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Instead of being suspended in the air, this time Casperius found himself bound against a tree, but he was not surprised that the vegetation in the forested realm seemed to be protective of Martenique and wary of him.  “Lady Martenique, your guard vegetation has detained me once more,” he called out when she did not come over after the vines had stopped tightening around him.  He tried not to laugh, he was sure she knew and figured this was some kind of test.  This nature sprite was quite interesting indeed.

“And what is it that you wish for me to do about that, Lord Casperius?” Martenique called, but did not cease what she had been doing.  There was a teasing smirk on her lips though as she continued to gather wilted leaves and fallen limbs to put onto her cooking and heating fires.  She did not cut down trees or vegetation, she found that the forest always provided.

“It was my hope that you could convince the vines to release me, dear Lady.  I mean you no harm.” Casperius was amused.  He had a feeling she was making him wait, but would be over to see him soon.  Surely she had to be as curious about him as he was about her.  As his eyes swept the underbrush around him, he could see no sign of her.  He tried not to be disappointed she had yet to show herself.

“Why would I wish to do that, sir?  My vines are making sure I know right where you are.”  Martenique was trying not to laugh as she circled to the side of him to approach, studying him from a distance.  He was just as handsome as before, and he was smiling.  It looked nice on him and she wondered why she cared.  

“Do you always bind your guests to your trees, little sprite?” Now Casperius couldn’t contain his laugh.  He knew she was getting closer, he could hear it in the change of volume of her voice the last time she had spoken.  So, she was playing games with him, but not malevolent ones.  It made him more intrigued.  There were not many beings who would potentially antagonize a demon by keeping him bound like she was.

“Not always.”  Her head popped around the trunk of the tree to appear next to one of his shoulders, a smile beaming on her round face.  This close she could see how bright and true blue his eyes were, they were like beautiful gems that the pixies mined from the earth on the other side of the realm.  “Do you always just pop into realms uninvited and fail to announce yourself?”  She popped her chin on his shoulder and gave him a smug grin.

She was either brave or foolish, possibly a little bit of both.  Whichever the answer was, Casperius liked her.  “Not always.”  The sound of her laugh that came at his answer made his heart do some funny rhythm that intrigued him as much as the sprite who still had her chin on his shoulder.  “Just when I’m hoping to catch candid glimpses of precocious sprites unaware in the forest.” He moved his head, stretching his neck, so their faces were closer together.  “And how would a demon get an invitation into a sprite’s forest?” There was still a grin on his face, but there was a seriousness in his eyes.  He wanted to know more about her, about what and who she was.  She had piqued his interest and that was something rare for him, as old as he was.

“Are you saying you wish to return in the future, sir demon?” Her chin moved forward on his shoulder a little and one hand came up and ran along his forearm to rest over the vines at his wrist that was elevated.

“Aye, my beautiful sprite.”

“To make deals? Or for another reason?” When Martenique ran her fingers over the vines, they immediately released his wrist and that arm.

Nifty trick she was able to do there.  He would always keep in mind that this was definitely her domain.  “There is only one reason, and that is to visit a sprite who I find intriguing and beguiling.”  With his arm free, he brought it down and around her waist, gently drawing her closer to the rest of his body and looking down at her beautiful face.  “I wish to know more about you, Martenique, for no other reason than you have been on my mind and I wish to know more.”

Her?  He wanted to know her?  Why?  Those thoughts were interrupted when she found herself drawn against him the way her vines had drawn him against the tree.  She imagined his body was just about as hard as that tree, not that she minded, he was better looking than the tree.  “I guess that will be okay.  You are invited back to visit me, but not to wander aimlessly around my forest.  No business either.”  She tried to look serious and smug, but she was inwardly too happy to completely hide it from her face.

“I have no intention of doing either of those, little sprite.”  There was no missing the soft blush on her cheeks of the light in her eyes and that she was looking forward to it.  He wasn’t going to lie to her, he was too. “I also promise that I will not be gone long.”  Now being free from the rest of the vines, he brought her into both his arms and liked the way she felt there.  The beauty was a mystery and one that he was looking for to solving and completely delving into every corner of.

