Ch. 14

Chills and Thrills

Authors Note: Okay… warning… we're going full lemon here, people. So if smut isn't your thing, you might be advised to just skip this chapter. It's fluffy. It's silly and there is a double-serve of smut. And as my regular readers know, I actually stress out about writing smut, so please review.

A rusty creak broke the sleepy silence in the glassed in porch of the lakeside cottage. The old iron bed in the porch room shimmied and dipped, groaning with the movement. Feeling a cool breeze against her back, Sarah grumbled sleepily, the sensation disturbing her enough to crack an eyelid. Pre-dawn shadows of blue and grey colored the trees that lined the lake outside the glass walls of the room, casting everything in a preternaturally eerie gloom. Hearing movement at the foot of the bed, Sarah pushed herself up on one elbow to see Jareth sit lightly on the on the bed with a tennis shoe in his hand. The bed protested his movement with a cranky squeak. "Jareth? Whatimeizit?"

Feathery wisps of his hair bobbed slightly as he swung his head up and smiled at her, reaching back and patting her calf gently. "It's early yet, Precious. Go back to sleep."

Ignoring his advice, Sarah rubbed her eyes and sat up further, taking in the simple shorts and t-shirt he was wearing. A wave of cognitive dissonance washed over her at the odd sight of the mighty Goblin King wearing something so mundane. "What are you doing?" she asked, cringing inwardly at the roughness of her voice, gone hoarse with sleep and thick with the smoke from the campfire the night before.

Jareth stood, then gently nudged her back onto the bed, tucking the covers around her when she finally laid down. "The sun hasn't risen yet, Sarah. It is quite early for you but it is my usual rising time. I'm going to go for a run and check in with Alesander. I'll be back in time to get ready for breakfast."

Through slitted-eyelids Sarah looked at him as if he had just sprouted horns and declared that he was the newly appointed 'Kumquat-Hagendash'. "You what? You run?" she demanded, then groaned, shutting her eyes and throwing the faded daisy print sheet over her face. "Don't tell me you're one of 'those' sorts of people that think running is…'fun'."

Jareth merely laughed and kissed her forehead through the sheet. "Don't be so melodramatic, Precious. It isn't as if I expect you to join me. Now, go back to sleep."

"I always knew you were a weirdo. This just clenches it." Sarah muttered, snuggling down into the pillows again, the faded floral sheet still over her face.

"Usually I'd go for a flight, but being here, I feel more inclined to engage in a mortal pastime," he added, tugging a sweatshirt over his head.

Beneath the sheet, Sarah sighed, the thin material ballooning briefly, then settling again. Flicking the sheet down from her face, she pinned him with stern green eyes. "If I find out you wear women's knickers, we're through!"

Still laughing, Jareth lightly swatted her bum through the covers. "I've told you many times, I don't wear anything. Must I strip down and prove it to you?" As happy as he would have been to forgo his run in favor of a more intimate form of exercise, Sarah was already drifting on the edge of sleep. Twisting his hand, a glittering pink crystal appeared on his fingertips. Jareth blew gently upon it, watching as it floated upward, then softly swirled to land on the pillow next to Sarah's head. "Happy dreams, Sarah love," he murmured, then snuck from the room as the crystal burst against her cheek.

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Feeling the bed dip behind her, Sarah smiled sleepily, letting the scent of sandalwood and pine surround her and seep into her skin. The smell alone was enough to tell her exactly who was curling up in the bed with her. Jareth's arm draped over her hip, his hand splaying across her bare stomach where her tank top had been pushed upward in her sleep. With each breath, his fingers caressed the soft flesh, a teasing caress that was at once tender and full of sensual promise. The heat of his bare chest burned against the exposed skin of her back, sending warmth flooding through her to pool deep within. Against her back she felt the vibration as a gentle purr rumbled through his chest, the sound seeming to spill outward, surrounding her until her senses were filled with him. His scent. His sound. And most enticing... his touch.

"You're so warm," he murmured, making her shiver from the heat of his breath upon the sensitive skin under her ear.

"Hmm… so are you. I was wondering if you'd decide lounging in bed with me is more fun than going for a run. Surely I have more to offer?" she teased, sliding her bare foot along his calf, only to be rewarded with a gentle kiss along the side of her neck. Peeking over the edge of the comforter, she saw snowflakes lazily fluttering through the air outside her bedroom window and could smell vanilla and cinnamon hanging heavily in the air - Karen's Christmas french toast was already warming in the oven in time for breakfast.

Jareth's warm chuckle tickled her neck, as the hand on her stomach slowly trailed upward, leaving goosebumps in its wake. "I got downstairs and realized I was a fool to go for a run in the cold, when I have a perfectly warm woman waiting for me in bed. It would be far more fun to work up a sweat with you."

Rolling over, Sarah pushed Jareth onto his back. She quickly straddled his hips, her hair hanging in a dark velvet veil along the sides of her faceThe look of surprise on Jareth's face, delighted her, even as his eyes darkened hungrily, his pupils dilating until they overpowered the pale blue. Her hooded gaze held his captive, while she pressed downward with her hips, rocking against the thick bulge beneath her with agonizing slowness. Teasing Jareth was always a dangerous move - but what was life without a bit of danger now and then?

"Were you a good boy this year? Perhaps Santa brought you a present?" she purred, running her tongue over her lower lip in the way she knew made his hunger for her grow.

As if on cue, the thickness beneath her stretched thighs throbbed, pressing the lace of her knickers against her sensitive flesh. The roughness of the lace only teased her further, spurring her on to rock harder against him. Silence stretched around them, broken only by strained intakes of breath and twin moans of desire.

Dragging his nails up the side of her thigh to her hip, Jareth let his nails dig into the warm flesh, pulling her down harder upon him with a soft growl. His eyes flickered from her face to the taut bud pushing insistently under the thin silk tank top she wore. Seeking her gaze once more, his eyes glittered, his lips curling in a dark smile filled with the promise of sensual torment. Sarah gasped sharply, her back arching sharply to thrust her chest forward - she had been so lost in the intensity of his eyes that she didn't see his hand move. Slender fingers firmly pinched her nipple, sending a jolt of lust through her, her core immediately responding with warm drips that slid from her hidden depths.

