Chapter 16
Sir Keyon
I cupped Elpis’s sex at first, just letting her get used to my hand on her intimate mound and absorb its warmth. She squirmed a little bit and brushed her bottom against my cock, which forced me to scoot back a little. I set my jaw, focused, and doubled down on my task.
After a swipe down the middle to collect a little of her slick, I slid my finger straight into her opening, startling her as I’d intended. I wanted all her attention on what I was doing, not on her pain. I pressed deep into her warm channel, not bothering to hide the aroused groan that escaped my lips.
Don’t get excited, Keyon. We’re doctoring her, Toast warned.
This helps her get there. She responds well to my noises and dirty talking, I argued, trying desperately not to laugh. Toast was totally disrupting my focus, but he’d never stuck around this long. I never would have imagined he’d be awake while I had my finger in a female. I actually never thought I’d get near a female. I was weirdly proud, but… fuck, I didn’t know if I could handle this kind of multitasking !
Elpis gave a slight moan, but I couldn’t tell if it was from the migraine or my invasion. She was hard to read right now.
“I like your pretty little moans, female,” I murmured into her ear. “It’s just evidence of how much you appreciate my thick finger in your tight little hole.” I pulled my finger almost all the way out, then pushed it back in, squeezing another moan out of her. “Mmm, there it is again. That’s two now. Are you saying you want two fingers, little female?”
Ok, but does she really need two? Toast pressed conservatively.
Toast… arousal is important for orgasms. Kinda hard to get there if you’re not aroused. The more turned on she gets, the sooner this’ll be over.
Toast was silent for a moment, then pondered, So, have we considered a third finger?
I ignored his recommendation. Elpis’s hips continued to squirm against my hand after my offer of a second finger, and I smiled into her neck. “Is that a yes? I’ll take that as a yes,” I whispered and plunged a second finger in, curling both of them to stroke against her inner wall. She whined and arched, forcing her butt against my growing erection. How many more times would I have to move away from her lovely bottom. Would she notice?
“Careful there, little female. Your motions are waking the beast in my pants,” I growled, and she shuddered. She was definitely very aroused now, perfuming the room with the scent of her natural lubrication. She tried to reach behind to grab me, but I blocked her hand with a thigh.
Don’t let her grab us! This is a medical procedure! Toast panicked.
“Ah, ah, ah,” I scolded Elpis. “This. Is. Your. Treatment. Moonflower.” I pumped my two fingers in with every word to emphasize. “So. Take. Your. Medicine. Like. A. Good. Female!” I growled into her ear.
She wailed in pleasure from my thrusting fingers but continued to reach for my pants.
Can’ t we tie her down or something? Toast asked frantically. This is not normal patient behavior!
Her arousal hung heavy in the air now like a dense fog, but I tried not to give in to her demands. I snarled with lost patience and tossed the sheets off the bed. Ripping off her pants and undergarments, I dragged her hips to the edge of the bed, and pried apart her soft thighs.
Good idea, she can’t reach us down here. Wait, what are you doing, Keyon?
Kneeling on the floor between her legs, I reprimanded her. “You are being very difficult tonight, female,” I growled, starting to feel a little feral from all the lust she was radiating. The sooner this was over with, the better. “And because you’ve forced me to come down here, you lose out on all the dirty talk tonight,” I informed.
Why won’t you be able t— WOAH. I’m out! Please don’t get your tongue stuck! Oh my gods, oh my gods, oh my go— Toast yelped and disappeared to hibernate.
Good riddance, I thought vehemently. That had been too distracting.
I held her thighs open and considered my strategy. The trimmed hairs around her sex allowed me to see her better, and she was simply ravishing. Stunning might be a better word for it because I might have been staring at her longer than I realized.
I grazed a thumb down one of her glistening folds, already slick from desire. I’d never tasted a female before, but I’d been craving Elpis for quite a while. I licked her moisture off my thumb and shuddered. I didn’t know if the mate bond had anything to do with it, but she was delectable. Aside from a sweet and earthy flavor, she still had that hint of agave, strangely enough.
I leaned in and ran a tongue down the middle, parting my moonflower’s little petals. She squealed quietly and started, clearly not expecting my mouth on her. I imagine no one could have done this for her if she’d been wearing her chastity belt all the time. Knowing that I was the first to taste her was arousing, and I growled possessively into her flesh. I buried my face in between her legs and began lapping at her folds, remembering the patterns she seemed to enjoy the most. She didn’t fight me or protest; she whimpered and whined with every stroke of my tongue.
