Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the Slayers franchise, and am making no money from this fic. I am simply doing this for fun.

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"All right...now that we've got this place all sealed up, let's get moving," Lina said. "Remember Rii...the binding spell we put on the treasure room will break only for you...and of course us," she said with a smile.

"Okay, fair enough," Rii said with a smile. "So where are we going now?"

"I think we've earned a stay in a nice inn," Lina answered. "With good food."

"Oh, that sounds wonderful, Miss Lina!" Amelia's eyes lit up with excitement at the prospect.

Nell nodded emphatically in agreement and smiled. "And room service."

"That does sound nice," Rii said wistfully.

"But Lina...it's late and the nearest town is miles away," Gourry said. "It would take us hours to get there."

"Not if we fly," Lina said with a grin.

Gourry sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that..." Even after being with Lina as long as he had, Gourry never could get used to being dragged through the air.

"F...fly?" Rii visibly balked and the color drained from her face.

"Yeah," Lina said with a nod and a grin. "It'll cut travel time in half. We'll be in the next town in no time at all."

"But..."

"What's wrong, Rii?" Zelgadis asked.

"Nothing..." the small thief said. "I just think that if people were meant to fly, they would've been born with wings."

Nell blinked." Oh, Rii...are you afraid of heights?"

"Maybe..." Rii answered softly.

"Oh, you poor thing," Nell sympathetically patted the small thief's shoulder. "Just...try not to look down."

Amelia giggled. "Don't worry, Rii. It's fun. You'll see." She blinked. "Unless Mister Xellos could just teleport us all there."

"I wouldn't be able to do it all in one trip," Xellos explained. "I wouldn't be able to move that many non-astral bodies through the Astral Plane at once. As it was, I was pushing it when I teleported the group of us through the lair when we were looking for Nell and Rii."

Lina shrugged. "Okay, so you and Nell go on ahead and find us a good place. Amelia and me will carry Gourry while Zel handles Rii."

Xellos smiled. "I think we can handle that," he said as he wrapped an arm around Nell's waist and held her close.

Nell wrapped her arms around her lover's neck. "Lead the way, my love."

"With pleasure."

"Try to find a place with a bath!" Lina cried just as Xellos and Nell phased out. She sighed. "I hope they heard me."

"Well, we'll find out when we get there, Miss Lina," Amelia said with a grin as she stood on Gourry's left side and took a hold of his arm. "Ready?" she asked.

Lina took a hold of Gourry's right arm. "Yep."

Zelgadis wrapped his arms around Rii and held her close as the small thief clung to him with a near death grip. "So am I."

"RAYWING!" all three sorcerers cast. Within moments, the entire group was levitating and flying through the air.

"Eeeeeek! Oh, please don't drop me!" Rii wailed as she tightened her grip on her chimera lover.

Zelgadis smiled and nuzzled Rii's ear before lightly nipping it. "Don't worry, I won't," he whispered--his smile widening when the small thief shivered in response to his actions.

"You promise?" Rii asked with her eyes tightly squeezed shut.

"On my life," Zelgadis promised as he kissed his love's cheek. "It's okay...open your eyes," he whispered.

Rii shook her head.

"You won't regret it, my little rogue," Zelgadis said soothingly.

The small thief slowly opened her eyes and gasped as she clung to her chimera lover.

"It's all right," Zelgadis said with a smile as he held Rii close. "Trust me..."

"Is that...is that really what everything looks like from up here?"

Zelgadis chuckled softly. "Yes."

Rii gradually began relaxing, confident that Zelgadis would not in fact drop her. "You know...this really isn't so bad," she said with a smile.

Zelgadis smiled. "See? Amelia was right."

Rii smiled and kissed Zelgadis' cheek. "The good company doesn't hurt either," she said with a playful wink before nuzzling the chimera's ear. "You make everything better, Zelga-poo," she whispered.

Zelgadis growled softly. He suddenly could not wait to get his lover into bed and spend the rest of the night making up to her his moment of earlier doubt...


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...Nell & Xellos' room; a few hours later...

