By the Horns

by Jeanette Lynn

  I allowed it, relaxing my throat, forcing myself to remain calm, sucking him just as eagerly as before. The hand cupping his balls released him to fist his cock, each hammering thrust of his hips and yank of my hair as he tried to control the ride bringing him that much closer.

  “Minxxxx.” That tone, those words, were not my bonded.

  I pumped faster, sucked harder.

  A long moan tore from my bonded’s throat. “Fuck.” His hips worked faster, his pace growing erratic. Right when he started to give up his release I held him fast, my free hand going to his balls to grip them hard enough he sucked in a sharp, hissing breath through his teeth. If anything he came harder.

  As they gave me everything they had, I eagerly lapped it all up. When they’d finished, the hand in my hair loosening as they stumbled back, clearly exhausted, and flopped to their ass, I stayed where I was.

  Ass resting on my boot heels, I waited, knowing what would come when lavender eyes met mine. My smile was wide and inviting as I winked at the fae himself and stood, the smirking smile tipping my lips brighter than the nasty one that’d started to tug at his. Puck blinked, then blinked again, his lips parting in stunned shock. He wasn’t used to be bested.

  “Thanks for the fun, sweet,” I purred, gaining my feet. Dusting the snow off my person, I hummed Titania’s lullaby as I smoothed my hands over my hair. “Maybe next time Kvigor could join us, hmm?” I tossed over my shoulder. “Bet he’d last longer.”

  The fae spluttered, laid out in the snow, his cock still twitching in the aftermath.

  My laugh was bawdy as I sauntered off, pulling the blanket on my shoulders higher until it formed a hood, blowing the confused peacock a noisy kiss over my shoulder.

  I’d just made it past the antechamber, headed for my room when I bumped into a solid mass in the darkened hall.

  “Vacha,” Adelric’s deep voice rumbled. There was a note in his tone that had me stiffening.

  “Adelric,” I replied using the same painfully formal tone.

  Something brushed my side. “Why?”

  “Good to see you too. I hope you had a nice trip?”

  His chest rumbled and he made a noise in his throat. “It was... informative. Clearly not nearly as eventful as your evening.”

  My lips pursed, arms folding over my chest. My fingers gripped the ends of my blanket like a lifeline. “Not that my evenings are of any concern to you.”

  “Why did you service it?”

  “Does it bother you?”

  “That was not Kvigor.”

  “I know.” But it was enough of Kvigor the idea of performing the act didn’t make me want to burst into tears. Kvigor was in there somewhere, had been forced to watch. If ever the male needed a push to get him going, I’d like to think that was one.

  My thumb and forefinger flicked one corner of blanket. “Is he really as possessive as he’s acting?”

  Adelric cleared his throat and grunted. “He was never one to share.”

  “Good.” I nodded, thinking of Kvigor’s better eyesight in the dark back at the labyrinth. Just because I couldn’t see didn’t mean Adelric was having difficulties.

  “Motivation,” Adelric said after a long moment. “Temptation.”

  “Something like that.” My nipples were still rock hard, sex aching, unfulfilled. I’d be taking care of that in just a moment here if the chest thumping lummox, his breathing loud in the empty hall, would get out of my way.

  Hands went to my hips and he moved in closer. “Do you have a great need, vacha?” His voice was a low, seductive murmur.

  My legs shifted restlessly. “I guess that depends on who is offering.

  The feeling of warm air brushing across my face, mixing with my chilled flesh, had me shivering.

  “I have never licked a woman here before.” The hem of my dress rose as he knelt, my hands dropping to flatten along the wall. My heart thundered in my chest, the sound loud as it pounded away in my head. A thick finger went to my mound, brushing through the curls at my sex. He found my slit, wet, waiting. The tip of his snout brushed my clit right as a long, thick tongue snuck out to taste. One long, languorous swipe and my hands flew forward, going straight for the fat horns on either side of my hips, caging me in.

  “You taste sweet, vacha.” Another slow lap before it breached my pussy, plunging deep. My legs jerked and I cried out, pumping my hips encouragingly when he paused briefly to shift closer. Hands went to my ass, gripping the cheeks, holding me still for his onslaught. Something thick and hard pressed against my leg and his hips shifted.

