Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

W hen we finally broke apart for air, our gasps echoed off the water and the stone walls. Shava pulled away, but I grabbed her wrist and yanked her back towards me.

"Where are you going?" I growled, my voice rough and gravelly.

Her eyes flashed in the semi-darkness.

"Away from you. I don't know what this is, but I don't like you and I don't trust you. Or myself, for that matter."

Beautiful, brave, and smart . Perhaps I had to give a little in this scenario for the greater good. After all, I could already see multiple ways such an agreement could benefit me in the long run.

"I agree with your terms. I'll help you and Zariah."

Her gasp of surprise was immediate, followed by her lips crushing to mine again with much more enthusiasm. I laughed inwardly at her quick capitulation. Her body melted into mine, every curve built to fit into the hollows of my chest and arms.

Yes, I could get used to this.

I'd been kicked down my entire life. It was time for me to take, for once.

Hot desire and thrill shot through me as I wrapped my arms around her hips and throat, spinning her to shove her belly first up against a rock that sloped upward out of the water. Grasping her hips and pushing both of us up onto the rock's edge, I entered her from behind in one thrust.

The noise that burst from her throat was half a cry, half a moan of desire, and it unraveled an overwhelming urge to dominate and claim within me.

My patience broke as I snapped my hips hard against hers, uncaring for anything other than my own pleasure as she writhed underneath me.

I reached my pinnacle far too quickly, coming undone inside of her with a groan and final push. My mind was nothing more than a fuzzy haze as I collapsed on top of her.

It took me long seconds to realize Shava struggled under me, swearing and grunting. I slid back down into the warm pool as she rolled over onto her back, propping herself up on her elbows.

For a moment, we stared at each other.

"Well?" she bit out, teeth clenched.

I sensed a trap, but had no idea how to avoid it.

"Thank you?" I tried, figuring you couldn't go wrong with being polite.

Her eyes narrowed before her expression flattened out, unreadable even if it wasn't dim in the cave. One finger crooked at me, beckoning me forward.

Did she want to go again? I'd never done that with Clover back to back, but I would certainly try; for research, of course.

I swam over to her, a smirk perched at the corner of my lips.

SMACK.

Hot, stinging pain assaulted me. I grew weary of her striking me.

"No more hitting." I grabbed her wrist and pushed her up against the wall. I expected a fight, but she let me, eyes hooded and smoky as they appraised me. She wanted to see what I would do next.

Just you wait, little flame.

By process of elimination, I realized my error. I had simply taken from her, like I always did with Clover. Admittedly, I'd never felt this out of control or off balance with Clover, but it was no excuse to lose my mind. The books were clear that a woman could have pleasure as well, during the act.

I would rectify that now.

One hand splayed across her hips and pushed, telling her to stay put up against the cave wall.

Keeping my hand in place, slowly I got on my knees before her. Her eyes darkened, matching the pitch blackness of the surrounding abyss.

Sometimes you had to go low in order to rise. From the ground, there was only one way to go: up.

My mouth descended on her center.

The surprised exhale of breath that left her sent a bolt of lust straight to my core, hardening me for a second time. Her heat welcomed me as I dove between her legs, her fingers burying in my hair. She tasted slightly bitter but with a sweet tinge as well, like the darkest of chocolates.

Her leg muscles shook and twitched the longer I sucked and licked, and stroked my tongue in and out of her like it was my cock. I pushed her hips harder against the wall and hooked her legs around my head and shoulders. Her moans increased in volume and intensity.

"Is this what you were after?" I growled into her, my voice vibrating inside of her. Her hips thrust harder against my face in response.

I grinned against her inner lips and dove in again.

"Zephyr, gods!"

Yes. I liked that. And maybe one day I would be a fucking god after I completed all the blood rituals I could. Zephyr: the bastard god.

Her inner walls tightened around my nose and I went still, letting her ride out her pleasure against my face. Her cries of ecstasy echoed around the cavern, her breaths labored and fast.

"I can feel you smirking against me. Stop it," she panted.

Gently, I set her legs down, though her muscles still quivered.

"If you fight all battles from your knees, you'll always win," Shava continued. Her feet slapped against the wet rock as she got up, grabbing her tunic and disappearing back into the main cavern.

