Goddess’s Choice

by I. T. Lucas

  Annani glanced down at what she was wearing. Her dress was clean and free of unsightly creases. “Why would I?”

  “I thought you would want to wear one of the new ones the seamstress delivered this morning.”

  Right. Annani always wore her new clothes right away. Except, lately she could not care less about clothing or other adornments. Her head was filled with Khiann.

  Except, she should not veer away from her habits lest people become suspicious. Delani had sure been full of questions as she had checked the fit and had made a few adjustments on the spot.

  Her suspicions about the woman being one of Mortdh's spies had solidified after the visit. To be fair, though, Annani had been unreasonably anxious lately, suspecting every servant. It could have been all in her head. After all, there was nothing new about Delani’s barrage of questions, or her prattle.

  “Hand me the yellow one.”

  “Yes, my lady.”

  The blue looked nicer on her, but Annani wanted to keep it for her evening meeting with Khiann.

  When they reached her uncle’s study, Annani motioned for Gulan and her guards to stay outside and entered by herself.

  As usual, she found Ekin poring over his large tablet and drawing on it with a stylus.

  “What are you working on now?”

  “A design for a faster boat.” He immediately went into a long explanation about how his new design would improve commerce and how much money it would save the palace.

  “Uncle, I did not come here to talk about commerce. Fates know I had enough of it over the past six weeks.”

  He smiled. “Is the new tutor working out well?”

  Annani felt a blush creep up her cheeks. “Very well indeed.”

  “I am glad.”

  Not one to beat around the bush, Annani plunged in. “I need a favor from you.”

  “Anything.” Ekin straightened up, took her elbow, and led her to his chaise. “Tell me what you need, and I shall see what I can do.”

  Sitting next to her uncle, Annani debated whether she should just tell him what she wanted and why straight up, or talk around it and hope he would understand.

  Ekin was bright, and his nature was more similar to hers than that of her parents. He would know what she meant and not make a big fuss about impropriety or some other nonsense like that.

  Still, she was a bit embarrassed.

  Taking a deep breath, Annani rearranged the folds of her yellow dress. “For the past six weeks, my tutor has conducted the lessons in the gazebo. There are a lot of distractions over there. Birds chirping, small animals scurrying through the undergrowth, and people coming and going and interrupting us constantly. I was wondering if we could have our lessons here. I could learn so much more without all those interruptions.”

  A big grin split Ekin’s face. “I will be happy to assist you, niece. Let me show you a chamber you may use for your studies.” He got up and offered her his hand.

  “Right through here.” Ekin opened one of the doors on the other side of his study. Behind it was a corridor, leading to other chambers in his private wing of the palace.

  “I think this one is perfect.” He paused in front of one of the doors and pushed it open. “What do you think?”

  A large bed took up most of the space in the room. Besides the bed, there was an elegant chaise with a high arm and a privacy partition for dressing. There was no desk or table.

  Annani looked up at her uncle. “Is it private?”

  “Very, and it has an adjacent washroom.” He walked over to the chaise and patted the tall arm. “A lot of interesting studying could be done on this piece of furniture.”

  Annani blushed. She was a virgin, but that did not mean she did not know what Ekin was implying.

  Naughty god.

  “What about your servants?”

  “Many of my companions require discretion. My staff are not allowed in this wing unless I tell them it is all right to enter and clean it. I dismiss anyone who does not adhere to my instructions. As far as everyone is concerned, you and your tutor will be using my study for your lessons while I am there, chaperoning.”

  Annani stretched up on her tiptoes and kissed her uncle’s cheek. “You are the best, Ekin.”

  “So I have been told.” He winked.

  9

  Khiann

  “Tell me again why are we going to Ekin’s study?” Khiann asked as Annani led him down the palace’s wide corridor.

  The sprite was up to something, and he had a feeling it was not studying. Was Ekin on one of his excursions and Annani thought to use his quarters?

  A crazy idea, since she was followed everywhere by her guards. The gazebo was outdoors, a public area of the palace, and no one made a fuss about the guards not spending every moment with her there. Only the cook and her assistants knew that they spent every evening in the kitchens, waiting for Annani’s cakes to be ready.

  A room in Ekin’s quarters was a different story.

  “As I have explained before, there are too many distractions in the gazebo, and I have a hard time concentrating on your most eloquent lectures. I asked Ekin if we could use his study, and he graciously agreed.”

  “I see.” He did not, but by the barely contained smirk on Annani’s beautiful face, the princess had something interesting planned.

  “Here we are.” She knocked on the door.

  It was immediately opened by Ekin himself, not a servant.

  “Good evening, my favorite niece.” He bent to kiss Annani’s cheek.

  “I am your only niece.” She entered and motioned for Khiann to follow, then turned around to Gulan and the guards. “Since we will be working on my assignment together with my uncle, you are free to go. Come back in two hours. We have a lot of work to do.”

  “As you wish, my lady.” Gulan looked suspicious but bowed and turned on her heel nonetheless.

  The guards looked happy to be dismissed.

  “Thank you, my lady,” the one on the left said.

  “We shall return in two hours,” the other one said.