Feeling creative, I shifted my tongue a little to make it slightly longer. I turned my head, breathed out a little fire to warm it up, and then dipped it into her channel. My adapted asset drew a surprised gasp out of her, and I glanced up to see her hands sliding all over her body. They went from caressing her throat to under her pajama top to grope her own breasts. She was completely incapable of staying still, and the corner of my lip curled in a smirk.
Who needs warming lube when you’re with a dragon? I thought smugly.
She bucked her hips, and I moved my left hand to her pelvis to keep her in place. The right hand went to the swollen flesh at the apex of her sex, where I began rubbing. I knew that once she’d been properly stimulated, that little spot was her undoing.
Between sliding my tongue inside her and rubbing her sensitive clit, it wasn’t long before her legs started shaking. I maintained the same patterns and smiled when she fully tensed under my ministrations. The calm before the storm was my favorite part of pleasing her. The anticipation was brutal.
Then Elpis climaxed. Her pale lips released a long, explosive moan, and her body lurched into rhythmic spasms. I removed my tongue and shifted it back to normal but continued to rub at her flesh. I wanted to watch her euphoria. The way she moved was a reminder of when she danced for me at the mansion; her motions were just as smooth and flowing in her pleasure. Her sweeping undulations told of her rapture until they calmed with the volume of her cries.
I took one last moment to stare down at her in her glorious post-orgasm glow. Her long charcoal eyelashes fluttered open as though she was waking from a dream. When our eyes met, I smiled gently and helped her back into her pajama bottoms, then pulled the sheets over her again.
I sat on the bed next to her and asked, “Are you feeling better, Elpis?”
She nodded shyly and looked at her fingernails. “Yes… thank you. I’m sorry I kept reaching for you. I don’t know what got into me…”
I shrugged and said, “It’s ok. You probably just weren’t thinking straight.”
“I promised I’d never try to force myself on you again,” she replied bitterly. “I’m failing that goal.”
“When did you force yourself on me?” I asked, rubbing my eyes tiredly.
“The mansion…” she whispered.
I frowned and scoffed. “That place doesn’t count. That place was a fucking nightmare, Elpis.” I placed a finger under her chin to force her to look up at me. “Do you know why I call you moonflower?”
She mumbled, “Cuz I’m pale.”
I chuckled and crossed my arms. “I mean, I can’t argue that observation, but mostly no.” I brushed a lock of hair behind her ear so she couldn’t hide behind it. “Moonflowers bloom at night when no one is around to see them. Most people don’t know how truly beautiful they are because they only see the sleeping flower on their own time during the day.
“The people who had you didn’t know what they had. It’s like a fisherman tying a diamond onto a fishhook, thinking it should be used instead of bait because it’s shiny. They didn’t even stop to think about its value—that they could buy new gear, a boat, and open a shop.
“Those slavers put you on the wrong pedestal. They only chose to see what the sun hit: naked skin. But,” I continued, poking her gently just under her collarbone, “on the inside where it’s dark, that’s where you truly bloom. You’re clever, brave, joyous, and kind. Now, I didn’t know that much about you at the time, but I could tell you were brave and loyal by handing that dagger over. You’re smart enough to have a wicked sense of humor, if you recall that terrible voice acting session. And your kindness is exposed by your gratitude.” I stroked her cheek with a thumb.
“I call you moonflower because there is more to you than what anyone has ever tried to see. You’re not who you think you are, Elpis. You’re better.”
My words had the opposite effect. Instead of smiling, she started crying. Ahhh… fuck. I was additionally confused when she sat up to hug me. She latched on tight like a squirrel during a storm, and I froze for a moment before choosing to gently stroke her back.
“Th-thank you.” She sniffled and burrowed into my chest.
“I… you’re welcome, but you have to stop crying, Elpis. You’re recovering from a migraine. You know, I actually should get you some wate—” I started saying while trying to stand, but she hung on so tight that she stayed attached and became airborne. She wrapped her legs around my hips, and I couldn’t pry her off me.
“Elpis,” I chastised, unable to keep from laughing. “Let me get you water.” She shook her head, and I threatened to walk away with her, which didn’t faze her for a minute. So, I ended up trudging downstairs with Elpis stuck to me, giggling like a hatchling, which ultimately got me laughing. I returned her to bed with a glass of water.
“I certainly hope you are less trouble tomorrow, moonflower,” I teased with a smirk. “Get some rest. I’ll be in shortly.”
“Good night,” she said quietly and snuggled into her pillow with a sweet smile on her face.
I walked into my study, pulled out my maps, and sat down to figure out the quickest route to the Solar Coven.
Elpis
I woke up to find that Keyon had already gotten out of bed, so I bathed, dressed, and ran downstairs to find him rearranging items in his bag.
“Are we going today?” I asked hesitantly. “Where are we going?”
