Rienna heard a rustling behind her and swiveled her body enough to look over her shoulder and saw Ashe had followed her after all. She supposed she had been away for longer than she planned to, but the place was idyllic and it was easy to lose track of time. Ashe did not leer at her but he smiled knowingly then looked around at the place, a low whistle escaping his lips.
“No wonder you were taking so long… This place is amazing,” Ashe conceded.
Rienna wasn’t embarrassed to be caught this way, but she wasn’t quite sure what to say either so she hesitated to find the words.
“You could try it, if you want. I mean, I could leave you to it. Alone, I mean. I’m pretty much done,” Rienna tried and grew more nervous as she realized she probably should’ve waited a little longer to find better words. In her frustration, her eyes had shifted to the trees and she realized that she heard a splash and whirled about to see that Ashe wasn’t there anymore. She registered his discarded pile of clothes only moments before his spiky blonde head resurfaced and he stood a few feet in front of her laughing, his male parts just barely covered by the water. She was glad right now that he wasn’t even a little taller, but only slightly so. The strange glow around them did amazing things to his wet, tattooed skin that still unsettled her. The tattoos were shiny and bottomless while his skin glowed like the algae.
Rienna’s eyes were wide with surprise, her arms still covering her as he shook his head, flinging water around. She leaned back as if trying to dodge the droplets but realized that was pretty useless since she was already dripping wet. Ashe wasn’t perturbed and waded around her, heading for the waterfall. She averted her gaze as the water became shallower and his tight butt was fully on display. She sunk down into the water, not to cover herself but because her legs were feeling weak and useless. She started to swim back and forth, not quite sure what to do but not quite ready to leave. She wasn’t exactly sure she had enough stability in her legs to walk over to her clothes to dress either.
She knew that Ashe was in the falls and dared a peek; even soaked to the bone with pruning skin, her mouth went as dry as a desert. His back was still towards her, but she saw way more of his body and tattoos than ever before and couldn’t look away. The way the tattoos slightly changed shape as the muscles beneath his skin bent and flexed and relaxed was pulling at her body in very sensual places, as if she were intimately rigged to him by invisible little strings. She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth and suppressed the little gasps that tried to escape her lungs, but she couldn’t look away. Ashe turned but he kept his eyes closed and she was able to watch him even more. He wasn’t stiff but his cock was still impressive. Even as much as it intrigued her, it was those dancing muscles over skin that kept drawing her gaze.
At some point, she realized that those muscles weren’t moving anymore and when her eyes snapped up, she realized he was looking at her too. Her heart was slamming into her rib cage and she could feel it throbbing between her inner thighs as well, driving her mad with the noise that overpowered even the waterfall. Her nipples had hardened into painful little beads beneath her forearms and she knew she was lost to the intensity. She was completely ensorcelled by lust. Once again, she felt anger competing with the feeling.
Ashe had caused her heart to hammer more as he walked towards her and stood in the water a few feet away again. She knew if he touched her she would nearly explode in sounds and air and bodily control. But he didn’t touch her.
He stood there and looked down at her and when she found she could move her eyes to look at his, anger grew in her—that damned serene, unaffected smile and she a ship sailing off of a thundering waterfall.
“By the gods, Rienna, stand up; you’re turning bright pink from holding your breath,” Ashe said casually and she did; she was angry but no less achy and tense as she shot up and held his eyes with her dark, unhappy ones. Her arms were still locked over her breasts, but she had managed to straighten her legs without tipping over so give the girl a prize. But suddenly she was afraid that he would look at her nudity with that same unaffected look and it would insult her on a level she had been more confident of before, but wasn’t so sure of now—her femininity. She wasn’t sure why she thought that, but she wanted a power over him that didn’t leave her vulnerable and her brain was being completely useless about coming up with anything.