Her arms and legs wrapped around Xellos, Nell moaned and arched her back in pleasure as her lover thrust into her with slow and deep strokes. "Oh, Xellos...my love..." She ran her hands through the mazoku's silken hair and gazed up into his amethyst eyes--her own eyes filled with love.

"Nell..." Xellos captured his lover's lips in a deep kiss and the energy in the room crackled. He knew Nell was close, but he was in no hurry. He was savoring the taste of Nell's energy as it built within her--it would make their joint release all that much more amazing. Finally, when he could not take the wait any longer, Xellos angled his lover's hips and mercilessly hit her inner-most pleasure point as he suckled a pert nipple into his mouth.

Nell screamed her lover's name as she clung to him--her back arching hard and her body shuddering before she felt her astral form being penetrated by Xellos'. They both rode the waves of intense pleasure for as long as they could before finally returning to their human bodies. When it was over, the violet eyed pair lay in a tangle of arms and legs as they basked in the afterglow of their second lovemaking.

Their first time tonight had been intense. Xellos had taken her hard and rough, and Nell had loved every moment of it--moaning and whimpering in blissful submission as her demon lover took her from behind. Nell liked it that way every once in a while--finding the role-reversal incredibly erotic...

But there was definately something to be said for slow and sweet as well...

Xellos tenderly nuzzled Nell's neck. "I am so very glad you broke your vow of not using your powers, my dear. If you hadn't and I hadn't gotten there in time..." he let the thought go unfinished.

Nell nodded. "I know..." she said softly. "Maybe I was too hasty in saying that I would never use my powers again...maybe if I just used it for little things I won't have any problems."

"You should do what you think is best for yourself, Nell," Xellos said carefully. On the one hand he wanted Nellistras to be released and restored to her former glory, but on the other hand, he wanted Nell to be happy. Both beings were one and the same, yet they both wanted very different things...and Xellos was caught in the middle--fiercely devoted to both, yet hopelessly divided between them. "I personally would feel comfortable knowing that you would be able to defend and protect yourself if the two of us were separated."

Nell smiled softly, her heart fluttering. "I know...and I know you can't always be with me...tonight was proof of that, and I was forced to take matters into my own hands. "But despite all that," she said as she pillowed her head on Xellos' shoulder. "When I used my powers...I felt right. I felt...complete."

Xellos gently smoothed Nell's hair and brushed a kiss to her forehead. "Your powers are part of who you are, Nell...whether you remain in this body, or become Nellistras...you can't hide from them anymore than your human body can stop breathing."

Nell lightly traced lazy patterns over Xellos' chest. "I know," she said softly. "I tried to fool myself...but it just didn't work." She sighed. "Nellistras was right. I can't keep running from her. Sooner or later, she's going to win...and no amount of fighting on my part can stop her. It's been well over sixteen thousand years since she was sealed away...it was bound to happen."

"Yes," Xellos said softly as he gently rubbed Nell's back--not quite knowing what else to say on the matter.

"I will certainly miss this world when that day comes," Nell said softly.

"But no matter what, you will always have me," Xellos said as he nuzzled his lover's hair.

Nell turned her face up to Xellos' and smiled--completely unaware that her eyes shifted briefly to complete black. "I know."


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...Amelia & Lina's room...

In the room she was sharing with Amelia, Lina could not sleep. She lay awake in bed and simply stared up at the ceiling. It had been quite a night. So much treasure had been found. Gourry had even found a new sword that apparently had a great deal of power to offer.

Gourry...

Lina's heart raced at the thought of the handsome swordsman. Her handsome swordsman. The petite sorceress smiled at that thought, but the smile soon faltered a little. They had not really had the opportunity yet to talk about their new relationship, and though Lina still felt a little awkward talking about such things, she knew it had to be done. Unfortunately, she could not do it on the flight to the town because Amelia had been helping her carry Gourry...and the petite red head just could not bring herself to talk about the subject with the princess in hearing range.

But maybe now...?

"Amelia?" Lina whispered. "Amelia, you awake?" When she was rewarded only by the sound of Amelia's slow and even breathing, Lina grinned and silently slipped out of her bed and got dressed. Silently padding over to the door, she carefully opened it, slipped into the hallway and quietly closed the door behind her. Quietly walking down the hall, she could not stop herself from blushing as she passed Rii and Zelgadis' room--from the sound of it, they were more than enjoying themselves.

