Chapter 41 #2
“It only takes one. And I won't be easy until I find them.” He took her hands – one bloody and one clean – and brought them to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “And that is hardly the kind of conversation appropriate for a joyous occasion as this.”
She gave him a look for a moment before her features softened and she relented. “Very well. What is an appropriate topic for a joyous occasion as this?”
“Mm... How about you?”
“Me?” She repeated, chuckling as he stepped back so he could see her properly.
“I wanted to ask you this before, but we were interrupted.”
Atem had the pleasure of seeing Peony's eyes light up. He didn't need to elaborate further on what he was referring to. The jump of her pulse in her wrist under his fingers revealed just how excited she was about the idea.
“You've honored me today,” he said, stroking her bloody hand with his thumb. The very hand that she had once reached out to him, offering him that life giving drink of water. “Thank you for wearing my blood. I know it was probably an odd request for you.”
To his pleasure, her cheeks turned pink in that pretty way of hers. “It was when you asked it. But, weirdly, when it was happening, it wasn't odd at all. I was so proud of you. For you.”
“Vi Seerin,” he moaned softly, leaning forward to press his forehead against hers.
“Knowing your gaze was on me only made me feel stronger. Knowing you wore my blood was the greatest honor. I was the luckiest of males to have such a female with me. A vora vakara cheering for me will definitely bring me good fortune throughout my reign.”
Peony giggled. “Well, I'm glad I'm able to help.”
He smiled. “You were more than helpful, Peony. I would not have been here for my Hortii Kristivar if it weren't for you. You were instrumental to today.”
“I don't know about all that,” she mumbled, embarrassed. He didn't understand why she always downplayed her actions when it came to his rescue, but he wouldn't let it pass unremarked.
“What you did meant everything to me.” He lifted her blood-stained hand and kissed her palm. “What you gave me was worth more than all the riches I own. And being with you since has made every day better. I've known more joy with you, Peony, than I've known since I lost my parents.”
“Atem,” she mumbled, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.
“I knew the moment I first saw you that you were incredible. But I was delirious with hunger and blood loss, and I was afraid that anything would have looked beautiful in that moment if it only offered some measure of relief. But the way you stand so proudly beside me, how eager you are to take part in my life, and how willing you are to adapt to my culture, makes me love you more every day.”
She gasped, but her expression was one of joy and awe. He continued, his chest constricting like it might implode if he didn’t get all this out.
“Such a sensuous, beautiful species I could have never imagined outside of fantastical stories, but you are real.
And more than that, you were so clever to retake your power from the ratchi who had you.
So determined in the methods that you used.
But you are also a valiant warrior and, even so grievously injured, you are willing to fight to protect those around you.
“My eyes were not deceived when they first saw you. I know you are meant to be my adassi. I see the truth of it every time you smile at me. I would gladly fight your battles for you. I would stand as your shield. Vi Peony, my sweet Seerin Siria, will you-”
“Yes!” Her outburst, before he even finished made them both laugh. “Sorry, sorry. I got excited. F-Finish your question.”
He leaned in closer and whispered in her ear, “Will you make your nest in my den?”
Peony suddenly laughed, confusing him.
“Sorry,” she shook her head quickly, grinning. “Definitely wasn't the question I expected. But still yes! Yes! Still absolutely yes!
Atem wasn't sure why the question surprised her, but her agreement made him beam as he pulled her into his arms, his tail wrapping around her thigh.
She had agreed! There had been no doubt in his mind that she would agree.
She might not have been prepared for the exact wording, but she understood the intention and was eager to join with him.
It was an old question, hearkening back to the time when his people still dug their dens out inside of the trees of their home forest and adassis would build nests inside them.
It had been many an age since those days, but the question still remained.
Lifting Peony up in his arms, startling a happy cry from her throat, he took her from the party within full view of the attendants.
Most of whom gave them knowing looks. A few chuckled.
Peony's face burned bright red, but she didn't protest as he took her from the party, through the palace, and back up to their rooms where he tossed her onto the bed.
