One of the great perks of spending so much time around the north was how much freedom it afforded the Carpathian princess to try to surveil the looming threat that was the Syndicate. From atop Fenrir's Maw, Ember could see down into the forests of the Sound, though the dense trees obscured much of what she could actually see. Even with her sharp vision, sitting along the borders didn't reveal much beyond a border littered with decaying corpses of mutilated wolves. Charming... She'd tried unsuccessfully a second time to spy across the channel from the Sparse Pines to their island, but to no avail. The Syndicate had picked good territories to make a defensible stronghold. It was frustrating to say the least, but Ember was not one to be defeated so easily. She desperately wanted to know more about the malevolent pack lurking in the shadows of the north—and she would not be denied.

Stalking out of the Sparse Pines which was beginning to smell more and more like the Syndicate every day it was alarming, Ember wandered across the snowy tundra towards the landmark wall that ran the length of the mouth of the north, a veritable gateway between the northern territories and the rest of Boreas. The weather was calm, the sky gray and laden with heavy clouds. Snow would be coming soon, but not yet. It was cold, cold enough to require the usually southern-dwelling fae to pull her wool cloak a little tighter around her neck as a breeze whipped across the bare tundra. On her back, Nocturne sat perched, keeping a watchful eye out. Several ravens circled overhead, but she didn't pay any attention to them.

Em was focused entirely on figuring out how close to those macabre borders she could get without causing an international incident. As she reached the wall, Ember paused, looking south and then east. She could head back to Hemlock... or she could try her luck getting just a bit closer... Hmm, decisions, decisions...

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

Absinth watched from the shadows, her ivory fur blending seamlessly with the dim light of the winter landscape. Her ravens circled overhead, keeping a watchful eye on the lone figure making their way across the snowy tundra. The determined wolf seemed intent on spying on the Syndicate, and Absinth had easily obtained their location once they had gotten too close to the border.

The wolf’s wool cloak was pulled tightly around them as they approached the border, at least by what Absinth could see. She found the idea amusing; the wolf's tenacity was admirable, even if it bordered on recklessness considering the adornments of the borders. She watched as they paused at the wall, clearly torn between retreating and pushing their luck by getting closer to the Syndicate’s territory.

The wolf's persistence intrigued Absinth. She had seen many brave souls come and go, but this one… they were hard to ignore. Absinth’s ravens cawed softly, sensing her interest, so she made a decision. Perhaps it was time to introduce herself to this daring intruder.

With a graceful leap, Absinth emerged from the shadows, her eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and mischief. Her antlers were sharp and adorned with hanging colored stones. She approached the intruder with a predatory elegance, her ravens swooping down to join her along her spine and crown.

“Lost, are we?” Absinth called out, her voice carrying a hint of flirtation and menace. “Or are you just looking for trouble?” Who was this?

wormwood

Ember wouldn't get the chance to make the decision of whether to stay and push her luck or call it a day and retreat. Before the choice could be made, a flurry of movement from the shadows of the decrepit old wall caught her attention from the corner of her eye, sharp senses locked in with a laser focus. Ember's head snapped in the direction of the stranger, monochromatic ivory and ebony. She stood at about the same height as Em did, though her body boasted some more noticeable musculature compared to her own lithe form, showcasing the unknown fae's physical fitness. She didn't seem much older than Ember was herself, and she was adorned with a crown of antlers bedazzled with colorful stones like a crown. But what struck the Carpathian fae immediately was the intensity of those emerald green eyes, almost sinister in the way they leered at her.

She looked like trouble...

Ember's body tensed, her muscles preparing her natural fight or flight response while her own oceanic eyes held the stranger's gaze with a similar intensity. She spoke, asking in an almost mocking tone if she was lost—or was that flirting? No, surely there was no way another woman was flirting with her, right? Ember was about to question who the stranger was when the arctic breeze kicked in, washing the scents of both faes toward one another like a cyclone. The stench of death and decay hit Ember's nose immediately, making her nose wrinkle at the acrid smell. It smelled exactly like the Syndicate borders did. This was a Syndicate wolf. And now she'd know Ember was a Hallows wolf. Fuck...

Suddenly the stranger's words seemed much more threatening when asked if she was looking for trouble. Her blue eyes steeled in their resolve, showing no weakness, no signs of panic or fear. Ember did not back down from her would-be ambusher's approach. "I'm not the one harassing wolves out in wild lands. Guess I shouldn't expect much better from a Syndicate wolf," she snapped back, paws subtly spreading to shoulder width apart, bracing on the snow. "So are you gonna tell me why you're jumping out of shadows like a creep or what?" Em's eyes narrowed, keeping her gaze on the stranger. The weight of Ravenedge on her back was a comfort, the short sword still tucked neatly along her back and under her cloak, out of sight.

