21. Darak
21
DARAK
" F uck, Lirien," I growl, my hands fumbling with the ties of my leather pants, desperate to free the aching length of me. She watches with wide, eager eyes, her breath hitching as I finally spring free, hard and ready.
With a swift motion, I lift her by the waist, her legs wrapping around me like a vice. The rocks behind her are unforgiving, but her grin is unyielding, a silent promise of shared ecstasy. I don't waste a moment, thrusting into her with a force that elicits a gasp, her body yielding to mine in a sweet, slick embrace.
Each stroke is a delicious friction, our bodies moving together with a rhythm as old as time. Her fingernails dig into my shoulders, marking me, claiming me as hers. I can't help but smirk at the thought. The witch has some fire in her, after all.
"You feel so damn good," I whisper against her ear, my voice ragged with need. She responds with a moan, her head falling back to expose the delicate column of her neck. I nip at the skin, tasting the salt of her sweat, the magic of her essence.
I drive into her deeper, harder, the sound of our flesh meeting echoing in the stillness of the night. The bond between us pulses with every heartbeat, every shared gasp for air, every shared thrust of our hips. It's as if we're two halves of a whole, finally aligned, finally complete.
"Darak," she cries out, her voice a symphony to my ears. It's a sound I've come to crave, a sound that I've unwittingly claimed as mine. I feel her tightening around me, her body coiling like a spring, ready to unleash.
With a final, deep thrust, I send us both tumbling over the edge. Pleasure ripples through me, a cascade of sensation that seems to go on forever. I can feel her shattering around me, her own release milking me for every last drop.
We stay like that for a moment, our bodies fused together, our breaths mingling in the cool night air. Slowly, I withdraw from her, already missing the heat of her. She slides down the rock face, her legs shaky, and I can't help but feel a twinge of pride at the sight of her well-fucked.
"Satisfied?" I ask smugly as I tuck myself back into my pants, watching as she straightens her robes, a contented smile playing on her lips.
"Not even close, sweetheart," she says with a wink, clasping her robes back together.
The mountain path grows treacherous as daylight fades, but Lirien presses on with unusual determination. Her steps quicken, forcing me to match her pace.
"We should make camp," I say, catching her arm as she stumbles over loose rocks. "The mountain's dangerous enough in daylight."
"We're close." She pulls away, summoning a sphere of pale green light that hovers above her palm. "Very close."
The magical glow casts eerie shadows across her face, highlighting the tension in her jaw. Something's different about her – there's an edge to her movements I haven't seen before.
"What's got you so worked up?" I ask, following her around a sharp bend in the path. "You're acting like–"
The words die in my throat as we round the corner. Carved into the mountainside looms a shrine, its ancient stone facade adorned with symbols that make my eyes ache to look at them. The bond quivers, responding to whatever power lingers here.
Lirien approaches the sealed entrance, her fingers tracing patterns in the air. Strange words spill from her lips, each syllable making the air thicken with power. The bond between us thrums like a plucked string.
" Vheskara nai tumult ," she whispers, and the stone groans. A seam appears down the center of the wall, spreading like a crack in ice. The entrance parts, revealing darkness beyond.
The green light from her palm stretches into the shadows, but can't penetrate far. Stale air rushes out, carrying the scent of old magic and something else – something that makes my warrior instincts scream in warning.
"After you," she says, but her voice wavers.
The tunnel stretches deeper into the mountain, our footsteps echoing off damp stone walls. Something's off – the bond is plagued with an unfamiliar rhythm, like a second heartbeat trying to sync with my own.
"Lirien." I catch her wrist as she stumbles over loose rocks. "We don't have to do this now. If you're not ready–"
"I'm fine." She pulls away, but her fingers tremble as she adjusts her robes. "This has to be done."
The tunnel curves sharply, opening into a vast chamber that steals my breath. Sunlight streams through crystalline formations in the ceiling, casting rainbow patterns across polished stone floors. Plush rugs cover the ground, and carved furniture dots the space – chairs, tables, even a bed tucked into an alcove.
"What in the Abyss…" I whisper. "Someone lives here?"
Lirien's light flickers out, unnecessary in the natural brightness. Books line shelves carved directly into the rock walls. Dried herbs hang from copper racks, their scent still potent after who knows how long. It's more than a shrine – it's a home, preserved as if its occupant might return at any moment.
