Work Text:
Shepard was back.
Aria wasn't surprised, of course. She’d only been an unwilling resident of the Citadel for three weeks, but her eyes and ears were already everywhere. Her sources had informed her that the plucky human was making port well before Shepard waltzed into Purgatory's VIP area, but unfortunately, she couldn't give Shepard her full attention yet. There was a minor annoyance to deal with first: the irritated immigration officer standing before her, bristling with visible indignation.
"So you admit that you and your thugs are here illegally?"
Aria rolled her eyes, affecting an air of boredom. "Yes. And it only took C-Sec three weeks to figure it out."
"I don't care who you are." The officer's hand sliced dismissively through the air. She took a step forward, intruding on Aria's space. "You're required to go through processing like all other refugees. Come with me."
Aria narrowed her eyes. "I don't think so." The conversation was tedious enough to tempt her toward violence, but there was a simpler solution, one that might even prove enjoyable. The woman she had in mind was always pleasant to look at, if occasionally obnoxious to deal with. "Grizz," she said, without even sparing a glance for her turian bodyguard. "Get me the asari councilor."
Within moments, a life-sized hologram of Councilor Tevos stood before the couch. Her hands remained clasped behind her back as she lifted her chin, standing tall. If the call had surprised her, it didn’t show on her flawless face. Her tattoos didn't even twitch.
"Greetings, Aria. Is there something you need?"
Aria considered asking Tevos to take the stick out of her ass and stop being so formal. They'd known each other on and off for years, harboring a mutual, if wary respect. Tevos was smart enough to overlook some of Aria's criminal activities on the borders of Council space, but proud enough to resist being bribed or influenced overtly. Since Aria didn't try, they had a stable enough truce.
However, the councilor did owe her a few small favors.
"I'm being asked to submit to immigration processing." The rest of the request was implied. Take care of it. Now.
"Of course you are." Tevos bent her head and keyed in the authorization on her omnitool. It took all of two seconds. "Done. What else can I do for you?"
"Nothing, thank you."
Tevos's eyes widened as though in surprise, but she nodded her head. "My pleasure," she murmured in a low, honeyed voice before ending the call. The holo flickered out a few seconds later.
The soft goodbye gave Aria pause. Had there been something extra in Tevos's voice, or was she imagining things? Maybe the Citadel was starting to drive her crazy. She'd always admired the councilor's slender figure and the beautiful shape of her face, but their interactions had never bordered on flirtatious before. The thought simply hadn't occurred to her.
'My pleasure...'
Aria aimed a bored glance at the immigration officer. "I think we're done here."
The officer stomped away in a huff, not bothering with parting words.
'Is there something you need...?'
Aria refocused on her surroundings. She couldn't risk distraction, especially while she had company. "Enjoy the show, Shepard?" she asked, finally fixing her attention on the human.
Shepard approached the royal red couch, sitting a foot away and leaning back in a relaxed, casual pose. She seemed amused rather than frustrated by the delay. "Guess there's one rule on the Citadel, huh?"
Aria started to respond, but a different voice echoed in her head. 'What else can I do for you?'
She dug the edges of her teeth into her tongue. "I guess so." This was Shepard's fault, she decided. The scent of sex and another asari was all over her, the little pureblood playing at Shadow Broker and doing a better job than Aria wanted to admit. Asari hormones were a powerful thing, and Liara was still a maiden despite her exciting new career. Shepard was clearly 'marked', whether she knew it or not.
'My pleasure...'
Damn it. She really needed to get Tevos's voice out of her head. Fucking dancers was one thing, but it had been a while since she’d slept with anyone truly interesting. Seduction was one of her favorite pastimes, especially when the target was someone outside her sphere of influence. Someone who considered themselves her equal. It made dominating them so much more satisfying...
Aria talked with Shepard for a few minutes about various topics of interest: her plans to unite the merc gangs, the loss of Omega, how she was going to rip General Petrovsky limb from limb. Simple things. Then, she brought up a subject that surprised both of them before she could think better of it. "So, how's your little girlfriend? Enjoying the Shadow Broker's resources? No hard feelings about that last agent. I had one of my people shoot him between the eyes instead of torturing him. Call it professional courtesy."
Shepard sighed. "That's between you and her. If you two want to have a pissing match, I'm not getting involved."
Aria's lips pulled into a smile. "An interesting idiom, Shepard. You humans do have a way with words. Don't worry, I haven't got anything personal against T'Soni. It's just business. Rather enjoyable business, actually. She's better at her job than her predecessor, even though I know her identity."
"That's part of the problem," Shepard grumbled. "Too many people know. She's got her nose in everything now and it's starting to get creepy. She spies on me, my crew, politicians... You know, I think she even has Tevos's office bugged. No idea how she managed that one."