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

Absinth's emerald eyes glimmered with amusement as she watched the girl’s reaction. The fae's tension, the steely resolve in her blue eyes – it was all so deliciously entertaining. A smirk played at the corners of Absinth's mouth as she took in the sight of the girl bracing herself, ready for a fight.

“Oh, feisty, aren't we?” Absinth purred, her voice dripping with flirtation and mirth. “I do love women with bite to them. Makes things so much more interesting.” She took a slow, deliberate step closer, her antlers gleaming in the dim light as the colorful stones caught the faintest glimmer of the winter sun. But his girl, she spoke of the Syndicate and harassment. Haha.

“The Syndicate has its ways, darling,” She continued, her tone mockingly sweet yet genuinely disinterested. “I look out for the unfortunate souls who wander too close. And you, my dear, have wandered a bit too far for your own good. Here, there be monsters.”

Her ravens cawed softly from above, circling lower as if sensing the tension between the two faes. Absinth's gaze never wavered from Ember's, the intensity of her stare unwavering. She was warning her, just as she had with her other favored souls. Though this girl was hardly worthy of her consideration thus far.

“But I must say, I didn’t expect to find someone so intriguing out here. A Hallows wolf, no less. Or am I mistaken?” She said, her voice taking on a more serious edge, the grin still plastered on her beautiful face. “You know. I owe a debt to a hallow princess. Talyssa, if I remember correctly.”

With a swift, graceful movement, Absinth closed the distance between them, her nose almost touching Ember's. “So tell me, what exactly are you hoping to find out here? And are you prepared to pay the price for it? I wonder, if you'd like to have a little chat with me, I’d welcome it.” Her voice was low, almost a whisper. Seductive, alluring, eyes half lidded as she spoke. The ravens settled around them, their presence consistent.

Absinth leaned back slightly, giving Ember just enough space to breathe. “Your move, sweetheart,” She said, a playful glint in her eyes. “What’s it going to be?”

wormwood

It was as if nothing Ember said even fazed the other fae. If anything, she seemed even more entertained by her attempts at defiance and strength, commending her feisty retort. The purr in her voice when she spoke of loving women with bite to them send a chill down Ember's spine, the sensations coming with it a strange mix of discomfort and something more. Something Ember had felt only a couple times before. Closer and closer the snow and shadow fae came, and while Ember's initial reaction was to take a step back to keep the safe cushion of space between them, she refused to give up even an inch of ground out of principle. Foolish girl that she was.

The stranger taunted her with her Syndicate connections, coaxing a low growl from the Carpathian, black lips peeling back from pearlescent fangs briefly. Ember scoffed at her attempts at intimidation, her braided tail giving an anxious sway behind her, like a cat waiting to pounce. "Don't flatter yourself. The only monstrous thing about you is your ego." Ember didn't dare look away from the Syndicate fae, lest she leave herself vulnerable. But the sound of the many ravens overhead was making her grow concerned. On her back, Nocturne croaked out a subtle warning. He was keeping an eye out for her.

As expected, she had picked up on Ember's pack scent. She was unmistakably from the Hallows, as her smell and the gold brooch clasping her cloak around her neck betrayed. Em had done nothing to hide it of course. She was proud of her lineage and her loyalty. But it was when the Syndicate bitch mentioned Talyssa that she finally elicited a response from the adolescent princess. Em's eyes widened with recognition, her expression contorting into a growl that bared her fangs again. "How do you know Talyssa? What debt do you owe her?" How had her sister come to a run in with a degenerate heathen like a Syndicate wolf?

But all of a sudden, Ember's personal space was being invaded by the stranger. Quick graceful strides had Em suddenly staring straight into those rich emerald eyes, stealing her breath in a sharp gasp. The step back she took was reflexive, one single step that she halted and held her ground with again. Do not back down. The stranger asked what she hoped to find out here, and if she wanted to have a chat. Perplexed, Ember scrutinized those verdant eyes. The fae's voice was low, a seductive purr luring her in. Those deep green eyes practically hypnotic as they held Ember's swirling blue gaze. Em felt her heart race in her chest, her pulse quickening in her veins as heat pooled in her belly. The fae's personality was indomitable, intense, almost overwhelming. But Ember did not buckle. She was not some submissive bitch to bow down and roll over. She was a Carpathian. A Carpathian currently feeling a maelstrom of adolescent hormones and emotions.

