《Angel Skin》 A Mid-Autumn Morning There was sweat between my legs. Sweat on my belly, beneath my breasts. There was sweat on my back too, but it was quickly cooled by the nights cold breeze pouring in from the window behind me. Sinclair lay beside me, naked and covered in that same sticky-sweet sweat. I bit my lip and traced my fingertips over the fresh scars over his cheek and neck, a touch of worry in my heart despite myself. Why worry about him? He¡¯s just a ghost to me. A ghost that decided to return from the dead two days ago. Huh. It took two days for my old toy soldier to slip back into my bed. The light of the full moon dripped over us both. It soaked my porcelain skin, entwining with my silver-pink hair. Moonlight danced in Sinclair¡¯s red hair, and made him appear far more peaceful than he deserved to be. He was so very handsome. His hair, the same colour of the rusted elder-roots of the moors to the east, his chin as sharp as his tongue. My toy soldier had certainly grown in the three years he¡¯d abandoned me. I ran a hand over his rippled chest, enjoying its soft rise and fall. I knew he¡¯d be gone in the morning, as though he¡¯d never returned in the first place. He was just a ghost to me and everyone here at Sanctuary. After all, what place did a soldier of the royal army have amongst demons?
The next morning, I was wrong. Sinclair had changed in more ways than one. Two ways, in fact. The two fingers he used to wake me, slipping them between my silk legs and into me. With a wicked grin I gripped his arm as he went deeper, faster, his blue eyes ablaze in the morning rays. He was standing over the bed in his uniform, his other hand pushing my legs open. Sinclair returned that same wicked grin, and leant down to bite and kiss my side. ¡°Good morning, little doll,¡± He smirked. I sighed, and pushed him away with a small shove with my foot. ¡°I¡¯m hungry, actually. Not a doll.¡± The smirk quickly faded from his eyes. There was a time for playfulness. A time for regrets. And a time for food. And god, was I hungry. His gaze quickly melted into that of disinterest. ¡°Right, right, of course. Well, I might see you down there. I have to meet with Yokomi,¡± Sinclair shrugged, adjusting his red collar. There was a familiar look to that red. That uniform. The high red collar of a squad captain, the three golden eagle pins of a veteran of the Obsidian Wars and the circle emblem of the Royal Army of his majesty King Forrest Lioncrest. It stirred something odd in me. Deep in my stomach. Bad, good, it was hard to tell. I was probably more hungry than anything else. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to give you a wave if I see you,¡± I said, polite and light as I dared. From the drawers of my small room, mostly taken up by the bed I found a summer dress from long-ago and slipped it on. Sinclair left without another word, probably to wonder the halls and appear when he felt like it. We were same in that way, ghosts that wandered the countless rooms and hallways of the Sanctuary. A place of hope. A place of quiet comfort. Out in the wilderness of the Green Peaks, nestled between the pine Jade forest that rolled and twisted amongst the hills and barrows of the Peaks lay my home. Flowers, weeds and a lone cobble-stone road surrounded this place. But silence and bird-song, most of all. Taking my time, I wondered down the hall, flowers and silk flowing behind me. It¡¯s been a long while since anyone¡¯s been here. I wonder if he missed my black hair. I doubt it. Besides, I prefer the Silver-pink. With a bit lip I twirled down the hall of creaky wooden floorboards, dusty and filled with peeled paint and morning sunlight. When the sun had kissed my skin, I knew the day had promised to be a good one. The stone patio on the ground floor was covered in dead leaves as usual, dead weeds poking their daisy heads through the cracks, some crawling up the stone pillars of the balusters. There amongst the bees, the overgrown trestle and scent of burnt bacon and black coffee I joined the rest of the residents of the Sanctuary. ¡°Good morning, Celeste,¡± Keisuke greeted with a small wave. Cute as ever. He sipped from his favourite golden teacup, white tail twitching. A half-faerie, half-man creature with hair and equal solid black to the white of his mouse-like tail that ended in twitchy fluff, his black glasses round as they were large. He was a sweet man, and every time he smiled, I got to a flash of his two tiny canines. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.¡°Good morning to you, professor,¡± I returned his sweet smile. He was young, for an academic. But he¡¯d more than earnt his title. But the city drove him out. Just as it had to most of those that sat around. Eager to fill my empty belly, I dug into three slices of home-made olive bread lathered in butter, a slice of salted ham and fried eggs. Tomas stuck to his porridge and strawberries, staring at the speed and absence of grace as I heaved mouthfuls of egg and coffee down. He sat across from me, tall and skinny as he had been for the six months he¡¯d lived amongst us. There was a sharpness to his cheeks, dark rings always present beneath his eyes and a hollowness to his voice I¡¯d never liked. But he¡¯d never bothered me, or anyone else apparently. He appeared for breakfast, dinner on the occasion, but spent most of his hours melting amongst the shadows of the library. Tomas had drifted to the isolation of the Sanctuary from the city as well, for reasons it seemed only Yokomi knew. But he¡¯d brought coin with him, and with coin came honey and ale. And I¡¯d always had a taste for both. But after a helping of honey soaked waffles, I couldn¡¯t help but notice we were missing two. ¡°Where¡¯s Yokomi and Yerena?¡± I asked, wiping away some honey against the back of my hand. ¡°One¡¯s behind you,¡± Tomas motioned behind me, not bothering to look up from his book. Without warning two arms wrapped around me, pulling me and my chair back into a hug. I flailed helplessly for a moment, and gave my attacker a little shove. ¡°Yeren!¡± I gasped. My closest friend and one of the greatest warriors I¡¯ve ever known stood over me with a wide, toothy, perfect smile. She giggled, dreads bouncing as she threw her head back with a laugh at the fear that had flashed on my face. Yeren gave me a light tap on the check with an even lighter kiss on the tip of my nose. She knows how to make me blush. I returned the light kiss on the tip of her nose. Yeren was also one of the most beautiful girls I¡¯d ever had the pleasure of¡­knowing. ¡°You enjoy pushing me a few days closer to my death first thing in the morning, don¡¯t you?¡± I giggled in reply. Noticing Keisuke glancing at the two of us, (trying to make it appear as though he wasn¡¯t), I gave her ass a slap as she walked past, biting my lip to give him the same look I¡¯d been slipping him the past few weeks. Things had changed between us since that day in the Green House. Besides¡­I liked seeing him blush. His light skin would turn a deep red, his slim eyes squish as he couldn¡¯t help but close them as he tried in vain to look away from me. ¡°Celeste, you cretin!¡± Yeren snapped, her dark eyes narrowing at me. But it was all playful. I replied with a wicked grin, not unlike a certain red-haired captain¡¯s. Yeren poured herself a coffee, and enjoyed her morning tabaco smoke and black coffee leaning over the balustrade, happy to ignore the others and soak up the sun. Lengths of her thick beautiful dreads reached all the way down to her lower back, entwined with gold and silver coils she bound into them every morning. She¡¯d always known a taste for gold and silver. Even her ears and nose were pierced with various ornaments of silver dotted with gems, a gold ring in the side of her nose. She wore a white dress adorned with six silver buckles, each representing a year of service in the Holy Ser¡¯s army. The corded thick muscles of her biceps, calves and thighs also spoke of her service and prowess as an ex-holy knight. But Yerena herself had softened. In some ways more than others. It was only just as I was about to tease Kei when Yokomi, head and founder of the Sanctuary threw open the patio doors. She was leader and scholar. Warrior and mother. Tall, always somehow eloquently dressed. Her long silver hair flowed past her shoulders, golden circlets pressed tight around her throat. At their heart, a blue sapphire blazed, staring through each of our souls. Yokomi was known as the White Harpy. ¡°Gentleman. Ladies. I have exciting news. We¡¯ll be expecting a new guest this evening. I expect you all to be aiding the cooking staff by evening, then appropriately dressed for the feast. Our guests will be of a particularly high calibre. So please, try not behaving like children.