She stopped when she got to Gourry's room and lightly knocked on the door as she fought to get her blush under control. "Gourry?" She whispered. "Are you awake?"

"Lina?" Gourry opened the door and peeked out into the hallway, smiling when he saw the petite sorceress. "What're you doing?"

"I couldn't sleep," Lina answered softly. "I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to go for a walk?"

"A walk? Now?"

"Yeah...it's a nice night," Lina said shyly with a soft blush. "I thought maybe we could...talk."

Gourry smiled. "Okay, Lina. Just give me a sec to get dressed and we'll go."

"Well, hurry up," Lina said with a grin.

Gourry chuckled and ducked back inside of his room. "Be right out."


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...Rii & Zelgadis' room...

Nestled into the warm security of Zelgadis' body, Rii sighed contentedly as a blissful smile on her lips. "That was amazing," she said as she nuzzled her lover's neck before kissing it--basking in the afterglow of their recent lovemaking.

Zelgadis smiled softly, his hands slowly caressing Rii's back as he tenderly kissed her forehead. As he tangled his legs with hers, he marveled at how well their bodies fit together. "You're amazing," Zelgadis murmured softly before pressing light kisses to his lover's eyelids. "I'm so sorry I doubted you," he said before capturing her lips in a gentle kiss.

Rii smiled and cupped the chimera's face in her hands. "I already forgave you for that, Zelga-poo."

"I know," Zelgadis said with a blush. "But I still feel horrible about it."

"Oh, Zel..." Rii tenderly kissed her lover's lips.

"Rii," Zelgadis said softly. "You're a gift. You're so very precious to me...and I almost lost you because of a misunderstanding."

The small thief silenced her chimera lover with a kiss. "Zel," she said softly. "We're gonna have misunderstandings...it's unavoidable." She kissed him again, "You can't fall apart over every single one."

"But still...I'm so lucky to have you, Rii...and I almost threw it all away." The chimera's arms tightened around the small thief and he buried his face in her hair and deeply drew in her scent.

"It's in the past, Zel," Rii said as she nuzzled her lover's neck before pressing a kiss to his pulse. "This is the present." Her little hands slowly moved over the chimera's back.

Zelgadis smiled. "Yes, you're right," he said as he tilted Rii's face up towards his. "You're my present...and my future." He captured his lover's lips in a deep kiss. "And I plan to spend every moment I can of my present and future making sure that I never take you for granted..." He began kissing his way down Rii's small body, pressing her gently onto her back as he stopped to lavish attention on her round, perfect breasts--suckling one pert nipple into his mouth while he teased the other with his fingers.

Rii's back arched a little and she moaned softly as she cradled her lover's head to her breasts--wetness already pooling between her legs from Zelgadis' ministrations. "Zel..." she purred his name before gasping in pleasure as the chimera's mouth moved to her other nipple. "Oh, Zel..."

Smiling and growling softly with male pride, Zelgadis relinquished Rii's breasts and resumed his journey down her petite body--kissing and lightly nipping her soft skin. He was driving his lover wild. The chimera could feel it in the tension of the small thief's body, and he could smell it in the air--Rii's scent was so heady with arousal...

Zelgadis could not wait to taste it.

Shrugging Rii's legs onto his shoulders, Zelgadis gripped her enticing hips with his hands before softly blowing on her heart core. He smiled lazily in response to the shiver of pleasure that shook his lover's petite body, and slowly ran his tongue over Rii's sensitive nub...

Rii's eyes widened before fluttering closed--a soft, whimpering moan escaping her lips. Her hands gripped the sheets of the bed, and when Zelgadis gently suckled her sensitive nub into his mouth, she barely managed to choke back a scream. Her lover's grip on her hips kept her from moving away--holding her helplessly captive against the delicious torture of his warm mouth and tongue...and occasionally his teeth. The chimera was merciless in his ministrations, and all Rii could do was ride the wave of pleasure as it built and grew within her until she felt she was going to drown.

Finally, Rii could not take it anymore!