  Annani waved a hand. “Take your time. It might take more than two hours.”

  The guards bowed and followed Gulan down the corridor.

  A moment after the door enclosed them in the study, Annani pumped her small fist in the air. “Ekin, you are a genius.”

  “I know.” The god smiled and offered Khiann his hand. “We have met before, Khiann son of Navohn and the lovely Yaeni, but we never clasped hands in friendship.”

  Disturbed by the god’s words, Khiann shook the hand he was offered. “Thank you for welcoming us into your study.”

  “My pleasure, son.”

  Ekin had a notorious reputation, and referring to Khiann’s mother as lovely might have suggested that the two were more than acquaintances. It was not something a son wanted to contemplate about his mother.

  His parents were not a truelove match, but nevertheless, there was plenty of love between them. As far as Khiann knew, neither his father nor his mother had ever strayed. Except, it was not something parents shared with their children. He might have been blissfully unaware.

  “Would either of you care to explain what is going on?” he asked.

  Ekin raised a brow at Annani. “You did not tell him?”

  “I wanted it to be a surprise. Besides, we were not alone for even one moment.”

  The god grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement. Ekin was so ancient that he was actually showing some slight signs of aging. “Let us not waste time then. Follow me, children.” He turned around and walked over to one of the doors leading out of his study.

  “I am not a child, uncle.”

  “You will always be a child to me, my lovely niece.”

  Khiann was relieved. Apparently, Ekin used the term lovely liberally.

  It is evident that the two not only liked each other but also shared many characteristics. Hopefully, though, Annani had not inherited her uncle's propensity for seeking
variety, just his smarts, and his upbeat personality.

  Ekin opened one of the doors lining the corridor of his private wing and motioned for them to enter. “I will see you when I see you. If anyone comes looking for you, I shall shoo them away. Have fun, kids.” He winked before closing the door on them.

  “Surprise!” Annani wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a passionate kiss.

  Khiann was stunned.

  Was Ekin providing cover for them, letting them use one of the bedchambers in his private quarters?

  It was inconceivable.

  And it was not safe.

  “What if one of Ekin’s servants finds us here?”

  Still holding on to his neck and forcing him to bend almost in two, Annani grinned. “My uncle’s reputation is not in vain. He runs his household with the privacy of his partners in mind. His staff are not allowed in this area unless he specifically instructs them to go in and clean it.”

  “What if this is a trap?” Khiann dislodged her arms so he could straighten up.

  Annani waved a hand. “Pfft, Khiann. You are even more paranoid than I am. I trust Ekin.”

  “Mortdh’s father.”

  “Yes.” And to prove it, she tugged on her dress, letting it fall to the floor, and then stepped out of it, wearing nothing other than her glorious skin.

  All objections forgotten, Khiann was rendered speechless once again.

  During the past six weeks, he had had his hands on every curve of Annani’s magnificent body, even on some of her naked skin, but this was the first time he was seeing her without a stitch of clothing on.

  Mirth dancing in her eyes, she put a hand on her hip and struck a pose, looking as regal without clothes as she looked in the most elaborate of gowns. “Say something.”

  He rubbed a hand over his mouth, wiping away the few droplets of venom that had dripped from his fully extended fangs onto his lower lip.

  “You are so incredibly beautiful,” he said with a slur.

  Up until now, Khiann had managed to refrain from biting Annani by the sheer force of his willpower. As a result, for the past six weeks, his venom glands had been permanently swollen. Unlike human males, gods and immortals did not have the luxury of letting off steam by their own hands, or at least not entirely. Biting a pillow just did not do the trick. The venom had to be released into a female’s bloodstream.

  The problem was that if injected repeatedly, the venom was addictive. Until Annani was certain beyond the shadow of a doubt that she wanted him as her mate, he could not allow himself to get her addicted to him.

  He could have used the services of paid partners, but it did not feel right to do so. Khiann wanted only Annani and had decided to abstain until she was ready. Besides, she expected him to stay true to her.

  As a result, there was not even a drop of patience left in him. He feared that the moment he had her naked body in his arms, he was going to bite her.

  Her eyes hooded with desire, Annani sauntered toward the bed and climbed on top of it. “Now it is your turn to show me this magnificent body of yours. I have been waiting for this moment quite impatiently.”

  Khiann shook his head.

  He was in deep trouble. His fangs wanted inside Annani’s neck, and his shaft wanted inside her womanhood. If he removed his breeches, he would attack her before ensuring her readiness.

  His only chance of holding off was to leave them on until she was well prepared to receive him.

  “Do you remember the deal we have made? You are to follow my commands, not the other way around.”

  Annani pouted. “I remember.”

  10

  Annani

  That was disappointing. Annani had been looking forward to seeing Khiann in all his magnificence just as much as she had been craving their joining.

  “But why not? I want to see you.”

  “You will, just not all of me right away. Patience, my love. I promise you will see everything before we leave this room.” He reached for the bottom of his tunic and pulled it over his head.

  Wow, Khiann was perfection. Annani’s mouth watered at the sight of his muscular chest and arms.

