Chapter 17 #3
As he increasingly lost his battle against bliss, Gavin started taking me harder, deeper, faster.
I writhed beneath him, unintelligible words rising from my throat in between voluptuous moans as nearly unbearable pleasure engulfed me.
Gavin slipped a hand under my right thigh, just above the knee, and opened me wider.
A fiery bolt of fear and anticipation exploded in my nether region knowing what would follow.
My mate started pounding into me with nearly savage fury.
I cried out from the exquisite torture. I wanted more, needed more, even as I feared my body and soul would fracture from this untethered maelstrom of sensations.
Just as I was nearing the edge of bliss again, Gavin fisted my hair on my nape and yanked my head back, exposing my neck.
He bit my markings just hard enough to sting.
A blinding light exploded before my eyes, and I threw my head even further back with a feral guttural sound.
For half a beat, I wondered if my soul had been knocked right out of my body as I tumbled into the endless void of ecstasy.
In the distance, I heard Gavin roar his own release.
His seed shout out in powerful spurts, filling me to the brim as he continued to fuck me raw.
Between two thrusts, he ground his pelvis against mine, massaging my clit in the process, keeping me flying high on the wings of bliss.
I barely realized when he collapsed on top of me.
I loved the feeling of being crushed by him, trapped under his massive body with his cock still buried deep inside of me.
It was the helplessness combined with the complete trust in him always keeping me safe that made it such a wonderful sensation.
As was his wont, Gavin swiftly rolled us over so that I would lay atop him.
My head resting on his chest, his muscular arms holding me with the possessiveness I loved, I listened to the erratic pounding of his back as our breathing settled down. After a moment, I groggily lifted my head to look at him with a languid expression mixed with mischief.
“Well, as your healer, I can confirm that your stamina is impeccable,” I half-slurred.
He burst out laughing.
After docking our frigate at Dantor’s orbital space station, we hopped onto a shuttle to complete the trip.
We began our descent through the atmosphere of Dantor a little after 1:00 PM.
The blue planet was a marvel to behold. It often felt as if the land had adapted itself to its winged inhabitants.
Soaring mountains and peaks delineated the various regions of the planet.
Large valleys and luxuriant forests surrounded them, with many cities and villages scattered in their midst.
But the floating mountains constituted the main attraction.
You could only reach them by flying, whether with your own wings, riding a flying mount, or with a shuttle.
Although extremely natural-looking, those floating islands were actually stationary vessels.
The engineers specifically designed them in a way to allow vegetation to grow all around the hull, creating the illusion that a sizable chunk of land levitating off the ground.
According to rumors, the natural floating islands of Dramnak inspired the Dantorians to create their own artificial ones.
Very few people had ever set foot on the primitive planet located in the Northern Quadrant.
The draconic species named Derakeens apparently had the power to open portals through space and dimensions.
None of us could set foot on that world as the Northern and Southern Quadrants were forbidden sectors of the galaxy.
However, with Earth sitting on the border between the Northern and Western Quadrants, humans were the only species allowed to venture there.
Here, the Dantorians had erected official buildings on the flat surfaces of their floating islands. Like the Derakeens, the higher the location of an island, the more important its occupants sat in the social and political hierarchy.
And we were heading for the highest of them all.
The Divine Basilica of Fallhaven truly embodied everything a palace in the sky should be.
Its ivory-white stone walls seemed to glow under the light of the sun, as did the glass dome covering the round central building.
Eight onion-domed towers framed the rectangular annexes on each side of the circular main body.
Six minarets split in rows of three flanked the large reflecting pool at its feet.
Perfectly manicured landscapes and lavish gardens surrounded the holy place.
To the right of the Basilica, another imposing building housed the Dantorian Parliament.
Rectangular-shaped, with a single domed tower, it boasted the same gleaming ivory-white stones.
Tall arched columns sustained the inclined roof covering the immense terrace at the entrance.
A majestic fountain topped by the statue of a winged female reaching for the sky graced the front lawn.
Reyes completed our descent towards one of the two huge landing pads located on each end of the island. He settled on the left one, near the Basilica, where an impressive greeting party awaited us.