  One hand came around, lifting my leg, hooking it on one of his horns, and that long, pink appendage dove deeper. He fucked me with his mouth, mimicking the act itself, his snarling growls only adding to my pleasure.

  The soft grunt of pleasure he made and the sounds of Adelric masturbating reached my ears, drowned out by my soft panting and the ugly sex noises I was making. I didn’t care. Adelric gasped and groaned suddenly, the sound loud and long, his tongue moving faster, his upper lips closer over my clit.

  Something wet splashed across my thigh and his attention went straight to my clit. A doubly thick finger, sticky with his recent release, slid to my sex to slip right inside. His thick tongue flicked that swollen little nub, his finger working my cunt, and that was it. As I started to tip over he stood, lifting me up to impale me on his cock. He thrust hard, burying to the hilt, my sheath pulsing around him, and then he groaned, grinding against me, coming anew.

  When he was finished and would have slipped free, he wrapped my legs around his and cupped my rear. “Demon pixie,” he murmured, puckering his lips to place a kiss to each of the nubs on my head.

  He chuckled at my sleepy smile as I sighed and buried my face against his neck, inhaling his woodsy scent, his steps soft as he snuck us down the hall to his room. His cock still buried deep, this was only the beginning.

  “Someone might see us,” I pointed out.

  “Let them,” he muttered. His cock jerked. Another kiss, this one to my exposed shoulder, my itchy blanket forgotten back at the entrance. Though he feigned indifference his eyes kept darting about, as if afraid of being caught.

  Maybe he cared and was trying not to, maybe I was deluding myself.

  “Liar,” I murmured.

  He had the good grace to look sheepish.

  Well, he was trying.

  Snorting out a laugh, I shook my head. And I was the fool of fools, and I knew it.

  ˜˙˜*˜˙˜

  The sound of another breathing had me frowning, cracking an eye open to find a beast of a Minotaur sleeping fitfully next to me.

  The knock at the door when I reached out to him as if to soothe the savage beast within, had me squeaking inaudibly, jumping, scrambling beneath the blanket draped over my naked frame to hold perfectly still.

  “Wake up, slumber head!” Vachel called. “Don’t you be sleepin’ the day away.” Her sing-song voice trailed off as the sounds of her feet scampering down the hall reached my ears.

  A grunt, snuffling. The blanket hiding my face was lifted and a very amused bull man, a little bleary-eyed with sleep, peered down at me.

  Is she gone? I mouthed the words, eyes wide, cringing.

  Ears flicked, lips twitched, his head cocking curiously as he admired my nudity. “Does this bother you so, vacha?”

  “No,” I fibbed hotly, my cheeks flushing unbecomingly as my small cocoon of blankets suddenly grew hot.

  “Liar.” A small, amused smile tilted those wide lips.

  My eyes narrowed, lips pursing. “Oh? And you don’t?” I fired back.

  “That you’re naked, in my bed, waiting to be taken in a manly fashion?” He pretended to think about it and shook his head. Expression serious, he flopped back, staring off at the ceiling. “No. You are right.” His hand went to his chest and he sighed noisily. “I abhor when that happens.”

  My answer was a snort. Wiggling my way up until my head popped free of my hiding place, I made
a show of rolling my eyes.

  When he chuckled quietly, pleased by my less than pleased reaction, I added, “Like anyone would be daft enough to bed your hairy arse twice.”

  Turning to roll out of bed, thick arms wrapped around me, tugging me back. Tucking me beneath him to roll us, I soon found myself staring up at the gold flushed gaze of my lover for the night—if nothing more. A deep rumble rattled his impressive chest. “Think you impervious to my... charms, pestilence?” A thick eyebrow raised imperiously.

  He was teasing, almost playful but for his grumbling tone. Despite my own advice not to fall, my heart gave a little happy thump.

  “Only when you call me pestilence,” I cackled out sarcastically, careful to speak softly, lest we be overheard.

  Wide hands snagged mine, shackling them over my head. A giggle left me, unbidden, golden eyes flashing at me at the sound.

