35. Chapter 35
Chapter 35
Zeph
" H e just keeps getting worse," Cirrha says as we walk on the stone path through the center of Rainworth. "When he discovered Viola was missing, he immediately labeled you an enemy to Ytopie."
"To no one's surprise." I sputter a laugh, shaking my head at the idea. "From high priest to enemy. How I've fallen," I say sarcastically.
"Yeah, well, he thinks you stole her," Taegan says from my left. "After her display with Kon, half of the city thinks there is no difference between Viola and Himureal. He's pushing the narrative that that stunt was orchestrated between the two of them."
"He set her up," I say firmly, pushing open the door to a small home just a few doors down from mine. "Kon was dangerous, and Himureal tried to trick Viola into killing him so he didn't have to explain why he betrothed them."
"Trust me, there are just as many who realize what and who Viola is. I told them all they need to do is make their devotion to her known, and you'd do the rest," Cirrha remarks as she looks at the small home. "You all put this together quickly."
"It's surprising how fast it can move with Viola supplementing Mace and Plume's magics. We've been able to grow crops quickly, get furniture crafted, and even make clothing. We're close to being a fully functioning city." I can't keep the pride out of my voice. We've all worked hard to make Rainworth a place where everyone is welcome and would want to live, and we're getting there little by little. "We've already brought back Solarius and Avidor, too. Once we bring Amaryn back, we'll develop a plan to stop Himureal."
"Why not bring them all back immediately?" Taegan asks, looking around the space and then settling on the small bed.
"We were moving slowly since the rituals take a lot of Viola's magic, plus the building of the city. Devotion for her isn't widespread yet." I close my eyes, feeling for those wells of power throughout Krillium and smile at the amount that is there. "Even though it's growing daily. But now that we know that Himureal is executing dissenters, we'll no doubt pull our timeline up."
Taegan lays back on the mattress and stares at the thatched ceiling. "It's surreal, you know? Being here. I've never left Ytopie before." He folds his arms behind his head, and a soft smile plays on his face. "Neither had Loris. He would've loved this place and immediately set up a grid."
"Ugh, Viola wouldn't have allowed it. She hates the sound of it."
"Her too?" Cirrha says, leaning against the wall. "You're the only person I know who thinks magic has a sound."
"Yeah, her too. I have a theory." I pull out one of the chairs at the slim table, running my hand through my hair. "Avidor called our magic dirty to Viola. That the fae essentially stole devotion to the Gods and that's how we ended up with our powers. I think Viola, being a God, and I, being her high priest, are both attuned to Godly magic, and we can hear magic that isn't from the Gods. I can't hear magic from Himureal, Avidor, or Solarius."
"Dirty magic?" Taegan spits, sitting up. "That's bullshit."
"I agree!" I say quickly. "I don't consider it that way. But they believe we stole their magic when the original high priests didn't bring them back from their banishment."
Cirrha rolls her eyes, hands absentmindedly scratching at some of the dirt caked on her jumpsuit. "Why am I not surprised they think they're so much better than us?"
Taegan pulls his filthy shirt off and tosses it aside before laying back down and closing his eyes. "Because they're Gods. Of course, they're going to think they're above us."
"Viola doesn't think that," I say quickly.
"Viola is different," he says softly. "She didn't want this. Probably still doesn't. The people you want in power are the ones who seek to avoid it." He yawns widely, rubbing his eyes with his fists.
"Let's get out of here," Cirrha says, putting a hand on my shoulder. "We'll see you in the morning, Taegan." He rolls over on his side and waves over his back at us as we slip out the door.
Cirrha's home is next door, and I usher her into it, awkwardly following after her.
There's so much left unsaid between us. Something is obviously blossoming between us, but we haven't put a name to it or even had a chance to explore it. She looks at me, head quirked to the side, rich brown eyes sparkling. I take a hesitant step towards her, and she mirrors it, alternating steps with me until we are toe to toe.
"Zeph," she says quietly. "I'll admit I wasn't sure I would ever see you again."
"You had so little faith in me?"
"When Himureal started gathering people up, I thought for sure I'd be the first." Her body shudders, the memory plaguing her. "All I could think about was how I would never get to know what this was between us."
I drag my knuckle down her cheekbone, a soft smile on my face. "And what is this between us?"
