Lonely At The Top

Kayla
******

She was feeling rather proud of herself after making the finally plans with
Noni and Marialla for the party tomorrow night. They'd seen to Realee's
promise that she would have something wonderful for dinner, and see that a
cake was made big enough for the woman they had found to hide inside of it
until it was time for her to pop out of it.

Kayla couldn't wait to see T'rell's reaction when the woman began her little
show. The poor man would be red faced from embarrassment before the woman
was half finished with him, and Kayla planned on having a front row seat.

The woman in the cake had been Noni's idea. A small but fun way to get
T'rell back for the joke he'd played on her during her own party.

Mari and herself had thought the idea to good to pass up, and once they'd
explained it to Realee, the head cook had been laughing so hard when she
agreed to go alone with it, that Kayla was sure it would go off smoothly. 

She had just walked up the steps of the apartment she shared with her mate
and was reaching to push the door open, when she heard voices coming from
inside. She recognized Ar'Aman's right off, but the woman's voice she didn't
know.

Ari however seemed to know her quite well by the sound of the conversation.

"I won't disappoint you Ari," she said, and Kayla saw her sliding towards
him. He couldn't help but catch the intent behind her meaning.

When she heard Ari's reply, she moved into the room so both parts would know
she was there.

"Seren, I have a mate who lives here with me. I don't ..."

"That's right. You do!" Kayla turned and gave the other woman a knowing
smile. She wanted it understood right off that Ari was taken, and that she
had no plans on giving him up.

They both looked round to see Kayla in the apartment entrance.

"Hello my love. This is Seren of Ralengarde. Seren, this is Kayla, my mate."

The girl looked so unhappy she might cry. Ari told her where the bathroom
was and suggested she get cleaned up. She didn't need any persuasion and so
Ari was alone with Kayla.

"Who is that girl Ari?"

He had already told her about the rape, of course, and his part in it. He
then told Kayla the story the girl had given him.

"And you told her she could stay *here*!"

"For the moment. What else can I do Kayla? She *walked* here for the sake of
the Gods! I can't just turn her away, she's petrified."

Kayla looked at him and thought it was just like him. always looking out for
his friends and people he cared about. She would have liked to ask him to
reconsider his offer, but what reason could she give him that didn't have
her sounding like a jealous shrew? 

"OK, for tonight anyway. But we'll have to find her somewhere else if she's
going to stay for good." She'd give in that far, but wanted him to know she
didn't want a permeate house guest.

"Thank you my love, you won't regret this."

Kayla did not look so sure....Something about the girl bespoke trouble to
come. She just hoped Ari wouldn't be hurt when the girl made her move. 

"Well if she's going to stay here, then I guess I'd better get the spare
room ready," Kayla offered, wanting Ari to know she would respect his offer
to the girl. 

After all it would only be for one night.....

"Oh. Maybe she'd like to come to T'rell's birthday party tomorrow night? "
she threw over her shoulder as she started down the hall.

"I didn't know it was his birthday tomorrow," Ar'Aman called after her, and
Kayla poked her head back around the corner to look back at him. A huge
smile graced her lovely face.

"I don't think he was wanting anyone to know," she told him, then chuckled.
"Especially after what happened at Noni's party. I think he was afraid she'd
come up with something to get back at him."

"Now I can't think why he would ever think *that*" he joined in her chuckle.
"I mean we all know our beloved healer has a heart of gold!"

Jayleigh
*********

"For years, Daere has harbored the lustiest, the most out of control
reputations in Dragonlands...and you are the Warrenlady. YOU are Daere.
It's...daunting to be lusted after by you so..."

"Your ego is just too much!" she sneered in anger. Of all the egotistical,
self centered, things to come out of his month.. this had to be the one
farthest from the truth... 

Wasn't it?

"I know...but I can tone it down for you and your interest..."

"The only *interest* I have at the moment is getting you the hell out of
here." She wanted to turn. To show him to the door, but her body just
wouldn't obey her minds directions.

"I think we need to keep a working relationship...keep your desire for me
separate from your job...after all, we can't be having sex on your desk like
I heard you did to ah, certain previous interests...I found that I can
relate to certain warren denizens easier that way. Do you
really want me gone, my dear Warrenlady?"

"YES!!" she snapped, angered once again by his reference to Gerald. She
tried hard to picture his beloved face in her mind, but his image kept
fading out to be replaced by another. "I would."

"Leave you? Do you not feel a little certain...  heat... when I'm close? Do
you not feel the absence when I'm not here?"

