Chapter Nineteen

Abroad for the Holidays

Karou never hit the bottom. Perhaps that was a good sign, though; it had always been the unofficial rule of dreams that a mind would never imagine its own end.

The feeling of falling alone woke Karou up.

Her vision had been intense, but she didn't want to dissect it right now. Already, only seconds after waking, Karou knew precisely what her precognition had been trying to show her. Eventually, perhaps even soon, she would leave Warren and the Compound. Enoch was truly paradise compared to what would remain of the Compound; the oncoming mortal attack that would destroy her haven.

Sat bolt upright in bed and staring out into the pitch-black; Karou panted in fear. Craving calm and comfort, she looked around to see that Warren still hadn't come to bed.

Feeling more than a little shaken up, Karou clambered out of bed and wiped away the cold and almost dry tears that made her face feel sticky. She wandered through the darkness in a straight line towards Warren's office door. Like before, she didn't knock when she entered, but she didn't stop to see what he was doing this time. Her fright and sleepiness gave her the confidence to make a b-line for him. Once she was in proximity, her hands shifted him however she had to so that she could climb onto his lap.

From over the room, Warren watched Karou's trance-like movements and wondered if she was even awake; she looked to have been sleepwalking.

He'd finished his work and was just making one last call. Perhaps she'd come to scold him for being out of bed for too long, he thought but didn't plan to be much longer. When she arrived, he was still on the phone and continued his conversation even as Karou made it clear where she wanted to sit. Naturally, he accommodated her and rolled his chair back from his desk. So, with Karou planted in his lap and her face nestled against his shoulder, he muttered into his cell phone, "Mag' I've got to go now."

Without missing a beat, Karou greeted, "Hi Magnus." Close enough to Warren that the Spaniard heard her without strain.

"Good evening Bonita. I didn't know you were there."

Warren passed Karou his cell phone, his part in the conversation having ended. When she took it off him and freed his hands, he coiled his arms about her waist under her wings.

"I wasn't here the whole time. I was in bed, but I had one of my dreams again..."

"Was it a bad one this time?"

Karou didn't want to explain, so she just said, "Mhmm…"

"Ah, so you've come to find Warren? Well then, I shall wish you a good night and let the two of you get to bed." Magnus didn't know what was going off between the pair in detail, not since Karou had left Blue Ash anyway. But he'd pondered the circumstances - Karou had come seeking comfort, and astoundingly, Warren was willing to give it. Unlike himself, he hadn't instantly turned her away; instead, he'd excused himself for their conversation to provide his full attention. Warren had changed.

"Night, Magnus." Karou ended the call and placed the device on Warren's desk.

Once the call had ended, he sat alone in the castle Library; he wondered just how much change had come to pass. For a moment, he couldn't help but feel hopeful. Perhaps a better future was on the horizon, one in which Warren would find happiness, with Karou at his side.

Curled up on Warren's lap, alone in his office in their small unit. Karou sighed and laid her head on his chest. She noticed that his laptop was closed, which meant he'd probably finished work.

"I'm sorry you had a bad dream," Warren mumbled without moving; he'd relaxed back into his chair and even closed his eyes.

"There just isn't any comfort in saying it's only a dream because this one definitely isn't," Karou explained as she began to remove his tie and unbutton his dress shirt. This got his attention, and he opened his eyes to watch her dainty hands go about undressing his torso. She stopped once the two sides of his shirt hung down his sides, un-tucked and open. Now that she had access to his bare skin, she snuggled back into him like a child seeking comfort in skin to skin contact. "I know that no matter how I feel right now that I'll eventually leave and go to Enoch because the Compound won't always be safe. I saw it."

"I have been trying to tell you that, but you didn't seem to believe me."

Fall had come again. Karou had lived at the Compound for two years. The anniversary of her Siring, emergence out of dormancy and birthday were near. Warren had confided in her that she was more or less fully-fledged and had achieved that status a lot faster than he'd anticipated. It showed in how independent she had become regarding knowing when and how to feed herself. Hours of study and deep conversations with Magnus had filled her in on all the intricacies of her vampiricy. Not to mention the amount of research she'd done before her siring too. And there was also a practical information exchange she got from Warren too. She was as prepared for solo life as a vampire as she could've been.

