Chapter 11
HEKLA
“Ahhh!” I cried out as quietly as I could. Belenus’s hand was in my panties! His hand was in my panties! It aroused and startled me, but most of all, it thrilled me. Fear lingered in the back of my mind, muffled by emotional overstimulation.
His fingers danced around the dark curls between my legs, playing and searching while his palm slid lower. I bared my teeth to the ceiling as anticipation wrung me into a state of torture. His fondling finally reached my swollen sex, and he massaged along my folds in hard, broad strokes, somehow knowing that I needed a heavy hand.
The novel act shocked me, and despite my excitement, I succumbed to a burst of shyness. Someone was touching me! Someone was touching my most intimate spot! He’d palmed me through my undergarment before, but now he was beneath it. The tingles from his fated touch carried stimulation and intimacy to an entirely new height; I could close my eyes and know it was my mate because of those sparks of pleasure. A comforting hum wove through it all .
Still, I clamped my legs shut. There was something entirely different about grinding through clothes and… this!
“What are yo— Do you even want this relief?” Belenus hissed in bewilderment and adjusted my wrists in his grip.
“Y-yes!” I moaned. “I-I’ve just never been touched d-directly!”
His expression softened. “Yes… you waited for me.” He released my wrists, removed his hand from my underwear, and rolled his shirt up and over his head. “Shit, so hot in here,” he mumbled gruffly.
I swallowed when I saw that his cock was no longer completely covered by his pants. Having only been fully hidden by his long shirt, it’d grown and jutted up well past the beltline, tucked tight against his stomach. I blushed and squirmed at the sight. My instincts wanted that golden, impossible thing inside me right now. I whimpered and licked my lips, hating this heat and wishing it were a physical monster so I could murder it. It was torturing me at the worst possible time!
“C-can’t you just g-grind? I could pretend… I-I want you over me…” I begged with a light but feral growl, wiping my sweaty palms on an already drenched shirt. Damnation, nothing was dry! I thrashed my head in sheer frustration and moaned from the agony of an endlessly throbbing core.
“What? You want a repeat of our time in the study? You filthy female,” he reprimanded harshly and yanked my underwear off my legs. “I can do better than that!”
I watched in disbelief as he lowered the front of his pants to let the golden beast that was his cock spring out of confinement. It looked heavy, but somehow the man’s body could hold it up. When he lifted my hips, my attention snapped back to his actions, and I fell into a panic.
“B-Belenus, we can’t! Don’t m-mount me! I’ll get sent back!” I protested, suddenly frightened. I knew I complained about it, but I wasn’t stupid.
“I know that!” he snarled furiously, glaring at our sexes and how close they were. Shockingly, he placed the length of his cock against my folds and slid along in one long grind, nearly making me shriek. “I kn-know… ahhh,” he repeated, moaning and tilting his head to the ceiling. He pushed harder, making sounds of pleasure and disbelief with each extended rub between my folds. After I adjusted to this new act, I arched into his hard member, panting. His carved, rolling hips had me sobbing with desire, and I stretched and squirmed beneath him, dying for more. This whole situation was terribly unfair.
“Will we g-get in trouble for this?” I whined as tears trickled down my cheeks. This wasn’t enough.
“It’s not intercourse!” he answered roughly, his glide seeming longer each time. Every stroke was wetter than the last, and his movements finally smoothened. If this felt euphoric, what would it feel like with him inside me? I dug my claws into the sheets, arched my back in pleasure, and let him massage the swollen flesh between my thighs. His cock was so much harder than I thought erections became. It was stone beneath soft skin. Oh Moon Goddess, I loved it.
My heat was bringing out all of my emotions—rage, despair, happiness, and too many more. I swore my heart would burst if I couldn’t purge my feelings. I craved turning feral, tackling Belenus, wrestling and snarling at him until he overpowered me… but I knew that would lead to sex. I had to hold on to some shred of my mind while he was here.
I arched again, but I lifted too high as he swung back, and his cock hooked to notch against my opening. We both froze instantly—simultaneously—shaking and struggling to maintain control. Belenus’s scowl softened, and he stared at where we were almost joined. His hand gripped his length, and he rubbed the head of his cock around my opening, moving it in slow circles.
“You’ll get taken away if I push in right now… and if I mark you, I could be executed for breaking the marriage contract…” He shook his head violently, backed off, pulled up his pants, and dragged my hips to the edge of the bed. His next words were almost too quiet to hear. “I’m sorry, Hekla, you don’t deserve how you’ve been treated.”