"No... I.. don't feel anything..." but even as she was saying the words, a
little voice in the back of her head was shouting LIER!!!  "I don't want to
think about you..." 

"Then why won't you look into my eyes, dear lady? Why do you look away?
Showing me your demure side? Look into my eyes and tell me you don't want me!"

She wanted to prove him wrong. To wipe that damn knowing grin off of his
handsome face, but even as she tried, her eyes wouldn't meet his. She
couldn't seem to get them past his well shaped lips. Thoughts of how those
lips had felt like pressing against hers, were doing strange things to her
system. She couldn't seem to drawl in enough air. And her heart was beating
faster then normal.

What was wrong with her.

"I don't want you." The lie sounded weak even to herself.
"I want you to leave me alone."

She felt his hand come up under her chin, listing her head up until she was
forced to meet his eyes. 

"No... don't....Please..." she whimpered, making one last weak attempt at
salvaging her pride.

"Why are you afraid of me? Tell me -truthfully- that you don't want me and
I'll leave." The very sound of his voice was hypnotizing. Stealing her will
to think. Making her realize how lonely she had was. So lonely... it made
her want.. her body crave ... things she knew she should be fighting against.

"I...I.. I can't!" she cried softly, realizing she was fighting a losing
battle with herself.

"And why not?" he moved until his body was but a hair's breadth away. His
breath teasingly warm against her lips. So close... so near, yet he held back.

"Because.. I do..." she admitted then hated herself for her weakness... What
was happening to her... 

She whimpered, her breath caught when she felt the warmth of his lips slide
over hers. Teasing touches meant to arousal. Her body shivered, arched
forward, needing to feel the solidness of his pressing against hers.

"And why do you want me, dear lady?" Smiling smugly, knowing that he has
won. She was his for the taking.

"To make me forget... "

"What do you want to forget," he whispers, his breath light against her lips
as he held himself away from her. Driving her crazy for more.

"How lonely... I am..." she said without realizing what she was admitting to
him. "I don't want to be alone."

"Lonely at the top, isn't it? I can help you forget..."
"Think, think that we could be here, wallowing in paper, or ..."

"Please.. I need..." her head tilted back wanting to be kissed again. It had
felt so good.. so.. 

"...Or we could be in my bed."

"I don't care where... I just need to forget... I need to feel...wanted."

C`nis waggles his eyebrows.

"Of course, my dear...I'll make you feel better. You'll *never* want to
leave..." she heard him say. The warm timber of his voice driving away all
thoughts but of him and what his touch was doing to her.

She lifted her arms up around his neck and pulled his lips back to hers.
"Never..."

She wanted it hard and deep... but he gave her only soft teasing caresses
from his lips. Enough to drive her crazy with need, but not enough to
satisfy her. 

"Please..." she cried softly moving her body against his, trying to ease
some of the fire his touch was causing inside her. But again he held himself
just out of reach. 

The teasing kisses went on until finally she thought she'd go crazy without
more. Much more. She wanted him in the worst way. Nothing else mattered.
Nothing. 

Her hands moved down to the fastener of his pants.. and were prevented from
reaching their goal. 

"Jayleigh... we can't," he muttered and pulled her hands away from what
they'd been trying to do. "It's not that I wouldn't love too... but it just
wouldn't be right.. I mean we do have to work together and something like
this.. with you wanting me the way you do... well.. I think it would just be
better for our working relationship if you try and control your desire for me.."

"What are you talking about?" she snapped, his words hitting her like bucket
of water being dumped over her head. "You wanted me just then as much as I
wanted you!"

He turned and grinned sadly at her, "Oh I won't deny that my dear.. what man
wouldn't want what you were offering.. but as I said.. I think we need to
keep this on a ... more business like level. We wouldn't want people to
start talking about how I got this job only because I was pleasuring you. I
know it was said about your bard.. that that was how he got his job as the
Gamma Wingleader... and I'd prefer...."

"Get out of here!" she snapped and began to push him towards the door. She
tried again to picture Gerald's face in her mind.. but once again another
face appeared. 

"Jayleigh my dear..." 

"Please... just go," she turned away from him, so he wouldn't see the tears
forming in her eyes. What a fool he must think she was... Coming on to him
like a love sick teenager. How many times had she said she was nothing like
Lara... and now here she was coming on to a man just because she was lonely... 

"C'nis.." she called out softly when she heard the sound of the door opening.

"Yes Leigh?" 

"Your things... what wasn't.. sold.. I had them brought back. They're in
your old apartment."

"Thank you Leigh.. but it doesn't change anything."

"I know."