Since she'd been out of nephilim dormancy for about the same amount of time, her wings had come into their adult plumage - a deep blue, almost black, covering of thick feathers that shone a beautiful inky irradiance in sunlight. They contrast the golden undertones of her ivory skin and bright blue eyes. Her appearance juxtaposed the ethereal aesthetic of most angelic beings. Karou wasn't all light and delicate; she had a darkness to her that was indicative of her Luciferian heritage. Her darker aspects that sometimes glimpsed through her otherwise innocent persona were something she'd discovered Warren found quite irresistible. Sometimes she played on that.

Nevertheless, their relationship remained as turbulent as it'd always been. Some days Warren blew hot. Some days, he blew cold. But Karou was known to have mood swings too, and apparently, being a very emotional person living with someone who was as far from in tune with inner feelings as Warren sometimes spelt disaster. They'd fight, they'd grow distance, and then they'd pine for each other until their stubborn resolves crumbled, and they gave in to temptation and fell back into each other's arms only for the cycle to repeat. Even so, Karou was happy. She wondered if Warren was too...

It was a Thursday night, and they were curled up on the couch together. Both reading with a blanket pulled over them when Karou lowered her book to gaze up at him to ask, "Warren, are you happy?"

"Hmm? What makes you ask?" Warren's eyes found Karou's with his brow rose curiously.

"I was just wondering."

"Yes. I'm happy." He said plainly and kissed the top of her head.

"I don't just mean right now... I mean in general."

"So did I." He smiled.

November thirtieth had arrived at last! Warren had let his work alarm sound at its usual time and peeled Karou away from him so that he could get up. Of course, she grumbled as she usually did until she took his pillow hostage and curled herself around it possessively. After he'd taken a moment to watch her nuzzle her face into the satin pillowcase, sniffing in his scent, Warren left their bedroom to shower and returned to get dressed. That was when he deviated from his usual routine – he didn't shut himself away in his office. Instead, he sat in the lounge, hoping Karou wouldn't wake up just yet.

Plans had been made for her birthday, some she knew about and some she didn't. Warren knew how she loved surprises.

Plan number one was to make Karou a special evening meal that night, complete with a birthday cake, and he was very much looking forward to it. For the rest of her day, she'd planned to meet her friends for a celebratory drink, which was plan number two. Turning twenty-one was a big deal, so she thought she'd take the chance to have a little party. Plan number three was the surprise, and Warren was waiting for it to arrive. Fortunately, it was on time and joined Warren in waiting for Karou to get up.

At least she made it out of bed before noon, she thought to herself in the shower. Karou had been distracted, getting herself ready for the day to have noticed anything out of the ordinary. The closet that'd been her bedroom had become a walk-in wardrobe. Regardless of whether she and Warren were going through a good patch or not, he never made her unwelcome in his bed. Seeing as it was her birthday, she picked out clothes to wear that she felt were nicer than her usual everyday wear. She opted for a dress with thick tights due to the miserable November weather.

On her way to get breakfast, Karou caught two scents. Firstly Warren's and a second, which instantly lifted her mood. She knew that that day would be good, but she'd never expected a surprise visitor. Excitedly she took off over the hardwood and ran into the arms of a man who had become an incredibly good friend.

"Magnus, you're here!" She cried as she wrapped her arms around him with a great big grin across her face.

"Hello, you!" He greeted her with an equally cheerful grin and folded his arms around her in a fatherly embrace. "Si, I'm here for someone's birthday."

"It doesn't seem like five minutes since you were here for mine," Warren noted. He stood lent back against the countertop with his arms folded over his chest as he watched the scene unfold between his mentor and fledgeling. He had a genuinely pleased smile on his face.

"I know, right? But it's so good to see you!" Karou glanced sideways at Warren when he spoke and noticed his smile, which brought a bright flush of gold to her face. She looked back to Magnus eventually.

"I couldn't miss your special day. Besides, you have so many anniversaries to celebrate in the coming week," Magnus explained.

