The lights in Daniel's room were dimmed low, casting long, soft shadows across the walls. The only illumination came from a single bedside lamp, its orange glow diffused through a paper shade. The warmth it cast across the bed was almost intimate, wrapping the space in a hush that felt more like a moment suspended in time.
Daniel stood at the edge of the bed, still fully clothed, his hands flexing nervously at his sides.
On the bed before him, Salenna lay on her back.
The Salazzle girl's obsidian scales shimmered faintly beneath thin silk wrappings that hugged her curves in delicate layers — purple, silver, and black. They weren't clothes so much as decorations: wide strips of soft fabric draped carefully around her chest and hips, leaving most of her smooth stomach and long, powerful legs exposed. One arm lay folded beneath her head, while the other rested just above her navel. Her tail coiled off the side of the mattress, twitching slowly.
She had coated herself with a layer of thick, clear gel. It dulled the glossy shine of her skin and left behind a subtle sheen, but most importantly, it suppressed the natural pheromones that her body emitted when excited. The scent that had once nearly clouded Daniel's mind was completely neutralized — for now.
Salenna's violet eyes flicked up to him.
She looked calm, but he could see it in the way her claws dug lightly into the sheets, the way her breath came just slightly faster than normal.
She was nervous, too.
"I'm ready," she said softly.
Daniel swallowed. "Are you sure?"
She nodded. "I want to try. Just… slow. Please."
He stepped forward, climbing onto the bed beside her. The mattress shifted under his weight, and her breath hitched immediately. She didn't move — didn't dare — as he settled beside her and reached out, his hand hovering over her hip.
Then, slowly, he touched her.
Her skin was cool at first, but his hand warmed it quickly. He traced a line down from her waist to her thigh, the fabric soft beneath his palm, the silk doing little to hide the firm, supple muscle beneath. Her breath trembled.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
She nodded. "Keep going."
He did.
His hand slid further — over her thigh, down the outside curve of her hip, back up to her side. Her body reacted with every inch. Her legs shifted slightly. Her claws gripped the sheets tighter. Her chest rose and fell with each slow inhale. Even though the pheromone suppressant dulled her natural instincts, she was still hypersensitive. Every inch of touch felt amplified.
When his hands reached her ribs, he paused.
Salenna didn't.
Her thighs flexed, rising slightly… then slowly closing around his waist.
Daniel gasped softly, his body pressing slightly forward as her legs gently trapped him. Not hard — not possessive — just close. She wanted him near.
Her voice trembled. "Don't stop."
He leaned down, placing his hand on the mattress beside her head, the other still resting against her stomach. Their faces were close now — closer than they'd been since that night when her pheromones had clouded his mind. But this time, it was calm. Safe. Chosen.
Daniel traced his fingers up her side, following the slope of her ribs, up toward the curve of her chest. She moaned softly, barely audible, her tail twitching behind her.
"You feel everything, don't you?" he whispered.
She nodded. "Too much… but I want it."
His fingers slid beneath the top silk wrap, brushing the base of her breast. Her back arched slightly, and her thighs clenched tighter around his waist. Her tail coiled around his ankle — a gentle bind. A soft request.
"More," she whispered.
Daniel kissed her cheek, slow and lingering. She turned her face toward him, and when their lips brushed, it was soft — electric. Her body melted into his, all hesitation burned away by the careful fire they'd built together, one breath at a time.
And in that moment, Salenna didn't feel cursed.
She felt chosen. Wanted. Loved.
Held.