Aria’s forehead tattoo lifted with renewed interest.
Tevos.
Her office.
That voice.
'What else can I do for you...?'
Privately, perhaps even subconsciously, Aria made a decision. The pieces were falling in place and the opportunity was too delicious to resist. Tevos had definitely been flirting with her. It had been a while, what with losing Omega and dealing with the trash on the Citadel. If she was lucky, maybe she could pull one over on the Shadow Broker at the same time. It would serve T'Soni right. Perhaps once she got over the shock, it would even buy Aria a few favors. She could always use those, especially from someone so well-connected. And she had to admit, the exhibitionist in her found the idea strangely appealing.
'Is there something you need?'
Yes. There was definitely something Aria needed. But first, a little inspiration. If Shepard was anything like most humans, enough alcohol would loosen her lips. "Want a drink, Shepard? My treat, although the alcohol in this piss-poor excuse for a nightclub is decidedly... unsatisfactory."
Two hours later, Shepard was passed out on her couch, and Aria had all the information she needed. Part of her wanted to leave the drunk human to her own devices, but caution won out. It wasn't that she gave a damn about Shepard, she told herself as she stood watch over the snoring lump that Shepard had become. The human still had a part to play. Someone had to stop the Reapers. But since they might all be dead in a few months, Aria decided that she deserved a little fun first.
***
Aria spent the next week getting ready. Preparation was one of her strengths, and probably the reason she was still alive with so many enemies. When she set about seducing someone, whether for business or pleasure, one of her favorite tactics was to find out everything they enjoyed beforehand. What made them tick. It made her seem so much more intoxicating if she already knew which script to follow.
Thanks to Shepard, she'd learned several of Liara's quirks, but uncovering Tevos's secrets proved more complicated. She finally hit eezo with a surprising contact: the councilor's shy, bookish assistant. After a few days of digging, she discovered the young maiden was actually on the Shadow Broker's payroll. It had been the simplest thing in the galaxy to impersonate the Shadow Broker and request a list of Tevos's recent extranet downloads. She'd intercepted enough Shadow Broker communiques to imitate Liara's overly formal syntax.
A few hours later, Aria had her response. She was in luck, because Tevos preferred other asari almost exclusively. There were a few human female clips scattered throughout, but that made sense, considering the similarities. It also explained why the Councilor had never taken a bondmate. Some asari bonded with each other, and they certainly had sex with each other, but it was whispered about and looked down on, particularly if the couple wanted to have children. Tevos had probably decided the blow to her political career wasn't worth it.
With a smile lingering around her lips, Aria finished browsing Tevos's search history and opened another window on her omnitool.
TO: [REDACTED]
FROM: A. T'LOAK
SUBJ: You owe me
I'm sending along some video footage you might find interesting. Someone in your position can always use more political leverage for your dealings with the Council. In lieu of payment, I want an open-ended IOU from the Shadow Broker herself.
Also, tell the turian agent working behind the second bar to pull out unless he wants a bullet in the back of his skull. Your spy in Tevos's office, however, is quite the pleasure to look at. Next time you send an agent to kill me, pick one who looks like her.
PS: Don't listen to anything Shepard tells you. It was her fault she passed out on my couch.
Satisfied with her message, she hit send and rose from her couch. "Keep everything under control while I'm gone, Grizz. I'll be back in two... three... a few hours. I have a meeting with Councilor Tevos."
The surly turian frowned when he realized she was leaving his protection, but didn't protest. Aria smiled. She knew Grizz hated it when she went dark, but what she had in mind was only suitable for an audience of one.
***
Councilor Tevos shifted in her seat, checking her omnitool for the fifth time in as many minutes. She wasn't usually so impatient, but her next appointment was no ordinary work meeting. The Queen of Omega had "requested" an entire half hour of her time, and of course, she was running fashionably late.
This must be intentional. Is she trying to insult me or merely being dramatic?
Tevos had no idea what Aria wanted, but if it was important enough to coax her away from Purgatory, it had to be important. She just hoped it didn't involve an offer of bribery. That wouldn't end well for either of them.
Of course, it could be personal. We aren't exactly friends, but we are... friendly.
Friendly. Even in her head, it was a loaded word. Tevos wasn't sure if checking out Aria's ass whenever they did business could be considered proof of friendly acquaintanceship. It didn't help that the object of her admiration was the biggest crime lord in the Terminus System. A surprisingly civil crime lord, but still.
Stop indulging in wishful thinking, Thea. Maybe go out on a date for a change. If I'm imagining what it would be like to break Omega's only rule, I must be desperate...
