Chapter 7

Madison

M aking good on my promise, the very next day, I started helping Avar with cleaning out the cluttered cave and adding the stored items to his collection.

The contents of every crate, trunk, and box had to be unloaded and cataloged into a long, wide scroll that Avar kept locked up somewhere. Then, each item had to be numbered, signed, and displayed in a cabinet or a shelf of Avar's choosing. It was a long and meticulous process, but also extremely interesting because every item Avar had held a story.

After three days of working from breakfast to lunch and from lunch to dinner, we had barely made a dent in this pile of treasures, but I genuinely enjoyed the work. Finding new and unusual things proved exciting. Opening a trunk always held a fantastic surprise, making me feel like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Wow." I lifted a heavy, leather-bound tome out of a box. "This is by far the heaviest book I've ever held."

"Let me help you." Avar reached out a tentacle for assistance, then quickly replaced it with his hand instead.

He'd been using his tentacles sparingly and cautiously around me, mostly keeping them behind his back. I'd told him I hardly noticed them anymore, but it wasn't entirely true. I found his tentacles fascinating and furtively watched him using them as he unpacked trunks or organized items on a shelf.

I let him take the book from me, and he opened the cover. His eyes moved as he read the title, then his right tentacle gently covered the page, one of the small round suckers on its underside attached to the parchment, and Avar carefully turned the page with it.

His arm tentacles carried out routine functions, similar to his arms and hands. The slim tentacles of his beard, or as he called them his "feelers," worked more like fingers, allowing him to learn additional things about an object by a more detailed touch.

As I spent more time with him, I also learned that Avar's feelers often reflected his mood. They draped over his chest loosely when he was content and happy, trembled when he was on edge, and flared out in a circle when he was angry or irritated.

Right now, the tips of the feelers gently glided over the open pages of the book in his hands, as if trying to learn more than what the words written on it would tell.

"What's it about?" I asked.

In Purgatory, I discovered I could read any language, but I'd only glimpsed the title of the book before giving it to Avar. It read My Fantastic Travels Between the Worlds of the River of Mists.

"It's written by a werewolf named Evior, who came to Earth from a different world using the portal through the magical River of Mists. He writes about his adventures."

"A werewolf? So, it's fiction, then?"

"I'm sure the author enhanced some of his adventures to make his story more interesting, but I believe most of it is true."

I laughed incredulously. "How can adventures of a werewolf be true if werewolves don't exist?"

"They don't exist in your world, Madison. Or, more accurately, they aren't indigenous to your world. But they do come from other places, occasionally. I brought this book from your world a few centuries ago, just never got around to putting it away."

"Did you steal it?" I couldn't help asking.

I hadn't accepted Charity's proposition, and it had little to do with her or him but everything to do with me. Her cause might be noble. I owed no loyalty to Avar, either. But if he did something wrong, I felt he should be held accountable openly. His collection should be seized and dismantled in accordance with whatever laws this place had. Sneaking behind Avar's back to help Charity steal from him didn't appeal to me. Despite her reassurances, her offer appalled me. But I couldn't get my conversation with her out of my head.

Humanity's biggest treasures might be hiding in this very cave. Did Avar have any right to keep them away from the world?

"I didn't steal it," he protested. "I took it just before the author was going to burn it to avoid being discovered as a werewolf living in the human world. I replaced it with a blank copy to be burned and kept the original. It has never been read by a single soul other than the author himself."

"You haven't read it either, then? Has it just been sitting here all this time?"

With a sheepish expression, he ran a hand down the back of his head. "I have collected a considerable number of books. Even with me reading every day, there simply isn't enough time to get through them all in a timely fashion."

I knew what that was like. I had a long list of books I wished to read, too, eventually, when the restaurant was more settled, and I could finally take a day off or even have a proper vacation one day.

Now, it occurred to me, I had all the time I'd ever need.

"Do you mind if I keep the book for a little while, then? I'd like to read it."

The idea of other worlds beside ours intrigued me. I wished to learn more, especially from someone who came from another world, a werewolf.

