well, I imagine I could."

"Damn you!" He lowered his eyebrows in confusion.

"I thought you loved me…?"

"Oh, you know I do. But I meant that in a `you-shouldn't-be-this-modest-especially-when-you-know-I'm-right' kinda way. Back to the point," Elise went on. She watched Dante shiver as her left hand neared his penis. "You do possess a perfect body. And your attitude is enough to turn any girl on. You can do any-"

"Wait a second. Do you want me to get started on how perfect you are?"

She let her gaze fall down to his chest. "Not really…"

Dante smiled. "Then stop. I think I'm gonna start to blush if you go on."

"You mean to tell me that you haven't already?" Her fingers caressed his cheek.

"Alright, I have. But thank the goddess you can't see." Breathing in deeply, Dante let his head fall back against the pillow.

"Maybe you should sleep so I can flatter you in the morning."

The biggest, truest smile she'd ever seen had just spread itself across his lips. "Goodnight, baby."

Elise buried her head against his chest again. "Goodnight… undeniably beautiful and sexy slayer of my heart." She felt his shoulders shake as he laughed for a few minutes. "Goodnight." She whispered again, seriously, but more to herself than to Dante.

She awoke, hours later, to find that Dante was spooning her again. His breathing was soft and warm against her cold nape. And, even unconsciously, he was stroking her stomach. Elise entertained herself by wondering how he could possibly do that until she fell asleep again.

Dante awoke, not much later than Elise but hurriedly rubbed his eyes, for she was no longer in the bed with him. He walked over, naked and curious, to the window. There he found his car and motorcycle still parked where he had left them the night before. Draping a small blanket over his shoulders to protect him from the slight chill of very early morning, he walked downstairs and over to the front door. It was locked so she couldn't have gone that way, he reasoned to himself.

"Dammit," he cursed out loud to nothing but the air. "Where the fuck could she be?"

In less than fifteen minutes he had searched the entire house, fearing the possibility that she had only wanted to fuck him and had run off afterwards.

Somewhere else in town…

"Sarlone!" She cried out,

"Yes…?" He replied turning in the chair of his office.

"What do you want me to do?"

"I need you to find him and lead him to me."

"Lead him to you?" She asked as if she didn't understand. "Where will you be?"

"Two days from now I will be in the old castle. Just outside of town. Midnight but no later. I want this to be perfect. Call it a… blind date."

"Yes, sir. I will get him there as soon as I find him."

"Excellent. Go now." He snapped his fingers and, in a flash, Elise was gone.

Outside, Dante saw a brief light. Hoping, he unlocked the door and opened it, finding Elise sitting on the steps. Dante ignored the fact that neighbors could see him like that, he walked out and sat down next to her. "Where were you?" He asked, a bit angry but a bit concerned.

"Lily… she said she needed to see me. And that it was urgent."

"What was it about?" Dante asked as he grabbed her hand and led her inside.

"Just a lead she got on Sarlone that may just help us a lot."

"Well, that's good." He closed the door behind her. After a brief moment he asked the question that had first appeared in his head. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You looked so peaceful. I didn't want to disturb you."

"You could've."

"I'm sorry, okay?"

"Hey, it's… it's fine. Now, it's five in the morning. Come back to bed…"

Elise smiled timidly and walked up the stairs before him. Dante lay down under the covers and watched her as she stripped down to her underclothes. Pulling the blankets back, she climbed into bed and rested herself on her side. Facing away from him. But he was quick to move and he spooned himself to her back again, wanting a few answers "Are you trying to avoid me now?"

Shocked, Elise looked back at him. "No! Why the hall would I want to do that?"

"Well, you turned away. I thought our first night would be a little… closer."

She cupped his cheek in her hand. "Honey, I'm sorry. I guess I'm just a little detached after meeting with Lily."

"But you're okay though?"

"Yeah."

"Alright."

Pressing her lips to his again made her truly realize that he wasn't angry with her, just concerned. She smiled as she lay back down, pulling him up closer to her back.