<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Crimosa was uncertain what annoyed her most about this waste of a night. The fact that her new, glittering opal manicure had already been chipped? That this sweat and whisky soaked warehouse stank worse than it looked? No, Crimosa thought that what annoyed her most was watching her cousin swagger back up to her with barely bloodied knuckles, leaving a half elf scrap of a man curled in the pit behind her. </div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Glorian shouldered past the press of bodies, purposefully swinging her weight into as many people as she could. No one dared snap or block her way, they were punchy but not stupid. Glorian grinned at Crimosa and threw herself into her seat so hard the bolts strained from the force.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"Did you see, cousin?" Glorian barely sounded winded.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 2s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"I did."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"Did you? You don't seem impressed."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"Should I be impressed? You made a man half your size into a fine paste. I'll be impressed when you crack a Bugbear's skull." said Crimosa, her thumb rubbing over the chip in her nail, worrying at it.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Glorian scoffed and pulled herself more upright into the chair, rubbing a hand through her cropped, pale hair. The bruising on her knuckles was showing up bright and red against her storm cloud blue skin, it would be purple in the morning.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">The dull roar of the crowd began to split nearby, Crimosa could make out the sharp and chirruping calls of kobolds snapping in yipyap, counting coins and exchanging slips of paper. Nearby rolling waves of orcish and huffing, breathy dwarven fighters were arguing over the line up. It all faded back into a background hum as Crimosa closed her eyes and wished that her cousin's bloodlust would be sated soon.</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-2]]
<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">The two being the only drow in the arena made them stand out. Especially Crimosa in her finery drew many a look from the audience, but not only from them. </div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">In the gloom at the back of the warehouse Maru watched the fighting pit. So far none of the fighters had impressed her. Weaklings and sadists of little skill. Hardly surprising, she mused, considering the surroundings. But she had found something that interested her. Or someone. Sitting aloof from the others, like a queen in a hovel, watching the proceedings with distaste. </div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Oh, there was a challenge, Maru had mused. The fight in the pit only drew the occasional glance. Who would win it had been clear from the beginning, like pitting a lame dog against a wolf. Oh, but look who the drow fighter went to sit by!</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru grinned, showing fangs, and ducked away to find a certain kobold fixer.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">”Kikitt!” She grabbed their chair and turned it towards where the drow pair was sitting.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">”I want to fight her. Fix it.”</div><</type>><<type 20ms>><div class="narrator-crimosa">
"Wot!?" the kobold squeaked, clinging onto their suddenly shifting chair. They scowled at Maru, righted their pen and their pad then squinted their button black eyes in the direction they had been pointed.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms>><div class="narrator-crimosa">"Oh! Oh you wants to die?! Why you not say faster. Give me your gold. I fix, Kikitt fix."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms>><div class="narrator-crimosa">The kobold scribbled quickly onto their pad with one bird claw of a hand and held out the other, grasping and grabby in Maru's direction.
