Chapter Fifteen
Dulce
Mala Mía - Maluma
My fingers trembleas Nyxie guides me to the room. The random outfit sitting outside the room had me wondering what the change was for.
“What’s that?” Nyxie asks, eyeing my outfit. I look down and back up and then at them.
“Not sure, it was placed outside my door. Fit the theme though.”
Their eyes narrow, but there’s no argument. Instead, they give a brief nod and lead me to where Vex will be waiting, sitting at a fake desk, grading papers.
“Ms. Amor, it’s been brought to my attention that you have turned in three papers, and not a single one was written by you.”
I swallow, the shame slicing through me, even though it’s not real. My face flames as I tiptoe into the room. It’s darker than normal and the onlookers are almost faceless, too dark to discern who they are.
The only sound around us is my heartbeats, the heavy breathing of the crowd, and the noises each of my footsteps brings.
“Anything to say?” Vex grumbles, acting the ever-strict and upset professor. Their Dom nature is one that hits deeply for me. It’s sewn into my very essence as they methodically plan my every move.
Thinking of the story I wrote down, I smirk, then hide it so Vex doesn’t see. “Sir,” I start, walking more confidently, “I’m unsure what you mean. I wrote every topic in these.”
“Really?” they ask with a stoic expression, a lilt to their tone. “It’s Professor Asher, Ms. Amor. Refer to me as such.” It takes all my willpower to stop the curve to my lips. They don’t wait for me to correct my slip of Sir. It’s what I call them in scenes and I nearly forgot the script. “Tell me what the subjects are. I’ve heard you trade favors for assignment completion.”
My heart hammers as if I’m the actual one under ridicule, as if this isn’t a scene, and my thighs shake a little as arousal pools in my stomach.
“I don’t know where you’ve gotten your information, Professor. I’m a good girl.”
They finally pay me attention, their eyes meeting mine. There’s this cruel, taunting expression they wear, like they know all my secrets and no matter how much I lie, I won’t be getting away with it.
Standing, they set the papers and pen they were holding down. Walking around their desk, they pause, leaning against the front of it.
“Come here, Ms. Amor.” I stall and they fold their arms over their chest in response. “I won’t ask again.”
That command, the deepness of their tone, is enough to draw me nearer with both fear and anticipation. I step closer, swallowing the worry, and my body swarms with anticipation.
Once I’m a foot in front of them, their arms drop, reaching for me. “I’ll make you a deal.” Their heady posh accent rumbles through me as if they’re speaking directly to my clit. It throbs, desire and need coursing through me.
“What deal?” I whisper, my voice so small and filled to the brim with lust. Batting my eyelashes at them, I suck in a breath as their finger tilts my chin upward.
“You take your punishment delivered by my hand, and if you’re a good girl, I’ll give you an A.”
I suck in a breath, wishing I didn’t ask for no sex. With their expression right now and their desire saturating each word, I’d let them defile me for all to see and beg for more.
“Okay,” I sigh as their hand cups my throat. “I’ll do whatever you want, Sir. But please don’t tell my parents.”
“It’s Professor Asher,” they correct again, tsking at my slip. The shame of it slithers across me, promising me of punishment. One I’ll take in kind.
Their amethyst eyes are pools of liquid sex, dark and depraved, almost viscerally molten. “First, you need to undress. Then lean over my desk so I can see that wet cunt.” I hiss as their hands slide down my body, cupping my sex. “I bet beneath this flimsy piece of material you’re a mess. Filthy and wet.”
I whimper, wanting them to feel how needy and worked up I am. They don’t have to look though. Their nostrils flare and they inhale deeply.
“What would your classmates think if they saw you right now? Would they bend at the knee to get all the droppings your messy pussy makes, or would they point and laugh? Letting you know you’re a little slut.”
My entire body flares at the word. Part of me wondered if it would bother me. It’s not a hard limit. If anything, it’s something on my list of maybes, but the way I clench around nothing tells me it’s something to explore more.
With a smirk, I trace the buttons on my top, unclasping the first one. By the time I go for the second, baring the lace of my bra, my vision darkens and the world disappears.
A weird sensation takes over, and a bright light collides with me. It’s exactly how portal-jumping from the Love Hub feels.
Then I’m descending.
Literally from the clouds in the sky, like I jumped off the edge of a cliff.
Time slows, and then I fall flat on my ass, connecting with the ground like it’s intimately involved with me.
My body barely covered by my schoolgirl outfit makes my skin burn. I was just with Vex, they were about to punish me for a scene, and now I’m wherever the Hades I’ve landed. Scanning the place, the sky appears to be a teal shade that looks nothing like any realm I’ve visited in the past, appearing more on the green side of teal than the blue.