"You can have anything you want, Madison. Everything I own is for you to use."

"Thank you." I put the book next to a large pink shell that had a poem in a long-lost language carved into its spiral.

"Now, let's see what else we have in here." Avar leaned over the open trunk we'd been unpacking.

With him sitting on the floor, his shoulder was at my chest level. I hugged his arm from behind and placed my chin on his shoulder to see what else was in the trunk. He shifted his tentacle out of my way, then patted my arm with his hand before removing a bundle of scrolls tied with a leather cord.

We'd spent a lot of time together, working side by side like this for the past three days. Being close to him no longer intimidated me. Maybe it was the natural attraction of a sin that lured me closer to him, but I felt increasingly more comfortable around Avar.

The mountain shook unexpectedly, the tremor rolling through the air. My heart leaped in my chest in fright. I grabbed onto Avar for balance. His tentacle immediately whipped around me to keep me upright .

"Is it dinnertime already?" he asked. "This must be E with your food."

"You really should consider installing a doorbell or something," I muttered, leaning away from him to test my legs after the fright.

E had been delivering food twice a day now, in the morning and in the evening, also leaving me a sandwich and snack for the day. Yet I still hadn't gotten used to the dramatic reaction of the mountain to her visits.

Since I failed to escape Purgatory, I feared I'd be depending on Gul's meals for a very long time now. Thankfully, Avar assured me that Gul loved cooking, and E seemed to like popping in for a chat. But when I'd mentioned that I would be happy to cook my own meals without inconveniencing anyone, Avar also promised to build me a kitchen on his mountain.

"Are you alright?" Avar made sure I was stable on my own two feet. "Sorry, I can see how the shaking can be annoying. But I never had so many visits before, hardly any. Just wait here. I'll let her in."

He turned to me from the exit, and I took in his tall figure. He had no bones or muscles inside, yet he was shaped as if he did. Human imagination created him as a monster, but it used the shape of a man as the starting point.

Avar had wide shoulders, thick upper arms with the definition of the biceps, and a well-built torso with the grid that mimicked abdominal muscles in the stomach area. He even had the perfectly shaped V-muscle in his lower abdomen that guided my attention downwards. It was only a tease, however. The space between his legs remained modestly smooth.

I blinked, catching myself very im modestly ogling a mortal sin.

"I'll be right here," I promised. "Not going anywhere. "

"Be careful with some of these things," he warned on his way out.

With Avar gone, the cave felt too big and empty, despite all the clutter. Searching for a distraction, I glanced back into the trunk. After Avar had removed the scrolls, a beautiful box came into view. Made from golden filigree and set with polished gems and mother-of-pearl, it looked like a jewelry box.

Kneeling by the trunk, I reached inside and got the box out. It was roughly the size of a book and not locked. Inside the box, a pretty jewelry set nestled in soft black velvet—a large ring with a flower of pink gemstones for petals and a matching choker necklace.

The ring was big enough to fit my thumb. I moved my hand, admiring how the light of the lanterns in the cave played in the pink crystal flower. The design of the piece was simple. Its beauty lay in the stones. They sparkled and shined, breaking the bright light of the lanterns into fireworks of sparks.

I took the choker out too. It looked like a collar, with the pink stone flowers arranged in a golden setting and a heart-shaped clasp on the back. A thin golden chain extended from the bottom point of the heart. It was long enough to probably reach past my waist if I had the necklace on.

As big as the ring was, the collar seemed small, and I wondered if it would fit me. I wrapped it around my neck. Surprisingly, the clasp closed just fine. The collar fit snugly but not uncomfortably so. The golden chain stretched down my back under my dress, tickling against my spine.

The stones of the ring cast a shimmer on my thumb that made my skin appear to glow like the shape of a soul...or a sin. I looked around for a mirror, wondering if the choker left the same glowing effect on my neck.

As I turned around, the chain stroked along my back, sending a shiver of pleasure down my body. My neck warmed under the collar, the heat trickling downwards in a rush of tingles. I inhaled slowly, fighting a sudden wave of dizziness.

