Iris gave him a sweet smile and watched as he walked off, heading out the door, disappearing down the street. Frodi leaned in and kissed her gently on the cheek, squeezing her hand in his. "If you guys need anything, don't hesitate to call out for us. I've got my phone, and Arsenio has my number. Besides, I'm pretty sure at this point, we all can sense if each other is in trouble. I know it's hard to do, but try to relax, get in that extra rest that you'll need to make it to the top of the peaks, much less battle whoever waits for you. We'll be with you every step of the way, but ultimately the stone looks for your power."
Iris took her key and wrapped her arm around Arsenio's, heading to the stairs. The hotel was older, paint peeling slightly in the corners and a smell of musk emanating from the worn-down carpets. With winter approaching, the roads in and out of Right Staff Caverns were treacherous. Iris was just glad that there was heat, as she hadn't packed anything for cold weather like that. As her Griffin, she wouldn't need it, but as her human, she got just as cold as any of the others. She wasn't like the Bears, holding heat and energy in their bodies regardless of whether they were in their animal form or not.
When they reached the room, Arsenio took the key from her and opened up the door, going in first just do a quick check. “Everything is good. Come on in.”
Walking inside, Iris dropped her bag, the smaller one she brought from inside her harness, on the floor, and walked directly into the bathroom. She leaned over the clawfoot tub and turned on the hot water, plugging the bottom and closing her eyes as the steam began to rise and warm her skin. Arsenio walked up behind her, putting his hands around her and hugging her tightly.
She leaned into him, closing her eyes for a moment as she lost herself in the security of his enormous wingspan. Releasing her, he walked around her and began to help her undress. There is an intimacy to it, and though Iris had been naked in front of Arsenio more times than she could count at that point, it felt as if he was seeing her for the first time. She could feel a blush in her cheeks, but fortunately, it was hidden by the flush that washed over her from the steam gathering around them.
Once undressed, he held her hand as she stepped into the bath and sunk into the hot water. Her eyes closed as she leaned her head back against the edge of the tub, feeling the soothing that came with almost scorching hot water. Arsenio grabbed a chair from the small desk inside the room and pulled it up behind her at the bathtub. Without a word, he reached over and grabbed the shampoo, the sample bottle looking miniature in his large hands.
He reached back and grabbed a porcelain carafe that sat on a small makeup table inside the bathroom. Dunking it into the water, he tilted Iris' head back and carefully poured it over her, wetting her hair. Gently, he began to lather the shampoo into her hair, massaging her scalp in an attempt to relax her. Iris had never had anyone wash her hair before, and it was far more seductive than she had imagined it to be.
Arsenio talked to her in a deep calming tone as he washed her. "Do increased powers scare you?"
Iris stared up at the tiled ceiling. "Yes and no. They're natural, so it's not a jolt when they come through, but just from my show back in the woods, I now know that everyone is correct. The stronger my powers get, the harder they are to control. Even back there, it felt as if I wasn't wielding my magic, like it had taken over and done as it pleased."
“Do you think that’s because you found your mates?” Arsenio asked.
Iris' gaze fell to the water, watching as it rippled around her. A small smile moved across her lips. "I hadn't had much time to think about it, but it would only make sense that the three of you would fit that bill. As each of you came into my life, I grew stronger, and now that all three of you are here, I continue to increase my powers without even thinking about it."
Arsenio took the pitcher and dipped it into the water again, rinsing the soap from her hair. She could feel the suds sliding down her body, and she closed her eyes, focusing on the warmth that ran down her neck. Arsenio's hands combed through her hair and came down, resting on her shoulders. He leaned forward and whispered into her ear. "I feel more connected to you than I have with anyone in my life."
Iris opened her eyes and tilted her head back, looking into Arsenio’s. “I feel the same way.”
Their eyes locked, and suddenly it felt as if everything around them slipped away. There was no more thought of Hellforth or the stone, no more wondering about her powers, or fearing what was to come. Everything that she was focused on fluttered away, and as if she were thrown into a tunnel, Arsenio stood there, the only person on her mind. Tilting his head to the side, he leaned in, connecting his lips to hers. As he did, his hand slipped forward, moving down over her breast, the tips of his fingers lightly touching her skin.