Peering downward, I note the ground is covered in flowers that look a lot like sunflowers in the human realm. Like the ones I kept finding in the last week. They’re bright, encompassing, and when I reach down to sniff them, I can confirm they smell divine.
“What in the Hades pit of despair?” I gasp, needing to rub the sore spot on my ass.
“Did it hurt?” a deep voice asks, startling me. I cringe. This green giant is not pulling a cheesy human-realm type flirting tactic right now. “When you fell from the sky. It looked like you took a bad fall.”
I blink slowly, actually taking their words into consideration before letting my head fall back and releasing both a laugh and a sigh of relief that he isn’t flirting with me and is simply concerned. If I witnessed someone falling from the sky, I’d probably ask the same thing. After being in the human realm for so long, trust comes few and far between.
His eyes travel across my skin. There’s a type of care there and I’m stunned by how handsome he is. I shouldn’t be noticing him. I should be scared that I’m not still on that table in the Viewing Room with Vex.
He’s a sage green color, a little brighter than normal sage, but pretty all the same.
“I’m o-okay.” I stumble over the word, getting ready to stand. He pushes his arm out, offering a hand, his eyebrows raising as if he’s worried I’ll smack it away.
I don’t. I’m not entirely rude.
“I’m Raevar,” he offers as I grip his massive palm. Mine is like the smallest thing in comparison. As soon as our skin touches, a sharp zing rapidly shoots through my skin and I shudder, nearly buckling at the sensation.
Raevar’s expression immediately softens, almost like in awe, as if something finally makes sense to him. And I’m unsure of what to make of it. Peering over his form, I note that he’s dressed in cargo pants, boots, and a button-up. Oh, and he’s absolutely massive. Tall, muscular, and very pretty. Two teeth are exposed above his bottom lip and I wonder if they’re sharp. Would he hate it if I touched them?
Thinking better of it, I shake the thought away. “Dulce,” I respond. Pulling my hand free, I hold it against my chest as if it’s fragile while he continues to appear awestruck.
“Dulce,” he rasps, and damn, does his voice do something to me. It’s husky, like he pulled the sound from the deepest part of his chest. More rumble than speech. “Are you hurt? I can get some soothing plants for you.”
Blinking twice, I don’t even realize he’s speaking, because my entire body seems to hum in his presence. I want to touch him, brush across his skin, and see if it zaps me again.
“What?”
“You fell, little one. Are you hurt?”
“Oh,” I answer, touching the rest of my body for any injury the adrenaline might be hiding. “I don’t think so. My butt doesn’t exactly feel great, though.”
His forehead creases with concern, the features of his face softening further in response. “I’m sorry.” The words are so sincere I want to hug him for being kind.
“Please don’t apologize. It’s not your fault I fell through some portal.” I wave at him, letting him know it’s not a big deal. The worry stays on his face anyway and I go to press onto my neck, remembering the port-path Vex gave me.
But when I reach for it, it’s not there.
Shit.
I took it off right before our scene, wanting to look the student part. Peering down at my outfit once more, I gasp and close my eyes. It covers so little, showing my lingerie beneath, and possibly my ass if I bend at all.
He doesn’t focus on my near nakedness, but instead only looks into my eyes. As if noting my discomfort, he pulls a satchel from his side, tugging some sort of dress shirt out. Almost like the one Vex gave me this morning before I left to quit my job.
“Here, it’s the least I can do,” he practically implores. His eyes shine with a keen sense of worry and I wonder if he’s a people pleaser. It doesn’t fit his current attire in style, but bringing it to my nose has me sighing and pretending it’s normal for someone to offer me clothes.
It smells divine.
Like summer, warmth, and raindrops. Wild and welcoming, and I want to soak it into my veins. I smile before throwing it on. It’s hulking, going all the way to my knees like a dress.
“Thank you,” I respond. “Where am I?”
His expression lights up, a true happiness in his charmingly toothy smile. “Solera, little one.”
“Solera?” I remember hearing about it on more than one occasion. The Summer Realm. It’s funny because neither me nor my hair were built for the heat brought by summer. I prefer the cool fall season or even the spring. Summer seemed to always be a bit too hot in Amantes.
“Yes, the most beautiful realm,” he tells me, rubbing his jaw. He seems so content with that and his place here.
How am I supposed to fulfill my summer “fuck it” list now? I grumble in my head, wanting nothing more than to magically appear back to Vex. They actually agreed to my items. A performance in the Viewing Room. Now this portal ruined that entire plan.
Rudely, might I add.
Is Vex freaking out about my recent disappearance?
“What is this ‘fuck it’ list you speak of?” he interrupts my rampant thoughts, and I realize that I apparently spoke out loud.
“How much of that did you hear?”
His eyes fill with mirth, a darkening of his cheeks also present. Something about seeing him blush makes me want to kiss his face. This orc is adorable.