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

She didn't sleep very well that night. Her body still feeling the embers of
the fire his touch had brought. It kept her awake. Invaded her dreams. She
would dose off and dream of the two of them, naked in her bed.. on the floor
in her office.. anywhere but on her desk. 

She dreamed of his hands touching her flesh. Bring her closer and closer ...
but then she would awake and weep when finding she was alone. 

A cold shower didn't help. The feel of the water running over her body,
reminded her of a loves caress. It left her even more frustrated then ever.

'Damn you C'nis!" she muttered as she dried herself off and then wondered
into the kitchen to heat up some milk, hoping that would help her, but
knowing it would be a waste of time. Warm milk wasn't what she was needing. 
"Why's you have to find some morels now?"

Damn...

What was wrong with her anyway. She'd been lonely before but hadn't tried to
seduce the first man she saw! And just look at the man she picked. Why when
it came to the women, he was even worse the Tair'n... 

Tair'n... 

She finished off the milk and put the glass in the sink as she tried to shut
out thoughts of the man... What was it about her, that kept picking men she
knew were no good for her. Men she knew would never be what she wanted. 

Was she asking for to much to want someone for herself. Someone who would
love and want to be with just her? Why was it that every man who rocked her
hormones had to have a dark side to them. 

She walked back down the hall to her bedroom, climbed into the wide lonely
bed and this time she did fall into a dreamless sleep. But when morning came
she knew the sleep she got was far from enough. 

And the memories of last night, hadn't been forgotten. 

Realee knew something was on her daughters mind when she showed up later for
breakfast. She also knew when Leigh didn't say anything or open the topic
for discussion that it would be better not to ask if everything was all right.

Jayleigh knew she was here and would listen if she needed someone to talk
to. so she'd just bide her time and wait until then.

[Afternoon the day of the party]

"Vesta... I'm waiting for a package to get here from town," Jayleigh told
the girl right after she'd returned from lunch. "Has anything arrived for me
since I left."

"No Jayleigh," Vesta lied easily as she thought abut the package she'd
delivered to C'nis half an hour ago. "No one has shown up with anything yet.
But I'll be sure and let you know when it does."

The woman behind the desk frowned. 

"I was hoping it would get here before the party tonight," she sighed. "In
time to have mother make up a special pot of the coffee I got for T'rell for
his birthday."

"Oh I'm sure he'll enjoy that," Vesta giggled, knowing what was going to
happen once the Trainer had is first cup or two. She herself planned on
getting a cup before it was all gone.

Not that she needed the little surprise whammy it packed, but knowing it
might be fun anyway.

"I'm sure it'll get here in plenty of time. So don't you worry," the young
girl said comforting while she was grinning inside. 

"Of course you're right," Jayleigh smiled at the girl. "What would I do
without you?"

Vesta just chuckled and left the office.

...........

"Now make sure you dropped this one in the main coffee cache, and get Realee
to make this one up for T'rell," C'nis told her sometime later when they'd
met in the arranged spot for the transfer. "Just make sure you talk Jayleigh
into letting you take it over to the dining hall and then don't get caught."

"Oh I don't think I'll have any trouble getting her to let me take it," the
girl smiled. "She hasn't been all here today if you know what I mean."

"No.. tell me," he asked.

"Well for some reason she couldn't concentrate on what she was doing. Her
mind seems to be on other things, and once I heard her cussing someone.
Muttering abut morels. But I have no idea what she was talking about."

C'nis chuckled and then pulled the girl in for a lust full kiss that left
her breathless when he was finished. 

"Think she was bad today... just wait."

Vesta asked him what he meant by then, but instead of answering her, his
kissed her again, and then reminded her what she was to do with the coffee.
Then walked away chuckling once more.

[Party time]

Jayleigh was smiling after seeing the expression on the trainers face when
he walked into the dining hall with Ar'Aman and his mate to the sounds of
people shouting out *Happy Birthday*

The red glow in the mans cheeks bespoke his surprise 
at the gesture, that and the quick look around the room he took, as if
expecting something to happen.

She waved him over when his eyes met hers, and he deciding nothing bad could
happen to him while sitting next to the Warrenlady, went willing and took
the seat next to her on the upper dais. Behind her on a separate table was a
big pile of the gifts others had brought for him.

"Happy Birthday T'rell," she greeted him, with a warm smile. 

"M'lady Jayleigh... I don't know what to say!" he stammered as his eyes
caught sight of the brightly wrapped presents.

"Hey I only showed up," she held up her hands in front of her. "This was put
together by several of you trainees. There way of thanking you for all your
hard work."

