Chapter 9 #2
I gestured. One hand only, of course, given that I needed the other one to cover my parts in a way that wasn’t too obvious.
“People got hurt.” And I hadn’t been able to unleash my lightning at the cola asshats.
I wasn’t going to talk about that just yet, but I wasn’t going to forget about it either.
Inkiri didn’t dismiss me. He didn’t laugh at me. And he didn’t tell me that it was okay because I was a soft human koa.
“When we—protectors. When we protectors go to fight, we don’t always achieve what we mean to.
We lose. People get hurt when we lose. But we learn that we have to take care of ourselves and those close to us so that we can fight again.
I think it’s like this for you now, and I understand.
Those of us who work close to the border and are hangua know the dangers.
The Koa Esher will kill hangu-naga, but not them.
” He bowed his head. “That doesn’t make it any better, but today, several protectors are free again. Aragis is free again.”
“I guess you’re right.”
He cupped my cheek. “I’m very much right.”
I sighed. “Okay. I’ll wash up. No point standing around naked any longer than I have to, right?”
He grinned. “Hmm. I can think of a point.”
I stuck my tongue out at him and went over to one of the sinks set along the wall. This was just like the hotel, the rikori, with things set out to be used by everyone.
Inkiri joined me and took the sink next to me. I grabbed one of the toiletry containers and went about sounding out what it said on there. I knew half the word.
“That’s sunshine, right?” I pointed at the bit of writing I’d conquered.
Inkiri smiled. “Yes. The other word is for a flower that grows on the moors and opens its petals when the sun is out.”
“Look at me, reading Lugarra. Uhm. So is this shower powder, or for my hair?”
Inkiri laughed. “Your hair, sweet thing.” He smiled and brushed a strand off my forehead. “You’re doing so well with Lugarra.” He rolled the Rs in a way that made me jealous, but his praise meant so much.
I smiled, my chest swelling with pride as I shampooed my hair with moorflower and sunshine, then soaped up the rest of me.
“I should also mention that everyone was very worried when we came,” Inkiri said, starting on his own hair.
“The protectors Zeddira recruited for our attempt to close off the veils to the beasts’ world returned here to Esaka with the news of the attack and of Kinnek’s capture.
They reported Zeddira as likely dead. Everyone is wildly relieved that isn’t the case.
Still, we need to regroup before we can attempt to return to the Stone of Destiny and ruin the plans of those human mages for good. ”
I sagged forward. “Dang it. I almost forgot we were doing that. Can you imagine?” I looked at him, and he clicked low.
“You faced monsters, the Koa Esher, and the Koa Esher’s deeds today, sadir. It is not easy to take in all of that all at once. But tonight, you can rest here in the Raiken where every protector will keep you safe and where there are no monsters.”
“I just want the one protector, you know.” I swallowed. “That’s you, in case that’s not clear.”
Inkiri made a satisfied sound, a bit like a purr. “I always know what you want when you look at me like that, sweet thing.”
I looked around. “These baths are, like, public. Anyone could walk in on us here. There are kids in this Raiken.”
Inkiri nodded. “The children are supposed to soak in the mornings, sadir. Full Raikengana might come here at any time, yes, but they would not mind it if they saw. You’ll be able to relax well in the water, won’t you?”
Would I? Yes, I would. And maybe the baths would remain empty.
After all, I did want my mate. Maybe the aftereffects of using magic had me craving Inkiri again, I had no idea.
It didn’t matter, not when he looked at me with that knowing twinkle in his eyes, and not when it was so quiet and warm in this place.
I cleared my throat. “This is for the body?” I pointed at another container.
He nodded. “Yes.”
“I’ll get to it, then. So should you. Chop-chop.”
He chuckled, and we cleaned up quickly.
When we were done, Inkiri helped me down into one of the pools on the far end. I really did feel more relaxed as soon as I lowered myself into the warm water. Also, the prospect of not moving for a while was more than appealing. All I wanted at the moment was Inkiri close to me.
The warm water steamed up the air, and noises echoed in the large bath. The whole setting had the feeling of a mythical cave.
I looked up at the colorful ceiling again, the water seeping into the ends of my hair. “Is this what all the baths in the Raiken everywhere look like?”
Inkiri put his arm around me. “Not all. This place is old. I know that the koa liked to build baths like these, and it was an easy thing to do with magic.” He pointed up at the mosaic tiles set into the ceiling. “Magic is still in them. They shine like stars, can you see that?”
I’d thought it was the lights at first, but now that I looked closer, those tiles were luminous by themselves. They sparkled. I let out a long “ooh,” amazed by the sight.
“Wow. I wonder if I can do that.” I leaned closer to Inkiri and kissed him on the mouth, human style.
“You can do anything you want, sweet thing.”
I locked eyes with him. “Anything?”
He stroked along my spine. “Yes.”
I dug deep to find my sexy energy and splashed around in the pool until I was straddling him. Then I dipped my head forward to kiss him again. He reciprocated, showing me just how much he’d learned about human kissing.
Well, with the caveat that I didn’t have too many comparative samples.
The bottom line being, I liked him kissing me human style just as much as I liked it when he licked my neck.
We were making the cultural differences work in our favor, and even being naked in a public bath was… convenient all of a sudden.
His fingers kept fluttering over my back, but he ventured deeper too, first stroking the flat of his palm over my buttocks, then resting his hand there.
“Do you want me to touch you here, sadir?”
I pushed into his hand. “Yup. Touching sounds like a great idea. More than touching sounds like a better idea.”
His eyes crinkled with laughter. “Anything you want.”
I did like the sound of that. He kissed me again, using his rough tongue to tease my mouth and lips and play with my tongue. It made me moan so loud that it echoed across the still pools. The weirdest thing? I didn’t even care.
Inkiri made his purring sounds and clicked in between kisses. He kneaded my butt but stopped every so often to feel along the bumps of my spine. It was sensual torture, and he knew it.
I ground into his hands, which also created friction in other places.
We were both hard, his cock much bigger and still hidden by the water, though that made me want to feel it all the more.
Before long, I was moving in a way that was pretty reminiscent of exercise, which wasn’t how I’d ever imagined sex should be.
I’d thought that kind of thing was a dramatic choice for porn, but here I was.