Chapter 24 – Ryktus
Chapter Twenty-Four
Ryktus
L aithe nods as I pass the upstairs living room he's been in. I heard him tell Dread to let the hound out. The hound left five minutes ago, likely to run the property and possibly peek in on the pup.
Emerson heads into Dread's bedroom. Technically, I guess it's hers now, too. The strange ache in my gut is back. It's not my own discomfort, though. Watching that little exchange between Emerson and the wolf was extremely painful.
Gargoyles are not deeply feeling creatures. My reaction to seeing Emerson's shoulders rise and fall as she silently cries is extreme. If I wasn't drawn to follow her to provide comfort, then I'd be downstairs removing the wolf's head from his shoulders.
Emerson pulls back the fluffy comforter and climbs into the bed. She pulls it up over her head and cries into the pillow. My gaze flies from her to the door. The urge to murder Carson is growing stronger with each whiff I get of her scent. She's anxious and upset.
The bed dips as I land at her side. I pull back the blanket and run my hand over her head.
“I'm okay,” she whispers. It's obvious she's lying, but it’s unclear whether she's trying to assure herself or me. In all likelihood, she’s trying to convince us both.
It must be a mother thing. Trying to fake being okay to comfort those around them.
When my mom caught the rare disease that permanently turns gargoyles to stone, it was a deep blow to our entire family. She tried her best to convince us she was fine and to glue us together before her passing, but we fell apart as soon as she was gone.
“Obviously,” I reply in a dubious tone. “I don't think you have to be okay right now.”
“You don't get to fall apart when you have a kid counting on you to keep it all together,” Emerson says, rolling to face me.
Yes, she definitely reminds me of my mother, a female I loved and respected greatly.
I slide my hands under her shoulders and pull her up. She complies, scrambling into my lap. Her legs wrap around my frame as I awkwardly pat her back. I'm the most ill prepared to handle an emotional situation. I respect strength and perseverance.
The echo of pain and discomfort that shivers through my system isn't my own.
I spent the majority of last night attempting to convince myself I felt arousal for the first time in years simply because my packmates have no sense of modesty. The human apparently doesn't either, because she never once asked me to leave the room as Dread and Arsyn ravaged her body for hours.
“I believe there's a slight chance I accidentally initiated the guardian bond when I drank your blood last night,” I say, clearing my throat.
Emerson sniffles as she shoves back so she can look at my face. I much preferred the way her soft skin felt against my bare chest. Yes, that's better than the look of...shock? Horror? I'm afraid to even check.
“What's that?” Emerson asks.
I let my gaze fall to her face, and she doesn't look disgusted. She looks rather confused.
“It's the way gargoyles occasionally...” I sigh, tenderly pulling her face back to my chest. “I'd rather not see your revulsion when I admit I believe I initiated a courtship bond.”
Emerson swipes my arm away and pushes up on her knees to stare at my face. “Is that the same thing as a mating bond?” She licks her lips and carefully watches me.
I nod. “It's a sacred union for my people. It signals that I'll protect you above all else.”
“And you did this willingly?” she asks, squinting like she's trying to make sure I don't lie. It's terribly cute and equally inconvenient, because it makes it difficult not to chuckle.
“No mating bond can be forced. Not with any species.” My hands seem to have a mind of their own as they run over her arms. “I've been drawn to you since that first night in Venom.
The need to check in on you and Ember, to watch over you.
It's been nearly uncontrollable. I've been ignoring the pull because...”
I continue telling her about how we lost my mother. The disdain I felt for my father moving on with a human so quickly and how I have perhaps allowed that to influence my feelings on their species as a whole.
“I can understand why you were upset,” Emerson says.
She begins to rub soft circles on my skin with the hand that's wrapped around my neck. “Grieving is a process, and it can greatly change us when we’re in the throes of it. But I have to admit, hearing all that makes it hard to believe you want me.”
“The guardian bond is more than a physical attraction. It's a tethering of souls, much like your connection to Dread or Arsyn. My soul had to accept the bond, as would yours, for the link to grow.”
She bites her lip and stretches up to brush her lips against mine. My claws dig into the material of her dress as her lightly floral scent floods the air.
“I've never had a real support system,” Emerson murmurs, brushing a kiss over the edge of my mouth.
The fact my cock hardens to a level past stone should be alarming. Unlike Dread, I'm not a virgin. My kind might not feed on sex like an incubus, nor is it closely related to feeding like for a vampire, but we do indulge.
“It means everything to me that you watched over me and Ember,” she says, staring into my eyes.
“Of course,” I agree in a hoarse tone.