"You're here for the week?" Karou beamed.

"Si, I will have to do a little work, though. I'm here on 'official coven business'."

"Apparently, the Compound is overdue an audit." Warren rolled his eyes as he unfolded his arms and turned to pour himself a mug of coffee. He made Karou and Magnus one too.

Holding the brimming coffee mug between her hands, she sipped at the hot beverage while Warren made their breakfast. He'd rolled up his sleeves and thrown his tie over his shoulder as he prepared a big pan of bacon and eggs. When he dished up, Magnus noticed how the pair's eyes lingered on each other amidst the chit chat and even as they sat eating, they would hold each other's gaze too. Karou could make Warren smile often, it seemed.

With breakfast over, Karou dismissed herself, explaining to Magnus that she had promised to meet her friends at the tavern but that she would be back in time for her birthday dinner. Warren and Magnus saw her off and got to work on their 'audit'.

Together they walked about the Compound, talking, and Magnus pretended to work. It gave them some time to catch up and discuss coven politics and world affairs in person rather than over the phone.

"It doesn't surprise me that things are getting worse," Warren stated.

"At the moment, things are fine, but I can see him becoming an issue... He's barely lucid these days. I never thought he would spiral so quickly. Lucian and Abel weren't this bad." Magnus shared his thoughts on Roman's madness.

"As long as you uphold Kostya's philosophies, Mikhail and Ada, the rest of the Elder's will follow suit. But as soon as they start listening to Roman instead, some intervention might be healthy, for the Coven's sake. Wasn't Roman only ever meant to be a figurehead?"

"Si, a figurehead." Magnus nodded along with Warren's point at a pause in the conversation but sensing he was about to continue speaking.

"...But, of course, he's worse. Lucian and Abel weren't inbred. Thank God Ariane never got the chance to bear him an heir. Can you imagine how warped that poor child would have turned out?"

"I dread to think how having a child would have affected her health. That poor girl's end was awful." The Spaniards face turned into a frown. He truly pitied the Black Family and their sickly, long-winded demise. The foreboding of their end had been upon them for almost a century now.

"Not as awful as having been born into that family," Warren grumbled. Opposite to Magnus, Warren had very little pity for any pureblood vampiric houses. He didn't dislike pureblood's purely because they were just that. No, he mainly disliked how prejudicial they usually were towards 'others' that fell under the umbrella term 'vampire', those sired, for instance. Not to mention that each pureblood, house, family and Coven, seemed to meet their demise the same way yet never learning from the other's mistakes.

"Karou is distantly related to that family, you know?"

Warren wafted his hand nonchalantly. "As distantly as you are, I'm not judging either of you..."

"Speaking of the little bird, how are things? You seem, dare I say, happy?" Magnus probed with a grin spread across his face, which spelt mischief.

"I guess I am happy." Warren nodded. "I'm enjoying it while it lasts."

"You think she'll be off to Enoch soon?"

"Hmm, yes, most likely. I can't deny that she's fledged when she feeds so effortlessly and never gorges herself. Cambria's been checking up on her more frequently, so it stands to reason that she's also aware of her fledged status. She'll hold me to our deal imminently, and seeing as she is twenty-one today, I'm expecting some sort of visit..."

"If Cambria does visit, we'll deal with it." Magnus blew off the topic. "I told you you'd be able to raise a fledgeling with few issues. I'm glad that it's making you happy and that Karou is making you happy." Magnus almost wiggled his eyes brows suggestively.

Warren stopped in his tracks and grabbed hold of his mentor's forearm. His gaze was serious and took on a cold demeanour. "Whatever feelings you get from us this week, whatever you see or hear, I need you to stop encouraging whatever our relationship has turned into. I haven't been able to help myself. I need you to reign me in and, at all costs, stop me from interfering in her life any more than I already have. Especially when she leaves, I'm going to need you to convince me that I made the right choice in letting her go because right now, I'm not sure I want to or will be able to when the time comes."

"Warren if you lo-" Magnus began but was cut off by Warren.

"Don't say it."

"But if you do, surely that isn't such an awful thing. Don't you think you deserve a little happiness?"