¡± Yokomi announced, her white wings behind her spread far enough for us all to know she meant it. Well, she meant most of what she said. But this time in particular, Yokomi truly needed us to have our manners about us. I assume we have some actually important guests this evening. But I wonder what kind of guest we could be receiving? Guests aren¡¯t simply guests here. The Sanctuary was home to half-breeds and broken things. A home for no others. The only place in the world, for a monster such as me. Boars, Honey-wine and how to make a Faerie blush PART ONE NIGHT OF THE AUTUMN FAE CHAPTER TWO: Boars, honey-wine and how to make a Faerie blush Despite the excitement that had begun to grow in our bellies, the mid-autumn day of Sanctuary went on just as any other would. Tomas retreated to library, muttering something about dusting the shelves. Of course, Yokomi had tasked Keisuke, Yeren and I with a journey to the local markets for ingredients fresh as we could get them. With the few staff she employed, they maids and cook would be busied for the whole day cleaning the feast-hall and foyer from top to bottom. Usually, being sent on a mundane task might¡¯ve irritated me. But the day was oddly nice, the sun smiling down on my bare skin, a soft and sweet smelling breeze twisting about us as we journeyed out of onto the forest road in our old wagon. Keisuke and Yeren sat at drivers perch, while I sat amongst sacks of potato and smaller pots of forest herbs and mushrooms. Keisuke had a fondness for spending hours on end walking amongst the trees and shadows of the forest surrounding our home, gathering its hidden bounty. They¡¯d make for good trading goods. With the sacks and a small purse of gold coins, it¡¯d be enough for two bottles of the higher-end Gorrivan wines and freshly skinned boar. Hmph. If only one of us actually knew how to properly hunt. We could almost be self-sustaining. Well. Maybe if I didn¡¯t eat through half our stores each morning. Thumbing the purse out of boredom, I spared a glance at Keisuke. He seemed happy amongst the shadows of the forest canopy that reached over the lone forest path, at peace even. It egged on the seed of curiosity that had been planted deep inside me the moment he¡¯d been inducted into Sanctuary. He¡¯d seemed so much smaller then. Broken, shy. Unable to even look to any of us. Shadowing Tomas in the library, until he¡¯d found his own space in the wild gardens in the fields behind the main building. I¡¯ve always wondered, what pushed you down so? What forced your head so far down that all you could do for those first few months was stare at the ground in front of you? I hope you¡¯ve had more success finding Fae-folk in the woods than I¡¯ve ever had. They always hide from me¡­I only caught glances of them dashing behind trees, back into their pond or back into their hollowed out trunks. I shrugged, and supposed they¡¯d be awfully lucky to have the pleasure of knowing such a kind man. *** By the time we¡¯d arrived at the markets, I¡¯d managed to dose off. With a day such as this, I struggled to see how Keisuke was so surprised when he¡¯d been forced to wake me with a soft flick of his tail. With little help Yeren carried the potato sacks, leaving Keisuke and I to shrug at one another and take the smaller bags that remained. While the others were out of sight, I slipped a carrot to the old wagon horse Nutmeg. She thanked me a soft bump on the head and a lick on the arm. The market took place on the outskirts of the small but conveniently located village of Tyracide. It sat in a sort of crossroads for two high-ways of travel and trade and betwixt two other villages surrounding by fertile farmland. Despite its size, it simply came to life when the markets rose amongst the green fields. And today, the markets were simply alive. Traders, farm animals, fish-wives and hunters showed off their wares and coin from stall to stall. The dirt road and open field was filled with a busy, bustling crowd, each vendor crying out the maddening value of their stocks of pelts and assorted meats. As chickens and hunting dogs ran about underfoot we made our way through the crowed, weaving in and out until we found our imported honey-wine, spiced cheeses and fresh loaves of olive bread. Yeren had wandered deeper into the maze of markets in search of a boar, leaving the two of us to simply walk about with our freshly bought wares. I didn¡¯t expect this many people¡­I¡¯m not sure¡­this is such a good idea for me¡­ There was a lot of people. So many they seemed to press me in further and further. They rubbed against my shoulders, bumped past me and squashed me between their carts. And it was hot. Too hot. The kind of hot that made my skin tingle, my thoughts melting into one another. My heart began to race. A hunter with pelts stinking of vinegar bumped into me, pushing me into Keisuke. Unable to really get the words out, I tugged on his sleeve. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.¡°I need to¡­uh¡­can you¡­could you find somewhere quiet...please?¡± The last word I managed to utter come out broken, chocked. As if I might cry then and there, pathetic as I felt. But he seemed to understand, well enough. He pulled me along, somehow sweeping me out of the crowd and into the more open field. I followed blindly, my concentration all on attempting to pull my mind back together as it seemed to melt in my skull. Heat, hot as a flame began to pulse from my bare skin. He took me too a barn. I could tell from the stench of hay and rotten wood. He sat me up on a bale, his faint voice urging me to breathe. But I couldn¡¯t pull myself away from it. The thought of being crushed by the crowd. But in my minds eye they were different now. They were made of flame and ash and rock and heat and violence and ¨C Splash! A bucket of water splashed over me without warning, water soaking me to the bone. Keisuke stared at me round-eyed and apologetic, holding the bucket. I stared at him in shock, frozen. Steam rose off my skin, and the cold water seemed to ease the rapid melting of my thoughts. ¡°Was that¡­?¡± He asked, voice quiet. I nodded, eyes glued to the dirt floor. There was a side of me that would rise alongside my heartbeat. It would struggle and claw its way to the surface whenever I panicked or grew scared. It was a part of me that was flame and ash, and I feared it with every waking step I took. Silence stood between us both. Keisuke set the bucket down and sat on its end, looking to me as if there were more he wanted to say. Maybe there was something I could¡¯ve said. Something to assure him I wouldn¡¯t explode into flames in the next instant. Instead, I stayed quiet and scrunched up the wet silk of my ruined dress in my hands. It¡¯s¡­probably completely ruined now. The colours and materiel are messed up. Shit. And its¡­see-through. Looking up, I noticed Keisuke¡¯s cheeks had begun to burn a bright red. He¡¯d noticed it too. My sun-dress, dripping wet lay slick against my skin and bare breasts. It pressed against my thighs, droplets running down my chest and legs. And he couldn¡¯t help but look at me. At all of me. Just as he did those few weeks ago. I¡¯d been late to dinner and Yokomi in irritation had sent Keisuke to find me. But I¡¯d simply spent too long in the bath and was looking for something to wear. Standing naked and wet in my room, rustling through my wardrobe Keisuke had walked in on me. I¡¯d watched the shock on his face quickly twist into the need to turn and look away. But he couldn¡¯t help it. He couldn¡¯t help but look. And I didn¡¯t mind. I¡¯d stood there in the evening sunlight, felt it warm my bare skin. And I¡¯d loved the need in his eyes, no matter how desperately he¡¯d tried to smother it. That same hunger was in his eyes again. It burned. Closer now, I could see his eyes were a sort of misty hazel. A twisted mist of dirty-gold and brown. Finally seeing them burn in such a way¡­it stirred something deep in me. The thing that made me pulled my dress down and tighter against my skin. It urged me onwards when I slid a hand down my wet thigh, fingers tracing deep into the fair skin. He bared his pointed canines in such a primal way my flesh began to burn once again, that between my thighs it started to become hot and wet ¨C all at once. I beckoned him forward. He hesitated. So I surged forward, took him by the collar, and kissed him. My fringe, frayed and messy as it was pressed against his heated cheeks and for a moment I listened to his rapid heart-beat. His strain for breath. Go for the jugular. That primal part of me rushed through my veins once more and listening to nothing but instinct I began to kiss his neck. He moaned in response, soft and low. Right into my ear. I dared to give his soft, warm neck a nip. His groans became a growl at that. Hot, thirsty ¨C begging. I let my skin grow hotter and hotter. Keisuke in his beautiful lust took one of my tits in his hand, groaning in pleasure with every squeeze. I moaned with him at his touch, and he retreated, looking to me to make