When she leaned away, Ember took a deep breath, not realizing she'd been holding her breath the entire time they'd been mere inches apart. She blinked her eyes a few times, trying to clear her head. What the hell had just happened?! She was waiting for her answer. What was her answer going to be? Violence had been the first thing on Ember's mind when she jumped out of the shadows, but now... now Ember's mind was just a hazy blank. Looking back up into the snow and shadow fae's eyes, surrounded by her ravens and almost fully entranced by her, Ember spoke the only words she could think of at the moment. "I think... I'd like to chat." Maybe she could get some intel from the woman. Or maybe she'd fall victim to her gaze again. "Does the monster have a name?" It was the first question that came to Em's mind. She wanted to know the name to go with the face—and with those intense eyes.

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

Absinth's smirk widened, her amusement evident as she watched the girl struggle to maintain her composure. The girl’s defiance was both entertaining and endearing, a rare combination that piqued Absinth’s interest all the more. She allowed a moment of silence to stretch between them, savoring the tension, the way her chest rose and fell with each breath she took. Oh how enthralling.

“Flattery?” Absinth purred, tilting her head slightly, her emerald eyes never leaving the other girl’s. “Oh, my, I assure you, my ego is the least of your concerns.” She took another step closer, closing the gap once more, her presence almost overwhelming. Just the way she always behaved.

When the Hallow wolf recognized the name Talyssa, Absinth’s smile took on a more predatory edge. Bingo. “Ah, Talyssa. She cared for me almost a year ago, when I first landed on these shores.” She paused, her gaze growing distant for a fraction of a second before snapping back to the girl before her. “She offered me food, and a place within the Hallows.”

Absinth leaned in, her nose almost brushing the other’s once more, her voice dropping to a luscious whisper. Oh she liked this girl who stood her ground, so proud, so... fearless. “I told her I was not a good fit.” She straightened, her eyes gleaming with mischief and something darker, more profound. “You wish to chat, do you? Very well. I do so enjoy a good conversation, especially with someone as spirited as you.” With a graceful flick of her charcoal tail, she gestured to the ravens, which settled quietly in the branches above, their eyes watchful. “Names have power, dear stranger. But for you, I will share mine. I am Absinth Inferos, Katil of the Syndicate.”

She took a step back, allowing Ember a bit more space, though her presence remained as intense as ever. “Now, tell me, little wolf, what do you seek out here? And do not say protection for your pack. That’s too simple, too noble for someone as fiery as you. There’s more, isn’t there?”Absinth’s gaze softened slightly, a flicker of genuine curiosity in her eyes so full of mirth. “Share your heart with me, girl. Share your name.” She leaned in once more, her lips curling into a seductive smile as she beckoned the words from the cloaked girl.


wormwood

Ember didn't know what the Syndicate wolf's game was with this coy back and forth they were doing, but whatever it was, she seemed to be getting a great deal of delight out of it. No matter how Ember responded or resisted, it only seemed to entertain the sinister fae, which was both frustrating and bewildering to the Carpathian princess. Em growled in response to the stranger's predacious smile, fangs flashing for the briefest of moments. While the stranger recounted how Talyssa had cared for her and offered her a place in the Hallows, Ember was fighting back her innate urges to charge her opponent. That sounded like Talyssa all right.

The fae came closer again, their noses almost touching to the point where Em could feel each of the fae's exhales and spoken words in warm breaths against her muzzle, a sharp contrast to the arctic air. How easy it would be to lunge forward and snap her jaws down on that pretty face... wait, pretty?! Ember surprised herself with her own intrinsic thoughts. Yes, the woman was naturally attractive, but she was also an enemy. She was a potential danger to her and her family. Thankfully, the fae pulled back before the temptation to lacerate her face won out. Ember could only scoff in response to the ending of her tale. "You were right—you aren't a good fit," she quipped back, unable to hold the sass on her tongue from lashing out. Not that she cared much for being polite to a Syndicate crony.

The tone of the conversation shifted when Ember relented to a chat. She saw something change in those green eyes, something darker along with that predatory gleam. She was looking at Em like she was a meal to be devoured, and it made her stomach flip. But the feeling wasn't terror. It was something else. Em didn't get a chance to dwell on that though, as the stranger agreed to share conversation with her, complimenting how spirited the Carpathian was. The compliment made a heat rise in Ember's cheeks—out of righteous anger, surely—and left her reeling from the change in the sultry commentary to the more austere conversation. It was then that the stranger finally revealed her name to her: Absinth Inferos. Her title meant little to Ember, but if she was using it, it either meant she was a high ranking Syndicate member, or she was such an egomaniac that she felt like dropping any title she could.

