Matchsticks: A Dark Spirits Fairytale

by S. J. Sanders

  Not that those in the room did not know. Opis had given him a mildly amused look, but the lupi had cast him a searching glance as they entered, nostrils flaring as they sought to determine the situation between him and Agatha. More than a few bristled when Agatha immediately took charge, their eyes riveting to him in questioning silence as their ears flattened. Unfortunately, it all came from the males. The smaller number of females who had followed the returning, bough-laden males observed him and Agatha with nothing more than open curiosity.

  Impatient with the posturing and understanding the sudden need to clarify the situation and place well-understood boundaries, Aquilo had acted immediately. A possessive urge had gripped him at that moment, demanding that he demonstrate his claim over her, and so he had been all too happy to curl his lip aggressively, exposing his fangs. Things had settled easily after that, the males keeping a polite distance from Agatha, which helped ease the tension in the room further. It seemed that he had a hereto unknown possessiveness.

  How fascinating.

  Even more interesting was the fact that he longed to do so again. More than that, he wanted to kick every one of the males out of his study. The females could stay, but he did not like the petulant looks the males could not seem to restrain themselves from directing at Agatha. A low growl, lower than what human hearing would be able to detect, rumbled out of him, making every lupo lower their heads contritely. Agatha remained blissfully unaware as she rattled off her directions.

  “We are going to gather these bunches to make garlands. It looks like we have plenty here not only for the study, but also for the throne room.”

  “Do you think there might be enough for the main den in the west wing?” one of the very few mated females interrupted.

  Agatha eyed the boughs and smiled. “Yes, I believe there will be plenty if you’d like some.” She smiled as an excited whisper went up among a cluster of females but continued as if she had not been interrupted. “Red and green are typically used a lot in holiday decor, but with all the dark and ice blue that you favor, I’m thinking we continue with the theme of midnight blue with touches of burgundy,” Agatha said thoughtfully as she picked up to swathes of colored weave that Eltha had provided. The ogress beamed at the selection and nodded in agreement.

  “Give me the rest of the day. I should be able to get them ready,” the ogress stated, a delighted smile lighting up her face. “I will leave instructions with the lupas in the kitchen before I get started.”

  Her enthusiasm was so obvious that Aquilo wondered if he had been amiss in giving Eltha more creative leeway in the fortress. Although she insisted on supervising the kitchens, lending her considerable strength and knowledge to making the food that was consumed daily within the fortress, she clearly had a passion for creating that he had not considered. One that was not overlooked by her mate, judging by the affectionate look Opis gave her at her demonstration of pleasure.

  “I will see to it that the lupas have whatever assistance they need,” the male assured his mate. He promptly narrowed his eyes at the other males in the room. “And I will be certain that there are plenty of males on hand to attend to anything that requires extra assistance.”

  His tone left no room for argument, and Aquilo smothered a smile behind his hand as several of the lupi grimaced, their ears laying back unhappily. Although Aquilo discouraged it at every opportunity, the lupi remained segregated in their duties, with younger males assisting with tending to the younger offspring until they came of age to join the hunts.

  He had gone as far as trying to assign several females with strong personalities for his guard, but most declined. There was only a small handful who agreed to be perimeter guards solely on the fact that it allowed them to be guards while also taking them further from the pressures to conform among the family groups. It frustrated him to no end, but there was little he could do about it. Although the lupi followed his governance as their king and the god of the domain in which they dwelled, when it came to the family dynamics among them, he could do little more than make suggestions—which he did quite frequently—without overrunning their autonomy.

  Perhaps with Agatha’s presence in the fortress, some of the females would be happy to join her as personal guards and assistants. Most of the males did not appear thrilled with being involved with Agatha’s plans. He did not know if the males would be any happier with that arrangement, however, or if Agatha would be more comfortable around the lupas.

  He had to admit that the females were barely distinguishable from the males, breasts small when not whelping and features just as feral. If there was any softness to them at all, it was more on an individual basis, just as it was among the males. Their stature was just as large and muscular, although the pitch of their voices was slightly higher, but Aquilo did not know if it was detectable to Agatha. Would she feel more comfortable in a company of females who would protect her as one of their own, or would she not even know the difference and be wary regardless?

  There was only one way to find out, and it was a good time to pose the suggestion.

  “Perhaps,” Aquilo said slowly, drawing the attention of the room to him with the deep timbre of his voice, “with a number of the males being on call to assist you, Opis, it may be prudent if a selection of females are allowed to attend to Agatha as her guards and assistants.”

  Opis raised his eyebrow, but he was encouraged when Agatha gave a curious glance around but met his gaze with an approving grin.

  “I think that’s a fantastic idea. Any females or males who want to lend a hand are more than welcome to.”

  Aquilo could not put his finger on what did it, but the males—over half of them high-status males within their community due to their status as his guards—turned their glowing yellow and amber eyes on Agatha speculatively before begrudgingly nodding their agreement. The females who had been watching expectantly shared excited grins amongst themselves as one of the senior males in his guard turned to address him.

