by Jade Waltz
He sucked in a hard breath, and I glanced up, pausing.
“I’m fine. Continue,” he murmured.
Returning my focus on my hands, I lightly traced between his legs, thinking about how good it felt for me when Odelm or Xylo did so. My fingers encountered two holes, one at the same location as my anus and the other farther forward, a little above where my own opening would be. A shiver rolled down his body and his legs trembled, sending a ripple through the water. Watching his face to gauge his reaction, I carefully massaged each hole. As they relaxed, I slid a finger into each one, praying I was doing this right.
His eyes burned down into mine and he growled as his rear hole gripped my finger, while the other pushed my finger away. I looked down in surprise, then watched in awe as a large and thick penis emerged from the front hole.
I glanced up at him again. He was breathing hard. His hooded eyes focused on me, hungry and demanding.
“Selena. Will you trust me?” he gritted out, as if in pain.
“Yes? We wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”
“Grab my cock and close your eyes.”
His command made me tremble.
I slid my finger from his anus and gripped his cock with both hands. It felt like silk, yet it was rock hard. I could feel small bumps along the length of the shaft as I slid my hands from the base to the tip. A bead of moisture clung to the end and I ran a hand over it, then back down along the shaft. It felt slippery and my hand glided faster.
He moaned above me then heard him swallow.
Holding him in my hands sent a rush through me. I felt powerful. The thrill of being in control as I held the most sensitive part of his body in my hands–I could feel my body heating in arousal, despite my exhaustion and pain. I had never experienced anything like this before. All my prior experiences had been controlled by my partners—and it was something I decided I wanted to explore later.
Kaede broke into my thoughts when he cupped my chin and tilted my head to the left, exposing my neck. Warm air blew on my ear.
“Once again, Selena, will you trust me?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
His lips grazed the side of my neck, then a piercing sting made me gasp as my eyes flew open. I jerked in shock. His fangs sliced into the skin at the juncture of my neck and shoulder with little resistance, penetrating deep. I felt a burning rush as he injected something into the wound. He withdrew his fangs, lips sealing over the wounds, sucking lightly, then his tongue traced across the holes and I felt them close.
I moaned as a wildfire of arousal shot through me. As the heat built, I began to lose control of my extremities. My hands slid from his cock to trail in the water as my arms ceased responding to my commands. My thoughts became cloudy as I was consumed by the heat.
Kaede groaned against my neck as he pulled his head away.
“I got you, Selena,” Kaede whispered as he picked me up.
The pain vanished as the wildfire grew. All I could feel was his hot skin on mine, the lapping of the water on my feet and the arousal building within me. I closed my eyes as my vision blurred.
“Odelm sit back down in the corner. Selena can no longer move on her own or support herself. I will need your help to support her,” Kaede ordered, his voice causing me to shiver.
I heard muted exclamations and the splashing of water, but I couldn’t focus on either as the heat built. I moaned again as Kaede deposited me in Odelm’s arms and I felt the cool glide of his skin against mine. It did nothing to quench the heat that was raging through me, but it felt so good that I wanted to writhe against him.
I couldn’t move and groaned with frustration.
“Hold her legs apart. She won’t be able to on her own.”
I felt Odelm’s hands grab my legs and drape them on the outside of his. He spread his legs as his tentacles wrapped around my thighs, holding them apart. Odelm slid his hands to my hips, gripping them tightly.
Two hot hands touched my knees, stroking in small circles that drove me mad. Water splashed against my feet.
“Selena. I won’t hurt you or your cubs. Do you still trust me?” Kaede questioned.
I moaned, unable to speak. “Yes...”
I heard Xylo’s clipped answer on my behalf. “She says yes.”
“Remember, tell me if you want me to stop. I will.”
The heat between my thighs grew as I felt him step closer. One hand slid up my leg to grip just below my hip. The other left my knee and I felt something hard and warm rub up and down my needy entrance. My head lolled against Odelm’s chest. With my eyes closed, all I could do was focus on the sensations rolling through me and the sounds around me.
His erection felt vast and hard against me as he ground it against my slit. His nubs dragged, and I moaned again as they rubbed against my clit.
“Oh Stars... please.”
Every inch of my body was on fire, and there was nothing I could do. I was completely at his mercy, cradled against my nestmate.
A guttural sound rumbled from him as I felt the head of his cock press against my entrance. I wanted to move, to press back against him, but could do nothing except wait. Kaede’s cock brushed open my folds as he pushed forward into my passage, sending sparks of pleasure shooting through me. He moved with agonizing slowness, prolonging the torturous and incredible experience as he filled me.
This was a whole new form of torture. I was in a heated frenzy. I needed to grab him. For him to move, to thrust into me. I wanted him to fill me completely so there would be no more emptiness. But he continued his slow press, and I was in control of nothing as I lay limply against Odelm with my eyes closed.
Odelm must have felt my need. He raised his hands to my breasts and kneaded, pulling at my sensitive nipples. “I will take care of you, my nestqueen,” he whispered in my ear.