</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-3]]<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru dropped her coin purse in the kobold's claw, never losing her grin.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"When, Kikitt? When?"</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">She ran her hands through her hair and scratched the base of one horn. This had felt like just a way to learn something about this city, make some coin, get to know some people. But now there was something that she wanted.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">To the deepest hell with anything else. This was going to be fun!</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"Shddup!" Kikitt took the gold and handed it off the edge of the seat into the gloom where another set of hands snatched it away. Next they tore the paper from the pad and dropped it again off the other side of the chair. More scrabbling and sharp, yammering exchanges of Yipyap happened down between people's knees.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Kikitt's expression twisted, making their scales shift a little. A thin tongue flicked out and licked nervously at their eyes as they listened, then wrote some more on the pad.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"Dat Glorian. Drow bigjobs, big shinies, lots of friends. Big friends." Kikitt's small frame tilted as another kobold pulled at the chair to hand up a new piece of paper.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"Oh, she win every fight. No one want to fight Glorian. Don't like her big friends." Kikitt nodded sagely then balled up the paper, throwing it down into the gloom while they looked at Maru expectantly.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru only listened with one ear to the kobold chatter. She had other things on her mind than a rich bully with rich friends.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"Uh huh. Who's the lady with her? The one that looks like she'd rather be any place but here."</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-4]]
<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Kikitt snorted, unimpressed at their sound advice being ignored. There was another round of frantic, snapping chatter until Kikitt righted themselves again.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"Das Laydee Crimosa Laudren. Another bigjobs. More shinies. They cuzzinz." Kikitt paused as the swell of noise from the crowd began to peak, and two more fighters got into the ring. A greying orc with rounded shoulders didn't give the half elf time to blink before they were locked together. The sound of flesh cracking against bone cut through the noise but was immediately swallowed up by the roar of the crowd's approval.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">---</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Glorian's own howling was making Crimosa wince. With a terse, irritated sigh Crimosa did her best to imagine the sounds fading into the background as she watched the fight. The power behind each blow, the fact that they could withstand such things impressed her. Not that she would admit it.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Her own frailty, her thin limbs and angular features made her feel brittle sometimes. The broad backs and ropey limbs in motion, colliding off of one another were sights she'd rarely be able to see. Not in such unfiltered and unsanctioned conditions.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">The half elf struck a hard elbow into the orcs middle, winding her. Crimosa imagined her cousin staggering like that, the sudden, dizzying uncertainty that the blow left behind and smiled for a moment. Well, that would be the day.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"Cousin, eh. Well, well."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru carefully patted Kikitt on their shoulder. "I'll be at the back. Send word when it's my turn."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Then she went away from the ring to actually do some warm up exercises. If the elf was as hot as she was made out to be she might actually need it.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">The thought made her blood sing in her ears.</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-5]]
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">The crowd surged with outraged surprise that was followed quickly by laughter. The half elf had been grabbed by the orc, bodily lifted out of the ring and deposited without ceremony into the sand and sawdust. A ring out was not the most exciting end to a fight but it was a win. No matter how many people booed or laughed, that orc was given their cut and they hustled out through the half light of the seats, clutching at their middle.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Glorian spat on the ground, her distaste obvious, barely missing the kobold runner who tugged at her sleeve. It was her turn again now. Elated, she gave Crimosa a rough slap on the shoulder and told her she'd be back in a few minutes.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Crimosa did her best not to flinch. She just nodded and gave her cousin a smile that didn't reach her eyes.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">When Maru got her notice she made her way down to the fighting ring as surreptitiously as she could, letting her opponent enter first. She imagined it would make her entrance more... dramatic.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Glorian parted the sea of dissatisfied onlookers, informing them with great enthusiasm that she'd show them a fight. No more of this cutting and running. It was going to be a knockout! Her promises fell on deaf ears at first, but very quickly enthusiasm started to rise again.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">They'd all seen the drow win her fights, but at least they were fights. She'd at least give them a little more entertainment. She stepped into the ring with her hands raised, calling out to the crowd,
"Who wants to see blood tonight!?"</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">The replying cry was enough to make her grin ferociously. The hammering of her heart and the excitement of impending violence made her feel like there was a wire running through her veins. Alive.</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-6]]<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">The cries of the crowd made Maru grin with shared expectations as she stepped into the ring, tossed aside the towel she had had wrapped over her shoulders and straightened up to her full seven feet.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">The crowd noise faltered for a moment as they stared at her. Red skin, curving black horns, white hair. What was this?</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru took hold of the quiet moment and raised her arms in the air, calling out.
