Shangri-La
John gazed out over the veranda at the mountains, shielding his eyes from the blazing sun. He sat down on the bench and closed his eyes, letting the warmth spread over him. It had taken a lot of planning, but this afternoon Delenn would have a pleasant surprise. A smile flickered across his lips as he felt the tension leave his body. He recalled how he came upon a little piece of heaven.
Two weeks ago, while strolling through the grounds, he’d found it. If he hadn’t spotted the Li’gre sneaking through the bushes, he would never have known what existed beyond. The lush foliage, camouflaging the area, hid it well. Parting the branches of the trees, he followed the tiger-striped cat. At least that’s what he thought the animal resembled. If Delenn saw him crawling through the undergrowth native to Minbar, she would laugh and compare him to David, who had recently learned to navigate on his knees. But John had only seen the wild cat once before and curiosity got the better of him. Besides, Delenn had meetings for the entire afternoon, and his agenda was free.
A huge leaf of a tree--he forgot the name--smacked him in the face. He rubbed his cheek to soothe the sting. Now where did that blasted cat go? The rustling of leaves captured his attention, and he pushed through the branches. The Li’gre sat at the base of a clear pool, lapping up water with it’s spiked tongue. After silently watching the cat for a few moments, he noticed his surroundings. He couldn’t believe what he saw. Perfect. At least he hoped it would be. Only time would tell.
The cat turned and eyed John, cocking its head and growling as if to tell him ‘this place is our secret.’ Then it turned around and ambled off into the underbrush, leaving him alone. Now that the cat had left, he checked out the area, analyzing the pros and cons. From what he could tell, there were no cons.
Upon returning from his walk, he checked the survey of the land surrounding the compound and found the place he discovered wasn’t on it. He had no idea how it remained a secret.
First, to ensure no one else found his haven of solitude, he set up a perimeter security screen. Then he arranged secret meetings with the house guards, ranger patrols, and gardeners. As President of the Interstellar Alliance, he imparted to them the importance of a secret hideaway, explaining that it was necessary for his sanity--and their well being. No one wanted a cranky boss. Of course, security made him wait until they were sure the area was safe--that no one or nothing would harm him or Delenn.
“John, I’ve called your name three times.” Delenn touched his arm.
He opened his eyes. “I’m sorry. I was a million miles away.”
“I know.” She gazed at him tenderly. “I’m ready. David is napping. You said you wanted to show me a special place today.”
John stood and extended his hand to his wife. “Come. I’m going to take you to paradise.”
********
As they walked, hand in hand, through the woods of the compound, Delenn wondered what her husband was up to. The last two weeks he’d been very secretive--meetings and absences he refused to discuss with her. She knew in her heart he planned something special, and infinite patience allowed her to let him continue unfettered.
“How much further?” Delenn stepped over a fallen silver-barked Mallron tree and made a mental note to tell the gardeners its location.
“We’re almost there. See up ahead?” John pointed to a small path between two trees. “Just beyond.”
When they reached the entrance to the path, John stopped, fiddled with something hidden on one of the trees, and turned to her. “ ‘Shangri-La’ awaits us.”
Delenn crinkled her forehead, trying to remember what “Shangri-La” meant. When she saw John frown, she decided to ask. “I’m sorry, my love.” She gently cupped his chin. “What is a ‘Shangri-La?’”
John kissed her fingertips. “ ‘Shangri-La’ is a mythical Garden of Eden. A land of perfect peace, love, beauty, and harmony--a spiritual refuge.”
“I see. A place for mediation and contemplation.”
“Not exactly.” John led her through the trees.
At the end of the path, Delenn found herself in a clearing, and she gazed in wonder at her surroundings. Trees enclosed the grotto, leaving only the entrance unhindered by nature’s hand. As she strolled around, her fingers reached out to caress the soft golden leaves of a Whisper tree, it’s branches swaying in the light breeze. Pale lavender Or’Linna flowers draped to the lush grass beneath her feet. A waterfall cascaded over crystalline rocks into a small pool. The sunlight glistened off the crystal formations, creating breathtaking patterns of light on the water’s surface and iridescent rainbows descending to its polished stone bottom.