sure he hadn¡¯t squeezed too hard and hurt me. His kindness was so sweet I could taste it on his lips. I could taste the honey-sweetness of his soft heart on his tongue as it explored my mouth. He dared to rub a canine against my lip, drawing a single drop of blood. That earned a small giggle from me, and I hugged him closer. Just as I wanted him. Close as he could get. Because he was warm and a mystery and he was so very sweet. Keisuke began to draw a line with two fingers down my soaked middle, following a few drop of water. My pussy began to nearly quiver at the anticipation of his touch, of how could his long fingers would feel inside me. I drew back from his neck and leant back, eager to see the hunger in complete control of him. But that was a mistake. He looked different now¡­he was¡­himself. His canines had grown larger, more animal like now. And in the place of human ears, two white-furred, pointed ears had grown in their place. Seems when he gets excited¡­his inner Fae makes an appearance. Is that why he¡¯s so calm all the time? Keisuke¡¯s ears flattened and he drew back. There was fear in him now. I went to reach out to him. ¡°Keisuke, it¡¯s alright I don¡¯t-¡± My assurances were interrupted by an overworked farm-boy. He burst through the barn-doors, struggling to hold a bundle of tools. He stared open-mouthed at the two of us, frozen in place. Keisuke took the distraction and left me there, darting off and out into the field. The farm-boy tried to stumble an apology, but I waved him off. My clothes were soaked, and I was rather embarrassed. Nice as he was the boy went and fetched me an old blanket, so I happily wrapped myself up and went in search of the wagon. Yeren came back eventually. With a boar ready for feasting she slumped it beside me and a crate of wine. I remained quiet for the rest of the journey, content to remain inside my blanket wrap. Keisuke joined us eventually, not sparing a word to either of us. He sat beside Yeren, seeming a touch sulky. Yeren questioned none of it. On the return home I let myself slip into a nap, my hair a frayed mess. Maybe in my sleep I¡¯d find some inkling of solace. Before the feast. Before I had to face Sinclair again. Or Keisuke¡¯s blush Man from the broken sun PART ONE NIGHT OF THE AUTUMN FAE CHAPTER THREE: Man from the broken sun Upon our return the house was in full swing. The maids were busied with cleaning the feasting hall, wiping dust and grime from the long-table and chairs. Others moped the floors, and the huntsman Yokomi hired to chop fire-wood beat the bear-pelt that would serve as a carpet beneath the trestles and long-table. The kitchen staff were hard at work already, and they took our ingredients with a quick thanks and a quicker shove out the door. While the others went and aided the staff, I rushed off to my room, eager for a bath. I had a small bathroom attached to my room with a rustic, claw-foot bathtub. Sunlight and autumn leaves blew in from the open window, a small breeze sweet and warm as the spiced wine and freshly made bread dripping in honey I lazily chewed on. The water was deliciously warm, so nice that it covered my skin in goose-bumps. It was clear, too. I looked into the still surface and examined the frayed remains of my fringe. Dumping a bucket of water onto my morning-hair apparently didn¡¯t it any favours. I hadn¡¯t had my hair like this for long. Two months, at the most. Pink and silver-white with a fringe. Simple, but pretty. At least that¡¯s what Yokomi had said about it in the two moments she¡¯d spared to look up from her paper-work. I¡¯d gotten sick of it, I supposed. Sick of having to look at the same face and hair for so long. From blonde hair to pink-silver, from a few stray flecks of hair to a fringe. Maybe part of me just missed my black hair. Or my white hair. I traced a finger through the waters, ripples dancing in the tub. Rose petals and mint leaves floated about, whisking around me. I hope I didn¡¯t scare Keisuke away. He¡¯s sweet and handsome, and makes for a good friend. But he does seem to have fear instilled in him. Deep down, right in his core. He hesitates. I guess I can¡¯t really judge him. I have that fear too. A soft knock came from the open door. ¡°I could smell the mint and rose from the hall,¡± Sinclair said with an eerie, soft smile as he crunched away on an apple. I lent on the edge of the tub, an arm covering my breasts. ¡°What, you have a sweet-tooth?¡± I chuckled. There was a weird, faint knot in my chest. But I buried it deep, and rocked back into the bathtub. Sinclair nodded and took a sip of my wine, tossing the apple core out the open window. He lowered himself onto his knees beside the tub, running his finger-tips across the surface of the water. Mint leaves and rose-petals all drifted towards me, brushing against my soft, wet skin. Petals stuck against my skin, decorating me like a painting I¡¯d seen the abandoned castle of Ithren Towers. ¡°You think you can just walk into my room like that?¡± I said playfully, splashing him with a bit of water. ¡°Maybe, considering you leave your doors open and inviting. And here you are, all wet and sweet and even a little tipsy. I¡¯m sure¡­you wouldn¡¯t object to a little help washing yourself right?¡± Sinclair asked, a soft look in his eyes. That look. He always gets me with that damn look. Maybe that¡¯s the only thing I miss about him. Then I noticed the bulge that was starting to grow in his pants. They were part of his uniform, but they fit tight and snug against his perfect legs and ass. Well. Maybe there¡¯s a few more things I miss about him. Sinclair began to undress. Taking off his uniform, piece by piece. He never once took his eyes off me. They were a light brown, the same as colour of the wine I¡¯d been slowly sipping on all afternoon. They had a grip on me a hold that was both vice and gentle all at once. And it lured me, no matter how much I pretended to resist. ¡°How foolish it would be¡­how impractical it would be to ask you to do it all yourself,¡± Sinclair murmured, a hand reaching down into the water and between my breasts. He took a single rose-petal, and drew it down my centre and in-between my legs. His thumb pressed between the lips of my pussy and he began to rub, gentle and slow at first. He knew my body well. I stroked his wrist and urged him into the tub with me. He took little convincing to slip into the other end of the tub, his legs spread and knees poking out of the water. I slipped further beneath the surface and shuffled forward, close enough that I could slip my legs around him and begin to stroke his length. While I felt him grow harder and harder stroke after stroke, he continued to touch me just the way I liked. ¡°Can I ask¡­what foolish errand are you here for, Sinclair?¡± I asked, my strokes growing slower and stronger. He took a deep sigh, biting his lip and closing his eyes for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m here as a liaison for the Storms Reach out-post. They sent me here to ensure your guest tonight arrives sound and safe and¡­to craft a report on the successes and growth of the Sanctuary. To assure the young majesty that all is working as it should and you are all accommodated to as necessary,¡± He explained, his voice wavering when I began to run a thumb around the head of his cock. Birds began to sing their evening song just outside the window.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°How important can this man be, if he¡¯s coming to live here?¡± I asked with a chuckle. There may have been humour to my words, but I was curious. Whoever would come to live with us would play an important part in our livelihood. This was a home for half-breeds, for creatures and broken things cast aside at the end of the Obsidian War. What kind of man could claim a royal greeting from one of the head captains of his majesty¡¯s army, but come to live his life in the isolation of the Sanctuary? Sinclair hesitated before he answered my next question. Whether from the feeling of having his cock nudging between my soft thighs after a little guidance from my hand, or whether he was hesitant to freely share such information. ¡°He¡¯s¡­hmm¡­a diplomat¡­from the war¡­mmm¡­he failed. Stripped of his titles and land. The court decided¡­his best place was here¡­¡± He said, his voice slipping into a moan at some parts. I began to buck my hips back and forth, his rock-hard cock slipping between my warm, soft thighs, scarcely brushing the lips of my pussy. A diplomat? What kind of diplomats worked during the Obsidian War? My interest, to say the least, was peaked. ¡°One day¡­I¡¯ll have the same,¡± He said, leaning in to kiss my collar-bone. ¡°Land,¡± He kissed the base of my neck. ¡°A wife and sons. A title and the countless decorations for my service,¡± He licked my neck and slid two fingers inside of me. I curled my fingers around his wrists and gripped it hard as I could. He drew back, eyes wide. ¡°You¡¯ll have everything you craved for, right? Everything you wanted when you left three years ago. Everything you admitted to me when we traded secrets when you had me irons!