Chapter Two #2
She nodded and sighed. “Let me guess. No underwear?”
“Nope. You don’t want to leave anything that they can use to track you.”
Val’s eyes widened. “Okay.”
“We try to keep things anonymous, but some of those with mage or hunter training like to try to find their club partners. They give fate a boost.”
“They cheat.”
“They do. Yes. But we have an excellent matchmaking score.”
“I thought this was stress relief?” Val frowned.
“It is, but matchmaking is the long-range plan. The king wants a serene and productive population. That means new citizens and a solid maternity ward.”
Val blinked. “Oh. There is a birth-control enchantment over the building?”
“Yes. And bio screens. Everyone in the building is disease-free.”
They got to the ladies’ change room, and the guard smiled. “That door over there as soon as you are ready.”
Val nodded and said, “Thanks. You didn’t let me bolt.”
“That’s my job. Have a wonderful time, and I hope to see you again.”
Val nodded, went to the locker, stripped, and got changed into the polished cotton robe.
She stepped into the wooden sandals and made sure that there was nothing anyone could use to find her.
Her hair was straight. No clips, pins, or ties.
The charm on her wrist was the only thing she was wearing aside from the robe and sandals.
She looked at her forearms and hoped that most of the men she would see wouldn’t know what they were looking at.
The robe was a pretty purple with gold stars and a gold sash. The sash was tight around her waist as she took a deep breath and walked to the blue door. She pushed on it, and it held, but the charm glowed, and there was a click that let her through.
She wasn’t in a receptive phase; she wasn’t pre-menstrual; she was at the perfect point of her cycle for nothing to happen. Val held to that status as she walked down the hall to where a man in a black robe was waiting for her.
He smiled. “Hello, miss. Are you ready?”
“No, but I am willing.”
He laughed. “Good start. Please come this way.”
She walked with him, and another blue door was at the end of the hall. He rapped once and then opened the door.
There was a bit of rustling fabric before she made it around the corner. When she made it around the corner... shadows.
She tilted her head curiously, and her escort chuckled. “They are all calm and even-tempered. The charm will determine which suits you best.”
“Oh. I don’t get to pick?”
“Your body does, as it is the primary agent of concern.”
“What?”
“Your mind has gotten you here; that is that part of the decision.”
“Oh. Yeah, I guess. So, this charm is going to know what I want?”
“Each male knows what he is willing to give, so the math will be done there.” He smiled kindly and spoke, but she couldn’t hear him. All of the shadows extended a hand to her, palm up. The charms on their own wrists dangled and glowed.
“So, high fives?”
“Your hand over theirs. You will know in moments.”
Val paused and then exhaled. “No time like the present, I guess.”
She reached out with her left hand and gently put it in the first shadow’s grip. She felt a roar of heat and jerked her hand back. “Too much horse for me.”
She went to the next one, and it felt like a gentle, warm wind. She lifted her hand and remembered his placement. That might have been a way to go.
Her charm hadn’t reacted yet, but when she went through rough rumbling, sharp motions, and hot need, she paused. “Whatever he is, he’s in rut and shouldn’t be here for this.”
The attendant paused and spoke so she couldn’t hear him, and the hand was pulled back. The sixth hand caused her charm to flare bright as slow heat and gentle contact promised the heat would build. She swallowed and muttered, “Probably.”
The attendant said, “Where are you going?”
“That was a good fit. I am looking to see if there is a very good fit.”
He chuckled. “Smart.”
Her next touch proved her suspicion was right. Light filled the room, and she said, “Most probably.”
The final touch was good but not great.
She looked at the attendant. “Now what?”
“Take your choice to the black door. He has a space assigned to him.”
She returned to the one who turned her charm into a disco ball and put her hand in his again.
He stepped forward and led her to the door and through the dark hallway with many doors attached to it.
He walked calmly to a door that had no number or other markings, but it opened at his touch.
She gasped. It was a glade with a waterfall, a platform with a low bed on it, and she could swear she heard birds in the distance.
“Oh, pretty.”
The shadow chuckled. “You are a column of light to me.”
“You are shadow. I didn’t think we could talk.”
“I am bending the rules. You are unsure of where to start, and I wish to start with a kiss, but I didn’t want to surprise you.”
She nodded and leaned toward him, feeling the press of lips on hers. The lips were warm and firm, the kiss was deliberate and controlled. She admired control.
She leaned toward him and pressed her hand to his chest. She felt smooth, warm skin and unyielding muscle under the robe. His arms slowly wrapped around her, and she slid her hands up his chest, touching his neck and linking her hands behind it.
He lifted her, and his tongue began to lap at her lips, and she opened for him. Her body tingled in a rush of heat when his tongue stroked hers.
She was shivering with every touch and could feel his erection against her, and lifting her against him had given them an alignment that they would not have had otherwise. The mental image of wrapping her legs around him was a little too advanced.
He lifted his head and chuckled. “All these impulses you have that you won’t act on.”
“And that is why I am still in this situation today.”
He chuckled. “True.”
“I am not sure what to do with my hands.”
He stroked her cheek and lowered her to the floor. “You will figure it out, but you don’t need to do anything other than relax. This day is to acquaint you with pleasure so that you won’t be afraid of seeking it out.”
She snorted. “That sounds like something an opener would say.”
He chuckled. “Does it? It is still true.”
She blushed. “It’s embarrassing that everybody knows I haven’t had sex.”