"Likewise," I smirked to the darkness.

I took some time to exist alone, contemplating. Now that an idea had hatched in my mind, my hyper fixation wanted to grab it and run.

You could make yourself a literal god.

I analyzed the thought carefully. The queen had already let slip the Nobles had some kind of latent magick that was leading to this demon problem. Since my mother was a Noble, that meant I had a trace of it in my veins as well. This was what gave me the ability to do blood magicks.

Did it mean I would one day turn into a demon thing?

I didn't like that.

If I did enough rituals, maybe I wouldn't. Perhaps I could even ascend to a god-like status! Could I stop aging, stop bleeding, or stop technically being alive?

The possibilities swirled in my mind, endless.

I would keep my word and help Zariah and Shava, but I also would continue my research. That meant getting back to the palace.

Gathering my wet clothes, I didn't bother dressing as I felt my way in the semi-darkness back towards the crevice. I'd hang the clothes to dry by the fire, or they could even air dry if the flames had gone out and Zariah was sleeping or away.

Being naked killed no one.

Neither Shava nor D were in the blackened first chamber; not that I blamed them. Once daylight came, we'd have to take stock and see what we'd do about cleaning it.

I barely got outside the cave before running into a pile of gold scales tightly curled up in a ball at the edge of a cliff.

Zariah had crammed himself between the cave's mouth and the edge of the cliff, D and Shava tucked in between his scales. Shava looked like she'd been sleeping peacefully for hours.

The fire had indeed burned down to nothing more than embers, so I simply threw my tunic and leggings over the hot rocks that outlined the fire.

I took up a spot a few feet down Zariah's torso, away from the others, leaning back against his body. His scales were pleasantly warm. Now I see why the fire was gone—we didn't need it as long as we had a living, breathing bed warmer.

I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

* * *

When I woke the next morning, Zariah was gone.

D was happily sketching a rough dragon in the dirt with a stick, and gave me a happy smile when he saw me stirring. He didn't seem to notice or care that I was naked.

Or maybe mud boys were always naked, so this wasn't odd to him?

My tunic and breeches were only slightly damp as I put them back on. A slight chill went through me while wearing the moist clothes, but I certainly would not face Shava with all my bits exposed.

Unless that's what she wanted, of course.

"Where is Shava?" I asked him.

D pointed wordlessly in the cave. Of course.

I stepped inside, ready to do battle, only for a broom to fly at my head. I caught it with a frown, glaring at the small figure who'd already turned her back on me.

"Good morning," I rumbled, figured it best to start with the obvious.

She huffed, but kept sweeping the ashes towards me and the cave's mouth. I stood stock still and refused to move out of the way, even as she brushed ashes over my feet.

"Shava."

I grabbed the handle of her broom, forcing her to stop.

Her elbow came up fast toward my nose, but I expected she'd strike out and blocked it, grabbing it and twisting it behind her back. She squeaked in surprise but doubled down, using the momentum of my twist to go to the ground completely and sweep my legs out from under me with her broom.

I hit the ground on my back, the air momentarily knocked out of me.

"Zariah got us brooms, as you can see. He said he'd be back with some more blankets and whatever else he can find to restock the cave. And breakfast," she added dispassionately, continuing her sweeping as though I was nothing more than a nuisance child in her way.

I winced as I stood.

"We fight constantly in the mud quarter. Don't take it personally. We only practice with those we trust most," she confided, her voice light.

I paused. Was she saying what I thought she was? The honest bewilderment on my face must have shown through in my expression.

"You have no fucking clue, do you?" she asked. "Was I your first?"

My lips thinned. "No," I grit out stubbornly, unwilling to offer more.

Shava snorted. "Yeah, I bet. You probably run around to all the maids, showing off with that big brain of yours."

She meant it as an insult, but I only grinned.

"So you think I'm smart."

The broom flew at my face again, but I caught the handle, putting my hand on top of hers.

"I will help you," I promised. "But you must help me as well. We will be partners."

A small, shy smile escaped her. It was the first time her hardened exterior had shown any cracks.

"Truly?" she asked, her voice nothing more than a whisper.

I stroked my thumb over her cheek. Despite being chronically underfed her whole life, her face was round and soft.

"Truly."

I sealed the deal with a kiss.