“Get back to the caravan, I’ll bring what’s left of this insect,” Meir bellowed, the loud sound wavering strangely in her ears.
Akiva crossed over top of the spiky trees, landing beside Lacerta and Ascella.
“Something bit Cygne,” he relayed in a panic.
“Lacerta, get the healer. What bit you?” Ascella demanded as Lacerta took off for the rear of the caravan.
She opened her mouth to speak but only air hissed out.
“This.” Cygne’s vision wavered but it looked like Meir handed over the mangled pieces of the insect.
“Show me where it happened.” Ascella shook his head, as though unable to recognize the creature.
Meir swiftly led the male away on foot.
“Come on, beautiful, stay awake,” Akiva implored, and shook Cygne when her eyes lolled shut.
“I try-y-ying,” she slurred, while attempting to open her eyes wider, but things were getting blurry.
“Here’s the bite.” Severin grimaced as he examined the back of her knee.
“Fittich,” Tynan snarled and paced, clenching his fists.
“Get her up on Zimock’s back, out of the sun,” Lacerta called out as he hurried forward with a Stilio female.
Cygne’s eyes rolled open again to find Akiva clutching her tight beneath the canopy as he rocked back and forth. The others were huddled around. The helpless desperation twisting their faces made her terribly sad.
“It’s a pernicies,” Ascella called up to the healer. “I found their ground nest in the clearing.”
“What does that mean?” Akiva held his breath as he looked at the healer.
“It is better than what it could be. Cygne is small, so we don’t know exactly how it will affect her. I expect she’ll get a fever, but there may be other side effects.”
“Like what?” Kaede rasped, swallowing hard.
“Venom from the pernicies is used to produce visions,” the healer replied.
“But she will be fine?” Tynan insisted, his voice deep and feral.
“Yes.”
The sound of their loud sighs followed her into the encroaching darkness.
8
Visions of a Starlit Sky
“Life is like a beautiful melody, only the lyrics are messed up.” Hans Christian Andersen
* * *
Cygne awoke to Tynan bathing her brow with cool water. There were two of him. She attempted to blink to clear her vision, but her eyelids felt so heavy. She struggled against the pull of darkness, till the twin Tynans melted into just the one.
“Her fever is breaking.” The healer nodded, pleased.
“Thank you. I don’t think I can handle watching her thrash and cry out anymore,” the big, colorful male rumbled in concern and relief.
“The things she was saying were enough to make a grown male cry.” Kaede took the healer’s hand. “Thank you for everything.”
“I think she was reliving something awful.” Severin practically choked on the words.
“That is a side effect, but the worst is over. Food has been prepared at the bonfire. I will bring you some,” the healer offered.
“I will help.” Meir exited the lodge.
“I don’t think I’m cutout for taking care of our female.” Severin ran a hand through his long, dark hair as he frowned at her.
“Her fever has passed. She’ll be okay.” Tynan sounded like he was convincing himself more than bolstering his friends.
Cygne tried to follow along, but everyone’s voice was doing this strange wavering thing, like a dozen wings were flapping in her ears. And she felt unbelievably hot.
“Hot,” Cygne mumbled as she tugged at the neck of her gown.
“Easy now.” Kaede kissed her forehead, then took the cloth out of the basin and placed it on her brow.
It felt so good. She sighed in relief. Cygne opened her eyes and smiled up at Tynan, but there was something very strange about him.
“What is it?” Tynan urged, seeing her frown.
“Fishes are swimming in your eyes.” She tilted her head curiously.
Everyone snorted at the comment, making her giggle. It was funny. But there were fishes swimming in his eyes.
“I’m going to catch them. Hold still, Tynan.” She reached up to get one of the big ones doing circles around his pupil, but Tynan captured her hand and kissed it. Cygne huffed in frustration; she’d almost had it.
“This must be the hallucinations the healer was talking about.”
She swung her head toward Akiva. Excitement suddenly overwhelmed her as she saw her favorite valley hideout.
“I’m going to climb the tree growing out of your back,” Cygne squealed in glee. She struggled to get off Tynan’s lap, but he refused to release her.