"Oh, I think I've been very good this year, Precious. In fact, you even said so last night, when I was buried balls deep in your luscious body. What was it you kept crying out, hmmm? 'Good Gods', I believe?" he purred, tugging her down toward his chest by his tight hold on her nipple. Twisting his fingers slightly, his lips curled in a wicked smirk when she rewarded his torment with a breathy moan. "Of course, I'm no God...but I am definitely a man. And a bloody good one judging from the way you screamed for me as you came undone."

Sarah felt her stomach flutter, as her muscles clenched upon nothingness. The emptiness made her ache for him all the more, her body remembering keenly the feel of him stretching her. Jade eyes narrowing in challenge, she smiled, feeling more heated warmth dripping from inside her to coat the thin lace, leaving a wet swath along the thick length of him. Grinding her hips downward once more, she groaned, "Pu...prove it, Goblin...boy."

With a squeak, Sarah found herself on her back, Jareth looming over her, his feathery hair falling carelessly around his face, framing the inky blackness of his eyes - eyes which embodied the feral sexual power that was uniquely Jareth. Lost in his eyes and the power of him, she barely felt the thin lace rip, the sound of tearing material drowned out by the deep rumbling growl emanating from Jareth's chest. She only had time to inhale before his lips met hers, devouring her in a soul-searing kiss that made her blood burn through her veins, scorching her from the inside out until she was sure she would burst into flame. Breaking the kiss, Jareth's fingers twisted in her hair, holding her head still, unable to look away - not that she wanted to. His eyes sucked her in again, her body blossoming beneath him, dusky petals open and beckoning.

Time seemed slow, leaving her hanging on the precipice of completion. For months they had shared a bed any chance they got. Every time she visited the Goblin Kingdom they would end the day wrapped in each others arms – sometimes in the King's Chambers, other nights in hers. Then there were the many nights when Jareth joined her in the aging brass bed in her cottage - a bed which reminded her of the night she gave in to Jareth, at the lakeside retreat, making the antique iron bed squeak and groan until they were sure it would break from the force of their lovemaking.

The heat of his body against hers pulled her back from her reverie. His closeness seemed to burn the tender flesh, sending a sudden flood of moisture to coat the slick petals. In the months since the lake, she had never seen him quite like this, teasing her with the power and pleasure he could give her, yet holding back, as if waiting for something.

"Please…" she gasped, arching her hips upward, begging for him to take his prize.

And that was enough.

The damn broke and Jareth drove forward hard, rocking her into bed with such force that the joints of her childhood bed creaked ominously. Crying out at the way he stretched her fully, Sarah shuddered, clutching at his biceps. Her nails scored the hard flesh, bracing herself against his onslaught through her grip on his arms. The pain did nothing to cool his desires, instead fueling them. He bore into her harder, and her body opened easily for him, the thick warmth of her desire easing his passage, as it always did. She could never deny the effect he had on her, her body would betray her at a mere look from her King. She knew it - and more importantly, so did he.

Sarah hooked her legs around his hips, tilting her own upward, offering him a deeper angle that she knew drove him wild and intensified the sensation of him inside her. Deeper and harder he thrust, each stroke pressing against her hidden center, sending bursts of electricity sizzling under her skin until every nerve was trembling.

Then the feeling changed. A strange tickle at first, which quickly morphed as her stomach lurched and rolled inside her. A telltale rush of bile rose in her throat, sending her frantically scrabbling against his chest, grunting in her terror. "Gerffoffoffoffgeroffoffoffffff…."

She only had a brief glimpse of confusion as she shoved him away and rushed toward the bathroom, the watery feeling in her mouth heralding the unpleasant outcome she abhorred. Groaning, Sarah fell to her knees on the faded tiles of her childhood bathroom and hugged the toilet in a position she hadn't adopted since her last drunken frat party in college. With a sudden heave of her stomach, any hope she had of avoiding the unpleasantness was gone. Sobbing she brought up what little was left of her Christmas Eve supper. As tears streamed down her face, she continued to be sick, only dimly aware of someone gently pulling her hair back from her face, and a cool hand against her fevered forehead.

"It's okay, love. Let it up, you'll feel better soon," Jareth murmured gently.

Horrified, she hiccuped between bouts of vomiting. "I'm..s-soooooorry!... I don't know….why!"

"Shh, Precious. These things happen."

It seemed to take hours for the feeling to pass, but in reality she knew it was only a few minutes - minutes which left her a sweating, wrung out heap on the floor. Feeling gross and nauseated, she tried to pull away when Jareth sat upon the floor, but she was too weak to fight him. Gently he pulled her into his lap, cradling her against him as he wiped her face with a cool cloth. The chill of the damp washcloth felt heavenly against her skin, stilling her desire to move away from his embrace. Slumping against him she sniffed, wondering at the sudden sickness, and the terrible timing. The more she thought about it, the more unnerved she became, especially as she began to count backward to September. An icy chill slithered down her spine, making her heart momentarily falter in its steady beating. Sarah gulped, pulling herself from Jareth's lap and turning on the shower.

"I...I need to clean up. Please…just… go get me some crackers and weak tea?" she muttered, leaning over to test the water rushing from the faucet, and avoiding his eyes, terrified he would be able to read her own fears and suspicions with just a look.

"Are you sure?"

"I'll be fine. The feeling is about gone now," she said, jerking back the shower curtain and stepping into the tub, before pulling the curtain closed. The steel rings of the shower curtain rattled loudly against the metal of the curtain rod, effectively ending the discussion. Through the semi-opaque vinyl scene of cheerful hot air balloons that covered the shower curtain, Sarah could see Jareth's concern. He paused, looking at her blurry figure in the shower, then silently closed the door as he left the room.

Sarah slowly counted to ten, then quietly shifted the curtain to get out of the shower, leaving the water running. Steam billowed through the air as she swiftly locked the bathroom door, her hands shaking with the sudden wave of panic that assaulted her.

