"Oh!” She twitched in pleasure, never before imagining the magical feel of tongue and teeth about her toe. “Oh, yes, please..."
He took his time before he snapped the bracelet around her ankle and pulled at one end of the chain to tighten it until her leg straightened. He went to the other side and did the same, slowly, watching her as he tightened the chain there also. Aislan looked at herself in the mirror, feeling like a willing sacrifice at the image of her spread-eagled body on the bed, having little flexibility to move her arms or her legs. She shook slightly in nervous anticipation, feeling extreme vulnerability and intense excitement. Barely able to breathe, she had to keep her mouth open as she gasped for breaths.
Lucien trailed his fingers along her leg as he moved around to the side of the bed. His light caress made her quiver. She dragged her gaze from her reflection to look at him. His huge cock jutted straight from the nest of dark hair. Saliva built in her mouth, and she had to swallow, wanting him back in her body. She had chosen to be immobilized, and she wanted to know what it felt like to have him take her body while she was incapable of moving, yet knowing he would free her at any time.
Sitting beside her, Lucien bent to kiss her mouth. She tasted him hungrily as his tongue swept through. When he pulled back, she lifted her head to prolong the kiss, so he pressed her back into the pillow and extended the exploration. She sighed, when finally, his mouth moved from her cheek to her jaw, then her throat. She loved his tenderness as he soothed away the last tendril of her uncertainty. His hand moved in tandem to caress her. Cupping her breast, he pinched her nipple lightly, and then moved down from her stomach to between her thighs. Opening her eyes, Aislan looked at their reflections in the mirror. Though chained and helpless, she felt no fear as she watched his dark head over her breasts. He nuzzled her nipples for a while, laving them.
Getting to his feet, Lucien picked up something from the nightstand and placed it on the bed next to her hip. Aislan turned her head lazily to look, seeing a small bottle of oil.
Oil was the norm for Aislan. She had always dried up at the sight of Hayton. Stubby but somewhat wide, lubing up was the only way he could get in without her weeping up a storm during the earlier months before she became indifferent later on. With Lucien, who was even wider and twice as long, she always got wet at the mere thought of having sex with him. She had gushed like a river from her earlier climax, now more than ready for him again. Her heart raced wildly when he climbed between her spread thighs. Scooting down, he parted her folds for his mouth and tongue. Aislan sighed in pleasure before she looked back in the mirror at the intoxicatingly arousing sight of his head between her legs. She shifted but could not move far, not that she wanted to move. In the mirror, his head moved back and forth between her legs as he sucked her clit and laved her pussy. The combination of visual and physical sensations played havoc with her entire being.
"Oh—oh—oh!” she groaned.
Adjusting her slightly, he grasped the cheeks of her bottom and spread them. She jumped in shock when his tongue moved from her pussy to touch her back entrance. If not for the chains to hold her in place, she would have flown off the bed as the sinful sensation sent her hips arching high.
"You are so beautiful,” he said softly. “So perfect."
"Oh...” She wanted to say no, but she could not get it out. What he did was forbidden, but she could not utter the necessary word to stop him because it felt so good. Moving back to manipulate her clit again, he brought her to another delirious climax. Even while she lost herself in her orgasm, she saw him oil his hand.
"Relax, my sweet."
Caressing her labia gently with one hand, he pressed one finger of the other hand into the tight rosette and pushed. Aislan could not bring herself to stop him. She just lay there, her body quivering like a leaf as his long finger buried deep up her ass, pulled out, then went back in, again and again, the motion so basic, so primal. She shook from the force of both her arousal and her embarrassment.
"Darling, relax for me,” he told her. She tried, finding it difficult at first because of her awareness of his finger in taboo region. After a while, she felt boneless from the naughty sensations. Finally, she sighed and let herself go. It felt so good. Oh, yes. Ohhh, yes. She heard herself groaning in pleasure as he widened her.