"Madame Councilor?" Her assistant's voice crackled over the comm. "Your next appointment has arrived." Neota was only a maiden, a few years past her hundredth birthday, but smart as a whip and seemed thrilled with her job. Today, however, her voice seemed rather breathless and high-pitched.
Tevos had a good idea why. Aria had to be standing just outside her office. She closed her eyes for a moment, exhaled, and composed herself. When she opened them again, her expression was pleasant but neutral, and her voice was much the same. "Thank you, Neota. Send her in."
The door hissed open. Tevos stood in greeting, but found herself clutching the back of her chair, all thoughts of neutrality forgotten. Aria entered the room as though she owned it, claiming ground with every step. She moved with the sleek grace of a predator. Her tight leather pants outlined the muscles in her legs and the generous curves of her hips. Her customary jacket added the finishing touch, setting off her broad shoulders and framing the perfect line of her jaw.
Much as she hated to admit it, the sight made Tevos's knees weak. The jacket, the pants, the attitude. She'd always thought the popped collar with the red underside a bit pretentious. A bid for attention. But she couldn't deny it worked. She imagined sliding that jacket off Aria's strong shoulders and down along her well-muscled arms, caressing the leather with her hands...
No. Stop. Focus!
Tevos blinked to clear her head. "Good afternoon, Aria," she said in her smoothest, calmest voice. She had a lot of practice forming coherent sentences while her mind was elsewhere. It was basically all she did around Valern and Sparatus. "I hope you've enjoyed your stay at the Citadel, though I expect it isn't the environment you're used to."
Aria's dark eyes fixed directly upon her, practically pinning her to the wall like a specimen to be examined. "The Citadel is nothing like Omega, but it has its treasures all the same."
Tevos trembled as Aria's gaze lingered on her for longer than necessary. It wasn't the first time she'd received an appreciative look or two from the Queen of Omega, but never before had her intentions been so obvious. She couldn't decide whether Aria's gaze made her feel annoyed, vulnerable, or excited. Enough, she told herself, a little more firmly. You're hardly a maiden anymore. One seductive look cannot undo you. But even as she formed the thought, Tevos knew she was lying to herself.
"You flatter me, Aria. But we should get to business. I assume you need my assistance. Is C-Sec giving you any more problems? Problems I can legally help with, of course."
Aria's smile made Tevos shiver. There was something wicked behind it. Wicked and dangerous. "As a matter of fact, I do need something from you. Badly."
That smile.
Those slitted eyes.
The low purr of Aria's voice. Tevos was sure it would be even sexier against her crest...
Sleeping with Aria is a terrible idea! Just thinking about sleeping with Aria is a terrible idea. But part of her couldn't help asking, "And what, exactly, is it that you need?"
Aria prowled around the edge of the desk, running her gloved fingertips over its edge. The slow stroke of leather on metal made Tevos shiver as though Aria had brushed her skin instead. When Aria turned to face her again, she felt an almost magnetic pull. They were close enough to share body heat, but not an inch of skin or clothing touched—yet. "You, of course."
"Me?" Tevos asked, just barely swallowing the tremor in her voice. Aria had her trapped against her own desk, but instead of wanting to escape, she found herself enjoying her capture.
"Is that so hard to believe?"
Actually, it was hard to believe. Not that Aria was seducing her, but that she was falling for it. There were more reasons than she could count not to go through with this. Her job. Her reputation. Her personal safety. But she knew she was only delaying the inevitable. Almost like the Reapers. And if this truly is the end of days, it's the perfect time to indulge in a little hedonism.
When Aria's leather-clad arms braced on either side of her, Tevos didn't pull away. Instead, she met Aria's heated gaze with one of her own. "Don't search my memories beyond what I give you. You won't be able to take them, but if you insist on trying, consider the Council's arrangement with Omega finished. You'll never set foot on Thessia or the Citadel again."
Instead of pressing the issue, Aria laughed. A low and enticing sound. "Don't worry, Thea. I'm not looking to uncover political secrets."
Tevos frowned at the overly-familiar use of her first name, but she couldn't conceal her body's reactions entirely. A pulse of desire raced down her spine and settled low between her hips. She wasn't sure if Aria had ever called her Thea before, but she liked the way it sounded in her voice. "Then what do you hope to gain by melding with me?" she asked, lips almost skimming Aria's as she spoke.
"Besides pleasure? The satisfaction of knowing I had the Asari Councilor on top of her own desk. I've always been a little egotistical."
"The Queen of Omega? Egotistical? I never would have guessed."
Sarcasm did the trick. Aria's face hardened. "Enough games, Tevos. We both know I'll be fucking you over your desk in another minute, so why not peel that dress off and bend over? Oh, and page that cute assistant of yours. Tell her we're not to be disturbed for the next... let's say two hours. Or maybe three. Three is a safer bet."
