Chapter 21
Arran
“Okay, handsome. Ready to show me what these muscles can do?” Audrey asks, red lips curved in a wicked smile while she glides her hands over my biceps.
“I thought you already knew exactly what they can do,” I say as I band an arm around her waist and pull her into me.
Audrey’s hands reach up and settle on my nape. “Oh, you know I do. But it’s nice to be reminded. And I won’t mind you showing off a little today.”
“I plan on it.” Winking, I wait for Audrey’s scent to bloom, enjoying the effect this recently discovered move has on her.
“Now you’re playing dirty,” Audrey says with a pout, but she can’t hide the heat in her eyes. “Or should I show you how it’s really done?”
I take a small step backward. “If you keep that up we’re not going to make it to the festival at all. Then who’s going to perform Shinsu and Nori’s ceremony?”
Audrey closes the distance between us again. “I know public speaking isn’t really your thing, so I’m really proud of you for saying yes to them.”
I arch a brow. “It was about time I started lairding it up again.”
“Thought that wasn’t a word?”
“You made it one.” Bending down, I cradle Audrey’s face between my hands and lean my forehead against hers.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without you.
Thank you, my darling Audrey, for reintroducing me to the world and encouraging me to be who I was always meant to be.
I love you. With you by my side, life is worth living and I’m looking forward to spending eternity with you. ”
“I love you too,” Audrey whispers back. “As long as the sun shines in the day and the stars at night.”
Our lips brush together in an echo of everything we feel.
Before it develops into more, Audrey slows us down again. “Let’s go kick off Starry Hill’s first official festival.”
Hand in hand, we exit the castle and walk toward the wide-open plain already teeming with activity.
Audrey has overseen preparations for the entire festival, and despite coming down here to help her all week, the sight in front of us still has my breath catching in my throat.
Color drenches the landscape. Cheerful bunting is strung above the festival area, the colorful triangular flags swaying on a mild breeze that whispers across the hills.
My eyes skim from one scene to the next, the sound of children’s laughter ringing through the air as they chase each other around the booths, dodging long legs, big wings, and massive baskets bursting with wildflowers dotting the verdant plain.
In one corner, I spot Marisol setting up with a band, and soon a folk melody winds through the festival and straight into my heart.
I pause to drink it all in, my fingers tightening around Audrey’s while the music from the fiddle, harp, drum, and whistle draw a crowd around them.
A few creatures start dancing, light fracturing over them in hundreds of dazzling beams from a giant mirror ball that could only have been placed there by Audrey’s design.
A maypole, with ribbons in all shades of the rainbow and the top adorned with a dense crown of flowers, draws the attention of a group of revelers.
They each grab a ribbon and weave around the post, half going clockwise and the other half the opposite way until the ribbons are wrapped around the pole.
On the opposite end, four very long tables—mixed and matched together with the dining tables from many Starry Hill kitchens—are decorated with lace runners and will soon be laden with an abundance of dishes.
Unlit lanterns in all shapes and sizes dangle from the branches above them, and dozens of strings of lights crisscross the entire festival area.
Everything looks magical.
I lift a hand toward the large red-and-white structure standing off to one side. “Aurelius really built that himself?”
“Yup,” Audrey says and glances up at me. “Want to slide down with me later?”
“Definitely.”
When I have control of my emotions again, we stroll through the crowd, each creature greeting us warmly as we pass by.
Audrey keeps a bottle of sunscreen in her bag and hands it to me regularly for touch-ups in case all the contact rubs anything off. I love her extra consideration, the same way I stop to scent her every so often to check her blood sugar levels.
The two of us stop briefly for some ice cream, then head over toward the competition field at the other end, tucked a safe distance away from the rest of the lively activities.
“Are you really adamant about calling it the Stewart Games?” I ask.
Audrey tilts her head to the side. “What would you suggest instead?”
“The Starry Hill Games?” I say slowly, scrubbing a hand over my freshly shorn hair.
Despite enjoying the slightly longer strands, Audrey and I had decided to keep it short for the festival since some of the events are scheduled in the afternoon. Audrey realized that I was a little worried about sun safety and didn’t want my hair to detract from the rest of the day.
Audrey hums noncommittally. “Not bad, but by calling it The Stewart Games we get to be reminded who it’s in honor of.”
“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” I breathe out.
Raising her index finger, Audrey says, “Hold that thought until you see what other surprises I have cooked up.”