¡± I hissed, a new fire in my belly. ¡°I left, because I had a life outside of a being a prison guard. You knew that there was never any commitment between us! You knew that what we had was strong because we both would have lives after all of it! Different lives.¡± Sinclair snapped, drawing himself away. ¡°Exactly. I never wanted commitment, no romance. But I never wanted to be abandoned by the one person I had in my life. Like I was nothing,!¡± I said standing up, water rolling off me. The droplets raced down my body, petals still stuck to my body. The afternoon sun warmed my back. ¡°You were never nothing. But you knew what were to each other. You always knew,¡± He said, his eyes soft. That look is a lie. Maybe long ago, when I was his prisoner and he offered me kind words and friendship, that look of sweetness was genuine. But it¡¯s nothing, now. There¡¯s nothing in his eyes. ¡°I suppose I remember the soldier, not the captain.¡± I said, stepping out of the tub. The wine spilt out onto the floor. I took my towel and turned at the door. ¡°Expect that you won¡¯t find my door unlocked anymore. Fill out your report and go back to your shining capital and promised life. I¡¯ll take my own path, happily.¡± Sinclair offered me an empty gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at tonight¡¯s feast, Venus.¡± He said, his words the taste of ash in my mouth. *** As the sun began to slip beneath the horizon the candles, chandelier and fireplace was lit. Orange flames brought new colour and life to the halls of the Sanctuary, warming the animal skins and paintings of warriors of old from previous owners. I enjoyed a taste-test of the evenings wine by stealing a cask and aided Yeren in setting an autumn-themed decoration. Leaves, thorns and browned vines decorated the centre of the table, six lanterns each breathing colour into the browns and reds. The mysterious dishonoured Diplomat arrived just as the orange evening melted into a mix of indigo and violet and the first few stars began to peak their way through the black veil. I¡¯d returned to my room earlier to find Sinclair thankfully gone. Though he¡¯d left a lovely good-bye note in the form of the petals and mint-leaves wet and discoloured in the shape of a heart on my bed. And the lock was broken. Smashed, it seemed. I dressed in a floor-length gown of white woven cotton with a golden clasp on the shoulder strap. Around my neck I wore a heavy necklace with a golden Phoenix at the breast. It was a gift. An old one. Everyone in their own time arrived at the feast hall. All dressed handsomely. I sipped at my honey-wine and enjoyed the view as each of them came marching down. Yeren came first, wearing a finely-fitted suit of gold and white. Tomas followed with a simple black dress-shirt and suit-pants, his usual silver-rings adoring nearly each finger. Keisuke came next, wearing his university professor attire of black robes and a white scarf. We exchanged a look that made my heart beat a little faster. He even sat across from me, but didn¡¯t spare another look or even spare an awkward hello. Sinclair arrived alongside Yokomi, both dressed in their red royal army uniforms. I happily ignored him. And the Man from the broken sun arrived. He was seated on the left hand of the head of the table beside Yokomi. On the right, Sinclair slowly sipped at a single glass of wine. ¡°Residents of Sanctuary! I introduce to you Edward Stormborough, brought to us all the way from the capitol of Illis. He will be joining us from now on, as one of our own. I hope you¡¯ll take tonight to welcome him to our ranks,¡± Yokomi announced, raising a toast. We raised our glasses in return, each offering our warm welcomes. He stood. About as old as I expected. He looked about thirty-eight or so, with a dark mop of curly hair and even a few lines around his mouth. He wore a uniform bestowed upon most who operated within the confines of the court, black and silver. A sign of dishonour for a man who was supposedly once a diplomat. ¡°I hope to be a good neighbour to you all, and to uh offer something of worth to my new household.¡± Edward greeted us, raising another toast. He gave us all a small nod, but his gaze lingered on me. He could smell the same thing as I could, I suspected. Stormborough could smell the demon in me. And I could smell the angel within him. Once Upon A Time PART ONE NIGHT OF THE AUTUMN FAE CHAPTER FOUR: Once Upon a Time Edward seemed to settle into his new-found home rather quickly. Yokomi gave him a spare office near her own and it seemed he spent most of his hours looked up pouring over papers and letters from far and wide. Curiosity of his scent certainly enticed me, but I still kept my distance. He might have the stench of an angel on him, but I had sincere doubts he truly was a creature of heaven. He ate as a man, drank as a man, and tired as all of us did. Not that he spoke much during dinners or at breakfast. For the week and a half he¡¯d spent with us Stormborough had made much of an attempt to befriend any of his neighbours. He would arrive to break his fast with a coffee black as could be, two slices of buttered toast and three apple slices. The same every morning. And at supper it seemed he scarcely ate at all. But he drank. Oh, from what I¡¯d witnessed he enjoyed a full and dripping tankard more than the rest of us combined. He even managed to out-drink Sinclair, which was a feat in of itself. Sinclair himself seemed even more guarded, happy to avoid me as much as I¡¯d made a point of avoiding him. Keisuke on the other hand seemed less and less present, either out in the woods collecting fruits and wild carrots or locked himself away in his room and private study. I¡¯d decided upon giving him some space, for the meantime. At some point I¡¯ll gather up some courage to talk to him¡­gently. He was hard not to think about, considering his quarters were right next to mine. But I certainly wasn¡¯t about to go barging in. I stalked past his door, quietly as I could as to not disturb his reading and made my way down to the kitchens. A maid had come to my room upon the request of Yokomi, urging me to make and deliver some tea to Edward with a letter waiting for me by the tea pot. A curious request. Yokomi isn¡¯t usually this vague with her requests. I had called the Sanctuary home the longest out of all of its residents, and Yokomi felt no hesitation when making requests of me. And who was I to object? This place was my home, and I was happy to serve it and its founder. But this was certainly curious. It begged the question of whether Yokomi was fully aware of Stormborough¡¯s true nature. I set the tea to boil and played with the hanging nets of onions and garlic, swinging them back and forth. Hmmph. I must be kidding myself, of course she must be aware. She had been a general once. Always a born leader. Attention to detail isn¡¯t a trait for her, it¡¯s how we¡¯ve all survived. With a tray in hand holding both the letter and the tea, I stood before his office door. I¡¯d been in this room once. Five years ago, when Yokomi had offered me a position as her advisor. I could¡¯ve earnt some coin, shadowed her and grown to one day maybe even take over as leader of the Sanctuary. But I think in that moment, weak as was upon first arriving ¨C I knew who I was. And I was not the advisor she needed. Or maybe I could¡¯ve been someone so much greater. With a face both soft and guarded, I tapped on the door with my foot. After a clutter of papers and a stuttering of apologies Stormborough opened the door, his eyes wide when he realised who was before him. ¡°Hello, uh, Edward. Yokomi asked that I bring you your tea and letter. Apparently she asked that we both open it,¡± I announced, gently shoving the tray into his arms. He blinked his confusion away quickly. ¡°Yes, yes. Um. Come in,¡± He waved me inside, placing the tray oddly carefully onto his messy, cluttered desk. Edward is¡­awkward. But the scent is still there. Oddly, it¡¯s not stronger up close. Either way. I wouldn¡¯t ever suspect this man to be an agent of the heavens. He¡¯s¡­far too human. Stormborough obliged, taking a drink of the steaming peppermint and ripping open the letter with little to no grace. With strained eyes and a glasses adjustment, he announced its mysterious contents. ¡°We¡¯ve been invited to a play in the city. The Tale of Little Red Cap.