Текст книги "Berries and Greed"

Автор книги: Lily Mayne

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Текущая страница: 27 (всего у книги 33 страниц)

“Yeah,” I croaked dazedly, then went still as I realised something. “Oh shit, was I meant to stay quiet? Sorry, I can—”

I stopped myself, not quite sure how I’d been planning to finish that sentence. I can let you make me come again but this time I won’t make any noise? Well, I mean, if Beryl was up for that…

“No.” She grinned up at me. “I didn’t tell you to stay quiet that time.”

Climbing over my leg, she knee-walked up the bed until she could lean down and kiss me. “You were so good for me, Greid,” she murmured against my mouth, making my cock start trying to get hard again.

My ears fluttered as I cleared my throat. “Th-thanks,” I said, suddenly feeling shy. But amazing at the same time. I’d made Beryl happy. That was literally the best feeling in the world.

I’d also made her come pretty hard, which made a triumphant grin spread over my face as Beryl nuzzled my ear. I may have been a hot mess and a weird, awkward goblin—something my sister Kiti liked to call me all the time—but I knew how to make a woman feel good. Well, women and my roommate that one time in college. But he’d come pretty hard too, judging by the enthusiastic and messy blowjob he’d then given me, before we’d awkwardly admitted that we’d both just wanted to see what it was like but neither of us were interested in doing it again.

Wait, why was I thinking about my foray into bicurious experimentation when there was still a naked Beryl in front of me? Letting my gaze trail down her body, I licked my lips and settled a hand on her side as I remembered what I’d wanted to ask her the night before.

“Hey.” I craned my neck to kiss her. “Um, do you want to sit on—”

“Oh fuck, what’s the time?” Beryl lunged for her phone on the nightstand, then went pale as she looked at the screen. “Shit, I start work in ten minutes. I forgot to set my alarm.”

“Oh. Shit.” I sat up as she scrambled out of bed. “I could drive you there. It’ll take like twenty seconds.”

She shot me a grateful look as she wriggled into her underwear. “Really? Do you mind?”

“Of course not.” I got up and stretched, my tail swishing contentedly. “I need to take the headpiece to the post office anyway.”

“Oh no, I wanted to see it before you sent it.” Beryl sounded dismayed as she tugged on black pants. “Will you take lots of pictures of it for me? Please?”

My face spikes flexed with pleasure. “Sure. Of course.”

After putting on her shirt, Beryl hurried into the bathroom. A second later, I heard the water running, and padded across the bedroom in time to see her rinsing foam off her face.

“God, my hair’s a freaking mess.” She grabbed her toothbrush after drying off. “Can you try and make it look presentable for me while I brush my teeth?”

“Sure.” I stepped up behind her and took the hair tie she offered. Slipping it onto my wrist, I gently gathered her wild curls up in my hands.

“Ih eez uh uush,” Beryl said, gazing at me in the mirror as she scrubbed her teeth vigorously, toothpaste foam dripping down her chin.

“I have no idea what you just said.” I managed to get her hair gathered at the crown of her head and tied it up into a high ponytail. Then I patted the mass of hair a few times because it looked so bouncy.

Beryl snorted, leaning down to spit into the sink. “I said it needs a brush.”

“It’s fine.” It wasn’t like Beryl’s hair didn’t always look a little wild. “Looks pretty. You always look pretty.”

Her eyes softened in the mirror as she rinsed off her toothbrush. “Thanks, Greid. God, I really need to pee but I don’t have time. I’ll have to wait ’til I get there.”

“You have time to pee.” I stepped back. “It won’t matter if you’re a minute late.”

“Yes it will, Greid.” Beryl shook her head as she headed for the door. “I don’t want to be late.”

“Okay,” I said quickly, following her out. “I’ll go get dressed real quick and meet you at the door.”

“Thank you.” She paused long enough to press a smacking kiss to my chest. Then she patted my ass. “Thirty seconds. I mean it.”

My cock twitched with interest, but I forced myself to hurry out of the room. “Thirty seconds,” I echoed, clambering down the stairs. “Got it.”