"Do you want to see blood tonight!?"</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">She grinned, showing fangs, and slowly turned around to face the entire audience.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">There was a collective realisation that swept the crowd. Slowly at first, then picking up steam, creating more and more noise as people began to understand what was happening. No one could face Glorian without having some kind of repercussion, but an oni? Why would one have come down from the mountains in the first place? Who would dare try and stop one, was another point.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">A lilac tiefling leapt up onto the hardwood siding of the pit, kicked his thin limbs out with thudding enthusiasm and screamed, "Give me blood, sister!"</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">The floodgates opened, and Glorian's face faltered. Over a foot in height difference was enough of a worry, but this place didn't care. It let dwarves come and try their luck. Rapidly, Glorian's eyes scanned the crowd. All their gazes were locked on that giant...thing, instead of her.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Glorian looked back into the crowd, noticing that Crimosa's attention was also fixed. But not on her. Glorian's teeth clicked against one another, her jaw clenched.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"Enough! I'll send you back to hell!" Glorian shouted, nearly stamping her feet in frustration.</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-7]]<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru's grin never faltered. She heard Glorian shout but did not turn immediately. First she gave Crimosa a slow wink.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"Good!" She called out as she turned to face Glorian. "I came here looking for a good fight, if there was one to be found, so give me your best!"</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru dropped into a fighting stance and waved Glorian to come at her.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Already brimming over with anger, Glorian rushed forwards. A shoulder tackle to the most central part of Maru that she could reach landed solidly, trying to knock her to the floor but she could feel that the balance hadn't been shifted enough. Instead she began hammering down blows, fists and elbows battering down. There were not short or efficient blows, they were raging and powerful, but sloppy.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru staggered back at the onslaught of blows. She had not expected such a sudden attack. She admitted to herself that she had underestimated her opponent.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">She was driven back at first, giving Glorian a few paces as she weathered the assault. But when Maru found her centre she stopped retreating and began parrying the blows instead. Her grin returned.
"Good! You're... (omph) fast! But careless."
And with that she caught one of Glorian's wide swings in her hand, twisted the hand aside and pushed her back.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"One of those blows might even have winded me if you had thrown them properly."</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-8]]<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Crimosa couldn't hear what was being said over the roar of the crowd, they had been promised blood, they wouldn't forget so soon. She watched Glorian stagger back, and had to stand as others in the seats had already done the same.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">The possibility of her cousin getting what she deserved was making her feel light headed. Crimosa tensed as she saw Glorian steady herself and manage to land a blow on Maru's face. The sound of it connecting like a thunderclap, the roar of the crowd that followed thundering behind.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Bright blood splattered the already soiled straw of the ring.
Maru laughed, blood splattering from her split lip.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"Good! Good!" Now her smile was colder. Hungry.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"Now I will break you."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">For the first time in the fight she took to the offensive. Her reach was longer than Glorian's, but she was almost as fast and far stronger. And she was used to fighting foes stronger than her. Glorian had given her a good workout so far, but now Maru had her figured out.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Now it was Glorian's turn to be forced back, again and again. Occasionally one of Glorian's blows would land, but it was as if the oni hardly noticed them. Eventually a high blow made Glorian duck, but it was a feint and her legs got swept out from under her.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru caught her and twisted one of Glorian's arms behind her back, lifting her off the ground.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"There are predators and prey, little elf." She hissed in Glorian's ear. "You might be a wolf to the sheep, but even a wolf is no match to a bear."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 2s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru then looked up to where Crimosa sat. And looked her in the eye as she broke her cousin's arm.</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-9]]<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Crimosa was certain that Glorian was saying something. Pretty certain. But it didn't matter, she could only hear the blood rushing in her ears as Maru's eyes pinned her in place. There was a brief, but powerful urge to tell her to break the other one as well. Some tenuous connection that made her feel like Maru was acting out the private urges that she'd been holding onto for so long. Ones that she was incapable of performing herself.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">When Glorian was dropped heavily onto the ground, Crimosa ran down through the seats. It was hard going, people tried to move out of her way but the excitement was boundless. Kobolds were running between people's legs to hand out payouts, slips of paper and generally getting in the way.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">She made it to the edge of the ring to see Glorian's contorted face, then looked up to Maru.