Throwing her head head back, her back arching hard as she orgasmed for the second time that night, the small thief could not stop herself from screaming her lover's name, and her knuckles turned white as she tightly gripped the headboard in her attempts to keep herself anchored to this world.

Zelgadis smiled and slowly penetrated his lover with his tongue--taking his time as he lapped her up. He stopped when he felt Rii's hands on his head, clearly trying to get his attention. "Yes?" He smiled impishly up at the small thief as he slowly licked his lips. Rii's face was flushed, her hair was mussed up, and her sapphire eyes had darkened to indigo with her desire for him. Gods, she was beautiful!

"Inside me...now!" Rii ordered with an aroused smile. "I need you...!"

Zelgadis' smile grew and he slowly raised himself up onto his hands and knees before crawling over Rii's body. He was already hard and ready for her, and as he captured his lover's mouth in a deep, passionate kiss, the chimera wasted no time in burying himself to the hilt inside of her. Rii's pleasured whimpers and moans were music to Zelgadis' ears, and as he began thrusting into her...reveling in how well their bodies fit together, the earlier events of the night could not have been further from his mind.

Rii was right. Those events were in the past. But this was his present...

This was his future.


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...Outside...

"Sure is a nice night, huh?" Gourry asked with a smile as he gazed up at the night sky. "Just look at all those stars."

Lina tentatively laced her fingers through Gourry's as they walked along through the quiet streets of the town. "Yeah," she said after gulping softly. "They're so bright."

Gourry smiled down at Lina and gave her hand a small squeeze. "So, what'd you wanna talk about, Lina?"

Lina blushed and lowered her gaze. "Um, well...things are kind of different now..."

The handsome swordsman smiled. "Yeah." They were on the edge of town now, and he gently pulled Lina to a stop with him. "I'll say they are," he said as he sat down on a small bench.

"Where do we go from here?" Lina asked shyly as she put her hands on Gourry's shoulders. "I mean...we've been together a little over three years now, so it's not like we don't know each other..."

"That's true," Gourry said as he gently, as though afraid to frighten the girl off, put his hands on Lina's waist.

"But at the same time..." Lina's face turned redder than her hair. "I don't know what to do. I mean...I've never been in this kind of relationship before..."

The handsome swordsman smiled gently and slowly pulled Lina closer to him. "So we'll just see where things lead us," he said softly. "That sound fair to you?"

Lina slowly wrapped her arms around Gourry's neck. "Yeah," she said with a small smile. "I think I can live with that."

"Hey, Lina?" Gourry asked softly as he wrapped his arms around the petite sorceress' waist.

"Yeah?"

"You really are beautiful, you know that?"

Lina's heart fluttered and she felt like her insides were melting. "Oh, Gourry..." She leaned in and tentatively pressed a kiss to the swordsman's lips, and when she felt Gourry press her close to his body, she did not fight him. She did not even fight him when she felt his tongue shyly seeking entrance to her mouth...rather, she opened her mouth to him and moaned softly when their tongues joined together in a dance. It was a slow dance...an awkward dance, even.

They were both nervous!

But gradually, they both relaxed--finding confidence in each other. The kiss deepened and became more certain. Lina ran her fingers into Gourry's luxurious hair while the swordsman gently gripped the sorceress' hips. He lifted her onto his lap, and his heart raced wildly in his chest when Lina did not fight him but straddled him instead. The sorceress' small breasts pressed against him and try as he might, Gourry could not stop himself from hardening a little in his pants.

Lina shivered when she felt Gourry harden against her, and she felt her nervousness return--battling for control over her desire. If Gourry felt this big inside his pants...just how big would he be when he was not confined? That thought alone was enough to terrify the sorceress. Though as nervous as she was, Lina could not deny the fact that feeling the swordsman grow hard because of her had appealed to something feminine deep inside of her.

For the first time ever in her life, Lina Inverse felt like a woman!

She never once though that she would one day affect a man like this...yet she was! She could feel the evidence of Gourry's arousal pressing against her most sensitive and vulnerable of regions, and Lina could not stop herself from experimentally rubbing herself against it--moaning softly at the unexpected pleasure she received.