“Your wings are green.” Severin grinned at Akiva.
“You’re hot, Tynan, let me go,” she groused. “With such big ponds for eyes, you shouldn’t be so warm.”
“All right, but lay here. An insect bit your leg.” Tynan released her.
“It wanted to bite my behind.” Cygne frowned, remembering the vile creature. She then giggled a moment later.
“What’s so funny?”
“Meir must be an insect. He likes the taste of my behind.” She doubled over in laughter.
“Aye, he does,” Kaede barked out a laugh.
“He’s certainly a pest,” Tynan added.
Cygne crawled behind Severin and started to vigorously rub her chest against his pale blue feathers. He glanced back at her wearing an expression that was a mix of amusement and concern.
“Something is wrong with this ice.” She scowled, frustrated by the icicles hanging from Severin’s wings. “I’m hot.” Cygne whipped off her gown, leaving her entirely naked. It helped somewhat.
“Beautiful, maybe you should put your gown back on. I have cold water,” Kaede coaxed.
Tynan, Akiva and Severin groaned when she crawled over to Kaede.
“By the Zephyrs, look at that pert ass,” Severin choked.
“And those pink lips,” Akiva added.
Cygne ignored the comments, focusing on the cup in Kaede’s outstretched hand. She licked the condensation rolling down the side of the cup. It was so cool and wet. For some reason the males groaned again. She needed a bigger drink. Her tongue felt like it was made of sand. Cygne opened her mouth and tipped up her chin, insisting Kaede pour the water in.
“Dammit, don’t give it to her like that. You’re just being cruel to your broodmates,” Tynan husked. “Now I can’t erase the image of her on her knees, parting those lips to perform other salacious acts.”
“What did I miss?” Meir cocked his head in confusion as he took in the scene from the entrance flap.
“Stars!” She squealed, gaping at the evening sky outside the lodge.
Cygne moved so fast, she was out of the lodge in a heartbeat.
“Grab her!”
Meir dropped the platter of food and lunged toward her, but was too slow.
“I’m a star. I’m a star,” she chanted, while twirling high in the air.
Cygne could feel herself twinkling as she spun beneath the dusky sky. The celestial orbs winking to life on the horizon were calling her name. She could hear them.
“Cygne!” the males yelled.
Tynan rocketed toward Cygne, and swiftly wrapped his arms around her before she could go any higher.
“I won’t leave you behind. You’re the most colorful star I’ve ever seen.” She caressed his cheek, then frowned at the scowl Tynan wore.
“Come on, Cygne, it’s not safe for you to be out, and you’re naked,” Tynan rumbled. He was angry with her.
She grew quiet as Tynan carried her back into the fabric lodge. Her chin quivered as his harsh tone replayed in her head.
“Why are you crying?” Severin frowned and cupped her cheeks.
“I thought you liked me naked,” she wailed, then wrapped her wings around herself to hide.
“We do. We do.�
� Kaede scooped her up. “But only we get to see you naked. There were other people out there.” He peeled her wings back.
Kaede’s eyes widened when she burst from her feathery cocoon and smashed her lips against his. He fell back with her perched on his stomach. She loved kissing him, all of them. They made her so happy.
“Fittich,” Tynan cursed, when Cygne started to grind atop Kaede. “We died and were cursed to perdition. That must be it.”
“She’s temptation incarnate, and we can’t do a damn thing about it, not in her current condition,” Akiva groaned.
9
A Beautiful Bloom
“Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale.” Hans Christian Andersen
* * *
Cygne groaned as she roused. Her head felt fuzzy, and her eyes bleary. She attempted to rub her eyes, but her right hand stopped short.
“What the?” Cygne declared in confusion as she tugged her arm.
“Easy,” Kaede sleepily mumbled.
Cygne shifted and discovered her leg could only go so far. She bolted upright, and Kaede’s arm swung, striking her in the hip.
“Ow. Hey!”
In the moonlight filtering into the tent, Cygne could make out a cord bound tightly around one wrist. She followed the rope to where it connected to Kaede’s wrist. No wonder he just smacked her. She wiggled her ankle, and watched Akiva’s leg move.