With a bit more space between them, Ember breathed a soft sigh of relief, feeling the near suffocating proximity of Absinth fade slightly. "Absinth..." repeated the yearling, oceanic eyes once more finding radiant emeralds with an unyielding fervor. She would remember this fae. As Absinth's intense gaze softened, Ember found herself slowly slipping out of that hypnotic spell, able to focus in her response, and it allowed her to be a little cheeky back. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you if names are powerful," she teased with a wry grin, body still tensed and ready to react at a split second.

But then Absinth smiled, a visage of allure and temptation given flesh, and the seduction returned within those emerald eyes. Gods dammit, Em couldn't look away! She didn't want to. Despite her roguish retort, Absinth had a hold over her at the moment, and Em replied almost without thinking. "My name is Ember Carpathius. I'm a princess and Head Scholar of the Hallows." Absinth had already met one princess, and knowing Talyssa, she likely would've known her big sister was also a princess, so there was no point in trying to lie. But how would Absinth react to such a revelation? Or maybe she already knew. The gold brooch holding her cloak to her body was the Carpathian family sigil, after all; a well-known mark amongst the wolves of Ardent given her family's notoriety.

With a sudden burst of courage, Ember closed the distance between the two faes again with quick strides of long legs, ocean blue eyes burning into Absinth’s. "I came to see how dangerous the Syndicate really was... and to provoke one of you into a fight." Oh, such an uncivilized response from the princess! But Absi had asked for the truth of her heart and now she had gotten it. The stare of those green eyes seemed to coax the words involuntarily from her lips, and Ember didn't realize until she'd already said the words. For now, she'd leave her stay in Hemlock out of her answers. This was between her and Absinth, the Hallows and the Syndicate. She braced herself for whatever Absinth's response would be. Would it be more amusement at her, or would she consider Em a threat now? Ember held her breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

Absinth reveled in the girl's defiance, each flash of fangs and fiery retort feeding her amusement. The princess’s spirit was a gem, one Absinth found herself quite taken with. She couldn’t resist the urge to see just how far she could push her. To poke, prod, pry, and peel away the layers. Who was this girl at her core?

“You think so too?” Absinth said with a mockingly hurt tone, her lithe body moving in a half circle around the darkly colored girl. Her eyes roved over every curve the midnight fae had to offer, lingering on each delicate, beautiful feminine line. “I have always preferred to dance to my own tune.” She watched with keen interest as Ember fought her internal battle, the young fae’s confusion and attraction warring beneath her cheeky facade.

When Ember repeated her name, Absinth’s eyes sparkled with delight. The daughter of their enemy – a treat indeed. She paused her circling to align their faces, their chests, locking her gaze with the now named Ember’s blue eyes. “Yes, remember it well, Ember Carpathius, Princess and Head Scholar of the Hallows.” The monochrome woman said, savoring the way the titles rolled off her tongue, like she was enjoying the sweetest of honey.

When Ember closed the distance between them with swift strides, Absinth’s smile widened, a thrill running through her at the audacity of the young princess. The declaration of her intentions – seeking danger and provoking a fight – only heightened Absinth’s interest. Her gaze softened, her smile turning almost affectionate. She leaned in, her eyes never leaving Ember’s, the intensity of her emerald gaze unwavering. True to her name, intoxicatingly potent, at least to most. Was Ember of the same opinion?

“How dangerous the Syndicate is?” Absinth repeated, her voice a roguish purr, laced with excitement. “I see. How ambitious.” She reached out, a single finger trying to trace along Ember’s jawline, her touch both gentle and possessive, wondering what the girl would do in response. “Provoking a fight. Now that’s the spirit I adore. But let me sway your mind. I am no Saxe; I don’t want to fight you, girl.” With a fluid motion, she took a step back, her paw dropping gracefully to the ground.

Her emerald eyes burned with an intense fire as she stared into Ember’s oceanic ones. “I can show you something more thrilling than a fight, if you are so inclined.” She said, her voice low and seductive, promising so much more than a simple, mundane conflict. Her eyes fell to the golden brooch, the sigil of the Hallows – the Carpathians. Princesses, kingdoms, duty, and sacrifice; these problems had once seemed so far out of Absinth’s understanding. That hunk of metal was a reminder of their differences.

“Do you know what I see in your eyes? So blue, so cooling; A fire that burns.” She leaned in closer, her lips inches from Ember’s ear, her breath warm against the cold air. ”Beautiful.” Absinth’s voice was a seductive whisper, each word carefully chosen to coax and tempt. She liked the idea of swaying the mind and body of the princess, though there was no real motive in doing so. Call it impulse.

wormwood

The way Absinth moved around her, practically dancing with light steps on nimble paws, it felt as if she were herding Ember, trying to pen her in. She jested and teased, acting hurt by Ember's accurate accusation that she'd never fit in at the Hallows, but the princess was unfazed. What did get a reaction out of her was the way those striking green eyes roved unabashedly over her body, practically feeling Absinth's salacious gaze roaming across her form. It made those butterflies stir in her belly again, the electricity racing through her nerves and keeping her on edge, but in an unusual way she didn't immediately recognize as desire. It was the desire to be seen, to be wanted, to be coveted. Ember had never been a vain fae, but in this moment, feeling Absinth's searing gaze all over her, Ember couldn't help but feel a bit powerful.

