The Fractured World, page 5
“I hope so,” I said. “What about that thing? Did she kill it?”
Heavy steam rose from the battlefield, masking the beast’s fate. It had suffered one long cooking. No human could have survived that. Only a true monster could rise again after such a brutal attack.
That pretty much spoils the surprise, doesn’t it?
The fog curtain cleared and revealed a charred hellbeast still on its feet. Its white fur had been burned away and replaced with a gruesome overlap of scarred flesh and soot black. It was as if the monster had broken free of its cocoon and revealed its true horrifying form.
It chilled me to the core even from a distance. How must Faris have felt seeing it up close?
She hardly had a chance to look. Faris was still recovering from her coughing fit.
The monster took its chance and smashed into her.
Faris flew across the clearing. She rolled through the snow before slamming to a halt against the base of a tree.
“Miss Faris!” Casella screamed. “Brandon, do something. Please! I implore you!”
“I’m…” The words got trapped in my throat. I knew I had to act, but I didn’t know what I was supposed to do.
What could I do?
My legs had turned into solid concrete. I’d only just got through my last couple of encounters thanks to luck. They were nothing compared to this fiend. It was a true monster.
That monster approached its fallen prey.
Faris struggled to stand. Wearing a suit of armor didn’t make her an invincible cyborg. Under all that metal, she was flesh and blood just like me.
She’s going to die if I don’t do something!
Since when has being powerless been an excuse not to act?
Was it acceptable when it came to her?
“Wait here,” I told Casella as I charged in. I prayed that I’d have some sort of plan worked out by the time I arrived. When my feet skidded onto the snowless battlefield, my brain was still empty.
Faris remained on the floor. The beast only had eyes for its dinner.
“Hey! You!” I yelled.
The demonic beast glanced at me.
I scanned anywhere and everywhere for something I could use. All I found, soaking in a puddle, was the blaster that had proved as effective as a chocolate teapot.
It’s that or my fists.
Despite looking like a toy you’d give a child, there was a certain heft to the orange and gray pistol. I held it straight at the wolf despite my shaking arm’s best attempts to point anywhere else.
“Back away or I’ll shoot,” I said. “D-don’t think I’m joking. I’ll kill you if you don’t leave.”
Good lord. I’m threatening a wild beast with a broken gun. When did I become such a goddamn moron?!
The wolf turned my way and approached with its fangs bared.
I retreated on trembling legs. My aim was all over the place. I still tried to fire. Each pull of the trigger resulted in a click and no fireworks.
Honestly, I had half expected some convenient miracle where the gun started working thanks to my non-existent golden touch. Sadly, reality doesn’t always work like TV.
My foot slipped on the slush around the melted landscape’s perimeter. It knocked me on my ass. That didn’t stop me from retreating. I shuffled back as the barbaric beast, plucked straight from the lower rings of hell, loomed over me.
Yep, this is it. I’m going to die.
This isn’t what I wanted. How am I supposed to repent if I’m buried six feet under?
“Brandon!” Casella yelled as she rushed toward me.
I swallowed my breath.
What does she think she’s doing?!
The monster eyed up this tasty new morsel. A thick bead of slobber dribbled from its full maw.
No you don’t!
Adrenaline kicked me up the ass. I crammed the faulty blaster into the monster’s eye.
It shrieked as the whole thing went pop. Puss and blood oozed out, staining both me and the gun. It jerked its head, knocking me back. The pistol remained. It kept stubbornly clinging in there no matter how much the monster shook its huge frame around.
I grabbed Casella and pulled her out of the frenzied firing line. “What did you think you were doing?”
“It was going to hurt you,” she said.
“It could have killed you.”
“I know, but…”
I sighed. Like I had a right to be mad at her. More importantly, we were still in danger. The beast would eventually calm and when it did… well, there was only one person it was coming after.
Before that happened, Faris slammed into the unstable monster, toppling it onto its back. She knew weakness when she saw it and, unlike us, she didn’t let it slip her by. In one swoop, she pulled out a hidden knife and impaled it into the fiend’s exposed throat. When that failed to kill it, she did it again. Then again. And again, after that. This continued until its spasming limbs stopped jerking and fell completely limp.
Once she was sure the monster was dead, Faris stumbled off the carcass. Blood drenched her armor and stained her face.
Happily, none of it was hers.
“Miss Faris,” Casella said as she rushed over. “Are you quite alright?”