They locked eyes for several breathless seconds, but at last, Tevos broke the stalemate. She activated her omnitool, voice only. "Neota? Cancel my appointments for the rest of the day. I've run into a problem. Also, don't let anyone into my office. You can lock up and go home early if you like."
"Of course, Madame Councilor," Neota answered. "Whatever you need. I'll reschedule your appointments for tomorrow."
"A problem?" Aria drawled as the call ended. "This time you're the one flattering me."
"Shut up and kiss me before I change my mind."
***
Aria's eyes flashed. Then, for the first and only time that afternoon, she did what Tevos asked. The kiss wasn't gentle. Their mouths burned when they crashed together. Even through the heat, Tevos tasted as sweet as she looked. Aria found the fullest, tenderest part of her tattooed lower lip and bit down hard. The soft whimper of approval Tevos gave was already worth the hours of planning.
When Tevos's hand curled around the back of her neck, trying to direct the movement of their mouths, Aria pulled back. "Your dress. Take it off before I rip it off."
"I'd like to see you try."
"Part of me hoped you'd like it this way," Aria said, letting white threads of energy weave through her fingers. She clutched the collar of Tevos's high-necked dress in her hands.
"Which way?" Tevos stared into her eyes as though daring her to continue. Her skin began to ripple with light, the tingle of biotics traveling along Aria's body even through their clothes.
"Rough." Aria didn't hesitate. She tore Tevos's dress down the middle with a satisfying rrrrip. It split apart, fluttering open to reveal several inches of flawless blue skin and more than a hint of cleavage.
A deep purple flush followed the wisps of biotic energy blossoming across Tevos's chest. "This seduction is turning into a bad fetish vid. Where do you come up with these lines, Aria?"
Fetish vid. That reminded her. Kissing Tevos had almost made her forget her purpose, but so far, her plan was working perfectly. Without even checking, she knew Liara's camera had to be behind Tevos's desk. It offered the best possible view. Her eyes flicked to the most likely corner, but she disguised the motion by brushing their noses together, teasing at another kiss. "I didn't know you watched those, Madame Councilor. But if a reenactment is what you're after, I can make it convincing."
Tevos's lips pulled into a frown against hers. "Goddess, you'd be perfect if you stopped talking..."
"It's cute how you think you're in control here." Aria picked up where she'd left off, widening the tear down the front of Tevos's dress. The fabric fell apart, revealing the perfect curves of her breasts. Not as ample as most matriarchs, but soft and perfectly shaped. She trapped one of the pebbled tips between her fingers and gave it a firm tug. "We'll see how long you can keep it up."
Tevos gasped and tilted her head, exposing the graceful line of her neck. Aria took the wordless invitation and bit down hard, enjoying the way her pinned quarry's breath hitched at the brief spike of pain. Liara would appreciate the moment later. Apparently, the only reason the all-powerful Shadow Broker didn't walk around with bright purple hickeys was a professionally matched and very expensive concealer. That little tidbit had come courtesy of an inebriated Shepard. Liara didn't even put medigel on them. She liked knowing the bruises were there, Shepard had said.
But thinking about Liara was distracting. With some surprise, Aria realized she'd become much more interested in fucking Tevos than carrying out her plan. She gave the councilor her full attention, tugging away her thin sleeves with a few quick jerks of fabric. This time Tevos helped, casting off the ruined dress, followed soon after by her underwear. Aria shifted back slightly to admire the view. She was thrilled to discover that Tevos was one of those rare individuals who looked even better naked than clothed. Any outfit, no matter how flattering, would only diminish her appearance.
Even though she felt just as confident in her own presentation, Aria made it a point not to remove any of her own clothes. She didn't even bother peeling off her gloves. She desperately wanted to feel Tevos's warm skin under her hands, but the texture of the leather and all its implications would work to her benefit. Another discovery she'd made during her thorough research into Tevos's extranet download history.
Tevos finally noticed that she wasn't stripping and rolled her eyes. "Really, Aria? It's your loss. You won't be able to feel my tongue through your pants."
Aria didn't rise to the bait. She had to admit the mental image of the proud asari councilor kneeling to service her was an interesting one. The power dynamics at play appealed to her ego, but she couldn't let herself become distracted from the scene she'd planned so carefully. "Your loss," she corrected. Her gloved hands cradled Tevos's bare hips, pinning her to the desk. "Maybe next time I'll let you have the privilege, if you beg prettily enough."
"How do you know I'll agree to a second time? I could still change my mind now. So far, you've only torn one of my favorite dresses and refused to remove your clothes. You're paying for a replacement, by the way."
