17 - The Tent of Love

Was it two days or more?

Marcus wasn't sure anymore how much time had passed since he was locked inside the barren place. If anything, he thought the demon, H, had transported him into another dimension or maybe in the entity's own state of prison. H was a transporter demon anyway; it can always do that using its powers. They were both connected with each other still though since it was Marcus' body that H was using. He could feel the demon's blackened emotions, but couldn't see through its mind. It was the same with H too towards him.

Marcus had tried and tried to call for H, trying his best to catch its attention so that he'd be able to take back his body. However, the demon had been giving him a silent treatment, or was playing the Invisible God mode. Thoughts of how the dark entity was faring in the real world made him shiver, especially when the possibilities cross with Ysabelle and what the demon might do to her. It alarmed him, but so far, the demon had not laid a hand on her. He could feel that she was safe... or at least for now.

Being trapped in this kind of dimension had him debating day and night — or maybe just night since the sky was always dark — if this was real or not. He could feel everything though, from the sand in his feet to the breeze of the air. It was the same as that in the real world, so he had concluded that this dimension was a real one.

But sometimes, he thought of the place too as just a dream. Just like those times he had been in this place when H hadn't taken over his body yet, where he would just find himself waking up in his bed, sweating.

A dream. Yes. A dream...

That's what he thought about the place most of the time, and that was what he thought about it now... especially on this very moment that another illusion of Ysabelle had come into his makeshift tent.

Damn the demon for it. Marcus knew that H was toying with him... toying with his emotions and his feelings towards the woman.

But it wasn't that hard to give in actually when he was in this kind of place. Just like the time when Ysabelle's illusion first appeared in a cave where he was washing himself from the black sand that had covered his body. He gave in to the demon's game of luring them into a passionate embrace. He gave in and ravished Ysabelle like how he desired to.

He wasn't stepping on his priestly vows actually, knowing that it was just a trick inside a dream world.

Now, watching the woman standing in front of the large candle lamp to warm herself, Marcus' loins grew hot.

Small candle lamps that had a gentle light, a line of soft pillows, yellow transparent drapes, a medium palm tree in the side, red carpets covered with white petal roses, a low-lying table with teacups filled with freshly-brewed tea, and a center mattress completed the definition that was the word romantic.

The interior was entirely the opposite of what it originally was before this image of Ysabelle came. It was gloomy and dark. No lamps to warm him in his do-it-yourself resourceful tent. No pillows or a mattress to provide him a good rest.

Damn this demon again. It seems it was really trying to get into his nerves. Whatever twisted game it was playing on him, it was trying its best to make the scene as realistic as possible.

"I had just come from the outside finishing the set-up of my tent, and now I found this, a stray siren, warming herself on my lamp," Marcus announced unheralded, standing a few feet away from his dust-covered visitor. He was able to divert his focus away from his growing desire... or at least for now.

Ysabelle jerked and turned to face him. "Marcus!" she exclaimed, blinking rapidly. What a surprise. She had never foreseen this at all. "You're here? Is—is this your tent?"

Marcus saw how her eyes roamed on his features and then, it showed a look of relief. He was still wearing the same colored trouser, but at least now, he was clothed above, not anymore half naked like how she found him inside the cave.

"It is mine, for now," Marcus replied.

"Ah, uhm... it is lovely," she commented, examining the interior and smiled, "exactly what a dream is supposed to be like."

Marcus curved a small smile, taken aback. "Yeah, exactly just like a dream," he managed to say whilst thinking how this illusion was as clever as the original Ysabelle. "Have you, by chance, just came in from the outside?"

He saw her flex her brows. "Ye—yes, why do you ask?"

"Because your," he stopped, scrutinizing her insufficient clothing without malice and continued, "dress is covered in dust and your hair is all messed up."

Ysabelle blushed. "Yeah, it is obvious," she bit her lower lip and stared at a pail of water behind him.

How convenient.

Marcus need not be informed that she wanted to wash herself. It was clear already through her expectant face. He released a long sigh and surrendered to the situation. "You need to clean yourself," he stated, cleared his throat, and turned to reach a sliding curtain to divide his improvised washroom from the whole of the tent, "Here, I'm giving you privacy. Go and wash yourself."

***

Ysabelle felt her skin rough and her face prickly. She does want to clean herself and take the dusty nightdress out of her. Since Marcus' offer was reasonable enough, she nodded without hesitation, stalking away from the warm comfort of the candle lamp and into the cold division.

It was dark in that part of the tent, so she need not worry of her shadow making a sexy display while her host was on the other side of the curtain. Unintentionally, her mind drifted to the way Marcus looked at her before she entered the washroom, it made her remember the passion they shared inside the cave and that ultimately, spiked up her heartbeat.

