by Jesse Teller
“Show me to the Mad Dog right now, and I will pay you well.” She grabbed the bag of her winnings and shook it in his face. “All yours, if you will take me to him.”
Their eyes lit up, and one of them nodded. The other held his mouth open, and a bit of drool dropped down his chin. “Let me touch your breasts. Let me have a little squeeze and I will let you by.”
She snarled at him, and he pulled back, laughing. “Oh, she is wild. She would be a fun ride.”
Her sword flashed faster than he could see. The steel reflected bright in the shine of the torches, and the man pulled back. “She is vicious,” he said.
“They are meant for each other.” The guard grinned. “Tell the Mad Dog to give you a smack on that perfect ass of yours for me.” He opened the door, and she stepped through it. She walked into a cellar, past kegs of ale and barrels of wine. She saw her family’s emblem on many of the casques. This bar bought brew from her papa. She decided which she would buy when she got up there. She found the stairs and climbed them.
She came out of the trap behind a bar in a brothel. She grinned at the story she would tell her friends the next day, and stepped out from behind the bar, her eyes diving into every corner she could find.
Women stood, sat, and lay everywhere. On tables, on chairs, on benches, and even leaning against railings. Their bodices open, their breasts bare. Men sexed them and fondled them on every surface, and Rachel stared in wonder at the thrumming sexuality around her. She had never seen so many women’s breasts before. She looked around for Whelter, seeing him nowhere.
She grabbed a passing serving girl and spun her around. “Mad Dog,” she managed before she was breathless.
The girl pointed to a set of stairs on the far side of the room, and Rachel thanked her. She rushed to the stairs and ran up them. She found a hallway with many doors and curtains. She stopped at each one and stuck her head in. She saw men and women engaged in debauchery, and kept moving. In one of these rooms, she saw a wall covered in masks. She stopped long enough to take a mask made of feathers and leather. She slipped it on and continued. She couldn’t let him know who she was. There was no way Whelter would lay a finger, or any other body part, on Gerber’s princess. She needed to be sly.
She pulled back the curtain and saw him. He held a woman’s breast while another held his member in her mouth. Rage, real and terrible, reached up and grabbed hold of Rachel from some primal, lustful part of her body. She walked into the room and gripped the woman between his legs by the hair. She pulled her away from Whelter and shoved her at the wall. The other woman leapt to her feet and cursed. She yelled, but as Rachel stood over Whelter, feasting her eyes on his body, she could not hear what the woman was saying. She gripped both women by the throat and pulled them in close.
“Leave or die,” she muttered. Her insides ached to be filled, and she really did think she might actually kill them if they did not leave him to her. They saw it in her eyes then, the animal part of her that craved him, that had to have him or die.
“Go,” Whelter said to the other women. “Leave us.”
Rachel looked at him, and he stared at her. She shoved the other two women at the curtain and they left.
Rachel turned to him and dropped her cloak to the floor. She stood before him at the foot of the bed, staring at him in all his majesty.
He was the god of the streets, the god of everything crass and brutal. She looked down at his engorged member and felt fear. She had never taken a man into her before. This was no man to play with. He could seriously hurt her. She looked him in the eye and saw something she did not expect.
Lust, she had expected. Power, raw and bestial, also expected. But there was a longing in him as well, a need she could not identify. She did not know what it was, did not know what he wanted or what would make him happy, but she did not care. This was not about him. As much as he would be a part of it, this was about her desperation, about her need to feel his power within her.
She crawled onto the bed and onto his body. She felt his member rock hard against her, and sat upon it. Her dress gave way instantly, and she felt him hard beneath her womanhood.
When he started to say something, she put her finger over his mouth.
“No,” she said. “I don’t care.”
“You don’t care.”
“I don’t. I don’t want to hear anything from you unless you are ordering me about. I don’t want to hear your thoughts, just your needs. I want to bring you to places you have never been.”
“You want to serve me?”
“No, I will serve myself. I do this to you in all selfishness. I do this to you because I have to. I have to have you or I will die. So, for my own reasons, I will ask you now. How do you want me?”
“Take me in your mouth,” he said. “Do it now.”
She felt his power in the words, and she slid down his body. She had never done this before. Had never even considered this as a sex act. He cursed and groaned as she worked and she knew she was a good lover. She always wondered if she would be able to please a man, and still did not know about any other man, but seemed perfectly equipped to sex this one.
“By the Seven, woman, you have to stop that.” He gasped. “You’re going to kill me. I have never felt anything like that before.” He rolled to the side and grabbed her by the shoulders. He pulled her on top of him and rolled her to her back on the bed.
He hovered over her, and she braced herself. She had not understood the true magnificence of sex. Had never thought it would ever be anything like this. The anticipation and need was beyond anything she ever expected.
“Can we see how close we are here? How much we are enjoying ourselves?” He slipped his hands past the wet scarves of her dress and touched her womanhood with tentative fingers. She quivered at his touch. He grinned.
“By the lords of heaven, you are ready,” he said.
He pulled away, resting back on his knees in the middle of the bed, and held his hand out to her.