"We've spent so much time together lately, and my affection for you has grown," she says breathlessly. "You're not the man I thought you were."
"Good thing, right?" I say, opening my hand to cup her cheek.
"Very."
My hand drifts to the back of her neck, and I gently pull her forward, locking our lips together. She sighs into my mouth, body melting. I wrap my other arm around her hips to hold her up against me. Her plush lips part for mine, our tongues tentatively exploring one another. She tastes of warm summer evenings, of that time right after a sun shower. I break my lips apart from hers and look into her eyes as we both pant and catch our breath.
This is something I haven't felt before. A pull towards her that urges me closer, deeper.
Feeding my hands underneath the shoulders of her jumpsuit, I raise my eyebrow, silently asking for permission. She grants it with a subtle nod. I push the yellow fabric down her body, and she steps out of it, wearing only a small pair of panties and no chest wrap.
Miles of her flawless dark skin are on display. Her nipples tighten in the slight chill of the evening, and I can't stop myself from running my thumb over one of them. She sucks in a breath at the contact.
"Zeph," she says quietly, running her fingers through my beard. "Be with me."
The vulnerability in her words strikes me, and I take that offered gift with a promise to myself to cherish it always. I am no stranger to bringing a woman to bed with me, but this time feels different.
There is more between us than just desire. Wedged between our flesh is a shared history that grew into an undeniable affection for one another.
One that I will not hold myself back from pursuing.
I walk her backward to the bed and lay her down on it, bracketing her head in my arms. I kiss her again, licking and nipping at her lip before pulling away and kissing a trail across her neck. She tilts her head back, baring her throat to me, as I pepper her soft skin with tokens of my affection. I drag my body down hers and blow across her nipples before lapping at them with my tongue.
Cirrha wiggles beneath me as I suck one of her nipples into my mouth. I look up at her, and she peers down at me with hazy eyes. I drag my tongue lazily over the pert flesh, relishing the way she shudders under my attention. I repeat the attention on her other breast, all the while dragging my hands up and down the curves of her side, tickling my fingers gently over the soft flesh.
She whimpers, hands moving to my hair. "Zeph, please. I need more."
I pull my body down hers, kissing all the way to her panties, where I rub my fingers over the fabric. I drag my tongue over the cotton, chuckling softly as she mewls and whines at the lack of contact with her soft core. Eventually, I give up on teasing her and hook my hands under the waistband, pull the fabric down her shapely legs, and toss it to the side, settling myself back between her thighs. I drag my nose up her slit, inhaling her heady scent as it shoots straight to my cock.
Dancing my fingers across her slit, feeling the warmth and moisture there, I use my other hand to pull my shirt over my head by the collar and then wiggle out of my pants. Cirrha watches my every move, moving her hips to try to get more friction than my light touch is giving her. Her eagerness does something to my ego, and I can't hold back anymore. Holding her open with one hand, I drag my tongue up her center. The gasp that tumbles from her lips is the most beautiful music, and I chase that sound as I repeat my movements.
When my tongue touches her clit she groans throatily, and I focus my attention, circling the nub with the point of my tongue before sucking the whole thing into my mouth. Her hips buck, and mine mirror the motion, driving my cock into the lumpy mattress. I slide one finger inside her, her warmth squeezing me as I massage the upper wall. I roll her clit softly between my teeth, and she takes me completely by surprise as she shatters around me, clenching my finger as her back bows off the bed.
When her breathing slows, I pull my face from between her thighs and grin, a light laugh in my voice. "That came out of nowhere," I tease.
"You're telling me," she says through panting breaths. "There was no build-up. It just happened."
"Well then, let's see if we can't do it again, shall we?"
"Just fuck me," she pleads, pulling me up by the shoulders and kissing me deeply.
I shake my head, pulling away and wrapping my arms around her lower back. "Not yet. You've got a couple more in you." Holding her tightly, I flip us, landing on my back as Cirrha settles over my cock. She grinds against me, and moisture no doubt soaks from my tip through my boxers. She moves to pull them down, and I wrap my arms under her knees. "No, you don't," I chide, pulling her forward and settling her over my face.