That tested the limits of Aria's patience. She'd tolerated Tevos's defiance so far, mostly because she found it amusing—even arousing. It helped that the way Tevos wore anger and annoyance only made her look more beautiful. But the time had come to get serious. How would it look if she let Tevos dictate their encounter on camera? Aria leaned in, pressing the lines of their bodies together. "All right, enough foreplay. Bend over and find something to hold on to."
Defiance and anticipation trembled through every inch of Tevos's body. "Make me."
Aria was never one to dismiss a challenge. She grabbed Tevos by the shoulder and whirled her around, twisting her arm behind her back and forcing her face-down onto the desk. Tevos struggled at first—a token gesture—but Aria was stronger. Once she had Tevos pinned, it was nothing to keep her that way. She didn't even need to use the biotic energy humming through her body. "You forgot to say please. You have terrible manners."
For once, Tevos didn't have a sharp comeback. She went limp, spreading her thighs open and shifting further onto the desk to present herself at a more appealing angle.
Aria ran her tongue over her lips, taking in the beautiful picture she had created for herself. Tevos's ass looked even better in this position, and the soft dip of her spine begged to be teased. Her eyes wandered lower, past the increasingly small gap between their bodies. Liara's really missing out on the view from this angle, Aria thought as she admired the way Tevos's skin shifted from soft blue to dark, glistening purple. Even her azure's beautiful. It's almost unfair.
Casually, she kicked Tevos's legs further apart, trailing her fingers through the wetness smeared across the councilor's sleek inner thigh. The proof of desire was well earned. The set-up, the verbal banter, the biting, keeping her clothes on, forcing Tevos down onto the desk. She had worked hard to hit each and every one of Tevos's weak spots. There was only one more box to check.
"You're already wet for me," she whispered, releasing Tevos's arm and caressing her hip instead. Her other fingers kept teasing, trailing up and down, halting short of their goal. Tevos shivered every time they dragged in the wrong direction. "Maybe if you ask nicely, I'll do something about it." Every muscle in Aria's body was already twitching, tensing, straining to keep from doing just that. But she'd never been one to ruin a scene with impatience, especially not in front of an audience.
Tevos huffed, more need than frustration. "If it's the only way to get you to cooperate. Please."
"Please what?" Aria asked. "You'll have to be more specific."
Tevos turned to glare over her shoulder. Her eyes were already black, swirling with the edges of the meld. "I'm a politician, Aria. I make my living by being as vague as possible in public."
"Then you must be used to having other people put words in your mouth. Beg me to fuck you. I'll let you pick the honorific. Mistress, Your Majesty... or what is it the humans say? Ma'am?" She stressed the last word, eyes flicking to the corner of the room where Liara's camera had to be hiding. The human term meant nothing to her, but the little pureblood would enjoy it.
Tevos squirmed beneath her, skin burning, muscles tense. "Goddess, Aria, if you don't stop being so smug, I'll find someone else to take care of this."
That was too much. Aria finally allowed her fingers to slide up. The smoothness was pleasant, even if she couldn't feel as much as she wanted through her gloves. She explored the landscape for a few moments, but soon found a resting place against Tevos's entrance. She grazed the ring of tight muscle without pressing in, although she was sorely tempted. "Try again. Please fuck me..."
Tevos hesitated. Drew her tattooed lower lip between her teeth. Shifted her hips. Aria anticipated her movements and pulled back, refusing to give her the fullness she so obviously wanted. At last, she gave in. "Fine. Please fuck me... Your Majesty."
"Good choice," Aria drawled, ignoring the note of sarcasm in Tevos's voice. If the councilor wanted to play the reluctant bottom to retain some shred of pride, that was fine with her. She would still have to bottom. She sank forward, pushing two of her fingers inside with one smooth thrust. Tevos's tight inner muscles sealed around her, pulsing in welcome. "Your Majesty works just fine."
***
Tevos whimpered, one cheek trapped against the cold metal of the desk. The wicked fingers curling and pumping inside her made it impossible to focus. "You are such an egotistical, insufferable... Oh Goddess, yes." Suddenly, she couldn't find the strength of will to insult Aria anymore. In fact, she couldn't say anything at all. She could only try and fail to stifle the most embarrassing noises by biting down on her lip. How had Aria managed to find exactly the right pace and the perfect amount of force with no meld to guide her? It simply wasn’t fair.
Perhaps she deserves to be a little full of herself. Not that I would ever tell her.
Aria's thumb settled over her clit, causing Tevos’s hips to twitch in a rhythm beyond her control. "Clever girl, not finishing that sentence. I'd hate to stop just when things are getting interesting."
Somehow, Tevos managed to raise her head and glare back over her shoulder. Her muscles clenched harder around Aria’s fingers, and her nails scoured the top of her desk, wishing it was Aria's skin. "Don't you dare stop," she panted, still deliciously lightheaded and breathless, "or all the mercenaries in the Terminus system won't be able to protect you."