Almost immediately, her breasts tightened, and her nipples went erect, feeling that familiar surge of heat blow through her. All she could think of was him, all she could see was him, and all she wanted was more of him. She gently lifted her hands from the water, and reached over her head, smoothing her fingernails down his neck, feeling his muscles bulge as he kissed her. Both of his hands had fallen at this point, grasping onto her breasts and massaging them with a gentleness she didn't imagine he could be capable of.
With a deep breath, her lips still tightly against Arsenio's, the heat expounded, driving them both to latch onto each other, pulling at each other. Arsenio's hand slipped down from her breasts, moving over her belly and between her thighs. She lifted her leg and hung it out of the bathtub, giving him full rights to wherever his fingers wanted to roam. Immediately, without pause, they smoothed down to her pussy, sending a wave of pleasure through her. Her mouth opened against his, and she gasped, feeling him linger for a moment before slipping two of his fingers deep inside her.
Her hands gripped his arm, not in pain but pleasure. He sensed that pleasure and began to finger her slowly and seductively. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she opened her thighs wider, keeping her hands gripped around his arm. She moved her hips against him, licking her lips as the passion flooded through her.
Moans of ecstasy began to escape her throat as he kept a steady rhythm, lifting his thumb and rubbing it around her clit. Her fingers dug into his arms, and she felt as if she tried to climb up to him, but he kept her down in the bathtub, reaching out with his other hand and pulling up her left leg. The water began to splash as he rubbed harder, his breath heavy in her ear. "I want to feel you come. And then, I want to feel you come again, wrapped around my cock."
Her teeth chattered, his voice sending her over the edge. She gasped loudly as the orgasm exploded inside of her. He didn't stop, though, not giving her any reprieve. It washed over her in waves, making it hard for her even to open her eyes. His fingers moved faster and faster, and as the first orgasm began to recede, it picked back up, racing toward the peak of her pleasure before exploding all over again. Her body was rigid, her bottom lip quivering as she felt the power of a second orgasm.
When her muscles began to relax, her body trembled at the feeling of his thumb brushing against her sensitive nub. He smiled, his eyes dark and his lids low. Even after those two orgasms, Iris still wanted more of him. She wanted to know what was inside his fitted khakis, and she wanted to feel it deep inside of her. Arsenio stood up and walked around her, leaning down and lifting her from the tub. Water dripped all over them, but neither of them cared.
He turned around and sat her on the cool marble counter, his hand already unbuckling his pants and dropping them to his feet. Iris didn't mind the rush; everything in her wanted to pull him in. She reached out, running her hand up the large bulge in his black boxer briefs. Just the feel of it against her palm drew out the primal instincts in them both. With a fire in her eyes, she ripped down his boxers and grabbed onto his enormous shaft, and pulled him toward her.
She scooted to the edge of the counter and spread her legs wide, rubbing the tip of his dick against her pulsating wetness. "Fuck me."
Those were the only two wor
ds she needed to say. Arsenio growled as he pushed inside of her, wrapping his arm around her back and gripping her hips tightly. She put her arms around his neck, and he began to pump, slamming his cock as deep into her as he could. Their bodies jolted in rhythm, and she couldn't believe how perfectly he filled her up. Their energy was colliding, sending her nerves spiraling out of control. There was something about his masculinity, his strength, his protection that made her want him hard and rough.
She scratched her nails down his arms, and he reached up, gripping her hair and tilting her head back. She smiled as she leaned backward, resting her shoulders against the mirror. He gripped her hips and pulled them up, the only thing keeping her on the counter, being her hands supporting the rest of her body. She screamed out in ecstasy as he pounded her over and over, as fast as he possibly could. Their skin slapped together, echoing through the bathroom.
