Chapter Thirty-One
The campaign shifted within hours.
I wrote áedán's new story. Then Outreach Team sent it around the globe to all of Velasca's offices for distribution.
Caelum had already given a blanket order to all Velasca's office that we were altering our approach from preservation to evolution.
áedán's case would set the course for a new way of helping myths. If it worked.
With this change came fresh ideas from other Velascans who'd been waiting for something like this to shake up the organization.
The Velasca branched out. Not only did they publish online articles, but the Outreach Team also created a social media profile for áedán and posted daily.
Press releases were sent to folklore societies, Celtic studies departments, environmental organizations, climate activists, and news stations.
Anyone who understood that water was more than a resource and could see the value in áedán's story.
The Velasca's network activated, spreading the narrative through academic channels, community organizations, and grassroots movements.
It worked better than every preservation campaign in the Velasca's history.
Within two weeks, the engagement was staggering.
People published their own stories online, added áedán's posts to their blogs, and shared them with friends.
áedán amassed over a million followers in a week.
His posts went viral, and influencers took notice.
There were gifs of water horses standing between men in hazmat suits and lakes.
YouTube was full of videos about kelpies—from people wearing kelpiecore to cryptid hunters diving in lochs, searching for kelpies.
Folklorists were having a moment, and environmental organizations latched onto the guardian-of-sacred-waters angle.
Someone created an infographic about kelpies as symbols of ecological accountability that went viral on three platforms. A climate scientist wrote an article connecting kelpie mythology to modern water-rights activism.
áedán became more radiant every day. He stopped forgetting things. When we made love, he had to tamp down his magic, or the ribbons beneath his skin would blind me. I was certain we had won. We made love every night, laughing and kissing in our joy. We talked about the future.
Then the Editor struck back.
It started with a blog post. Someone claiming to be a folklore researcher presented “newly discovered“ historical documents that contradicted our narrative. He cited the altered books and uploaded edited pictures of old manuscripts.
People started saying that the guardian mythology was a recent invention.
That the original kelpie myths had always portrayed them as malevolent creatures who drowned innocents for sport.
That our version was revisionist history designed to make dangerous beings seem sympathetic.
It was an influencer ploy. The Internet loves an underdog, but when that dog becomes an alpha, they love to watch him fall.
The Editor had turned the tables on us. He had used our own strategy against us. We held a meeting to discuss tactics.
“They're good,” Agnes said grimly. “Using the stories we sought to discredit to discredit us.”
áedán stood at the window, watching rain streak the glass. “So what do we do?”
“It's time to hold the festivals,” I said. “We need to take you out among people.”
Caelum nodded slowly. “Velas's way. The way stories were always meant to spread. Through person-to-person interaction.”
“Yes, but also, we need to make áedán real.
With AI these days, people can create fake videos of people who don't exist. We need to prove that áedán isn't just some AI garbage created to get clout.” I pulled out my notebook, already making lists.
“We continue with the online campaign, disputing nothing. We are confident in our truth. When you fight back, you only look guilty. But we also go to communities. Hold festivals. We tell the story face-to-face. We let people hear it from áedán himself. Let them feel his magic.”
Mei Lin opened her calendar book. “I already have several festivals in the works. Traditional Highland celebrations. Midsummer gatherings. I scheduled the first one for four days from now in Luss. I wanted us to begin at his home.”
“I'll create traveling exhibitions,” Eleanor said. “Bring the Archive to the people. Let them see the real manuscripts. Touch them if possible. Make it tangible. Show them that the new story stems from the old and all that other stuff is lies.”
Agnes nodded. “And we encourage communities to share their own memories. Their own stories about water guardians. Make it a collective remembrance to support the evolution.”
I looked at áedán. “You'll need to be there. At every event we can get you to.”
He turned away from the window. “I can do that.”
“It won't be easy,” Julian warned. “You'll be exposed. Vulnerable. If the Editor wants to strike at you directly—”
“Let them try.” áedán's voice took on a hard edge. “I'm tired of hiding. I'm tired of fading. If this is how I survive, then I'll do it. And if they want to ambush me, they'll find me prepared.”