Delenn turned to John. While she had been admiring her surprise, he’d spread a blanket on the ground. A basket filled with a variety of fruit sat next to a cold case containing a bottle of orange juice. “How did you find this place?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“You know I believe anything you tell.” Delenn took several small steps toward her husband.
John held her hand while she sat down on the blanket. “It all started when I spotted a Li’gre . . .”
Several minutes later, he finished his tale. Delenn gazed deeply into his eyes. “You did all this for me? For *us*?”
John’s lips brushed hers. “Yes, a place where we won’t be disturbed. To be alone, or together. To meditate or,” he winked, “make love.” He stood and smiled. “Do you know what I want to do right now?”
“What?”
“Go for a dip in the water.”
“Isn’t it cold?”
“No. Join me.” He extended his hand to her.
Delenn hugged her knees. “I think I’ll wait until you get in first.” She smiled playfully, picked a plump fra’gola from the bowl and bit into it, licking the juice from her lips. The first time John had bitten into a fra’gola, he told her it tasted like a strawberry, minus the seeds.
“You don’t fool me. You just want to watch me undress.”
“Do I?” She felt a warm glow flow through her.
“Yes.”
“Then take it off, as you tell me.”
“Yes, ma’am.” John unhooked the buckle of the Ranger robe he wore. Then he turned around facing the water, his back to her. Slowly, he let the robe drop to the ground.
Delenn drew in a deep breath. He wore nothing underneath the robe. Little did he know she wore nothing under her robe either. When he’d asked her to spend the afternoon with him, she knew he was up to something. And, knowing her husband, it had to do with making love.
“Nice. How deep is it?” she asked, admiring his firm, dimpled buttocks.
John glanced over his shoulder, then waded into the clear pool. When he reached the middle, the water swirled around his waist. “This is the deepest part. Now will you join me? Please.”
The water looked refreshing. She rose from the blanket and sauntered to the edge of the pool. Her fingers lingered on the buckle of her robe. Then she undid the clasp and let the garment slide off her shoulders, revealing the white skin underneath. Teasing him, she dropped the robe to her waist. Her eyes never left his, and he treaded water, moving closer to her. The sunlight illuminated his body, and when the water level reached his bellybutton, she noticed his cock standing proudly erect.
She let the robe cascade to the ground and stood at the water’s edge, totally naked.
John whistled. “It looks like I wasn’t the only one anticipating an afternoon of lovemaking. Now are you coming in, or do I have to come and get you?” he asked, moving in the crystal-clear water.
Delenn held up her hand. “Stop. I will join you.”
She dipped her big toe in the water, testing the temperature, and snatched it back. “It’s too cold.” It wasn’t cold at all. In fact, it felt perfect, but she didn’t want to let John know just yet. Teasing him amused her.
“Come on, it’s not cold.” He put his hands on his hips.
After stepping into the water, she let it lap around her ankles and pretended to wince at the imaginary coolness. Then she inched further into the depths.
John lay on his back and floated around the pool, his cock jutting in the air. “We’ll be waiting for you.” His left hand emerged from the water, and he stroked himself several times.
As she watched her husband float around, stroking his penis, Delenn’s breathing increased. When his back was turned to her, she dove under the water and swam underneath him. She grabbed his legs and pulled him to a standing position before he had a chance to realize what happened to him.
Her mouth latched onto his cock, and she began to suck on him under the water. One of the advantages of being half Minbari was her ability to hold her breath for a long time. The first time she had done this to John, he’d pulled her head up after several minutes, fearing she would drown. After she told him Minbari could hold their breath longer than Humans, he allowed her to continue sucking on him.
The water muffled her hearing, but she could detect his groans of pleasure, and he placed his hand on her head, holding her in place. His fingers caressed the ridges of her bone crest. It hadn’t taken him long to discover the crest’s erotic features. Rubbing certain ridges caused intense pleasure.
His cock jerked in her mouth, and she knew he was on the edge of an orgasm. Then he placed his hands on her cheeks, and she looked up at him through the water.
“Not yet.” He shook his head.
Letting go of his cock, she surfaced. “Why?”
“Because I want to do this.” His lips claimed hers, and their tongues met, sending shivers down her spine. Then his lips blazed a path to her neck before settling on her breasts, greedily sucking the nipples.