When the Infernos fae made a remark about dancing to her own tune, Ember simply scoffed. "And now you march to the beat of a psychopath," she retorted, a jab at Absinth's subservience to Sephiran. It was no secret that Sephiran was a strongly disliked wolf. Why anyone would willingly want to follow a madman into hell was beyond her. With her name given, Em saw something light up in Absi's eyes, and then they were face to face again, the Syndicate wolf almost pressing their chests together as they stood mere inches apart. Ember's breath caught in her throat, eyes still narrowed, but the gleam in them flickering between defiance, anxiousness, curiosity, and yearning. Something about the way Absinth repeated her name made her heart race, the fire surging through her veins. It was a fire to fight. To push forward and tackle Absinth to the ground. To wrestle her about on the snowy ground. Imagining what Absi's body would feel like pinned underneath her in submission.

The two women engaged in this constant dance of back and forth together, with Ember pursuing Absinth only for Absinth to draw back and surge forward again, leaning in so close Em could feel the warmth of the other fae's breath against her mouth with every purred syllable. It was Absinth who pushed the boundaries first, adding touch to their game as one digit stroked delicately along Ember's jaw. The reaction in the Carpathian fae was immediate—Em's body went tense like her touch had struck her with lightning, her breath hitching and catching in her throat. It was an intimate and yet controlling gesture, coaxing Em deeper into her web. Ember held Absi's gaze, her chin lifting ever so subtly to the other woman's touch, those butterflies exploding into fire in her belly. And then she was drawing back, her paw gone from her jaw, and Ember could breathe again, sucking in short gasps of breath. Fuck...

Absinth was no Saxe, but she was of the Syndicate. Was that enough in Ember's mind to justify violence against her? She was still debating that when Absi offered to show her something more thrilling than combat. Em found that hard to believe, but she was inclined to listen, at least for now. Fighting Absinth was not what she'd come here for, and she wasn't Sephiran, so harming her would do no good. Those seductively purred words had Ember curious. She had an instinctual idea of what Absi was hinting at, and she was no naive princess, but she'd never experienced such bold flirtation and seduction before, especially not from a fae! It was stirring up a whirlwind in the young fae's heart and belly, a restlessness she didn't know how to satiate. But Absinth seemed to know how.

Ember let out a slow breath, oceanic blue eyes burning deep into Absinth's emerald greens. She came closer, surrounding Em in her presence, her scent all around her. Absinth's lips were at her ear now, whispering honeyed words straight into her hormone-addled brain. Each words expertly crafted to elicit a response from her. And respond, Ember did. Her lips pulled back in a subtle show of her teeth, ears flicking back to her head, but it wasn't a growl that came from her. Instead, Ember surprised herself as a soft, quivering whine escaped her throat in response to Absi's seduction. A fire that burns. Beautiful. Ember breathed a stuttering sigh, caught between wanting to turn her head to push her nose into the side of Absinth's neck to breathe in her scent and wanting to snap her jaws around the sinister fae's face. "And what can you show me that's more thrilling than a fight...?" Ember whispered in a breathy whisper back. This was dangerous territory Ember was treading, but she didn't dare want to back down now.

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

Absinth’s eyes glimmered with satisfaction, the light within them dancing as she watched the parade of emotions flitting across Ember's face. Confusion, temptation. The defiant princess was an exquisite challenge, a living puzzle, and Absinth savored every tantalizing second of this game. With lithe, deliberate movements, she circled Ember, a serpentine promise of danger and desire. Every fiber of her being screamed to lunge, to take what she wanted, to steal a kiss she would immediately make bloody — but she held back, her patience fraying at the edges.

Ember's sharp retort about marching to the beat of a psychopath elicited a chuckle from Absinth, a low, throaty sound filled with wicked amusement. She leaned in, her voice a sultry purr, “Oh, darling, let’s not speak of Sephiran's tune when the symphony I create is so much more fucking pleasing.” The jab about her subservience was nothing but fuel to the fire she intended to stoke within Ember.

As her fingers brushed against Ember's jaw, the tension rippling through the princess's body was palpable. Ember's chin lifted subtly, a gesture of defiance that only encouraged Absinth further. She reveled in the power she held, the ability to make the proud, fiery princess tremble with a mere caress. How fucking tempting it was, the urge to act on her impulse burning within her.