“We'll leave for Luss tonight,” Julian said.
“Tonight?” áedán scowled. “That's a long trip.”
“We'll make it by morning. Perfect timing.”
“You're coming too?” I asked.
“Yes, Agnes and Mei Lin will join us.” He nodded to the women. “Eleanor, you'll come out when you've finished preparing the exhibition. Mateo, you can join her when you've prepared the food.”
Caelum stood up. “Good luck, everyone. I will oversee the efforts of the Outreach Team from here.”
“Meet before the main hall in an hour,” Julian said.
All of us left to prepare. áedán and I went to our room—it had ceased being mine—and packed. It didn't take us long. We ended up with forty-five minutes to spare. We grinned at each other.
Seconds later, we were naked and kissing. My hands roamed áedán's body, noting how his muscles had enlarged. Even his shoulders seemed broader. His cool hands met the hot skin of my ass and kneaded as he ground our shafts together.
“Ethan,” he murmured against my neck. “I love you so much.” He leaned back to look at me. “Without you, I would have let myself fade.”
“Don't say that.” I pulled him down and pressed our foreheads together. “You're a fighter and a survivor. You would have—”
“I would have faded, and we both know it.” He nipped at my lips, his hands rubbing up my back to grip my shoulders. Then he pumped against me. “Now, I cannae see a future without you.” He stroked my face. “Ethan, I—”
“What?”
“I, uh, need to rut. Will you let me mount you?”
“Oh, fuck. Why does that sound so hot?”
He laughed as he turned me around.
I stopped him and went to my knees instead. “First, I want you to fuck my mouth.”
áedán's eyes went wide. “What?”
“Take my head in your hands and fuck my mouth.” I grinned. “Please.”
“You want me to be rough?”
“Absolutely.” I shivered. “I'll loosen my throat for you. Go as deep as you can.”
áedán's expression shivered with lust as he moved closer, close enough that the tip of his cock brushed my lips. “If that's what you want, who am I to deny you?”
He grabbed the base of his cock. Holding my gaze, he rubbed it over my lips, then pressed forward.
I opened around him, groaning when his taste hit me.
I'd been too afraid to ask for this with my other lovers, but with áedán, I felt comfortable enough to tell him every desire I had.
And confident in his ability to give it to me.
“Och, your hot mouth. It's so soft. Warm.” áedán's hands went to the side of my head, gentle at first.
Then I sucked him deeper, my tongue pressing against the underside of his thick cock.
He cried out, his hands clenching around my head, and thrust. Still, he stopped when he hit the back of my mouth and kept his thrusting to that depth.
I let him adjust. Then I tightened my lips around him and pushed forward until I had all of him, a good two inches of him going down my throat.
“Oh, fuck! You braw lad,” he panted. “You're too good at that. I can't hold back.”
áedán held my head still and slammed into my mouth.
Over and over, he pushed down my throat, cutting off my air.
I had to gulp breaths between thrusts, and my heartbeat kept time with it.
I had never been so turned on in all my life.
Looking up the length of his sculpted chest to see him lost to lust made my cock weep.
I loved the feel of his tight grip, loved going limp so he could take me.
All I had to do was suck him and relax my throat. It was utter bliss.
Then, with a roar, he came, spilling cool and sweet into my mouth. I swallowed as he continued to spurt, then sucked him clean when he withdrew. Panting and grinning, he pulled my face back to him.
“Dinnae be stopping now. We're far from done.” He rubbed his spent shaft against my lips.
After licking my lips, I sucked his spent flesh back into my mouth. With him stroking my hair, gentle this time, I worked him back to arousal. The feel of him hardening inside my mouth was a cherry on top of my áedán sundae.
Suddenly, he pulled out, pulled me to my feet, spun me around, and bent me over the bed. “Stay there. Just like that, with your fat little ass high.”
“Hey! My ass isn't fat!” I glared at him over my shoulder.