"You! You need to get out of here before the justice get wind of this." Crimosa called out over the noise, trying to be heard over the crowd trying to slap at Maru's back in appreciation.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru stood like the rock around which a current flowed and let people pat her back. She did not really listen to their patter, just nodded occasionally. She heard Crimosa call out to her and looked her way. She nodded and mouthed I will meet you outside, before she turned and made her way towards Kikitt and the exit. She picked up her jacket and quickly wiped her face with a towel as Kikitt got her her money.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Then she ducked out into the alleyway and as soon as she was sure she was alone, shifted to a different shape.</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-10]]<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Glorian pulled herself up onto her knees, swaying gently and ignored by most. Crimosa watched her for a moment, then decided she'd probably get picked up soon enough.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">It was easy to get out of the building, Crimosa was only too happy to leave. Only too happy to catch up with that oni from the ring. Though she wasn't exactly clear what they were going to do after that. She untucked a small pendant from under the neck of her dress as she stepped out into the cold night air. She could feel the sweat cooling rapidly on the nape of her neck, she couldn't believe how warm it had been inside.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">The pendant glittered faintly as she spoke into it, and a town car pulled up moments later at the other end of the alley.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Crimosa had just about put her hand on the door handle when someone stepped up behind her and put their hand over hers.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"You weren't thinking of going away without me, were you?" A husky voice murmured in her ear.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Crimosa was spun around and found herself face to face with a blonde human woman in an oversized leather jacket. She had a split lip and a familiar smirk.
"I want my prize, after all."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">There wasn't an immediate response. Being pushed around like she barely weighed anything rattled her. It wasn't difficult to imagine what she meant but Crimosa wanted to hear it all the same.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"I don't have much on me, I'm afraid. Just gold."
As she spoke her grip shifted from the door handle to Maru's hand. Her long, opal nails glittered as they dug into Maru's fingers. Over excited or as a warning it wasn't clear.</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-11]]
<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru's smile widened slowly as she pointedly looked Crimosa up and down.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"I don't want your gold. I want you."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">She reached beyond Crimosa to open the car door, pushed her inside then stepped in after her.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Staggering, Crimosa bristled as she tried to right herself in her seat. She could hear the driver in front fumbling with his words. She could handle this herself, damnit.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"Miss? Where is-"
"Drive down to Archers!" Crimosa said with as much authority as she could muster.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"Uh...yes miss. The other side of town?"
"You should know! Just drive!"</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">With a flick of her hand she closed the partition behind the driver's head and leaned back in her seat, trying to get a grip on herself. </div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"Did someone send you?" Crimosa shifted in her seat as the car began moving, this oni took up a lot of room.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">In the privacy of the car Maru had shifted back to her oni shape, sitting sideways on the seat, one hand resting on Crimosa's thigh, slowly stroking it, slowly inching her dress up.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"Send me? No. It was just a lucky coincidence. I saw something I wanted." She grinned. "And I dare say you saw something you liked as well."</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-12]]<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">This was rapidly getting outside of Crimosa's control. She remembered how easily this creature had snapped her cousin's arm and her hand gingerly stroked over those bruised knuckles. She tried not to look too elated.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"And what do I call this lucky coincidence?"</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"Maru. My name is Maru."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">She took Crimosa's hand and lifted it to her lips. "And your name is Crimosa, I was told." Her tongue flicked out to lick the space between her fingers.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">It would have been bad manners to shriek in alarm, so she just kept her eyes on Maru. Her horns looked wickedly sharp, as did her teeth. In her mind, Crimosa tried to recall if whatever Maru was ate people. Possibly? Maybe...</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"It is...I'm glad my reputation didn't proceed me. Or my family's at least. Did you want to break my arm as well? Or were you satisfied with just my cousin being taken down a peg or two." Crimosa paused,</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"I know I was."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru chuckled. "I am happy to satisfy you. And my taste for breaking arms has been satisfied for tonight. No, you, I would like to break in a different manner."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">She licked her lips, tasting Crimosa's sweat. Her split lip was no longer bleeding. She put an arm behind Crimosa's shoulders and leaned close to smell her hair.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">There was an immediate and instinctive sense that something was about to be very desperately wrong. Crimosa felt suddenly very small, but the usual brittle feeling that came with having to tolerate another person's physicality was different this time. Whatever discomfort was beginning to build was mixed with a blunt heat that was distracting her, it was dulling her thoughts.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"I would like to think I am more resilient than that." Crimosa said. She did her best to sound reserved, but her hand trembled as it tried to touch at Maru's neck.</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-13]]
<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"We'll see." Maru murmured.