"That's why I'm enjoying it while I can, but nothing lasts forever, Mag, I know that."

"She doesn't have to go to Enoch. It's her choice. What if Karou wants to stay with you? You're her Sire; if nothing else, it's natural to remain close."

"Sometimes she says she wants to stay, but how can she make that choice when she's never even been to Enoch? There is so much I can't give her, and it's overwhelmingly obvious how much better her life could be without me. Yes, I sired her, but that doesn't mean I have a right to claim her and stop her from leaving me just because I want her to myself. I won't do to her what Ellis did to me, Magnus. Karou was always going to be nephilim; being sired was just a bump in the road regarding what her life was always meant to be. Mag' she had such a terrible childhood, she deserves a second chance, a chance to forget everything that has come before and chase her dream of a better life. She'll be able to build that life in Enoch."

"You've really put some thought into this, and I can't tell you you're wrong."

"You know me better than I know myself, and I know you know that whatever awaits her in Enoch is worth leaving me for."

"Si. As much as it hurts me to admit, we are agreed on that, Mijo."

"So, you'll do everything in your power to stop me interfering when the time comes?"

"Of course. I will always do what's best for you, Warren. I love you like a son." Magnus nodded solemnly but patted his hand to Warren's cheek in a fatherly gesture.

"But, please, don't let me go back to Ellis? Or Lilli!"

"Ha!" Magnus said nothing on that topic and shot Warren a look. "So when can we go back to your abode and open a bottle of wine? This 'audit' is thirsty work!"

"It's not even two o'clock yet. You're unbelievable." Warren rolled his blue eyes. "Drinking alone would make us look like alcoholics; perhaps a more social setting would give us a more reasonable excuse?" He'd only been faking reluctance, so Warren spun around and began walking them in the direction of the tavern rather than his unit.

"I like your thinking, my boy."

On their arrival at the tavern, Magnus insisted Warren sit facing away from Karou, and her friend's so that she wouldn't get the impression her Sire was there to check up on her. They also chose to sit at a table on the other side of the room. The pair had shared their first round of drinks alone and chatted idly to one another, but it wasn't long until their mutual friend approached. Although Magnus spotted her advance, Karou set her finger to her lips, urging the Spaniard to stay silent while she attempted to creep up on Warren from behind. With Magnus in on the game and pretending not to notice that she was getting closer, he carried on talking to Warren. Karou hadn't counted on Warren, somehow knowing she was near and approaching their table. When her hands came to grab Warren's shoulders, she meant to spook him, but he startled her by reaching to set his hand on top of hers only seconds after she had placed it.

"I could smell you coming from across the tavern," Warren explained as he turned to face her. "That and by now, you should remember that I can always feel where you are."

"You should've pretended then, so you didn't ruin my fun." The lopsided grin he wore made Karou giggle, but she forced a pout. "It's my birthday, you know?"

"I know, twenty-one, huh? You're so old! Is that a grey hair I see?" Warren rolled his blue eyes, peered over her head, and widened his eyes to make his point. But, for now, he didn't let go of her hand as she came to sit down next to him.

Karou gasped and snatched her hand back from his to feel the top of her head as if somehow, she would be able to detect the pesky grey hair by touch alone. "Oh my God, you're kidding, right?" The twang of her Boston accent made Warren laugh as well as her dismay.

"Yes, yes, of course. You have a whole head of beautiful brown hair." He shook his head and downed the last of his drink. "Just like Magnus."

"Si, I'll have reached five-hundred and fifty in July and will have never had a grey hair, unlike Warren..." The Spaniard grinned, internally thanking his genetics and mocking Warren a little.

"Hmm, you do have quite a few..." Karou stated and easily forgot that she was both in front of Magnus and the public; she reached up to run her fingers through Warren's speckled sideburns.

Warren watched her face as she touched him. If they'd been alone, he wouldn't have had her stop, but he was very aware of their company. "How much have you had to drink, Karou?"

"Two glasses of white wine, why?" She answered honestly. As she withdrew her hand thinking nothing of the gesture, she ran her index finger down over his jawline and smiled toothlessly with blushed cheeks.