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Chapter Forty-One

Beryl

“I’m really nervous.”

I heard Aunt Violet tut through the phone as I wandered down the sidewalk. It was a bright and crisp late Saturday morning. Greid and I had slept in late, in my bed again, after he’d come to meet me once I finished work. He’d decided not to come earlier to meet Parin var Gelligar—he’d said he’d just forever agonise over coming across as “weird and awkward” to her and thought it was safer not to.

We’d tried to rewatch that documentary once we got into bed. This time, we’d managed about fifteen minutes before getting… distracted. I’d ended up straddling Greid’s face, his guttural moans vibrating through my pussy as he licked me feverishly and I sucked on the head of his dick. It was kind of lucky his cock was so freaking big. His body was so much longer than mine that there was no way I would’ve been able to reach it otherwise.

This time, I hadn’t let him finish until he’d made me come twice. And then for a while longer after that, just because. I loved seeing him get all needy and desperate and trembly. I loved hearing him beg. I loved knowing that he loved it too.

And yes, I had come to terms with the fact that I loved him. A lot. Like, a stupid amount. It was why I’d called my aunt on my way to Deep Brew, but as soon as she’d answered, I knew I wouldn’t be brave enough to tell her. So instead, I’d told her about going for drinks with Corva later that night.

“Why are you nervous, Beryl?” Violet tutted again. “You’re so confident and friendly.”

I grunted, remembering how anxious and not confident I’d felt texting Corva the day before, asking if she wanted to meet up for a drink. I’d only been able to go through with it because I’d been with Greid. He’d met me for dinner between my shifts at the Japanese restaurant down the street. He’d been a little fidgety and uncomfortable at first, hunching his shoulders when the waiter came over to take our order, but eventually he’d relaxed enough to enjoy his meal. It had made me more determined to push out of my comfort zone, like Greid was doing for me. I couldn’t wait to go to the artisan market with him tomorrow morning. I was looking forward to it way more than I was the drinks tonight with Corva.

“She’s just so… sophisticated,” I told Violet. “And fancy. But even so, it’s just… What if she asks me about my past?”

“Why would she?”

I rolled my eyes in exasperation. “You know what I mean. Like, ‘where did you go to school?’ Or, ‘where did you work before the bar?’ Or anything else I won’t be able to answer. I don’t want to constantly have to lie to people, Auntie.”

“Well, you don’t have to lie,” she said slowly. “You could just explain—”

“No,” I barked, ducking my head when a young demiurgus guy in a pale linen suit raised a brow at me as he sauntered past. “I don’t want people knowing, Violet.”

“But… Greid knows.”

I rolled my eyes again. “Of course Greid knows. That’s different. He’s different.”

“I’m just saying, he might feel different now that you’re chummy, but he still found out when he didn’t know you at all, and he didn’t judge you. Maybe other people won’t either.”

I winced, realising I hadn’t actually filled my aunt in on any of the romantic developments in mine and Greid’s relationship. Good job I hadn’t started the call by blurting out that I was in love with him. I wasn’t sure how she’d handle hearing that without any backstory. She might have thought I had been brainwashed by the cult.

“I really, really don’t want anyone finding out,” I told Violet. “It was terrifying when I thought Mani might find out when I applied for my job. I nearly ran out of the bar while she was in the office on the phone to you.”

Violet didn’t answer at first, but I got distracted as I passed the clothing store I always peered into on my way to work. There in the display was the dark green dress I’d been eyeing up for a while now—the one with a high collar decorated with a little black ribbon.

“Maybe I’ll buy the dress,” I said absently, stopping outside the shop. “Maybe it’ll make me feel more confident.”

“The green one?” Violet said quickly. “Yes, you should buy it. You deserve it. And you earned it. You’ve been working so hard.”

“I don’t know…” I said uncertainly, shifting from foot to foot. “It’s kind of expensive.”

“So? Treat yourself, Beryl. Or I could send you the money. You’d just have to tell me how to get it to you—”

“No, it’s okay.” I hesitated for a second longer, then stepped closer to the door. “I’m going to get it.”