She pushed down her impatient hunger and let Crimosa explore her skin. For a little while at least.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Silently Crimosa dragged her nails along Maru's neck, down her shoulders and back up to her nape. The muscle felt coiled, dense. Filled with potential. The usually roomy back seat of the town car was now stifling and the scent of sweat, stale beer and freshly bloodied knuckles overtook the flat old leather smell of the seats.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru's half lidded eyes were fixed on Crimosa's all through her exploration.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">It took an effort of will not to pounce on her, but she knew that restraining those impulses made it all the more sweet when she let go of them. Their scents mingled in the confines of the car. Crimosa's perfume, the blood scent still lingering after the fight, and underneath it all the scent of their heat.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Patience. But only so much. Maru shifted in the seat and moved Crimosa into her lap, one hand on her waist and the other on her hip, fingers digging into the soft flesh.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"Keep going, little one. Is touching me like that all you want?"</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Crimosa restrained herself from saying that she'd just like to live through the evening, thank you. Instead she took a breath to try and steady herself and leaned close to Maru's lips.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"What I want didn't seem to be all that interesting to you a moment ago."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru laughed quietly.
"Oh, I like to play. And it's so much more fun if you take part in the play as well."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">She smirked. And after glancing down at Crimosa's lips she claimed them in a heated kiss, fingers threading through her hair to hold her close.</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-14]]<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">There was a brief, half hearted struggle against Maru's advance. A thump on the shoulder and a tug on Maru's horn before she managed to twist her head away. That was the first time someone had dared do that to her, usually if she teased people they demurred. Fearful of what might happen to them if they pushed too far.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Crimosa leaned in against Maru's ear, unable to look her in the eye as she spoke, "Don't stop. I might make pathetic noises but don't stop. You understand? Don't treat me like the rest do."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">A feral grin played on Maru's lips. "As you wish."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">She took a firm grip on Crimosa's head and kissed her again, not letting her turn away this time. Rough kisses, leaving their lips raw. Pressing her close, body against body.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">At first it was fun to pull and tug to try and get free of Maru's grip. Then the slow but certain realisation that she couldn't actually wriggle away from Maru even if she wanted to made her feel trapped. Maru's forearms were unmoving and her palms flattened Crimosa close against her chest. She was beginning to feel dizzy.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">A burst of panic had her biting at Maru's lower lip to try and fend her off for a moment of air, her chest rising and falling rapidly.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">The bite caused Maru's split lip to break open again and the taste of blood flooded both their mouths. Maru let go of her assault on Crimosa's mouth and laughed, licking her lips. Her eyes shimmered red in the dim light of the car.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"You want to breathe, little one? Very well." She leaned in and spoke in Crimosa's ear. "I'll make you scream for me, you'll see."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Then she pushed Crimosa down against the seat and began licking, kissing and nibbling her way down her neck while tugging her clothes aside whenever they stopped her from getting to that delicious skin. She delighted in feeling the rapid beat of Crimosa's heart through her skin, a wondrous pulse of life within its fragile shell.</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-15]]<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Crimosa assisted a little with the clothing, the dress ended up pooling around her waist. The skirts hiked up past her hips and exposed the silver grey underwear against her navy skin. There wasn't a lot of room for protest, but her hands came up to hold onto Maru's horns. She tugged and pulled at Maru, trying to guide her but could feel that not much was moving on Maru unless she wished it to.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru let Crimosa guide her to her sensitive spots, but whenever she tried to pull her off them Maru stayed there until she felt the elf was struggling sufficiently. She made her steady way down Crimosa's body, leaving a trail of purple marks over her skin. She sucked and pinched at Crimosa's breasts until they were almost painfully sensitive, then sat up to admire her handicraft.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"Such a noble lady when I saw you. Look at the state of you now."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Maru only got a drunken, heavy lidded stare in response. Crimosa's narrow fingers held onto Maru's thick wrist as she pinched at her nipple again. There was a vague notion in her head that time was passing, it might have been nearly an hour now. The sensation of the car moving, slowly sifting its way through the nocturnal traffic of the predawn rush back home and the sounds outside surrounded them. It made the back seats of the car feel more intimate.