by Amy Sumida
“You mean; you wanted to have sex in the carriage.” I lifted a cocky eyebrow at him as he closed the door behind us.
Arach rapped the roof with his knuckles and grinned wickedly at me. The carriage lurched forward, and he snapped the curtains shut before he slid onto the seat beside me. As soon as we had our privacy, I shimmied out of my leather pants, shoving my panties off with them, and straddled my husband, nearly as anxious for him as he was for me. We didn't need any more words, there were better uses for our mouths. I wrapped my arms around Arach's shoulders as I kissed him slowly, rekindling the fire we'd started in Aaru.
Arach unzipped my vest and yanked it open. My breasts popped free, and when he started thumbing my nipples, I lifted my lips from his and cried out. He yanked me forward and up onto my knees, setting his mouth over the tip of my right breast. Wet heat enveloped my tender flesh before the lashing strikes of his velvet tongue began. I wove my fingers through Arach's crimson hair and held him to me as I let my head fall back, eyes closing to enjoy every sensation. Arach started making rumbling sounds as he sucked and licked at me, his hands massaging my ass.
I was nearly naked, and Arach still had all of his clothes on. It was deliciously naughty, but I'd had enough of it. I reached down between us and undid his pants, releasing his silky shaft to spring up eagerly. After giving it a few loving strokes, I held it firm and moved over it, getting it nice and slick before I sank onto its hard length. Both of us sighed in bliss. The jostling of the carriage bounced me onto Arach in delightful ways.
“I need to be deeper,” Arach growled. “As deep as you can take me.”
He lifted me with him off the bench then moved us to the floor of the carriage and turned us to lay beneath me. I bit my lip as I began to ride Arach in earnest, sinking to the base of his shaft and grinding down to pull even more of him inside me. That sweet stretching, the wet friction, and pulsing heat; they made me moan for more. I ran my hands down his sleek chest, trailing the tips of my fingers over the scales bordering it. My dragon sighed and stretched inside me and my own scales lifted to outline my breasts and belly.
“I shouldn't have left you like that,” Arach's voice went low and fierce. “My dragon was already excited by battle and then I had to wait a day for you to arrive. I've been going mad without you. My cock weeps for your caress.”
“I didn't think of that.” I lowered myself to kiss him. “We should have taken some time for dragons before we left.”
“Indeed,” his voice went even deeper. “I'm sorry, A Thaisce, but I need you too badly to draw this out.”
“We can make love to tonight,” I purred. “But right now, you need to fuck me and satisfy our beasts.”
Arach surged up and lifted me off himself. I struggled to help him, but I wasn't sure what he wanted until he had me turned toward a bench. I bent over it and spread my legs for him with an eager smile. Arach could be very civilized—even when being brutal—but when his dragon took control, he slipped into savagery like a barbarian king. And I enjoyed every second of it.
Arach rumbled with satisfaction and positioned himself between my thighs. I slipped my hands over my ass and held myself open for him. The Dragon let out a primal grunt as he shoved himself deep. I let go once he was inside and switched my grip to the velvet bench before me as he began a vicious thrusting. My body slid forward, my thighs hitting the bench with every slam of Arach's hips, so I switched to pressing my palms against the wall and shoving back onto him.
“Seeing you beneath Marduk nearly broke me,” Arach rumbled and panted. “I couldn't get to you. My mate. Lying there, naked and abused. Then buried beside me. I couldn't reach you. I couldn't—”
“I'm right here.” I reached back and took his hand. “I'm alive, Arach. We're both alive.”
Arach growled and squeezed my hand tightly but then he let me go to slide both of his hands beneath me and up my belly. He took a firm hold of my breasts and bent over my back, setting his face into the curve of my neck. My nipples slipped between the lengths of his fingers as he massaged me, and he squeezed them together, pinching me erotically.
“A Thaisce.” Arach's breath warmed my skin seconds before he bit.
I cried out as his fangs pierced my neck, my whole body thrumming with magic and ecstasy. The wet sucking at my throat seemed to go all the way to my sex, where my husband continued to drive himself into me mindlessly. Rapture rolled up and down from where we were connected, circling over and onto itself, magnifying until it burst from me on a broken cry. I clenched around Arach as I came, squeezing him until he released my neck to roar in completion.
Arach collapsed over me and nuzzled his face against mine. “You're here,” he whispered. “You're mine and you're safe.”
“We're both safe.” I turned my head to kiss him tenderly. “It wasn't easy for me to see you buried alive either.”
Arach slid to the floor then pulled me down onto his lap. He held me tightly and breathed in my scent before responding, “I thought we were dead. And then there you were, digging me out of my grave, leading me back to life.”
“It'll take a lot more than a bit of rock and dirt to hold us down, baby.” I grinned at him.
“A Thaisce, I don't believe an entire planet could hold you down.” Arach kissed my forehead.
“Not if that planet is trying to keep me away from you.”
I snuggled in against Arach, and we stayed that way until the carriage rolled to a stop. Then I jolted up, realizing that I was still naked. Arach chuckled and casually tucked himself into his pants as I hopped into mine. I had just gotten my vest zipped when Fearghal, our Red Cap Captain, opened the carriage door for us.