She started to let air out but it passed through her clenched teeth as she seethed at him. This was one time she wanted to know what she was doing wrong as a woman and it just increased her rage. With Krose, she had been in total control but Ashe hadn’t even touched her and she was flustered and weak and confused. She couldn’t trust her words right now and her eyes caught that pulse in his neck and felt triumph—he definitely wasn’t as cool as he pretended. Something in her wanted to clamp her teeth on that rapid pulse.
Her body didn’t seem to care for whatever her brain thought and her arms dropped, one hand shooting out to touch his neck, gently at first but then she applied pressure to it to feel it throb beneath her fingers. When her eyes met Ashe’s again, they were less the blue-green ocean and more the swirling storm with intensity. Still, he held himself in control. His cock stood against his belly now but he didn’t touch her, just watched her with hooded eyes through his snowy fringes of lashes. She was angry again because he wasn’t losing control despite how she affected him.
Without thinking, she pulled back her hand and quickly slapped him. Hard enough so that his face jerked sideways, but his head had come back around slowly and he just kept looking at her. She was angrier so she threw her weight into her hands and shoved him as hard as she could and he fell back into the water. She had expected him to just stand back up but his hands had grabbed her waist and pulled her in with him. When she came up for air, his hands were lifting her over his head and he slid her down the front of him until his mouth found hers, red hot and hard. He crushed her lips and body against him as his tongue found hers and twirled around it, a low growl from his chest filling her mouth and throat and aching breasts with his resonant vibration.
She wanted to be angry still so she pushed at his shoulders to end his invasion on her mouth and senses, but she was still held up above him and his mouth had locked on one swollen nipple and she cried out in a whimper as his tongue rapidly flicked at it. She went limp and started to slide down him again but his arms were quick and he spread her legs over him and held her ass, forcing her to wrap her arms around his neck or fall back into the water. His fingers found a spot on either side of her inner thigh and when he separated and pushed together those folds repeatedly, the sensation was maddening. He continued to do so as his mouth and teeth nipped and licked and suckled at her and he walked to the edge of the falls where soft moss blanketed the ground and propped her up on it. As she massaged her intimately, he noticed her juices were flowing from her and causing his fingers to slip over her skin more.
He pulled himself away and looked at her panting with need and her eyes grew angry again, but that anger was far weaker than her need. He left her in such a lewd and wanton position where he could look at her displayed for him and humiliation crept in. She reached for him to pull him closer but he pushed at her knees to keep her body back and a throaty laugh escaped his lungs. She started making an angry reproachful noise and he lost the will to tease her anymore. He lunged forward and filled her with his cock. She had jumped as if seizing, her voice exploding in a scream, and he could feel her spasm in her first orgasm. He held his steely control as her muscles fluttered over him. He kept still and started to move once her orgasm stopped.
Ashe only moved slowly at first to test her but he increased in speed, not just slamming into her but twisting and pivoting his hips to change the pressure and stroke inside of her, stirring and quickening her desire again. Rienna was whimpering and clawing at him, still trying to catch her breath from her first release and she was building up again fast since her clitoris was still swollen and sensitive. She felt a sense of imbalance and v
ertigo everywhere but where he filled her, every little separation from his touch quickening her need when they touched again. He found the right rhythm and knew it as her moans escaped on each thrust, her head tilting back telling him that she was going to go soon, which was a relief because Ashe was having difficulty holding himself back.
When she started spasming again, he held just long enough to feel that flutter of muscles and then slammed into her to finish with her. He fell over her, spent and satiated, and her weak hands found her way to his neck and she just held him like that—her leaning back with her feet in the pool and his head resting on her breasts, bent at the waist between her thighs as they tried to catch their breath. When Ashe could move, he scooted her back and climbed up over her slowly, their eyes locked as she kept her hands on his neck with him crouched over her. He lowered himself over her like he was doing a push-up but it was only to give her a sound, soft kiss and then he rolled over on his back next to her. Rienna placed a hand over her breast to feel her slowing heart and breathing and tilted her head sideways to see Ashe watching her. Her other hand was resting between them and he lifted his hand, lightly stroking her palm with the knuckle of his crooked finger. It was oddly tender and startled her.