“Go back to sleep, Cygne,” Akiva rasped.
“I will not!” She gaped at him. Waking up naked with the males was odd enough, but waking up naked with her arm and leg tied was downright disturbing.
“Why am I tied up and naked?” she demanded shrilly, while thrashing her arms and legs to get their attention.
Kaede, Akiva, Meir, Severin and Tynan shot up. They looked disoriented and tired.
“Well?” Cygne smirked at them then the ropes.
“How are you feeling?” Kaede wrapped his free arm around her.
“I’m feeling confused and upset.” She shook her bound hand.
“Oh, that.” Akiva grimaced.
“Do you think she’s better?”
She didn’t know why Tynan was asking them when she was right here.
“Better?” Cygne panned the equally flustered males.
“You were bit by an insect and passed out,” Severin explained.
“You had a horrible fever,” Meir added.
“Then you got a little wild,” Tynan chuckled.
“So you stripped me and tied me up?!”
“You stripped yourself, but, aye, we tied you up to keep you from flying off again, while we tried to sleep.” Kaede flicked on an artificial light, and untied the knot around her wrist.
“I don’t think I want to know.” Cygne shook her head as strange vague memories filtered into her brain. “I should probably thank you.” Her ire cooled and morphed into embarrassment.
Cygne smiled sheepishly as she stared at the mark on her wrist. She couldn’t believe herself, and couldn’t blame the males for what they were forced to do to keep her from flying into the night.
“You had us very worried,” Severin husked, emotion making his voice rough.
The concern in their eyes cut through Cygne’s embarrassment, and instantly had her tearing up. She couldn’t remember anyone ever looking at her like that, except for maybe Mater. Suddenly she found herself enveloped by so many arms. Her heart felt like it was about to burst.
“Don’t cry, beautiful. Everything is fine now,” Kaede whispered as he peppered her face with kisses.
Kaede tenderly kissed her lips, as they knelt on the pile of blankets in the lodge. Tynan nuzzled her hair then moved to her neck, while Akiva and Meir kissed the back of her shoulders.
“Back up, Kaede,” Severin suggested.
Kaede shifted while his lips still tangled with hers. She gasped into his mouth when Severin latched onto her right breast. Tynan joined Severin, enveloping her opposite nipple with a flick of his tongue. Kaede stretched out on his back, and Cygne followed his mouth down, kneeling on her hands and knees. Severin and Tynan lay beneath her, each greedily sucking at a swollen nipple.
Cygne was distracted by how each pull at her nipples echoed low in her stomach, that she didn’t expect the hot breath that heated the inside of her thighs. She glanced back to find Meir laying on his back, his head between her parted knees.
“You are so wet,” Meir groaned as he stared up at her cunny.
“Relax your knees.” Akiva stroked her behind, urging her hips down.
“You want me to sit on Meir?” she asked in confusion, and the males chuckled.
“Aye,” Kaede replied wearing a sardonic grin, then captured her lips again.
His kiss was hungry and all consuming. The stubble on his chin scraped her skin in the most wonderful way. Meir gripped Cygne’s hips and tugged her down onto his face. She cried into Kaede’s mouth when Meir’s tongue laved the bead of flesh at the top of her cleft. He sucked and rolled it, like Tynan and Severin tormented her nipples. She began shaking from the delirious pleasure.
“Maybe we should stop. You’re still recovering,” Kaede groaned when he released her mouth.
“No, please,” Cygne panted as another wave of ecstasy swept over her.
“Then lean on me, beautiful.”
Kaede adjusted her so she rested on his chest, taking the weight off her quaking arms. Cygne couldn’t help but kiss the span of flesh exposed beneath his gaping shirt. She mimicked every roll of the tongue Meir acted out between her splayed thighs.
“Oh.” She jumped when another mouth joined Meir’s.
Akiva knelt behind her, straddling Meir’s chest. Akiva’s tongue travelled over her slick folds with a leisurely long swipe, while Meir sucked insistently at her nub from below. When Akiva’s tongue breached her cunny, she gasped.
