Thinking of the scene by the garden, unable to explain why I’d even done such a thing other than an impulsive stunt I thought might bind me to Kvigor, not Puck. I’d sliced my hand and disavowed my pair bond at one time. Using the same logic, I’d thought to slice both of ours over my previous mark and join them, join us, again. When Puck started to panic, I pretended I was tethering myself to him, hoping to scare the fae into leaving my love’s body. Not exactly what had ended up happening, though... And Puck’s words, had he finished the spell? Yet another contradiction?
“Oh,” I breathed, “what have I done?” Slumping, propped up against the bed, I was suddenly feeling very weak and numb. Now. Now I needed that shower. A really cold one. Closing the book, I stood, in search of a hiding place for it, then a good dousing.
The halls were empty, everyone long gone to bed. Good. I’d managed to avoid anyone for the remainder of my day.
Book safely hidden, I stood naked in the middle of the bathing chamber, a wide room meant for groups to shower at once. The water was cold enough I was regretting not seeking out a coal.
A giant marble room, I stood in, a large circle in the middle of the floor, a hole with a pipe that led down somewhere, taking away the water with it. A small ladder stood next to one of several buckets suspended by hooks. The bucket I’d heard of but never seen for myself until Tavros. It was not something we had in Durmad.
The Taurans were advanced in that way, the way things at temple were done. More big city with their religion. I’d never been to a big city, though I’d always wanted to go, just to see what it was like. Indoor drainage, pipes that took things away were rare thereabouts where I was from. We bathed in a washtub and rinsed the dishes in one, taking it out back to dump.
I was to fill the container I wanted, using the pull along the side to lift the flaps that covered the holes in the bucket’s bottom, allowing the water to release and pour over me. Also new to me, as I’d been washing up with a basin and pitcher of water in my room in private.
Grabbing a bar of green soap that didn’t smell like weeds straight out of the garden turned to bathing soap, or harshly medicinal, I lathered my hair up really good, taking care to get any itchy spots I’d broken the skin scratching at. The cuts and scrapes burned, but it was nothing compared to having to count the marks marring my body. Bruises dominated my thighs, hips and belly, there was barely a place on me left unmarked.
Puck. He’d certainly left his mark on my flesh. Had he branded a piece of something else as well? My belly lurched. I didn’t even want to contemplate it.
My stomach rolled and I bent over, soapy hair falling into my face.
A noise to my left had me trying to straighten, but the hand that fell heavily to my rump without actually smacking it, had me jumping out of my skin. The staying hand that landed on my hip prevented me from doing exactly that.
“Not now,” I whispered, slapping my hand to the wall for balance. “Adelric...”
The hand on my ass slid up my back, kneading, massaging the skin, my body responding, unbidden. He paused there, as if waiting for a sign. My hips wiggled just enough and he continued. That hand slid higher, brushing along my hair, over my nape, and then he stopped, his fingers sliding to my throat. He had a paw of a hand, huge, strong, capable of crushing me if he should so choose.
Breath catching, I stilled, waiting. All thoughts fled me, everything but the way that touch sent my pulse racing, his thumb pressing into the thick vein at my throat. The hand at my hip dipped. Toes curling, I bit my lip in anticipation. The hand at my throat tightened fractionally, forcing me to lift up, chin tipping towards the ceiling as he pressed his thick frame closer.
Horns appeared around my head as a wet nose tickled my ear. His breathing was already labored, hot, heavy, panting chuffs at my nape. Water sluiced over us, until my hair came away suds free.
Something thick and long pressed into my lower back, hard and insistent. His cock was covered with something, grease, oil? He was slick with it, his manhood easily slipping along my back and lower.
“Do it.” I wanted this, wanted to play this game.
His hips shifted, the hand at my hip sliding to my cleft. Turning us, he pressed me into the wall, his big body looming, pressing in, close. He was boxing me in, nowhere to go. I was trapped but felt far from it.
Panting softly, my eyes slid shut. My breasts mashed into the cool surface, beaded, aching, his hand at my sex sliding in deep. A long tongue ran along my neck, his snout following. He grunted when my sex clenched around his doubly thick finger, a pleased sound. I was already ready.