“Good for you, Beryl! I wish I could see you in it. I bet you’ll look so pretty.” Violet hesitated, then tentatively said, “Maybe you could come and visit me and wear it then.”

I froze with my hand outstretched for the door handle. “Oh. Um…”

“You don’t have to, of course.” Now she sounded flustered. “I know your feelings about this place aren’t too fond, but… Sorry, forget I said it. Maybe I can get special permission to go into the city alone and meet you in a coffee shop or something.”

I stepped back from the door, my hand clenching into a fist as a shockingly strong wave of anger made my shoulders hunch up. In an instant, I felt disgusted with myself. And ashamed. I couldn’t understand how I’d stayed so long at that place. Hearing Violet say she’d “ask for permission” to go out alone seemed so awful and foreign now, when just weeks ago it had been my norm.

And it shouldn’t be the norm.

“You shouldn’t do that,” I heard myself vacantly say. “Those steps are brutal. Maybe I could…”

I trailed off, because I didn’t want to promise anything. I didn’t want to tell her that I’d go back to the cult to see her, even though that had been my plan when I left. I wasn’t so sure I’d be able to do it now.

“Don’t worry about it now, Beryl,” Violet said in an overly cheerful tone. “Go and buy your dress. And have fun tonight with your friend. Don’t overthink it. The cult… That’s all behind you now. You have a new life. Enjoy it.”

I pursed my lips. It wasn’t as simple as just putting it all behind me, but I knew she was just trying to reassure me. “I will. Thanks, Auntie. Speak to you soon.”

“I love you, Beryl.”

“I love you too. Bye.”

I bought the dress. And after, I went to Deep Brew and got our coffees, picking up a blood tart and several other pastries for Greid as well. But Violet’s mention of visiting her had made me feel weird and unsettled, so when I got home, I called out to Greid that his coffee was in the living room before beelining straight for his blanket fort in the corner.

After setting my takeout cup on the windowsill, I lay down with my face buried in one of the many pillows.

“Berry?” I heard a few seconds later.

“In here.”

I rolled onto my back when I heard the curtain being moved. Greid stood there, clutching his coffee cup—and the bag of pastries, obviously—with a frown marring his brow.

“Oh no. You’re in the nest. What’s wrong?” He clambered in, his long limbs folding awkwardly to fit into the small space. “Wait, do you want to be left alone?”

“No.” I reached out and grabbed his hand, tugging him down. He hastily set his cup beside mine before lying down on his side, an arm curling over my stomach. I told him, “I called Violet.”

“Okay…”

I sighed, running my palm up and down his arm as I stared at the ceiling. “She asked me to go visit her.”

I felt Greid tense almost imperceptibly against my side, before he asked, “Did the thought of going back there make you feel weird?”

That brought a smile to my face. Greid just got me, without me having to say much. Shifting onto my side to face him, I shuffled closer and fisted the front of his onesie. “Yeah. I know I said I’d visit her, but now…”

“I get it.” He leaned in to kiss my cheek. “Is there a way to see her, like, literally anywhere else?”

“Not really,” I said woodenly. “They’re not allowed out of the compound on their own, and I can’t think of anything worse than having another cult member there while I speak to her.”

Greid pursed his lips. “What about if I escorted her? Would they allow that?”

I snorted, tilting my head to kiss his chin. “You mean would they entrust her care to the stunning and ethereal sex wizard Greid the Greater for an afternoon?”

He huffed, ears twitching. “Shut up.”

“Sorry.” I kissed him again to take the sting out of my teasing, knowing he was just trying to help. “I have no idea. But they’d probably think you were scoping her out as another potential lifemate.”

He shuddered, fingers curling into my hip. “Ew. No offence to your aunt,” he added quickly. “I’m sure she’s—But, you know, that’s… really gross.”

“It could work though,” I said thoughtfully. “If you made it clear you were escorting her to see me. Not for anything else. But then they’d wonder why I don’t just visit her at the cult. It’s not like I’m supposed to hate the thought of going back. As far as they know, the cult gave me everything I wanted.”