"Fuck...fuck...fuck...nononononono," she muttered to herself, fumbling through the bottles of medicine and beauty products in 'her' drawer of the bathroom cabinet, feeling for the long slender box tucked in the back of the drawer. Her fingers curled around it, both relieved and terrified. Sarah took a deep breath and drew the box out of the drawer, her stomach giving another uncomfortable lurch - this time not powered by nausea, but by fear. With the shower still running in the background, she ripped into the box and pulled out the little white stick. "Two minutes," she groaned, reading the package, as she perched on the toilet. "Shitfuckdamnfuckfuck!" she muttered, laying the stick aside and looking at her watch.

She'd known from the start that giving in to her hormones where Jareth was concerned was both incredibly stupid and impulsive, but damn he was good. The first night he'd left her a quivering mess, her body overwhelmed with the strength of her release. And he hadn't been happy with pleasuring her once. Oh no, he'd made her scream herself hoarse, before she begged him to let her rest.

Glancing at her watch again, Sarah chewed fretfully on her bottom lip. "Probably should've suggested condoms or something. Stupid...stupid Sarah," she groaned, shutting her eyes and leaning her forehead against the cool tiles of the bathroom wall. "I should have known better than to believe the whole 'Fae have a hard time conceiving' bullshit," she scolded herself. "I should have at least asked him about it." Seeing the minute hand shift one more line on her watch, she sighed and took a deep breath, before removing the cap on the test.

Then her world came tumbling down.

Two pink lines.

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"I'm pregnant!" Sarah moaned, lurching upright, only to blink. Instead of clutching the white plastic stick of imminent doom, she was clutching a sheet covered in faded daisies to her chest. It took another moment before her surroundings fully registered, relief flooding her upon seeing the glass walls of the porch bedroom at the cottage.

"The lake. I'm at the lake. It hasn't happened yet!" Scrambling from the bed, she checked the clock on the nightstand. "Good… it's only been 15 minutes. Jareth will be gone for awhile yet. Gotta do… something...but what?" she rambled to herself, as she grabbed her jeans and tugged them on, ignoring the way her flannel boxers bunched up uncomfortably under the denim. Running her hand through her hair, she paced the room, her eyes frantically darting from place to place until she saw a sweater strewn over the back of the armchair. Sarah snatched it up and jerked it over her head, the scent of Jareth boring into her with each breath. "Jareth's sweater...fuck…" For a long moment she stood there, the scent of him a balm to her frazzled nerves, until she shut her eyes once more and saw the little stick with its two pink lines.

That image spurred her to move once more. Sure, it as a dream, but with the way things were going between she and Jareth, it had become a very real possibility - one she was sure she was not ready to contemplate.

Shrugging off the fact that she was wearing Jareth's sweater, Sarah shoved her bare feet into her sneakers, then threw open the bedroom door. She wasn't thinking of where to go, only that she needed to keep moving, running from a fate that was the figment of dreams, but one which she could feel snapping at her heels as keenly as if it were a vicious dog about to attack. Sarah rushed out of the cottage door and pounded down the steps of the porch, her worn tennis shoes making wet squelching sounds as she ran across the front lawn of the cottage. Turning toward the woods, she fled from her dream, her fingers wrapped tightly around the amethyst pendant she wore around her neck. She ran without noticing the trees around her until she burst through a brace of pine trees, into a small clearing.

The ground of the clearing was littered with dry pine needles, slender fronds of brown and burnt orange, twisted and twined within each other, like a nightmare game of Mikado - the scent eerily similar to the pine scent that seemed clung to her when Jareth was nearby. Sarah leaned over, bracing her hands on her knees as she panted for air, the world seeming to spin momentarily around her. When her breathing calmed, she picked up a thick broken branch and traced a circle in the pine needles on the ground. Standing within it, Sarah took a deep breath, feeling the strange rush of magic seeping into her from the air, as she murmured softly to herself, molding the power until she could feel it tumbling restlessly through her. Then with a quick exhale of breath, she forced the power toward her feet. She didn't have time to wonder about the unusual swiftness of the spell, as the ground under her feet seemed to turn to mist, dropping her into the void. Sarah clenched her eyes shut tight, quiet words tumbling from her lips while she worked the spell to take her to the one place she knew she could find help.

"Bloody hell!" Jerra shrieked, jolted from sleep by a sudden weight that fell upon her from the air above her bed. Struggling under the heaviness, she squinted in the pre-dawn light of her room, only to find a familiar pair of green eyes peering back at her as Sarah squirmed to sit up.

"Sorry," Sarah muttered, earning a pained grunt from Jerra as her elbow dug into her friend's ribs.

Pushing the denim covered legs of her best friend from her own, Jerra sat up and reached for her glasses on the nightstand. Able to see clearly again, she blinked to clear the sleep from her eyes, her frown growing at the sight of a very disheveled Sarah, who smelled strongly of the Goblin King. "Um… Sarah? Shouldn't you be at the castle?"

Sarah shook her head to rid herself of the strange vertigo that void-walking always gave her, then pulled herself upright, only to feel her stomach lurch once more. Groaning, she gagged wordlessly as she rushed toward the cottage door. Leaning over the bushes of the garden, she was both relieved and frustrated by the dry retching that wracked her body. The feeling passed swiftly this time, allowing her to breathe in the deep, heady scent of medicinal herbs from Jerra's garden. The herbal fragrance worked wonders to calm her stomach, easing the wave of nausea that assailed her. A moment later, Jerra pressed a chilled dipper of spring water into her hand, her violet eyes creased with worry. "What's wrong, Sarah? You look dreadful. The Goblin King...he hasn't….hurt you has he?"

Sarah sipped the water, letting the iciness of it soothe her rattled psyche. "No...no. He's been, well… he's been Jareth. But that's fine. That's normal, I guess. I just... I had a nightmare and I need some help."

Nodding, Jerra gently steered her friend into the cottage, seating her on the well-worn sofa, surrounded by soft pillows. Jerra said nothing, as she moved around the room. She tucked a fluffy blanket around Sarah, the stoked the fire until it was roaring within the old stone hearth. With a pot of tea steeping on the table, Jerra finally sat next to Sarah, gently violet tendrils of hair from her forehead. "Want to talk about it?"