God, if only this dream would end right now, she would feel relieved. At least in that way she could still guard her heart from an even greater suffering. Being with Marcus, even in a fantasy world, intensified her feelings for him, and she most definitely didn't want that. She was not willing to magnify her emotions even more.

But the dream seemed to have a life of its own, and it was not permitting her to wake up.

Squatting, she washed herself silently, keeping the dusty nightdress damp until there came a time when she needed to take it off. Eyeing the shadow of Marcus some distance away from the curtain, she decided it was safe to do so. She turned her back against the curtain, brushed all of her hair to her front, and with a bit of effort, she unzipped the dress off slowly from behind.

She gasped then when she felt a slight tug of her zipper and a cool hand ran through her bare back before taking over the task.

***

Marcus chose to stay away from her, standing in the mattress with his hand tightly gripping the wooden beam. The whole time Ysabelle was in the washroom, his heart continuously drummed a wild beat. God, the burn in his loins was still there, increasing, and it was unceasing.

Back from the time in the cave when they almost made love, Marcus went almost insane when he realized that the illusion of Ysabelle disappeared so suddenly. He was already burning at that time, ready to direct all his ardor to her. He had his mouth wrapped up on her nipple and his fingers were already snaking down her folds, but then she just vanished... just vanished, and damn, because of that, it had kept him on edge in this God-forsaken prison.

Even until now.

'So this is what it feels like to want a woman,' his thoughts remarked without any guilt. He turned to look at the mocking curtain and released a deep sigh. He finally concluded one thing to himself and that was he'll play the demon's game once again. He'll allow himself to yield on the temptation. This illusion, he was going to ravish again, without hesitation, if that was what H hoped for.

He wasn't going to let Ysabelle go anymore. No, not tonight, or any other night even if she was just a trick of his mind.

Groaning in surrender, he crossed the teasing space in quick strides and invaded the boundary of the washroom without making a sound.

Marcus heard Ysabelle gasp when he ran his hand in her smooth skin, and then shoving her fingers gently out of the way to finish the task himself.

"Let me accomplish this, Ysabelle," he whispered, voice low and velvety, as he stepped closer.

"No, it's all right Marcus... I—I can manage," she answered through baited breath. Though she said that, her arms still embraced the remainder of her dress in her chest to keep it from falling.

Marcus was quick to run the zipper down to the end and shove the silk nightdress to the sides revealing her bare back for him to enjoy. He curved a pleased smile then.

He heard her gasp again when he palmed each side of her waist and ran them up through her naked shoulders. To continue, he leaned forward and kissed her nape gently. She shivered upon contact of his lips on her skin.

"You still haven't answered my question in the cave, Ysabelle. You just disappeared without so much as a heads up."

"Dreams—dreams are supposed to be like that," she struggled a breathy answer when Marcus ran his lips down the prominent bone of her shoulder. She wondered in the back of her mind how this version of Marcus still remembered the cave and the memories that come with it.

"True, but you are here now," he answered, whilst watching her blushing profile, "I want to know your answer now."

Ysabelle closed her eyes and took in the tickling sensation. She tightened the grip of her dress and pressed her arm closer to stop the quaking of her breasts.

"Tell me, my lovely Ysabelle, if you could cheat, anything... anything at all... what would it be?"

***

If she could cheat, yes if she could, she would be out of his way and wake up back into reality, but that was just her sane, cowardly side complaining on the situation. The pain of losing Marcus would swell more if she were to yield herself to him, even in a dream. However, her heart was telling her something else. She loves him, she really does, and if this moment would give her the warmth that she had always yearned for centuries, then so be it. She would grab the chance wholeheartedly.

Ysabelle closed her eyes and focused on the sensations Marcus was giving on her back. He was using his lips and tongue, and his heavenly hands that moved like divine clouds against her skin. She moaned when Marcus licked her tense nape. That, at the same time, made her body quiver and the heat in between her legs flare out.

He continued by slipping a hand in front of her chest to pull her closer and sucked heavily on her nape. She arched her back in response, shoulders both lifted, and when she couldn't hold back the sensations anymore, she cried out his name.

"Marcus!"

"Your answer?" he muttered.

"Stop, please..."

"Your answer, Ysabelle," he groaned, and continued on attacking her neck. God, she was so sensitive in that part.

"You..." she breathed out, "You!"

She angled her head to the side, breaking his sucking, as it was at least a short solace for her — a short relief for her already worked up breathing.

"If I could cheat... If I could cheat... I would want you—" she blushed even redder, "I would want you to take me."

Marcus rejoiced, it was the only affirmation he needed. "Then I will," he said, holding both of her shoulders and turning her to face him. Their eyes made contact and it immediately ignited what was already a labile electricity of desire.