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Another pinch, more rough than the last, made her eyes widen. A whimper sounded behind her lips that had been pressed into a thin line. Crimosa didn't have the mind to wonder if she sounded pathetic. In comparison to Maru she felt like such a thin sliver of a thing anyway, it didn't matter what she did. That thought made her press her thighs together, sending a small shiver through her.</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-16]]<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"Yes, sing for me, little bird." Maru murmured. "But do not hide."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">She pushed Crimosa's legs apart and dragged her tongue along her inner thigh. She took in the scent of Crimosa's arousal and felt her mouth water.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru pulled Crimosa's underwear off, not caring if she tore the delicate silk or not, and tossed them aside.
"Let's see how you taste, little one."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Crimosa tried to hold onto what thin scrap of dignity she had left, but quickly decided that it had done little for her so far and Maru felt better than dignity ever had.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">If she had much sense left she might have been embarrassed how quickly she came again Maru's tongue. Her hips pushed up to grind against Maru's mouth, not caring that her teeth pressed a little too close. When there was no sign of Maru slowing down or her moving away, Crimosa began squirming. Pulling at Maru's horns, her hair and then kicking. It didn't seem to do much.
The screaming however, seemed to encourage her.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">The screaming delighted Maru. When she had first set her eyes on Crimosa, sitting haughty, aloof, in control amongst the chaos of the fighting ring, this is what she wanted to see. That noble elf reduced to a squirming, whimpering, needful creature.
And the evening was still young.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru glanced towards the barrier to the driver's seat. For a moment she wondered if the driver would intervene if this went on for too long, or if Crimosa's cousin would send someone to disturb them. But she dismissed it for now. The driver had not done anything so far, and they were still slowly cruising the night streets.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">She sat up with Crimosa's juices dripping down her chin and began to unbutton her trousers.
"Beautiful. Catch your breath, little one, the night has just begun."</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-17]]<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Crimosa propped herself up on her elbows and stared greedily at what Maru was doing. She had forgotten entirely about the driver, and the outside. Forgotten that her cousin was left alone in the dockyard warehouses with a broken arm and had just lost some people a lot of money.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">There was just Maru and her hand and her mouth and her tongue and she wanted more.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">One advantage of being a shapeshifter, Maru mused as she struggled out of her trousers in the confines of the car, is not being limited by arbitrary accidents of birth. Right now she wanted to give Crimosa a thorough fucking, so that was what she had. She was very hard and leaking as she lay back and beckoned Crimosa over.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"I want your mouth on me, little one. Before I fill you up."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">It was a new sight to Crimosa. Fascinated and wanting she slid from the seat and curled her head up in Maru's lap, kissing at whatever she could get her mouth on. That dull, hot feeling was making things difficult. She paused to admire the dark smear her lipstick had left on Maru's skin and reached up to grasp her hand.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Crimosa hoped that as she placed Maru's hand on top of her head that would be enough of an indication that she needed some guidance.</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-18]]<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru stroked Crimosa's hair as she spoke encouraging words. Open your mouth wide, little one. Use your tongue. Yes, like that. Move your head. Relax your throat. Let's see how much of me you can take…</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">At first there was some stumbling hesitation after Maru spoke. But soon there was none, just a concentrated effort and the soft, husky murmur of Maru's voice in Crimosa's mind.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">The shape of Maru filled her throat, twitching and uncomfortable at first. Though as she let her mind drift and simply listened instead of concerning herself with such things, she could feel a dizzying numbness spreading.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru just let her hand rest tangled in Crimosa's hair, as after a little while the elf needed little instruction. Maru just enjoyed herself.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Almost too much. Her hand took a firm grip on Crimosa's hair and pushed her head down, letting her take as much as she could, and held her there for a long moment, enjoying how her throat twitched and spasmed around her.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Then she pulled Crimosa's head back and let her breathe.