“Mine,” he muttered gutturally, pulling back until his cock slid below the cleft of my cheeks, popping free to spring up between my legs. Pulling our hips back, his hips flush with my ass, his cock bobbing happily between my trembling thighs, he began running his shaft along my slit, rubbing, sawing shallowly, teasing.
“Fuck me,” I ground out, eyes sliding open to stare up at the ceiling.
The noise he made, stopping until I was sure I understood its meaning, encouraged me to talk less, enjoy more.
The thick finger invading my pussy started to move, pumping in time to his tempered thrusts.
It wasn’t enough.
“I said fuck me.” My words came out on a hiss, my hips jerking to try and catch his cock on one of his forward thrusts.
“Fine.” The hand at my throat slid to the back of my neck, pressing on my upper back until I slid back, dipping forward, bending at the waist. The hand buried in my sex, moving rhythmically, pumped once, then left me. A thick hoof kicked my feet apart. My hands were grabbed, one and then the other. It wasn’t until something slid around my wrist that I jerked in alarm.
“I don’t- What are- Adelric!”
One hand joined the other, something tossing over the hook overhead and then the ties were cinched. A jerk on the material and my hands were raised. I gave a tug and got a splash of cold water sprinkled onto my head. The tie to the water bucket! He’d strung me up by it. If I moved too much I’d get a sound splashing. Oh! That! That...!
“You didn’t!” I huffed, sputtering, spinning around to find my face mashing against a thick, furry upper chest, my hands pinned high over my head.
Thick hands on my shoulders spun me back around, a hand at the back of my head forcing me flush to the wall. Again my hips were shifted, this time by wide fingers. It wasn’t until he paused to take a deep breath before proceeding that I realized his breathing was shaky, his hands starting to tremble.
“Adelric?” I whispered softly. “If this is about the door thing I’m, uh, sorry,” to be met with an animalistic snarl.
Adelric wasn’t home, not entirely. I was dealing with the beast.
An arm banded around my waist, lifting until my toes no longer touched the ground, my forearms lying flat along the wall as he tilted my hips, supporting my weight. His free hand found my slit, his cock following. He slid in roughly, without any finesse, thrusting home with a soft groan.
Lips parting, I gasped, gaping. My mouth started working but I couldn’t form words. He was deep, hard as a rock, grinding his cock into my cunt like he desperately needed to find the end.
He grunted something I couldn’t make out, and slammed home two or three times. The grunting bull came, warmth filling me to slide down my thighs when he slipped free. Resting his head along my nape, huge horns scraping the wall along my head, he gathered himself, lined us up, and rammed home.
“Fuck!” My knees smacked the wall and I made a funny choking noise. He did the same as before, pumping furiously, brushing a pleasant spot inside that had my insides coiling, body tightening, to still, grinding himself against me, come, and then pull out. More proof of his passion dribbled down my thighs.
I was dizzy with lust, an impending orgasm suspended in time.
My toes slid along the wall, grasping for purchase. When he slid home this time I pushed back.
He thrust harder, and harder, and harder then to je
rk, grind into me, and pull out, leaving me once more, literally and figuratively, hanging.
Cursing a blue streak, I kicked at him when he would have thought to take me again. “Don’t you dare!” I hissed. “I’ll murder you! I swear it!”
The arm banding my waist loosened, allowing me to fall just enough to jerk my arms, dumping cold, icy water over my head.
Screeching, sputtering, ice water tumbling into my face, I yanked and yanked, my livid curses drown out by the water, until there was nothing left.
A gasping hiccup left me. I wasn’t sure if it was intended as a hysterical cry, laugh, or the beginning of a sob. Another followed, and another, until I was shaking from the force of it.
I was turned. A hand gripped my chin, another sweeping my hair out of my face.
Bright gold eyes found mine. His face was blank, impassive. It broke my fucking heart. My mouth worked, lips trembling. A small noise slipped, unbidden, but nothing more.