When Ember's breath hitched and her glacial blue eyes met Absinth's emerald gaze, a thrilling shiver ran through her. This was the essence of what she sought – the collision of resistance and attraction, the push and pull that made her heart race and her blood sing. She leaned in closer, her breath warm against Ember's ear, her voice a seductive whisper. “What can I show you…? Is that a joke.” She murmured, each word dripping with intent, aimed to pull the younger woman closer into her web of seduction. Was she that inexperienced? It wouldn’t be the first time Absinth has pursued a virtuous fae.

Absinth allowed the silence to stretch, the tension between them almost tangible. Then, with a slow, deliberate movement, she stepped even closer, their bodies nearly touching, the fur of Absinth’s chest brushing against Ember’s. Heartbeat to heartbeat. Her eyes traced the curve of Ember's throat, lingering on the side of her neck, a silent demand. She wanted to place her lips there, to taste the defiance and desire within. Turning her head, her lips brushing just shy of Ember’s, whispering, “I can promise it’s more thrilling than a simple fight.” Her voice was a sultry caress, teasing a kiss with mere proximity. Sure. She’ll walk her through it. In her own Absinth way.

Her emerald eyes locked onto Ember's, Absinth let her hand trail down the princess's chest, feeling the shivers that followed her touch. “I can show you a world where pleasure and peril entwine,” She murmured, her breath warm against Ember's ear, her words like the whispers of a lover. “A place where the boundaries between agony and ecstasy dissolve, where every breath you take, every beat of your heart, becomes a dance of strength and desire.”

She paused, letting her words sink in, her eyes flicking to Ember's lips before returning to her gaze. “What do you want, Ember? Fucking show it to me.” Her voice dropped to an intimate murmur, barely more than a breath. “Can you do that, princess? Or do you need me to lead?”

The challenge hung in the air, a promise of what lay ahead. She could see the battle waging in Ember's eyes, the fire that burned brighter with each passing second. This was the moment of truth, the moment where Ember would either step into the dance with her or retreat into the safety of the known.

Absinth's smile deepened, a blend of anticipation and satisfaction as she readied her defenses, lips curling coyly as she spoke. “The choice is yours, Wildfire.” Her words were a siren's call, luring Ember into the depths of her desire, promising a world where danger and pleasure were one and the same.


wormwood

Well, if nothing else, Ember seemed to be amusing the Syndicate femme at the very least, so maybe her humor was on point. Absinth continued to ensnare her in her languid circling movements, keeping Ember penned in while she teased her and tempted her. Absinth's remark about not entertaining Sephiran even more a moment did bring a bit of delight to Ember, her lips curling up in a small smirk. Seemed not even everyone in the Syndicate liked that monster... The promise of Absinth's more enticing symphony was a notion that made those butterflies in Ember's belly stir up into a frenzy, that anxious energy resonating through her body. Adrenaline rushed through her veins, coursing through her with every beat of her racing heart. Each touch, each purred word and sultry syllable, each promise of thrills and delights made Em feel like her body was coming to life in ways she had begun to discover on her own. The way Absi looked at her... it was an empowering sensation, but also made Em feel so feminine and flustered. Like she was the object of this fae's desire and was her prey at the same time. It was an intoxicating sensation.

Ember felt Absinth's whisper against her ear as much as she heard her purring words dripping with salacious seduction. It coaxed another quivering sigh from the young fae, his breathing now an unsteady stuttering as her body threatened to betray her mind before she'd even made it up. There was a tease and a taunt in her words. Ember was not inexperienced, but she was far from the avid lover Absinth clearly was. And Ember had never been with a fae before, just Erik, and even those sensations were still fresh in her mind. Em was at the height of her self discovery of sexuality, adrift amidst a maelstrom of raging adolescent hormones and carnal bisexual desires. There was no hiding the fact that Ember was yearning to explore and play, to learn about herself in physical lessons of the body and heart. But she'd been hesitant to explore the sapphic side of her hungers. Would now be the time she gave in? Would Absinth be the temptation that led her to discover the pleasures faes could bring one another?

As if reading her mind—or perhaps just her body language—Absinth brushed her lips oh so dangerously close to her own, then ran her paw down Em's chest, stealing her breath in a shaky sigh again. Those promises she made... of pleasure and peril, of ecstasy and agony... Ember nearly moaned out loud. She bit her lip to stifle the quiet whine that threatened to slip from her. Absinth wasn't going to just give her what she ached for; she was going to have to show how much she wanted it. But did she want it from her? The Syndicate bitch was pulling her strings like a marionette. Was she going to give in to her? What would the cost be? Did it even matter? Ember had come here to see what the Syndicate was all about, and by the gods, was she learning fast and firsthand! Absi commanded her to show her what she wanted and Ember exhaled hot and husky, cool eyes smoldering with a barely contained heat as their gazes met and held. "Princess" she teased her again. Or did she want Absi to lead? Oh gods, the thought of what she could do if she surrendered herself to Absinth's lead...