The evening progressed with people talking and drinking. As Jayleigh watched
those around the room, having fun, she could help but notice T'rell never
danced with the same woman more then once. 

When he came back over to her table and asked her to dance, she got up and
went with him, not at all surprised that he was a good dancer.

"So T'rell, tell me. Why is it that a good looking man like you is still
single. I'm sure there are plenty of women around here who wouldn't mind
spending some time getting to know you .. better," she teased him.

"Now take Marialla over there," she nodded her head in the young girls
direction. "I think the two of you would make a cute pair."

"Cute?" T'rell's eyebrows raised p at the word. 

"Yes cute.. she's a real sweet girl you know."

"Oh I know." He agreed. 

"Well I think you two would be good together.. just think if you and she got
together, you'd never have to worry about eating your own cooking again.
You'd be the envy of all the riders here having your own cook."

"There's more to a relationship Jayleigh then cooking." He told her wanting
to talk about anything else.

"Well that may be true T'rell," Jayleigh winked. "But then there's *cooking*
and then there's *COOKING*. If you know what I mean?"

"Jayleigh.. why is it I feel like you're trying to play matchmaker between
the two of us?"

"T'rell... I would *never* do anything like that...Just because I said I
thought you two would make a cute couple.. how is that matchmaking?" she
grinned innocently. "Maybe you're just a little shy. I'm sure that's it...
Maybe I just want to help you out a bit?"

"Jayleigh..." he growled her name in a warning. "Don't do anything I'll
regret in the morning."

"No promises my friend." She smiled mysteriously and left him when the song
was over.

Next they took some time out for the birthday boy to open his presents. As
Jayleigh suspected when he opened her gift of the coffee, nothing would do
but he wanted a pot of it made up right then and there.

Having anticipated his request, she sent a prearranged signal to her mother
who showed up minutes later with am already brewed pop and cups enough for
anyone who wanted some.

"I've got the big coffee pop sent up for anyone else who wants some," the
cook shouted just loud enough for the others to hear.

She accepted the cup he poured for her, and then waited as he poured one for
Kayla, Noni and Marialla in thanks for putting on the party. 

Just then Realee and several of the other kitchen workers came back into the
main room with a huge cake and wheeled it up to the dais before lighting the
candles they'd placed on it.

The room quieted down as people gathered around to sing him the traditional
birthday song, and Jayleigh giggled when she saw T'rell look around the room
as if expecting something to happen.

She saw Noni, who was standing next to Ja'ks grinning and holding up her
hands as if to show his they were empty. Then when the crowd parted, she saw
Tair'n standing back aways with that girl standing beside him. she couldn't
help notice how his arm was draped around her shoulder and is amber eyes
glinted in amusement as they watched T'rell making his wish and move to blow
out the candles.

She tore her eyes away from them and had to work hard at keeping the hurt
she was feeling off of her face. So that when the song ended and T'rell blew
out the candles.. she was laughing along with everyone else at the
expression on the mans face when the top of the cake exploded and a scantly
dressed woman popped out of it and sang a lusty directed towards the trainer.

She kept the smile on her face as two riders moved to help the woman out of
the cake, and over to where T'rell was now sitting. The crowd around him let
out cat calls and hoots when the woman sat in his lap and began pressing her
body against him in a very sexy way.

Jayleigh looked away for a minute as the band struck up again and the part
goer's started to dance again. Her eyes met Norin's and she saw the girl
smile then turn to the man beside her. 

"Come dance with me Tair'n," she said loud enough for Jayleigh to hear, and
then grinned back at her when the man moved to take her in his arms.

She looked away, only to have her eyes catch sight of C'nis dancing with
some young girl. The two of them were laughing and the sight of his hands
moving in so caresses up and down the woman's back, brought back the
memories of the night before.

A presence alerted her that someone had sat in the chairs off to her right.
Chairs that had been empty all evening long. The chair reserved for the
Alpha Wingleader. 

She couldn't stop her head from turning and when she saw who was sitting
there she became very upset.

"She doesn't belong at this table Tair'n," she snapped before she could stop
herself. 

"She's here as my guest this evening Warrenlady," he told her in the very
formal tone he'd adopted when speaking to her since their fight.

"Your guest.. or your way of showing me how little I meant to you...?" her
voice shook with pent up hurt. 

"How much you meant to me?  I showed you that when we were together and it
wasn't enough for you."

"No.. it wasn't," she agreed, bitterly. "Not nearly enough. If I'd wanted a
part time sex partner I could have had any man in this Warren. Instead I had
to go and fall in love with a man who doesn't even know the meaning of the
word."