“I’m fine,” Faris panted despite things pointing to the contrary. “You?”
“Yes, thanks to you and Brandon.”
“Good,” Faris said with a relieved sigh.
As my adrenaline lessened, the cold returned. I’d completely forgotten it was snowing. It was amazing what tunnel vision could do.
I handed Casella my gloves. She needed them more than I did. Not that they were enough. A triumph didn’t change the facts.
“We’re going back inside,” I said, taking Casella’s hand once they were nice and snug. “No objections.”
Faris was too exhausted to argue. Both breathing and standing was a challenge for her.
Our old shelter was lost to the world. We needed a new one before something else decided to introduce itself.
With the others in tow, I set off in search of a place that would help us survive another night in this frosty hellhole.
Chapter 6
Casella moaned. “Oh, Brandon. Your hands. They feel wondrous.”
“Feeling warmer?” I asked.
“Much warmer.” She bit down on her bottom lip in a bid to stop her sensual sounds. It didn’t work. Another sweet noise popped free. “Ah! Please don’t stop.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” I kept caressing her cold flesh. Her blissful squeaks were music to my ears.
Who knew I was so good at foot rubs?
After a good thirty minutes of wandering, we’d snagged a new place to stay. We were fortunate that at least one aspect of the environment wasn’t completely against us.
When I’d first peeled off Casella’s soaked, flimsy sandals, her toes had been like little ice cubes. It was a miracle that she hadn’t suffered any damage. That didn’t mean we could rest easy. Note why she was getting some exquisite foot care from yours truly. My hands may not have been fire warm, but she was definitely enjoying herself.
As was I. Whatever her feet were feeling, my hands received the same.
Casella clenched her fists shut and wiggled her dainty toes. When my fingers slipped between them, another moan escaped from her throat.
“Calm yourself,” Faris said. She’d only allowed me to rub Casella’s feet after I’d reminded her who was to blame for all of this. It didn’t stop her from staring daggers.
“But it feels so nice,” Casella mumbled.
“Remember who you belong to.”
Casella pouted. “But…”
“You are Lord Bogdan’s. Nobody else’s.”
“Will you cut that out?” I said.
“What?” Faris snarled.
“You, treating her like property. She’s a person, not an object. If Casella wants a foot rub, she can have a foot rub.”
“Casella?” the woman herself said with a squeak. A giddy blush colored her cheeks.
“That’s ‘princess’ to you,” Faris said.
“Oh, is that so?” I leaned in closer to Casella as I massaged her feet. “Which would you prefer I call you, Casella?”
“That one, please,” she said beneath a lip-nibbling bite.
“Then Casella it is,” I said as I pressed my thumbs into her soles.
Casella released another divine moan. Her thick blue legs squirmed, rustling her coat’s hem. Each movement dragged the fabric higher, exposing more of her alluring thighs.
“Enough,” Faris said, yanking me away.
I knew I’d been poking the hornet’s nest, but that didn’t mean I had to like being treated this way. I couldn’t even pull myself free. Her grip was as strong as the rest of her.
So much for being exhausted after a long battle.
“Please let him go, Miss Faris,” Casella said.
“Not until he stops this,” Faris said.
“Stops what?” I asked.
“Trying to steal Lord Bogdan’s property.”
“If he views Casella as property, he doesn’t deserve her.”
Faris bared her fangs. They weren’t quite wolf-lizard quality, but they could definitely pack a punch.
“Miss Faris,” Casella said. “You need not worry. I have not forgotten about Lord Bogdan. When we finally meet, I will take my rightful place by his side.”
“You’ve never met him?” I said.
“No. My father handled the entire transaction.”
“Transaction?” I muttered as if it was some strange new word I’d never heard before.
“Get it?” Faris said, pushing me away. “There’s no room for you.”
I glared at Faris. Oh yes, I finally understood. Fiancé? Pah! He was a lord who’d bought himself a cute plaything. It was no wonder Casella was being treated like a commodity. To that jerk, and his loyal dog, that’s exactly what she was.
I knew I didn’t like that guy.
“Erm… about that,” Casella said. She shuffled to my side and wrapped herself around my arm. The padding of her coat couldn’t hide the sensation of her large soft breasts. “I was actually thinking it may be for the best if we allow Brandon to become my mate.”
Huh?!
Faris froze. It took her a few seconds to comprehend what had been said. Once it soaked in, she released a killing intent so strong it had already started carving my gravestone.