As Odelm played with my breasts, Kaede thrust forward, driving into me to the hilt. A loud moan of pleasure escaped my parted lips. His hands held my hips in a punishing grip as he pulled me against him, rolling his hips, trying to push even deeper. He pulled back then thrust forward again with a growl.
My body rocked as he retreated then thrust forward once more. I was aflame, my consciousness drifting with the burning arousal that filled me. I needed... Stars, I needed.
I moaned again.
I could feel his nails digging into my skin, though I felt no pain, then he drove forward once more with a groan and stilled.
I felt burning liquid spill inside me. His hips bucked against mine as his hands opened and closed spasmodically. I felt him trembling.
“I’m sorry, Selena,” Kaede choked.
I felt him softening within me as he withdrew.
I wanted to scream in denial but couldn’t. My body was burning up—and he was done? He stepped away, his warmth gone, and I wanted to weep, to rage, to cry out in frustration. He was going to leave me like this?
I heard water splashing as someone—probably Kaede—exited the bathtub.
“You are correct. Kaede just left and is gathering his things.” Xylo’s mental tone was livid.
“What did you do to her?” Xylo demanded.
“I have my own venom. It is not like the Circuli venom, though, and is produced through two venom sacs attached to my fangs. One of these is Bahzyl, designed to enable me to easily subdue my prey. It sends them into an extreme state of arousal while suppressing all voluntary movement and blocking pain receptors. They are, effectively, paralyzed but aware and able to feel sensory stimuli.” Kaede explained in a detached voice.
Chyox spoke up, “What is its purpose? Why combine such—"
Odelm vibrated beneath me as he interrupted, all but shouting, “That is irrelevant right now! The question is why you did not mention this earlier! How do we know it is safe for her or the cubs? If we were unwilling to test any of our pain medications on her, why we would be okay with—”
“I believed it to be safe for her,” Kaede interjected. “I did not mention it because I knew p
recisely what you would all begin arguing about and Selena would be left in pain. And I know it is safe for the cubs because I have used it with no ill effect on Aldawi in the past.”
“But why did you not just give her your Bahzyl? Control the pain?” Chyox interjected.
“Because it was not just about easing Selena’s pain, it was also about trying to induce her labor, remember? Master Scholar Xylo said that she needed someone to ejaculate in her for the prostaglandin to take effect. You’re welcome.” Kaede snarked.
I wanted to spit, I was so angry, but all I could do was drown in my arousal. I moaned again.
Ishing frax.
“The venom should last the remainder of her labor but begin to wear off before delivery. You will need to keep an eye on her dilation. If she becomes fully dilated and the cubs are near to delivery before the venom wears off, she will not be able to push. You will need to either assist in the delivery in that event or remove the cubs by some other means.”
Xylo’s outraged voice chimed in, “Do you not think we would have already performed surgery by now to remove the cubs if we felt it was safe? That would have been our first course of action before resorting to this... to this...” His choked voice cut off as I heard someone breathing hard not far away.
“So, what? We are supposed to leave her like this? She is supposed to lie there, unable to move, tortured with arousal?” Odelm shouted, incensed.
“A small price to pay for removing her pain.”
I heard the bathroom door open and close as silence fell over the room.
“Should we ease her arousal, Xylo?” Odelm inquired.
“I do not know if it will be possible, but we need to try.” Xylo agreed and I heard splashing as someone entered the water and approached.
Cool hands slid up my thighs and I felt Xylo’s vines sliding through my folds.
Oh Stars, yes. Oh please, yes.
“I love you, my nestmates.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Selena
As it happened, it wasn’t possible. Odelm and Xylo brought me to climax over and over, but nothing slaked the hunger, the burning, agonizing arousal. We finally gave up and I’d tried to focus on how wonderful it was that I was no longer feeling pain. And that my cervix was finally dilating, and my cubs were preparing for birth.
But as wonderful as these thoughts were, they’d not been enough. Not enough to blunt the arousal.
Only the anger was.
I focused on my anger, letting it fill me. Its heat seemed to be the only thing capable of pushing away the desire. Odelm held me, stroking my hair as I seethed. He and the other Ulax had stopped using their empathic abilities to keep me calm, allowing my fury free rein.
When I got through this, first I was going to kill the sire of my cubs for getting me pregnant without my consent. Then I would hunt down and kill Kaede. Whatever it took.
Kaede was an ishing frax. How dare he? Sure, he’d taken away my pain, but then just walked away, leaving me in tortured arousal? I’d trusted him. Even after he’d bit me, I trusted him.
I felt like he had betrayed that trust.
Had he gotten what he wanted, so now he no longer felt he needed to be here for me? Job’s done, my time is my own again...
I growled. Had it all been an act? All his offers of friendship, the vulnerability he’d shown me when we were alone...
We were arriving at CEG HQ later in the day. Was he realizing he could pass me off to his client without looking back? Was this the real Kaede?
I hissed. All the questions with so few answers were driving me crazy. Though I supposed this was a better distraction than lying here, unable to move, stewing in my arousal. At least the anger took the edge off.