  All gods had handsome bodies and beautiful faces, but most of them led sedentary lives and did not develop big bulging muscles like Khiann’s.

  “How did you get to be so big?”

  He glanced down at the huge erection tenting his breeches. “This is your doing.” He lifted a pair of worried eyes. “I hope it does not scare you.”

  Typical male, thinking everything was about his manhood.

  Rolling her eyes, Annani waved a hand. “I will admit your size is somewhat intimidating, but my question referred to your muscles, not your erection.”

  “Oh.” He sounded disappointed.

  “Do not get me wrong, it is very impressive,” she added quickly. “But I expected its size to be proportionate to your height. What I did not expect were all those yummy muscles.”

  A small smirk lifted one corner of Khiann’s mouth, making him look comical given that his fangs were fully extended. It was like watching a tiger smile. “I practice fencing with Esag daily. I need to be able to defend myself and my entourage on the caravan routes. The roads are infested with bandits.”

  It should have worried her that Khiann found it necessary to learn fighting skills to fend off potential attacks on his trading expeditions. Instead, it only enhanced his appeal in her eyes. There was something very alluring about a capable warrior. As a god, Khiann had abilities that would most likely make actual hand to hand combat unnecessary. Still, the fact that he knew how to wield a sword excited her.

  As the spike in her desire reached Khiann’s nostrils, the glow in his eyes intensified. He sucked in a breath and advanced on her, his powerful body moving with the grace and fluidity of a predator, his fangs and intense eyes making him look feral.

  Magnificent god.

  Oddly, Annani felt no trepidation despite the sight of his glowing eyes, his fully elongated fearsome fangs, and the erection tenting his breeches, not to mention the horror tales of how difficult and painful the first time was for a female. Thankfully, goddesses did not have a maidenhead like human and immortal females, so there would be no tearing and no blood involved, except maybe for where he was going to bite her.

  According to Delani and Nai, though, it was the best part of the joining. A god’s venom was a powerful aphrodisiac and produced the best orgasms. Annani could not wait to experience Khiann’s bite even if a little pain was involved, or a lot.

  She was not worried about that part of the joining. The size of his erection, however, was another story. He was a big male, while she was a tiny female. Even without the need to breach a barrier, the fit was not going to be comfortable.

  Khiann caught her staring at the tent in his pants. “Do not be afraid, my beautiful flower.” He leaned over her, his eyes roaming over every curve before he kissed her lips. “By the time I am done preparing you, you will be so soaking wet that I will glide inside you effortlessly.”

  Her male was delusional. It was going to hurt. But she could deal with that. After all, Delani had reassured her that only the first couple of times were painful, hastening to add that she would feel pleasure as well. Supposedly, by the third time, the pain would be gone, and only the pleasure would remain.

  “I am not afraid of pain. If babies can pass through my channel, so can your manhood. I trust you to make it good for me in the end.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him down to lie on top of her. The feel of his big body blanketing hers was heavenly. Annani had waited a long time to experience this type of closeness, and it was even better than she had imagined.

  As he lifted his torso and braced on his forearms, Khiann gazed at her with love in his glowing eyes. “I cherish your trust. It is the most precious gift you can give me.”

  “More precious than my virginity?”

  “Much more. Although I cherish that too.”

/>   She liked his answer a lot. Khiann was right to value her trust over her virginity. It was much harder to give away.

  Dipping his head, he slanted his lips over hers, gently, careful not to nick her with his fangs as he slipped his tongue into her mouth. His gentleness did not last long, though. After a few swipes against her tongue, he deepened the kiss, thrusting into her mouth, claiming it as thoroughly as if it were a prelude to another taking.

  By the time Khiann lifted his head and moved to his side, Annani’s body was quivering with need.

  Gazing at her puckered nipples with heated eyes, he murmured, "Beautiful.”

  As he smoothed his palm over her hip and then continued up to the valley of her narrow waist, feathering his fingers over her heaving ribcage, Annani held her breath. When his hand finally made contact with her breast, she released it with an audible whoosh and then moaned as he dipped his head and licked her straining nipple.

  Yes, that was precisely what she needed.

  Arching her back, Annani demanded more than the lazy swipes of his tongue. Not one to deny her, not for long anyway, Khiann gently took the hard peak between his lips and suckled on it, at the same time rolling the other one between his fingers.

  Annani was on fire, so turned on that she could have climaxed just from that, or rather from the anticipation of his next move. During their so-called lessons, he had brought her to several shattering orgasms just by masterfully fondling her breasts.

  Fates, he had given her so much pleasure over the six weeks of his courtship. Annani could not wait to do the same in return. Except, she had to stick to the deal she had made and follow his lead until their third joining.

  It would be amazing to finally have her hands and her mouth on him. Everywhere. For some reason, though, Khiann had denied her the pleasure of touching his manhood. Hopefully, her curiosity would be sated tonight.

  As his suckling turned more forceful, she braced for what was coming next, almost crying in relief when his fingers closed around her other nipple and pinched. It was the oddest thing, but she craved the little zings of pain. They enhanced her pleasure, bringing her to a faster orgasm than all of his gentle touches put together.