"Your coven?" I ask, noting the magical implements scattered across a workbench.
Lirien shakes her head, moving deeper into the space.
The bond thrums stronger here, responding to whatever magic saturates this place. Lirien's anxiety bleeds through our connection, sharp and metallic like blood on my tongue.
"We can leave," I offer again. "Find another way."
"There is no other way." She turns to face me, green eyes bright with unshed tears. "Not anymore."
Movement flickers in my peripheral vision. My body reacts before my mind processes – years of combat training taking over. In one fluid motion, I position myself between Lirien and the emerging threats, my blade singing as it leaves its sheath.
Two figures materialize from a shadowed tunnel I hadn't noticed before. The first, a Naga, his tail coiling gracefully as he moves. Behind him towers a beast-man, his massive frame covered in dark fur, sharp teeth gleaming in the crystalline light.
"Stay back," I warn, adjusting my grip on my sword. The bond fills with... excitement? That can't be right.
Lirien's small hand wraps around my sword arm. "They won't hurt me."
I try to shake her off, but she holds firm. "You don't know that–"
"I do." She steps around me, a smile breaking across her face that I've never seen before. Pure joy.
The beast-man bounds forward with surprising grace, closing the distance in two massive strides. My heart stops as his enormous arms wrap around Lirien's waist, lifting her into the air like she weighs nothing. She squeals – actually squeals – as he spins her in circles.
"Put that sword away before you hurt yourself, dark elf," the Naga says, his voice mocking despite the situation. "We've been waiting for our little witch to bring you here."
Lirien's laughter echoes off the chamber walls as the beast-man sets her down, soothing her silver hair with one massive hand. "You've grown even more beautiful, little human."
I lower my blade slowly, mind racing to make sense of this scene. "Lirien, what's going on?"
She turns to me, cheeks flushed with happiness, but there's something else in her eyes now. Fear? Guilt?
"Darak, I'd like you to meet my family."
"Your... family," I repeat, the words tasting like ash in my mouth. The bond vibrates with a sickening rhythm as I watch the beast-man's claws trail possessively over Lirien's hip.
"Oh, darling, did you bring home one even slower than that ugly beast?" The naga's forked tongue flicks out as he laughs, his emerald scales catching the light. "How disappointing."
The beast-man rumbles with laughter, his massive hands still wandering over Lirien's curves like he owns her. My grip tightens on my sword.
"This is Sethrys," Lirien says, gesturing to the naga. Her voice trembles slightly. "And Kaelor. They're my–"
Before she can finish, Sethrys glides forward with predatory grace. His tail coils around her waist as he captures her mouth in a deep kiss, his tongue – his fucking tongue – sliding between her lips. My stomach churns at the sight, rage building in my chest like molten steel.
Lirien breaks away with a gasp, her cheeks flushed. She glances at me, guilt written across her features.
"I couldn't wait any longer, pet," Sethrys purrs, his golden eyes fixed on me as he speaks. "It's been so long since I've tasted you."
The bond screams with discord, and I taste blood in my mouth from biting my tongue. Everything – every touch, every kiss, every night we shared – it was all a lie.
"No," Lirien steps forward, her hand reaching for me. I jerk away from her touch. "It wasn't a lie. Everything that happened... it's true. For me, it's as real as anything else."
The bond reflects her sincerity, but I can't trust it anymore. Not when I'm watching the beast-man's claws possessively trail along her hip.
"Then who the fuck are they?" I spit out, my knuckles white around my sword hilt. "Because family doesn't stick their tongues down each other's throat."
Lirien shoots Sethrys a withering look. "Someone still hasn't figured out the art of patience or subtlety." She sighs, running a hand through her silver hair. "I apologize for his behavior, he's always been?—"
"Not sorry in the least," Sethrys interrupts, his forked tongue flicking out as he smirks. "You've had your fun with our little pet. Did you really think you were special?"
"Sethrys," Lirien warns, but her voice trembles. She takes a deep breath, meeting my eyes. "Darak, I'm bonded to both of them. The same way I'm bonded to you."
The strange rhythm in our bond suddenly makes horrible sense – it wasn't discord, it was harmony. Three separate pulses trying to sync with my own.
What the fuck?