“And why is it you are so…” Martenique stuttered, floundering at the right word for what she wanted to say in the language he could understand.  She hated that he only understand one language she spoke, and it was one she spoke badly.  “You have to learn my language if you want to come back.” She finally said, tipping her chin up more as she looked up at him.

His chest shook as he laughed, partly at her being flummoxed at not finding whatever word she had wanted but he still understood what she meant, and the other part at how adorable she looked demanding something of him.  “Is that a condition of my returning?”  He gently caressed her back as she nodded resolutely at him.  “I’ll make you a deal, little sprite.”  He watched her swallow hard and couldn’t help but smirk.  “You will teach me your language, and if I do all the words perfectly each time I get a kiss from you before I leave.  If I do not, then I have to bring you a gift on my next visit.  Is it a deal, my Teni?” He’d shortened her name on purpose.  He loved the look on her face when he slightly threw her off balance by increasing their familiarity.  He liked a challenge and making a deal, with her he was going to get both and often.

He called her HIS again.  What did that mean?  She wanted to ask.  She wanted to know so bad it was on the tip of her tongue and about to pass her lips.  Then it hit her that he’d shortened her name and it was another thing that confused her.  What was he doing?  She did not understand this.  He was so strange.  Everything he’d said in this visit was so perplexing.

“Your?” She gently inquired.  Martenique had to know what he meant. Before she could agree to anything, she had to know more of what she was getting herself into.  He was a contract demon, and she knew enough to know that people lost a lot to them, and the odds were always in their favor.  Even if all that was on the line was a kiss, this time.

So she had caught it, Casperius had wondered when she hadn’t said anything the first time.  “If you’d like, Teni. I would like to know you better, to formally court.”  Where had that come from?  Court?  Did people do that anymore?  Normally he just fucked whoever and wherever he wanted.  When was the last time he hadn’t?  A century?  Two? Maybe even longer.  It had been so long since someone had caught his attention for more than primal pleasure that he couldn’t even remember a name or a face.  Few had intrigued him like this little sprite from a realm that he couldn’t even remember the name of at the moment.   Something was different about the Martenique, something new and fresh.  Was it even sexual with this little beauty?  He still had his favorites back in Imperium he’d fucked since they’d met, it wasn’t like he was going to be celibate; he was a demon after all.  

“I..I don’t know what that means.” She admitted, feeling the blush rise to her cheeks.

“I will come and visit you and we will learn one another.  And someday you’ll visit where I’m from.  If we want, eventually we just stay together.”  He could use a friend that wouldn’t betray him.  She would know none of his enemies, would be loyal only to him.  If they ended up in bed together, all the better.  But she would be HIS and only HIS.  Already there were plans in his mind forming. What she didn’t know about what he did when they weren’t together, well that would only be a boon to him.

For a moment Martenique considered this courting that Casperius wanted in addition to his deal.  It sounded interesting.  It was a foreign concept to what sprites normally did.  Coming together during mating season in the hopes of producing offspring and otherwise living solitary lives.  What could it hurt to get to know him more?  If she didn’t like him then she could just make sure he couldn’t bother her.  He was at least very nice to look at.

“This courting sounds nice, I will agree.”  She smiled nervously at him.  There were some little worries in her mind, but she tried to silence them.  

There was a warmth that spread across Casperius’ chest when she agreed.  His heart seemed to tighten.  Now she WAS his, and he was going to ensure she stayed that way.  “And the deal.  I promise that there are no other catches to it.  You want me to learn your language, I am just putting some incentive to both of us for it.” He grinned and pulled her a little tighter.  

“Okay, we have a deal too.”  She smiled, still nervous and feeling a little overwhelmed.  He was like none of the males she’d ever met.  Martenique wanted to know all about him, so if nothing else she would get that and it would be easier to talk to him.

“Seal the deal with a kiss?” Casperius knew he was pressing it, but he’d figured out she was pretty innocent and uninitiated into the darker parts of the Universe and creation at large.  If he was going to get what he wanted, he was going to have to be patient and move slowly.  This was at least one where he didn’t have to wait too much, because she nodded hesitantly.  