Ember's eyes steeled with resolve as Absinth coaxed her on again, even dubbing her with a new nickname Wildfire. In that moment, the Carpathian fae knew what she wanted to do. Although inexperienced in the ways of sapphic pleasure and lust, Em knew that the start wouldn't be indifferent from being with a brute. No sooner had Absinth's words left her lips, Ember's muzzle was rushing forward to crush against hers in an urgent and clumsy kiss, letting instinct and desire drive her body. Fire rushed through her veins the moment her mouth met Absinth's, eyes closed as she let these new sensations overcome her. Soft needy growls rumbled in her throat as her body pressed closer to the other woman's, their chests meeting until Ember could feel Absi's plush fur mingling with her own silky coat. The heat smoldered inside of her, threatening to engulf her wholly. There was still that tension, that anger and urge to strike out at the Syndicate, but now there was a hunger she felt for the fae her lips were currently locked with. Absinth had wanted Ember to show her what she wanted. Well, Ember was fucking showing her now.

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

Absinth's smirk deepened, the satisfaction of Ember's surrender, or perhaps her counter attack, coursing through her like a potent elixir. The urgent, clumsy kiss from the princess was a delightful surprise, and Absinth reveled in the raw, untamed desire that surged between them. She allowed Ember to take the lead for a moment, savoring the fire that the princess was unleashing, the heat of their contact intoxicating; sending a burn down to her core.

With a low, pleased growl, Absinth responded to the kiss with equal fervor, her lips moving against Ember's with a demanding grace. She could feel the younger fae's inexperience, but also the undeniable hunger that drove her, a hunger that Absinth was more than willing to satiate. Their chests pressed together, fur mingling, created an electric friction that sent shivers down her spine as she pushed further into the younger woman.

Breaking the kiss, but only just, Absinth's breath was hot against Ember's lips as she whispered and nipped at the soft flesh there, “Feel the fire, Wildfire. Let it course through your veins, fill you up, so you can overflow.” She urged, her voice a hypnotic melody. “Let me consume you.”

She leaned in again, her lips brushing against Ember's in a teasing caress, eyes seeking the princess’s with their half-lidded and low allure; before seeking to capture her lips once more in a more forceful, carnivorous kiss that was both commanding and inviting. Absinth's tongue darted out, seeking entrance, seeking to deepen their connection. The taste of Ember was intoxicating, a blend of innocence and burgeoning desire that made her blood sing, and her nethers burning with desire.

Absinth was ready to lead, but she wanted to see how fiercely Ember would follow, how brightly the Wildfire would blaze in the face of her seductive tempest.


wormwood

Oh, what a surrender it truly was! Ember gave herself over to those primal urges burning inside her like a raging inferno, letting instinct and baser desires guide her body and her actions. These feelings, these cravings... they were raw, feral, primitive, intense. She unleashed all of that fire burning inside of her through her lips as if trying to sear Absinth alive with her heat, wild and unrelenting. What she lacked in experience she made up for in sheer passion. It was thrilling! Ember's heart raced when she heard and felt Absinth's pleased growl against her lips, making her pulse quicken in her veins. Her braided tail lashed back and forth behind her, twitchy and erratic as the euphoric fae came to life in a way she hadn't ever before. Whether it was her fury towards the Syndicate or the relentless yearning to explore this whole other side of her sexuality, some heat raged inside the Carpathian fae that wanted nothing more than to release these pent up lusts on Absinth.

Absinth's mouth moved against her own, rough and demanding, but with a smoothness and familiarity that told enticing tales of how well versed the Syndicate fae was with pleasing women. A tremor ran down Ember's body, every nerve feeling like it was on fire and being electrocuted at the same time. The older fae pressed her body closer to Em's, pushing taut up against her and coaxing a quiet humming whine from her out of reflex. Ember sucked in a breath of icy cold air when their lips parted as if she'd just surfaced from beneath a deep ocean, and really, she might as well have. She was drowning in the sensations of Absinth, burning alive as a heat and a hunger, both familiar and foreign to her, gnawed in the pit of her belly. Their breaths fogged the arctic air between them, Ember's breath turning to a staccato gasping when she felt Absi's teeth nip at her lower lip. Fuck, she was doing everything right...!