"Good girl. You learned quickly. I might keep you."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"Now turn around and on your knees."</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">It was lucky that Crimosa's make up was already a well worn mess because as she turned and pushed up onto the seat, it smeared onto the expensive leather. She let her head rest against the seat and whined out each breath. Crimosa felt Maru moving behind her and glanced back over her shoulder, even just a hand on her hip made her jump.</div><</type>>
[[Next|page-19]]<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru let her cock rest against Crimosa's ass for a moment as she admired the view and stroked and squeezed at Crimosa's cheeks and thighs, enjoying the feel of the soft flesh under her hands. But she had very little patience left and it was not long before she pushed herself inside Crimosa, sinking as deep as she could, sighing happily as the velvet vise of the elf's pussy clamped down on her.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">"I'll definitely keep you. " She muttered. Held her position for a moment, deep inside, hips touching. She put one hand on Crimosa's neck to keep her in place and then she fucked her relentlessly.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">There was a brief moment of pressure and breathless tilting of her hips until all thought ceased. The base, indulgent instinct to press herself back further against Maru, to spread her legs further even though there was little room, that was all that was left.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">The weight of Maru's hand on the back of her neck made Crimosa feel weak. It was all too much. She pressed her face into the seat and was greeted with the overwhelming scent of tears and spit and her pussy. It was the last thing she recalled until she collapsed on the back seat, unable to hold herself up any longer.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Crimosa wasn't certain if Maru was done with her yet but at that exact moment she wasn't certain she cared.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Maru was not quite done with Crimosa, as she felt she could get some more lovely sounds out of her. But her own patience and control was running out so she finally let go and let Crimosa rest.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">As Maru sat next to her in the car seat, getting her breathing under control, she idly looked around inside the car. She had not paid it any attention before.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">She found Crimosa's bag and her phone and with a grin added her number into the phone's registry.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-maru">Then she pulled her jacket on and knocked on the panel to the driver. When it opened she told him to stop the car. And then she stepped out of the car into the night and disappeared.</div><</type>>
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<<type 20ms skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">If Crimosa had been given the luxury of shame at that moment she might have flinched at the door being hurriedly shut again by the driver as he pulled away from the curb. For some time she laid herself out in the back seat, a mess of dark blue limbs and running makeup.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Then the cursing started. She hissed undercommon curses through clenched teeth as she pulled and tugged clothes back into place. Magic and furious powdering set her make up again but very little could be done about the smell of what she'd been up to.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Stupid fucking oni. Stupid hot bitch. Gods above and below she was going to skin that giant meat head if she saw her again. Hopefully not.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">The car pulled up to the side of a set of luxury apartments as the dawn light began to tint one side of the buildings brilliant pink. They sat elegant and uselessly in place like an unmoved chess set, the brutalist lines of the lower half of the buildings contrasting with the magically deformed upper halves.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Crimosa left the car behind, nails clicking against her phone furiously then put it to the side of her head. </div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"Archer! Wake up and open the fucking door. I need to stay at your place." </div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">She didn't pause as she strut into the foyer of the building, trying not to wince. A gutteral reply down the phone was apparently inadequate.</div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"I don't care. Glorian lost the fucking fight and I don't want to deal with the fallout of that, thank-you-very-much." </div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">Crimosa stood tall and stared expectantly at the lift. A few seconds later it whirred into life and the doors slid open. </div><</type>>
<<type 20ms start 1s skipkey "Control">><div class="narrator-crimosa">"I'll tell you everything, don't worry." Crimosa lied.</div><</type>>
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