She summoned the strength to move, and took his hand. He helped her up, brought her to her knees before him, and grinned at her. She looked at him and laughed.
“What are you going to do to me now, Whelter?”
He paused. “You know my name?”
She froze.
He shook his head. “Who are you?”
She could not tell him. He would stop all this if she told him now. She needed to hide her identity for just a little bit longer. She placed a hand on each side of his face, and smiled.
“I will tell you who I am when you have earned it,” she said.
He smiled a devious smile, and she laughed. She had never heard that laugh before. It was as if she had saved it all this time for him and him alone. He looked at her, thinking for a long beat, before he asked, “Are you married?”
She shook her head. “I am not. No man has claimed me until tonight.”
“You are a virgin?”
“I am, but I am ready.” She felt a stab of fear that he would refuse her. That he would not enter her, and felt as if she would die if she had to walk away from him without taking her fill of him first.
“I will take you because you want it so badly,” he said.
“Thank you, Mad Dog.” She gasped. She gripped his arms, her hands moving to his chest, and squeezed his hard body.
“Will you please call me Whelter?”
She nodded.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
She nodded again.
Whelter. How had she never seen it?
He lifted her as if she were nothing, as if she were a feather, and he lined her up with him.
He looked at her as she wrapped her arms around his head. He lowered her onto him, and she gasped.
He dropped her back into the bed and grabbed her arms. He pinned them to the bed and slid into her hard and fast. She cried out in pain and pleasure, and he pulled out slowly. She sighed, and he entered again, this time returning faster. Her sigh became a scream as h
e kept working, kept pounding faster and harder. She took him in over and over again until she felt her orgasm rising.
This was no normal climax. This was something else. She lay in fear of it as it built and climbed to look over her. She did not know if a release of this much pressure would kill her or drive her insane. He began breathing harder and thrusting faster, and she could only cling to him and hope for the best.
“Please,” she cried. “Please, mercy.” She didn’t know if she was begging for more, or for him to stop for the love of all that was good and right. She did not know if she could take anymore, and did not know if she would lose her mind if he stopped. She knew no control, could only beg and hope he knew best.
He thrust into her in the last moment, and she felt it break atop her. She gripped tight to him and prayed for aid.
When he finished, she thought she would explode. He thrust into her and roared. She felt as if part of him had exploded into her, and she grabbed him in her arms and held him tight. He collapsed onto her and buried her in his weight. Her body expelled air as her chest compressed, and she could not breathe. She slapped him to no avail. Finally, she scratched his arm, and he rolled off her. She laid back, staring at the ceiling, staring at nothing, letting her body return to sanity.
“No one has ever had that kind of sex before,” Whelter said. “That is new to the world.”
She laughed.
They lay there for a long time, silent.
Finally, he said, “I have to see you again.”
“You will. How could I ever stay away?”
“Who are you?” he asked. “I have to know.”
She took her mask off and leaned up on her elbow.
He stared at her, knowing he knew her, but unable to place her, until she snarled at him, and he cursed.
He covered his face with his arm. “Rachel Beastscowl, you’re Rachel Beastscowl.”
“I am.”
“I’m a dead man,” he said. “Gerber is going to eat my heart.”
“Maybe.” She laughed.
*******
“Rest, girl. We won’t be here long. Just a quick stop,” Rachel said to her bear. The beautiful animal yawned and plopped down. It laid its paws purposefully on the ground and very deliberately set its head on them. Its eyes closed and Rachel imagined she heard Summer snoring before she closed the door of the Stonefist house.
She took the stairs three at a time, jumping precariously faster and faster as she climbed. She burst into the main sitting room and hugged Madeline. She waved at Ellen and smiled at them both as Madeline walked past her and closed the door.
“I can’t stay long. Papa has me running to the brewery to get a bunch of stuff, and I have to be there. It is the way of my papa to do things like this so—” She hugged Ellen, kissed Madeline on the cheek, and smiled at them both as she headed for the door. “Got to go.”
She reached the door and found it locked. She looked at Madeline, who handed the only key back to Ellen. Ellen set it on the table beside her and grinned.
“No,” Ellen said.
“I can’t argue with you right now. I have to go, for Papa and all.” Rachel held her hand out for the key, and Ellen looked at Madeline and shook her head.
“Can I ask you something, Rachel?” Ellen said.
“If you can ask it fast. Like I said, Papa—”
“What are you wearing?”
Rachel looked down at her shirt. It was a plain gray thing, woolen and thick. It made her look a bit bigger than she was, made her look different than usual she guessed. But it was bulky and it served its purpose. She looked at her pants, thick and bulky as well, but she had her reasons for wearing it.
“Clothing,” Rachel said. “Not that it matters, but it is getting cold and I was—”
“It’s the middle of summer time, Rachel,” Madeline said with a laugh.
Rachel did not see what was funny. She was running late.
“Why does this matter?” Rachel walked over to the window and looked out, trying to judge the passing of time by the length of the shadows.
“You have met someone,” Ellen said. “Now, we have no idea who it is. We fear it is another human catastrophe like that near miss with the archer.”
“I haven’t met anyone. I have been busy with Papa and—”
“We haven’t seen you in a week,” Ellen said.