“Och, but it is.” áedán rubbed his hands over it appreciatively and squeezed. “Plump and round. Perfect for fucking.”
“Oh, all right then.” I grinned as I laid my head on the bed and wriggled my ass.
He groaned, then I heard the erotic sound of him applying lubricant to his cock. That swish and slide had me shivering. I cried out when his slick finger sought my hole and entered slowly.
“You're not sore, are you?” áedán asked as he hooked his finger inside me and eased me open. “I took you hard last night.”
“I'm not sore at all. Now stop wasting time and fuck me.”
He chuckled, low and sexy. Then he spread my cheeks, and I felt the tip of him press against me. Moaning, I pushed back, and he let me take him. The tip popped in, and I rolled it in me before pressing back further.
“Hold now, love. I'm the one mounting you, remember?”
“Then mount me and rut already.”
“My but you're so impatient tonight.”
“Because we only have about forty minutes.”
“We're not driving with them. They can leave without us.”
I blinked. “Oh! All right, then.” I grinned at him over my shoulder. “Take your time, my bonnie beast.” I used his social media handle.
He laughed harder. “Brace yourself, mortal.”
I knew he wasn't teasing, not entirely, so I braced my arms on the bed.
Then he slammed deep, sending me jerking forward.
I cried out in delight as he filled me, hitting all those wonderful spots.
I squeezed him to spur him on, and áedán went wild, hands gripping my hips as he thrust faster and faster.
Pleasure shot up my spine, and I pushed back on him, taking him even deeper. My cock slapped the side of the bed with his every thrust, adding another layer of tingling delight. Then áedán grabbed it and pumped it in time to his thrusts.
“áedán!” I cried as my body locked up and my thighs shook.
All I got in response was a grunt.
I came on the coverlet, my entire body thrashing while áedán held me steady.
Then I flopped forward. His thrusts moved me violently back and forth over the bed, but I didn't care.
I smiled as my view slid side-to-side. The delicious post-orgasm lethargy had taken me, but áedán's merciless thrusting was quickly banishing it. My cock revived in three thrusts.
“That's a good laddie,” áedán rumbled as he bent over me.
He wrapped his arms around me and lifted up, bringing me to my feet.
But I had to go on tiptoe. So he leaned back, keeping me in place as he transferred his grip to beneath my thighs.
I cried out in surprise when he lifted me off the floor.
My hands went behind me to latch onto his neck as he bucked up into my body. Before me, my cock flopped up and down.
“Oh, fuck.” I had never felt so loved before. Treasured. And also so naughty.
áedán spread my thighs wider, increasing my feeling of vulnerability. But it only made me feel safer. I knew he wouldn't drop me, wouldn't let anything hurt me. The position actually made my channel more sensitive, and I found myself cresting again.
He slowed down. I felt him tremble as he reeled in his need.
“Are you going to come again, my bonnie Velascan?” he whispered in my ear. “Twice before I've given you my cream? When we first met, I never would have imagined you'd be so wanton. My greedy lover.”
“I wasn't,” I panted. “Not before you.”
All his control vanished. With a growl, áedán bent his knees and went wild, bouncing me upward with the power of his thrusts.
With the feel of his cool body at my back and cool cock inside me, I reached for the apex of desire again.
My fingers became claws, digging into his shoulders, and my nipples turned into hard nubs that tingled from the touch of the air.
“Ethan, I can't hold it in much longer.” áedán's grip on my thighs tightened.
“Just one more . . . áedán!” I went into spasms, cock jerking as my release arced through the air.
“Ethan!” He bent backward, bringing me with him, and released deep inside me.
Once. Twice. Thrice. He spurted cool into my hot channel. I shivered with the end of my climax and the feel of him slipping free. Then he lowered me to my feet and helped me sit down on the bed.
Panting, hands on his hips, áedán grinned. “We made a bit of a mess.”
“I don't care.” I stood up, pulled him into my arms, and kissed him.
Yeah, we wouldn't be meeting Julian outside.