“What are yo—” I asked, craning my head to watch him and wondering why he was kneeling between my legs. When he tucked his hands under my butt and brought my sex up to meet his lips, I quickly understood.
“Ah!” I slapped a hand over my mouth to stifle my surprise. Nerves quivered as I encountered new sensations. His tongue pressed firmly against my overheated skin, cold in comparison but just as wet. I might have balked outside of my heat, but I couldn’t bring myself to complain about his face being down there—not right now!
I tried not to squirm as he licked a ring around my opening, but the erotic attention had me on the edge of losing all restraint. Oh gods, his tongue was so soft, so slick, and so smooth. I had not expected that! I sobbed again, overwhelmed with emotions and sensations. The tingles from the mate bond sank into my sensitive flesh and lit me like the sun did dry summer grass. Belenus had started a wildfire and each lick fed it.
What made it worse, so much worse, were the noises coming from his throat. Between the sounds of wet flesh lapping and the occasional slurp, Belenus groaned lustfully. I gaped in disbelief and felt my face blush hotter. How he could possibly be enjoying my sex like that? There was no way it tasted good!
And yet, Belenus dug his face in deeper, wrapping his lips around my hyper-sensitive nub while pulling and sucking. He moaned as he squeezed my butt cheeks with his hands, like he was lost in something amazing. I panted as I watched him work, unable to take my eyes off the lewd scene. This large, gold-dusted warrior was hunkered over my core, acting like he was partaking of the most delicious feast he’d ever had. Even his pointy golden ears were blushing!
“Hnnng, ahhh!” I cried through my teeth, trying to be quiet. He tightened his grip in warning, then massaged lightly with his thumbs, being rough and tender at the same time. My abdomen tensed from the spreading fire. More muscles tautened one by one in anticipation. “Belenus! Ah…” I whispered hoarsely, and he groaned huskily into my flesh in reply.
I noticed that he was taking the same path along my sex now, repeating a pattern that focused the fire where it needed to go. My legs shook as I leaned into him, helping him find the right spot, and he moaned appreciatively in response, gripping my butt possessively. He buried his face in deeper, gorging with abandon. His grunts were muffled but were very much from his own arousal. Though Belenus was not a wolf, this was the level of obsession I’d expect from one!
I grabbed my pillow and started crying into it, thrashing as the summer fire came to eat me alive. My body broke out into a heavier sweat as Belenus lifted me closer to the sun. Finally, his determined growl threw me into the bright lights.
My orgasm careened into me, and I muffled my scream with the cotton pillow. Pleasure blinded me as rays of sunlight scattered. Wave after wave hit, and Belenus’s greedy lapping kept me trapped between the wildfire and the thrashing sun. I knew euphoria then, and for just a moment, the perfection made all else seem unreal.
Once the last ray had spread through me, my spent body went limp. A tortured, guttural sound hit my ears, and I looked up to find an agonized Belenus fisting his shaft. He fumbled toward the bathroom, but I said, “No! Here!”
He turned to see me patting my stomach as I lifted my tunic. I wanted to catch him. If I couldn’t have him the way I wanted to, then I wanted this. I craved his scent on me. I needed it.
“Shit!” he uttered through his teeth and straddled me again, pointing the head of his cock down toward my stomach. He groaned as he ran his hand over his sticky length, and his eyes flickered from the skin of my belly to my face. Having found some relief from my heat symptoms, I decided to reward him with some mischief .
I lifted my tunic higher to expose my breasts for his pleasure. His eyes snapped wide open, his nostrils flared, and he bit his free hand to keep from making a sound. His stare was as hungry as his mouth had been, and it didn’t take more than a minute of gaping at my breasts for him to hiss through his teeth and come. The crowded muscles in his abdomen flexed, and he spasmed as he released ropes of pale seed onto my belly, grunting hoarsely from every burst.
I could appreciate the sounds he made now that we’d climaxed at different times, and I watched the entire scene with interest. I’d gladly see him pleasure himself again. Or perhaps he’d let me do it for him. Watching this powerful man melt before me offered a different kind of euphoria.
Belenus spent the last of his offering onto my belly and collapsed next to me. It was a tight fit on the small bed, but somehow, we both managed to stay on it.
“So… not appropriate,” he whispered hoarsely as he tried to catch his breath. The words caught me off guard, and I placed my hand over my mouth as I burst into a fit of giggles. A small smile curled the corner of his lips.
When I sobered, I turned my head to look directly at him. “Belenus?”
“Hmm?” His lids were closed now, and he looked relaxed. That made me happy.
“Do you think about me? When you don’t see me?” I asked.