I palm the back of her head, bringing her mouth to mine.
I know my fangs are intimidating. They can't be hidden like Laithe's.
Emerson doesn't seem frightened as she swirls her tongue into my mouth.
The kiss is frantic and desperate. My heart legitimately turns to stone on a regular basis, but the pesky organ is currently dead set on trying to pound out of my chest.
The door opens and the hound prowls inside.
He uses his rump to push the door closed before pouncing on the bed.
Emerson pulls back from the kiss and gives him a cheeky little smirk over her shoulder.
The blue flames that dance over his muscular body would terrify any human.
Except our curvy mate. She's still kneeling over my lap, and the hound nuzzles his nose to her forearm before catching her dress with his teeth.
Emerson grins. “Still feeling a little animalistic?”
Dread huffs, but it's an amused sound. He yanks up on her dress, and I finally collect myself enough to assist. “May I?” I ask.
“Please,” she agrees.
My skin is scratchy and rough compared to her softness. I tug the dress over her head, and then Emerson is sitting in my lap with her bare tits on display. Gods, they're huge and extremely perky.
My wings flutter behind me as I groan. As Emerson rises on her knees, pressing her tits against my bare skin, my head falls back against the headboard.
“Dread,” she groans.
The ripping of fabric draws my attention, and I laugh. The hound has destroyed her panties and is in the process of tossing away the scrap of material.
I pull her mouth to mine as her hands make quick work of my belt and jeans. Emerson wiggles against me and laughs.
“Okay, I'd like my human mate back now,” she gasps. “I get that you're one and the same, but could we work up to shifted sex?”
“He was partially shifted last night,” I remind her.
“Yes, well, his tongue is extra scratchy. Other than being giant for a cock, his dick wasn't any different, and I'm overly sensitive right now.”
The hound immediately gives up control. Emerson wraps her hand around my shaft, making me growl. It's been many years since I've been with anyone, and her delicate skin is in delicious opposition to my own.
“Can you yank off his jeans?” she asks, tilting her head back to Dread as she holds herself up on her knees.
“Of course,” he agrees.
My jeans come off. Emerson kisses her way down my chest, and my eyes widen.
“What are you doing?” I groan, trying to pull her up. However, Dread pulls on her legs at the exact same time, and she ends up doggy style with her face right over my cock.
“I thought it was pretty obvious.” Emerson chuckles. “Is this okay?”
The hellhound, who spent four hundred years a virgin, full-on belly laughs as he tosses himself down on his back and scoots his head up under Emerson's cunt.
“Ryk?” She sounds unsure.
My eyes fly to hers. “Yes, of course,” I agree. “You needn't feel obligated.”
“Ride my face, love,” Dread growls, pulling her pussy down over his tongue. The whimpering, begging sob that comes from her lips makes my length jump in her hand.
“There's no need for you to lower yourself to your knees for me,” I assure her, running my finger over her cheek.
“But if I want to, then you're good with that?”
I nod. Her naughty little tongue flicks over the tip of my cock, and I don't know what to do with myself. The warm, wet heat of her mouth suckling me is intense. It's not something I've ever experienced before.
It's not something I'd ever ask of a sexual partner, as it feels borderline disrespectful. Although, I'd happily lower myself to my knees to lick her delicious-smelling pussy. I believe I'm actually jealous of Dread for having his face buried in her cunt.
Well, that is, until Emerson makes an O with her hand at the base of my cock and hollows her cheeks. Her heavy tits bounce against my legs as she licks and sucks.
“Holy hell,” she sobs around my shaft. “Just like that. Dread, please .”
He growls.
It makes her shiver.
I groan as her warm breath fans over my pelvis. She works the base of my dick with her hand and sucks as much as she can fit in her mouth.
“Emerson,” I growl as the little vixen flicks her tongue over the weeping slit on the head of my cock. “I'm going to bust.”
My hand wraps in her hair, trying to gently pull her off my exploding shaft. But Emerson shakes her head, digging the nails of her free hand into my thigh. She dives back down, sucking me as I swell. Every muscle in my body coils with tension as my orgasm builds to the point of no return.
“You're going to swallow every drop of my cum,” I snarl. “You wanted my seed, and I intend to fill you full of it.”
My balls draw up tight as electric jolts of pleasure shudder through my system. Rope after rope of cum spills into her mouth, and she sucks me harder through every moment of agonizing pleasure. The ecstasy goes on and on as I growl out my release.
My eyes finally open, and the little vixen is smirking at me around my still-hard shaft.
She's absolutely beautiful, but it's the wild fluttering that dances in my stomach that gets me.
Fuck me. I'm totally done for.