Kaede’s hand moved to the waistband on his pants. Cygne panted as he released the bulge straining behind the fabric. As daunting as the engorged fleshy appendage was, she wanted desperately to bring Kaede the kind of unbridled pleasure that was lashing her from every angle. She wrapped her fingers around Kaede’s cock and began stroking the behemoth, her fingers gliding over the thick ridge that spiraled from tip to base.
“Cygne,” he groaned, his shaft kicking in her grasp.
Encouraged, Cygne gripped him tighter and stroked faster.
“It’s so smooth and hard at the same time,” her moaned words ended on a shocked gasp, when Akiva’s thumb teased the pucker of her rear, while he tongued her slit.
“Oh yeah, she likes having her ass played with,” Akiva groaned between her cheeks. “You should see how she’s dripping.”
Meir growled and went positively feral, licking and sucking her swollen sensitive bead of flesh. Tynan and Severin doubled their efforts, kissing, fondling and stroking her chest.
Cygne almost collapsed, smothering Meir, when two fingers slid into her cunny. She shook her head, lashing Kaede with her hair, as Akiva began stroking in and out of her quaking channel. With each thrust he twisted them. The spiraling pleasure had her fluttering silky walls clenching Akiva’s fingers.
“Enough,” Kaede barked out, and everyone stopped.
Cygne frowned, left teetering on that glorious precipice she only recently discovered. Swiftly Kaede sat up and stripped off his clothes. The others shifted back, and did the same. She was still in awe of their masculinity. The sight of them was enough to send her headlong over the edge.
“Lie on your back, Cygne.” Kaede’s dark eyes were so serious as he knelt beside her, his thick shaft standing up proud.
Cygne did as he asked, nervous anticipation sending shivers up her spine. She glanced at the other four to see they were staying back, but each of them had their cock in hand, stroking up and down.
Kaede captured her attention when he was suddenly hovering over her, his strong arms caging her in.
“I want you to relax and wrap your legs around me,” he husked, his lips a breadth from hers.
She nodded, and hesitantly splayed her legs, her heels coming to rest against his muscular ass. Her breath came out faster, feeling Kaede’s cock, hot and heavy against her inner thigh.
“Oh, sweet songbird, I’m going to try to be gentle. Forgive me if I fail. You have me totally undone.” His pale, compelling eyes had her completely enthralled.
Kaede descended, consuming her mouth with a bruising kiss. Cygne gasped into his mouth when she felt his thick crown slip between her slick folds, then press against the mouth of her trembling channel. The pressure was unbelievable as Kaede worked the flared crest into her. She gripped his shoulders tighter, nails digging in, and her breath coming out in rapid pants. With a twist of his hips, Kaede managed to wedge his engorged arousal past her straining opening. Cygne reached down and felt where they were connected. Only the head of his cock was lodged in her body.
“I don’t think you’re going to fit,” she whimpered in distress.
“I promise you can take me,” Kaede bit out.
“Shhh, shhh. It’s just hard this first time,” Severin encouraged as he kissed her forehead.
Cygne felt a hand press between their bodies, and glanced over to see Akiva.
“She is stretched pretty tight. Go easy, Kaede.”
Her muscles tamped down when Akiva’s fingers massaged her straining opening.
“I can feel that,” Kaede groaned as she clenched his girth tight.
Akiva began rubbing Cygne’s sensitive nub, while she attempted to get accustomed to Kaede’s size. Meir and Tynan stroked her breasts, as Severin kissed her face and whispered encouraging words. The combined sensations quickly had her overheating.
“Oh yeah,” Kaede husked when another flood of moisture filled her channel.
Kaede curled his hips, shoving his pulsing shaft deeper. Cygne bit her lip to repress a cry as his ridges spread her aching inner walls. He pulled back a little, then pressed forward again. Her eyes widened when the head of his arousal grazed a sensitive spot inside.
“That’s it, isn’t it?” Kaede smiled and kissed her lips.
Ruffled Feathers Page 8