When he doesn’t respond to my question, I cover my eyes. Something about secondhand embarrassment has me cringing.
“So, this ‘fuck it’ list?” he prods with a smirk, ignoring my prior question as his eyebrows lower.
I let out a groan, one that hits deep as I shuffle through how much to explain and how much is too much. One of my items is a threesome and seeing as Vex isn’t here, it seems impossible. Maybe Raevar will want to join me and Vex? I want it to feel right and already, this orc has hit every mark. Ideas fill me and the salaciousness of them has me clenching my thighs.
Raevar’s eyes dilate and his nostrils flare, similar to Vex before showing up here. Can he scent me?!
“This is so embarrassing!” I nearly shout, heat tickling my skin. “It’s a list of things I want to do before summer ends.”
“Summer never ends here,” he teases, folding his arms across his chest. The muscles there bulge and keeping my gaze away seems impossible.
“It does in my realm. Ninety days, give or take.”
He nods and holds out a hand to me. For what, I’m unsure, but when I take it, his expression lights up. “Tell me more, little sweet.”
“What is it with monsters calling me little and sweet?” I pout, stomping my shoeless foot. Oh Hades. Am I really this unfortunate?
“You’re tiny. Basically palm-size.”
“That’s easy for you to say, orc. You’re massive. All tall and muscular,” I argue, squeezing his massive palm.
A gruff laugh meets my ears as he smiles down at me. “Orukna,” he clarifies, rolling his eyes. “orcs are from fake myths.”
“No, orcs are real,” I petulantly argue, pressing a finger to his burly chest. “I’ve met several.”
His eyes widen while his eyebrows go up. “I stand corrected.” The lack of argument from him has heat crawling up my neck. So many people in my life will debate everything I say and do, but this monster I’ve only just met respects my point of view without question.
Wow.
“I’m Orukna,” he continues when my jaw seems unhinged still. “We’re similar to fairytale ones, or in your case, real ones. We’re just a different culture.”
“I love that,” I say, wanting to fit this man in my pocket and bring him back to Vex. Maybe Vex will like him too, and he can join our merry band of whatever we are.
“What about you, sweetness?”
“I’m a Cupid, I suppose.”
“Suppose?” he prods, and then guides us toward the trees. They’re various shades of blue. Yes, blue. It’s like this place has been altered color scheme-wise, much like Amantes. Well, the human realm isn’t the standard. Our feet tread along, and while he seems okay, I worry for my feet.
“I quit,” I respond, biting the inside of my cheek. I’m technically still a Cupid. It’s not erasable.
“Is it a job?”
I nod and gnaw on my lip, the anxiety it brings to think about my parents finding out has my stomach in knots. The churning sensation only worsens when we stop and he grabs my shoulders.
“If it makes you unhappy, maybe that’s for the best?”
“It doesn’t make me unhappy, per se,” I begin, bringing my nails to my mouth. Before I can chew on them, he intersects and brings my fingers to his chest.
“Then tell me more. I could listen to you speak all day.”
Feeling like a blushing schoolgirl, I shy away from his response. The words hit my chest in a warm way, and I hate that we’ve just met and I feel something. Two days ago, you couldn’t convince me I would be attracted to anyone other than Vex. Yet, here I am with this Orukna, wanting to kidnap him and take him home. When you feel it, you feel it.
“I love being a Cupid. It’s fulfilling seeing all these people fall in love and have happiness as a result of my hard work.”
We continue our path and he stares intently at me as I tell him more. “What’s not satisfying is seeing my siblings find their soul mates and me being all alone, existing only as a shadow to my sister.”
He halts, his hands cupping my jaw. “I don’t see a shadow at all. When I look at you, I only see sunshine.”
Emotion clogs my throat. This man is sweeter than conversation hearts, and those are my favorite.
“You’re being too sweet,” I say, wanting to thank him while also not knowing how to accept compliments.
“Maybe it’s you, Dulce. You’re the sweet one.”
It’s not lost on me that he must know my name means sweet, candy, sugar, and many more variants in my language.
“You know the language of love?”
He nods. “It’s also the language of Orukna,” he offers, a boyish expression overtaking his face.
“Eres muy guapo,” I flirt, testing the waters.
“Tú eres hermosa,” he whispers huskily, letting out a heady breath. “Eres la flor de mi jardín.”
Speechless, I bring my hand to my face, wanting to hide once more. Does he really mean that? Unsure of what to say, I tug on his palm and hope to pretend that he’s not making me feel any sort of way.
“So, the ‘fuck it’ list?” he tries again, trying to bring us back to the initial topic of our conversation. I nearly forgot what we were speaking about.
He pauses, looking at the trees up ahead before nodding and going to the left.
