"Marcus, are you okay?"
"Whoa, what's up with you?"
After a while, Lily and his sister got back to the apartment. Seeing the strange look on his face, they both asked at once.
"Oh, hey. No, it's nothing."
"Wow, you look great. Is that new?"
"We just finished enrollment, and my roommate dragged me out shopping. You like it?"
"I really do," Marcus said.
Lily wore a loose, soft pink and white tee with wide-legged light blue trousers. The outfit completely hid her figure, masking its curves and shape. But the baggy clothes, combined with her stunning face and gentle smile, created this incredibly alluring, modest mystery. It made his heart thump, his mouth go dry, and sent a sharp, sudden urge through him to peel those layers away and see what was hidden underneath.
It was a different kind of temptation. He hadn't expected a woman as quiet and classically beautiful as Lily to have such a knockout effect in something so simple.
He glanced at his sister beside her, wearing a light blue sundress that showed off her long, toned frame. With her delicate, perfect features, she looked like some ethereal creature who'd just decided to slum it on earth for a while.
"Uh oh. Someone's broken the brother."
His sister, seeing his dazed look, didn't miss a beat. She did a little spin, the dress flaring out around her like something from a ballet.
"Alright, I'm logging into Dominion. I'm almost done with the Newbie Village quests. I'll be in the city with you soon."
After her teasing remark, his sister shot him a wink, cleverly making herself scarce and leaving him alone with Lily.
"Lily, that top is incredible on you. Who's the stylist?"
Watching his sister disappear into her room, Marcus felt a surge of confidence. He looked at Lily with a playful, appreciative stare, his pulse kicking up a notch.
"Your sister picked it out."
Damn, his sister had good taste. Looking at Lily's tall, graceful frame and that serene expression, she was as enticing as her namesake flower. A raw, possessive need flared up in him.
Marcus walked over, his eyes roaming over her. Taking advantage of her shy glance away, he suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace.
"God, you're a tease. Come here."
The earlier run-in with the Nance sisters had already left him wound up, and it had taken real effort to bank that fire. But Lily was just too irresistible. As his new girl, she had this mature allure mixed with a captivating shyness that instantly set him off, shredding what little self-control he had left.
Lily, in her new role, was completely intoxicating.
Holding her close, he looked at her perfect lips and crushed his mouth to hers. His tongue slipped inside, sweeping against hers, tasting her.
"Marcus, wait… please… it's the middle of the day."
Lily was flushed with embarrassment, acutely aware of his arousal. Marcus kept one hand on the small of her back while the other began to roam over her incredible body. But her ingrained modesty made her put up a weak, token resistance. How could she be like this, in the bright light of the afternoon?
"It's okay. I love you. And I'm gonna love you day and night, every day. All the time."
Consumed by the heat of the moment, Marcus didn't care what time it was. After devouring her lips, he trailed kisses down to her ear. He gently sucked on her earlobe, his voice a low whisper.
"Just let go for me."
Lily let out a soft, helpless moan, her resistance melting away. Marcus easily won the brief battle, and she went limp in his arms, surrendering completely. Instinctively, her arms wrapped around the broad, strong back of the man she loved, giving herself over to the intensity of his affection.
Breathing in Lily's intoxicating scent, his hand slid under her shirt, finding the smooth, pristine skin of her stomach. He stroked upwards until his hand cupped the firm, perfect weight of her breast. He kneaded it softly for a moment before pulling down the cup of her bra, exposing her to his touch. He stroked and teased, letting the soft flesh mold to his hand.
"Oh, God…"
Lily was fully lost in it. In this man's arms, she easily gave in to the primal urge to have him, to feel him deep inside, to be filled with his heat and strength.
Without thinking, her own hands began to roam his body. Her sweet mouth and innocent tongue moved on their own, matching his rhythm, feeding her own pleasure. Her body grew slick and ready for him, preparing for his advance.
A total siren. Marcus could hardly believe the quiet, reserved Lily could be such a soul-stealing temptress like this. Unable to hold back any longer, he quickly pulled her t-shirt over her head, gazed at her breasts above the pink and white bra, and buried his face between them for a breathless moment. Then, he swept her into his arms and headed for the bedroom.