  “I think I speak for all the males here when I say that we agree that anyone in our family group who desires to assist the human female be freely allowed to. I can’t speak for the females of other family groups, but we are willing,” the male rasped in a low, growling voice. “The guard would be of better use elsewhere.”

  Aquilo nodded to Opis, who grunted and bellowed gruffly. “Very well. Anyone who doesn’t wish to help Mistress Agatha, get your asses moving and clear out. We’ve much to do, and my mate can’t be waiting forever on us,” he added with a small smile as his mate gave him an appreciative look.

  With a subtle growl among the males as the senior males got the rest of them in order, there was a flurry of movement as the majority of the lupi left the study with Opis and Eltha. Their departure left behind six females and one male who shuffled up with a hopeful look. The females stilled as they noticed him, and Aquilo watched in fascination. Segregation in tasks was so strong in their community that he half-expected them to reject the young male. Instead, to his surprise, a few of the senior females smiled, and all the females cooperatively made room for him among them.

  Unaware of just how momentous the interaction was and clearly not caring if there were any males within her guard, Agatha drew herself up confidentially and clapped her hands together, drawing the attention of the lupi to her.

  “I’m so happy that you all want to help me out. It’s so much easier and better working with people who want to do the work,” she said with a conspiring smile. “I can’t promise that I won’t sometimes freak out a bit around you while we’re getting used to each other, but I’m not so stupid to not know that you’ll be able to tell if something unnerves me. I just ask that you be patient with me and give me time to adjust, and I promise to be as fair and understanding as possible while you get to know me, too. We are strangers to each other, after all… and honestly, every one of you is powerful and can probably squash me like a bug,” she remarked with a chuckle.

  Sharp grins of amusement
flickered among the lupi, and Aquilo felt his remaining tension slowly melt away. The females were relaxed, their postures and expressions friendly if one knew what to look for. Even the young male there watched Agatha with a sort of respectful awe and an eagerness to please that he found charming. Agatha was unsure around them now, but she would soon come to interpret their expressions and body language as she worked with them.

  Agatha set her hands on her lips, looking down at the mass of boughs helplessly. “First things first… Where are we going to do this? I don’t think the study is the best place to work.”

  A senior female, Kadana, stepped forward, ears twitching as she adopted a respectful position. Her hands flattened against her thighs and her silver head slightly bowed, a small amount of her long mane slipping forward over her shoulders.

  “If you are open to suggestions, there is an unused gathering room that is used only for the rare formal receptions here when it calls for dancing and feasting. We could open the rooms and use the space to work so we can spread out and not be tripping over each other.”

  “That sounds perfect,” Agatha enthused. “Wonderful idea. Thank you.”

  Kadana grinned and gestured to the lupi waiting just behind her. “We will transport this.”

  “After it is transported, go ahead and tend to your families for the afternoon meal,” Aquilo interrupted. He did not want Agatha so wrapped up in her plans that she forgot to eat, and besides, he wanted a bit of her undivided attention. “I will escort Agatha to the gathering room after the meal period.”

  Kadana gave him a sly, knowing look but didn’t comment. With a flick of her tail, she turned and organized the other lupi as they worked together, dividing the boughs into manageable bundles and wrapping them in the cloths that were stretched out beneath them.

  Agatha gave him a sidelong look as the females departed. “I should be helping them…”

  “Do what? They will be able to carry the boughs more efficiently and will be grateful to get the task done as fast as possible so that they can join their families. Your guard will seldom get such luxury to go all at once to mealtime in the future. In the meantime, you are here, exactly where I want you.”

  A pale eyebrow arched at him in challenge, the small gesture rousing his blood and inspiring buried dominant instincts.

  “Oh, yes… and why is that?” she murmured.

  Aquilo stepped forward, wings fanning around them as he pulled her into his arms. The softness of her breasts cushioned against him, and he luxuriated in the feel of her body against his. She was a wonder to him. She was full of spirit and strength, honesty and kindness. She was the most beautiful of beings to him.

  Her tongue stroked over her lips, and a needy moan escaped as his lips descended, capturing her mouth with his. His wings tightened into a sheltering cocoon, blocking out everything around them, narrowing the world down to the contact between them as he deepened his kiss, his tongue tangling with hers in an erotic dance.

  She was his.

  Chapter 12

  Agatha was lost in his kiss, in the touch of his hands as he explored her body in long caresses. The way he went from almost brutally cold and controlled to roaring hot and fierce so quickly took her breath away. Her blood sang with eagerness as she melted against him, body completely pliant. The feathers of his wings trembled around her, the pressure of them against her back, bottom and legs sending arousal flooding through her.

  Who knew that wings could be so arousing?

  She was caged within them, helpless within the control of Aquilo. It should have frightened her. While she loved to cuddle and the warm press of body against body, she hated having her movement restricted and barely tolerated tight hugs for any length of time before she broke free from them. This should have been claustrophobic rather than feeding her arousal and sending waves of excitement fanning through her.

  It had to be the feathers. Even through her clothes, they seemed to tease her as they shifted against her.

