Work Text:
She is laced from foot to neck in a spiderweb of dust. White embroidery and ribbon cover new and old scars until she is an angel lying on rough gray stone. One gloved hand reaches for the dark outside the glow of the one lit candle while the other rubs itself against her aching stomach. Ripples of fabric form a comforting fuzz, and she closes her eyes in wait for him.
Unspooled muscles pool on the basement slab. Her thoughts are coated in sugar after the tea leaves and magic bestowed upon her from above. With grateful greedy exhales, she prays for the seams, moving only in smooth lines to avoid rips.
Then, susurrations slither into her ear. She opens one eye, and two shine back at her.
It hungers, tongue breathing, under the stairs. Soulless black and a pendulous waving head to tell her future. She can smell the long fangs and the amber liquid of its bite under the scent of clove and yarrow. Unknown length of midnight scales coils into shadows beyond her crackled vision.
Breathing uncarefully, she draws her feet up to be a floating comet in the center of the room. The fingers of the lace try to pull her into a softer pose, but she is rigid and staring and cold. As she watches, the zoo-sized serpent extends its neck into the light and bends toward her in arcs and curves with its belly pressed against old wax and blood. It wraps around the base of the stone once, twice, thrice before sliding the end of its tail into its mouth.
Upstairs, his voice echoes among the other lovers’ voices, and then the door creaks open. He appears in silk robes and exposed skin and smiles when he sees her.
Her glance darts between him and the snake as he approaches to lay atop her on the ceremonial stone. It chokes and tightens before his body obscures her vision as she is pinned beneath him. His hands pull and pinch the lace, and his husky voice coos encouragements to her palms.
“Are we alone?”
He laughs and kisses his tongue into her mouth while she hears more slithering. He removes her gloves and drops them onto the floor. Her heart hardens to the dream of amber venom in her sister’s silk.
For a long time, they make magic together, the snake sucking in the corners of the hours, and then they are finished.
“We’re alone now.”
She opens one eye and waits for him to leave before she sits up to see.