"You're getting handsy."

"Don't mind me... It makes a change from watching you wince every time my wife touches you..." Magnus noted boldly, but Warren didn't reply; he just cleared his throat and stared hard at the table. He hid discomfort behind his fist as he brought it up to his face, resting it over his lips.

"... Speaking of which, thank you for just coming alone like you did for Warren's birthday." Karou chimed in. She could sense that Warren hadn't enjoyed the fact that Ellis had been brought up, so she slid her thigh closer to his under the table.

"I prefer travelling without her, if I'm honest, and didn't want to ruin our special occasion with her antics. Fortunately, she currently has a new 'plaything'. Some poor fellow from Budapest she's latched onto." Magnus waved his hand and rolled his brown eyes casually as he went about gathering, he and Warren's glasses; it was quickly made clear he intended going to the bar for another round. "Shall I bring you a glass of wine, Mija?"

"Yes, please." Karou beamed, but once Magnus had wandered away from the table, she turned to Warren with a less cheerful expression. Are you okay?

Yes, I'm fine, but I wished he hadn't brought her up. There was no need to.

I see, but he did have a point. It's nice that she isn't here. Karou thought back in Magnus' defence. She set her hand onto his knee under the table to prove to herself and revel in that he wouldn't flinch when she touched him. You're not upset that she's got her claws into someone else, are you? Now she looked at him from under her lashes and smirked.

Of course, I am. I'm furious! I'm so angry I'm going to fly all the way to Budapest right now just to bite a thousand holes in her and stab her for good measure. Warren replied, his thought thick with sarcasm which translated onto his face when he rolled his eyes and grinned. What he'd described was exactly how Ellis had reacted when she'd discovered Warren had slept with Karou.

Oh, don't think like that. It still makes me really angry and sad that she did that to you. Karou thought, forgetting herself and the fact that they weren't remotely alone; she looped her arm through his and hugged his upper arm, resting her head against it too.

Magnus made it back to the table and placed down his giant glass of red wine, Karou's regular white wine and Warren's double scotch on the rocks before looking between the couple with wide-open eyes and a huge grin. "Karou, have you-..." Magnus began, but Warren interjected.

"Brimstone," He stated quite out of the blue, but it alerted Karou's attention to the tavern's doorway. She'd smelled it too, and it meant one thing; someone had arrived.

Inside, Warren felt panicked, and all he could wonder was, was today their last day, or was it just the birthday visit he'd suspected?

The rest of their afternoon was whiled away 'entertaining' Cambria Morningstar.

Warren's nervousness was misplaced. After all, she'd only come to give Karou her birthday gift. It was a Seraph blade, which the receiving of was a rite of passage in celestial culture. Karou seemed incredibly pleased, if not a little confused about being given a sword and one that would ignite into heavenly fire if wielded correctly, no less. She'd also made a point of informing Karou that it was time that she made her choice regarding leaving for Enoch and that she didn't plan to make any more visits until it was time to retrieve her for good. But, as she'd put it, she was on a 'very tight schedule', so Cambria didn't stay to discuss her choice and left promptly.

Warren assumed that now a good portion of their evening would be consumed with talk of Karou leaving, which was a topic he'd hoped could wait. He didn't want to tarnish Karou's birthday celebration with the bad mood he could feel brewing within him, which was as admittedly uncharacteristically selfless. Nevertheless, if what the thought of Karou's departure did to his temper wasn't proof enough of how much he cared for her, then he didn't know what was. Still, he was trying fervently to disguise his true feelings.

On the walk back to the unit for her birthday dinner, Magnus and Karou walked in front, chatting about the obvious topic, and Warren flagged behind, although still in earshot.

"I wasn't expecting her to turn up today. I'm not sure what to do now." Karou explained, staring down at the cylindrical golden object in her hands as she kept walking the gravel path.

"The gift is really quite beautiful. I've never seen one up close before." Magnus noted, trying to lighten the mood. He could tell that Karou seemed as down as Warren, but where Warren was clear about what would happen next, Karou was full of questions and confusion.

"Magnus... What if I don't want to go?"