The crackling of the fire was the only sound for several long minutes before Sarah spoke, giving Jerra a wan smile. "Before I say anything else, you can relax. Jareth has been wonderful to me. We were at the castle, but then I mentioned the whole Alex thing and he insisted upon playing 'knight in shining armor' and going to the lake with me as my pretend 'boyfriend'," she explained, tucking her feet under her body. "Everyone loves him and he's been really good about dispatching Alex for me."

"Okay," murmured Jerra, frowning slightly as she regarded Sarah. "That doesn't sound so bad. Sounds fantastic actually.."

"It isn't, bad that is. It's been...well… good. Really good actually. I spent last night in his bed at the castle. Pretty much naked - except for his shirt," she added, her cheeks flushing pink over the memory of what else transpired between them in his bed.

Jerra's eyes widened at Sarah's admission, then her lips curled in a conspiratorial grin. "Again. That doesn't sound so bad. Do you know how many women in the Underground would do just about anything to find themselves in his bed?" Sarah groaned and hid her face her in hands. "So… did anything else happen that you'd care to talk about? Preferably with great detail and drawn diagrams."

"No, we haven't done anything like that… yet," she mumbled, her words muffled by her hands. Peeking up at Jerra, she sighed, "That's why I'm here. I need to know about sex between mortals and Fae."

Jerra laughed, getting up from the sofa and plucking two teacups from the shelf. Returning to the sofa, she settled on the other end and tucked her feet under her. "Seriously? You're no blushing virgin, Sarah…well… no virgin, the blushing is starting to be a constant when the Goblin King is the topic of conversation," she laughed as she poured tea into one of the cups then put the cup in Sarah's hands. "It isn't like you need me to describe how bit A goes into slot B and is moved about vigorously - or not vigorously if you prefer."

Sarah stared momentarily at the pink liquid in her cup, not actually seeing it, before she blinked and frowned at her friend. "No...no! Not like that. I know how to have sex, I just...ugh…. "

Patting Sarah's arm, Jerra smiled and pressed a small berry rock cake into her friend's hand. "Relax, I'm teasing. Intimacy between mortals and Fae used to be quite common and amongst some High Fae it is still something of a past-time. That is why there are so many changelings above. So it isn't like it is against Fae law for you and Jar…" Sarah's head snapped up and she shook it frantically, drawing her hand across her throat. Stopping mid-word, Jerra cleared her throat before continuing. "Um… for you and the King to be intimate if you want to." Jerra's lips pursed thoughtfully as she sipped her own tea. "Of course, Fae who get involved sexually with mortals tend to find themselves to be far more fertile than when they are with other Fae."

"Do mortal methods of birth control work to prevent it?"

Jerra considered all she had heard over the years, then grimaced, shaking her head. "No, I don't think so."

Beside her, Sarah sighed, slumping lower on the sofa until her teacup was nearly balanced on her chest. "Fuck. That is what I was afraid of." Sitting up again, Sarah frowned peering into the teacup as if she could see the answer within. After several moments, Sarah nibbled her lip and looked at Jerra. "I don't suppose there is some sort of 'supernatural birth control' you can find for me?"

Putting her teacup aside on the table, Jerra looked at Sarah, her gentle expression flooded with concern. "Why? Don't you like the Goblin King?"

"Well...yeah...of course I do. He's been nothing but kind to me, well aside from the whole thing at the fire festival, but that wasn't his fault. I deserved it," Sarah muttered, toying with a biscuit from the plate on the table. "It's just...we aren't in a 'real' relationship, this is just for this year, y'know? But when we're alone together, things get kind of, hot'n'heavy. So I'd like to know I won't get pregnant if we were to...um...you know."

"Fuck like bunnies?"

Sarah groaned and hid her face in her hands, her flaming pink ears the only visible sign of her embarrassment. Snickering, Jerra calmly reached over Sarah's shoulder, allowing the red and blue snake creeping along the back of the sofa to slither across her hand and coil around her fingers.

Surprised by Jerra's movement, Sarah glanced up, only to cringe back into the corner of the couch, gawping at Jerra and the snake. "How did that blasted snake end up here?!"

Jerra laughed, giving Sarah a questioning look. "You know him?" she asked, trailing a fingertip along the top of the snake's head and smiling when he shut his eyes and seemed to lean toward her finger.

"Yeah...I met Mr. Scales last night," Sarah growled, her eyes narrowing on the snake as he flicked his tongue at her, then slithered up the arm of Jerra's shirt. "Jareth didn't think to warn me he brought that snake with him and it was crawling up my leg...in bed!"

"Ahh, that explains why he showed up suddenly yesterday evening. One minute I was sorting dried herbs, the next Mr. Scales was making his way across my table. I watch him for the Goblin King when he is outside the walls of the kingdom," Jerra replied, as she retrieved the snake from inside her shirt and deposited him gently into the basket of herbs sitting next to the end of the couch. "Anyway, I'll see what I can do about finding you some form of preventative, but until then, if you don't want to be carrying the next heir anytime soon, the best choice is just to avoid having sex with the King. There are plenty of other ways to … 'Tame Mr. Scales'."

"What does that silly snake have to do with anything?" Sarah grumbled, eying Mr. Scales warily as he wiggled his tongue at her, in a way that was far too reminiscent of the indecent tongue wriggling Jareth had done to her in his chambers. "I've told him no snakes allowed in the bedroom."

Jerra's laughter bounced merrily off the walls of the lounge room, sounding like tiny bells chiming in synchrony. "Well, it isn't like I've ever been in a position to find out for myself, but the women of the Court like to talk - Rumor has it that the Goblin King has named his trouser snake."

Blinking, Sarah looked aghast, her mouth opening and closing twice before she squeaked. "What...no… you can't be serious…"

"Yup, I'm serious." Jerra giggled, then smirked as Sarah flopped back into the corner of the couch, covering her face with her hands. "So tell me, have you met the other Mr. Scales yet?"

"No…. "

"Pity. I always wanted to know if his assets were all 'talk and no trousers' as the girls say," Jerra chirped, sipping her tea once more.

"I can't believe we are discussing the Goblin King's… assets," Sarah moaned into a throw pillow.

Shrugging, Jerra bit into a berry tart, licking crumbs from the corners of her mouth. "Don't blame me. You are the one who fell into my bed then wanted to discuss having sex with the King. I'm the innocent party in all of this."

