Текст книги "Bound to the battle god"
Автор книги: Ruby Dixon
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Текущая страница: 9 (всего у книги 40 страниц)
I think it sounds like bullshit, but I can't quite be angry. Not when she's smiling at me like that. "But I'm not hurting anymore."
"Precisely." Her smile widens. "That means your Aron has arrived and is here."
Son of a bitch, First was right.
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16
At Tadekha’s words, a large man comes out of the audience surrounding the goddess. Dark, long hair. Pale face. Bright red scar down one eye. Mismatched eyes. Forbidding scowl on his handsome features. He’s still dressed in the uniform of the Aventinian soldiers, the red and gray kilted tunic and gladiator sandals. His cloak is dusty and his hair slightly disheveled, but other than that, he looks just as I left him.
Well hell. Aron is here. When First was talking, I thought she was just making conversation.
I get to my feet as he strides to my side. "Aron! What—" My words cut off as he shoves me behind him and steps forward, blocking me from the goddess's sights.
"Tadekha," he says in a flat voice.
"I was wondering when you'd introduce yourself," she purrs. "Hello, dear friend."
"We are not friends," Aron says tightly.
Well it's nice to see that some things haven't changed. Aron's the same guy he ever was. I touch his arm to get his attention, and that little spark ripples through me. "How did you know where to find me?" He turns and glares at me so fiercely that I take a step back. "Sorry I asked."
"Do not move from where you are," he commands me, pointing at the floor. Like I'm a bad dog or something.
Before I can smart off about that, Tadekha chuckles and the warm, lovely sound rolls through the room. "Come, come Aron. Do not be so upset. I mean no harm to you or your anchor. In fact, I have one of my own." She reaches out to stroke a hand over the hair of the girl holding the tray and a blissful look crosses the angel's face. Tadekha smiles absently at her, chucks her under the chin, and then returns to petting her head. "I think it's marvelous that we get to spend time together. After all, we are both exiled, are we not? Perhaps we can pool our resources. Work together."
"Us?” He laughs as if the idea is insulting. “You know that is a bad idea.”
The goddess waves a hand absently. "If I was not a fan of bad ideas, I would not be here."
Aron grunts as if this makes sense to him.
She wags a finger at a few of the angels fluttering on the sidelines, and then three of them rush forward, a gilded chair in their hands. They float up to the dais with their tinkling windchime wings and place the seat near Tadekha's throne, arranging it just so before bowing to the goddess and floating back to rejoin the crowd.
Tadekha gestures at the empty seat, indicating that Aron should join her. "At least enjoy my hospitality since you are already here." When he remains perfectly still, she picks up another bonbon and nibbles on it, raising an eyebrow.
My stomach growls.
Aron sighs heavily as if this all bugs the crap out of him. He turns to me and flicks his gaze over my gown, eyes resting on my nearly naked breasts for a long moment. "Come."
And he heads for the throne designated for him.
I scurry after him, gathering my skirts as I walk. There's no seat for me, not that I expected one. I glance over at Tadekha's chair and she's seated regally upon her throne, caressing the cheek of the girl kneeling at her feet and clutching the tray as if it's an honor to serve the goddess. Heck, for her, maybe it is.
Then again, she wasn't stuck with Aron.
Then again, maybe Aron expects me to be all kissy-kissy to him and is pouting that I'm not. Of course, even as the idea crosses my mind, I dismiss it. Aron's a lot of things, but he's not a crybaby. And really, he's handsome. If he hit on me, I…
My mouth goes dry as I think about Aron. Kissing Aron. Touching Aron. Aron’s big body thrusting into me as I rake my nails down his back…
I'm shocked at my thoughts.
Of course, the moment I do, I can feel myself blushing. I wait for Aron to sit in his throne, and he immediately gestures that I should sit next to him, but on the floor. Yeah, I expected that. The chair he's sitting in isn't much in the way of legs, though, and there's no place for me to rest my back or get comfortable. After a few moments of shifting in my skirts, I tentatively lean against his leg. That pleasant little electric ripple moves through me again.
"Lovely. Shall we eat and drink, then?" Tadekha seems pleased.
“I do not need to eat.”
“Ah, but it’s such fun. You should try it. I've no doubt your anchor is famished. Is that not right, little Faithful?"
I open my mouth to speak.
"Do not address her," Aron growls, and I can see his hand clench on one arm of the throne. "She is mine."