“Should I be nervous?”
“Maybe.”
Not even a full minute passes before I see something I was not prepared for.
All over the field are creatures dressed in kilts.
My gaze sweeps over everyone, my eyes landing on Bodin, Ren, Shinsu, Viggo, Killian, Silas, Bash, Aurelius, Pierre, Beryl, and even more familiar faces—all of them wearing the vibrant red Stewart tartan with its intersecting green, white, and yellow lines.
This is my clan.
I blink a couple of times to clear the mist in my eyes and swallow against the knot in my throat, then turn to Audrey. “When? How?”
She wipes at my cheek. “We wanted to find a way to honor the old and celebrate the new. Everyone was keen really quickly and they were all fitted months ago.”
Bodin spots me and charges up the hill, wrapping me in a giant hug.
“How did you keep this a secret?” I ask him.
“Bribery, if I’m honest,” Bodin replies, keeping a hand on my shoulder. “Tilly said if I managed to not let it slip, then we’ll do something we’ve not done since before she was pregnant. That was enough motivation for me. Apparently all the partners received similar incentives.”
“That’ll do it,” I remark.
“Go have fun,” Audrey says as she pulls me down for a quick kiss.
As Audrey walks over to join the other partners sitting on picnic blankets next to the field, she cups her hands around her mouth and shouts, “We’re all hoping for strong gusts today. I told all the kilt wearers it’s traditional not to wear underwear and they promised they wouldn’t.”
Behind her, the group starts blowing air toward us, pretending they’re the wind while the lads cup their hands in front of them.
I’ve never worn undergarments so I didn’t think this would be a problem, though I can’t say I’m particularly interested in seeing everyone’s cocks flying around.
But if it amuses Audrey, then that’s okay. As long as she remembers whose cock belongs to her.
Eventually, almost the entire community gathers around the demarcated area and the first ever Stewart Games commences.
For the log toss and hammer throw events, it’s each creature for themselves while a rowdy crowd cheers us on from the sidelines.
As the afternoon sun beats down on us, we sweat and grunt, shout and growl while we hurl the heavy objects across the field, much to the spectators’ delight.
Between sets, we visit our partners, who take it upon themselves to motivate us by whispering the filthy rewards we can expect later in our ears.
Audrey reapplies my sunscreen and quietly reminds me of our plans for after the festival, which instead of helping me concentrate, manages to completely distract me from my objectives.
Maisie, forgetting the strength of our hearing, mentions a very explicit fantasy to Ren, and while we’re still recovering from the shock of her offer, he goes on to win the log toss event.
Bodin manages to throw the hammer the farthest and Tilly jumps up and he scoops her into his arms. Luckily the twins are with Calla or else we’d have to find a minder for them while Bodin and Tilly disappear behind a boulder.
Once everyone’s refreshed, we prepare for the main strength contest. The tug-of-war battle between different teams.
Bodin, Ren, Shinsu, and I formed a group pretty early on and named our team Starry Strength. Audrey and Maisie suggested some alternative names that were wildly inappropriate for a family-friendly festival, so we vetoed all of them and stuck to ours.
Our team’s able to win our first battles and we advance to the finals where we go up against another strong group consisting completely of out-of-towners.
“Go, Shinsu!” Nori cheers, standing with Audrey, Tilly, and Maisie.
Maisie looks at the three women around her, and at their nods, gestures toward them. “Okay, Starry Strength. You heard what I offered Ren. If you guys win, each of you can expect the same from your partners tonight.”
Ren’s eyes widen and Shinsu’s grin is slow while his scales flash excitedly all over his body. Bodin gives Tilly a thorough once-over and I simply raise my brows at Audrey, who shrugs back at me.
Starry Strength takes first place and the pride of our town.
As the rest of the festival continues, the competitors take a small break to clean up and rest, while Shinsu and Nori get ready for today’s main event.
Audrey and I head back to the castle where I drag her into the shower with me.
Throwing one of her legs over my shoulder, I look up at Audrey. “You’ve truly done such an amazing job organizing this festival. Already it’s proving to be one of the most incredible days I’ve ever had.”
“We’re not even halfway yet,” Audrey replies breathily as I drag my tongue through her slick cunt.
“Oh, I know. I plan on rewarding you many more times tonight.” I push two fingers into her tight cunt and drag my thumb over her clit, building Audrey toward her climax.