“Wait, Miss Faris!” Casella said as she jumped between us. “This is not how it seems! I do not suggest this to betray Lord Bogdan. I say it so we can be together.”
“Lies!”
“I’m telling the truth,” Casella murmured. “We have almost perished multiple times already. If not for Brandon, I fear we would not have survived this long. He has been a great help, but there is only so much he can do at present. His strength does not equal his bravery. If I was to give him my boon—”
“No,” Faris snapped.
“But—”
“Not happening!”
Casella whimpered and retreated back against my chest. It was hard for her to confront a soldier, especially one who towered above her.
“Hold on a minute,” I said. “I’m not sure how all this links up but I can tell Casella’s trying to help. How can you turn her down? Have you forgotten what’s out there? We’re lucky to have made it this far.”
“Irrelevant,” Faris said. “She’s Lord Bogdan’s. Nobody else’s.”
“You’d let her die for something like that?”
There was a moment of hesitation. “I’ll keep her safe.”
“Alone? How’s that worked for you so far?” I said.
Faris glared and little more. There wasn’t much she could say to defend herself.
I sighed. “Look, I’m not trying to put you down. You’re strong. A lot stronger than me and probably stronger than anyone I’ve ever met. But you’ve seen what we’re up against. We’re lucky to still be alive. That won’t last forever. If we don’t take every advantage of everything we can, we’re not going to make it.”
“That is what I was trying to say,” Casella said. “Please, Miss Faris. I don’t wish to be unfaithful, but we need Brandon’s help. We cannot afford to waste my power.”
Faris ground her teeth together. “Lord Bogdan would never approve.”
“You saying he’d prefer if she died?” I asked.
“No,” she responded.
“And you?”
“Completing the mission comes before everything.” That last line had an almost robotic stiffness about it.
“That’s what I thought. We’re not in a position to be picky. We need to use whatever we can.”
“And this is our best chance of survival, yes?” Casella said.
The fact that Faris didn’t say anything said a lot.
“Then it is decided,” Casella announced. She spun around and took my hands. “Brandon, please become my mate.”
“Yeah, about that,” I said as I tried not to lose myself in her radiating expression. “By mate do you mean, like, becoming a couple?”
“Exactly so! We will bond in both flesh and spirit.”
Those words left a rather vivid impression. “Not that I’ve got any complaints but how is that supposed to help?”
Casella looked momentarily confused before her face lit up. “You truly are uncivilized.”
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
“Sorry,” she said with a giggle. “It’s just so unprecedented meeting somebody who doesn’t know. You see, we zerrin girls have a unique ability that is known across the entire civilized universe. We bless those closest to us, our mates, with great power.”
After the punchline failed to materialize, I spoke. “You… you’re serious?”
“Quite. It’s why we are so in demand and many spend fortunes to secure our hand in marriage.”
I stared at her. It was so hard to believe. I could see why someone would want to protect Casella but not how she could make anyone stronger.
“It’s the truth,” Casella said. “Please, Miss Faris. Tell him.”
“I’m not involved,” Faris said. She’d retreated to the cave’s mouth which was the furthest she could get away from us without exposing herself to the elements.
While she hadn’t confirmed it, the fact she hadn’t denied it was telling. It also removed any of the residual remorse I might have had for Lord Bogdan. He didn’t even care about Casella. All he wanted was power. It was no wonder Faris was so protective. Casella was her employer’s magic steroid.
She deserves better.
“I’ll do it,” I said.
“Really and truly?” Casella said, squeezing my hands. “Thank you, Brandon! I know you will use my power well. I feel safer already.”
Her scent consumed me. It was so sweet and enticing. Just like her then. Every breath made me long to take another and become even closer to her. “So… how exactly do we become mates?”
“Did I not say? We must bond in both flesh and soul.”
“That’s a little… by bond, do you mean—”
“Sex.” She said it without hesitation.
My mouth moved but nothing came out. It was what I’d suspected after all, but I still couldn’t believe it. If I was wholeheartedly average, then she surpassed all forms of logic. Everything about Casella, from her full succulent lips to her cave-flooding fragrance, were weapons built to enslave men. Casella was a succubus hiding as an alien angel. It was the only way to explain how one word had gotten me as hard as steel.
“Sure,” I absentmindedly responded.
Casella giggled and hugged me, grinding her coat-smothered breasts against my torso.