"Innocent?" snorted Sarah, rolling her eyes. "If you're innocent, then I'm a virgin."

Jerra's lips curled in a wicked smirk as she winked at Sarah, "Honey, if the rumours are true, you'll be glad you're not a blushing virgin when you're finally faced with what the Goblin King keeps beneath those tights."

Feeling her cheeks flush at the thought of the thickness she felt pressed against her back during the night and in her dreams, Sarah couldn't help but agree with Jerra.

Above the stone mantel of the fireplace, a brightly painted cuckoo clock began to chime the hour. Sarah frowned, glancing from the clock to her own watch. "Shit...it's nearly 5:30. I'd better get back before Jareth does," she sighed, hopping up and brushing biscuit crumbs from Jareth's sweater. "When you have the 'preventative' send it to me by the usual channels."

Jerra followed her friend toward the closet they had created as a permanent portal through the void back to the Above. "I will." Watching her friend step within the circle painted on the floor, Jerra grinned at the Champion as the floor beneath Sarah's feet began to fade. "Oh...and if you should get to meet the other Mr. Scales, do try to enjoy it. I expect to hear all the dirty details when you are home!"

Sarah's embarrassed squawk lingered long past the moment her body disappeared into the void. Giggling at the thought of Sarah encountering the Goblin King's other snake, Jerra hummed softly as she shut the closet door and went in to make her bed. Tugging at the sheets, she began to sing, "But the King's staff is a maid's delight….the King's staff is a maid's delight...but the King's staff is a maid's delight, for maidens and the King come most of the night."

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Jareth breathed deeply, savoring the scent of fall in the mountains around the lake. The air was thick with the smell of the changing seasons, rich loam from the decaying leaves, the bitter scent of rotting fruit, and the sharpness of pine which grew stronger as the cold began to take hold over the Above. The first time he had been Above when the seasons were preparing to shift, he had been surprised by just how strongly he felt the change within his own being - having assumed that his link to the land began and ended with the Labyrinth. Since that first experience of it, he had often gone Above to enjoy the feel of the seasons, so very different Above than Underground, but still a powerful experience that flooded him with a sense of peace.

His run had been bracing and allowed him to drink in the intoxicating sensations of the seasons, but it was not enough for him. He needed more. Finding a small rock pool along the edge of the lake, he stripped off his shirt and shoes, and waded in. The icy water lapped around his body as he moved deeper into the pool. Where mortals might find the chill painful, Jareth found it invigorating. With the water circling his waist, he lazily trailed his fingertips over the surface of the lake, his eyes trained on the cascade of ripples that flowed outward from his touch. Taking a deep breath, he shut his eyes and let his body sink, dropping below the surface of the chilly lake. Rising from the water, he brushed his streaming hair from his face and smiled upward at the sun which was beginning to rise above the top of the mountains surrounding the lake, shades of pink and orange painting the sky, his breath hanging like mist in the air.

"First running, now swimming in a freezing mountain lake. Are you insane?!" demanded Sarah, peering down at him from the rocks that formed the boundary of the little pool.

Chuckling, Jareth cocked his head and looked up at her with a wicked grin. Without answering, he flipped his wet hair back from his face and smirked at her. He had felt her approach through his link to the Labyrinth, but it wouldn't do to let her know that he could sense her location. "Some have made such claims about me over the years. After all, one would think insanity is the only reasons a person would accept rule over the Goblin Kingdom. But alas, I am not insane - the High King had me tested."

Sarah stared at him a moment, torn between admiring the smooth planes of his chest, that seemed to sparkle with water droplets, and wanting to smack the smirk from his face. Shaking her head in disbelief, she settled on grumbling at him. "Jareth, it is only 57 degrees out here, the water has to be below that. You'll catch your death of cold in there."

"Aww...does that mean my death would cause you distress?" he purred, smiling up at her but making no move to get out of the rock pool.

Her frustrated growl echoed across the still water of the pool, bouncing off the rocks that bordered it.. "Fine… suit yourself," she huffed. Turning to leave, she felt a wet hand grab her ankle. She froze and looked down at him once more. His eyes were dark, as his thumb tenderly stroked the inside of her ankle.

"Sarah…" he murmured, his voice dropping, yet the weight of it carried clearly to her ears, sending a shiver racing down her spine. The intensity in his gaze made her stomach flip, then drop. "Answer the question and I shall get out." Jareth didn't move as he watched her. Fine pearl teeth caught her lower lip, worrying it, while her eyes darted to the rock, the water and the faint pink tinge creeping higher in the sky over the mountains - anywhere but his face. "Would you miss me if I were to cease to exist, Precious?"

After a long moment, Sarah nodded her head, her voice so quiet that only a Fae would have heard it - and Jareth heard every symbol with impeccable precision. "Yes...I...I need you."

While the admission surprised the Goblin King, no one was more surprised than Sarah herself when the truth came tumbling from her traitorous mouth. Her eyes shot to his, wide with fear - both over the boldness of her admission and his potential reaction. For a brief moment neither of them did anything, which only compounded the fear rushing through Sarah. Panicking she tugged her foot out of his grasp, stepping back so suddenly her heel slipped on the damp rocks. Jareth watched in shock as her arms flailed upward, then back. Her mouth opened to scream, but there was no time for the sound to emerge before her body hit the frigid water with a splash, her shriek being consumed by the icy lake.

"Sarah!" Jareth shouted, rushing toward the spot where she went in, his heart thundering when he couldn't see her. Worried that she had become tangled by branches in the dark depths below,, he dove down through the murky water, pulling swiftly with his arms. Currents swirled around him as he neared her. Even through the darkness of the water, he could see her struggling with a branch, her sweater tangled upon it. Grabbing the hem of the sweater, he pulled it upward, a stream of irritated bubbles pouring from his pursed lips when she began to struggle against him. With another vicious yank he pulled the sweater over her head, freeing her. Grasping her hand, Jareth pushed toward the surface, the powerful kick propelling them above the surface, both gasping for air.

"F-fu-fuuuuk!" she whimpered, shivering violently in the icy water.

With his arm around her, Jareth bodily pushed her toward the rocks and lifted her up on them, all the while growling, "Blast it all woman, must you fight me even when I'm attempting to save you."