Then I realised, in a weird, twisted way, it kind of had. I’d always had vague, unformed dreams of finding someone, settling down, living a quiet life where I was free to do whatever I wanted. I had all of that now.

But no. I refused to let myself start thinking that way, to start being grateful for the cult. It wasn’t the cult that had given me what I wanted. The cult had stifled those dreams for years, because I’d let it. Because I’d willingly stayed.

Greid had given me those things. And I’d gotten them for myself. It had been a team effort. He’d given me the tools and the freedom to make a new life for myself, and I’d gone out and forged that life.

A lump formed in my throat as I stared into Greid’s big yellow eyes. He was the best teammate ever.

“Whatever you decide to do, I’ll support you,” he told me, slipping his big hand under my shirt to stroke my bare side. “If you decide to go back there to see her, I’ll go with you. Or if you want me to go and speak to the sex people and politely demand that I take Violet to meet you in the city, I’ll do that too. I’ll put on my big boy pants and try to sound all domineering or whatever.”

I laughed, shuffling closer to bury my face against his throat. “Thank you.”

Claws gently raked through my hair as he kissed the top of my head. “Want to get high and watch wrestling to forget about it for now?”

Snorting, I lifted my head to look at him. “Kind of, yeah. Will it wear off by this evening though? I don’t want to be all groggy when I go to meet Corva.”

“Yeah, we’ll just smoke a little. Then take a shower later and drink loads of water. Where did you and Corva decide to meet up? I can walk you there if you want. And come meet you when you’re done, obviously.”

I smiled at him. “Carnelians. It’s just down the street from Abyss.”

“Oh yeah, I know it. The wine bar.”

“They have other drinks too though, right?” I chewed my lip as I gazed at him worriedly. “What should I drink?”

Greid chuckled. “Whatever you want. That’s safe for humans, I mean,” he added hurriedly.

“I don’t know what I want. I’ve only ever drunk champagne with you. And that shot at the bar the other night. Pretty sure I can’t afford to drink champagne all evening.”

“Well…” Greid sat up and reached for our coffee cups. “I would suggest going and getting a load of booze for you to try so you can find out what you like, but that’s probably not a great idea before you have to go out.”

I snorted, sitting up and accepting my drink from him. “Yeah, I don’t really want to show up already drunk.”

“Vodka’s pretty tasteless. Good vodka, anyway, which they’ll have there. You could just get that with a mixer.”

I eyed him over the rim of my cup as I took a sip. “What mixer though? I don’t know what I like.”

“Um, well, there are loads. Orange juice, lemonade, tonic, ginger ale, cranberry juice. I mean, you know all this from work. But… you know you don’t have to drink alcohol, Beryl. She won’t care.”

“I know, but I kind of… It feels like something I should do, right? Find ‘my drink’?” I said around air quotes. “Isn’t that a thing people have usually discovered by my age?”

“Not necessarily,” Greid said easily. “Some people just don’t drink, or don’t drink enough to care about stuff like that.” He hesitated, then shifted his leg to rub his calf against my thigh. “You don’t need to compare yourself to other people, Beryl. There isn’t a checklist that says you have to have experienced or settled on things by a certain point in your life.”

“It feels like there is,” I muttered into my cup. “It feels like there are all these unspoken rules that I just have to try and figure out without seeming like an idiot.”

“Yeah. I know. But trust me, berry, you’re not the only person who feels that way. I think most people feel that way. Except my douchey brother Nuni,” he added. “He acts like he’s got everything figured out.”

“Well, he probably doesn’t,” I said, realising I’d switched sides and was now reassuring Greid over the very thing he’d been trying to make me feel better for. See? Best team of two ever.

“Yeah, I know, and it’s not like it affects me either way.” Greid gave an easy shrug. “He’s just a jackass.”

“Maybe he’s overcompensating for something.”

“Probably, but if you asked him he’d just give some nonsensical reply about overcompensating for his gigantic dick.”