Marcus ran his hand on her arm, up to her knuckles and then pulled the damp dress out of her. "Don't cover yourself," he said still looking at her in the eye. "I want to see all of you when I make love to you."

The nightdress fell on her foot, leaving her fresh body on display with only a lace undergarment to cover her womanhood.

"Marcus, this is my first time," Ysabelle voiced out her concern when she surrendered her arms to the sides.

"So is mine, Love," he concluded, and then went to collide his mouth on hers.

***

Marcus growled low when he tasted her lips again. He had been craving for this since their last encounter. He had been craving for her since then. Right now, it was only fitting to release his pent-up tension. When he pried open her mouth to insert his tongue, she released a short but musical moan. Marcus could sense then that they were the same — they desired each other.

Ysabelle broke the kiss to catch her breath, but Marcus used that chance to lift her up and brought her to the center mattress. She had her arms wrapped around his neck the whole time and that pleased him well as any less skin contact would be unwelcomed right now.

Once in bed, Marcus didn't wait for her back to touch the pillows, he renewed their kiss and pushed her down, teasing the underside of her breasts with his skimming fingers at the same time.

Under the light of the candle lamps, Ysabelle's body glistened. Marcus had to cut their kiss again to pull off his white v-necked shirt. He felt her touch his hard abdomen and ran dainty fingers through the finely sculpted 'v'. It was flaring up his control.

Joining her back, Marcus kissed her hungrily this time. He aimed to shower her with passion, so he ran his hands from her waist up to both of her breasts. Capturing the two erect pinks, Ysabelle unintentionally whimpered and bit his lip. Marcus felt a tinge of pain, but thought it sexy for her to do that.

It seems she is a fiery vixen under that innocence.

"I'm sorry," she said when she pulled, examining his lower lip if it drew blood.

"You don't have to be," was Marcus gentle reply. His stare was heavy on her.

Returning back on their lovemaking, she cried aloud when Marcus laved on one aching nub, tugging it gently, while he rolled his digits on the twin like he was fixing a button.

His focus stepped up on an even higher level — in between her inner thighs. Marcus stroked at them first, caressing the twin columns gingerly. Ysabelle widened her legs more on instinct, feeling the burn of her abdomen growing hotter with each touch.

Withdrawing from her breasts, Marcus trailed his tongue down her belly, leaving it moist and tingling. Then, he replaced his hand with his mouth on her thighs, and that produced a delirious cry on Ysabelle. His tongue was wet and hot, and ticklish when he skated downward from her knees to the boundary of her inner folds. His fingers brushed daringly at her undergarment, it was intentional, and Marcus watched her mouth open up for a release of breath.

"Marcus."

He knew then what she meant through her unspoken request.

"I'll make this first as memorable as it could get, Ysabelle. Doesn't dreams exclude the sharp pains of a newly-touched virgin?"

"Dreams don't bring pain, Marcus," she voiced out breathlessly, sure of herself.

"Then I'll take that as an advantage." Marcus somehow felt relieved. Hurting the woman that he loved was the last thing on his list — or likely never on his list — and the pain of taking her virginity away would be included.

"Mnnhm..." Ysabelle moaned when Marcus hooked at the garters and pulled her undergarment off in one motion. He caught her waiting patiently when he did the same for his trouser.

Once that was resolved, Ysabelle was immediately transfixed on his male caliber that had flung freely and saluted her. The eagerness to feel it was shown on her gleaming eyes, but Marcus chose to delay it for now.

He dipped his head again and claimed her mouth. They sparred and curled inside their wet caverns, until Marcus broke it to put kissmarks on her neck. Together with that, his hands worked their way into her slick folds.

The contact of his fingers on her womanhood was an inviting experience. Cold was his digits, but it heated when he started encircling them slowly against her engorged gland.

"Hmmhh," Ysabelle's breath paused, momentarily drowned by the stimulation.

Marcus eyes darkened even more as she watched her writhe in pleasure. Touching her in here was what he had wanted since that chance was cut in the cave. Doing it now, he was hoping that this illusion of Ysabelle wouldn't vanish again.

"Please don't disappear," he suddenly blurted out, worried that in just one blink of an eye she would.

Ysabelle shook her head weakly, "I won't."

"Don't make me go insane again Ysabelle. Please don't vanish, stay with me here."

"I will," she replied without a thought.

Marcus rubbed her folds even harder. Ysabelle, still closing her eyes, pressed her head against the pillow and cried out her unrestrained 'ahhs' and 'mmhms'.

This made Marcus revel on the orchestra he was conducting. She was, hands down, the best singer he had heard in his entire life. When he pinched at her stimulated gland, that's when Ysabelle's climax enfolded her.