She holds her body awkwardly, unwilling to put pressure on my face. I grab her hips and yank, burying my face in her sex, but she pulls away again, leaving me chasing the heady taste of her as she balances above me. "You won't be able to breathe!"
Laughing, I hold her hips tightly in my hands and slowly pull her towards me again. "Then you better hope I grow gills because I plan to drown myself in your come." Cirrha gasps, and I take advantage of her shock to firmly settle her over my face, grinding my nose against her clit as I dive my tongue inside her. Her sounds fill the room and no doubt leak out, letting everyone in Rainworth who cares to listen to what is going on in this home.
Let them listen. All I care about right now is the gorgeous woman using my face as a throne.
She quickly reaches her release again, soaking my beard and coating my tongue in the addicting taste of her. I have to hold firmly to keep her from crawling off my face. "Just one more. I know you have it in you," I say, pulling slightly away from her center. "I know you can do it."
"I can't," she whines, trying and failing to extricate herself from my grip. "Too sensitive."
"One more, Cirrha. Just give me one more. Can you do that for me?" I say, my tongue already drifting back to her clit. She whimpers but nods, and it doesn't take long for her to reach her third orgasm. I have never been with someone so sensitive before. It's quite fun to see how quickly I can bring her to ruin.
I roll us over, and she melts into the mattress, her face covered in a sheen of sweat and her eyes glossy with lust. "You're so responsive," I murmur, kissing her jawline and neck. "You make my job so easy."
"Blessing and a curse," she says with a laugh. "Blessing because some women struggling to reach climax at all. Curse because men like you take it as a challenge to beat their own record."
"I hadn't thought to do that before, but now you've given me ideas." My grin is wolfish as I slide my boxers off, propping myself up on my knees and lightly gripping my cock, dragging the moisture from the tip down my shaft. "Are you sure you want to take this farther?" I ask softly. "It won't hurt my feelings if you don't."
"Of course I do, Zeph," she says, propping herself up on her elbows. "Did you think I was going to let you eat me like a dessert and then not fuck you?"
"I pleased you because I want to, not to get something from you," I say softly.
"I want this. Fuck me, Zeph." Her eyes sparkle, and a wide grin stretches her dark pink lips wide and reveals her white teeth. "Don't make me beg."
"Wouldn't dream of it," I say, dragging the head of my cock up her lips before slowly pushing inside her. She throws her head back, groaning as she drops off her elbows.
The sensation is overwhelming. It's like I can feel her on every part of me, my senses lighting up with awareness of her body. I move my hips slowly, gently dragging myself in and out before I pull her body up and embrace her. Cirrha wraps her legs around my waist as she sits in my lap, our lips connecting and hands wandering, exploring every part of one another.
I bring a small amount of fire to my fingertips, just enough to warm them and roll her nipples between my fingertips. She gasps at the sensation and then moans into my mouth.
I rock her against my cock, moving in and out of her tight heat in rhythm with our desperate kisses. I can't stop thinking that I could have lost her. Himureal could have found out her role in this resistance, and I could have never had this moment of true bliss.
I've been with a lot of women but never like this. I have never felt so in tune with another.
My hands clutch her hips, and I raise and lower her on my cock, feeling my spine tingle and my body tighten as I near my release, but I'm not ready for this to be done. Cirrha's lips on mine are like a drug, my head spinning with the contact as she sucks my lip between her teeth. Her soft pants and moans as she slowly unravels against me are the only sounds I ever want to hear again.
"Zeph," she sighs into my ear. My name on her lips is both a promise and a plea, and I answer her call, increasing the speed I thrust into her and slipping a hand between us to press light circles into her clit. She throws her head back in ecstasy as she clenches around me, and I follow her into the abyss of pleasure, unable to hold myself back any longer once I see the curve of her back and the way her breasts push up into my chest. The long column of her neck begs for my attention, and I lightly bite the rich skin there as we both come down from the orgasmic pleasure we found in one another.
We sit there, a sweaty mess of entangled limbs, just enjoying the air we share for longer than I know. Eventually, we fall to the mattress together, and I pull Cirrha onto my chest, holding her tightly against the soft fuzz that grows there.
She looks up at me, eyes half-lidded with sleep, and smiles, stroking her hand down my face. We fall asleep like that, whispering promises into each other's ears for when we finally get out of this Godly mess.