  She gasped against his mouth as the edge of one wing stroked up between her thighs, putting an intimate pressure against her core and the seam of her ass. A shiver ran through her, and she resisted the urge to grind back against it as it continued to draw up before snapping away to curve around her once more. He gave a pleased rumble and shifted his hips so that she was abundantly aware of the sizeable presence of his cock, thick and hard against her.

  A moan of protest escaped her when he eventually drew back, his mouth leaving hers. His wings opened, and though she felt a tremor of need zip through him, he stepped back, releasing her.

  “You require sustenance,” he murmured in a husky voice.

  Agatha blinked up at him as comprehension slowly dawned. She stared at him in shock. He wanted to eat… as in food… now? His eyes returned her regard, their glow overbright and burning, but he didn’t reach for her again other than to politely extend a hand to lead her over to the table where the cold lunch that Eltha left for them awaited. Agatha bit back a disappointed groan as she sat down across from him.

  I guess that was it, she thought as she picked apart a piece of sweetened fried bread.

  As satisfying as it was to see that he was not unaffected, she loathed the control he seemed to have over himself as he ignored his reaction and desires while they ate. Her own arousal wound her up so tightly that she could barely focus on the cold slices of roast pig and honey-drizzled fried bread that sat before them, not when sexual tension dominated the air around them. Even the preserved pears sprinkled liberally with cloves, ginger and nutmeg and served with a tiny pitcher of cream failed to distract her… and with her sweet tooth, that said plenty.

  Keeping her expression level and doing her best not scowl down at her plate, she pretended to give the meal her complete attention. She didn’t want sweets or food, though. What she wanted was to break that icy control Aquilo exerted and push him past the point of no return. She wanted to see what exactly he would do—what he was capable of. Perhaps a dangerous idea to play with, but it tempted her, nonetheless. Especially the way he watched her as they ate, his gaze roving over her possessively, and the flare of heat in his eyes when she took a bite.

  That look flustered her and encouraged her to play every bite out in an erotic tease—one that he resisted without even batting an eye, much to her annoyance. But that didn’t stop her from closing her lips over every morsel of food and sucking it back into her mouth leisurely. Nor the way she stopped to lick the grease and sugar from her fingers. He froze as she sucked on her thumb, her lips closed around it to drag off the flavor of spices and pear juice from it. His eyes brightened with need, and his wings fluffed out, but he made no move and gave no other indication of just how affected he was.

  He didn’t even so much as shift in his chair, whereas she could barely control her urge to wiggle against hers. Though she thought she caught a musky, spiced scent that made her shiver with need. If that was from him, she had no idea, but it made her mouth water, and her thighs slicken while he continued to sit in his chair, cool and composed.

  He really did have remarkable control.

  Agatha nearly wept with relief when their meal ended. She had miscalculated, and her plan had backfired in the most excruciating way. The heated looks he gave her as his eyes narrowed on her mouth had made her uncomfortably aroused. Her overactive imagination was to blame. It had been too busy imagining all the places he could put his mouth on her, where he might suck on her flesh or bite at her in small, stinging nips with those sharp fangs of his. She nearly leaped from her chair and took his extended hand when he offered it once again.

  She just needed to get out of there and focus.

  Solstice boughs… Jingling bells, decorations, and making ready for Yuletide merriness.

  She breathed in and out slowly, working to get herself back under control, as he led her out of the study and down the stairs until they reached the main floor. From the stairs, they veered left, walking away from the throne room until they reach
ed a set of massive doors. The hall continued beyond them, and she was curious what lay farther, but there was little doubt that this was their destination. The doors immediately swung open to admit them, treating Agatha to a sight of a crystalline blue room with a black marble floor and a midnight ceiling painted with the image of the night sky with every constellation carefully placed.

  It was gorgeous, and she wondered absently why Aquilo didn’t entertain more if he had such a fabulous ballroom. His fortress had been designed to host parties. She could easily imagine the room strewn with festive ribbons and garlands, and filled with music, laughter and dancing.

  At their entrance, the lupi looked up from where they were crouched over boughs that were once more spread over the floor. A familiar female, the one who took charge before, approached, her mouth curving just enough to almost soften her aggressive features.

  “Thank you, Kadana, for your assistance,” Aquilo rumbled from her side. He glanced down at Agatha with a reassuring smile. “Kadana will be of great help to you. She is a senior lupa among the females. I would trust few others to successfully help you navigate work with the lupas…, ah, lupi,” he corrected with an apologetic smile to the male who grinned over at him.

  “I think we will manage just fine,” Agatha replied with a forced confidence that she really didn’t feel.

  She hoped everything would go well. It wasn’t like she was inexperienced in directing a crew, she just needed to get comfortable among the lupi assigned to her. Somehow. Aquilo’s answering smile as he leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head eased her nerves and made her all the more determined to suck up her ridiculous, misplaced anxiety. The lupi were just people and this wasn’t something she hadn’t done dozens of times before. His trust in her abilities was not misplaced.