¡± *** The city of Illen was a day¡¯s ride from Sanctuary, from dawn until the last few final rays of the sun dipped beneath the horizon. An invitation for a play at Illen¡¯s most prestigious amphitheatre was extended to myself, Stormborough, Sinclair and Keisuke from Yokomi. From the moment Stormborough had opened our invitations, her true orders had become clear. Sinclair¡¯s report was vital for our survival and continued funding, while Stormborough was new money. A new chance at tempting sponsors for our cause, to curry favour with those at court to send new residents. Yokomi was playing a balancing act, and this play was another feather on the scale. I had to make sure Sinclair remained happy and placid on the trip, while Stormborough would receive the right impression of the heads of Sanctuary. Keisuke had received an invite due to his knowledge of the Illen¡­and was to act as our personal guide. There was part of me that felt guilty for his role. I felt a touch degraded at being forced to smile at Sinclair and allow his gaze to linger, but I knew there was a reason why Keisuke had left the city and never returned. But he came with us without a single complaint. Dressed in his finery, silent and swift as a storm-cloud he got into the back of the horse-drawn caravan and remained the same for the entirety of the trip. I was much the same. I took an old grey cloak and used as a blanket for the trip, electing to mainly ignore the others in the half-lavish caravan of Stormborough¡¯s. The journey itself was a mostly silent one, but the scent of Stormborough¡¯s angelic self still filled the caravan. It made me itch, fiddle about, shuffle back and forth. But I knew Stormborough¡¯s secrets weren¡¯t for Sinclair, and I had Yokomi¡¯s orders to fulfil. And they always came first. Even if letting Sinclair wrap an arm around my waist made me feel like I was about to crawl out of my skin and simply burst.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. We arrived on time, despite all the stiffness in the air and the tension between us all, imagined or not. I¡¯d only ever been to Illen twice in my time at the Sanctuary. And neither had left a good impression. It had its own sense of beauty, in a way. They¡¯d littered the streets and alleys with as much plant-life as they could, but a thousand trees and flowers could not disguise the busy, bustling nature of Illen. The constant stream and thunder of hooves on the cobblestone main roads, pathways littered with merchants and craftsmen. The amphitheatre lay in the heart of the upper district, housing lords, retired generals and guild masters that spent their days dripping with sun, peace and expensive women and wines. And all had come in attendance of the Tale of Little Red Cap. The story of the wolf and the girl. Graceful and my face neutral as I could make it, I linked arms with Sinclair and swept up the stone stairs of the foyer in a long, red gown. Gold lined my neck and ears, clasps around my wrists. There was a smugness to Sinclair¡¯s polite smile he offered the other guests, some from court, others serving as emissaries from the Merigonis Isles just off the coast. Both thankfully and unfortunately, they ignored me. To them, I may as well have been the red scarf around his neck. I didn¡¯t mind, really. I never cared for this breed of men. It was so odd to me, seeing how at ease they all were with such mindless talk or the charade they all wore, every day and night. Strange enough, it seemed Stormborough felt the same. He held his hands wringed behind his back, twisting and clenching every other moment, and the disdain sat clearly on his face. He doesn¡¯t care for this at all, does he? You¡¯d think this would be a diplomats bread and butter. I suppose he is disgraced, after all. A diplomat who is no longer a diplomat, why would he care what others thought of him now? Keisuke on the other hand remained stiff as he was polite, mingling with what looked like old university colleagues of his. There was no smugness or carelessness about him. Only the scent of sadness. But my boredom was broken when a man who did not smell of blood or life approached us, whisking our party up the foyer stairs and into the welcome silence of his private bar. He was black hair, black suit with eyes that were simply chips of blue ice, sharp as his jaw and suit. ¡°Welcome, welcome,¡± He ushered us over to a set of chaise lounges, servers rushing to offer us strong smelling purple drinks, chunk of ice rattling about in the crystal glasses. Yokomi greeted him with a smile I¡¯m sure could charm even the dead, her wings folded close against the back of her shimmering, golden gown. ¡°This is Pentaghast, a very old friend of mine. Pentaghast, may I introduce Edward Stormborough, Sinclair Duvall, Celeste Lunthrin and Keisuke Izamaki,¡± Yokomi introduced us with a wave in our direction. Despite her emphasis on Sinclair and Stormborough, it was Keisuke that drew Pentaghast¡¯s icy gaze. This creature. This friend of Yokomi¡¯s is¡­odd. We each followed a trail of those coloured, sharp-scented drinks to the top-level of the theatre where we were shown to a private booth. There, more drinks pulled me into a lull, a sort of dream-like moment where I could even pretend to enjoy Sinclair¡¯s company. The smugness was still there, but I didn¡¯t care. I ignored the brushes of his fingers across my thigh, soft and lightning-quick kisses on flushed neck when the lights were dark and the chatter of the crowd was loud enough to muffle my hisses. I didn¡¯t really even register the play itself. A young girl, beautiful and plump dressed in a glowing red and flawless white. She danced about with a wolf in the woods, foolish enough to accept his flowers and flattery. I had no interest in the stories of a young girls foolishness, not when I had my own. And not when I had the conversations of my company to listen in to. Keisuke spoke of Illen and its wonders to Stormborough who I doubted registered any of it, being about five drinks in. I didn¡¯t really blame him. Or envy him. A yelp from the stage snapped my attention away from Keisuke¡¯s dull duty. The wolf was tearing out the guts of Little Red Cap, red ribbons and paint colour the bed of flowers around them. Sinclair leant in as the theatre darkened and pushed three curious fingers up the split in my gown. With a final fiery hiss I gave in and took his wrist in a crushing grip, and threw it away. I left and searched for the bathrooms, eager for some semblance of silence and safety. Away from young girls and wolves. Away from Sinclair and the debt he believed I owed him. The bathroom was as brightly lit and lavish as the rest of the amphitheatre, dressed in red and gold and crystal. I let the tap run and hoped it would slow my racing heart. I thought I understood Yokomi¡¯s game here. But she¡¯s pawned us off. At some level I understood that, but, not like this¡­not like toys. Simple wooden things to be thrown out to entertain others. Maybe things need to change. Maybe Sanctuary could use a change. A quick patter of footsteps scattered outside the bathroom door, followed by a muffled shout. An air of danger crackled in the air around me, and a familiar feeling on the back of my neck began to spike. A feeling I hadn¡¯t felt such a long, long time. Fast as I could I burst outside the female bathroom, and found the scent of panic led into the male bathroom. And the scent of dead flesh and black blood. Old instincts kicking me into gear I raced into the male bathroom without a thought and I found chaos. Two stall doors were smashed in and a broken pipe had begun to flood the tile floor. And the vampire Pentaghast atop of Keisuke, pinned to the floor with his fangs sunk deep into his throat. There was a fire, that quickly ignited inside me. Deep in the dark cavern buried out inside my very core, there was a flame that had awoken. Bright, warm and fierce. And it grew. Keisuke cried out, desperate for my help. His blood, a bright blue had begun to dribble out and mix with the flood water. His throat was being crushed by the weight of Pentaghast¡¯s strength, but he croaked for help, eyes wide and red. The flame, without warning, burst from my inner core and out through my skin, and suddenly I was alight. My pink-silver hair rippled, smoked and became black, wild and mane-like. My gown of red and gold melted and burnt away for ash and darkness to cover my breasts, torso and hips. A tail, twisted and lion-like formed from my spine and horns blacks as coal pushed up and out of my skull to crown my hair of darkness. And those flames rippled from my skin, the red and yellow of my eyes. I was a monstrosity once again. A terrible shriek erupted from my jaws, and that Pentaghast drew back and looked to me with the fear in his ice-chip eyes I¡¯d missed for so long. With a terrible, rumbling laugh and launched forward, black-clawed hands reaching to grab a fistful of Pentaghast¡¯s shirt. As though he was a toy, a light, nothing of an object and slammed him into the wall, claws buried his chest. It began to burn, and he screamed. There was little that the undead feared, but fire and stakes made the top of the list. And a demon burning with the flames of hell could turn even a corpse a shade