She got up from the table, not caring if others where watching her and left
the dais. She just couldn't sit there and pretend that his being there with
that little slut didn't hurt her.

For her the party was over, but not before she heard Norin laugh.

"My but she's a bit touchy tonight isn't she?"

Jayleigh made it as far as the door when her mother caught up with her.

"Come back here in my office for a minute dear," the older woman took her
arm and led her back though the kitchen to the little cove that was her office.

"Sit here a moment and I'll get us some coffee." Realee told her then
disappeared for a minute only to return with two cups. One coffee for
Jayleigh and a cup of tea for herself.

"Mama I don't want to talk about it," she told her when the door closed
behind them. "Tair'n made his choice. He'll never change so why should I
waste my time on a man who cares so little about my feelings."

"Daughter you knew how he was before you got involved with him."

"Don't remind me." she snapped and then was sorry. Her mother didn't deserve
her temper. She apologized, then took a big drink of the coffee which helped
to ease the tightness in her chest.

"But for him to have brought her up to the main table...Gods mama... what am
I going to do... how can I hate the man but still love him in the same
breath? Sleeping with that bitch was bad enough.. but to flaunt her in front
of me that way... "

She finished off the coffee and felt her head start to spin just a little,
and blamed in on the events that had taken place out in the main hall.

"Look mama.. I'm going home. I need to be by myself tonight to think."

She didn't stop when her mother called after her... other things were on her
mind. Thoughts that she didn't have to be alone tonight. Why there was a
whole hall full of men out there who would be more than willing to spend a
night in her bed.

D'vaiy .. now he was kinda cute. A little young... but she knew he'd been
around from the stories Ja'ks had told her about his partner.

Or maybe Dagion or his cousin Alex... both were good looking and she was
sure they'd know how to satisfy the hunger growing inside of her. She needed
someone to make her forget.

She saw D'aivy first and went up to him and asked him to dance. The young
man was flattered to have the Warrenlady notice him, but got a little
uncomfortable when she began dancing a little to close.

She didn't notice his hesitancy. She was way beyond that. It felt so good to
have a body pressing against hers. 

"Care to come back with me to my apartment?" she whispered in his ear,
nibbling on it to let him know she wanted it.

He was saved from answering her when a hand gripped her arm and pulled her
away from him. 

"Take off kid," the man said and she turned to find C'nis standing there
looking back at her.

She tried to pull away from him but his grip tighten. 

"How dare you interfere!" she snapped at him, barely keeping her voice from
being over heard by others. "You've no right!"

"Don't I my dear," he grinned for the benefit of others around them as he
led her off the dance floor and out the front door. 

"I want to go back!" she tried again to pull away from her, and again he
refused to let her go. 

"You're not going anywhere but home to bed," he informed her and began to
drag her after him. When she dug in her heals and refused to be led, he
tried a new track.

"Come on Leigh you know you don't want a boy like that in your bed. He'd
never be able to satisfy a woman like you." his voice took on that same
hypnotizing timber he'd used on her the night before and she felt her body
responding to him once again.

This time when he took her arm and led her away from the hall, she went with
him, thinking maybe this time he wouldn't pull away and leave her wanting.

When he got her inside her apartment she all but pulled him down the hall to
her bedroom. she couldn't wait, she had to have him now. But once they got
there, he sat her on the bed and then stood back.

"No... not again. Stay..." she begged.

"I'm just going to get us something to drink Leigh," he told her. "You do
have something here right?"

"In the kitchen over the stove," she told him, relieved that he wasn't
leaving her. 

She got undressed while he was gone and crawl into her bed, she'd be ready
for him when he came back.

Then he did. With a bottle of whiskey and one glass.

She commented on it while he was pouring it.

"I thought we'd share it," he grinned and took a sip then brought it to her
lips. "Drink it up my dear."

Two glasses later, he'd said he need to get them something else and she
never noticed that he didn't make it back. 

The next morning she awoke to find herself alone in her bed... and no memory
of how she had gotten there.

========================================  

Nrpg: Allen I figured he won't want her to be ah.. satisfied... even if she
couldn't remember what happened... 

Everyone else.. have *FUN* at the party... for those of you who don't read
Telnor... the drug will cause you to crave sex with just about anyone
willing... and then you don't remember what happens the next morning... but
may wake up with someone beside you and no memory of how they got
there....or something like that... 

anyway have fun with it... 

*****Submitted by: ******

Jayleigh & Viktroy
Warrenlady of Daere Warren
Realee (head cook of Daere)

aka 
Barbara