When a second finger joined, the slight pain startled her. He widened her slowly and deliberately. Licking her lips, she closed her eyes. Heat suffused her body, still feeling embarrassed, but more because she knew then he was preparing her for the real thing. The thought of his huge cock venturing into prohibited territory, and knowing the width and length of his girth, gave her a good jolt of fright. She could not imagine how he would fit. If her vagina could barely accommodate him during each initial thrust of intercourse, he would surely tear her apart if he tried to squeeze the steel-like rod inside to have anal sex with her.
Her own inhibitions aside, physically, Aislan was still uncertain about her readiness. “I...” She tried to say no but found her throat tightening. Instead, she trembled in her panic.
When he saw her face, Lucien stopped and squeezed her thigh gently. “Give me a moment."
She watched as he went to the tub to wash his hands, and when he came back, he settled himself over her.
"Forgive me.” He kissed her as he settled between her thighs, his hips pressing against her. His arms anchored along her sides kept his upper weight off her. “I would not hurt you."
She looked at him tentatively, embarrassed at the prospect of talking about—this. “How could it not? You would not fit in there."
"I would prepare you properly so you would not hurt. I'll wait, Aislan, until you are ready."
"I—I may not be ready, ever. ‘Tis forbidden."
"Fornication is forbidden.” Shrugging, he kissed her lightly on the mouth. “The Church does not approve of many sexual acts, but we do it anyway."
"'Tis not something to—to explore.” She felt her cheeks flaming, not wanting to keep pursuing such a subject.
"You have the most perfect little ass. I mean, bottom. You should not be embarrassed about your beautiful body."
"I am sorry,” she whispered.
"Darling, never be sorry. You have to do nothing unless you want to."
Aislan wanted to please him. She had climaxed several times, but she knew he had not. “I still want to make love,” she encouraged.
His smiled at her. It touched her that he accommodated her wishes so easily. He kissed her almost too gently before he shifted. His chest pressed down on her breasts for one brief moment, and she liked the heaviness of his purely masculine body. His cock slid back into her body, and again, he started the first several slow strokes gently.
She watched their reflections in the mirror as he increased the tempo until he began riding her deep and hard. Each thrust strained her legs against the bracelets about her ankles, the pressure sending sharp, exquisite pleasure up her spine.
Aislan did not know how long she could last with her ankles trapped while her body stretched. Shifting his arm, he anchored it above her head to keep her from sliding up too far with each thrust. His fingers pressed into her scalp, tightening in her hair to hold her in place as he pounded into her. Forgetting all about the mirror, she writhed in ecstasy. His lips moved across her face, roughly brushing against her cheek, biting the lobe of her ear, against her throat.
Hoarsely, they groaned and moaned together, keeping at it. He played with her clit until they both climaxed. His ejaculation burst inside her, coating her womb and dripping out of her, but he did not stop. He drove her to another pinnacle before he finally slowed down, and she opened her eyes to look at the mirror again. Her gaze drifted along his long, naked length. She watched his round, lean buttocks tightening as he continued pumping slowly into her.
Aislan could see her arms and legs spread wide and her own dazed face. She ached to wrap her arms around his back, to feel the hard, smooth skin of his body. If she asked, he would free h
er. Yet, lying there writhing helplessly, unable to touch him, thrilled her. Watching his tight buttocks flexing as he moved about, she found him a beautiful sight, and she wanted to squeeze him there. While nuzzling her throat, he kept thrusting. Aislan did not want to see her expression, so she buried her face in his hair.
Afterwards, he released her from the bracelets. He rubbed the slight pressure at her ankles where she had strained and pulled in her zealous pounding of her heels onto the mattress. He healed them quickly before he did the same to her wrists until she was as good as new. Aislan smiled at him and saw the affection in his eyes for her as he admired her now sated body. As long as he kept looking at her that way, she would make love with him on the spot, again and again. Settling her in his arms, he pulled the cover over them.
Aislan pressed her cheek against the hot skin of his chest, savoring the feel of his muscled body against hers. She wondered if her face revealed what she felt, and if that was why he always watched her.