paler. He screamed and screamed, mouth foaming as he thrashed beneath my grip. I thought of mercy, for a moment. But in this form the scent of Keisuke¡¯s blood and pain was so strong I could scarcely bare it. The flames that had dimmed for but a second glowed brighter and fiercer than before. With a fire raging in me that I could not control if I wanted to, I slammed my clawed hand into his already cold throat and ripped it clean off. I held his head aloft, and ash and black gore dripping from his open neck and I remembered why I¡¯d begged Sinclair to chain me all those years ago. Gold Blood, Bitter To the Taste PART ONE NIGHT OF THE AUTUMN FAE CHAPTER FIVE: Gold Blood, bitter to the taste From what I could remember, Yokomi found us. I could still feel her hand at my throat, choking me until I the fire on my skin faded. But the scent of Keisuke¡¯s blood was still utterly ripe in my nose and throat. When I awakened next, I was in Yokomi¡¯s room of white curtains and black oakwood. I felt, broken. In an odd way. There was this prickling feeling across all of my skin, my bones sore and behind my eyes there was a pain that I remembered with both regret and a fondness that carried guilt with it. I blinked away the fog, and began to remember bit after bit. The claws. The fire. The joy of ripping Pentaghast apart. It left a bitter-sweet taste on my tongue. Slowly, I got up and wrapped the white robe tighter around me. The lace and silk was a small kindness from Yokomi. She¡¯d always been one to offer me small kindnesses. Like the chains lying at the foot of the bed. She made a decision here. She could¡¯ve bound me, as she had every right to. On stiff legs I peered out the window. Sunset. The house seemed quiet. Hugging myself with a tiredness that I could feel in my bones I stalked the silent halls aimlessly. My stomach began to complain, and with nowhere else to go other than my own bed I went to the kitchens. There amongst the garlic nets, thyme, herbs and a half-empty wine bottle Keisuke sat on the island bench. A bandage was wrapped around his neck, his hair a frayed mess. I didn¡¯t blame him. I was sure I looked the same. ¡°Thanks for the life-saver,¡± Keisuke rasped, a hand to his wound. I sat up on the bench across from him. ¡°From what I can remember it wasn¡¯t much of an issue¡­except for when I¡¯m pretty sure Yokomi choked me out,¡± I shrugged, eyeing the bottle next to him. He smiled weakly for a moment. ¡°Ah, I see you¡¯re interested in forgetting it all again. It would be waste to drink any of this cheap stuff, though. I think you¡¯ll find this is will serve you better.¡± In his half-drunk stupor, Keisuke showed me a pair of golden pears from a cloth. ¡°You think I should be eating fruit instead of drinking at this hour?¡± I asked, eyebrows raised. He chuckled and tossed one over. Sceptical but curious, I took a bite. A sweet, intoxicating nectar unlike any other filled my mouth, the fumes glazing over my mind. Tender and a little shocked, I wiped away the juices leaking from my mouth. There was gold streaked across the back of my hand. ¡°This¡­¡± I began, examining the flesh of the pear as it¡­glittered. ¡°It¡¯s called Golden Blood. Only the Fair Folk know how to find it in the woods because it only reveals itself to us in return for a clove of garlic and a handful of poppyseeds. We got back two days ago, and without anything else to do except recover I went for a walk in the woods. A kelpie in the lake gave me some healing droplets to rid me of the vampire venom in return for some apples,¡± He said, taking a bite. I took another. And another. I could feel the juice flowing down my throat, warm and hazy. And Gods, it felt good. ¡°How did it feel becoming Mr Pentaghast¡¯s after dinner snack?¡± I asked, enjoying the dribble of gold down my chin. Keisuke sighed. ¡°It felt like. Well. In a way it felt good. Their venom seeps in and your body can¡¯t help but crave their teeth in your skin ¨C I¡¯m sure he felt the same. Fae blood is particularly delicious for Vampires. He must¡¯ve known what I was the second I walked into the lobby. There¡¯s a part of me that resents Yokomi for forcing me back ¨C but ¨C I¡¯m sure she had no idea what he really was. No one did. Except you, right?¡± I shrugged. ¡°I knew something was wrong. Wasn¡¯t clued into much else until he attacked. We were just lucky I needed to get myself away from Sinclair,¡± I chuckled softly, eyes drifting to the floor. It felt as though a veil of golden silk had been stretched over my skin, my mind, drowning my thoughts in the sweetest honey imaginable. My mind was a silent bee hive now, swimming in an endless puddle of a honey so warm, yellow and perfect. It made my thoughts a little less clear, but made everything around me so much more appealing. The sugary sweetness that twirled with the streak of bitterness the Gold Blood Pear, tasted better and better every bite. And Keisuke was beginning to look just as sweet. He was tired and defeated looking, but it just made me want to hold him, stroke his hair. And I¡¯d always wondered what his moans sounded like. The drip of honey in my head added just another sugary coat to my impulse. ¡°You two are¡­curious. Old friends? But the next minute it seems you¡¯re old enemies. An intriguing if not young mystery,¡± Keisuke smirked. He was just wearing an undershirt from one of his scholarly uniforms and dress pants paired with walking boots. Hmmph. A man of knowledge and nature. And he¡¯s getting drunker too.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°In the simplest way I can put it¡­he¡¯s both. Enemy. Friend. He saved me, a long time ago. Obsidian War times, actually.¡± Despite the drunkenness creeping up on me, there was still a rock at the base of my throat. The same rock that was always there whenever I talked or even mentioned those times. It felt like a lifetime ago and yesterday, all at once. ¡°I fought in the war, but I didn¡¯t have a choice about it. Those with demonic blood in their veins were all forced into the fight. Most, I suppose know that. But people like you. Those who lived in the city, did you even have a clue about the real nature of the war?¡± I asked, slipping off the bench. ¡°Sinclair was a young soldier when we first met. I was a raiding a village with my half-breed brethren, and his squadron was sent to defend it. I¡­had an opportunity, to kill him. It would¡¯ve been easy.¡± I stood at the very edge of the bench Keisuke sat on, pressing myself into the space between his legs. I took another bite. With a thumb he rubbed the golden juice at the corner of my lips, and licked it for himself. ¡°Yet you spared him?¡± I dared to press a little closer, a hand on his thigh. ¡°No. I hesitated. And another soldier managed to knock me out. I was just lucky enough they needed information and kept me alive, chaining me up,¡± I said, casually, running my hand up and down the warm, solid length of his thigh. The honey urged me on. It feels good, doesn¡¯t it? We deserve to feel good¡­if he¡¯s up for it. I looked to his body, his face, to measure his pleasure or displeasure. There was a lust to his eyes, his scrunched up eyebrows, the way he looked down to me with a lavish expectation, a hunger. But he was still holding back. His hands were balled into fists, grabbing his pants in an effort to hold himself in place. My voice grew softer. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you know. You saw that other part of me, right? She¡¯s called Venus, and she is me but also not quite entirely. And it has been a long, long time since she¡¯s seen the waking world. Felt blood in her claws. The fire on her skin. When she¡¯s out, it¡¯s me, but¡­I¡¯m not entirely in control. It was worth it for you, though.