Jeez. So possessive. I should be irritated, but instead, a warm flush rushes through my body. I nudge his leg with my shoulder, but I'm kinda pleased. You'd think the guy hadn't abandoned me on the road with the way he's acting. Maybe it's my endorphins rushing back after days of being tortured with pain, but I'm feeling pretty good right now. I'm happy Aron's here, because he's familiar. He's my rock in all this madness, oddly enough. And in his weird way, he's acting like he's happy to see me, too.
Tadekha gestures, and a winged servant arrives with a small tray of food and a cup for me. I'm starving and thirsty, but I hesitate. Maybe Aron wants me to hold off for some reason I can't imagine. I glance up at him and he makes a dismissive gesture with his hand, indicating I can have it if I want it.
I want it. I'm starving. I take the tray from the angel and balance it on my knees, then plow into the food. God, it's so good. Every bite is like heaven.
Dancers come out onto the floor and musicians move forward with their instruments. They set up and begin to play. The dancers leap about in their skimpy outfits and tinkling, delicate music fills the room.
Okay, this is nice. Food, music, entertainment. Tadekha knows how to live. Aron could take some notes from her.
I keep eating. Even if I wanted to stop, I'm not sure I could. I don't know what any of this stuff is, but it's all shaped into intricate designs and tastes amazing. I do my best not to stuff my face like a wild woman, but I eat and drink without stopping, licking my fingers when all of the delicious treats are gone. Someone moves forward and takes my tray, then offers me a napkin. As I wipe my fingers with the floaty, see-through napkin given to me by one of the angels, I notice that neither Aron nor Tadekha are talking to each other. The room is very quiet, and it's like they're waiting for something…or testing each other out. It's odd but Aron’s also made it very clear he’s not friends with Tadekha.
He must be here because of me.
That makes me feel absurdly warm and pleased, like he’s gone out of his way for me. I curl a hand around his stiff, naked calf and give him a squeeze. "Everything okay?" I whisper.
He glances down at me and gives me a brief nod, but he's not as much of a douche as he normally is. In a way, that's sweet. I think he's trying to be nice. I stroke my hand up and down his bare leg absently and then turn to watch the room. I didn't pay much attention to the dancers while I was eating, but I'm looking now and…well, they're rather sensual. Their movements are not “dancing” so much as “writhing” and their clothing sways around almost naked limbs. I feel a bit like I'm at a high-end strip club, and when one dancer grabs another and begins to slowly undress her, I change that from strip club to orgy.
It's weird, because I'm not offended by the sight of the two angels making out. Instead, it makes me hot and flushed with my own arousal. That's…odd. I clutch at Aron's leg, watching as one woman bears the other to the ground, their mouths locked together, hands on each other, in front of the entire room. Are all of the dances here like this? Or are we just being treated to a special show that no one feels like stopping?
And why is it turning me on? I stroke my hand up and down Aron's leg, unable to help myself. I have to touch him, have to feel that crackle of energy that comes between us. I can't tear my eyes off of the women as they continue writhing and the music flares faster and louder. I lean against Aron's knee, and I know I'm clinging to him. I can't seem to stop myself. I'm in a lust-filled fog and when he reaches down and puts a hand on my shoulder, grazing his thumb over my bare skin, it sends a shockwave of pleasure through my body. My pussy squeezes on nothing, and I’m growing hot and wet between my thighs.
The lusty music comes to a crescendo and the dancers fall flat, their song ended. The room breaks into applause and I feel breathless and needy. I turn to peer over at the goddess…and gasp at what I see. The goddess's anchor—the beautiful angelic-looking woman—kneels before the goddess as she sits on the edge of her throne. Tadekha's legs are splayed open and her hand is on the silvery head of the woman before her. The anchor has her head buried in the goddess's lap, and when Tadekha closes her eyes and her lips part, I realize that she's being pleasured.
A goddess is getting head right in front of everyone and doesn't give a damn.
A moan escapes my throat and I can't stop staring. I know my mouth hangs open in surprise and I should look away, but I can't. I'm too fascinated by the bob of the angel's head as she licks her mistress, the way her bare toes are curled and her wings shudder as if she's getting intense pleasure out of this, too. Tadekha keeps one hand on the girl's head and gestures for new musicians, and they stroll out to the center of the floor as if nothing is happening.
As if this is an everyday sort of thing.