I swallowed a grunt.
Holy shit. I’m gonna melt before we’ve done a thing.
“This is so exciting,” Casella said as she separated from me. She clapped her hands and jiggled up and down. The way her chubby little antennas bounced was adorable. “I finally get to mate. You don’t know how much I’ve practiced for this moment. Is it normal if I feel nervous? Because I’m starting to feel a little nervous.”
“Completely normal,” I said as I tried to squeeze my sweaty palms dry.
“You have experience?”
I nodded. “Is that a problem?”
“Not at all. I’m happy my first time is with someone who can take the lead if need be. It was supposed to belong to Lord Bogdan, but now I’m giving it to you.” She unzipped her coat, my coat, and exposed the full majesty of her naked blue body.
Wasn’t she wearing underwear? Where… how long has she been naked?
To think my coat had gotten to caress her breathtaking curves for all that time. It was enough to make a guy feel jealous.
She seemed more captivating every time I laid eyes on her. Perhaps it was because she finally insisting I look. It wasn’t an invitation I needed twice. My fixated gaze wandered her plump curves, paying particular attention to her breathtaking chest. Her stiff blue nipples, a tinge darker than her pale flesh, stood to attention.
Whether that was because of the cold or her excitement, I didn’t know or care.
“Do you find me attractive?” Casella asked as she squeezed her breasts together. They were so large they almost spilled free of her tiny hands.
“More than you could imagine,” I said.
She bit her bottom lip and swayed from side to side. “Your turn.”
I almost tore my clothes off. The fact I might need them later didn’t register in my mind. I’d forgotten all about the wasteland outside the cave. All I could concentrate on was Casella.
Her eyes chased my appearing flesh without hesitation. That was until I removed my pants. Casella gasped and covered her mouth.
“What?” I said with a jerk.
“Big,” she muttered through her fingers. “It’s so big.”
“You don’t need to flatter me,” I said.
“Flatter I don’t. It’s huge.” Casella crouched down so she could get a better look at my hard manhood.
It throbbed on command.
Is she for real? I’m nothing special back home.
“Faris, look. It’s big, yes?”
“Leave me out of this,” Faris snapped without turning our way.
I’d actually forgotten she was there. An unwilling audience wasn’t exactly a turn-on.
Heavy steam rose from the battlefield, masking the beast’s fate. It had suffered one long cooking. No human could have survived that. Only a true monster could rise again after such a brutal attack.
That pretty much spoils the surprise, doesn’t it?
The fog curtain cleared and revealed a charred hellbeast still on its feet. Its white fur had been burned away and replaced with a gruesome overlap of scarred flesh and soot black. It was as if the monster had broken free of its cocoon and revealed its true horrifying form.
It chilled me to the core even from a distance. How must Faris have felt seeing it up close?
She hardly had a chance to look. Faris was still recovering from her coughing fit.
The monster took its chance and smashed into her.
Faris flew across the clearing. She rolled through the snow before slamming to a halt against the base of a tree.
“Miss Faris!” Casella screamed. “Brandon, do something. Please! I implore you!”
“I’m…” The words got trapped in my throat. I knew I had to act, but I didn’t know what I was supposed to do.
What could I do?
My legs had turned into solid concrete. I’d only just got through my last couple of encounters thanks to luck. They were nothing compared to this fiend. It was a true monster.
That monster approached its fallen prey.
Faris struggled to stand. Wearing a suit of armor didn’t make her an invincible cyborg. Under all that metal, she was flesh and blood just like me.
She’s going to die if I don’t do something!
Since when has being powerless been an excuse not to act?
Was it acceptable when it came to her?
“Wait here,” I told Casella as I charged in. I prayed that I’d have some sort of plan worked out by the time I arrived. When my feet skidded onto the snowless battlefield, my brain was still empty.
Faris remained on the floor. The beast only had eyes for its dinner.
“Hey! You!” I yelled.
The demonic beast glanced at me.
I scanned anywhere and everywhere for something I could use. All I found, soaking in a puddle, was the blaster that had proved as effective as a chocolate teapot.
It’s that or my fists.
Despite looking like a toy you’d give a child, there was a certain heft to the orange and gray pistol. I held it straight at the wolf despite my shaking arm’s best attempts to point anywhere else.
“Back away or I’ll shoot,” I said. “D-don’t think I’m joking. I’ll kill you if you don’t leave.”