With a smirk, Caserius’s hand slid up her back and to the back of her neck.  He moved slowly so she wasn’t spooked, he knew he didn’t have to rush.  She was going nowhere, he could see it her gorgeous dark brown eyes that were wide and staring up into his.  When their lips met, it was softly and gently.  It was the most chaste kiss Casperius had given anyone in centuries, but one of the most enjoyable as well. She tasted of nectar and he had to keep reminding himself not to take it any further.  As much as he wanted to press for everything at once, this was the long game and just the beginning.

For her part, Martenique felt like her head was spinning when their lips met.  Sprites didn’t kiss.  Their procreation involved manifesting their wings and was completely different than human copulation, even if they did have the same sex organs as humans for the most part.  She wasn’t a virgin for a sprite, but she also had experienced nothing like Casperius’s lips on hers.  It made her feel weird, he was a strange male after all, but it was a good weird.

When he pulled back from the little sprite, once more Casperius had to stifle a chuckle at the wide eyed female in his arms.  She was certainly unique and he looked forward to unwrapping all the layers she had wrapped around the core of who she was.  “That wasn’t so bad, was it?  See, not all demons are evil.”  Not wholly the truth, they were all evil, but he currently had no evil intentions towards her.  

“No, not bad at all.”  More blushing as she looked up at the handsome demon that made absolutely no sense to her.  “You’re now bound by our agreement, yes?”

“Oh yes, my Teni.” He grinned.  Even if he lost, it wasn’t much of one because he would owe her a gift which meant that he’d learn something when she received it.  That could lead to more deals and more advantages for him.  He was always going to win, even if she didn’t realize it.

“Don’t think I’m going to let you slide on it, Peri.” Since he’d taken the middle of her name, she decided to call him by the middle of his and the chuckle she got in return for calling him made it clear that it had been a good choice.  “I’ll be watching you.”

“Will you, now?” He smirked and narrowed his eyes playfully at her.  “Better be careful, little sprite, you might like what you see.  And then, then you’ll be in trouble.”

Once more her eyes went wide and Casperius laughed, which just caused her to look confused.  Her confusion caused more laughter.  “Why are you laughing?” She started to try to backup and pull against his hold.  “What trouble?”  What had she done?  Could she void the deal?  Her heart started to speed.  The demon had tricked her and now she was going to be hurt.  She started to panic and tears welled in her eyes.  Stupid!  She was stupid…

“Teni, Teni, calm down.  You’re fine.”  He had to control his laughter.  She had to stop being so damn adorable!  “I was teasing you.  You know teasing, yes?’ Eyes still wide, she nodded.  “Not real trouble, it is a saying in the realm I’m from that means…”  he tried to think how to explain exactly what it did mean and not confuse her, well confuse her more than she already was.  “It is said in teasing to mean just the opposite.  I was just laughing because the look on your face was so cute.  I liked it.”  The backs of his fingers lightly caressed one cheek.

“So, you were actually saying that if I watch you too closely that I might like you and then something good might happen?”  Her face was still a mask of confusion still and her sentence took a little bit to get out as she chose her words and also made sure she was saying what she was thinking.

“Yes.  It’s just a tease.”  He watched her closely, looking for any indication that she was understanding.  It wasn’t just the language barrier that was going to separate them.  They were going to have misunderstandings like this, but it made her even more intriguing and interesting to him.  All of the beings he dealt with on the regular were pretty much the same.  Oh, there were nuances that made them different, but nothing like this.  Never had he tried to explain a figure of speech that everyone he’d ever known knew the meaning of innately.  “OK?  I would never laugh to hurt you.” Where did that come from and why was it true?

Martenique still eyed him suspiciously, but nodded.  “Why?”  She wasn’t challenging him, she was curious.  This male was so strange.  Were all demons like him and she had just been mislead by the others she knew, or was he the unique one?  

“Because I like you.  It is as simple as that, Teni.”  Sometimes telling the truth did more to get you what you wanted than lying and this was one of those cases.  “You are unlike anyone I’ve met in a very long time.  But I must go for now, my little sprite.  I have some meetings and deals to do.  I will be back soon.”  Again his fingers lightly caressed her cheek. Her skin felt like satin under his fingers.  “Don’t forget about me while I”m gone.”