Chapter 12
Past Imperfect
After a couple of hours of exhausted sleep, Lucien got up and dressed. Dawn barely cracked the sky as he left the room in search of the madam, who glowered at him sourly, no doubt for waking her before noon. She sent one of the girls to prepare additional provisions. Without waiting around, Lucien went back to the chamber. He had a tough time trying to wake up Aislan. Completely perplexed, he wondered again what plagued her. Dragging her out of bed, he tapped her cheeks and tried to get her to stand.
"Aislan, you have to wake up. Look at me.” As a last-ditch effort, Lucien jolted her awake with a little sorcery. She opened her eyes groggily and shook her head in protest.
"Must keep them away,” she muttered.
"I'll do my best,” he said, but he had a feeling they were not referring to the same thing. Lucien had to assist her in her morning toiletry as she dragged herself around, slowly waking. She pulled on her clothes so slowly that he had to help her. One of the girls returned to hand him a small bag containing his last-minute purchases. Aislan looked oblivious to the entire exchange. Lucien would have let her sleep a little longer, but he sensed her problem did not stem from the lack of sleep. He would figure it out eventually.
"Come, my dear. We need to move on."
He held onto her hand as he went in search of a livery stable and woke the proprietor to purchase two horses. From the back plate of the scabbard of his sword, Lucien removed one of the diamonds he had embedded in the many indentations carved along the scabbard. He used these gemstones for trading, since he usually ended up with nothing more than the clothes on his back and his sword and dagger. He replenished the gems as soon as opportunity presented itself, allowing him to buy his way out of any situation.
Every time Lucien thought about Archangel's Fire, he remembered Aislan's affinity for it. Even untrained, she was still powerful enough to make use of his dagger. With proper training, she would become a force to be reckoned with. He did not want to think about that yet.
Lucien gave the proprietor one of the smaller diamonds. Sitting on the sidesaddle, Aislan pulled at her dress unhappily. She would not be able to ride, so he went and bought new clothes for her, boy's clothes, and waited for her to change into them. He also purchased rations of dried meat and fruit. Their journey to Danier would take several days of hard riding.
The Fulfillment operated certain brothels as their points of contact. Lucien had chosen the port city Maligan because of the high probability of finding a brothel here bearing the secret insignia imprinted on the coin given to him a month ago. Lucien had held onto the coin to investigate further into the organization's secret activities. He had never imagined one day so soon he would seek it to ferret out information for himself.
Soon, the day would arrive when the Royal Guard would find and drag him back to the palace. If not for Daman's death, Lucien would have been able to force a fair trial for Aislan and request time to gather information in her defense. If they surrendered now, with nothing to go on, she would be as good as dead. Lucien had to find other means to dig up information. If he armed Aislan with enough knowledge, she could demand her own trial. In all fairness, King Julian Caliburne would grant her that—but only if she survived long enough to make the journey to Court.
Lucien glanced at Aislan who rode beside him on her horse as they made their way back into the forest. He needed time to find out information about Aislan, but he needed to hide her. Lucien could find her easily, and any Tracker sorcerer could do the same. He had to make it next to impossible for anyone to track her down. Only one man could help him, his cousin Traver Calvacade.
He wanted to ride quickly to Danier, but by late afternoon, Aislan looked exhausted and hungry. No matter his need to hurry, she needed to eat properly, so he stopped by the riverbank and set out a meal of bread, cheese, and wine.
"I almost forgot.” It was only an expression. He never forgot anything. Lucien pulled a small bag out of the pocket of his tunic and handed it to her.
"What is this?” She took it gingerly.
"Your womanly remedy I requested from Madam Isabel."
"Oh."
He poured her a cup of wine and watered it down before he handed it to her, watching her mix the potion carefully before she drank it. She looked at him tentatively while she did so. Why would she think it would bother him that she took precautions not to become with child? He had no wish to sire a bastard. Lucien knew all too well the bitterness of being born as one.
"So, kind sir, where are we going?” she asked after a while.
"Visit someone who may be able to help you."
"Me? Who would help me? I know no one."
She would know soon enough, so he saw no reason to be secretive about it. “My kinsman."
"What could he do for me?"
"He would provide us sanctuary and help keep you safe."