She bounced on the mattress, laughing as he crouched, tensing his muscles playfully, before leaping atop her. She squealed as he attacked her throat, kissing and nipping at the sensitive skin with playful ferocity as his claws ripped at her clothes, tearing them away.
He did the same with his shorts, leaving their bed covered in the dried flakes of his blood, the tattered remains of their clothes, and the smudged smears of his body paint.
His cock was already hard, bobbing against the inside of her thighs as he used most of his focus to tease and suck at her nipples.
The weight of her breasts was a constant joy to him.
The lack of large breasts on his females was truly a crime he never realized had been committed before he got to bury his face in Peony's. Their warmth, their plush squeeze, their soft skin was distracting to the point that he could easily find all of his attention drawn by them.
But then Peony reached between them, and her soft little hand squeezed his shaft. He growled, thrusting into her grip as she spread her thighs, pressing him into her hole.
She was wet for him already and he hadn't even had a chance to properly prepare her. He chuckled as he slowly sank into her heat.
“You've been looking forward to this, haven't you?” He growled, fingers digging into her hips. “Did seeing me dominate so many opponents get you excited?”
She laughed breathlessly, her hips rocking against him. “Like you aren't excited too? I swear, you're bigger than normal.”
He chuckled, gently grinding against her – teasing more than pleasuring, making her groan. “I was worried you wouldn't appreciate it since your species is so peaceful.”
“We so aren't,” she growled, grabbing his flanks and trying to force him to move faster. She only succeeded in making him slow even further. “And if you don't fuck me, I'm going to show you how not peaceful we are!”
He threw back his head and laughed, earning her dull little claws in his sides.
Snarling his excitement, he covered her body with his and rutted her.
Fast. Vicious. Primal. The thrill of his victory heating his blood and the triumph of completing his Hortii Kristivar combined and formed a burning lust that he pounded into her body, drawing the sweetest moans and cries from her throat.
She clung to him, her entire body clenching and trembling as he fucked her to climax.
The rippling of the walls of her cunt along his length made him groan.
His knot was starting to form, but he wasn't ready to fill her yet.
He wanted her to come again. He had promised to make her too sore and tired to walk tomorrow and he fully intended on giving her at least two climaxes to each of his.
The swelling of his knot put pressure on the inside of her channel and the movement made her eyes roll back in her head, all of her muscles locking around him as she came again.
He didn't think her first climax had finished and already another was fluttering on his prick.
She must have been affected even more than he thought by seeing him fight.
But the ease of which he brought her to the second climax only made him want to give her a third. His balls ached, his abdomen clenched with the need to come, but he fought it. His tail reached between their bodies to play with that little pleasure nub she called her clit.
In doing so, he leaned back a little. His torso tilted and changed the angle of his penetration.
Peony squealed, her back arching, her thighs shuddering around his hips.
Sweat trickled down their bodies as they moved together, her voice begging half formed pleas – either for mercy or for more, he wasn't sure.
But it didn't matter. He wasn't done with her, and he wouldn't be for marks yet.
It almost seemed like she was trying to fight it, but he forced her over the edge into a third climax with the combination of his thrusts and teasing of his tail.
The clamping of her muscles around his prick broke his control and, with only another two pumps, his knot swelled fully, and his release poured into his female as she cried out, desperately scratching at him with her tiny claws.
“You... you...” she gasped, beyond words.
Atem smirked, running his fangs along her neck, very careful not to dishonor himself by breaking the skin and bleeding his own mate. “I'm not done with you yet, vi adassi. I do believe I promised you no sleep this night.”
She trembled as though afraid, but a smile stretched over her panting lips just before he kissed her roughly, moving his hips again, fucking her with the knot that wouldn't go down until he pulled out of her.
Which he didn't do until hours later when he had filled her so much that his seed leaked from around his knot and drenched with sweat. Shaking with exhaustion, the sun climbing in the sky, Peony begged him to stop, her voice slurred with fatigue and pleasure.
He was dominani and his adassi was his final conquest.
***
Preparing for his part of the mating retrieval was rather easy.