  “We should get going. Slept through breakfast, clear into lunch. Vachel’s just called it.” Having done this all by myself a time or two, I knew her routine.

  “You don’t like cold food, vacha?” A thick thigh wedged itself between my thighs, then another, his nose burying against my neck, his teeth starting to nibble the sensitive skin of my nape.

  “One of these days,” I murmured, gasping softly as he found my center and his cock slid home, “you’re going to tell me what that means.”

  His hips began to pump, a low moan tearing from his throat as I joined him.

  The blankets slipped free, the bed creaking as I fought against my restraints, wanting to touch him.

  He moved faster, hips grinding hard, the more I fought. Fingers curling around his, nails biting into flesh, I murmured his name as I started to tip over that sweet precipice.

  “Mine,” he gritted out, hissing as his legs began to tremble, arms stiffening, in the beginnings of his release. That single word, uttered with so much conviction, sent my head in a dizzying spin.

  Gold eyes bore into mine and he opened his mouth, about to speak. Vachel chose that moment to pound on the door once, shouting her brother’s name, and promptly storm in.

  Vachel gasped, slapping a hand to her mouth, forgetting to leave or cover her eyes. Adelric, snarling, startled, jerked back like his tail had just been lit on fire, leaving me exposed, lying there, while a thick stream of semen came arching towards me.

  Heat splashed my belly, thighs, his cock jerking, its true length exposed to the occupants of the room before he’d had a chance to cover himself.

  “OUT!” He bellowed, sending me tumbling to the floor as he yanked at the blanket conveniently located beneath me, scrambling for some amount of decency.

  Popping out of her shocked stupor, the young woman fled, the incoherent noises she was making following her down the hall.

  Wincing, ass smarting, curling to my side, I glanced down at the mess we’d made as the snarling beast I was left to deal with stomped to his door, slamming it shut behind him.

  He was mad, I noted, raging, nostrils flared steam filling the air.

  Collecting my boots and shift, wiping his fluids from my person with the edge of one of his blankets, uncaring what he thought of that, I walked to the door. Slipping my dress over my head, I hesitated, waiting. When no command for me to stay was issued I left without a word.

  He wasn’t mad, not really, he was embarrassed.

  While I gathered the things I’d need to bathe I tried not to ask the questions that hounded me. Was he embarrassed because we’d been walked in on? Or because he’d been caught with me?

  These thoughts plagued me the rest of the day.

  ˜˙˜*˜˙˜

  It was at dinner that night that Vachel chose to speak up.

  “Everything alright?” Suzaela asked when she realized, aside from the maidens quietly chattering amongst themselves, her children and I were strangely quiet.

  As if she took that as her opening, the high priestess’ youngest glanced between us, setting her fork down, and cleared her throat. “I’m sorry. If I had known I wouldn’t have, ah, interrupted you.”

  “‘Sfine,” Adelric mumbled quickly, clearing his throat gruffly, scowling down at the small, roasted animal he’d been picking at.

  When I didn’t speak up her gaze darted to my hunched frame. Food untouched, I couldn’t say I had much of an appetite either. Forcing a small smile, I hoped it would suffice.

  Thinking that the end of it, I picked up my mug, the taste of sweet, honeyed tea hitting my parched lips.

  Her smile was strained but hopeful. “I prayed for you?”

  Frowning, I paused at that but let it go. Lovely. So she’s against a pairing of human and monster man, too? Did wonders never cease? She’d pray for me. Pfft.

  At my poorly disguised scowl, my hands going to and gripping the bottle of baidle wine on the table to lift it, tossing back a gulp of the swill, drinking straight from the bottle, I closed my eyes as it burned.

  When I was finished I went to set the bottle down but Adelric took it from me, tossing back his own long swig.

  Maroon eyes in a youthful face kept shooting back and forth between us. “I prayed it would be fruitful,” she felt the need to explain.

  Taking my turn for a swig on the bottle, Adelric immediately handing it back, I’d just taken a swig at her little announcement. We both, my dark lover and I, sprayed the table, choking on berry swill.

