by K. L. Thorne
“Is this okay?” Lephas asked, breathless.
“So good.” Lori panted. The demon almost snarled before darting forwards to kiss her deeply.
They sighed and moaned in tandem, Lori rocked her hips to meet each of his thrusts as much as she was able to.
Her lungs burnt and her body was coated with a fine sheen of sweat as they desperately ground their hips into one another. She shook with effort as she pushed herself closer to release.
The faerie moved a hand from Lephas's hips to grasp his bicep, pleased when she felt his strong body trembling along with her.
Yet it wasn't quite enough, her body teetered on the brink.
“I need more, don't stop,” she gasped.
Lephas growled and, as if she weighed no more than a feather, scooped her up into his arms. He sat back on his haunches and supported her weight under her behind. Lori wrapped her arms and legs around him eagerly.
Gravity working in their favour, the faerie's weight slid her another tantalising inch deeper onto his cock. They both moaned in unison.
Body to body with sweat pooling between them, Lori writhed against the demon, finally gaining the friction she so badly needed. As she rubbed her sex against him, her nipples brushed his chest just adding to the pleasure that had begun to build behind tell-tale signs of climax.
Her inner muscles began to tighten and clamped down around Lephas's body. She trembled and kissed him with abandon.
“Oh, I'm coming!” she cried softly into his mouth, riding him harder still.
“Lori...” The demon hissed, grasping her bottom and spreading her wider as he continued to thrust into her.
Her body tensed and she pressed her trembling lips tightly together as she began to climax. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.
Lephas buried his cock as deep as he could manage, stilling his thrusts. Lori's internal muscles continued to pulse and clench around him, dragging a moan so wanton from her that she doubted for a moment that it was her own.
She whimpered as the last waves of pleasure began to fade. Summoning energy she didn't know she had, Lori rolled her hips and began thrusting herself up and down on the demon once more.
He groaned and tilted his head back as Lori nuzzled in to lick at his neck. He tasted salty, coated with sweat. She could feel his pulse, blood pounding against her tongue beneath the skin.
“It's your turn to come for me now,” Lori whispered at his ear, licking and nibbling the sensitive flesh. She had never noticed before, but his ears were delicately pointed, just like her own.
“I can't,” he grunted, thrusting up against her harder. “Not inside you. It's too risky.”
“Do it. I don't care, just do it!” Lori bit his neck.
“Lori...” Lephas hissed warningly.
She tightened her thighs around him determinedly, her chest heaving for breath. “I want it. I need you to.”
The demon didn't respond, his sensible mind unravelling and logic abandoning him as he pounded against her faster still. Lori clawed and bit at him, spurring him over the edge.
The muscles in his body began to quake and he sunk his fangs into the juncture between her neck and shoulder, muffling a long groan as he froze beneath her, finally reaching his release.
Though his bite hurt and bruised her skin, Lori moaned softly feeling the demon's body twitch and pulse inside her.
After a few long moments he released his bite to flop down heavily on top of her. With a hiss, he hastily pulled his member free of her body and they lay still, arms and legs tangled in a sweaty mess. Lephas's head rested on her chest as they both panted hard and fought to regain composure.
The demon was the first to move, getting up to rest his weight on his elbows either side of the faerie. He pressed soft kisses along her collarbone and Lori sighed, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace.
“That was...” He paused, voice deep and gravelly.
“Phenomenal.” Lori finished with a wide smile.
“I was going to say amazing, but I like phenomenal better.” Lephas grinned, finally easing himself up on his arms.
He leant over her and reached for something on the floor. With a grunt of effort, he fished it up and handed it to Lori.
“Here. To, uh, clean yourself up with,” he muttered and pressed the article of clothing into her hands. She recognised the material as his underwear.
“Thanks.” She giggled, shyly mopping between her thighs. “Have you seen my nightdress?”
Lephas searched around, fumbling clumsily in the dark for the scrap of silk. Lori sat forwards and allowed the demon to search the cushions behind her.
“Ah!” he whispered triumphantly, digging a familiar piece of material out from between the cushions.
Lori handed the now damp and soiled undergarments back to him and wriggled back into her nightdress. The demon dutifully dressed himself, despite the state on his underwear, and lay down beside her.
Lori hesitated and remained sat up for a moment. Should she stay? She should probably be making her way back to Indi's bed before Faye, or anyone else, knew she was missing.