She looked into those blue-green eyes of his and that soft smile, the glow around them seeming surreal, little glowing white insects swarming around them but keeping their distance. His gaze made it hard for her to breathe, almost feeling that something so simple could shatter this moment. As her body and mind returned from euphoria, she felt shy and angry at his selfsatisfied smile, propping herself up on her elbow, pouting, and punched his shoulder.
“You’re always pissing me off!” she admitted, finally able to voice some of what had been tumbling around in her head. He winced and rubbed at the spot but laughed as she slunk back into the water, rinsed herself in the waterfall and went to the other side to get dressed. She was putting on her sword when she felt his hands wrap around her waist and pull her against his back. She wondered if he was using the wind to be so damned quick because he was already fully dressed. She was just glad he wasn’t that quick when he was pleasuring her in their lovemaking.
Her head had snapped up on that thought and very nearly bloodied Ashe’s nose. Love-making, though. That definitely wasn’t fucking. It was primal and it was intense and it was dripping with lust, but the way Ashe had taken her, considered her and even looked at her. If she had any doubts, that kiss once they had finished was something she couldn’t write off, the tender way he stroked her hand. She didn’t know if he loved her and that was asking a bit much, but he had given her opportunities to stop him throughout and gave her that control. Thinking about it again, made her inner thighs feel wet and her nipples beaded as she pressed her butt into his groin without realizing it.
“We aren’t going to be sleeping much tonight, are we?” Ashe had whispered into her ear.
She had ended up using the branches she had previously hung her clothes on to steady herself as Ashe took her from behind.
In the ‘morning’ (if that’s what you called it in this place), Rienna woke up and noticed her clothes hanging up over a branch in the clearing, although she recalled having nearly torn them off of her at one point. A soft blanket covered her and she sat up, Ashe handing her a metal mug filled with a warm sweet-smelling liquid and threw him a questioning look. As she sat up, she realized she had abused her muscles a bit too much over the night and was careful to keep herself covered or they’d end up abusing them some more still.
“It’s called Wakeseed; I found it in the book with a recipe for a morning drink. Seems to do the trick for waking up and it’s a rare treat since it doesn’t grow in our world,” Ashe told her. Before it even touched her lips, his kindness warmed her heart. When she took that first sip, her eyes rolled back with pleasure and she moaned happily. She caught Ashe’s eyes darkening and had to laugh and look away.
The Wakeseed, whatever it was, was a lightly sweet drink with a taste like hazelnut and strawberries. It was smooth and thick for a warm drink, but it left a delicious aftertaste as well. She wished they could take it with her, but she knew there must be a reason why certain things had not been introduced to their world and wouldn’t risk it for such a selfish reason. She finished it and handed the cup back to him. She wanted to kiss him but not in her state of undress. She didn’t know how patient unicorns were.
Ashe watched her approach the tree where her clothes were hung and she laughed as his look intensified.
“Ashe, the unicorns. And we can’t be gone too long or Melchior will throw a fit,” Rienna reminded him but he kept watching her so she put a hand on her hip. “Turn around so I can get dressed and stay that way.”
He smirked and did as she asked reluctantly. She didn’t want to risk it so she hurried into her gown then skipped over to him and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. He took the blanket from her and shoved it in his pack as she fiddled with the straps on hers.
“Ready?” she asked cheerily.
“Always,” he said dripping with innuendo and grabbing her ass quickly in that way that separated her softer parts and thrilled her. She jumped but he started walking ahead of her. She frowned then hurried to take the lead. She might be putty in his hands, but she wasn’t about to let him think he had her whipped.
When they reached the unicorns, Rienna saw that they were ready to go.
“I’m sorry if we made you wait,” Rienna started apologetically.
The voice inside her head was amused. “I can tell why. He might have held you up much longer if you had let him.”
Knowing a unicorn isn’t above teasing a human made her all the more embarrassed but she cleared her throat and scrambled for a question.
“So what’s next?” Rienna asked.