"Bu...bu...bu…." she stammered, huddling on the rocks and shivering as he began to pull himself upward. "But...it was...your...sweater…."

"I don't care about a damn sweater, Sarah! I care about you!" he snapped, climbing onto the rocks. Water poured down his body, as he worked to slip his sneakers onto his feet.

Rolling over, Sarah's teeth clattered together loudly while she pushed herself to her knees only to freeze, her eyes widening as she found herself eye to groin with Jareth. Water droplets trailed down his chest and stomach, then pooled briefly at the waistband of a very small, American flag striped swimsuit, before cascading down the front of the suit. The tight material cupped him, but did nothing to hide the length and girth of him. 'Fuck…. If that is how big he is after being in ice water, that is more python than snake!' she thought.

A cool wind swirled around them, sending Sarah's body into another burst of bone-rattling chills. Jareth's frown deepened as her teeth chattered violently. "Hold these," he ordered, thrusting his clothing into her arms. Before she even had a firm grasp on them, he swiftly scooped her into his arms and began to pick his ways across the path of rocks to the shore.

"Wha...what are you...d-d-doing?"

"You're freezing, love. We have to get you inside. I'll transport you from shore."

The sharp clack of a screen door clattering in its frame, echoed across the water, making Sarah flinch in Jareth's arms. Whipping her head toward the sound, she groaned. It was like a nightmare of being caught at school with no clothes on, only in this nightmare she was about to be caught by three senior partners of her father's firm, and she was with a nearly naked Goblin King. The partners were all dressed for running, and began to stretch when they reached the base of the lodge stairs. Still shivering, she fought Jareth's grasp. "Downdowndown…" she muttered, pushing at him and squirming until he set her on her feet on the shore.

"Sarah…." Jareth growled, the irritation in his tone carrying a terse warning.

Shaking her head, Sarah pointed at his swimsuit, struggling to speak despite the continued chattering of her teeth. "F-fu-fu-fuck...Ja-Jareth….you...c-can't...wear.. th-that...a-a-a-around… people!"

"What's wrong with it? It's a common Aboveground style. Isn't it?" he asked, then frowned as her teeth clacked together so hard he was afraid she'd break a tooth.

"Yes, w-well, on y-y-you a suit like that is… j-j-ju-jjust…"

'Inviting… alluring… fucking obscene in all the best ways' suggested her libido.

Ignoring the words tumbling through her mind, Sarah gritted her teeth and managed to ground out, "In-indecent! Y-y-yu-you'll traumatize the ch-ch-ch-chil-children waving th-that thing around…"

"What thing?"

Feeling her cheeks flush hotly, while the rest of her body was chilled to the bone, Sarah was shocked by the words that came tumbling out of her traitorous mouth, as she waved vaguely toward his waist. "Muh…muh..Mr. Scales."

Arching an eyebrow, Jareth's pale eyes flickered darkly. Seemingly impervious to cold water and crisp fall breeze that danced around the two of them, he simply smirked at her. "And just who have you been talking to, Precious?" he chuckled, watching her cheeks burn darker, until he could nearly taste her embarrassment and curiosity. "Well, I assure you, darling… this 'snake' doesn't have scales, but if I wriggle him juuuust right he can…."

Her body jerked sharply with another wave of chills, as she shook her head. "Nuh...nuh… " she tried to speak, but the crunching sound of feet running along the crushed gravel path toward them distracted her. Moaning from the cold, her hands fumbled the clothing, dropping them on the damp ground. "Pu...pu...Put clothes on. Y-you're practically...na-naked!"

"You aren't much better, love," he replied, snatching up his shorts.

"Wha?" she demanded, as a cold wind blasted against her skin. The painful tightening of her nipples from the frigid air drew her eyes downward, showing that she was now naked from the waist up. "Fuck!" she yelped, scrabbling to pick up Jareth's discarded sweatshirt. "Oh...my... God! We can't...let them… see!" she chattered, shivering and trying in vain to hold onto the shirt.

Rolling his eyes, Jareth picked up the sweatshirt and deftly tugged it over Sarah's head. "You do seem to have something of an affinity for that word, Precious," he mused, pulling his running shorts back on, the feeling of the thin material sticking to his wet legs making him cringe.

"Can...we...not...talk about...that...now?" she muttered, shrugging deeper into the sweatshirt and shuddering with cold. "You gonna transport us?"

Jareth wrapped his arm around her, a crystal beginning to form in his hand, when he stopped, glancing up at the partners now running toward them. A stiff smile curled his lips as he started walking her along the path, the crystal fading from view. "Act natural and in love, darling. We've been spotted."

The senior partner stopped near them, eyeing them suspiciously, then giving Jareth a knowing smile. "Are you two okay? You're soaking wet."

"Oh yes, we're fine. I was going for a swim and Sarah just had a bit of an accident on the slippery rocks. I'm going to take her in and get her warmed up again," Jareth said, nodding at them and quickly moving the two of them past the partners, who took off running again.

Sarah said nothing more on the way back to the cottage, her teeth still clicking together intermittently. While Jareth's sweatshirt provided some warmth, it was not enough to combat the cold and clammy denim that was suctioned to her legs. Each time the early morning breeze swirled around them, her body broke out in another wave of goosebumps, making her nipples pull so tight she was convinced they'd never recover. Casting a sly glance at Jareth as he led her along with his arm still around her back, she marveled at the way he seemed completely unaffected by the effects of being both wet and cold. 'And he's wearing less than I am. How is that even possible?!' she wondered, blushing and looking resolutely at the footpath when he caught her looking at him.

Around the lake, the cottages were still silent; the senior partner and the two most junior attorneys being the only other people who were out and about at the early hour. When they reached her parent's cottage, Sarah and Jareth crept up the stairs, deftly sidestepping the creaky board in the middle of the porch. The cottage was still blissfully quiet when they snuck back through the front door. Shivering, Sarah let the screen door go, then gasped, lurching to catch it before it swung against the doorjamb. Bracing for the inevitable 'banging' of the door that would surely wake her parents, she sighed when Jareth waved his hand at the door, silencing it before it could slam.