"Safe from what? Not the king again! I am no traitor!"
"'Tis not that simple, Aislan."
"I'll not be helpless if you train me."
Lucien could not believe his ears. He thought they had straightened out all of this yesterday. He had thought she understood, but apparently, she had not understood a goddamn thing.
"Never!” He glared at her.
The impudent vixen had the gall to look upset. “Why not? You are the best one to train me. My other choices would be to run off and find a sorcery clan or—or find Narisse herself."
"Do not threaten me."
"Why would you not help me develop my power so I could defend myself?"
How could she be so ignorant?
"Because you would become my apprentice. ‘Tis forbidden for the sorcery master and the apprentice to have sex. The line defining the relationship between teacher and student is very clear. Society sees that no different than incest."
Aislan looked beside herself with disbelief as she gaped at him. She truly had been ignorant, Lucien thought in fury. Where the hell had she been living?
"How could you not have known this basic fact? You had sex with me to sweeten me up so I would train you? You think I am your fool?"
She stared at him and shook her head. “You thought I—"
He finished coldly, “—bartered your body as payment for training."
Her lower lip quivered. “You are cruel! ‘Twas not why—oh, you are not the only sorcerer in this world.” She took a calming breath, shrugged in an infuriating manner, and turned up her nose. “I can go find a clan that will take me as an apprentice."
"You are too old to start apprenticing,” he needled. “You should have been trained when you were younger. Your father could have sent you to a sorcery clan at no cost to him. You would have been allowed to serve the clan in exchange for training."
She opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it. “No cost to him? My father would have lost a manor!"
In a fit of rage, she threw herself face down on the ground and bawled.
* * * *
Aislan tried to stop
her crying, but all the years of helpless anger surfaced and poured from her. She pounded the earth in her rage. When Lucien took her by the shoulders to sit her up, she turned and swung her hand at his face. He evaded her attempt with almost no effort by leaning away, then caught her hands and pulled her into his arms. Pressing her face into his neck, she cried it all out. His chin brushed against the side of her head, his hand smoothing her hair. He even swayed a little as if rocking a child until she quieted in his arms.
"Do you want to tell me more?” he asked quietly.
Looking away, she did not answer.
He remained quiet for a while, and then he said, “Tell me about Narisse."
His different approach reached her. She had longed for so long to have someone listen who did not regard her as insane. When she did not answer immediately, he kissed her cheek and settled back, waiting. Aislan sighed and capitulated.
"Even when I was only five or six, I wandered outside the village into the forest all the time. With five girls, no one paid me any heed. I was eight when I stumbled across Narisse. I had never seen a sorceress before. She sat there quietly in the middle of the forest.” Aislan met Lucien's gaze. “She was—now, I know—regenerating. She sat like a stone statue, her white hair covering most of her face. Her skin was pale, without any blood. I thought she was dead. I ran and ran for a long time, trying to get back home, but I was lost. I was never lost before. She must have cast a spell on me. Before I knew it, she swooped out of nowhere and grabbed me. She hit me on the head, and I passed out. When I came to, she had brought me to the riverbank. She regenerated again. I tried to get up, but she grabbed me by the head and pushed my face onto the ground. She regenerated for a very long time. Could she have been injured?"
"Either seriously injured—or developing new sorcery skills. What happened next?"
"I cried. I screamed. She slapped my face until I could cry no more. Then she picked me up and went into the water. Her fingers felt like claws clamping into my skull, and she went underwater with me. She would surface, and then she would go under again. Then I started bleeding. I could not tell where my blood came from at first. The water was red. When I surfaced, blood came out of my nose and my mouth. I nearly passed out, but she kept pinching some nerves to keep me conscious.” Aislan touched the cords along her neck under her ears. “Then her mouth—she used her mouth to suck the blood out of my nose. I thought she tried to suck out my brain from the force of it. She went back under water with me. I tried to breathe, and sometimes, while under, she would blow into my nose. When we surfaced, she would suck me dry. She was truly insane.” Aislan shuddered, remembering all too well the horror of that night.
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