Magnus was taken aback by how large Karou's blue eyes seemed when they stared up at him. In the face of the decision that wasn't really a decision at all, she seemed so helpless. "I'm not sure it's really a choice. Your life would be overwhelmingly wonderful in Enoch. There is no competition. Think of all the marvellous things you can achieve, the life you could have?" Magnus tried to be as persuasive as possible, as Warren had asked him to be. "For now, how about we just get back to the unit, have dinner, perhaps some more wine and have a good time?"

"Alright." Karou nodded and glanced back to Warren with a forced smile. What if I don't want to leave him?

Warren made a delicious dinner, which the three of them ate along with Magnus' wine. Warren seemed to perk up for a little while, but eventually, he resigned to the couch with a great sigh. It was apparent to Karou that she wasn't going to get much conversation out of him that evening - he'd closed off again.

Throughout the week Magnus spent with them, Warren remained somewhat distant. They shared barely any words, no fond touches, no kisses, just pained glances. With Magnus there, he thought that that could compensate for his mood, but Karou couldn't help feeling neglected. It didn't ruin her birthday or her other anniversaries and their celebrations, but she'd never be able to remember him being present for them. Instead, he'd chosen to remain in the background.

It had been an ordinary sort of Sunday. Warren wasn't working, so he and Karou had taken a stroll to the tavern for a change of scenery and a social drink; they were on their way back to their unit when on their way past the front desk, Ms Finch tapped on the glass screen to attract Warren's attention. "Sir, some late post has arrived for you," Isabel explained and slid an envelope over the counter toward him.

"Thank you." Warren nodded and took the envelope; he immediately recognised the handwriting on the front and simmered at the gumption of the sender.

"Huh, what is it?" Karou asked with a curious tilt of her head.

"It's for you," Warren replied and passed her the thick cream envelope with a roll of his eyes.

"For me?" Karou rose her brows, surprised. She had no idea who'd send her a letter.

As they carried on towards the main lounge, Karou opened the ear of the envelope to find a black invitation card inside. In swirling gold cursive ink, both her name and Warren's had been written onto a pre-typed message. Their attendance had been requested at the Davikov's Annual Yuletide Ball. "You've got to be kidding?" Karou scoffed.

"He's got some nerve, hasn't he..." Warren smirked. "We don't have t-"

"No, we've got to go!" Karou exclaimed. "As long as you're there, it'll be fine. I can't let him win. I hate that I ran away like a scared little girl. I want him to rue the day he made my skin crawl."

So it was decided that they'd spend their Christmas in Russia.

Warren wasn't all too pleased about Karou's decision to go to Blue Ash again. His icy demeanour hadn't completely melted since Cambria's impromptu visit on her birthday, which she thought was ironic, seeing as they were venturing back to the coldest place she'd ever been. He was at least making more effort not to let his sour mood affect their interactions, but it still upset Karou to see him in such low spirits. It was hard to watch someone suffer silently even if his suffering was enough to prove his feelings to Karou. Even if he still hadn't spoken them out loud, she no longer doubted their existence. The more she observed him go about his daily business, the more she realised just how much she'd miss him - it was in the small, innocuous things. Yes, it was unfairly painful to have just reached the other side now that the end was nigh.

Still, Karou finally felt like they were living as a couple. They slept together every night. They kissed each other goodnight and good morning. They even held hands. In fact, nowadays, he never flinched away any time she touched him. Together they shared intimate, candlelit meals, walks around the woods and drinks in the tavern on weekends. Weekday nights were spent curled up together, enjoying each other's quiet company.

Sometimes hands wandered and things took a turn. That's when things got a little... louder...

Karou let out an exhausted yet thrilled moan, her thighs quivering astride his. "I... I can't... Ngh... Ahh... No more." She panted.

Warren didn't reply, and he didn't stop either. Besides, he hadn't started it, but he intended to finish it.

It had all started around an hour earlier when Warren had called Karou into the bedroom...

(Sometime earlier)

"Karou!" There was no answer... "Karou!" He called again - still, silence. Peering into the closet, he found her. "Karou?" But when she still didn't answer him, he moved nearer and discovered why... Pulling one of her earbuds out got her attention.