"I'm not done with you. Not even close."
Lily, her eyes glazed with passion, nestled her head against his chest, her arms locked tight around his neck. All coherent thought had fled, leaving her entirely at his mercy.
Once in the room, Marcus made quick work of their remaining clothes. Like a man possessed, he began his assault, plunging into her without hesitation, claiming what was his.
As he moved, the Human Rock energy naturally began to circulate through his body, constantly strengthening his core and, silently, transforming Lily's physique as well. Of course, this happened without a sound, and Marcus was completely unaware of the effect.
"Baby, I'm… I'm coming…"
The storm of sensation threw Lily into a world of pure pleasure. Five consecutive, shattering climaxes left her too weak to even move. He had to hold her waist and pull her tight against his chest, where she clung, barely able to endure his relentless, driving pace.
Marcus was particularly fierce today. Whether it was the leftover frustration from the Nance sisters or the fresh thrill of his new girl, he kept going, driving Lily over the edge five times before he finally let go with a guttural groan. Yet, a feeling of intense, lingering power remained, and his still-hard length was proof enough of that.
"My God, you're incredible."
After a long while, the passion-drunk Lily finally surfaced from the haze. She stroked the hard planes of his chest, her voice filled with awe.
"It's because you're so damn sexy. I can't get enough of you."
It was the honest truth. Any man would feel like a king hearing that from a woman like her. And seeing such a stunning beauty in his arms, completely and utterly his, gave him a rush like nothing else. This was the fantasy.
"Marcus…"
"Yeah?"
Lily hugged him even tighter.
"I can… I can still take you."
Lily said it shyly, wanting more than anything to please him.
"Hey, it's okay. You're exhausted."
The continuous assault and five powerful orgasms had taken everything out of her. Even though Marcus still felt a powerful thrum of energy coursing through him, the intense connection with Lily had banked the worst of the fire. If she tried to stoke it again, he knew she wouldn't be able to handle what followed.
The fact that she could even withstand such a fierce session showed she had incredible stamina. He truly had found a rare gem. He didn't realize it was the effect of his Human Rock energy that had dramatically increased Lily's endurance.
"Marcus, I…"
Tears welled in Lily's gorgeous eyes.
"Lily, what's wrong?" Marcus wiped the tears from her cheeks, completely confused.
"Nothing."
Lily nestled gently into his arms, a wave of self-reproach washing over her.
As his woman, she felt like she was failing. She couldn't fully satisfy the man she loved, forcing him to hold back, unable to give him the complete release he deserved.
But at the same time, a pang of resentment shot through her.
Marcus must still be hung up on Serena, still thinking about her. If Serena ever came back, and he looked at her the way he used to, what would Lily do?
A fiercely possessive love surged inside her. Lily held the man in her arms as tight as she could. She wouldn't let him slip away for a second. She would make him love her forever, be obsessed with her. She would win his heart back from Serena's ghost.
If she hadn't been so shy back then, if she'd just told Marcus how she felt first, even if Serena was amazing, she might not have lost. Maybe he would have been hers all along.
But it wasn't too late. The real contest was just starting.
'I'll make sure you're completely satisfied,' Lily thought to herself, feeling his hardness against her. She pressed herself closer to his broad chest, offering him the comfort of her body.
Marcus, totally unaware of the war in Lily's mind, only felt her deep affection and the wonder of her body.
"Come on, let's get cleaned up."
"Okay."
"Don't move. I've got you."
He carried Lily to the bathroom for a shared shower, which inevitably led to another, slower, but no less passionate round of intimacy. Their connection was intense, their affection overflowing; a perfect, private devotion.
Finally, after their time together, they split up to log into the game, resuming their journey in Dominion. Lily's fishing quests in the Newbie were almost done, and she'd be able to join him in the city soon.
A flash of light, and Marcus materialized in the main square of Dragon's Peak Citadel. The Citadel was a hive of activity, players were everywhere. With an average of over three hundred million players online daily, the game's popularity was insane; probably the biggest launch in gaming history.
The first thing Marcus did was pull up the various leaderboards, getting a read on the latest power shifts.