He mumbled all too casually, “Ask the dozens of cum-filled rags in my trash that question.” My face contorted into a stupefied expression, unable to decide whether to gasp or laugh. He opened his eyes, saw my expression, and chuckled quietly. “Crude as that may be, it’s a fact. But, yes, I miss you terribly.”
“I’m glad it’s not just me then,” I said softly, studying his pretty face. He was so unlike a wolf, and I had to wonder why I was paired with him. The current challenges made it hard to get to know him, but our interactions were perfect when we could forget about the court. I could only hope we could free him from his forced engagement soon. I wanted to get to know the man meant for me.
“Of course it’s not,” he replied, stroking my arm with a lazy finger. We lay there for a while, taking a moment to find comfort in each other. He eventually adjusted an arm under his head and looked directly at me. “I just remembered something I was going to ask. Why was that Spring Court guard at your door?”
I was loath to think about that man and his message. “He said his princess wanted to see me. I told him she could kiss my butt. Unfortunately, he took that literally, offered to do it himself, and that’s when you came along.” I lowered my gaze, feeling my heart sink once more. “Everyone’s taunting me about losing you…”
“You’re not losing me,” he declared firmly. “And I don’t want you alone with that princess.”
“What if they force me? You won’t let me defend myself,” I argued.
“You defend yourself by not attacking. And if they force you, send the mac-talla to find me. I’ll interfere,” he answered and went back to stroking my arm affectionately. “Avoid her as best you can. She’s friendly with the queen, who holds all the power here. I can only do so much. I can’t override her rules. If the worst-case scenario happens”—he took a deep breath—“you’ll have to flee while I hold things down here. I think, as of today, you should have your bag ready at all times, ok?”
“Alright…” I said, not wanting to know what the worst-case scenario was. “I’ll send Arse if they drag me away…”
His lip twitched. “Who?”
“Arse named himself,” I said, jerking my thumb over to the closet where the mac-talla was curled up, asleep. “He’s still trying to get fired.”
Belenus buried his face in the mattress and erupted into tired laughter. He then turned his head to face me and rubbed one of his sleepy eyes. “If anything, I should start giving him a salary.” He gaze wandered across my features as he stroked my cheek, making me smile. “That’s my female,” he murmured, returning my smile. “One day at a time.”
Once Belenus gathered the willpower to leave my side, he departed, barely able to contain his lopsided grin. Though the spring in his step was cute, I hoped no one saw him leave my room looking so sated. I didn’t want to invite more trouble during my heat.
Closing the door behind him, I sighed in relief and slid down the door, enjoying the temporary abatement of my symptoms. I shrugged my soaked tunic over my head and wiped the sticky mess off my belly. I stared at the substance of Belenus’s pleasure and felt a sense of wonder; it truly was remarkable how this innocent-looking liquid could create life inside me. I smiled, hoping someday his seed would take root within me to make a pup… or a fae, I supposed. What a bizarre concept. If someone had told me I’d potentially birth a fae baby someday—or a faeby, as my grandmother dubbed them—I would have called them nuts.
Well, that was nice, Eventide chirped happily. Finally got a good look at his cock. Must have gotten a gold trophy serving his kingdom because bow a-wow!
Ye were shamefully quiet, Arse chastised, and I chuckled, looking over at him. Get me ah bonny mac-talla female an we’ll show ye how it’s done.
“Do a better job translating, and I’ll find you a mate,” I said seriously, pointing a finger at his nose.
He rocked a bit, hissing like he was laughing. They’ll no huv me. Ah’m deformed. He waddled to rest under the bed, and I slowly removed my foot from my mouth, so to speak.
·
The next day continued to have me in the shackles of my heat, but I did the best I could. Sweet Bidelia helped cool me off several times last night by laying cold, wet towels on my body. I wasn’t sure how I’d get through the next four days, so it was a blessing to have help. I owed the young fae so much already.
Koray told me to meet him at the front of the castle around noon, and I was beside myself with excitement. I’d heard Ragna describe the Realm of the Gods, but I couldn’t wait to see it with my own eyes. I knew it’d be a life-changing experience.
Koray waved and smiled when he saw me, and he led me to the tower where the door was guarded. He pointed up at the daylit moon and said, “That’s where we’re going. Isn’t that crazy?”
I shivered and laughed nervously. “That is… beyond comprehension, Koray! I’m not sure I can even think about it too much.”
“Ragna was shaken too,” he said, sounding nostalgic. “I can’t imagine a person who wouldn’t be.”