He glanced up at me while he stuffed rations into a side pocket. “Solar Coven. If I can’t get intel from Leof, we need to do something about those marks around your neck. I’m extremely uncomfortable not knowing what they’re for.”
I put my hands to my throat again. I kept forgetting they were there. “Think they’re causing the migraines?” I asked, feeling around as though I could find them by touch.
“Well,” he grunted as he pushed a chunk of clothing into the bag, “you didn’t get them before we removed the collar, right?”
“Nay…” I murmured softly. “I’ve never had a migraine before that.”
“If those markings are making you sick, Elpis…” He stopped and sat back, looking at me with a pained expression. “I’m afraid only a witch might be able to help, and I don’t want to be days away from a coven if your condition worsens.”
I nodded, grabbed some food, and went back upstairs to sort out my own bag. I felt miserable being the cause of such a large trip that had nothing to do with his escort duty. I had to keep reminding myself that he was just my guard. We didn’t have a future. Whatever I was, I was the wrong species… and that devastated me.
That’s why I was boggled by how I’d acted last night. I needed to do better at keeping my hands to myself when it was unwanted. The spike in my desire reminded me of when I was a bit younger. It was like the day I became an adult; Zosime said that something would change my behavior. What was that word again?
Horn gnomes? my brain supplied. What? I shook my head, hoping I wasn’t going mad from the symbols on my neck. This wasn’t the first time I’d heard a rogue thought since the collar had been removed. Maybe I should let Keyon know.
I met my escort downstairs, and we left the cabin. “There are two routes to get to the coven,” Keyon said as we journeyed farther up the mountain. “The first route goes back down to the main roads and swings up north. Unfortunately, the Solar Coven is way up on the clifftops, so you either fly or you learn how to mountain climb,” he said with an irked expression.
“The second route,” he continued, scratching at his nose, “takes us farther up this mountain and through a small but wealthy community. We go past that, continue north, and veer west toward the cliffs where the coven is.”
“Not an easy place to access…” I muttered.
“Easy for a dragon, but no, not for someone like you,” he said with a sigh. I cringed and flushed at those words.
Someone like me.
I fought the urge to apologize because I knew what he’d say, but I was starting to feel like my very existence was an inconvenience. I bit back tears and wondered if the horn gnomes were responsible for making me feel this way—for me thinking it’d be better if I was gone. Had Pelagia thought that way? I felt a pang of regret. I hadn’t prayed for Pelagia in a while. I should do that when the sun began its descent.
“I’m tempted to see if there’s anything warmer we can buy you in that town, but I’m also concerned we’ll be recognized. We’ll be safe once we reach the coven, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be surrounded when we need to leave.”
“I can tolerate it,” I said listlessly. “I still heal better than a human, and I’m used to cold places.”
“Doesn’t mean I want you to suffer, Elpis,” Keyon replied, regarding me with a stern expression.
“The only thing that can make me suffer is a cage,” I returned absently and pulled my cloak around me. It was chilly on the mountain, but if I got sick, I’d get better. I wasn’t concerned about it. I just wanted this trip to be over so there’d be one less burden on Keyon’s shoulders. If the witches could stop my migraines, that’d be great too. A day would come where Keyon wouldn’t be able to help me with them anymore.
Eventually we rounded a huge outcrop and came upon a gated courtyard. Behind it were mansions, fancy restaurants, and upscale shops. There didn’t seem to be any roads that led to this place, so it must only be inhabited by dragons.
“This gate didn’t use to be here…” Keyon noted with a scowl, kicking the golden bars of the gate that kept me from walking into town. A guard noticed Keyon and marched over to yell at us.
“Save your dragon’s breath. We’re going.” Keyon waved him away and walked aside with me. “This doesn’t look good,” he said, flipping off his hood and brushing his hands through his chestnut locks. “This has always been a wealthy neighborhood, but there’s never been a reason for gatekeeping. There’s a low crime rate here, and only dragons have easy access. Why make it harder to enter?”
“To slow you down,” I said simply and scratched the back of my leg with a boot. “We saw stuff like this at the mansion. Slavers need time to hide their slaves, and if you wheel a cage up here like you said you did for the mansion, that gate is going to give them enough time to do just that.”
“Buying time,” he murmured, putting his fingers to his lips in thought. He stared at the town for a moment, then looked down at me. “We’ll go around, but I’ll need to come back to this when my mission with you is over.”
“I could help…” I offered.
Why did I say that? When he was done escorting me, I’d be… well, I didn’t know where I’d be.
“Ever the moonflower,” he said with a smile but shook his head. “Not putting you in danger. I don’t want you getting within a mile of a slaver. In fact, let’s go right now. I’m not comfortable hanging around here.”