“I really want to dance naked in the rain, have sex under the stars, among other things I’m too scared to admit to someone I’ve just met,” I reveal. My mind travels to how little we get rain in Amantes.
Rain isn’t frequent, but naked? Never would’ve done it where someone can spot me. The way I’d be far too embarrassed. Being in front of people at Vex’s... That’s the first and most brazen I’ve ever been. Vex’s is safe. Reality is what’s scary.
Swim in a lake often, all while naked? Easy, because it’s secluded and I’ve never seen anything other than animals there.
His eyebrows spike upward as a little laugh escapes his lips. “You’re a Cupid. A creature—not human, might I add—and that’s the best you’ve got?”
I scoff at him. He’s not wrong, but he didn’t have to be so blunt about it. “Really?” It’s a grumble and I shove at him with my shoulder. His body doesn’t move a single muscle, but the effort is there. “I’ll have you know, I’ve never been out in the open naked where people watch.”
His face darkens—a blush, I think. I reach up for his cheek, unable to actually touch it. He then touches mine in return. We keep magnetizing toward each other. I’m drawn to him and maybe it’s this Solera place, but finding ways to touch him seems easy.
“Hmm. Is this a Cupid thing? Gallivanting in areas where others can see you naked?” With his grumpy tone, I almost wonder if he’s jealous. But that’s absurd, right?
“Maybe.” I pout. “But I want to feel the sky cry for me and dance where its tears trace my skin. What’s wrong with that?”
He doesn’t make a noise, but his jaw tics. Hauling me over his shoulder, I pat his back. “Really! What are you doing?”
“Gotta go find you some rain. Make you happy.”
“Put me down!” I holler, squirming as he holds me by his flattened palm on my ass. He doesn’t grope or smack it, but part of me wants him to.
“Sassy little thing, you know that? You want to go get naked for all to see, and what am I supposed to do with that, hmm?” His voice is darker, possessive, wavering on desperate. “Maybe I want to protect you.”
“Why would you care? We’ve just met!” The exasperation in my tone has him pulling me back to my feet. His palm still nestles against me, but higher.
“I like to see you smile, little sweet. Makes your cute dimples show. I want to bite them.”
Heat flickers in his eyes as a blush rises up my throat and onto my cheeks. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Just say you’ll let me help you with your list, because seeing you smile makes me happy.”
First Vex offers, and now Raevar—a complete stranger. Who else do I add to my help-Dulce-have-a-successful-fuck-it list? Uncertainty fills me, but that’s the whole point of my list... to enjoy the summer and do as many things as I can.
“On two conditions,” I murmur, raising an eyebrow to seem more serious. He bites his lip as if he’s holding in his laughter, and while I want to bite him in response, I behave.
“Name your conditions,” he challenges me, crossing his arms over his chest.
“One, you have to promise to help me get home. Vex—even though you don’t know whom I speak of—is really important to me. They are probably super stressed that I’m gone and disappeared during our performance.”
Before he can interrupt and ask me what performance and other unnecessary questions, I gesture to my mouth and make a zipper motion.
“Two.” I hold up two fingers. “You have to accept my humanly list without being a butthead about it and help me find more monsterly items to add to it. Deal?”
He narrows his eyes, letting out a huff. “If you insist, little sweet. But know that you’re in Solera. The home of Mother Solera. She has many hidden secrets within her realm, and she’ll want you to explore them.”
“As ominous as that sounds,” I muse, wondering if he’s joking or just that dedicated, “I’m willing to go outside of my comfort zone because I’m literally desperate to try new things before my time is up.”
“You can stay here forever, you know. Summer never ends in Solera.”
“It does out there.” I point to the sky, not knowing which direction I’m indicating toward, exactly, but wanting to make a point.
“Whatever you say. If you want to head toward the castle to our one and only queen, it’s this way.” He grips my hand and lightly tugs toward the way he initially dragged me.
***********
THIS REALM IS DIFFERENT. It’s like it bleeds sunshine.
Raevar has explained some of their customs, that there’s a castle with a pretty queen he wants me to meet, and that there’s a summer event happening soon.
“A queen?” I prod after he finishes telling me her name. Nope. I’m definitely in the wrong realm. Even though we’ve already covered this information, this is just further confirmation.
He nods emphatically like that’s the simplest thing to understand.
“You see, queens aren’t normal in Cupid hierarchy.”
His eyes scan me from head to toe, determined to understand the differences in our customs. They’re browner than the brown earth beneath my feet.
“Then your realm must lack order. It doesn’t make sense to not have someone to rule.”
I nod quickly, thinking about how Cupids seem behind on everything. Marriage? Not unless there’s a contract. Love? Only to give to others. Freedom? Until I walked out of Paloma’s office, I didn’t know more than the dictionary’s definition.