The tower was an exhausting climb; the stairs spiraled up for what seemed like an eternity. “Why…” I panted, “is it so… high… up?” My heat was making the climb hotter and way more painful than it needed to be.
“Apparently,” Koray answered, “the door was discovered off the ground, so they had to build up to it. Really, there was no other choice.”
“Oh!” I said and nodded in understanding. “That… makes a lot of sense. Wonder why the gods put it up so high…”
“Or maybe the ground wasn’t always this low.” He chuckled, and we finally reached the top to see a stone platform sandwiched between two pedestals. A guard stood to the left of the platform and nodded at Koray.
“Lunar Key,” he acknowledged, and Koray waved in a friendly manner. When the guard looked at me, recognition registered on his face. “Vessel of the Sky Gods, an honor!” He nodded in deference to me. “You may proceed,” the fae said and gestured to the platform. I smiled, enjoying the moment of civility, then followed Koray and waited for him to do whatever Keys did.
The still summer air stirred into a breeze that dragged the shadows from beneath our feet. Everything darkened up to several paces from us, and the darkness spilled into a deep shade of blue. It was like a bubble of night, and only the moonlight could touch us. The glare of the summer sun beyond the sheer moonlight made my eyes throb, so I averted them, wincing as a headache formed in my brow.
Koray reached back to grab my wrist and lead us through a door that I wasn’t quite sure if I could see or not. My eyes still ached, and I had to close them once we passed through the door so I wouldn’t be blasted with light again.
Cool air enveloped me, and I slowly opened one eye at a time, holding my breath in anticipation.
“We’re here! Welcome to the Realm of the Gods,” he announced, grinning at me.
“Oh my goddess…” I breathed and immediately lay down on the cold, springy moss that caressed the sides of a creek. “It’s so cool here. I love it!” I squealed, instantly energized and wishing I could stay here for the duration of my heat.
“Yeah, the Summer Court is… not fun when I have to wear armor, I’ll tell you that. I don’t know how these fae do it…” Koray confessed, looking around and giving me a moment to get my dress dirtier. I sighed reluctantly and stood, brushing off the moss and soil I’d collected in such a dignified manner.
“What a delicious place,” I noted with a grin. “I smell game in the woods, and everything seems fresh, completely untouched.” It was a stark difference to the stuffy confines of my current room, and I sniffed so hard, so enthusiastically, I fell into a coughing fit. If I could bottle this air up, I totally would.
Maybe the Moon Goddess has a jar, Eventide joked.
Koray led me through the peaceful woods to a thatched cottage that blended perfectly into its surroundings. We went to knock on the door, but it swung open first, and a white lycan loomed over us. The hairs on my neck stood on end, and I bared my canines out of instinct.
Then I froze and sniffed. “Rakel?” I asked, confused. Shouldn’t she be at the castle with Rudesind? And she wasn’t a lycan…
The lycan huffed and stepped back, holding the door open for us. No, I’m just using her likeness to receive you. I have no physical form you could comprehend, my most commanding daughter.
“Oh,” I replied vapidly and walked in, a little stunned to be entering the Moon Goddess’s home. “But Rakel doesn’t have a lycan form.”
I needed hands to brew tea, the Moon Goddess explained and closed the door behind Koray. It is good to see you again, Koray, my Lunar Key. Have you marked my sweet Soley yet?
Koray blushed and stammered, “A-ah… no… I’m a human, and I c-can’t mark… so… not yet?”
The lycan who was the Moon Goddess laughed another growling huff. She didn’t reply to Koray’s nervous answer and gestured for us to go into the next room. I went where She directed and froze when I saw another Eventide lying down on the couch.
Imposter! my Eventide yapped, and I took an involuntary step back into the hall.
I am so lucky to have so many guests today, the Moon Goddess sang happily. Please find a seat. Sky Gods, you are hogging the couch.
Oh, Eventide said. BUT THIS IS WEIRD. DON’T LOOK AT ME. I CAN’T.
I smiled nervously and averted my gaze from the Sky Gods who were using our likeness. I knew this wouldn’t be a normal visit, and here was a whole lot of ‘not normal.’ The goddess placed two cups of tea down for Koray and me, making this seem far more like a family visit than one with a deity.
Yours will help with your heat, Hekla, my poor daughter, She said in a motherly tone. Koray, that’ll ease some of your training aches. You’ve been working hard! I’m very proud of you. I wish you were one of mine. I’d love to take credit for such a fine, outstanding soul.
Koray blushed again and grinned into his cup, looking like he’d just received the best compliment in the world. I supposed it was. The white lycan crouched into a padded wicker chair that was easily twice the size of the one I’d claimed.