We gave the town a wide berth as we tried to find a route past it. It took a while, and we had to do some difficult climbing through the cliffs and evergreens, but Keyon helped me through it. Watching him jump up to ledges and turning around to pull me up with his monstrously strong arms was thrilling, and I was grateful for the constant breeze that blew away any scent of my arousal. I couldn’t help it. He always had such an intense look in his burnished eyes whenever he needed to touch me, whether it was opening his arms to help me down or holding me while descending with his wings. I often felt myself holding back sighs because my brain was getting stuck on sex. I wished the horn gnomes would disappear.
I found myself shivering a little when the sky blushed into oranges and yellows. Keyon grinned and pulled me around a corner to an incredible view. We were right on the edge of the cliff and facing the sunset. My brain didn’t know how to process that kind of distance. Just leaving the confines of the mansion had been a challenging adjustment. The world was so big.
“Ah! Oh my Moon Goddess,” I gasped while taking a step back, overwhelmed.
“I’ve got you. You won’t fall,” Keyon said, grabbing my shoulders. “Look at that view, though.”
It was quite the view indeed. Shadowy evergreens, highlighted in gold from the setting sun, spread as far as the eye could see and blanketed the rolling hills. The Sun God hung low in the sky, allowing the ever-busy Sky Gods to prepare the stars. How busy the skies must be at sunset and sunrise. So much to do in so little time.
“My whole life, all this was out here, and I never knew. It was just the mansion and the dark stone of the underground,” I said in wonder. The more I looked at the sky, the more I fell under its thrall. Any clouds that dotted the sky were purple on top and red on the bottom. I didn’t even have the words to describe the kinds of purples and reds I was seeing. They just… glowed. They burned so bright that I swore I could see them when I closed my eyes. The rest of the sky was a blend of luxurious golds and deep, deep blues. It all fit together like a masterpiece.
Keyon moved behind me and wrapped his arms loosely around my waist. “And now you’re here. You’ll be able to see sunsets whenever you want now,” he replied, sounding deep in thought.
I wondered if Pelagia saw the sunset before she went. Pelagia… I was closer to the Sun God now. Maybe He could he ar me better? I closed my eyes and spoke the verse. I was not good enough to sing it and not nearly brave enough to sing in front of Keyon.
“If you have but a moment, a last request we plea. Help lost Pelagia ascend. Do you remember she?” I implored of the Sun God and wiped a tear from my eye. Perhaps she’d already found comfort or a path to reincarnation, but I wasn’t taking that chance.
“Who is Pelagia?” Keyon asked hesitantly, flexing his fingers a little.
I whimpered miserably and said, “She was a slave around my age. We were friends and used to cage together. Pelagia… struggled more than anyone with being a slave. Perhaps it was due to the fact she could still remember her old life with her family. She’d been taken at an older age than most.
“When she turned sixteen, they began grooming her to become a sex slave… not a pleasure slave, but a sex slave!” I said vehemently, and tears began flowing freely down my cheeks. “She was so young… so young. She became so distressed that she started pulling out her hair and scratching at her skin until she bled. Tofa eventually put her in shackles when she wasn’t being supervised. I’m ashamed to say that part of me was relieved when Pelagia was shackled. I didn’t want her to hurt herself.” I cried at the shame I felt and rubbed my eyes. Keyon lifted me and sat down, placing me in his lap and wrapping his cloak around both of us. He didn’t say anything, just listened.
“Th-the day came that Pelagia was called to a guest’s chamber for the first time. They had to pull her k-kicking and screaming from the cage. L-later”—I released a heavy sob—“we found out that Pelagia had escaped the guest’s room and flung herself from the mansion’s r-r-roof!” I collapsed against Keyon’s chest in my grief. “Th-that was when Tofa s-started standing g-guard outside of g-guest rooms. They became more paranoid about slaves taking their own lives after that.”
“Fuck…” Keyon murmured and pulled me against him while I cried. I squeezed my eyes sh ut so hard it hurt, wishing that my memories of Pelagia had been nothing but a bad dream. I clutched at his shirt, trying to anchor myself in the comfort he offered so freely.
“It sounds like every second matters for slaves,” Keyon said, as though to remind himself. “I need to get back to my duties as the knight general with these raids… if that’s even possible anymore. I promise I’ll do my best for you, Elpis. For Pelagia,” he vowed and stroked my arm with a thumb.
For me? I didn’t understand that, but I was too worn out to press further. It was cathartic to get it all out, though, under the embrace of the wind, the Sun God, and a kind ear. I just sat limply against Keyon, staring at the sunset and mourning the loss of a friend.