The sultry monochrome fae's words made her heart race and that hot tension grow in her belly, her thighs squeezing together on nothing as she fought not to squirm in place. Ember thought back to the conversation she'd had with Tamsyn on the beach. About being free to explore herself and her sexuality, how there was no shame in enjoying yourself and others. But did she trust Absinth? Absolutely not. Was that going to stop her from making out with the hot Syndicate bitch though? Fuck no! Absinth's little nickname for her couldn't have rung more true; Ember was a wildfire right now, raging and burning out of control, untempered and uncontrollable as she let herself burn and overflow. This was likely a stupid move, a dangerous position to put herself in, but Ember didn't care. She had only felt this way once before with Erik. She'd tasted the pleasures of a brute. Now she craved to know what the pleasures of a fae would taste like.

Absinth urged Em to let her consume her, and that was exactly what Ember did. The midnight fae leaned her muzzle in closer to brush her lips against Absi's, feeling her warm breath against her muzzle, ocean blue eyes half-lidded with desire and glazed over with lust as she stared deep into those emerald pools across from her like she were hypnotized. Dainty paws lifted to gingerly rest on Absi's shoulders, slowly sliding up to wrap around her neck as her mouth was claimed in another ravenous kiss. This time Absinth took the lead, showing her domineering side as her mouth moved hungrily against the Carpathian's. She felt the other woman's tongue prying for entry and Ember eagerly parted her lips to welcome her in to deepen their kiss. Em gave a short needy whine and met Absinth's tongue with her own, tasting the other fae in her maw with urgent growls, heat and arousal spreading through her nether regions. Absinth's taste was saccharine sweet and addicting, a succubus' venom meant to intoxicate and inebriate. Em's eyes closed again, losing herself in the moment as she burned out of control, every lash of Absinth's tongue against her own stoking those flames like she wanted to immolate her.

Sounds mixed between growls and whines slipped from the Carpathian princess as she made out with the woman who was supposed to be her enemy. Ember's paws flexed around the back of Absinth's neck, hidden feline claws extending to comb through the thick fur of the other woman's scruff, clinging to her like she didn't want to let her go. Absinth was showing she was the dominant one right now, and were she more coherent, Ember might've challenged her on that. But right now, Em wanted nothing more than for Absi to set her ablaze and show her the side of her untapped until now. She wanted to see what she could do to make her Wildfire burn out of control.

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

Absinth’s smirk twisted into something feral, her lips curling with predatory delight. She leaned in, capturing Ember’s mouth in a kiss that was both ferocious and consuming, her tongue exploring with demanding fervor. She wanted to taste her, feel the sharp edges of her teeth, cut her tongue on them, and spill her blood into the fae’s maw. Her hands moved with purpose, paws tracing the curves of Ember’s body, her shoulders, her waist, each touch leaving a trail of fire. She was covetous, wrathful in this sensual dance, offering Ember only a glimpse of what her touch could truly bestow.

Absinth broke the kiss again, only to descend upon Ember’s neck, her lips and teeth playing a symphony of desire. She nipped and sucked at the sensitive skin, each mark a testament to her seduction. Ember’s pulse raced beneath her lips, the thrum of her heartbeat matching the electric energy between them. She inhaled the intoxicating scent of sea salt, vanilla, and jasmine. If she believed in gods, she would have begged for mercy on her senses. Absinth could feel the younger fae’s need, her fingers tangling in Absinth’s fur, pulling her closer as her teeth grazed that sensitive Carpathian flesh, tugging provocatively at her inhibitions. But… there was something Absinth wanted now, first and foremost.

A lustful growl rumbled from Absinth’s chest, and she abruptly tore herself away. Whatever state she left Ember in, she felt no remorse. Her charcoal tail lashed behind her, swollen lips splitting into a grin both inviting and daring. She turned her back on the girl, sultry hips swaying as she took a few steps away, depriving Ember of her warmth, until she rounded back with impish delight.

“Let’s make this interesting, Wildfire,” Absinth purred, her voice a low, seductive growl. Her muscles tensed, body coiled like a spring ready to launch. “A battle, here and now. The one you wanted. Winner commands the other for the night. Do you accept?” The monochromatic fae thrilled at her own suggestion, eager to feel the girl’s teeth rend her flesh. What could be better? An intense fuck afterward, that’s what.

Without waiting for a response, she shifted into a ready stance, her posture exuding confidence and readiness. She wanted to push Ember, to see the fire within her blaze to its full potential. The younger fae’s passion was intoxicating, and Absinth craved to see how fiercely Ember would fight to win.

“Show me what you’ve got.” Absinth taunted, a wicked grin spreading across her face, her eyes gleaming with a dark promise.


wormwood