As he reached the point of explosion, the feeling of his body as it slammed deep into her sent her over the edge right with him. He pushed deep into her and held her tightly against him as his muscles flexed and released, his eyes closing as the waves of pleasure washed over him. She could feel the explosion inside of her, and her body rippled with pleasure, her breath stuck in her chest.
Very carefully, Arsenio sat her back on the counter and leaned in, kissing the nape of her neck. She put her hands on both sides of his face and stared deep into his eyes. As she opened her mouth to thank him, there was a loud banging on the door, startling them both. Arsenio pulled away, jumping into his pants, and zipping them. He hadn't even managed to get his shirt off before they were full throttle in pleasure, so he smoothed his hair back, and headed for the door. Iris quickly grabbed her robe and wrapped it around herself, following him out.
He cracked the door and glanced out before stepping aside and opening it wide. Frodi raced in, his eyes wild, a fear trembling over him. Iris walked quickly toward him and reached for his hand. “What’s wrong? Where’s Alo?”
Frodi shook his head. “He’s fine. But the Griffin sanctuary, it’s been attacked.”
Iris slapped her hand over her mouth and shook her head, stepping backward. Behind her, she heard a flutter of wings, and she whirled around to find a blackbird sitting in wait on the windowsill. She knew those eyes, and she knew they would only bring bad news.
Chapter Twelve
Iris flipped up the hood on her cape, shadowing her face as she walked along the edge of the street toward the edge of town. Every few feet, she glanced up, finding the blackbirds soaring high above, leading her toward whatever destination they were headed to. They walked away from the caverns, but before they hit the tree line, veered right into the field of tall grasses. It was dark, but the half crested moon shone brightly above them, creating a dim blue cascading aura over the area. She glanced back at the town but knew that from where she stood, no one would notice her.
She had been playing with her magic, realizing that she could create an outward force, a mist just like her mother's. The only problem was, she wasn't quite sure how it worked yet. She followed her instincts and used it as a form of cloaking, that way if anyone had been watching her, they wouldn't have seen her go out there. She knew there was an excellent chance that someone was following her.
The blackbird circled back around the field, and as it landed, it transformed into Brier, the High Alphas wizard. Iris glanced back and forth before hurrying toward him, lifting the bottom of her cloak as to not catch it on any of the bristly blades of grass. Immediately she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly, sensing a strange form of emotion simmering in the pit of her stomach. It was as if she could feel his sadness, his fear, and his growing worry.
“How bad is it?” Iris asked.
Brier took a long deep breath, the dark circles under his eyes larger than usual. "The Alpha is still alive, but so many Griffin have perished."
The words struck her deeply, visions of the people walking through the stone cavern city flashing through her mind. Brier lifted his hands, placing one palm over the other, and raising his top hand until there was a swirl of dark energy moving within his palm. He opened both palms and allowed the energy to escape, hovering just in front of them. Iris watched as the magic transformed, creating a window of sorts into the Griffin sanctuary.
She could see everything, and it was more than heartbreaking. Massive fires burned across the city, buildings lay collapsed in the rubble, others teetering back and forth on the edge of their release. She clapped her hand over her mouth once again, her other arm holding her waist tightly as she watched the city burn, lying in shambles. She could hear the cries of children and mothers, the steady pounding footsteps of the Griffin Army marching through the debris, and the sound of sirens sporadically blaring out, letting the people know that all the danger had yet to be discovered.
Iris reached out and grabbed onto Brier’s arm. “What can I do? We can go back right now. I can help clean this up.”
Brier twisted his hand, ending the broadcast and sending his magic back into his chest. He shook his head, putting his hand over hers. "No. They are bullying us because that's exactly what they want you to do. You must be getting close, and the time for payback will find you. These people have died for there to be a more positive future for the Griffins. They may not have had a choice in it, but they are now martyrs. Do their memory justice, and find that stone before whoever's behind it gets their hands on it."
Iris nodded. “I know who’s behind it. It’s Hellforth.”
Brier frowned. "That's impossible. Your great-grandfather killed Hellforth a very long time ago, and gave his life doing so."