“Welcome home!” Fearghal declared boisterously.
“Thank you. Thank you so much,” I stammered as I jumped out. “Good to be home.”
I cleared my throat as Fearghal frowned at my flushed cheeks.
“You okay, my Queen?” Fearghal asked in concern.
“She's fine, Fearghal.” Arach slapped the Red Cap's arm since he couldn't reach his shoulder. “Just anxious to see our sons.”
“Oh, yes. Of course!” Fearghal bowed.
“Actually, I am anxious to see them,” I murmured to Arach as we headed inside. “Someone made me wait.”
“I have no idea what you're talking about,” Arach said innocently.
I waved at the welcoming faeries as I rushed through the hallway and up the grand staircase. It magically shortened the trip for me as was its habit. I was particularly grateful for that today. At the top landing, I turned right, Arach close beside me. We strode past our bedroom and continued to our boys' room, one door down. I stepped inside with a wide grin.
Rian and Brevyn's beautiful cribs were packed away in storage. Part of me missed them but another part of me enjoyed seeing the evidence of the Twins' growth. The little boy beds, one to either side of the room. The little boy toys; blocks, castles, wooden swords, and mini sets of armor. The bookshelf with children's books and stuffed animals. New wardrobes had replaced their old ones and had been set in the corners near the door. In the opposite corner near the window, a mini castle tower had been built to replace the scratching post that Rian didn't need anymore. Rian hung out of the top of the tower, firing arrows with padded tips at Brevyn, who was in armor, batting away the arrows with his shield and sword to protect Dexter, our nurial, and Deidre, Dexter's daughter. The nurials yipped at Rian, their fox ears lifted into points and their six legs tapping the floor excitedly.
Brevyn deflected one last arrow and then shouted, “Cease fire! Our parents have entered the battlefield!”
I chuckled at Brevyn's dramatic tone as Rian set aside his bow and climbed down the ladder inside the tower. Brevyn cast aside his sword and shield and hurried over to me for a hug while the nurials chased after him. Rian popped out the tower door seconds later.
“Hey, baby.” I hugged Brevyn and then looked over his costume. “You look very dashing, Sir Brevyn.”
“Th
ank you.” Brevyn straightened and posed for me; chin lifted and hands on his hips.
Brevyn's hair was getting darker every year but still had some gold in it, enough to make him look like a miniature Lancelot. Those blue eyes that always reminded me of Ull had darkened a shade as well, but they still held the ancient spark that betrayed his soul's true age. I had a brief moment to admire them before I was attacked by savage beasts.
I laughed and hugged both of the nurials, smoothing their fur back from their slim faces. Deidre had taken awhile to warm up to us and find her footing in the castle but now she was as confident and loving as Dexter. I gave her an extra kiss on her long nose just for being brave.
Rian was hugging Arach when I eased away from the nurials. He moved over to me, Brevyn slipping smoothly behind him to give his father a greeting as well. I hugged my little dragon and smoothed his wild, crimson hair down. Rian grinned up at me, his emerald, dragon eyes and the matching scales at his temples gleaming in the light.
“My beautiful boys,” I said with pride and love. “I missed you.”
“We missed you too,” Rian said. “Father told us that you had to fight a war in the Human Realm.”
“I told you that she'd be fine.” Brevyn nudged his brother with his elbow.
Brevyn has an unusual magic that allows him to borrow—or copy, rather—another god or faerie's magic. To help him decide which magic to use, he was also equipped with prophecy. It was nearly impossible to hide anything from Brevyn. As a parent, that can be especially annoying but it's also been tremendously helpful.
“Yes, I had to go to war again,” I confirmed. “But I had your father with me, and we had the help of these people called the Jinn.”
Rian looked at Arach with wide eyes. “Are those the desert fire spirits you told us about, Father?”
“Yes, those are the Jinn; beings born of dragon breath,” Arach said dramatically. “They fought beside us, and we prevailed. All is well.”
“Yay!” Rian and Brevyn cried and high-fived each other. “Fire wins!”
Arach and I exchanged smiles.
“How about we go for a flight to the hot springs?” I suggested.
“Yay!” They shouted again.
“All right; get out of that armor, Brevyn, and both of you get into your swimming trunks,” Arach said in his daddy voice. “Meet us in the hallway.”
Arach and I went to change into some simple robes and grab our swimwear as well.
The hot springs aren't as fun for the boys as the pool at Pride Palace—the pool I'd be recreating soon—but it was better than nothing. The boys had begged Arach to build them a pool behind the castle, and Arach had agreed, but he kept putting it off, citing all sorts of obstacles. I finally told Arach that he should build it in his own way; making it warm and bubbly like the hot springs so the Fire Fey would enjoy it. He liked that idea and had finally started the construction of our first swimming pool. So far, though, it was only a hole in the ground, set off to the side of the Pixie Village.
“Ready!” Brevyn declared as he ran into the corridor in only a pair of swimming trunks. “You two have to stay here,” he said to the nurials who had followed him.