“Have you had a partner that you wanted to have sex with?”
“No.”
“Then there is no embarrassment to be had. You are here today to just be able to tick it off on your life list?”
Val blushed. “That is a way to describe it. My body isn’t in any particular need or desperation, so this was the most un-urgent that I could be.”
“And still you warm easily. May I take the lead?”
She nodded. “Please. I promise not to bite or kick too much.”
He stroked her cheek. “I promise not to earn it.”
The tie that she had throttled into place came away under his fingers. He walked her over to the bed and slid the robe from her shoulders. His hands guided her down, and she reclined on one elbow.
There was a rustling, and a black robe slid to the floor next to the bed.
He was still clothed in shadow, but he moved behind her and began to kiss her spine, one inch at a time.
She felt him slowly easing her body into what it was supposed to be feeling, what would feel good.
He traced her with his mouth and flicks of his tongue, and his hand trailed over her hip and outer thigh.
He slowly rolled her to her back, and his mouth began at her lips before he moved down her body, keeping her surrounded by him.
When he licked at her breasts, her hands went to his hair, and when he sucked on her nipple, she clenched her toes as her body arched, and she felt a distinctly new moisture starting to emerge.
He treated her other breast to the same, and her legs slid as she squeaked in surprise. He moved back to the first, and she held his head as she started trembling with every slow suction and pluck of his lips.
When he returned to her left, she felt a tension pulling hard, and then it released, and she let out a choked moan while her body pulsed slowly.
Val was panting and could feel the smile on his lips as he kissed his way between her breasts and down her belly.
His hands cupped her hips, and he moved down the bed.
She was holding her thighs together when he pried them apart and dropped to his belly between her knees.
He settled her legs over his shoulders, wrapped his arms under her thighs, and began to lick at her.
She felt the strong heat of his tongue as it worked on the shining proof of her arousal until she closed her eyes.
That was so much worse. She tried to sit up, but he slid a hand up her torso and pushed her back.
She was nervous, embarrassed, but he simply kept licking at her, and heat started to return. She curled her toes on his shoulder blades, and when she started flexing her hips against him, he slid two fingers into her.
His tongue remained worshipping her clit, and when she moved against his slowly moving fingers, he added a third. She paused and then started to roll her hips against his fingers, rapidly pushing toward another orgasm. When he pulled his fingers, she yelled, “No!”
He laughed and unravelled himself from her, and she felt the rigid length of his erection sliding into her. She blinked as he moved slowly, and as he moved, she felt him stretching her slowly.
She stared up at the shadow and undulated her hips with him, moving her legs up to hold him as he rocked into her, sweat to sweat, skin to skin.
She heard her voice, caught him against her, and held tight.
Her shriek rang in her own ears as fire ran under her skin, and her arms and legs held onto him as if he were the last man on the planet.
His groan echoed hers, and he held himself to her with short thrusts of his hips.
Val held tight to him and slowly relaxed her death grip. She whispered, “I am so sorry for that. I didn’t mean to...”
He slowly lifted his shadowed torso. “Never apologize for making your partner feel wanted. I felt it in my bones.”
She blushed and ducked her head.
“And you? How was your first time?”
She swallowed. “It was an excellent first. Thank you.”
He kissed her. “Would you care to try it again?”
“Are you going to use an opener spell again?”
He chuckled. “You figured that out?”
“Obviously.”
“In that case, it will not be needed unless you wish to open other avenues to pleasure.”
Val paused and thought about it. “I wouldn’t mind, but I have taken up enough of your time.”
“There is nowhere I would rather be tonight.”
Val chuckled. “I am always willing to expand my horizons.”
He laughed. “Funny. That is exactly what happens next.”
He flipped her to her belly and began to warm her body again. It was a very pleasurable hour.
“That is... different.” She lay against him after they had both tidied up in the discreetly hidden bathroom. It was strange to find a toilet behind a waterfall, but there it was. The shower had been behind a tree.
“There are a thousand flavours of pleasure. The point is to be open to any that you can enjoy without guilt or recrimination.”
“Ah. Well, thanks for the lack of guilt or recrimination.” She chuckled and rested her head on his shoulder.
“It was my pleasure. Literally. You were a joy to have as a partner.”
“Thank you. It wasn’t as awkward as I had imagined.”
“Good.” He kissed her forehead.
She smiled and sighed. “I guess it’s time to go. I have to get some sleep in before work tomorrow.”
“What time do you start?”
“Five.”
“Then, yes. You had better be going. I wish you well.”
“I wish you well.”
She got up and put the robe on again. He helped her sash it and told her how to get back to the change room. She smiled. “Okay. Thank you again.”
She left him and followed the direction down the hall, through the blue door, and back to her locker. She got dressed in her street clothing, put her robe in the hamper, and exited through the door marked with the huge exit sign. It was strange, but she felt very relaxed and calm.
The bouncer from earlier saw her and grinned. “I will call you a cab.”
“Thank you. Not sure I am up for the walk.”
There was a deep chuckle, and the troll got a cab in under a minute.
The guard asked, “Will you come back?”
“I don’t know. Maybe? I will have to see if this woke up my hormones.”
“Fair. Well, precious, have a nice night.”
Val got into the cab, gave her address, and waved to the bouncer as the cab drove away.
It was a weird evening, but she had things to do and less than five hours before it was time for work. Sex took a long time.