Good lord. I’m threatening a wild beast with a broken gun. When did I become such a goddamn moron?!
The wolf turned my way and approached with its fangs bared.
I retreated on trembling legs. My aim was all over the place. I still tried to fire. Each pull of the trigger resulted in a click and no fireworks.
Honestly, I had half expected some convenient miracle where the gun started working thanks to my non-existent golden touch. Sadly, reality doesn’t always work like TV.
My foot slipped on the slush around the melted landscape’s perimeter. It knocked me on my ass. That didn’t stop me from retreating. I shuffled back as the barbaric beast, plucked straight from the lower rings of hell, loomed over me.
Yep, this is it. I’m going to die.
This isn’t what I wanted. How am I supposed to repent if I’m buried six feet under?
“Brandon!” Casella yelled as she rushed toward me.
I swallowed my breath.
What does she think she’s doing?!
The monster eyed up this tasty new morsel. A thick bead of slobber dribbled from its full maw.
No you don’t!
Adrenaline kicked me up the ass. I crammed the faulty blaster into the monster’s eye.
It shrieked as the whole thing went pop. Puss and blood oozed out, staining both me and the gun. It jerked its head, knocking me back. The pistol remained. It kept stubbornly clinging in there no matter how much the monster shook its huge frame around.
I grabbed Casella and pulled her out of the frenzied firing line. “What did you think you were doing?”
“It was going to hurt you,” she said.
“It could have killed you.”
“I know, but…”
I sighed. Like I had a right to be mad at her. More importantly, we were still in danger. The beast would eventually calm and when it did… well, there was only one person it was coming after.
Before that happened, Faris slammed into the unstable monster, toppling it onto its back. She knew weakness when she saw it and, unlike us, she didn’t let it slip her by. In one swoop, she pulled out a hidden knife and impaled it into the fiend’s exposed throat. When that failed to kill it, she did it again. Then again. And again, after that. This continued until its spasming limbs stopped jerking and fell completely limp.
Once she was sure the monster was dead, Faris stumbled off the carcass. Blood drenched her armor and stained her face.
Happily, none of it was hers.
“Miss Faris,” Casella said as she rushed over. “Are you quite alright?”
“I’m fine,” Faris panted despite things pointing to the contrary. “You?”
“Yes, thanks to you and Brandon.”
“Good,” Faris said with a relieved sigh.
As my adrenaline lessened, the cold returned. I’d completely forgotten it was snowing. It was amazing what tunnel vision could do.
I handed Casella my gloves. She needed them more than I did. Not that they were enough. A triumph didn’t change the facts.
“We’re going back inside,” I said, taking Casella’s hand once they were nice and snug. “No objections.”
Faris was too exhausted to argue. Both breathing and standing was a challenge for her.
Our old shelter was lost to the world. We needed a new one before something else decided to introduce itself.
With the others in tow, I set off in search of a place that would help us survive another night in this frosty hellhole.
Chapter 6
Casella moaned. “Oh, Brandon. Your hands. They feel wondrous.”
“Feeling warmer?” I asked.
“Much warmer.” She bit down on her bottom lip in a bid to stop her sensual sounds. It didn’t work. Another sweet noise popped free. “Ah! Please don’t stop.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” I kept caressing her cold flesh. Her blissful squeaks were music to my ears.
Who knew I was so good at foot rubs?
After a good thirty minutes of wandering, we’d snagged a new place to stay. We were fortunate that at least one aspect of the environment wasn’t completely against us.
When I’d first peeled off Casella’s soaked, flimsy sandals, her toes had been like little ice cubes. It was a miracle that she hadn’t suffered any damage. That didn’t mean we could rest easy. Note why she was getting some exquisite foot care from yours truly. My hands may not have been fire warm, but she was definitely enjoying herself.
As was I. Whatever her feet were feeling, my hands received the same.
Casella clenched her fists shut and wiggled her dainty toes. When my fingers slipped between them, another moan escaped from her throat.
“Calm yourself,” Faris said. She’d only allowed me to rub Casella’s feet after I’d reminded her who was to blame for all of this. It didn’t stop her from staring daggers.
“But it feels so nice,” Casella mumbled.
“Remember who you belong to.”
Casella pouted. “But…”
“You are Lord Bogdan’s. Nobody else’s.”
“Will you cut that out?” I said.
“What?” Faris snarled.
“You, treating her like property. She’s a person, not an object. If Casella wants a foot rub, she can have a foot rub.”