Gourry's eyes widened when Lina rubbed against him, and he could not stop the soft growl from forming in his throat. "Gods, Lina...don't stop," he whispered as he broke the kiss and began trailing kisses down the sorceress' neck. His hands still gripped Lina's hips and gently shifted them--moving them in time with his own as they instinctively thrust against her.

Moaning and whimpering softly, Lina tangled her hands into Gourry's hair and experimentally nibbled his earlobe--instantly being rewarded with an aroused growl. When Gourry increased the pace of their hips, Lina shifted--her body instinctively searching for just the right angle... Lina's eyes widened and her every nerve felt like it was on fire. "Gourry...!" she whimpered in desperation as she clung to the swordsman's strong body--her body begging and screaming for something that had always remained unknown. "Gourry...!"

"Lina...!" Gourry's grip tightened around the petite sorceress--pressing her tightly against him as he ground into her. Just a moment more... "Gods, Lina...!" He captured his lover's lips in a deep kiss to stifle his roar of release, shuddering as he exploded inside his pants. He felt Lina's body shudder against his, and he heard her stifled scream of release. Spent, Gourry leaned back against the bench and simply held Lina close--their kiss tapering off into one that was slow and sweet.

"Wow..." Lina said breathlessly, her face still flushed.

"Yeah..." Gourry agreed breathlessly as he gently nuzzled Lina's neck. "Are you okay? I mean...was that too fast?"

Lina felt her heart melt and she smiled at the swordsman. As always, Gourry always thought of her and her needs. "I'm fine, Gourry...more than fine."

"It wasn't too much too fast?"

Lina slowly shook her head.

Gourry smiled and nuzzled Lina's neck once more...simply content to hold her close right now. "Oh Lina...I love you."

"You love me?" Lina asked softly.

"Yeah," Gourry said with a nod. "I love you more than....than....roast beef with a side of lobster."

Lina blinked at her love's words. "What?"

Gourry smiled nervously, suddenly afraid he might have made his love angry. "It's a complement......"

Lina smiled. "I know, and I love you too...there's just one problem though?"

"What?"

The sorceress grinned sheepishly. "Now I'm hungry."


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...Lina and Amelia's room...

Amelia gazed at Lina's empty bed and sighed softly. It was no great mystery where her friend had gone. Sitting up, the princess hugged her knees to her chest and rested her chin on top of them. Everyone had someone...even the mazoku had someone. But what about her?

When would it be her turn?

Sighing, Amelia rolled out of bed and dressed--unable to sleep. Once she was dressed, she slipped from the room and walked down the hall. As she made her way downstairs and out of the inn, the princess could not stop herself from imagining her friends nestled together in their beds...arms and legs tangled together as their hearts beat together...

They would be three couple now. Amelia was the odd person out. Maybe she should just go back home to Seyruun...

Amelia shook her head. No. Despite the awkwardness on her end, she knew that her friends needed her, and she could not turn her back on them. She sighed as she walked--not at all paying attention to where she was going. Maybe this was her destiny. Maybe she was destined to end up alone. Maybe it was her destiny to be the eternal bride of justice. It was a thrilling thing to be sure...

But it would not exactly keep her warm at night...

Not like a pair of strong arms...

Suddenly, the small princess was yanked roughly into an alley and a hand was clamped hard over her mouth to keep her from screaming. A match was lit and Amelia could just make out the faces of four burly men. She could not see the fifth one who held her, but she knew he would be just as ugly.

"Look what we have here, lads," one of them said.

"A pretty little lass wanderin' the streets alone."

"A pretty little lass for us to play with..."

"Aye...and what fun she'll be..."

Amelia's eyes widened in terror and she struggled to free herself. Just as she was about to bite the hand covering her mouth, the hand was taken away and replaced by a large gag. This was not good! With her mouth covered, she could not cast any spells, and as she was pushed roughly to the ground with her limbs being held down by four of the men while the fifth loomed over her with a lecherous grin, there was little else the princess could do but weep.

Suddenly, the fifth man was yanked roughly by the back of the neck and dragged out of the alley. The sounds of a fight were soon heard followed by a cry of pain that faded into a death rattle.

"What the...?"