I snorted, grabbing the bag of pastries and peering in. “Ew, some blood from your blood tart got on my croissant.”

“I’ll eat it if you don’t want it,” Greid said quickly. “Now that it’s been contaminated with delicious jellified blood.”

“So gross. It’s lucky I love—croissants,” I amended quickly, aborting what had almost slipped out of my mouth. “Enough to overlook the blood on it. Here.” I held it up to him. “You take that bit.”

He grinned at me, sharp teeth sinking into the pastry and tearing off the edge with smears of dark red. Then he took a huge bite of his tart and gazed at me imploringly.

“Kiss me, Beryl,” he said in an overly breathy tone, voice muffled and crumbs spraying out of his mouth. And a smear of jellied blood on his teeth.

I burst out laughing, giving his shoulder a weak shove as he leaned in close. “Gross, you dork.”

“I’ll save you a bit in case you get super hungry when you’re high.” He took another bite and put the rest back in the bag.

“I will never be hungry enough to eat that, Greid.”

“You say that now.” He gave me a knowing look and shuffled out of the nest, then held out a hand to help me.

I took it and stood, but resisted when he tried to lead me over to the couch. Sidling closer, I rucked up the back of his onesie so I could reach underneath and run my fingers over the base of his tail. Greid’s spine shot straight, a tiny croak escaping him.

“Before we smoke…” I pressed myself against his front and gave him a sly grin. “Want to go back in the fort for a while?”

His throat bobbed with a swallow, eyes darting behind me to the closed curtain. “Yeah. Yes. Absolutely. One hundred percent.”

“Excellent.” I turned back for the nest, but glanced at him over my shoulder. “Time for me to find your prostate, I think.”

“Nngh.” Greid followed willingly as I climbed back inside. “Feel free to take your time. No rush. I’m a patient guy.”

I grinned and echoed his words from earlier. “You say that now…”

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Chapter Forty-Two

Beryl

“Okay.” I took a deep breath, my sweaty hand clutched tightly in Greid’s as we stopped outside Carnelians. “It’ll be fine, right? Once I’m in there, I’ll be fine.”

“Well, I mean…” He peered into the bar, which was already busy, the big chandelier casting a sultry red glow over the interior. “It’s supposed to be fun, right? Not just tolerable. Not that I’d find it fun.”

“Maybe I’m more like you.” Although I was pretty sure I was just nervous and looking for an out. “Maybe I’m more socially anxious than I realised.”

“You’re not, Beryl.” Greid shook his head and looked down at me. “You’re nervous, which is normal. But you’re already friendly with Corva. Once you get in there and sit down, you’ll relax. It’s just you and her, right?”

“Yeah, I think so.” I peered in to try and find her, then froze. “Oh god, what if she invited a load of her friends without telling me?”

“I’m sure she didn’t,” Greid said patiently, looking through the windows. “What does she look like again? There’s a demiurgus lady sitting alone at the bar. She’s got red in her hair.” He squinted. “Or maybe that’s just the lights.”

“Corva has red in her hair, yeah.” I shuffled closer to him. “You saw her the first time we went to Deep Brew, remember? She was the lady arguing with her ex on the phone.”

He shrugged. “Don’t remember. This person looks fancy, though. It’s probably her. Oh, hold on, she’s texting someone, by the looks…”

A few seconds later, my phone vibrated in my coat pocket. I pulled it out to see a text from Corva.

At the bar! Have ordered us a bottle of champers. You like champagne, don’t you?

By the time I’d finished reading, a second text had come through.

What am I saying, of course you like champagne. Who doesn’t? See you in a few!

“Okay, yeah, that’s her.” I pocketed my phone and shifted, nerves filling my belly like a million butterflies. “I guess I better go in.”

Greid turned to face me, placing his big hands on my shoulders as he gazed down at me. “You got this. You’ll have fun. And if you don’t, just text me and I’ll call you with an excuse. Like… I cut off a finger while trying to cook.”

His dorkiness chased away some of my nerves, allowing me to chuckle as I clutched the front of his coat. “Okay. Thank you.”