“You are mine,” that deep voice whispered, and he swiped the moisture from my eyes. Thick hands lifted, sliding over mine. His fingers entwined with mine. “And I am yours.” Resting his forehead gently with mine, though it looked like it took him much effort to stay composed like this and not beast out, he inhaled deeply, his breaths rattling his chest. He was as shaken as me, if not more. “Forever.”
Blinking rapidly, I gulped audibly. That boxy head lifted, his gaze meeting mine. Glowing gold orbs searched mine.
“Whatever happens, whoever the All-father chooses, whatever comes, I don’t want anyone else.”
“Adelric.” My eyes flooded anew.
“Tell me, vacha. Tell me it is I for you. Tell me you’ll have me, even if there are others.”
“It wasn’t on purpose- I- That’s not fair and- I-”
“Just,” his breath hitched, “just tell me.”
It was my forehead that pressed to his this time. “I choose you.”
“Forever,” he reiterated, a command to his voice that had me shivering deliciously.
“Forever.” I gave a small nod.
His hands slid to the rope, straining, and it snapped from the bucket. Slipping my hands free, he brought them to his neck, placing them there to slip his hands lower and grip my ass, lifting me up. My legs wrapped around his thick hips and he carefully pressed my back into the wall.
When he entered me this time we groaned in unison. My skin was sensitive, tender. Keeping us connected in every way possible, his cheek brushing mine affectionately, his pace was unhurried this time. He had no qualms bringing me to climax without him, grinding himself into me, his groin rubbing my clit until I came.
Right as I came he dipped his head, that long, thick tongue lapping at my breast, rasping across my nipples as I writhed on him, his cock buried deep, one climax melting into another. My hands went to his head, curling him closer, gripping the base of his horns to hold him in place. His hips began to move again, and I readily moved with him.
Things were just starting to get good again when a soft gasp alerted us we’d been caught.
Releasing him, my hands going to cover myself, Adelric let out a warning noise, lifting his head to glare at the intruder. Curling himself around me possessively, hips never losing rhythm, he let out a challenging roar.
That gaggle of maidens gaping at us, various bathing items in their arms, ready to wash up, couldn’t turn around to scram fast enough.
“That’s one way to get rid of them,” I said on a laugh.
He grunted, gold gaze going back to me to lighten markedly. Amber tipped in gold twinkled down on me. “I wasn’t finished with you yet. Loving on my mate.”
“Mate?” My heart didn’t flutter, it screamed and ran around, banging drums. It wanted the world to hear.
“MINE,” he muttered harshly, then frowned, as if the vehemence to his words surprised even him.
“And you’re mine.” My fingers went to his ears, petting the velvety softness, tweaking them, teasing. He shivered like I’d just fondled his ball sac. “You liked that?” I said in surprise, watching as one hand stopped and he absently chased after it, a happy chuff huffing out of him.
“Like everything you do, vacha,” he muttered, unaware how fast I was melting for this male. Before dinner I’d surely be a puddle at his feet.
“One day you’re going to tell me what that means.”
“Not today.” His hips stilled and he eyed me.
“Okay.”
“Vacha?” He leaned in, so close the steam starting to waft from his nostrils had my face crinkling, wanting to shrink away from the heat.
“Hmm?”
He let out a long, fortifying breath, asking softly, “Say it again.”
“You’re mine?” At his look I cleared my throat. “You’re mine,” I mock grumbled.
Thick arms wrapped around me, his face burying in my nape. I felt warm, comfortable, comforted, protected. Most of all, I felt loved. “Good,” he murmured against my skin, then proceeded to nip me.
When I yelped he laughed, licking the spot with a long, wet snipe of that tongue of his.
“Oh! Ferdinand!” I groused, making him laugh.
˜˙˜*˜˙˜
Dinner was a strained affair, the handful of temple maidens present giving us the side eye.
Adelric’s hand rested along the back of my chair. The chairs butted against each other, side by side. If he pulled me any closer I’d be sitting in his lap. I didn’t mind, relishing the affectionate side of him, wallowing like a pig in mud at the fact the rest of the world got to see. And it was all for me.