John released her nipple and knelt in the water. She felt his broad shoulders slide between her legs and his lips graze her stomach. When he resurfaced and stood, she was sitting on his shoulders, facing him. With her crotch next to his mouth, his tongue flicked out and found her clitoris. His beard tickled her inner thighs. Since she retained almost all
the strength of a full Minbari, she leaned back, letting her head float on the water, while her legs held her in place.
After parting her outer lips, he pulled back the hood, exposing her swollen clit to direct stimulation. She raised her head and watched as he rubbed her clit with his thumb, then flicked his tongue back and forth against it. He moved them toward the waterfall and under the cascading water.
The combination of the pressure of the water, his thumb, and his tongue caused a powerful orgasm to rack her body, and she screamed.
In one swift motion, she unclasped her legs from his neck, moved them to his waist, and thrust herself onto his cock. She rode him hard--pulling out, then sinking down again, until he filled her completely. Water splashed around them. In this position, every time she thrust down onto him, his cock hit the hidden spot deep inside her that drove her wild. Her eyes locked with his; their breathing became labored. As they each reached the summit of ecstasy and fell over the edge, the sounds of passion echoed around the grotto.
Delenn relaxed against John, without breaking their connection. His arms held her in place; his lips nuzzled her neck as they savored the aftermath of their lovemaking.
“Aren’t you glad you joined me?” he whispered into her ear.
“I’m very . . .” She spotted movement to her left.
John placed his hand on her cheek. “What’s the matter?”
“We need to get out of the water. Now!” She slipped off his cock, grabbed his hand, and they dashed from the pool.
When they stood at the edge, rivulets of water dripping from their bodies, John placed his hand on the small of her back, pulling her to his side. “Why did we have to get out so fast?”
Delenn pointed to the left side of the pool. “Because a Nishai is about to enter the water.”
“It looks like a turtle. A turtle can’t hurt you.”
“It may look innocent and harmless. But it can be very mean, and its bite can be powerful. It likes to grab on to protruding things . . .” She shuddered at the thought.
“You mean it could bite off my . . .”
Delenn followed John’s gaze as he stared down at his now flaccid cock. “It won’t bite it off, but it could do some damage to it.” She saw John flinch at her words. “No damage has been done, my love.”
“Thank Valen. I’ll make sure to set up an animal perimeter before we come here again.”
“That would be a wise idea. Now come. We should get dressed.” She motioned toward their robes and picked hers up.
“Wait. Look. It seems we weren’t the only ones who came here to make love.” John gestured to another Nishai that had entered the clearing and climbed on the back of the first one.
“We have plenty of time.” Delenn dropped her robe, sat down on the blanket, and patted it for him to join her. “After they make love, they’ll fall asleep and wait for the male’s organ to return to normal.”
John sank onto the blanket and stared at her, apparently speechless. His mouth opened and then closed.
“Cat got your mouth?”
He lay back on the blanket and laughed. “You mean has the cat got your tongue.”
Delenn realized she had remembered an earth term incorrectly. Humans used so many odd metaphors, they were hard to keep straight. “Yes.” She looked at the ground.
His fingertips caressed her cheek. “Some of our phrases can be confusing.” He leaned up and kissed her gently. “Now about the turtle’s penis . . .”
Looking into his eyes, she saw a glint of humor. “The female’s opening is small, therefore, the male cannot become aroused until he has already entered her. Once he has ejaculated, he cannot pull out until the swelling of his member goes down. They’ll go to sleep and unlock when they awake.” Delenn glanced over at the mating turtles. “See they’re already done and sleeping.”
“Doesn’t sound like much fun for the male if he can’t have a hard on before penetrating her.”
“Each species creates its own pleasure centers. How do we know the female doesn’t like being entered while the male is flaccid? You’ve been inside me and grown.”
“That was after we’d made love, and I was still inside you. I didn’t enter you until erect.”
Delenn glanced down at his limp cock. An idea began to take shape in her mind. “Would you like to try an experiment?”
“You know me.” He winked. “I’m game for anything with my wife.”
“Sit on your knees and lean back on your hands.”
John did as instructed. “Now what?”
Delenn straddled his knees, placed his flaccid penis at the entrance to her vagina, and lowered herself onto him.
John placed his hand on her waist. “It’d feel a lot better if you’d let it grow first.”