"Thanks," she mouthed, as the two of them slipped unnoticed into their room. The moment they were in the bedroom, Jareth scooped her up into his arms and marched toward the bathroom.

"Jareth! Put me down!" she hissed.

"Hush, Precious. You're dripping everywhere in those wet jeans." The bathroom door opened as he neared it, the shower already on and filling the small tiled room with billowing steam. "Magic has some perks."

"So why carry me when you could have just cleaned up the water with magic?" she grumbled.

Jareth laughed and kissed her forehead, "I am King. It is my prerogative." With Sarah still in his arms, Jareth stepped into the large shower, steaming water hitting them from the large showerhead above.

"Jareth...my clothes…!" Sarah protested, squirming in his arms. The hot water meeting her cold felt heavenly, a soft moan of relief purring past her parted lips.

Standing her on her feet directly under the heated spray, his arms still wrapped around her, holding her close. "What clothes?"

Feeling Jareth's lean body pressed tightly to hers, without a stitch of material to separate them, Sarah shivered again. She felt her cheeks burn at the sudden realization that now that he was warming up, his assets were even more impressive than they had been in the tiny swimsuit - and they were currently pressing rather firmly against her hip and thigh. "Um...you can let go now," she muttered, marveling at the warmth of his skin, while hers still felt like ice.

"I could, but you are still far too chilled for my liking," he replied, turning them under the spray so it washed over her head, the hot water steaming as it poured down her body. "I'll release you once your skin warms up a bit more," .

Sarah's eyes narrowed as she looked at him, her glare tempered by the teasing purr in her voice. "And of course you are being completely chivalrous by hugging me, while we are both utterly naked? Completely without an ulterior motive?"

Leaning in, Jareth nuzzled her ear, the sensation sending goosebumps racing along her neck, to dive down between her breasts. "Oh...I have many motives, Precious. And I would gladly pin you against the wall and give you a proper introduction to 'Mr. Scales' However, despite my more carnal desires where you are concerned, I assure you, I will always keep my promises to you. I won't take more than you want to give." Jareth tenderly pushed wet tendrils back from her face, relishing the pink flush staining her cheeks. He could feel her shaky intake of breath, as he lightly trailed his fingertip along her jaw. His lips followed the path of his finger, tracing the path of goosebumps along her throat. "So tell me, darling, what do you want to give...or more importantly, what would you like me to take?"

Sarah was recovering from the cold, her skin becoming warmer with each second - but he knew that the hot water was only part of the reason. HIs fingers danced slowly over her skin, to tease around her nipple, a smile quirking his lips when she arched toward his touch. The rosy bud pulled taut under his touch, eliciting a soft moan from Sarah. Dipping his head, Jareth captured her lips, his fingers still ghosting over the sensitive peak, while his other hand slid up her back and into her hair. His fingers twisted into the sodden tresses, gently pulling her head back as he deepened the kiss, her body arching against his. The feel of her bare flesh flush against him sent a rush of possessive desire through him, the thick length between them throbbing against her stomach, earning him a hungry groan from Sarah.

Taking advantage of her parted lips, Jareth pressed her back against the wall, his tongue teasing alongside hers, to taste the depths of her, as he slowly grazed his fingernails downward, along the curve of her ribs. With each inch his nails traveled, the brunette in his arms whimpered and wriggled against him. When his fingers lightly trailed over the neatly trimmed curls at the juncture of her shaking thighs, she gasped and went still. Jareth kissed and nibbled his way along her jaw to growl softly in her ear, as his fingers dipped ever so slightly between her thighs. "Hmm… parts of you are warming up quite nicely, Precious." Feeling her push her hips toward his hand, he chuckled, pulling his fingers back just enough to barely touch the throbbing folds, already coated with the evidence of her need.

"Tease," she panted, her emerald eyes narrowing as she glared at him.

Jareth smirked, then nipped her lower lip as she thrust it out. Sliding two fingers deeply into her, he was rewarded with a sharp gasp. Sarah arched further against him, her head lolling back as her eyes shut once more. "Oh...I'll tease you, darling." Slowly he began to work his fingers in and out of her, biting and licking her nipple as she ground herself upon his hand. Finding the hidden nub between the slick folds, he stroked the pad of his thumb around it, making her buck on his fingers, her shuddering moan echoing in the small glass walled shower. A second later the bathroom door gave a lazy squeak as it was nudged open.

"Hey Jareth...you in there?" Toby called from the other side of the bathroom door.

"Shh…" Jareth whispered in Sarah's ear. "Stay silent, darling. It would not do to give yourself away to your little brother. Imagine what your parents would say." Amused by the look of utter panic on Sarah's face, Jareth calmly spoke, his words carrying over the sound of the water. "Yes, I'm here, Toby. I needed a clean up after my run. What did you need?" he asked, propping her body against the wall with his thigh between hers. Shifting his hand, he thrust three fingers deeper into her slick folds, his lips silencing her garbled whimper.

The feeling of his fingers inside her, pressing at the sensitive center, sent an exquisite rush of pleasure through her. Biting back a moan, Sarah relaxed against the safety of his body, relishing the way he held her. When his fingers twitched inside her, she gasped, only to have the sound swallowed by Jareth as he kissed her. Her body hungrily clenched around his probing fingers in response. Panting slightly, Jareth broke the kiss, a low groan of his own slipping out, when she began to ride his fingers, now pinned between his thigh and her warm channel. Her eyes bore into his, as her hips rocked faster upon his hand. Stroking the tender bud in time with the frenzied thrusts of her hips, Jareth drank in every hitch in her breath and squeeze of her inner-muscles, as her juices coated his fingers thickly.

Sarah trembled when Jareth leaned toward her, his lips brushing her ear. "You're so close, darling. I can feel your release, just waiting there… to come crashing down on you. I should probably stop now. It wouldn't do for Toby to hear his sister in such a state. You can be a bit of a screamer you know, especially when I have my tongue buried inside that delicious quim of yours. I should imagine you'll scream down the castle when I finally drive my full length inside you."

Jerking violently against him, Jareth purred as his instincts paid off, his words having the desired effect. Sarah clamped down on his fingers, her arms wrapping around him, pulling him close. With a quiet gasp, she bit down on his shoulder, her cries muffled by the water and his flesh.