Yhem showed up just before supper, surprised to hear his friend was busy, napping. Vachel had gleefully informed him when he came to call my mate was celebrating his mating. They called it mooning, which I took to have something to do with newly mated Taurans possibly making calf eyes at each other, getting a round of laughter from those present for stating so aloud. No matter, it made perfect sense to me.
“Ekodar has been making demands,” he spared a quick glance in my direction. “After hearing of the news, mayhap he will leave one or two of them to the fishes.”
“Demands?” Adelric looked to his friend, his hand, buried in my hair, absently sifting through the strands, stilling.
“Ah, unique, demands. I came as soon as I’d the chance.”
“Demands of me? To do with me?” I asked suddenly, pausing, a biscuit halfway to my lips. “What does Ekodar want of me?!” Blood running cold, face draining, I looked to Suzaela.
“I’m sure it is not that,” she said reassuringly, but even she looked skeptical.
“Does... Does that mean Kvigor- Does that mean he’s-” I couldn’t say it. swallowing convulsively, the room growing hot, I let my biscuit drop to my plate, gripping the table for support. Oh gods... Oh gods, oh gods...
“If it was so...” She spoke slowly, choosing her words wisely with so many ears present. “I’m sure it would have been announced somehow.”
Looking to Yhem as Adelric watched our exchange, it was my male who spoke up. “Kvigor, Yhem, any word?”
The yak-like Minotaur shook his head. “Not a word. Haven’t seen him for a time either. You?” His question was spoken to Adelric, but directed at the both of us.
The hand at my shoulder tightened as if warning me to be silent on the matter and my mate cleared his throat. “Sorry, brother. Not a word.”
Later that night, when everyone was gone, either to bed or back to village, I asked the question that’d been hounding me all night. “Suzaela told you, didn’t she?”
“Vachel,” he admitted, leaning in to slide my shawl off my shoulders, where he nipped and teased the flesh, soothing the sting with small, tempting kisses.
“Vachel?!”
His smile was small but smirking. “Mother is not the only one good at finding secrets, eking them out. Vachel, for all her clumsy blustering, is rather well trained at spying at keyholes, listening at doors.
“And what would prompt her to do
so?”
That smirking smile faded and he chuffed. “For a fee.”
“You paid her?” A relieved laugh escaped me, because honestly I couldn’t help it. “You’ve your own little spy, then?” I sputtered, incredulous.
“Steep price, the leeching whelp, but she’s good for hard to get information around here.”
“That’s horrible,” I muttered, shaking my head.
He grunted.
Slapping at him playfully, I told him, “You’re horrible.”
“Aye, and I’m sorry.”
When I looked to him, surprised, he pressed his snout to my temple. “Know you love him, would do anything for your loved ones. Was being a right git about it.”
“You were jealous.”
“The worst kind.”
“But you’re not anymore?”
“No.”
And because I had to ask, “And if Kvigor does comes back?”
“Much as I hate to say it, he laid claim to you first. Bastard’ll just have to learn to share.”
My body relaxed to tighten back up. “I can’t control whoever comes, the vessel. I-”
“I know,” he said simply, holding a hand up for me to stop right there. “Which reminds me.” Pulling back, taking with him all that warmth. “Got a couple things to do before I’m to be heading in for the night.” He looked to the hall that led to his room, our room, pointedly.
“Not going to have a dip with me?” I glanced over at the pool just up ahead.
“Go ahead without me,” he placed a peck to my cheek, his hand going to my ass to give it a teasing swat, “just don’t get too tired you pass out on me, eh? I’ve plans for you, demon pixie.”
“Suit yourself,” I teased, baring my other shoulder to his greedy eyes.
“A right pixie of a demon woman,” he muttered, shaking his head to take off.
Shrugging as he went to tend to whatever duties needed tending, I had my dip in the pool, relaxing, readying for a very long night.
˜˙˜*˜˙˜
Grunting awake, I spit the mouth full of fur smothering my mouth out, lifting my head groggily to glance around.
By the Horns Page 46