Where did that come from? Was I coming down with a bug or something?

Yet I didn't feel sick or tired. I felt energized and invigorated. Every nerve in my body seemed to be coming awake, making every sensation so much more acute.

I was hyperaware of each breath I took and every movement I made. The fine fabric of my dress rubbed against my skin. The stimulation caused a sizzling wave of desire to rush through me. My nipples hardened, poking against the silky fabric.

Voices approached from the path leading up the mountain. E chatted away with Avar, who replied in grunts or monosyllables.

They'd be here soon.

Alarm sent another wave of heat through me from my neck down my body. I tore the ring off my thumb and tossed it back into the box. Frantically, I searched for the closure of the collar, but I couldn't find the heart closure with my trembling fingers.

With the dress brushing against my nipples, heat pooled between my legs. I pressed my thighs together, trying to alleviate the pressure building up in my core. It didn't help. My inner muscles clenched with need, drenching my underwear.

"I can't stay long," E's voice reached me from outside of the cave.

"Good," Avar boomed in response.

"Gul is having a dinner party at his place. Everyone is coming. You and Madison were also invited, by the way."

"I know. But we aren't going anywhere. We have work to do."

"Maybe you should at least let Madison come with me? I'll—" Her voice cut off abruptly as they both rounded the corner and saw me on my knees on the floor.

The chaffing of the dress against my extremely sensitive skin became unbearable. I'd opened as many buttons on the back as I could on my own and tugged the fabric off my shoulders.

"I...I can't," I tried to explain to Avar and E as they both stared at me from the entrance of the cave. "I need this off. I need..." I yanked at the dress, making it slide down to my waist, then freed my arms from it.

The cool air brushed over my bare breasts, but instead of a relief, it sent another charge of lust through my body. I moaned, shamelessly loud. Avar's hands flexed into fists, and I imagined him squeezing my breasts or gripping my hips like that with desperation.

The liquid heat inside me spilled over, trickling down my thighs. I shoved my skirt between my legs with one hand while squeezing my breast with another. The nipple got trapped between my fingers. The pinch sent me into a lust frenzy, with my thighs trembling.

"What's happening to me?" I whimpered.

Avar promptly ran his eyes over me, stopping at the collar around my neck. His frown deepened.

"You'll need help."

"Oh, I think I'll stay longer, after all," E cooed, inching closer.

Avar lashed a tentacle across her way, stopping her in her tracks.

"Leave."

"But you said she needs help," E protested. "I'm happy to help."

"No, I'll take care of it. You have to go. Now." He turned her around and ushered her down the path back to the mountain's entrance.

I didn't care much whether she went or stayed. Lust clouded my mind and judgment. Need throbbed through my entire body, making me shake.

Deep inside, however, under the hot lava of scorching desire, I felt grateful to Avar for making sure there were as few witnesses as possible to whatever was happening to me.

I couldn't even think anymore. All I wanted was for this to be over, and at the same time, I didn't want it to end. Heat coursed and tingled through me. Pleasure rippled in waves with a promise of more.

If only I could get rid of this dress. I gathered the skirt around me and lifted it over my head. The waist part stuck around my breasts. I tugged. Then, I felt someone else tug with me, pulling the dress finally off.

"Avar." I came face to face with my mortal sin. Sitting back on his haunches, with my dress in his lap, he looked like a savior to me. "I'm afraid I need to be fucked," I begged, my eyes open wide with horror at my own words. "Now."

What was I asking him to do? Sex was not supposed to happen between us. I had made it clear the day we first met.

Right now, however, my biggest concern was that he wouldn't do it. Or that he couldn't.

"I need..." I whimpered.

"I know." He put my dress aside.

"It's the collar, isn't it?"

"Yes." He heaved a sigh. "You shouldn't have touched it."

"Can you take it off? I can't see..." I slid my fingers around the necklace to the back of my neck, but the clasp seemed to disappear completely. The stones merged together into one solid piece of rock, circling my neck in a chokehold.

Avar took my hands from the collar and placed them in my lap. The heat from his touch rocked me with another jolt of lust, burning shame to ashes.