“Casella?” the woman herself said with a squeak. A giddy blush colored her cheeks.
“That’s ‘princess’ to you,” Faris said.
“Oh, is that so?” I leaned in closer to Casella as I massaged her feet. “Which would you prefer I call you, Casella?”
“That one, please,” she said beneath a lip-nibbling bite.
“Then Casella it is,” I said as I pressed my thumbs into her soles.
Casella released another divine moan. Her thick blue legs squirmed, rustling her coat’s hem. Each movement dragged the fabric higher, exposing more of her alluring thighs.
“Enough,” Faris said, yanking me away.
I knew I’d been poking the hornet’s nest, but that didn’t mean I had to like being treated this way. I couldn’t even pull myself free. Her grip was as strong as the rest of her.
So much for being exhausted after a long battle.
“Please let him go, Miss Faris,” Casella said.
“Not until he stops this,” Faris said.
“Stops what?” I asked.
“Trying to steal Lord Bogdan’s property.”
“If he views Casella as property, he doesn’t deserve her.”
Faris bared her fangs. They weren’t quite wolf-lizard quality, but they could definitely pack a punch.
“Miss Faris,” Casella said. “You need not worry. I have not forgotten about Lord Bogdan. When we finally meet, I will take my rightful place by his side.”
“You’ve never met him?” I said.
“No. My father handled the entire transaction.”
“Transaction?” I muttered as if it was some strange new word I’d never heard before.
“Get it?” Faris said, pushing me away. “There’s no room for you.”
I glared at Faris. Oh yes, I finally understood. Fiancé? Pah! He was a lord who’d bought himself a cute plaything. It was no wonder Casella was being treated like a commodity. To that jerk, and his loyal dog, that’s exactly what she was.
I knew I didn’t like that guy.
“Erm… about that,” Casella said. She shuffled to my side and wrapped herself around my arm. The padding of her coat couldn’t hide the sensation of her large soft breasts. “I was actually thinking it may be for the best if we allow Brandon to become my mate.”
Huh?!
Faris froze. It took her a few seconds to comprehend what had been said. Once it soaked in, she released a killing intent so strong it had already started carving my gravestone.
“Wait, Miss Faris!” Casella said as she jumped between us. “This is not how it seems! I do not suggest this to betray Lord Bogdan. I say it so we can be together.”
“Lies!”
“I’m telling the truth,” Casella murmured. “We have almost perished multiple times already. If not for Brandon, I fear we would not have survived this long. He has been a great help, but there is only so much he can do at present. His strength does not equal his bravery. If I was to give him my boon—”
“No,” Faris snapped.
“But—”
“Not happening!”
Casella whimpered and retreated back against my chest. It was hard for her to confront a soldier, especially one who towered above her.
“Hold on a minute,” I said. “I’m not sure how all this links up but I can tell Casella’s trying to help. How can you turn her down? Have you forgotten what’s out there? We’re lucky to have made it this far.”
“Irrelevant,” Faris said. “She’s Lord Bogdan’s. Nobody else’s.”
“You’d let her die for something like that?”
There was a moment of hesitation. “I’ll keep her safe.”
“Alone? How’s that worked for you so far?” I said.
Faris glared and little more. There wasn’t much she could say to defend herself.
I sighed. “Look, I’m not trying to put you down. You’re strong. A lot stronger than me and probably stronger than anyone I’ve ever met. But you’ve seen what we’re up against. We’re lucky to still be alive. That won’t last forever. If we don’t take every advantage of everything we can, we’re not going to make it.”
“That is what I was trying to say,” Casella said. “Please, Miss Faris. I don’t wish to be unfaithful, but we need Brandon’s help. We cannot afford to waste my power.”
Faris ground her teeth together. “Lord Bogdan would never approve.”
“You saying he’d prefer if she died?” I asked.
“No,” she responded.
“And you?”
“Completing the mission comes before everything.” That last line had an almost robotic stiffness about it.
“That’s what I thought. We’re not in a position to be picky. We need to use whatever we can.”
“And this is our best chance of survival, yes?” Casella said.
The fact that Faris didn’t say anything said a lot.
“Then it is decided,” Casella announced. She spun around and took my hands. “Brandon, please become my mate.”
“Yeah, about that,” I said as I tried not to lose myself in her radiating expression. “By mate do you mean, like, becoming a couple?”