Maybe it is. Maybe this is how an anchor serves their god. Maybe this is why Aron is so impatient with me, because I haven't touched him. I'm touching him now, though, and as I watch Tadekha get pleasured by the mouth of her servant, it makes me want to do more. The weird hum in my body and the arousal I'm feeling heightens. I want to do something. I look up at Aron, who's gazing straight ahead as if he's deliberately avoiding looking over at Tadekha. Me, personally, I can't stop staring. The goddess is beautiful, and even more so when she parts her lips and moans loudly enough to be heard over the music. It makes my belly tighten, and I lean in and brush my mouth against Aron's skin. The belted Aventinian tunic only goes to mid-thigh, and I could push it up and put my mouth on him like the other girl is doing to her goddess.
The mental image of that makes me suck in a deep breath. I haven't thought of Aron in a sexual way until now, but in this moment, I can't stop thinking about the hard planes of his features, the firm line of his mouth, the scar that makes him look rugged despite the elegant stamp of his cheekbones. I think of his pale skin and mismatched eyes which should make him look creepy and instead make him look dangerous and otherworldly.
I press my mouth to the side of his leg again, and then lick him. Just a little.
Aron doesn't move, doesn't react. I want more, though. I want to please him like the angel's pleasing Tadekha. The goddess is making little cries that still slide through the hum of music, and I want to do the same to Aron. I want to see his face contort with pleasure. I want to blow his ever-loving immortal mind with everything my mortal mouth can do. So I get on my knees and turn until I've got my hands on both of his thighs and I'm facing him. I slide my hands up underneath the hem of his tunic and reach over to cup his length.
Jesus, the guy's packing. I gasp with pure delight at the discovery. He's definitely not like regular men in this sense. I don't think I've ever handled a cock this big. I circle my fingers around him and can't close my grip. This enormous dick would feel amazing if he fucked me. He's long and hard and my mouth waters as I gaze up at him, full of yearning.
He gives me a slow shake of his head, his pale eyes blazing as his gaze meets mine. No.
"Let me put my mouth on you," I tell him desperately, the music and Tadekha's cries adding to my urgency. I lean in and rub my face against one of his thighs shamelessly. I lick the skin and moan when I feel another little shockwave curl through me. "Please, Aron."
"I do not think this is like you," he says as he nudges me to my feet. He gazes up at me, his expression unreadable. “You are being affected by Tadekha.”
“Tadekha does nothing for me,” I purr at him. “It’s all this big hog underneath your kilt.”
He groans when I reach for him again and stops me before I touch him. “You do not want to do that, Faith. This isn’t you.”
"I know, right?" I say breathlessly. "I'm being such a dirty slut." And I am so damn horny at the moment I can't stand it. I can feel my nipples brush against the front of my filmy dress and I want to strip it off. Heck, that seems like a good idea. Aron won't let me touch him and suck his cock, but maybe if I'm all naked and quivering on his lap he'll give in and give me what I need.
Or maybe he'll just impale me on his thick shaft in front of everyone and fuck me without getting up from his chair. I close my eyes in ecstasy at the thought.
Aron lets out a breath that almost sounds like a sigh. "This is ridiculous. Come here, Faith." He takes my hand and tugs me forward, and then I'm in his lap. I try to straddle him, but he shakes his head and slides my thighs together until I'm sitting sideways on him. I curl my arms around his neck and make out with his ear.
"Why won't you let me touch you?" I moan, so full of need that it almost hurts.
He tilts his head toward mine and whispers in my ear. "We will talk about this in the morning, but you're going to be very upset."
"Not if you let me pleasure you," I tell him, panting my need. I look over at Tadekha and she's writhing in place, the angel's head working furiously between her thighs. The music plays on and everyone in the room doesn't seem to notice—and I realize they're all making out, too. I can't blame them.
I’m turned on like crazy.
Aron sighs heavily, but his hand goes between my thighs. "You aren't going to like that I do this." But he touches me and I realize just how wet and needy I am. I've never been so aroused in my life.
I moan and bury my face against his neck as he touches me between my thighs. "You don't know how to sleep…but you know how to do this?" I pant, shocked at the feeling of his fingers sliding through my folds. Oh lord save me, but it feels so good. I rub up against him, biting back a whimper.
He rumbles with low laughter. "You think the gods do not fuck?"
Ooh, I never thought about that. I gasp as he strokes his fingers against my pussy, because I'm so wet I'm practically dripping, and the intrusive slide of his touch makes me want to come out of my skin it feels so good. I should tell him to stop, to take his hands out from under my skirts because we're in public and I'm not keen on the idea of putting on a show. But then he finds my clit and I forget everything. He strokes the hood with expert fingers, in just the right way that makes me wild, and it doesn't take long before I'm bucking up against his hand and biting at his neck, frantic to come.