Lost in their stolen moment, neither of them paid much attention to what Toby was saying.

While the young boy chattered, Jareth slowly lowered Sarah to her feet, his arm still wrapped around her to support her. Giving her a wicked grin, he brought his slick fingers to his lips, slowly running his tongue along the length. Sarah's eyes were glued to sight, as he sucked his fingers into his mouth. Sucking deeply, he groaned at the feel of her hand surrounding him, slowly stroking the firm length. "Fuck...love…" he murmured.

"Maybe later, Goblin King," she whispered in his ear, her hand sliding up and down the length with more speed. His breath caught in his throat when her hand gave a quick twist and slid slickly over the head, before sliding back down once more.

Jareth leaned against the wall of the shower, fighting to maintain his silence as Toby continued to talk from the other side of the bathroom door. Shutting his eyes, he tried to concentrate on the delightful feel of Sarah's hand stroking him, only to groan at the feel of searing, moist heat that engulfed the sensitive head. His head snapped downward at the sensation, a rush of lust pulsing through his entire body seeing Sarah - His Sarah - on her knees in the shower, peering up at him with mischievous green eyes, her mouth stretched around the head of his cock. Once she had his attention, she swallowed further, sliding her mouth down the full length - something few lovers had ever attempted.

"So… what do you think?" Toby asked.

"Yes," Jareth grunted, more in response to Sarah's ministrations than in answer to Toby's question - but the lad didn't know that.

"Thanks, Jareth! Dad said you wouldn't want to, but I knew you would. I'll go tell them!" Toby chirped, the sound of his tennis shoes retreating from the bedroom, echoing faintly into the bathroom.

Groaning aloud now, Jareth stroked Sarah's hair back from her face, watching her suck him and shuddering from the sensation of her mouth and tongue working him firmly. "I wonder….. Fuck….what I… Gods woman…. Just agreed to," he panted, fighting the urge to twist his hand into her hair and take control. The sight of her wrapping her hand around the length and stroking him with quick, twisting movements, while sucking firmly on the head, nearly undid him.

With his ears ringing from his impending release, Jareth barely registered the sharp knock on the partially open bathroom door. "Ahem… Karen and I know what you two are doing in there," Robert said, his words terse, but tinged with amusement.

The hand in Sarah's hair tightened, while the thick rod in her mouth immediately wilted. Glancing up, she stifled a giggle at the frustration and embarrassment etched on Jareth's face, as her father continued talking. "We were young once too and while I applaud the fact that you managed to keep Toby in the dark, I'll be turning the hot water off in 2 minutes, so I suggest you save such antics for your bedroom...hmmm? Or if you insist upon 'conserving water', at least lock your bedroom door and the bathroom."

Pulling Jareth's softening cock from her mouth, Sarah tenderly caressed it as she fought back a laugh. "Yes, Daddy."

"Ahem...Yes Sir…" replied Jareth, his words as strained as his expression.

The bathroom door clicked shut a moment later, her father's footsteps receding as he moved toward the other side of the house. When the sound of footsteps faded, Sarah burst into a gale of giggles, Jareth's flaccid member still in her hand. Glaring down at her, Jareth huffed, "You got off….And I got shafted. It's not fair."

"I wonder what your basis for comparison is?" she chirped, before dissolving into giggles once more, until she was sitting in the corner of the shower, the sound of her laughter echoing merrily off the walls - until the water turned to ice, sending both of them cursing and scrambling out of the shower recess.

"And I thought you were cruel, Precious," Jareth panted, briskly toweling the cold water from his body.

Shivering slightly again, Sarah grabbed the towel Jareth offered her and began to dry off, "Well, between you and Daddy, I had good teachers." As she walked toward the bathroom, she took advantage of Jareth drying his hair, to wrap her hand around the pendulous length once more, smirking at the way he twitched in her hand. "But I have a few tricks that are all mine. If you're a good boy, maybe I'll teach Mr. Scales a few new tricks, hmm?"

The hunger in Jareth's eyes was nearly palpable, as he purred, "And if I'm a bad boy?"

Sarah winked at him, her tongue lightly flicking along her lower lip. "Then you can teach me a trick or two." Turning, Sarah walked into the bedroom, giving a lascivious wiggle of her hips, then paused to look coquettishly over her shoulder. Seeing the look of unbridled lust that burned in Jareth's eyes, Sarah yelped and dove for her clothes as he lunged for the door.

"Woman…you're playing with forces far beyond your kin," he growled, catching her in his arms and pinning her to his body.

"Hey you two… Dad says you have two minutes to get your rears into the kitchen for breakfast, or you'll get stuck with mom's oatmeal," Toby called from outside the bedroom door.

"I swear I'll bog the next person who interrupts us," Jareth griped, releasing Sarah. The moment she was free, Sarah grabbed a bikini and threw it on. Marveling at the speed, Jareth picked up a more 'substantial' pair of swimming trunks and pulled them on. "Why the rush, darling. Are you that anxious to escape me."

"Let's just put it this way, you could use Karen's oatmeal to repave the Labyrinth – it is more effective than concrete and would likely stand up to anything your goblins can dish out…and I don't want to be stuck eating it," she laughed, grabbing her pink sweatshirt and racing from the room, leaving him trying to tug his t-shirt on as he followed her out of the room.

"Hey…no fair! I'm a guest here," he called after her.

"All's fair in love and war, Jareth!" she laughed over her shoulder, then ran around the corner toward the kitchen at the back of the house.

Her words brought Jareth to a halt, staring down the hall leading to the kitchen. "Love?" he murmured. A slow smile spread across his face, accompanied by a warmth that flowed through him, until his magic seemed to hum around him. "She loves me."

Author's Note: My apologies to the wonderful Terry Pratchett (and Nanny Og) for co-opting 'The Wizard's Staff' song and giving it a bit of a Labyrinth twist. *lol* I don't like doing a 'song fic', but I just get the giggles thinking about how annoyed Jareth would likely be about the Wizard's Staff song. If you don't know it, please go look it up *lol* It's a lovely bit of ridiculousness (oh that I could write like Pratchett!).

Apologies must also be offered to 'The Big Bang Theory' as well. *lol*

As always, please review :)