Moonlight

A/N This chapter ten started out as just a couple paragraphs at the beginning of the original chapter ten. I guess I got carried away!


Also, thanks for pointing out the no paragraph breaks thing, RachelW. I don’t know what happened. It had breaks on the editing screen. The gremlins must have followed me from Fanfiction.net and will now haunt me here. *sigh* *shakes head*



10. Padfoot

Sirius and Milia stayed with Remus in the bed for quite sometime. He drifted off to sleep between them. Milia dozed beside him. She came fully awake when Sirius rose. “Stay,” she whispered.

He smiled down at her. “No. I have to get the cellar ready for tomorrow. There are things in there that I’d rather not risk around two werewolves.”

“Sirius,” she called as he turned again. “I love you.” He stopped. Confusion and hurt drifted from him. He looked back at her, “I love you, too,” he said, warm love spilling behind the words as he smiled.

She watched him leave, listening to his footsteps fade down the hall. Soon her eyes closed again and she drifted away.


------------------

The room swam in moonlight when she next opened her eyes. Her body felt stiff and her muscles taut. The pull of the moon on her beast had become a physical sensation. “Are you awake, Milia,” Remus whispered beside her. She nodded in the silvery darkness. They lay side by side, naked in the bed. The covers had fallen in a heap beside them, forgotten. She had a terrible fever, as did Remus beside her. She knew that if she tried to sit up, a sick dizziness would engulf her. “I’ve always been so sick before the change,” he volunteered. Worry!

“It’s normal,” she answered. “The pain, stiffness, fever, and dizziness,” she listed, “All normal.” She draped her arm across his chest. “the pull of the moon. That sensation that if you don’t hold onto something, you’ll drift away.” He nodded.

There was a soft knock at the door and Sirius entered. He crossed to the bed before speaking. “Do you need anything?” he asked.

“Water,” Remus croaked. Milia nodded beside him.

“And food?” Sirius asked.

“No,” Milia whispered. “It will only come back up.” Remus nodded this time.

Sirius smiled. “Alright. I’ll bring you some water then.” He studied them, concern etching his face. “Do you want the blanket?”

“No,” they chorused.

“It’s too hot with two of us,” Remus whispered. Sirius nodded. He rose and left, returning a short time later with two tankards of water. Remus gulped his without stopping, throat working desperately.

“Easy,” Milia warned him. He stopped reluctantly, the water gone, and heaved a sigh.

Sirius chuckled, “Another one then,” he said. Remus nodded and smiled. Milia glared at tand and sipped her own water. Sirius left briefly to fetch two more tankards which he set down on the bedside table. Milia scooted towards Remus and Sirius sat on the bed beside her. Now the two men sandwiched her between them. She closed her eyes and rolled in their twin scents; the cold ice of winter and the sunny citrus grove. Her mouth watered at the thought of tasting them together; crisp snow biting her tongue as she licked along Sirius’ chest, followed by the sweet tang of citrus as she moved on to Remus.

Her heart thrilled and she took in a sharp breath. Remus turned over onto his side and stared down at her. He felt politely puzzled. His free hand trailed along her face, up into her hair. She caught Sirius watching from the corner of her eye. He glared at his friend's hand as it played in her dark locks. Milia reached a hand out to Sirius. His pale fingers laced through hers and the glare softened. He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. His lips parted and his tongue darted out, ever so briefly. Milia sighed, her heart skipping a beat. Remus nuzzled along the side of her face, sniffing, breathing in her need, she was sure.

Remus kissed her softly on the lips. She pulled away. “Stop, both of you,” she ordered. “We can’t do anything right now. It’s too dangerous for Sirius.”

“Why?” Remus asked.

“Why?” she repeated. “Because we may transform enough to infect him if we bit him. Because the bloodlust could fall upon us soon and he’s human.”

“But he could just transform,” Remus said matter-of-factly. He smiled at her as if she’d missed the ten-foot-tall exit sign and couldn’t find the way out.

“What?” she tilted her head, puzzled. A fine panic floated up from Sirius. She looked over at him. He sat up, pulling away. “What does he mean by transform?” she asked, indicating Remus with a fierce wave.

“You don’t know?” Remus breathed.

Milia scented the air again. Was Sirius Were? Werebear? Werecat?

“You didn’t tell her?” Remus asked, his voice incredulous.

“It never came up,” Sirius shrugged.

“What never came up?” Milia asked, her heart pounding. Remus laughed. She sat up, pulling away from both of them. Fear!

Her fear cut through Remus’ mirth, killing his laughter. “No, Milia,” he whispered. Calm! “It’s alright. Sirius is an animagus,” he said, waving towards his friend.

“He’s a what?” she asked, looking between them.

“I can change form,” Sirius whispered.

“At will,” Remus added.

What?! “I. . . I don’t understand,” Milia stammered. The world seemed to be spinning around her.

“Show her,” Remus instructed. Sirius nodded and rose from the bed. Milia watched him. He stood with his eyes closed. Then, melting, shimmering, shifting. Milia gasped as a huge black dog took his place.