Aron grabs my neck, his big hand practically pinning me as his other works my pussy. I lift my head and our eyes meet—and that's enough for me to come and come hard. The orgasm explodes through me, leaving me gasping and breathless and without a hint of shame at what we've just done.
"I'm sorry," I pant, collapsing against his shoulder as he moves his hand out from under my filmy skirts. "That's not like me."
"I know," he says quietly, and leaves it at that.
I try to touch him once more, sliding my hand to his cock, because I'm still feeling aroused, but he pushes my hand away and focuses on the dancers. Nearby, Tadekha gives a throaty little laugh, and when I look over, the angel is lifting her flushed face from between the goddess's thighs, a look of rapture on her expression.
And that just sets me on fire all over again. I turn back to Aron and rub up against his chest, letting my nipples scrape against him. “God, you’re sexy. God, I’m so horny.”
With a small sigh, Aron slides his hand between my thighs once more and gets to work even as the music starts up again.
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17
Daylight streams into my room, so bright it hurts my eyes. I squint as I wake up, disoriented. I'm in bed, the covers tangled around my legs. My hair's still pulled into that tight braid, and my filmy, see-through dress has bunched up around my hips. I squint, opening up one eye and gazing around me. It still looks like I'm in one of the crystal chambers, but I roll on my back and rub my head, trying to remember what's happened. I ache between my thighs, and when I slide a hand there, I'm wet as if I've spent all night feverishly masturbating. I feel a little wrung out…
And hungry. My stomach growls loudly in the quiet morning air.
There's a nearby grunt. It's Aron, and he's near a window, gazing out onto the horizon, hands clasped behind his back. He is in new clothing—not nearly as wispy or ridiculous as my own—but his hair is a disheveled mess. He doesn't look at me as he speaks. "Back to yourself again or do you need my hand once more?"
I freeze.
Vague memories of last night slide through my head. The goddess. Aron's return. The goddess getting pleasured right in front of everyone. Me rubbing myself all over Aron's leg until he dragged me into his lap and diddled me.
Oh god. He made me come several times. Not just once. Like, a lot. And I just kept writhing like some sort of freak who wanted more and more. A low sound of humiliation rises in my throat. "Aron…I…" I pull the blankets up to my chest, feeling shy and awful all at once. I'm utterly beyond mortified. I took our friendship—if you can call it that—to a weird, weird place. Even more humiliating, I can remember reaching for his cock repeatedly, only for him to pull my hands away. "I am so sorry. I don't know what came over me—"
"You were not yourself," he says in a succinct tone. "I am well aware of this, Faith. The blame lies with Tadekha and Tadekha alone."
"You think she spiked my food?" My jaw hangs open in surprise. I didn't consider it, but looking back, the evening was rather lust-fueled…and only on my part. Aron didn't seem to be affected.
"Spiked?"
"Drugged it. Made me want, uh, sex. Like, a lot."
"Ah. No, that was not it." He glances over at me, gaze flicking over my body where I'm clutching the blanket to me like modesty is a bell I can un-ring after he had his hand between my thighs last night for oh, hours and hours. "Tadekha is an Aspect. It is clear to me now which kind."
"I don't understand." I knew she was an Aspect like him, but I'm not sure how that's supposed to have some extra sort of meaning. "There are different kinds of Aspects?"
He grunts. “This is information that an anchor would have if…” He trails off. “It does not matter. This is not the time or place to discuss things."
Annoyance flashes through me. "Really? Because I'd sure fucking like to know why I acted like a ho if it was something she did. You weren't the one grinding on someone in public all night."
"You think I wasn't affected?" His eyes narrow as he glances over at me and then turns his attention back to the window.
That confession comes as a bit of a surprise. Aron always acts like he's above everything, but I remember putting my hands under his tunic last night and finding a very large and very erect cock. Okay, yeah, I guess he was affected too. Maybe that's why he's so pissy.
"I'm not sure I want to be here anymore after last night," I tell him, squeezing my thighs tightly together. God, they're still wet and sore. I'm so embarrassed at how many times I came last night. Five? Six? Eight? Twelve? Aron's probably got freaking hand cramps this morning. Just the thought makes me moan with fresh humiliation.
I huddle under the blankets, wishing the ground would swallow me up.
I’d really, really like to go home now, please.
"We are not staying here,” Aron says firmly. “I am surprised that Tadekha has let us live, which tells me that she has plans for our use, and we will not like them.”