“Come here.” Lephas grabbed her and pulled her roughly to lay beside him. He tucked her into his body, just as they had done many times before.
Lori shivered and the demon pulled the woollen blanket back over them. He wrapped himself tightly around her and grasped one of her hands in his.
The faerie lay still, feeling strangely conflicted. She adored the demon at her back, but as the endorphins faded, she was left feeling hollow.
How could she ever be parted from him? In a few days, she might never see him again. Her eyes stung.
The demon's breathing began to grow steady and even. It was now or never.
“Lephas?” she whispered.
“Yes, princess?” he replied, kissing her hair. His voice was deep and gravelly, like he was half-asleep.
“What if Zelrus doesn't understand?” Lori asked simply with her stomach in knots. “What will we do then? Would... Would you stand against him for me?”
“That all depends,” Lephas hedged.
“Depends on what?”
There was a long pause. Lori turned her head curiously to glance back at the demon behind her.
“On how serious this thing between us is,” he replied quietly.
“Oh.” Lori turned back, her heart in her mouth.
“Look, I don't want to overstep the mark here, and please don't be afraid to tell me I'm being a dick, but...” The demon paused.
“Go on.” She encouraged. The faerie's stomach turned over with worry.
“What you're asking me to do is treason.”
Lori felt hot tears stinging in her eyes but she fought to blink them away. Lephas made a small, frustrated noise.
“I'm no good at explaining myself, so I'm just going to put it out there.” He cleared his throat. “I'd do it, for you. If you wanted me to, I mean. If you don't feel... I just–”
Lori froze.
“You'd... You'd disobey Zelrus if he won't let me stay with you?” she mumbled.
“I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't just assume you're even that serious about the whole thing, I was just–”
Lori squeezed his hand tightly, interrupting his floundering.
“I'm serious about it. I'm seriously serious, Lephas.”
Lori rolled over to face him and kissed him softly, snuggling into his chest and wrapping her arms around him. He squeezed her back.
“I can't believe this is happening. This was supposed to be a quick recovery mission. How did I end up here, like this, with you?” He sighed heavily.
“I don't know, but I have no words for how glad I am that you are.” Lori smiled to herself, happiness blossoming in her chest. “It really doesn't bother you – who I am? What I am?”
“Apparently not.” Lephas snorted, but his tone turned suddenly serious. “You... You are the funniest, cutest, sexiest person I've ever met. I'd be a fool to let someth
ing stupid and unimportant like you being a faerie get in the way of that.”
“Oh, Lephas.” Lori sniffed, feeling a wave of emotion overcome her.
“As for Lazuli... He's not your father any more, although it sounds like he hasn't been much of one before that anyway. You're Lori, not your father. I love you regardless.”
Lori froze in surprise. ...Love?
“I mean, you know, I care for you and... I know we haven't really known each other very long, but I–” Lephas spluttered, apparently realising what he had said too late.
Lori knew, even without being able to see him through the darkness, that his gorgeous face would be pink with embarrassment. She laughed softly.
“I'm glad you said it first. Now I don't have to feel like a complete buffoon when I tell you I love you too.”
“You... do?”
Lori kissed the demon softly.
“I love how kind and dependable you are,” she whispered, between kisses. “I love how happy you make me, even when I really have no reason to be. I love your bashfulness and I love how fantastic you are in bed – so far anyway!”
“Thanks for that vote of confidence,” he grumbled.
“But most of all, I love that you love me for me, regardless of all the reasons you shouldn't.” Lori stroked his face, tracing her fingertips delicately over his jaw.
“There aren't many things you can be certain of in this life, Lori. I can't promise it will go well when we get to Zelrus, but one thing I can promise you is that my feelings for you won't change – irrespective of the outcome.”
“You mean that?” She sniffed.
“I promise.” He squeezed her. “Hell, I've already died for you once, Princess. I wasn't kidding when I said I'd do it again.”
“Oh, please don't!” Lori laughed softly and happy tears sprang to her eyes.
Lori had spent her entire life locked in box, being told it was home. How ironic it was that, now she had finally flown her cage, she had discovered what home really meant, wrapped in the arms of a demon.
There was no doubt in her mind, this is where she was supposed to be. Home, at last.