  Suzaela gasped softly, her maidens’ eyes widening as my dinner companion and I started choking violently, coughing, while our eyes bugged.

  Swiping drink and spittle from her stunned face, Vachel blinked. “What? What did I say?”

  Unless otherwise accompanied, Adelric actively avoided being alone with me after that.

  Accepting that he couldn’t handle a relationship with me, couldn’t be what I needed, nor I him for that matter, I resigned myself to our fate.

  When the moons hung high overhead and the creatures came to call, the hour late, sleep evading me, I climbed from my bed. The air was cool, cooler than all the other nights, crisper.

  Kvigor had not come bellowing at the gates since our last encounter. I feared I may have erred in my judgment, possibly pushing him away farther, maybe even eagerly towards Puck.

  My reasoning, if Kvigor was as possessive as I was beginning to think he was, his reactions to the idea of Adelric and my’s short-lived dalliance, thinking he’d have to share me, literally, with a creature he loathed—Puck—might be the push he needed.

  The floor was cold, the entryway to the garden gate frosted over in place.

  I was barefoot but I relished the cold. My restless soul demanded it. Everything was wrong, I was wrong. I don’t belong here, I finally admitted. I was no more meant for this world than Kvigor or Adelric were meant for mine. My plane was dying now, if the purple-eyed menace was to be believed. Soon there would be nowhere for me to go. If the portal could be closed, would Vetra then be safe? Could I go back through it and find her and bring her here in time?

  The wind whipped my hair as I stepped out, ignoring the needle pricks to my toes as they sunk in the snow.

  In my customary shift gown, itchy blanket wrapped around me, my first instinct was to look to the gate.

  No Kvigor.

  My chest felt heavy.

  Tipping my head back, flurries dancing all around me, I took a deep breath. Snowflakes clung to my hair, clumping on my lashes. Fluttering my eyelids, I let my head fall.

  It was then I saw it, a flicker of color in the distance. Cleverly hidden, I saw him, a single fleck of color in an otherwise pristine white landscape.

  Kvigor.

  My heart stuttered and I smiled. Watching him for a moment, I lifted my hand in greeting. Nothing. Was I greeting lover or enemy? Ruby or lavender peering at me from the snowy backdrop, I couldn’t tell from this distance, my eyelashes threatening to freeze shut together as I blinked rapidly, desperate to see.

  At that moment I didn’t care. I’d wave to the Queen’s favored if it meant my unbonded wou
ld see it. Kvigor’s body was still running about, and the chance he was still in there gave me that happy feeling.

  “Good night, sweet prince,” I called out softly, turning to go back inside. At the last moment I turned, but that fleck of color was gone. Palm out, I blew the empty space a kiss anyway.

  Gods, I hoped I’d made the right choice.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Several Days & No Such Warrior King Luck Later

  “Maybe I don’t want to go,” I mused, less than an hour after Adelric had announced he’d be taking me with him to the village today. There was no question to it, the commanding bull was telling me, ordering.

  “I will wait for you by the gate.”

  Right, because now that you need me for something, we may speak. Pfft.

  Having spent my waking hours wandering around temple, finding secluded spots to beckon my generous benefactor, the ‘token’ he’d offered me for a kiss nothing more than a pair of gold flecked eyes that glowed with my ire, and a pair of dark nubs that had burst from my skin.

  Oh, and iron burned me, just not the extent it burned bodies inhabited by fae, apparently. Lucky me. Just two charred looking, dull nubs, iron sensitive, burnable skin, and sometimes glowing eyes.

  Kvigor had yet to return to the gate, or the forest beyond, as far as I could tell, whether by his own design or Puck’s. Worrying after that night if I’d made things better or worse, I was afraid to ask Adelric for any news of his sibling.

  Ekodar was still in charge, but making poor decisions left and right, according to the dark-furred, tightlipped beast and his right hand man, Yhem.

  A harsh, early storm blowing in stalled most everything, holding the caravan headed towards the village back, delaying their arrival. I’d never been so happy to freeze my bum off in my life. Time. I’d been given time.

  My seeming lack of progress, hiding out in a temple for a ‘god’ that refused to respond, when things were going to pot, was frustrating.