“I know I already said it before we left, but…” His ears fluttered. “You look beautiful.”

I flushed, glancing down at my new dress. I wished I’d remembered to buy some more appropriate shoes to wear with it, but by the time I realised it was too late. So boots it was. At least my feet would most likely be tucked under a table all night.

“Thanks, Greid.” I stepped closer and tugged on his coat until he bent down to kiss me. “I’ll text you when I’m ready to leave.”

“’Kay.” He snuck in one last kiss before straightening. “Remember, you’re brave. And confident. You’re the best.”

I chuckled as my belly squeezed with pleasure. “You have to say that because we’re… a thing.”

“I don’t have to say it. Or think it. But I do.” He grinned down at me, sharp teeth flashing in the dark. “You’re my favourite.”

My throat closed up. Just like that, I didn’t want to go out anymore. I wanted to go back home with Greid and curl up on the couch together under a mound of blankets.

But Corva was already waiting for me. I couldn’t blow her off now. And I knew, deep down, past the nerves, I didn’t really want to. I liked her. I wanted friends.

“You’re my favourite too,” I told Greid, feeling strangely shy, like the words I LOVE YOU had suddenly been stamped across my forehead. I took a breath. “Okay, I better go. I’ll see you later.”

“Have fun.” Greid shot me a double thumbs up before stuffing his hands in his coat pockets, watching as I turned for the door.

Taking another deep breath, I pushed it open and was hit with a warm, sweet smell that reminded me of the scented candles Greid liked so much. Some form of soft demiurgus jazz was playing in the background beneath the low murmurs and laughs of people sitting in clumps around tables with red-and-gold stained-glass lanterns in the centres. The majority of patrons were demiurgus, but there were a few humans in the mix as well, which lessened my nerves a little.

A tall demiurgus waiter in a blood-red shirt and black pants smiled at me as he passed by, carrying a tray with a bottle of nightberry wine and four glasses. I smiled nervously back and smoothed down my dress as I made my way over to the bar. It wasn’t too busy, and I immediately spotted Corva sitting in a stool with her long bare legs elegantly crossed, a deadly sharp stiletto tapping against the footrail.

“Hi, Corva.” I stopped beside her and quickly took in her outfit to gauge whether I was too over– or underdressed. She was wearing a little black dress with a short, asymmetrical hem and a line of tiny, shimmering red stones sewn along the bateau neckline. Matching earrings dangled from her lobes, and her lips were painted her signature deep red.

“Beryl, darling!” She placed a hand on my arm and leaned in to air-kiss me. A waft of sweet, earthy perfume followed in her wake. “You look gorgeous. Sit, sit. Our champagne should be arriving any second.”

“Sorry I’m a little late.” I shrugged off my coat and hung it over the back of the stool before sitting. I was suddenly feeling self-conscious of my boots, so I tried to tuck my feet against the bottom rail of the stool, but they were made for demiurgus—way too tall for me to do that. I felt like a little kid as I sat there with my feet dangling.

“Hardly. I’m usually fashionably late to everything, but I was in the next district over meeting a client before this, so I managed to get here on time.” She beamed at me, reaching over to squeeze my arm. “I’m so glad we’re doing this, darling.”

Her friendliness was allowing me to relax. I smiled back at her. “Me too. I don’t, um, I don’t know that many people around here, so it’s nice to get out and see more of the area.”

Corva waved a hand as the bartender appeared with a bottle of champagne in a bucket and two flutes. “Next time I’ll invite some friends. They don’t live in this district, but I know they’ll be happy to come here. It’s a lovely part of town.”

Instantly, the nerves returned. Relax, it’s just a hypothetical plan. It’s not actually happening for certain. Just try and enjoy tonight without worrying about the future.

“That sounds nice.” I jumped a little when the bartender smoothly popped the champagne cork and began pouring our drinks.

“Thanks, darling,” Corva told him absently, already picking up a flute and handing it to me. “You said before you haven’t drunk much, didn’t you? The best thing about champagne, Beryl, is minimal hangover. Cheers.”