"Ahhhhh!" She convulsed under him.

Marcus watched as this woman rode the waves of her orgasm. If he was uncaring, he would have drove his own awaiting erect muscle inside her to claim his own wave, but he waited for her to ease from it, observing her as she shut her eyes tightly.

Spent but not drained, Ysabelle stared at Marcus. Her cheeks heated into a higher temperature realizing he was just observing her.

"You're ready," was all Marcus could say when he showed his two wet fingers in her front.

Ysabelle cleared her throat. She watched him as he positioned himself properly near her entrance.

"Marcus," she whispered, nearly almost insane when she felt the contact of his throbbing with her still hypersensitive cleft.

His gleaming head nestled just on top of her aching womanhood. When he ran it through her folds to stop at the ready entrance, she felt her heart leap out of her chest. Goodness, the sensation was indescribable!

Marcus paused and looked at Ysabelle. She in the other hand still watched his pulsating shaft engulfed by his hand. Her eyes were utterly expectant.

"Ysabelle."

She looked up.

Marcus' eyes were dark and stormy with passion. He leaned near her, chest to chest and face to face, just millimeters apart.

"I love you," he whispered and then thrust sharply inside her.

Ysabelle gasped, both taken aback by his sudden confession and the aching feeling inside her. The tearing pain was as close to reality as possible. This moment was supposed to be a dream right? Pain wasn't supposed to be included but why does she feel it right now?

"Mar—cus!" she caught her breath.

Marcus chose to still his hips for a moment, adjusting to the feel of her cavern. Ysabelle was the same. Heavens, the raw sensation was sheer bliss. It was divine!

Their breaths mixed while looking at each other. Their head throbbing with heightened fever. "Ysabelle, I do. I have fallen for you," Marcus uttered again. Though he did not expect for a mere illusion to respond to him, he ought to say it anyway. This was the right time to confess it, the only time at least for he knew that when reality comes, his mouth will be restrained with his vows of priesthood.

Ysabelle's eyes welled up with tears, but she fought it not to spill. For the first time... God, for the first time in her life, someone had told her that, sincerely... honestly... This was the exact warmth she was looking for, and Marcus would be the exact man she wanted it to hear from, even though it was just a dream.

"Come fill me up with your love, Marcus," she stated, shifting her hips slightly urging him to move.

The soreness was still there, but it was gradually forgotten when Marcus moved, plunging and unsheathing his shaft inside her as carefully as he could.

It was an insatiable foreign feeling for both of them, yet they willingly embraced it.

She curved her back when Marcus recaptured her breasts all the while pushing his large erection with maddening slowness.

"Marcus, more..." Ysabelle whimpered whilst closing her eyes and grabbing a thick mass of his hair.

And just as she ordered, the ensuing thrust accelerated a notch. Once, twice, thrice...

"Ahhh!" Crying, she raised her hips to meet his momentum.

Marcus groaned audibly, shooting his head up and looking at her with renewed surprise.

"Please... more," she requested, already immersed by the blaze of ecstasy he had lit inside her.

Marcus, amused and in the verge of his own climax, obliged, penetrated her fiercer, harder and that elicited a groan of approval from Ysabelle.

Her hands wandered all over his tensed sinuous muscles; along his arms, back and abdomen; until it ended up palming his jaw.

"Ysabelle..." Marcus voiced out hoarsely, capturing her thumb and nipping on it. He was nearly there and so was she.

Marcus pulled her up to sit on his lap, producing a surprised gasp from Ysabelle. This position made for a better plunge inside her wet, super-charged cavern, and even though they were inexperienced in the subject of lovemaking, they both knew it so in intuition.

Ysabelle loved how Marcus guided her to pump up and down. Marcus, to add an even greater impact, pushed his waist up to meet her halfway. It was a brilliant united effort between the two and it was rewarded within euphoric minutes with a violent rapture of their bodies.

Cradling Ysabelle's head and back with Marcus' strong arms, they both panted, riding the wave of orgasm together.

"Marcus...," Ysabelle whispered after a while, lacking volume. Marcus traced gentle kisses on her neck and jaw. "Yes, love?" he replied.

Her chin was still resting on his shoulder when she answered, "This—this is just a dream right?"

Marcus closed his eyes and contemplated for a moment. He arranged her in bed thereafter, joining her by positioning himself on her side. Caressing her lower lip with his thumb, he watched as it trembled.

"Yes, this is just a dream," was his short reply then. "Sleep now, Ysabelle, save your energy." He cuddled her in one arm, putting her head near his chest.

She smiled slightly and nodded, closing her eyes.

Yes, that was Marcus' chosen answer for her, but deep inside, in the back of his head, he had the beginnings of a doubt.

'For a dream, hell, this sure feels so real.'