Tevos noted the slight narrowing of Aria’s dark eyes with immense satisfaction.
"Pissing me off won’t get you off any faster.“ Aria hooked her fingers downward. Expertly applied pressure, a deep flash of heat—and Tevos was a helpless puddle upon the desk once more. Suddenly, the same pressure and heat exploded at the back of Tevos’s skull. Everything that was Aria pressed in on the edges of her mind. Powerful. Insistent. Demanding entrance.
Tevos found herself falling, falling into blackness... the blackness of Aria's eyes, even though she couldn't see them with her face pressed into the desk again. She exhaled and relaxed, lowering the outermost walls around her mind.
Of course you wouldn't even give me a courteous 'Embrace Eternity' first...
Aria’s thoughts were a knife’s edge in her mind, sharp and cutting, but a clean, precise, almost welcome sensation. Shut up, or I'll make you.
Tevos surrendered. Not because Aria forced her, though perhaps that would have been less shameful. But because she wanted to. Because she craved Aria with an intensity she hadn’t even imagined before the joining of their minds. She wanted to cling as close as she could to this cruel, beautiful creature, no matter the consequences.
***
It was fun, Aria decided, being in Tevos's head. The feelings on the surface were all lust and sexual turmoil, which she liked, with a string of seething resentment beneath, which she savored as she brushed against it. Feelings had textures and tastes and sounds, and sometimes the darkest feelings were also the sweetest. True to her word, she didn't try to blast her way through the formidable mental shield that surrounded Tevos's work life. Much as she hated to admit it, Aria wasn't certain she had the strength to succeed. Tevos must have studied with incredibly powerful matriarchs to guard her mind so expertly, because the councilor's barriers were the strongest Aria had ever encountered.
Then, once Tevos had acclimated to her presence within, the meld truly started.
Aria had been with many different species over the course of her long lifespan. They all had their advantages and disadvantages, but Goddess, she had forgotten how sweet it was to have an equally skilled partner working at the union from the other end. It made everything so much freer. Movement was easy and gliding and perfect, and a stray thought—perhaps from Tevos—crossed Aria's mind:
If the stuck-up asari zealots who think we should only mate outside our own species actually experienced this, they would choke on their words.
Only the harsh, rhythmic thrusts of her hand and the delicious burn of the tendons in her wrist anchored Aria in the physical realm while she explored the landscape of Tevos's thoughts. Even though Tevos had deliberately cordoned off the work-related sections of her mind, she sent all of her personal feelings, even the insecure ones, in a powerful wave. It was a hot mess of need and confusion and desire, which Aria couldn't help but return. She was surprised when she came to know that Tevos hadn't been with anyone since becoming the asari councilor, and briefly wished she’d been just a little gentler…
No. That’s all Tevos. Not me.
Aria felt a sharp pain inside her mouth and realized she’d bitten down on her own cheek. Why did she remain unconvinced?
In an effort to avoid the question, she admired Tevos's hips and the way they moved, greedily seeking more of her fingers. The warm, clinging muscles of Tevos’s azure were even more tempting, unwilling to let her go for more than a moment.
Aria, please, Tevos begged with what was left of 'her'. A real plea this time instead of a mocking one.
Aria pushed deeper, determined to stake her claim, and Tevos responded in kind. They grasped each other with invisible hands, clinging, twining so close that their identities blurred. 'I' became 'we' as their heartbeats fell into sync. Thoughts and sensations smeared across the rapidly fading borders that separated them.
Full breasts against a smooth back.
Warmth shooting along their spines.
A hot tongue, slightly ticklish.
Lips latching onto an exposed neck, exploring the ridges. The graze of teeth. Pressure, sharp edges, release.
Yes, perfect... bite down again, like that...
Only then did Aria remembered the camera. She couldn't believe she’d forgotten. The swirl of arousal and guilt was far too sudden and strong to hide. Wait, guilt? She’d killed people, too many to count, without feeling a twinge of guilt. Why in the universe had her conscience chosen now to act up after disappearing for years?
She shoved her remorse aside, though she wasn’t sure she’d done so fast enough. Say my name, she ordered, seizing Tevos’s mind in an iron grip just as she had the councilor’s body. I want to hear it in your voice, not your mind.
To her delight, Tevos obeyed. "Aria, please... more—aah!"
In what was surely an impressive display, Tevos arched off the desk, breasts pushed forward, head thrown back in ecstasy. Her inner walls pulsed, and the bud of her clit throbbed beneath leather as she latched onto the meld for dear life. Aria couldn't resist adding the final touch. She sank her teeth into the taut muscle of Tevos's shoulder and held there as they came, shivering and spilling in unison.