I chuckled and tapped my glass to hers. “That’s lucky. I’m going to this artisan market tomorrow morning with my… my boyfriend.” The word made my belly clench, which felt a little silly.

Corva’s yellow eyes brightened over the rim of her flute as she took a sip. “Ooh yes, that’s what we’re talking about first. Your mysterious second-coffee-cup-drinker. Come on, let’s go grab a table so we can talk about sex without any creeps trying to overhear and wriggle their way into the conversation.”

I choked on my drink, having just been taking my first sip, but slipped off my stool and grabbed my coat to follow Corva as she picked up the champagne bucket and started heading for an empty table in the corner. Several pairs of appreciative eyes trailed over her as she passed, but she didn’t seem to notice or care. Maybe she wasn’t ready to date yet after her divorce—no, not divorce, dissolution of her matehood. That was what demiurgus called it.

“Thank you for the champagne,” I said as we settled at the table. One less thing to worry about—I already knew I liked champagne.

“My pleasure. Now.” Corva pinned me in place with her big yellow eyes. “Boyfriend. Go.”

I let out a nervous chuckle. “Um, well… He’s called Greid. He’s a jeweller. And he’s a demiurgus,” I added, because I’d seen Corva’s brows twitch when I told her Greid’s name, and I knew she’d probably say something similar to Parin a few nights ago.

Corva’s eyes went wide. She leaned in closer and whispered, “Do you have sex?”

My face flamed bright red. “Yes.”

Intrigue flared in her gaze, which darted quickly down my front and back up. “Does he have a cock?”

Corva, it’s practically a third leg. “Yeah, he does.”

She stared at me in silence for a moment, then sat back and picked up her champagne. “I have so many questions.”

I shifted uncomfortably. “Well, I don’t… I’m not going to share anything he wouldn’t want me to—”

“No, of course not.” She waved a hand and leaned back in. “But… how? Is it not… agony for you? Even just…” She made a jerking off motion, which drew the very interested gazes of the four demiurgus men in business suits sitting at the next table over.

I choked out a laugh. “We manage. But um, yeah, obviously that kind of penetrative sex isn’t possible for us.”

“Okay, that makes sense.” Corva let out a relieved breath and clasped my arm. “I was going to say, no dick is worth that, darling. I know a human body isn’t equipped to deal with a demiurgus cock. Although!” Her face lit up, and she rummaged around in her bag for her phone. “There is an amazing sex shop in the city that caters mostly to demiurgus. Surely they stock some things that would allow demiurgus-P-in-human-V sex. You can’t be the only interspecies couple out there, can you?”

“I have no idea.” I watched uncertainly as she tapped on her phone with bright red claws. “But it’s not like we feel like we’re missing out because we can’t do that.”

“Oh no, I’m not insinuating that you do.” Corva set down her phone and picked up her champagne flute. “But I’ve sent you the link to their website just in case. There are plenty of other fun things you could try out.”

“Okay. Thanks.” I was kind of intrigued in a purely hypothetical sense, so I leaned in and asked, “What do you think they’d even sell that would make that possible?”

“Hmm.” Corva tapped the rim of her flute against her lower lip. “Maybe some kind of cocksleeve that’s thick enough to stop the barbs penetrating it?”

I almost went light-headed at the thought of adding girth to Greid’s dick. Vaginas were capable of stretching well beyond the thickness of any penis, including demiurgus ones, but still. If that was a thing—and possible for us—I was pretty sure I still wouldn’t want it.

“Would that feel good though?” I asked curiously. “For the demiurgus, I mean. Like… wouldn’t it completely dull all the sensations?”

“Oh boo-fucking-hoo.” Corva gestured dismissively with her glass. “You mean like the ones who claim condoms make it ‘not feel as good’? They’re still fucking a hole. There’s still friction.”

I snorted, then couldn’t contain my laughter. Corva joined in, grabbing the champagne bottle to top up our glasses just as one of the suited demiurgus from the next table sauntered over.