“Exactly so! We will bond in both flesh and spirit.”
Those words left a rather vivid impression. “Not that I’ve got any complaints but how is that supposed to help?”
Casella looked momentarily confused before her face lit up. “You truly are uncivilized.”
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
“Sorry,” she said with a giggle. “It’s just so unprecedented meeting somebody who doesn’t know. You see, we zerrin girls have a unique ability that is known across the entire civilized universe. We bless those closest to us, our mates, with great power.”
After the punchline failed to materialize, I spoke. “You… you’re serious?”
“Quite. It’s why we are so in demand and many spend fortunes to secure our hand in marriage.”
I stared at her. It was so hard to believe. I could see why someone would want to protect Casella but not how she could make anyone stronger.
“It’s the truth,” Casella said. “Please, Miss Faris. Tell him.”
“I’m not involved,” Faris said. She’d retreated to the cave’s mouth which was the furthest she could get away from us without exposing herself to the elements.
While she hadn’t confirmed it, the fact she hadn’t denied it was telling. It also removed any of the residual remorse I might have had for Lord Bogdan. He didn’t even care about Casella. All he wanted was power. It was no wonder Faris was so protective. Casella was her employer’s magic steroid.
She deserves better.
“I’ll do it,” I said.
“Really and truly?” Casella said, squeezing my hands. “Thank you, Brandon! I know you will use my power well. I feel safer already.”
Her scent consumed me. It was so sweet and enticing. Just like her then. Every breath made me long to take another and become even closer to her. “So… how exactly do we become mates?”
“Did I not say? We must bond in both flesh and soul.”
“That’s a little… by bond, do you mean—”
“Sex.” She said it without hesitation.
My mouth moved but nothing came out. It was what I’d suspected after all, but I still couldn’t believe it. If I was wholeheartedly average, then she surpassed all forms of logic. Everything about Casella, from her full succulent lips to her cave-flooding fragrance, were weapons built to enslave men. Casella was a succubus hiding as an alien angel. It was the only way to explain how one word had gotten me as hard as steel.
“Sure,” I absentmindedly responded.
Casella giggled and hugged me, grinding her coat-smothered breasts against my torso.
I swallowed a grunt.
Holy shit. I’m gonna melt before we’ve done a thing.
“This is so exciting,” Casella said as she separated from me. She clapped her hands and jiggled up and down. The way her chubby little antennas bounced was adorable. “I finally get to mate. You don’t know how much I’ve practiced for this moment. Is it normal if I feel nervous? Because I’m starting to feel a little nervous.”
“Completely normal,” I said as I tried to squeeze my sweaty palms dry.
“You have experience?”
I nodded. “Is that a problem?”
“Not at all. I’m happy my first time is with someone who can take the lead if need be. It was supposed to belong to Lord Bogdan, but now I’m giving it to you.” She unzipped her coat, my coat, and exposed the full majesty of her naked blue body.
Wasn’t she wearing underwear? Where… how long has she been naked?
To think my coat had gotten to caress her breathtaking curves for all that time. It was enough to make a guy feel jealous.
She seemed more captivating every time I laid eyes on her. Perhaps it was because she finally insisting I look. It wasn’t an invitation I needed twice. My fixated gaze wandered her plump curves, paying particular attention to her breathtaking chest. Her stiff blue nipples, a tinge darker than her pale flesh, stood to attention.
Whether that was because of the cold or her excitement, I didn’t know or care.
“Do you find me attractive?” Casella asked as she squeezed her breasts together. They were so large they almost spilled free of her tiny hands.
“More than you could imagine,” I said.
She bit her bottom lip and swayed from side to side. “Your turn.”
I almost tore my clothes off. The fact I might need them later didn’t register in my mind. I’d forgotten all about the wasteland outside the cave. All I could concentrate on was Casella.
Her eyes chased my appearing flesh without hesitation. That was until I removed my pants. Casella gasped and covered her mouth.
“What?” I said with a jerk.
“Big,” she muttered through her fingers. “It’s so big.”
“You don’t need to flatter me,” I said.
“Flatter I don’t. It’s huge.” Casella crouched down so she could get a better look at my hard manhood.
It throbbed on command.
Is she for real? I’m nothing special back home.
“Faris, look. It’s big, yes?”
“Leave me out of this,” Faris snapped without turning our way.
I’d actually forgotten she was there. An unwilling audience wasn’t exactly a turn-on.