Their shared release was so intense that Aria almost lost her balance, and had to grip Tevos's right hip and the edge of the desk to keep from crumpling to the floor.
The next minute was full of heavy breathing, rapidly thudding heartbeats, and a confusing swirl of emotions neither of them could quite sort out. They left the meld reluctantly, trading mental caresses every time they pulled further apart. A tenderness Aria had not believed herself capable of offering anymore.
Tevos was first to regain her voice. "I can't believe you kept your clothes on the entire time. How arrogant can you be?"
Aria sighed. Thought about it. Reached to undo her pants. Both of them flinched with a mix of pleasure and pain as her fingers withdrew. "Fine, but you owe me. Pput those pretty lips to good use." It was difficult to undo her button and zipper one-handed, but the sight of Tevos's mouth around the sticky fingers of her glove was worth it. She smirked as Tevos gripped her wrist in order to be more thorough. "Pushy, aren't you?"
Tevos withdrew with a filthy wet sound, her eyes still black with the remnants of the meld. "Are you going to take your pants the rest of the way off, or must I make you?"
"Demanding little thing, aren’t we?“ Aria put an extra swerve in hips as she pulled the leather pants down past her knees, unzipped her boots, and kicked both aside. Last of all, she shrugged off her jacket. "Off the desk and on your knees," she said, giving Tevos's backside a light smack. "I saw a few other things you wanted to try in the meld. Kinky bitch."
"Says the one who made sure this whole tryst was recorded. Really, Aria, you should work on your mental barriers."
Aria didn't miss a beat. "Is this the part where you blast me through the door?"
"Not quite. You destroyed my dress, if you'll remember. I doubt C-Sec wants to see one of their Councilors naked."
"Better you than Valern or Sparatus."
Tevos sighed and rolled over, pushing herself off the desk. "And there goes the mood. You ruined it."
“Did I?” Aria brought Tevos's wrists to her lips and kissed the inside of each one. "So, when did you learn about my little game? In the meld?"
"Before that," Tevos said. "The only time your eyes left me was to look at the corner of the room. By the way, that reminds me..." She turned around and stared at the inconspicuous corner. "Liara, I have classified information from Thessia that might interest you next time the Normandy docks at the Citadel. Have Commander Shepard make an appointment with my assistant."
Aria's eyes widened in surprise. "You know T’Soni's the Shadow Broker?"
"I guessed. You confirmed it. The Broker has been surprisingly sympathetic to the asari government recently. Whenever I mentioned any problems Thessia was having to Commander Shepard or the esteemed Doctor T'Soni, they disappeared soon after."
"Well, well. I underestimated you. I knew you were gorgeous and ambitious, but I didn't know you were smart."
A soft purple blush spread beneath Tevos’s striking facial tattoos. "The Queen of Omega, flattering me after she's already fucked me? This is special."
"Maybe. Why don’t we pick up where we left off?" Aria hooked Tevos’s knee around her newly naked hip. She didn't even protest when Tevos's nails raked down the middle of her back. For the reward of such a skilled partner, she could handle a little pain.
***
TO: A. T'LOAK
FROM: [REDACTED]
SUBJ: RE: You owe me
I despise you sometimes, Aria T'Loak, but you shall have your favor.
PS: If I catch you giving my bondmate alcohol again, you cannot begin to imagine the horrors that await you.
Aria closed the message, allowing herself a smile of satisfaction. Her plan had gone without a hitch, and that wasn't even the highlight of her evening. She looked up at the still form sprawled on top of her. Tevos's head rested against her shoulder, her breathing deep and even. Aria was actually surprised when she spoke, eyes still closed. "Shut that thing off, would you?"
Charming.
"If you insist." Aria shut off her omnitool and folded an arm around Tevos's slender shoulders. "You know, I wouldn't mind doing this again sometime."
"Which part? Sex on my desk? Sending inappropriate footage to the Shadow Broker? Scandalizing the hovercar driver? Destroying my apartment?"
"Only the living room. The bedroom isn't..." Aria squinted, trying to make out how much damage their biotics had done in the darkness. "Okay. Only the living room and the bedroom."
"The kitchen, too."
"Fine, yes. We should do all those things again. I'm envisioning a mutually satisfying, extended physical arrangement."
"Is that your version of a relationship?"
Aria's smile faltered. "It's an arrangement that happens to involve lots of sex. Take it or leave it."
Apparently, Tevos decided to take it, because Aria suddenly found herself pulled into a deep, thorough kiss. What had started out as a game had turned into something much more interesting. Truly skilled sexual partners were hard to find, and Tevos had definitely proven herself to be in the 'skilled' category sometime during the move from the desk to the floor, and then again in the hovercar. They were just lucky that Tevos had stashed a spare change of clothes in her office. Otherwise, she could just imagine the headlines.