“You dress like a boy now,” Madeline said. “It is obvious to us, by the hells to the whole of the city, that you are not yourself. So, tell us now. Tell us or we will lock you up in here until you do.”
“I can jump out that window if I have to,” Rachel said.
“You might have to. Are you late?”
“Well, Papa said—”
“For meeting him?” Ellen said. “Are you running late?”
There was a knock on the door and Rachel pointed at it. “You have locked out the entire city. What if that is Flak?”
“It is Flak.” They heard muffled from the other side of the door.
Ellen cursed. Rachel watched desperate as Ellen opened the door and Flak Redfist came in. Madeline touched her hair and turned, looking out the window.
“Ellen Stonefist,” Flak said. “Betten is coming home tomorrow and I was hoping to have you over at the Redfist home for a celebration of his arrival. He will have the Sons of the Seven with him this time, and we are excited to see Erick, Helgor, Brenden and Jordai again.”
“Will there be a feast?” Madeline asked. She stepped forward, and Rachel knew she was hoping for an invitation.
“No feast, just a dinner. Small affair. Sorry,” Flak said. It seemed to pain him greatly to say the words, and Madeline turned back to the window.
“Redfist,” Whelter said as he walked into the room, breathless. Rachel looked the man in the eye as he stared at her. “Brock said he was going to...” Whelter looked at Flak, trying to keep his mind on whatever he was saying, but his eyes kept turning to her. “Brock said he was on his...”
Flak looked at the man with infinite patience, and Whelter coughed. He looked up at Rachel.
“Hello, Beastscowl. It’s good to see you again.” He looked at the other women in the room for a breath, but his eyes turned to feast on her again in a flash. “Ellen, Madeline. Good to see everyone. I was coming to tell Flak that Brock is headed to, well he is going to the, he is, what I mean is that he...”
Flak patted Whelter on the back and smiled. “Brock is headed to the Flurryfist hall to prep them for Erick’s arrival. I believe that is what you meant to tell me. Isn’t that right, Whelter?”
Whelter looked at Flak and nodded. “Like I said. He is on his way.” Whelter laughed nervously. “You knew that, but I wanted to make sure.”
Whelter looked at her, and she smiled at him. The smile seemed to knock him dumb, and he grinned a boyish grin.
“By the Seven,” Ellen said. She turned to Madeline, her mouth gaping.
Madeline just stared at Whelter with a shocked look and shook her head.
“Got to go,” Whelter said. “I was going to go for a ride, Flak, remember?” He looked at Rachel. “Going for a ride later, just me and the woods, outside the city. Gonna maybe take a nap or something.”
Flak smiled. “He has been spending too much time with Betten, I think. Going out into the woods to think and clear his head a lot lately. Almost lives out there.”
“Yeah, well that’s right, but I gotta run. Lots of napping to do. Gonna nap at the spot where I always do,” Whelter said.
Rachel wanted to hit him. He could not have been more obvious if he had thrown her over his shoulder and walked away. She scowled at him, and he nodded. In a breath he was gone, and she decided she would have to torture him, a little, when she finally escaped the Stonefist house.
Flak smiled. “Betten will be here with the others tomorrow around dinner. Can I expect you?”
“I’ll be there,” Ellen said.
Redfist walked out, and Rachel made for the door, but Madeline beat h
er there and locked it. Rachel snatched her up by the throat. “Give me that key,” she said with a snarl.
Madeline threw it to Ellen, and Rachel growled.
“Whelter!” Ellen said. “You have been rolling around with Whelter?”
“Well, why don’t we shout it to the world and everyone,” Rachel said.
“Take the shirt off,” Madeline said.
Rachel hugged her chest and shook her head. “No, I’m not wearing anything under it and—”
“Liar!” Madeline said. “Now tell us everything. Show us what you are wearing under that horrendous, mannish thing you have on, and do it now.”
Rachel hated them both.
“I will show you, but then I have to go.”
“No, not good enough. You are going to tell us everything. Where did this happen? When?”
“Three months ago.”
“Three months!” both women shouted.
Rachel walked to the window and slammed it shut. She didn’t need the world hearing any of this.
“Yes, three months ago I went into town. You two were too good to go with me. And Whelter was— There was a crowd and oil. And man, he was impressive and—”
“A crowd,” Ellen said.
“Oil?” Madeline said.
“Rachel, what have you done?” Ellen said.
“No, not a crowd like that. I’m no whore.”
Both women laughed and, soon, Rachel joined them.
“You two have been hiding this from everyone for three months,” Ellen said. “What are you going to do? When are you going to tell Gerber?”
“We have discussed it and decided he doesn’t need to get involved in my love life or my choices. I can keep this to myself and all will be well,” Rachel said.
“Indefinitely?” Ellen said. “That is the plan? You two are just going to hide out in the woods taking naps forever?”
“Not much napping gets done,” Rachel said.
“Gerber needs to know.”
“To the hells with that. He is a bullheaded fool. He has no right throwing his opinion of Whelter around the city,” Rachel said. “It’s a passing thing. We have both decided we are not in this for life or anything, just for now. It’s nothing but sex.”