Why did Kaede look like a human? His body was all human male, aside from the cetacean genitalia that was similar to the Circuli. His head and horns were clearly not human, and I realized his snake-like eyes should have been a warning to me about the function of his fangs. I hadn’t even considered it because I liked the way they framed his thin black mouth.
The reality was, Kaede was gorgeous under all that armor he wore. And there was something that attracted me to him outside of his looks. An instinctual attraction. So, I hadn’t ever seriously considered him a danger to me.
Now I knew better.
I wasn’t going to allow Kaede to try and seduce me with promises again. Unless he demonstrated he could be trusted, I would keep him at arm’s length. I was tired of allowing his words to lull me into trusting him, then his actions belying those words. He was secretive and contradictory. Is that why he always seemed guilty and surprised when I wasn’t afraid of him? Perhaps I should be. For my future and the future of my clan, I needed to be. I couldn’t afford to fall for a male who lived in the shadows.
By midday, the arousal began to cool, and I was able to make small movements and speak once more. The pain was creeping back, but it was manageable. The contractions were coming almost continuously now, and Xylo said I was finally dilating.
A massive buildup of pressure between my legs brought an end to my stewing.
“Xylo. It’s time.”
His eyes met mine.
The room went into a frenzy.
Xylo jumped into the bathtub and stood between my legs as Odelm started rubbing my shoulders. “What is happening? Tell me what you are experiencing.”
I opened my mouth to reply as I felt a pop and a sudden need to push. “Based on what you told me about delivery, I believe my water just broke,” I grunted.
I felt another contraction start. It wasn’t painful, but I could feel the downward pressure along my pelvic area.
I felt him put his hand between my legs to check my progress. He leaned over for a closer look.
“I believe you are dilated enough to start pushing now. On your next contraction, push as hard as you can.” His deep voice was laced with excitement, though I could tell he was trying to remain calm and professional.
“It is time, nestbrother?” Odelm beamed.
Xylo glanced up at both Odelm and me with a smile on his face. “Yes. We will soon be fathers.”
The contraction subsided, but the pressure remained.
“Okay. I’m ready Xylo,” I breathed out.
Xylo looked to the other healers. “Grab towels and give them to the princes. They can take the cubs as they are delivered and hand them off for inspection.”
I could feel another contraction about to start.
“Xylo! Now!”
I closed my eyes as I felt it hit. I grunted, took in a deep breath, and bore down with all my might.
Odelm held my legs open with his tentacles, whispering reassurances in my ear as I continued to push through the contraction.
I felt a slight release of pressure as the contraction ended.
“It’s a female!” Xylo announced.
The room filled with cheers and a flurry of movement.
Water splashed, equipment beeped, things shifted.
I dragged open my heavy lids in time to see Xylo hand off a furry head bundled in a towel to V’dim. He looked down at the cub in his hands and then looked at me with a smile.
“I will make sure she is taken care of. Focus on her littermates.”
I nodded, too tired to respond. The downward pressure was starting to peak once again as I felt another contraction coming. Closing my eyes, I prepared myself for the next wave.
I hissed when it hit.
Taking another deep breath, I focused and bore down. The contraction waned, leaving me panting. Of course, the males were taking more time. They must have gotten it from their sire.
“You are doing great, Selena. Almost there. You have a gorgeous daughter. There is often a gap between the delivery of the first and subsequent littermates. Don’t feel discouraged,” Xylo consoled.
Before I was able to reply with my thanks, another contraction hit. Panting, pushing hard through several more waves of contractions, I was wrung out. My eyes were
glued shut and all I wanted was to sleep.
As still another contraction caused me to suck in a breath, Xylo spoke up. “My princes, I need both of you.”
“What is it?” Odelm demanded.
I focused my remaining energy on pushing, ignoring everything else. The pressure was too great. Harder than my daughter’s. Xylo wasn’t directing me to do anything, meaning that I was fine. I needed to continue pushing. I needed to be done.
I groaned, bearing down with all my might.
A flood of relief flowed through me. The pressure was gone.
I slumped against Odelm and sighed.
Xylo laughed. “They didn’t want to separate from one another. Instead of letting one go ahead of the other, they came out together with their arms around one another. You are lucky that they are so small, and your body could handle it.”
I pried open my lids with an effort and eyed Xylo. “Are you saying it’s all over? That they’re all right?”
“You still need to deliver the placenta, but that is it.”
He then glanced behind him at Chyox, who was working with the healers over something on a portable table. The princes hovered nearby, peering over their shoulders.
They were cleaning up the twins and inspecting my daughter.
Chyox confirmed, “They seem healthy. A few more tests need to be done to make sure they are completely fine. Scans state that they are perfect.”
Odelm stroked my arm. “You did it!”
“Just a little more, then we can see if you can get them to feed. If not, or if we need to supplement, I had the cooks mince the fish into a very fine paste, and there is fish oil,” Xylo soothed, and as he noticed another contraction beginning, said, “I need you to start pushing when you are ready. I will try to help, but we must get the placenta out before we can check you out, clean you up, and move you to the nestbed.”
“My cubs?” I gasped, my lips dry.
Odelm said something to the princes and a moment later held out a cup of tea for me to sip. I nodded gratefully.