Primus Coron Naelos—the Regent of the planet—and the High Priestess Gotia Konthe lead the delegation.
The Divine’s Chamberlain stood a couple of steps behind her.
To the right, more political dignitaries formed a straight line along the path leading to the Parliament.
To the left, members of the Divine Court formed their own line along the path leading to the Basilica.
The contrast between the two groups couldn’t have been more striking. The dignitaries wore colorful, knee-length tunics, cinched at the waist by a belt. Most were sleeveless, but a few had short-to medium-length sleeves. The high-cut round collars and opaque fabric gave them a demure appearance.
In direct opposition, the Initiates and Hallowed Knights on the left—including the High Priestess herself—were beyond scantily clad.
They all wore a luxurious, formfitting, sheer fabric, that left little to the imagination.
Strategically placed darker patterns hid their naughty bits and accentuated the curves of their perfect bodies.
Helmet-like masks covered the upper half of their faces, exposing only their mouths and the tips of their noses.
The females had ankle-length dresses with a hip-high slit on the side.
The males sported an above the knee-length skirt with a see-through sash across their chests.
Most of their outfits were black, but a few wore white, while the Priestess had a shimmering ivory outfit.
All of them looked majestic with their midnight blue skin and massive wings. Where their wings’ colors varied in shades of gray, from white to pitch black, their eyes ranged from silver to black or the full spectrum of blues.
Heart pounding, we walked down the ramp of our shuttle, Vahleryon and Gavin in the lead. Rhad and I stood a step back, me to the right of Gavin, and him to the left of his Gem. The rest of our team followed in pairs behind us.
However, as we approached, the hostility emanating from the High Priestess’s soul as well as the Chamberlain’s took me aback.
As I couldn’t read minds, I had no clue what might have prompted such a reaction.
Although they disliked all of us, their resentment seemed focused on Gavin.
What had he ever done to them? He’d stated unequivocally that he’d never set foot on Dantor and didn’t know anyone here. And I had no reason to doubt him.
Could it be related to his father’s business? But even that seemed farfetched.
“These people aren’t our friends,” Vahl mind-spoke to us.
“Yes. And the Priestess particularly hates Gavin,” I concurred.
“He might have been right that this was a trap, then,” Trehv replied.
“Let’s be on our guard,” Rhadames said.
“Everyone, prepare to activate your shield and the scrambler if things heat up,” Vahl said.
I hated that Gavin, Lenora, and the other Braxians couldn’t talk to us telepathically.
They could hear what we said, but they didn’t possess the psychic ability to respond.
As a hybrid Guldan-Veredian, Lenora wasn’t a Titan like the rest of us born of a Veredian pairing with either a Xelixian or Korlethean.
Unlike those other two species, Guldans didn’t possess the slightest psychic or psionic power.
“Greetings, Vahleryon Praghan!” Coron Naelos said with great pomp as he pressed his hand to his chest and slightly bowed his head. “Welcome to you and your delegation to Dantor. Thank you for responding to our call so quickly.”
“Greetings, Primus Naelos,” Vahl replied politely, while also pressing a palm to his chest. “It is our pleasure and our duty to answer when friends and allies call upon us.”
I slapped a poised expression on my face. But deep down, I was bursting with pride at how my brother was carrying himself. You’d never guess what a nervous wreck he currently was. Vahl always passively radiated confidence and power. I doubted he even realized it.
“And we greatly appreciate it,” Coron replied with an obsequious enthusiasm that nearly had me rolling my eyes. “We have much to discuss.”
His silver gaze shifted to Gavin. Although he still didn’t express any hostility towards my mate, he seemed confused by his presence. Eyes still locked on him, Coron waved at the female next to him.
“But first, please let me introduce you to the High Priestess Gotia Konthe and consort of the Divine,” Coron said.
My stomach instantly knotted. Consort of the Divine? If she was his mate and felt such a strong dislike of Gavin, how did the Divine feel? This further reinforced my suspicion that this might be a trap. But why? What could Gavin possibly have done to trigger any of this?