¡± I said with soft, round eyes, determined to show that I was being genuine. I ran my hand further up his leg, fingers sliding into his surprisingly solid inner thigh. ¡°You can show me your true self. I have no distaste for half-breeds. How can I, I¡¯m an abomination. But the Faerie folk, your kind are beautiful. Other-worldly,¡± I smiled, pulling his shirt just a little and began to leave long, drawn-out kissed across his abdomen. The same bulge I remembered from the barn, the same large, rock-hard length pressed up against the fabric of his pants ¨C desperate to burst out. The sight of his length left my trembling, my mouth even watering a little. It seems he brings out my animalistic side. Maybe it¡¯s his shoulders, how rock-hard he gets for me, his length or how purely wild he makes me feel. Like its okay to feel of this. To just let loose. I trust him, I guess¡­or maybe I¡¯m just fucking drunk. Keisuke ran a hand down my face, fingertips brushing me softly. He was searching for the same thing, wasn¡¯t he? Genuine need. That I was truly okay with his Fae form. I guess he must¡¯ve found what he was searching for, because within seconds he was fumbling to unbuckle his belt, one hand unwinding the belt, other running through my hair, grabbing a fist-full of my silver-pink waves with a grip that was firm but not too hard. Our Gold Bloods rolled down onto the floor. Eventually, with a little help from me he managed to pull his hard cock out, almost instantly sliding it into my waiting mouth and eager tongue. He began to poke the inside of my cheeks, and moaned like he was releasing a sigh he¡¯d been holding in for far too long. ¡°Celeste,¡± Keisuke moaned, urging me further down onto his throbbing cock. My owns were muffled, but I didn¡¯t care. I went up and down, working his length the way I knew most men liked. I met his eyes has I rolled my tongue up the bottom of his cock, his eyes scrunched in the heat of ecstasy. He grabbed my hair tighter and tighter, growing more and more demanding by the moment. With a small smirk to myself, I noticed his ears and teeth were out, along with his tail that occasionally brushed against me by accident. It was kind of sweet in an odd way, stroking my side every now and then to make sure I was okay. ¡°No one was ever okay with this. Not any of the women I tried to love. Not my fellow ¨C a-academics in the city¡­¡± Keisuke managed to groan as I pushed my tongue around the base of the head. I flicked my tongue in a quick motion, one that sent a quiver through his body, thighs pressing closer and almost threatening to crush me. It urged me to go that much faster. Up and down up and down. Playfully, knowing it would send him wild I pulled at my silk robe and let my tits out. As I bobbed rapidly up and down, my tits bounced. His groans became animalistic. My own pussy began to grow wet at the sound his guttural, low, near desperate moans for my tongue, my soft mouth, my perfect lips around his perfect cock. I could feel the twitches of his cock, the warmth growing, the way he¡¯d begun to pant ¨C Knowing what was about to begin, I rolled my lips up and off and instead pushed my tits around his quivering member and began to rub them up and down, fast as I could. With one final grip and groan, Keisuke pushed me nice and close. ¡°They couldn¡¯t accept me¡­.but fuck them¡­I¡¯m not one of them, I¡¯m not human!¡± He cried as he came, canines bared as he spilled his cum all of my face and tits. Warm, sticky. And kind of a nuisance to wash off. Thanks. But god, I was still a heated, wet mess. The sound of a pottery bowl smashing came from the kitchen door, snapping the two of us back into focus. Tomas, poor Tomas was standing in the doorway, staring in awkward and regrettable shock at us. Well, probably me. Considering I was half-naked, my tits out, covered in Keisuke¡¯s cum. ¡°Evening,¡± I coughed, wiping away some of the cum from the corner of my mouth. Tomas, dark eyes staring into the void threw his hands up in sort of a mock-surrender, backing out and most likely back into the shadows forever. Keisuke grabbed my attention back, taking my face into his warm hand. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asked quietly through a grimace. I got to my knees, ignoring the dribble of cum down my body. ¡°Of course. Meet me in the Green House tomorrow night. I want you to take me into the woods during the Faerie Moon. We have some dancing to do,¡± I whispered, giving him a light kiss on the cheek. Faerie Moon PART ONE NIGHT OF THE AUTUMN FAE CHAPTER SIX: Faerie Moon The Faerie Moon was like a silver, shining coin to me, perched high in the sky. I¡¯d witnessed it rise and fall countless times, drank in its eerie silver glow, but never felt I¡¯d never felt its call. And it never would. But tonight, as the sun began to dip and twilight crept its way into the sky with purple and pink clouds stretched across the horizon, I was excited nevertheless. It gave me this feeling, this tingle at the tips of my fingers I hadn¡¯t felt in a long time outside of sex. I had always yearned to run and dance beneath the light of the Faerie moon amongst the Fair Folk. From the stories, from both mortals and Fae ¨C it was exhilarating. Pure feeling. Utter euphoria, every action based upon pure instinct. I think I needed that. Badly. Besides, I had an idea to propose to Keisuke, an idea I felt needed an educated opinion. Things needed to change here at the Sanctuary. It¡¯d taken a forced transformation into Venus, the struggle to get me under control ¨C the way Yokomi forced me beside Sinclair to be his piece of candy for the night ¨C to be licked and fondled whenever he saw fit ¨C that needed to change. There was no more blindly accepting her will in exchange for the home she¡¯d given me here. And Venus. I¡¯ve been afraid of her for so long, afraid that I had next to no control but ¨C she deserves freedom. To a degree. Venus had always been a part of me, but she had never been me. She was her own self, but lived within my flesh. Despite the time I¡¯d spent sunken, out of control of my own body with her in control ¨C I didn¡¯t blame her. Maybe it was time to embrace a part of me I¡¯d been so scared for so long to even look to. I ran a thumb down the crumpled, tea-stained letter I¡¯d kept in my desk for far too long. There were few things that kept me entertained in the Sanctuary, few things that occupied my time outside of playing about with my fellow neighbours, afternoons sinking into two bottles of red wine or re-reading letters from distant friends in the garden. The twilight glaze of the rippling sun filled my room, and I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. I¡¯d had few friends all my life. But I wasn¡¯t the only one to survive the Obsidian Wars as a soldier on the losing side. The people of Tyllith had found sympathy in their hearts for the few demon puppets that had survived. Enough that the Kind and his court had allowed for homes such as Sanctuary to survive ¨C a gesture of peace after the long and tiring years of war. A friend of mine, a banshee I¡¯d grown close to during the campaign had sought refuge on one of the isles of Skyfold. Months ago, she¡¯d sent a letter I hadn¡¯t had the heart to respond to yet. Dear ¨C well I¡¯m not sure who to actually address this letter to. It¡¯s funny, isn¡¯t it dear one? I grew close to Venus, but I understand why you¡¯ve put her to sleep for now. It still brings me a swell of sadness for my friend, for I know neither of us had a choice when it came to the harm we brought upon others. That last bit there ¨C I suppose that wasn¡¯t for you Celeste, but for Venus. No matter how many days it is until she wakes. It the meantime I must address what I can only call a new friend! Celeste, you are a kind soul, but with all the strength of Venus and your own. I have been offered a position of officer at the Moontorium. With this new position they¡¯ve tenderly extended to me I might just be able to make a difference here for the others ¨C to help ease their guilt. To build something anew. I hope they offer the same to you Celeste. I¡¯m not sure what it is you want, or what it is you strive for. But I know at least what Venus wanted, at the end of it all. Change. Yours eternally, Delilah Instead of crumpling the letter back up, I folded it in half, careful as I could and left it on top of the desk. The desk I¡¯d barely used. The desk I¡¯d used to house bottles of wine and read the same books over and over. There¡¯s a lot that needs change around here. But first, we¡¯re going to run beneath the Faerie Moon. *** There was an unusual silence that had settled over Sanctuary. A silence that had come in the form of winding shadows, the twilight pushing them like the hands of a clock until finally they cloaked the halls and the forest surrounding all of Sanctuary. It seemed all the residents of Sanctuary were resigned to their quarters and offices, no-one willing to run into me. But I knew Yokomi would corner me eventually to handle what happened, to tear me apart about it, really. But I think I had plenty of things to say back this time. For this night unlike any other night I¡¯d pulled flowing white dress from the very back of my closet, a gift from long ago. A gift I hadn¡¯t ever thought I¡¯d wear. But it sat on me so lightly, I scarcely felt the fabric on my skin and I knew it was perfect for tonight. I choose a pair of lamb-skin boots, hard but light enough for me to flicker through the trees. Fast enough to keep with a Faerie. I avoided the clutter and low murmurs from the kitchen, only briefly tempted by the smell of freshly opened wine and walnut soup. The Green House greeted me with the sweet kiss of the cool nights¡¯ air, the window panels left open by whoever was here last. I found it surprising how well the flowers were going, having survived this long. When I first arrived the labourers all the way from the Illfort province had the sweet grace to plant a lovely array of flowers in the twenty trestles of the Green House shelves. Under my keen eye they died within a month. Maybe if I¡¯d cared enough then, they would have always looked like this. Roses, tulips and snow-drops lined every shelf, a groove in the centre of the House that had collected a still pool of water, the reflection of the glass and moon-light making it look like a distant dream I¡¯d once had. Caught in this dream, I ran my finger-tips across the poppy leaves that sat below the shelf. I felt oddly offended, that such beautiful flowers were forced to hide in the shadow of other such beauties.