So, you are here, She said and gestured for me to talk. She likely knew everything already, but I spared no detail in explaining my situation. When I stopped recounting, She nodded in sympathy, but Koray looked angry. The Sky Gods were impassive, simply listening with the calm of a quiet sunrise.
I lifted my hands helplessly and lamented, “I guess… what I’m asking is… how is fae magic allowed to supersede your will? It doesn’t seem fair, and I’m terrified I’m going to lose Belenus to rules that don’t make sense to me. This would never happen in wolf society!”
The goddess gently shook Her lycan head. It’s not possible to answer why something isn’t fair, my daughter. Fairness is subjective and at the mercy of Fate and Chaos. Chaos is what Fate wades through as It works. It simply is.
And I only pair souls, She continued. I cannot force them to end up together. It’s why you have the option to reject a mate to begin with. Some never find their fated mates because Fate put them too far apart. For Its own reasons, of course. That’s extremely rare, though.
“So Fate could have a plan where I’m not supposed to end up with Belenus?” I gasped raggedly as tears rolled down my cheeks. My breathing accelerated uncontrollably, and I put a hand to my panicking heart.
No, no, no! Not acceptable! I screamed to Eventide. Instead of telling me to stay in the present like she usually did, she simply moaned in despair and slunk away to hide in the back of my mind, unable to accept the goddess’s words.
There’s usually a little wiggle room with Fate, pup, the goddess comforted. I don’t know what Fate has in store all the time, and if I do, I don’t divulge it unless something critical has occurred. My relationship with Fate is fragile at best; I’ve nurtured Its trust in me for eons. I must be cautious so I can care for my wolves and lycans. The gods can only get away with so much.
I was outright sobbing at this point, and Koray left his seat to crouch by me and pat my arm. He asked, “Is there nothing she can do to help her situation? It’s bad enough she’s in heat, but it sounds like these fae play dirty.”
Hekla, do you think you can even do anything to assist Belenus with the legal or magical aspects of the contract issue? the goddess asked.
I shook my head miserably. “I-I don’t know a-anything about these l-laws, a-and I kn-know nothing a-about m-m-magic,” I said, hiccupping and rubbing my swollen eyes. With my heat, simple concentration was a colossal undertaking.
Then perhaps you can’t do anything. Perhaps you should focus on something else while Belenus takes care of it, She advised. Just a thought. Waiting sounds atrocious, does it not, Sky Gods?
Indeed, They said, offering nothing else.
Have you forgotten? the Moon Goddess asked Them, blinking slowly.
I have not. She will ask when it happens, the Sky Gods replied.
“When what happens?” I asked, dread curling into my belly.
You’ll see, They answered without answering. Fear stopped my tears short. See about what?
Well, then I suppose I’ll do my part while she’s here, the Moon Goddess said, not giving me a chance to press more about the vague statements, and stood from the chair. She gestured me up, so I drained the last of my tea and rose to face Her.
Hekla Himinn, my daughter, my little guiding light, would you accept a blessing from the Moon Goddess? She asked.
The jitters sank into my skin, Her words striking like a painless slap. Oh gods, a blessing? Ragna said hers wasn’t that bad, but Zorian’s blessing had almost killed him! I bit my lip nervously and looked over at Koray, as though he had all the answers. He just shrugged and gestured for me to pay attention to the goddess.
“I…” I began in a hoarse voice and licked my lips, “I accept your blessing, Moon Goddess.” I squeezed my eyes shut, knowing it probably looked stupid, but I was terrified I’d be clobbered an inch from death.
Relax, Hekla, She said, laughing in my mind. I won’t kill you, my daughter.
She said She wouldn’t kill me, but She didn’t say She wouldn’t hurt me. I tensed further but opened my eyes to face my fear. Yes, I was terribly hormonal, but Hekla wouldn’t shy from this. I had to remember who I was.
I had to remember what Hekla would do.
As I waited, my heat continued to radiate from my body, but it stopped replenishing. Instead, I grew cold and shivered as a chill settled deep within me. Next, I ran out of air. I looked around in a panic, my chest muscles fighting to take in anything, but there was no air to pull into my lungs. I staggered to lean against the wall and stared at the Moon Goddess, asking Her silently if this was normal. She didn’t reply but continued to watch me struggle. I prayed to the gods that weren’t here, asking them to please catch me if I succumbed. My vision tunneled, and I glanced down to see my flesh swell. I only lasted several more seconds before my eyes gave up, and I fell unconscious.