The End
Follow the adventure into…
HESTAESIA
Book Two
In Chains
“Get the demon into the dungeons,” the faerie captain shouted. “You – inform the king of our arrival at once.”
Haros let out a pained grunt as his captors roughly hauled him to his feet, taking little care to avoid the arrow jutting from his shoulder. He felt fresh, warm blood oozing around the puncture wound.
Though the demon could not see much through the hessian bag the faeries had placed over his head, pinpricks of daylight pierced the fabric.
His tongue was like sand beneath the coarse material of the gag and the corners of his mouth were sore and cracked. The demon’s hands were bound behind his back. His skin burned and wept, long since chaffed raw by the tight iron manacles around his wrists.
A faerie soldier snorted at his side and shoved Haros forwards. “It’ll be a miracle if we manage to get him into a cell. I heard there’s a two-week waiting list to get prisoners processed these days.”
“Our esteemed leader is clearly unaware of the back log in our dungeons,” the soldier on his opposite side muttered in agreement. “Still, the jailers may make an exception in this case. It’s not every day we manage to capture one of the demon king’s henchmen.”
A lowly henchman? How insulting. Haros scowled beneath the sack.
The demon allowed the soldiers to guide him forwards. He stumbled as his boots knocked against the cobbled street underfoot. The wind blustered around them and he heard the familiar whipping of a flag nearby.
They must have finally made it to Awrelwood. The prospect of being inside the faerie capital should have unnerved him, but after being tethered to a horse and forced to make the arduous journey on foot, Haros didn’t have the energy.
He hadn’t eaten or slept properly for days. His body was surviving on the scant sips of water that were offered to him and the odd exhausted blackout.
“I’m surprised the captain is so keen to inform the king of our arrival. We may have caught this demon, but we lost the princess.”
“Just pray he decides to take his rage out on our prisoner rather than us,” the soldier replied, his voice tight with concern. “Come on, through here.”
A door creaked open and Haros was unceremoniously pushed inside. The daylight faded away, plunging him into darkness beneath his blindfold.
The room was dank and the acrid smell of stale urine assaulted his nostrils. Though his stomach was empty, the demon felt a wave of nausea overcome him.
“Back so soon, boys? And with a guest. My, he’s trussed up well.” A third man croaked. His voice sounded thick and wet, like he had something foul stuck in his throat.
“We captured the demon whilst scouting for the princess. Captain Daelynn has commanded that he be booked in immediately,” one of the soldiers said.
“Captain Daelynn will have to wait. He’s not the first captain to come in here, demanding miracles, and he won’t be the last. Why, I’ve had three ‘commands’ thrown at me today already and it’s not even lunchtime.”
“This particular demon was caught aiding Princess Lori’s escape. The king will want to meet with him. It would be in your best interest to see that he gets booked in as soon as possible.”
Haros heard the familiar sound of a heavy coin purse being dropped onto a wooden surface. There was a lengthy pause before the jailer spoke.
“Very well. Do we have a name?”
“What is your name, Demon?” one of the faeries asked.
When he didn’t deign to reply immediately, Haros felt a hand grasp the shaft of wood embedded in his shoulder. The head of the arrow was twisted inside him and pain erupted from the infected wound like molten lava.
“Hurriss,” he growled and bit down on his gag.
“Harris, wonderful. Now that wasn’t so difficult, was it?” There was a brief scratching of a quill on parchment. “You can put him in there, that holding cell is vacant for now. I’ll see to it that he finds his way to the main dungeon later this evening.”
Haros was pushed roughly and he stumbled forwards, his body colliding with a damp stone wall. Rusty metal hinges screeched loudly behind him as he was locked inside the cell.
“You have our thanks. We will take our leave now,” the soldier replied. “Captain Daelynn will await an update from the head jailer.”
“Pleasure doing business with you both. Your generosity is appreciated.”
Haros heard the two soldiers exit the dark dungeon and the heavy door slammed shut behind them.
“Well, well, well… You’re in trouble now, Demon.” The jailer’s laugh rattled; a truly grotesque sound.
Haros carefully lowered himself to the ground. Despite his unsavoury surroundings, he was relieved to finally be able to slump against the wall. Fatigue weighed heavily on him and he rested his head against the cool stone before closing his eyes.
He listened to the jailer’s disconcertingly cheery whistling echoing around him as the man began to shuffle though papers.
I’m in trouble? Tell me something I don’t know.
* * *