It shook out its shaggy black coat and stared at her with familiar grey eyes. She gaped, speechless. The dog melted away and Sirius knelt before her again. She blinked.

Remus sighed, “I’ve always envied you that painless transformation.” Sirius smiled up at him sadly.

“When were you going to tell me?” Milia asked.

“When it came up,” Sirius offered with another shrug. Remus chuckled. “If there wasn’t a meeting tomorrow, I’d be down in the cellar with you two,” he added.

“And you can do that at any time?” Milia asked. Sirius nodded. She laughed, “Do it again!” The great black dog reformed. Milia clapped her hands. The dog’s great tongue lolled in a smile. “Come, Sirius,” she said, holding a hand out to him.

“Padfoot,” Remus said. “His name is Padfoot.”

“Come, Padfoot,” Milia tried again. The dog leapt for her, bowling her over and covering her with slobbery kisses. She held her arms up to fend him off. When her arms and face were soaked, the dog moved away, panting, tongue lolling. She sat up slowly. With a low chuckle, she crawled back towards Remus and lay down next to him, facing the huge dog. Standing, his head would come up to her waist and she was sure he out-weighed her by at least a hundred pounds.

The dog flopped down on the bed, his head near her thighs. She took a shuddering breath, picturing Sirius in place of the dog, remembering the last time he’d been in that position. The dog moved close to her, licking her upper thigh. His soft pink tongue moved slowly along her skin.


He
Her breathing quickened and her beast shifted. Padfoot stopped mid-lick, hesitating. Milia closed her eyes. Remus bent over her, licking along her shoulder as slowly and deliberately as Padfoot. Cinnamon and vanilla swirled around her. She reveled in the attention. Padfoot started on her upper thigh again, Remus moved to her ear. Both of them worked slowly over her skin. Their tongues left hot trails of desire along her body. She wriggled with pleasure. Her beast spilled into her eyes and she reached for Remus, her mouth finding his. She bit gently into his lower lip. Padfoot rested a paw on her leg, his claws scratching her bringing her back to the present.

“No,” she breathed, tight and hot, ready for either of them. Remus had grown stiff between his legs while she’d been kissing him. Padfoot looked up and growled low in his throat. Remus growled back, amber eyes glaring along the length of her body. Magic prickled along her legs and Sirius knelt over her, staring hard at Remus. “Stop it!” she shouted. She pulled away from both of them. “I said no. It’s too dangerous tonight! Not just to Sirius’ humanity or life, but to the . . .” she climbed out of bed, away from Sirius and paced towards the door. Then she threw her hands up in the air. Frustration! Love! “I don’t know! Whatever it is we’ve started here!”

The two men looked away from her. She waited. Their need faded, as did her own. Remus sighed and lay back down, turning onto his side. He lay facing her but did not make eye contact. Sirius climbed off the bed and went to the bedside table, taking a drink of water. “I can still taste you on my tongue,” he said.

“It’s strange,” Remus started, “She’s very spicy but she smells like sugar cookies.”

Milia raised her eyebrows at this conversation. I’m spicy? Why hadn’t Jacque ever mentioned it? She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. “Are you two going to behave?” she asked them. Remus nodded. Sirius shrugged and smiled coyly. Despite herself, she smiled back. “Yes or no, Sirius. I’ll not stand for any nonsense from you tonight.” Remus snorted at this.

Sirius sighed, “Oh alright. Climb into bed. I’ll behave,” he said, smiling at her, letting his eyes wander over her body. She shivered at his attention and hurried into the bed. She lay next to Remus, spooning him from behind. He shuddered as her breasts brushed against his bare back. Vanilla poured from him and an answering wave of pleasure ran along her skin. She draped an arm over Remus and he gladly took her hand in his. She nuzzled the back of his neck as her heartbeat quickened.

Sirius stood behind her. She listened to the soft swish of cloth as he undressed. Then he climbed in behind her. He snuggled against her, skin to skin and he was happy to be there. Another thrill of pleasure raced through her and she writhed against the two of them. Cinnamon engulfed them. Sirius moved her hair up, away from her neck. His breath tickled along her skin, across her shoulder. He kissed her lightly. She pulled herself tight against Remus and whimpered. Sirius moved against her from behind, rubbing slowly along her thigh.

Remus turned over to face them. He studied Sirius over her shoulder. “She said, no, Sirius.” he hissed, an unmistakable edge of warning in his voice. “If you can’t control yourself, perhaps you should leave.”

“Then you will leave too,” Sirius hissed.

“Gladly,” Remus started to sit.

“But you need me, Remus,” Milia whispered pulling him back down. “And I need you.” A thread of jealousy snaked from behind her. She hurried on, “and if we’re staying together, then Sirius will stay too.” She sighed and closed her eyes. Goddess please, she thought, please let this work.

“My apologies, Remus,” Sirius whispered across her. “I can wait.”

Remus sighed in front of her. “So can I, old friend,” he replied. He draped an arm across her waist. Sirius settled behind her, throwing his arm across both her waist and Remus’ arm. Slowly Milia drifted off to sleep.