The animals whined.
“Sorry, but we're going flying,” Brevyn said gently. “We'll see you later today. Go explore the castle.”
Dexter yipped at Deidre, and they went scampering off, their numerous legs creating a riot of thuds. The rest of us went downstairs together, stopping to say hi to members of the court along the way. The boys had been trained to be proper princes so they didn't fidget or whine about the delay but smiled and greeted the courtiers patiently.
We finally made it out of the castle and into the Fire Kingdom. To our left, the Pixie Village was still full of life despite it being late Fall. Soon, they'd be packing up for their yearly stint indoors but for now, they enjoyed their little village along with Blossom, the sentient flower I'd brought with me from Alfheim. She bobbed a greeting to me as if she could sense my attention on her. Further to the left and out from the castle lurked the aforementioned pool-hole with piles of dirt and stone beside it. I had made Arach put a fence around it so no animals or children would fall in. To our right were the kitchen gardens and the Weeping Woods with a playground for the children between them. Even further right, the world went misty as the heat from the Fire Kingdom met the cool breezes of the Air Kingdom.
Arach and I took the boys behind a boulder to get undressed and shift into our dragon forms. Brevyn had copied Arach's dragon and had yet to give it up so he was able to shift even though he isn't a full-blooded dragon-sidhe. Arach's crimson dragon lowered his head to nudge the miniature version of himself proudly as we strode out from behind the rocks; two reds, a rare emerald, and my gold. I carried a bag with our clothing in it, clutched within my talons.
With delighted shrieks, we launched into the Fey sky, the crisp cut of Autumn glancing off our scales. Fire Fey can turn up their internal temperature to keep warm if they need to. Well, all of us except for the Pixies, which is why they move into the castle during the winter. The point is; we were perfectly comfortable while we flew through the frigid gray clouds and across our kingdom.
Below us, a patchwork of land spread out like a quilt. Farms and woods and open plains were all sewn together with the glowing fissures of the Fire Kingdom—the great crevices that dove all the way down to the magma rivers that ran thousands of feet below us. Heat steamed up from the cracks, bright and billowy in the cool air. Around them, plant life thrived, hanging over the edges to dangle in the steam.
Fire Faeries came streaming out of their homes when they heard our roars and waved up at us delightedly. My boys screeched and swung low to greet our people. We liked to take them out flying several times a month for this reason alone; to let the faeries of our kingdom see their princes. The twins' birth had been a miracle for all of us, and the Fire Fey deserved to be a part of my boys' lives. Sometimes, we'd even land and spend some time with our faeries but today, Arach and I needed to be with our children alone. So, we kept flying, heading for the far border of our kingdom.
Awhile later, we landed on the banks of the Tine—the massive lake that serves as the elemental boundary between Fire and Darkness. Each Kingdom in Faerie is bordered by the other elements to maintain a balance. Fire is placed between Air and Earth so it needed water to form a final barrier, thus the Tine. But then Darkness had been made into a kingdom and a race of Fey. There was nowhere left to put the newest kingdom but out. So, Faerie and I formed a ring of land around the circular Faerie Realm. Adding the Kingdom of Darkness had changed the edge of our kingdom a bit.
The Tine is the same but the marshlands that once edged it had dried out. Soft, algae-green grass replaced the moss that used to ring the hot springs and spread out across the once-wet land. The hunched trees had straightened and darkened into slick, ebony versions, their tiny leaves rustling in the breeze of our landing. With the bubbling springs and the nearby Tine, the air still held a hint of humidity but not as much as it used to. The plants that flourished there weren't waxy anymore either but bore vibrant red flowers and orange berries. Darkness tempering Water and Fire.
The boys shifted as soon as they landed then hurried into their swimming trunks. Arach and I got into our swimsuits as well but weren't fast enough for the children. They went running for the largest hot spring and cannonballed in. Arach and I chuckled as we joined them more sedately.
I settled against the sloping, slick side of the hot spring with Arach. He stretched his arm along the rim behind my head, and I leaned into the curve of his neck. The casual comfort of a married couple in love. Heat seeped into my muscles and bubbles massaged my skin, adding to that comfort to lull me further into relaxation. I sighed and nuzzled closer to my husband. The sounds of our boys playing made me smile, and I watched them through half-lidded eyes. I could stay there all day, just soaking in the heat of the springs and the joy of being with my family.
Pleased w
ith yourself, are you? Faerie asked in my mind.
I chuckled before I answered, Yes, a little. Marduk is dead, my star is whole again, and I have my territory back. All is well in the Realms.
Yes, I heard you gave your territory away, she huffed.
Only for a little while.
And that the Jinn helped you.
Again; only for a little while. I smirked against Arach's neck.
Well, I just wanted to say; good job, Vervain.
“What?” I was so surprised that I spoke out loud and sat up straight.
“What's wrong?” Arach asked as the boys went still.
“Sorry, it's Faerie. She just startled me,” I explained.
“Startled you how?” Arach narrowed his eyes at me.
I praised her, Faerie said to all of us and then laughed gleefully.