Iris looked up at the moon and nodded her head. "Well, he's back, I've seen him in my visions. I've heard his voice, echoing through my mind. He's after the stone, and he'll do anything to keep me away from it. I need to get to that stone, and I need to do it soon, or those casualties will be just a hint of the total that will follow."
Brier reached forward and took Iris' hands. "Be careful. If Hellforth has returned, then things are much darker than I had anticipated. He is strong, but you have the ability to be even stronger. Don't worry about us; we will rebuild. If anything changes, I will find you."
Iris stumbled forward as his hands disappeared from hers, and his blackbird flew high into the sky. Her hands trembled, and she balled them into fists. Iris turned and headed back toward the town. She wasn't scared, or even sad at that moment; she was angrier than hell. She wanted to destroy the Bats, decimate them.
As she approached the edge of town, she slowed, seeing Alo standing on the street, his hands in his pockets, watching her. She smiled, walking up to him. "It's bad; the place is in shambles, but the Alpha is alive, and there are survivors."
With a look of relief, Alo pulled her into him, hugging her tightly and kissing her on the forehead. She growled with emotion. "I'm so angry. I know I should be able to find him, follow him in my visions. If I can do that, I could take care of this right now. I could bring his head back to Calvary and the Griffin sanctuary. I could show the world what happens when you mess with Shifters."
Alo pulled back and looked deep into her eyes, holding her by the shoulders. "This anger is good, but you're aiming it in the wrong direction. You'll have your revenge, but you have to do it smartly. You don't want to make enemies; the Griffins have suffered enough."
Iris' lip trembled, but she took several deep breaths, finding that Alo was correct. He made her think, really think. She smiled at her sweetly, and she nodded, not wanting to relinquish that anger but knowing it was for the best. "Did you find out anything?"
Alo nodded. "There've been several Shifters that say they've heard whispers of Hellforth, but no one has seen him. Of course, he was so widely known in Shifter history that he wouldn't dare show his face until he was capable of controlling the situation. I did find out that there is a dark Shifter, a Bat, who lives beneath the old winery on the other side of town. They say he has connections or at least knowle
dge."
Iris flipped her hood back up. "Then let's go talk to them. I'm sure he'll be pleased to see us."
They headed across town, taking back alleys as Iris continued to spin her magic, hoping it was doing the job. They reached the winery, finding it in disarray, lumber and trash spread out across the overgrown property, and an old beat-up truck parked around the corner. Iris followed the trail, leading down a set of steps into a basement beneath the building.
Even though she didn't know how she would use it, Iris surged her magic to her fists, hoping that she could defend herself and Alo if need be. They quietly descended the cement staircase to the door, which was barely even shut. Iris glanced through the small window at the top, seeing a man dressed in rags, older, standing in a makeshift kitchen area, cooking something. There were vials all over the tables, beakers of strange liquids, and jars filled with things she didn't even want to know about.
She put up her fingers, silently counting down to Alo before bursting through the door. The man whirled around, instantly turning into his Bat and making a beeline straight for the exit. Iris shook her head, wielding her magic, smacking him dead in the chest as he attempted to fly by. The Bat landed on the ground with a thud quickly changing back into its human form. Alo and Iris immediately jumped on him, grabbing him by the arms and pulling him to his feet. He wasn’t very strong in his human form, so Alo held him as Iris waved a dagger of energy in front of his face.
“I suspect you know who I am,” Iris said.
He wrinkled his nose, his beard gray and scraggly. "A Griffin. And not just any, but a High Alpha, a position you're not worthy of."
He spat on the floor at her feet, and her hand snapped up, grabbing him by the chin. His eyes went wide in fear. "Where are the rest of your kind?"
He closed his eyes tightly and attempted to turn his face away. Slowly Iris reached back behind her cloak and pulled a small steel dagger from the back of her pants. She had tucked it in her waistband before leaving to talk to Brier, just in case. She held it to the older man's face, gently pressing the tip into his flesh. "I'm going to do this again, but this time you're going to answer me, or you won't have to clutch your eyes so tightly shut because I'll carve them out of your skull."
Her Sky Mates Page 7