"Release the girl," a voice said calmly. The voice was soon accompanied by a tall, leanly muscled figure coming to stand at the mouth of the alley. "Or meet the same fate as your friend."

"Ya think you can deny us a bit of fun?" One of the men growled as he stood and rushed the newcomer with a knife.

The newcomer drew his sword and side-stepped the brigand--but not before he swiped his blade across his attackers middle. "Anyone else care to try their luck?" he asked simply as the attacker fell to the ground.

The remaining three brigands opted to flee, and hurriedly released Amelia before disappearing down the other end of the alley.

The newcomer sheathed his sword and made his way into the alley, dropping by a stunned Amelia's side. "Are you all right, miss?" he asked softly as he un-gagged her.

Amelia slowly nodded her head. "Thanks to you," she said softly. In the poor lighting, she could not make out what her rescuer looked like.

"Come on," the newcomer said gently as he helped Amelia to her feet. and began guiding her out of the alley. "Let's get you out of here. You know, you really shouldn't be walking out on the streets alone, miss...especially at this time of night."

"I know," Amelia said sheepishly, still a little shaken. "I just couldn't sleep and thought some fresh air would do me good." They were out of the alley now, and she chanced a glance up at her rescuer--gasping softly as her eyes widened. Her rescuer was perhaps maybe an inch or two taller than Zelgadis and Xellos, but still shorter than Gourry. He was leanly built, with eyes the color of the sky, and tousled blond hair that fell to just the middle of his neck, and he was handsome to the point of being beautiful. "Oh, my..." She suddenly felt week in the knees.

The young man smiled down at Amelia and gently held her steady. "You sure you're okay, miss? You look like you might need to sit down."

"Oh, no...I'm fine, thank you sir." As she gazed up at that beautifully handsome face, she could not help but feel that it was familiar to her somehow... "Excuse me, but...have we met somewhere before?" She blushed. "You look really familiar."

The young man drew his brows together and slowly shook his head. "No...I definitely would've remembered someone as pretty as you, miss," he said with a smile.

Amelia felt her blush deepen and she shyly averted her eyes. "You're very kind, sir."

"Oh, you don't have to call me 'sir'," The young man said with a small wave of his hand. "The name's Ryann," he said with a small bow. "Ryann Gabriev."

Amelia's eyes widened and she realized just why her rescuer looked so familiar. "Do you happen to know a Gourry Gabriev?"

"Know him? Well I should hope so," Ryann said with a chuckle. "He's my big brother. How do you know him?"

"He's one of my friends and traveling companions," Amelia said excitedly.

"You're kidding, right?"

"No."

Ryann grinned. "How about that? Talk about a small world," he said with a chuckle. "Oh, and what might your name be, miss?"

"Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun," Amelia said with a small curtsy.

Ryann's eyes widened. "A princess? Wow...my brother sure knows how to pick 'em," he said with a grin before bowing again and this time taking Amelia's hand and brushing a light kiss to her knuckles. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Amelia."

Amelia blushed and her heart beat like the wings of a hummingbird. "You don't have to be so formal, Mister Ryann."

Ryann smiled and slowly released Amelia's hand as he straightened. "Well, in that case, neither do you."

"Are...are you sure?"

Ryann nodded. "Yep. There's not that many years between us...no need to make me feel old," he said with a chuckle and a playful wink. "Where are you staying? I'll walk you there to make sure you get there safely."

Amelia giggled. "We're all staying at the Purple Dragon," she answered. She was silent for a few moments as they walked in the direction of the inn. "Well...maybe you can travel with us?" she suggested shyly. "I mean...if you don't have any other plans, that is..."

Ryann gave a small bob of his head as he led Amelia through the streets. "Well, it'd be nice to see my brother again...I haven't seen him in a little over three years."

"Great, then come with us," Amelia exclaimed with a bright smile.

Ryann put a hand behind his head. "You sure it would be okay?"

"More than okay," Amelia said with a nod.

The young swordsman smiled and gazed covertly at the lovely princess through half-lidded eyes. She was quite the pretty little thing...maybe it would be a good thing to travel with her and her friends. "Well, in that case, how can I say 'no'?"

"You can't," Amelia said with a wink. "And that's the beauty of it."

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