“I will let you on my back and we will take you back,” she explained, a large white male with gold horn/hooves stepped up next to her and nodded. Rienna suddenly wondered how they would have gone back otherwise. Ashe had not mentioned that part before and she hoped like hell his only escape plan hadn’t been hinged on her bond with the unicorns. He probably did know. She didn’t know if she should be touched by his faith or pissed about it.
“I will take your friend,” said the male and Rienna smiled and nodded.
Rienna looked to Ashe who waited patiently.
“This one will take you on his back; I’ll ride her,” Rienna said gesturing to each in turn.
Rienna wasn’t sure how to mount her though, but the female knelt and Rienna was able to climb her and wind the mane in her hands.
“This doesn’t hurt you, does it?” Rienna asked unsurely.
“No, child; a sword couldn’t sever my mane and a unicorn does not have sensitive nerves at the follicles as your kind does. It is very hard to hurt or kill our kind at all,” she assured Rienna.
Rienna barely had time to notice Ashe was mounted and ready before the unicorns had spread their immense wings in that breathtaking way she had glimpsed in the cave and took to the sky to leave the canyon that had taken them hours to traverse on foot in a matter of minutes. She had not been prepared to see the full magnificence of these creatures in the vanilla light of day. Rienna had thought it was the most spectacular feeling in the world, flying on the back of a unicorn but then she caught a glimpse of Ashe and a warmth pooled into her thighs and chest. She decided there was one feeling that had it beat. She didn’t beat herself up this time. Distraction or no, Ashe had a huge place in her heart now, just as Belias had. Love for Belias had carried her this far—maybe it was time to let these new feelings push her ahead. She wouldn’t call it love yet, but it had possibilities.
Chapter 7: Alley of the Dolls
Reishefolk seemed to like building way up. As if the highest point on the continent weren’t enough, they had to also build these colossal skyscrapers, which might actually need to be called “space-scrapers”—if not entirely accurate, they were still pretty close.
Verity was a des
ert-dweller/jungle kind of girl most of her life so, while she thrilled at the flight up, looking down from the high altitudes sometimes made her feel extremely nauseous. She felt it was a little harder to breathe up here but she wasn’t here for herself anyway; she was here for Finn.
The apartments they had been given were luxurious; clean, contemporary lines and solid neutral colors, but still comfortable and accommodating. They had brought pearls that Rienna seemed fond of handing out like water, but the Folk had refused to take anything from the “honored guests.” So far they had been served an evening meal before resting last night and again first thing in the morning and the foods were simple but filling—fresh fruit, nuts, and crackers (and had to fight a snicker when ‘Polly want a cracker?’ almost jumped to her lips—their server had been a parrot Folk).
Finn and Verity shared an apartment but the apartment had two bedroom suites, each appointed with a large luxurious grandking bed but she had also frowned that one was decidedly feminine while the other was just the opposite. She had wanted to say something to Finn; hard experience had taught her not to trust kindness in perfect strangers, but he had been so excited by how warm they were that she couldn’t bear to bring him down. Other than his distant father and maybe the elder, he had not been used to any Reishefolk showing him such kindness.
The apartment itself was very near the top of the place, on the 44th floor and Verity had decided not to spend much time looking out of the window, if she could avoid it. She could see nothing of the ground they had started their journey on and sometimes clouds formed a floor several stories down even—if she could see through them, the Reishefolk that weren’t flying high were too far down to make out still. The one thing she did enjoy was seeing so many Reishe in flight; wings of every color imaginable and such grace and skill in flying that she would not have expected from a human with wings.
Once the parrot-server had left, Verity knew she could talk to Finn undisturbed again and she wanted to know how he was feeling about everything so far. She had had a lump in her gut since the ‘doll’ comment and hadn’t been able to get around it. Even the elder who had received them for a short while and arranged them accommodations had said the word a couple of times. She could at least ask Finn about that. Maybe it was in his father’s journal…
The Truth about Heroes: Complete Trilogy (Heroes Trilogy) Page 38