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Instead of a tap on the shoulder, Keisuke rubbed my bare shoulder in his way of greeting. The warmth from his palm spread all through my back and down my spine, causing a shiver to curl down my back. ¡°Ah, hey you,¡± I said with a tempered smile. It made me happy to see him, despite all that was happening. It felt like things were simple with him. We shared a simple pain and the simple need for pleasure. It made me curious, though. Who had been the last woman to touch him? Maybe it was all the way back when he lived in the city. Maybe he ran into an old lover, only for her to fall into his warm, strong embrace once more. Maybe she found herself craving him so badly, she couldn¡¯t help but shove him against wall of the apartment they had once shared and taken him then and there, right against the wall. Maybe he¡¯d let out the same groans as he had when he spilled his seed onto my face and tits, soaking me. A part of me craved to hear those moans again. ¡°I have a proposal, for you,¡± I said, a playfulness in my words. ¡°A proposal within another proposal?¡± Keisuke chuckled, lips curling into that familiar smile. There was no other smile like that around. No one else in Sanctuary had that easy going feeling to them, even Yeren was hard to open up to. But there were certain things I felt I could share with him, because we shared a deep, lost kind of pain. I dared to trace the same finger-tips that had stroked the flower petals just moments before over the chest of his cotton shirt. His bottom lip twitched in reply, small but telling. Even after the lightest touch I could tell, he was tight as a fully drawn bow. Stiff as a string between two fingers. Simply waiting to be loosened. ¡°You have a unique way of looking at things, thinking me asking you to meet here as a¡­proposal of some sort? Now tell me, what kind of proposal do you think I was suggesting?¡± I asked, my fingertips tracing lower to his hover over his waist. ¡°The sort of proposal I haven¡¯t had in a while,¡± Keisuke said, hunger on the tip of his tongue and burning in his eyes. He took my wrist, gentle and firm all at once and pushed my palm over his crotch, encouraging me to rub, slowly, teasingly. I enjoyed how much larger he was than me. The stupid width of his shoulders, the rocky plains of his rippling chest. The kind of muscle and broadness that shouldn¡¯t belong to a scholar, and yet¡­He wasn¡¯t simply a scholar, was he? He was an outcast with a charming smile and a warmth to him the left my knees weak, a kind of warmth that Sinclair had never had. I had half a mind to protest, to tell him the truth, to confess my curious need to run beneath the Faerie Moon. But¡­he already knew it was the night of the Faerie Moon, didn¡¯t he? Maybe it was even affecting him, may- I was interrupted with a sudden, but welcome thrust. He pushed my hand that had been lightly rubbing against the fabric of his pants harder and with a playful passion that sent a familiar pulse through my stomach, right into my pussy, earning a small twitch as blood began to rush. My breath quickened in response, and I obeyed his silent command and obediently unlaced his linen pants and threw them down to the floor. Despite myself, a fire began to burst beneath my skin. Huh¡­even last night he didn¡¯t make me feel like this¡­it feels like she¡¯s waking up¡­but maybe it wouldn¡¯t be all that terrible if I let her¡­As my thoughts swam, Keisuke pulled me close and bent over to kiss me. And Gods, all they did was fan the flames inside me, just below the surface. Biting his lip, Keisuke glided a hand up my soft thigh until he reached my uncovered pussy. He greeted her with two fingers, pushing gently past the folds to rub his thumb on my clit. Lightly, but enough that he earned a small moan from me. Faster, faster, harder. He liked what he heard and craved more. More moans, to make my legs tremble ¨C to shake so hard I collapsed into the safe recess of embrace. I wrapped my arms around his neck in desperate need of support, my legs now traitors, and rewarded his touch with my moans right in his ear, my hot breath sticking to his neck. ¡°You like that, don¡¯t you?¡± He said with a low rumble, baring his canines with a snap. ¡°I-I¡­¡± I began to try and collect my melted mess of a mind, but he didn¡¯t let me finish. With a soft grunt he pushed two fingers into my soaked, waiting pussy and began to slide in and out. Again and again. Again and again. Fuck he¡¯d good with his hands. I shuddered and clenched his shirt, before stumbling back and away from his reach. He gave me a confused, almost hurt look. But as I began to undo the strings of my dress holding back my tits, that hunger returned. Almost within an instant I stood naked in the moonlight, my dress now a crumpled mess at my ankles. But I had no plans to be putting it back on tonight. My clit twitched, insisted that I have him inside me. It was my turn to show him what kind of hunger awaited inside of me. Quicker than I¡¯m sure I expected I darted forward and yanked him by the dip of his collar. ¡°Keisuke, under the light of the Faerie Moon, symbol of the wild and keeper of the gateway of our world and theirs, I ask that ¨C no I demand that you take me!¡± I said, a wild smile on my lips. His cock hard and ready Keisuke simply blurted a fierce, ¡°yes!¡± He took my upper arm and twirled me around, and again I listened to his silent commands and got to my knees, and then further down until all I could smell were the scent of the flowers beneath the wooden shelves. My ass arched upwards so that it looked like I was in some form worshipping the great moon hanging above me, its light making the small stream of water below me glow silver. I could even see the forest from here. The line of trees, beckoning me. But all thoughts dissolved when Keisuke grabbed my hips, and thrust his way into me with his impatient cock. ¡°Fuck!¡± I moaned, pleasure rippling all throughout me at the undeniable pleasure of his member inside me, the head rubbing that perfect spot that left me close to drooling. Keisuke¡¯s breath was strained, barely able to contain the guttural sounds of pleasure that rose from his throat as he thrusted in and out of me, hard and fast enough I could feel my ass jiggle and slap against him, shaking harder when he gave it a hard slap. In all honesty, I was already looking forward to the red marks I¡¯d find there tomorrow. I moaned with every thrust, every slap of my ass against him and could scarcely hold myself together when the head of his cock would rub against me just right. Just enough that I shook and gripped even tighter around his length. ¡°You like that, don¡¯t you?¡± Keisuke growled into my ear, lifting me up as he continued to fuck me, grabbing my bouncing tits. The pleasure burnt an unrelenting path through me, the fire burning hotter and hotter with every thrust, my moans growing louder and louder, more wild until I simply ¨C without warning my climax overtook me, pleasure planting a vice over me as I cried out. Keisuke¡¯s own moans rose in tandem, so harsh and primal that I knew what was coming next. With those two large hands of his he held me upright still, gripping me on my middle as his thrusts grew faster and faster until with a low growl I felt him release, his cock twitching inside me as his cum spilled out. It seemed only a second after he came Keisuke realised his error and pulled out, pulling out more cum from my dripping pussy. ¡°Ah, shit I¡¯m sorry Celeste,¡± He stammered, panic replace his voice that a moment ago had been so low and full of hunger. I laughed, flipping back around to sit on my haunches casually. ¡°It¡¯s okay big guy, I can¡¯t get pregnant to your kind. In fact I probably can¡¯t conceive with most species, but hey, nothing to worry about for either of us,¡± I assured him. He let out a sigh, head rolling back in relief. I tapped my fingers on the cold cement. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of things my species has always held me back from doing. Like for example,¡± I pulled him closer, grabbing his chin and pointing it down to the reflection in the water and right up into the sky to the silver disc that seemed to fill the whole sky with its rippling light. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to dance amongst your kind beneath the full light of the Faerie Moon,¡± I said, my voice no louder than a whisper.