"Huh? What?"

"I've been calling you for the past five minutes."

"Sorry. I wasn't ignoring you on purpose. I was listening to music and packing for our trip." She gestured to the small suitcase before her.

Warren assessed the situation and replied, "Isn't it cumbersome taking two luggage cases? Unless you're planning to not stay in my room?"

Karou smirked; he could be so cute sometimes. "Why would I want to stay anywhere else? D'you want me to repack my things into your case?"

"Uh, no. I'll do that," Warren assured, and Karou knew precisely why and chuckled.

"You're such a neat freak, but I guess I don't mind." She wrapped her arms around him and grinned up at him playfully. "What did you want me for anyway?"

"Ties." He held up the four options he had in his hand.

"Yes, they're all ties." Karou nodded cluelessly.

"Which would you like me to wear?"

Karou bit her lip and examined the options. All four were an ambiguous shade of blue. "Well...Uhm... Good question... Y'know I know nothing about these things, just wear which one goes best with your suit?"

"Then come and take a look at the suit and choose." Warren grabbed her hand and led her to the bedroom, where he'd hung his suit up. First, he'd held up each option before the collar of his pressed shirt while Karou stood there looking out of her depth.

Warren sighed, there really didn't need to be so much drama made out of a simple decision. Still, he stripped and redressed in his suit all while Karou sat herself down onto their bed; from there, she had the best angle by which to ogle him.

"Right, so... This one. This one... This one, or this one?" Warren held the knot of each tie to his neck for Karou's appraisal.

"Well... which do you like?" Karou crossed an arm over her chest and held her elbow, her chin resting on her hand. "You know what, the jackets distracting..."

Warren removed his jacket. "Better?" And once again showed her each tie one at a time but discarded the second and said, "I think this one is out of the running; the weave pattern is too large."

"Yes, if you say so. Mhmm, I agree." Karou nodded. "Come closer so I can see better..." She suggested.

Warren sat down on his piano stool adjacent to Karou on the bed and once again displayed the three remaining tie options.

"I don't like that one as much."

"So it's one of these two?"

"How about..." Karou climbed off the bed and moved to straddle his lap. "You take off your shirt.... and wear just the tie. So I can see which suits your skin tone the best." Taking the smooth, silky garment from him, she wrapped it around his neck and smirked coyly, revealing that she'd been playing a long game to get him undressed and within her clutches.

The penny dropped, and Warren shot her one of his lopsided smiles, which made her bite her lip. He grabbed her as if startle her and growled playfully - "You minx. You want me to take my shirt off, huh?"

"Only if you really want to..." Karou giggled.

Minutes later, Karou found herself arched back over the keys of Warren's piano; blue wings spread out over the glossy black wood of the baby grand lid and completely naked save for the tie Warren had insisted she wear instead. Astride his thighs, he'd commanded she set the pace though he kept her on a tight leash; he clung fervently to the tie about her neck and wouldn't let her slip out of the rhythm that did it for him. His lips and tongue only left her neck and chest to praise her, which sent chills down her spine.

"Hmm, good girl." He whispered just below her ear when she'd insisted she couldn't take anymore. With that, he let go of the tie and gathered her close to his chest instead.

Karou groaned, the sudden movement caused a little over stimulus, but she settled quickly into place again and clung to Warren's shoulders to come down from her dizzying high. "Did... Did you finish?" She asked bashfully after a few moments of quiet.

He answered simple and kissed her neck one more time. "Twice."

"Mmm good... I think I've decided which tie I like the best." Karou lent back and gestured to the one she was currently wearing.

Warren chuckled and grasped her sweet face between his hands. "It doesn't matter anymore... I think these pants will need dry cleaning now." He went in for a quick kiss. "I'll have to pick out a completely different suit."

"You mean we've got to go through the whole tie picking process all over again?" Karou asked and already looked exhausted at the prospect.

"If I'd known this was the proper procedure for choosing a tie, I'd have made you choose for me every morning." He chuckled again and pulled Karou into his chest for a long hug and some well-deserved aftercare.