"Oh God, I have to..." I slid my hand between my legs and found the spot that throbbed so violently. When I pressed against it, however, the need surged higher with no relief in sight.

Avar took my hand in his, stopping me from touching myself.

"You can't do anything about it on your own, sweetheart," he said softly. "If you try, you may hurt yourself. If you let it be, lust will burn your body until it perishes."

I squirmed, rubbing my thighs together but to no avail.

"Help me. Please."

"I will," he assured me somberly. "But I don't want you to hate me for it after the spell is gone, or to hate yourself. I won't fuck you, and I'll only touch you where it's completely necessary to bring you relief."

I nodded quickly, eager to feel his hands on me again.

He cupped my chin, bringing my face to his until our eyes met.

"It's not your fault, Maddy. It needs to be done," he said slowly, pausing after each sentence to make sure I heard and understood him. "I have no choice. There is only one way to help you. I will have to make you come. For as many times as necessary until the spell is over."

It was hard to focus on his words. My awareness almost entirely narrowed down to the sensation of his hand under my chin. Desire clouded my mind, thicker than intoxication. Eventually, the meaning of what he was saying filtered through to me, and I nodded.

"Okay." I leaned forward.

His tentacles circled me without touching. Standing on my knees, I grabbed one, partially to steady myself, partially because I craved his touch more than my next breath.

"Oh God, Avar... I feel like I'm dying."

"I won't let you die, dearest." Sitting on the floor, he carefully placed me on his lap.

His one hand supported my back. With the other, he parted my knees, and I opened my legs for him eagerly.

Carefully, he slid a hand up my thigh. The tip of his thick finger connected with my most sensitive spot, sending an explosion of pleasure through my entire body from my fingertips to my toes. I screamed, arching my back.

"Hush, Maddy," he said softly. "I'll make it better."

I pressed my legs together, trapping his hand between my thighs. But the throbbing heat in my core proved uncontainable. I snapped my legs back open again, craving release.

"More... Please."

He worked me with the tip of his finger. His initial frown of concentration relaxed. His movements became more fluid. He circled the swollen bud between my legs, the press of his finger bringing both pleasure and pain. Both grew to unbearable levels so fast, I really feared I might die from desire.

Sensation crested, and Avar set off my orgasm. I gripped his tentacle, thrusting my hips into his touch.

"Just like that, my sweet girl," he murmured.

Climax rocked through me like an explosion. If Avar wasn't holding me, I'd roll off his lap and crash to the floor. A warm wave of relief flooded me right after, allowing me to relax and draw a long breath at last.

"Feeling better?" Avar asked, placing his warm palm on my thigh.

"A little," I smiled, panting and shaking violently.

It had happened fast and brutally strong. My body still trembled from head to toe, but I felt a little calmer now .

Was it over?

Could I take the collar off?

At that very moment, however, I didn't wish to stir a muscle, relaxing in Avar's lap, warm and comfortable.

Lazily, I ran my fingers along his tentacle. The translucent suckers dotted its underside like tiny jellyfish. When I poked one into its center, the delicate circle closed around my finger, hugging it tightly.

I smiled. "Your suckers tickle."

" Corollas, " he corrected. "In my case, they're called corollas. I thought my tentacles repulsed you," he added.

"They don't," I protested. "Not anymore. They looked unusual to me in the beginning. But now..." I touched another delicate corolla with the tip of my nose, and it wrapped around it gently. "Well, it's still unusual," I laughed. "But I don't mind it." I rubbed my cheek against the tentacle. "I don't mind any part of you, Avar."

"That is definitely the collar speaking," he dismissed. "Humans gave the sins a monstrous appearance specifically to repulse and intimidate, so you would stay away."

"Is that so?" I climbed to my feet, standing up in his lap. In this position, his head was slightly below mine. I'd never been this close to him for so long before and now used the chance to explore his features. "Let me see. What exactly makes you a monster, Avar? Thick, bushy eyebrows. Fierce purple eyes. Tentacles for a beard."

"These are feelers," he said. "They don't have corollas, see?"