“Enemies, right?”
“Long enemies,” he says with a nod. “I have disagreed with her abuse of power when it comes to the Citadel, because it has stripped the land and bankrupted Aventine. My city. We have fought over it many times.”
Right. I’m sure that went well. “But we’re alive—"
“And if we intend to stay that way, we will be leaving, just as soon as I figure out how." And he gazes thoughtfully out the window once more. "Tadekha will not want us to go. She is in her element here. She has control over everything. And she will be having us watched."
A shiver crawls up my spine. The goddess had seemed so pretty and delicate. I can't imagine her being as ruthless as he's making her sound…but he knows her. He knows what she's capable of. And if Aron misbehaved and got dumped here in the mortal world, Tadekha must have, too. "So what do we do?"
He gives me a sharp glance. "If I had a plan, we would already be executing it."
I make a face at him. "I missed you, too."
"That much is obvious."
Oooh, is that a crack at how I grabbed at him? "That wasn't me, dammit. That was whatever Tadekha did." I fling one of the pillows in his direction.
The pillow smacks him and he gives me an incredulous look, as if he's shocked I somehow dared to throw something at him. "You should mind yourself."
"Or what? You'll tickle me between the thighs again?"
Aron scowls and turns back to the window, silent.
I sigh. We're supposed to be a team and here we are, picking at each other. "Look, I'm sorry, all right? I'm just embarrassed about what happened last night. I can't believe I did that."
"It wasn't you," Aron says gruffly.
I guess that's about as much of an apology as I'm going to get from him. "At any rate, I'm glad you're here. How did you know to find me?"
He leans forward, studying something out the window. "The pain. It began once you left and grew less when I headed in a certain direction. I figured it must have had something to do with our attachment, and so I followed it." Aron snorts and gives a little shake of his head. "I didn't know you were foolish enough to head straight for the Citadel despite my warnings, though."
"I didn't. Some guys riding these big animals came through and snatched me up. They carried me off and that was when the pain started. I passed out, and when I woke up, I was in Tadekha’s Citadel dungeons. I think whoever grabbed me figured out something was wrong and brought me here.”
Aron grunts.
I gather the blankets closer to my body. "So this pain thing, that's part of the bond?"
"I suppose."
"Well, I wish someone would have pointed that out before I signed up." Of course, since my choice was death, I'd probably still have done it, but I'm feeling petty and abused at the moment.
He casts me an impatient look. "I am as in the dark as you are. We need answers, but I do not trust any that Tadekha will give us."
I nod slowly. He's not wrong about that. I don't trust her, not after last night's quasi-orgy. Heck, I'm still blushing thinking about that. "I'm ready to get out of here when you are."
"Have you looked in the hall? There are at least a dozen guards just outside our room."
"Well, you can take them down, can't you? You went through those guys at the city gates like they were nothing."
"It is not my safety I am concerned about," Aron says, turning to face me. "But yours. Tadekha knows we are bonded. You think she will not have them go after you? I can take out any number of guards, but before they get to you?”
Right. Because for some reason I’m the target. “Why does everyone keep trying to kill me instead of you?”
“That is the question. And I don't want to know what happens to me if you die." He clenches his jaw. “An anchor is supposed to guide but we are both lacking knowledge. And I cannot ask Tadekha or her minions, because they will realize how truly clueless we are.”
"Well I don't want me to die either!"
"Then we figure out another way out. And in the meantime, you do not leave my sights. I do not need to chase you all over the countryside once more. You are my anchor. Anchor yourself to me."
I glare at him. God, I would feel so much better about our pairing if he wasn't such a jerk. "Fine," I mutter, and leave it at that.
Hours pass in our chambers. Aron's in no mood to chit-chat, gazing out the window with impatience stamped all over his features. I nap for a bit in the bed, and when servants arrive with food, I scarf mine down. Aron doesn't eat, so after a short hesitation, I eat his, too. I notice that everything on the tray is finger-foods and no cutlery is provided. Nothing that we could use as a weapon. After that, I give myself a furtive sponge bath behind a screen and then dress in another wispy gown. No shoes are provided, and it just reminds me that Aron thinks Tadekha means to keep us prisoner. I think he's right.
On a whim, I take the food tray and carry it to the entrance of our apartments, then open the door. I put the tray down outside and glance around. Sure enough, guards line the walls, and they all turn to look at me as I peek out. I quickly duck back in, feeling a little sick to my stomach.
We need a plan.
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