. . .
"My god, Liara, what's gotten into you?" Shepard asked, barely finding the breath to speak.
Liara didn't answer. Her head remained buried between Shepard's thighs, tongue hard at work, and she seemed quite content to stay there. When Shepard tried to ease her away, she let out a low growl of warning and returned to what she'd been doing with even more enthusiasm.
Shepard let go of Liara's crest, twisting the sheets in her hands. It was a fight to keep her eyes open, but she couldn't resist watching. Liara's face looked absolutely beautiful between her legs. "You're going to kill mmm-eee..." Her words became lost in a startled moan as Liara latched onto the stiff bud of her clit and sucked. "Fine... but... last one."
Liara pulled away to smirk, the lower half of her face glistening. She made a show of licking her lips. "Multiples don't count."
Shepard didn't have time to come up with a suitable argument, because then Liara's hot tongue was back inside her, doing delicious things that made her core unravel. I walked right into that one.
Sort of like how she'd walked into Liara's cabin earlier only to find her on all fours, naked and facing the headboard. Never one to turn down an offer like that, she'd tried to give Liara what she wanted. But one shared orgasm and a lot of bite marks and scratches later, her bondmate was far from satisfied. That was when Liara had flipped her onto her back, trapped her wrists in a small singularity field, spread her legs, and dived in. She hadn't let up since.
"At least meld with me. You've already given me three..." There was a muffled protest, and the feel of vibrations made Shepard's hips buck. She kicked lightly at Liara's back, her knee tightening where it was draped over her shoulder. "Fine, four! You said multiples didn't count, so I thought—"
Liara melded with her, probably to keep her quiet, and...
Two asari. Writhing together on the floor of what appeared to be an office. One held the other's head tight between her legs. Her chin tilted up, the tendrils of her crest falling between her shoulders as her eyes flashed in ecstasy.
Who is...? Oh God. Shepard suddenly realized that she was witnessing Aria T'Loak experience a very intense orgasm, judging by the profanity spilling from her lips.
Liara, what the—when did you see...?
The second asari pulled back, lips covered in shimmering glaze, and Shepard recognized the distinctive white facial tattoos at once. Holy fuck. Is that Tevos?
Her astonishment melted into pure physical bliss as Liara started sucking in earnest. Before she was ready, Shepard's entire body seized up, and she released a flood into Liara's waiting mouth, groaning as the throbbing pressure between her legs finally eased. She reached down for Liara's hand, glad that her bondmate hadn't restrained her this time. Their fingers laced, gripping tightly as they rode through the rough, unyielding aftershocks.
"Liara...?"
Liara crawled on top of her, pausing to swirl her tongue around each nipple before bending down for a kiss. Shepard felt another set of contractions hit as she tasted herself, and was relieved when Liara offered a lean blue thigh for her to rub against. The pressure helped, and she collapsed back onto the mattress. "Where did you get that?"
Aggressive Liara was suddenly replaced by shy, awkward Liara once more. A purple blush rose to her cheekbones. "Um. The extranet?"
Shepard's eyes bugged out of her head. "There's a sex tape of Aria T'Loak and Councilor Tevos on the extranet?"
"No. I mean... my Shadow Broker network... This is all Aria's fault!" Liara stammered.
"Aria's fault?"
"She might have seduced Tevos in front of my camera after finding out I had her office bugged. Which you told her when you got drunk and passed out on her couch a week ago, by the way. And don't even get me started on the other things you mentioned."
Shepard realized what she had to do—redirect the blame before she got in worse trouble. "Liara T'Soni, you're a very naughty girl, watching that kind of thing."
"Aria told me to," Liara blurted out, sounding far younger than her one hundred and nine years.
"Since when do you do what Aria tells you? You're the Shadow Broker! Half the time you're trying to kill her."
"Maybe I should send fewer agents to assassinate her. But I think she's bored on the Citadel. The attempts on her life are for her entertainment, really."
Shepard let out a breathless laugh. "That's actually kind of sweet in a weird, messed up way. But it looks like Aria has someone else to entertain her now. I think you can ease up."
"I have to find a way to get her back for this," Liara muttered, flopping back onto the bed. "Goddess, that woman is infuriating."
"You're on your own with that one, babe," Shepard said flatly. "I'm not making a vid to send back to her."
Liara's blush deepend. "No! Oh, no... I'm far too shy to... I don't think we—I'll come up with something else. Besides, it wouldn't be an effective method of revenge if she enjoyed it."
"True. So..." She glanced over at Liara's Shadow Broker monitors, unable to hide her curiosity. "You still have that vid?"