I didn't think that made a big difference but didn't argue, cupping his face.

"Whoever made you should've tried harder if they wanted you to repulse me. From the very first day I met you, Avar, there has always been a pull that I had to fight. Your calm, quiet kindness to me is making it stronger every day, and nothing about your looks can stop it. Not your bald head." I slid my palms up his temples. "Not even all these horns." I ran my fingers up the ridged curves of his front horns.

He sucked in a breath and tossed his head back with a tortured groan.

"Not the horns. Please, sweetheart, don't touch the horns," he begged.

I jerked my hands away as if from a hot stove.

"What happened? What did I do?"

He pressed his fingers against my wrists, gently moving my hands further away from his head.

"Not the horns, sweetheart," he repeated firmly.

"Did I hurt you?"

Without a body like mine, Avar didn't have a nervous system. He couldn't feel physical pain. But I knew him enough to know he had emotions, and emotional pain often felt worse than any physical wound.

"No," he exhaled a strangled breath. "Let's just say I wish to keep control around you, and it'd be infinitely harder to do if you were to start caressing my horns."

"Oh..." Then it dawned on me. "Oooh. Is that how you get excited? When someone touches your horns?"

I licked my lips, eyeing his horns with a new appreciation. There had been something especially enthralling in that groan of his when I'd touched them. I wanted to see Avar go completely undone. I wished to get lost in that passion along with him.

Need vibrated inside me, growing stronger again. Even through its fog, however, I forced myself to respect his plea, staying away from his horns.

"It's happening again," I whimpered, pressing my shivering body into his warmth .

"It should be over by morning," he said soothingly. "We'll just have to manage it until then."

He found the golden chain dangling from the collar along my spine and wound the end of it around his finger. His tentacles slipped up my legs, then up my sides. My desire spiked higher. Avar knew how to distract me from his horns. All I could think about now was the renewed throbbing between my legs.

He cupped my backside with his hand and coiled a tentacle around my middle. Its tip stroked my breasts, the corollas gently plucking my nipples. Heat trickled down my body from his touch and from the cursed collar.

I leaned into him, my hands combing through the feelers of his beard.

"Why won't you fuck me, Avar?" I craved to feel him everywhere on and inside me.

He circled my opening with his finger.

"Well, for one, this sweet, little hole of yours is way too small for my cock, darling."

"So, you do have a cock," I murmured with satisfaction at such a discovery.

"I do. But it'd be way too big for a delicate thing like you." He leaned into my neck, his beard feelers skittering along my sensitive skin.

I moaned, gripping his shoulders.

"Kiss me, Avar," I begged, delirious with lust.

"No, sweetheart." He slipped a finger inside me. It was at least twice as thick as my thumb, prompting me to spread my legs wider.

"Why not?" I demanded, riding his finger. "You said you own my body already. You may as well have it now."

"If I claim you in every way, you're mine, body and soul, then no one will be able to pry you away from me. Is that what you want?"

Judging by his tone, the question was rhetorical. He didn't expect an answer, but I actually considered it. At that moment, I wanted him so badly, I would sell my soul for a kiss.

Thankfully, he was thinking rationally for both of us.

"You can have my hand, Maddy." He pumped harder. "Nothing else."

Pressing a thumb to my clit, he set off another mind-blinding orgasm. I came just as hard as before. My legs shook, my knees buckled. I fell against his chest, supported only by his tentacle around my waist.

He withdrew his hand and licked the finger that had been inside me. I arched an eyebrow in silent question, and he smirked in response.

"Just because I can't have the whole meal doesn't mean I can't have a little taste. You are delicious, my dear," he murmured, lapping off my juices from his finger. "Inside and out."

Spent, I relaxed against his chest, trying to catch my breath.

"Rest now," he murmured, getting up and taking me with him. "It'll start again before you know it."

"Where are you taking me?"

"To bed."

"But my bed is that way." I lifted my hand but had no strength left to point in the right direction, dropping it back on his shoulder.

"I know. But your bed is too small for me. I'm taking you to my room."