“I haven’t started yet.” She squeezed her inner muscles around him and wiggled in his lap. “You’ll grow inside me.” She reached behind her and caressed his testicles. Leaning back, she thrust her breasts toward John’s face, and he latched onto a nipple and began sucking. She could feel his cock enlarging, and she began riding him – slowly – carefully – small movements, teasing him by clasping his shaft with her vagina.
“It’s working,” he moaned, as he kissed the pulsing hollow of her throat.
She gasped as she felt his cock jerk inside her, reaching its full length. When she rose up on the next thrust, she unsheathed herself entirely, then thrust back down on him hard, penetrating deeper and deeper with each movement. She couldn’t speak, her body afire with passion. They didn’t need words. They only needed each other and the pleasure they created.
Their breathing became labored. Delenn leaned back and placed her hands on the blanket, giving herself more leverage to thrust faster and harder onto his now engorged penis. She clasped her legs around him and dug her heels into his ass.
She felt his thumb press her clit and begin rubbing in circular motions. Their eyes locked, and she knew the flame burning in his eyes mirrored her own. As she came in a powerful orgasm, she abandoned herself to the whirl of sensation. John bucked his hips faster and faster, and then he groaned as his own release poured from him.
Delenn pushed herself up and locked her hands around his neck, riding him until they both fell limp in each other’s arms in sexual exhaustion. As they lay down on the blanket to rest, their lips meet in a slow kiss.
********
Half an hour later, a sound awoke John. He turned to Delenn, sleeping peacefully in his arms. A stray hair blew across her forehead, and he gently brushed it back, not waking her.
He glanced at the pond and found the turtles had left. Grinning, he remembered how Delenn had shown him an alternative way of making love. He wouldn’t have believed entering a woman limp could be pleasurable, but the things she’d done to make him erect had quickly changed his mind.
Hearing a soft purr, he turned and saw the Li’gre sitting a few feet away from him. He cocked his eyebrow at the cat and mumbled under his breath, “How long have you been watching us, and did you enjoy the show?”
Man and animal eyed each other for several moments. Then the cat yawned, rose, and trotted off. Before it went into the trees, it turned, looked back at John, and winked at him. He shook his head in disbelief. ‘That cat winked at me. Like it knew what I thought.’
A soft beeping noise told him their time in ‘Shangri-La’ had come to an end. He reached into the basket, turned the alarm off, and kissed Delenn gently on the lips. “Wake up, sleepyhead.”
Delenn mumbled a response he couldn’t make out and opened her eyes. “How long have we slept?” She stretched her arms over her head.
“Not long.” He watched her breasts jut out in front of him, her nipples inches from his lips. It took all his reserve not to begin sucking on them. To take his mind off his wife’s body, he stood and found their robes. He helped Delenn to her feet.
“Yes, it is time for us to go back to the real world.” Delenn slipped her robe on. She leaned up and kissed him gently on the lips.
“We’ll have to make sure we put a standing appointment in our schedules for time here.”
“I’ll make a note in both as soon as we return.” Delenn packed the basket.
“I saw the Li’gre again,” John said, as he folded the blanket.
“You did?”
“Yes, and I swear it winked at me.” He winked, imitating the cat.
Delenn looked at him skeptically. “Are you sure you weren’t asleep?”
“I’m sure. It winked at me. We watched each other, and then it went to the trees, turned, and winked. I was awake. I’m not making this up.”
“Yes, John. Of course, John. Whatever you say, John. Let’s go home.” Delenn took his hand and led him out of the clearing.
He knew she didn’t believe him. He hoped the next time they were there the Li’gre would make another appearance and prove he hadn’t been hallucinating, or sleeping.
********
Neither of them saw the Li’gre enter the clearing again and pick up a paw in a wave goodbye, winking at their departing figures. A female cat sauntered up to the male and nuzzled its neck.
The End
Shangri-La by Cheryl
Story Notes:
Disclaimer: Babylon 5 and its characters belong to JMS and Warner Brothers. No infringement is intended. This is written for entertainment purposes only. Please do not redistribute or reproduce this story without my permission.
Thanks to: Rita for all your help, guidance and fixing my goofs.
Dedication: Happy Birthday Nancy and Alley I do believe we are even now.
Thanks to: Rita for all your help, guidance and fixing my goofs.
Dedication: Happy Birthday Nancy and Alley I do believe we are even now.