by M. A. Thomas
“I feel safe with you,” she said.
He flew higher into the sky. “I wish I had your heart,” he said.
Despite how she was feeling right now, her heart belonged to another. But for now, just now, her body belonged to Xavier.
“I can only offer you my body,” she said.
“Does it belong to me? I want to possess you.”
“For now, yes, it’s yours.”
Descending, he said, “I need to be inside of you. I need to have you right now.”
“We can’t spend all day fucking,” she said. “We need to find the Kingdom of the Dead.”
She was shocked at how easily she now said the word. Fucking. It rolled off her tongue as if she were simply inviting Xavier over for dinner. Her newfound sexual confidence exhilarated her.
“When we come upon a sign, we’ll know it. Until then...,” Xavier said.
***
When they were standing on the ground again, he pulled her arms behind her back and breathed into her ear. “If your body belongs to me, you’ll obey me.”
She nodded.
He grasped her buttocks and slammed his cock against them.
Wincing, she moaned and tried to turn around but he held her in her place.
“I didn’t say you could turn around,” he said.
“I’m sorry,” she said, ready to burst with anticipation. She wanted him. He was beautiful and powerful and she needed him inside of her.
“Don’t ever apologize,” he said. “Ever.”
“What are you going to do to me?” she asked.
“I want to do everything to you. I want to hurt you, fuck you from the ass until you pass out. I want you to hit me, and curse me.”
Sweet Gods, he is exactly what I need.
He was bringing out her intense sexual desires. Her rage, her broken heart, her sadness, she’d drown it all in Xavier.
“May I turn around?” she asked, ready to wrap her legs around him and consume him.
“You may,” he said.
When she was facing him, she slapped him. “Curse you for making me feel the way I do! For wanting you! For needing you!” She slapped him again.
Grabbing her arms, he pushed her to the ground. “Lie on your stomach,” he said.
Straddling her, he spread her buttocks, teasing her with his cock’s firm and throbbing head.
He then spread her legs. She lifted her head and glanced back at him. The wetness between her legs was driving her mad and she wanted to touch herself.
He spit into his hand. “I want you to be soft for me,” he said, rubbing his saliva in the space between each buttock cheek.
She squealed and squirmed.
And then he started sliding in his cock. “Yes, hellish sweet. Your ass is so sweet,” he said, gently pushing into her.
Slowly, he rode her, moaning and groaning loudly. “You feel so good.”
Heat rushed up and down her body. “Xavier!” she screamed.
“Do you belong to me?” he asked, fucking her harder.
“Yes, I’m yours. Blessed Gods, your cock is going to kill me. I feel it in my throat.”
He slammed into her again and again. “To whom does your ass and pussy belong?”
“Darling angel of mine. My everything is yours.” Everything except her heart.
“I want us to release together.”
“Oh, yes, yes,” she said.
He ejected on her back. And she exploded.
“No more for today,” she said, panting.
“You didn’t like it?” he asked.
“My, you are insatiable. Of course I liked it. I loved it. But, I need to rest, darling sex- crazed angel of mine.”
“Let’s take a dip in the lake,” he said. “I promise not to try anything,” he said with a smirk.
“If you do, I’ll hit you.”
“Promise,” he said, winking.
“You’re a bad angel.”
“Only for you,” he said, standing and offering her his hand.
“After our swim, I’d like to continue our search,” she said.
He looked at the sky. “The sun is only two hours away from setting. Perhaps, we should resume our search in the morning.”
“We’ll go for a swim and then—”
“Yes, yes, we’ll resume our search,” he said.
She raced to the water.
“If I catch you, you’re mine,” he said.
“You said you wouldn’t try anything,” she said, jumping into the water.
“I lied,” he said, diving in after her.
She splashed water in his face. “You’re a horrid angel.”
“Am I?” he asked.
“Kiss me,” she said.
He put his mouth on hers. She cupped his cock and slid it into her pussy.
Moaning and groaning, he rocked his hips, thrusting into her.
“Xavier,” she whispered. “Oh, darling angel...”
“I won’t share you with anyone,” he said.
“Possess me,” she said, burying her mouth in his neck. Gently she kissed him as he went further into her.
She wanted him to stay inside of her forever. He felt so good, so intensely good. The thought of him not rocking her with his marvelous, enormous cock, made her want to weep, yes weep!
“Angel of mine,” she whispered, her arms around his neck.
“Does it gratify you?” he asked.
“Oh, yes, I love it. I need you. I want you. Stay with me.”
“I’ll fuck you until you’re raw,” he said.
“Promise me,” she said, unashamed.
***
Holding hands, Lela and Xavier came upon a vast dead clearing. Dried, crusted earth was all that was beneath them. Ahead, they could see animal skeletons. The air was pungent and thick.
“What is this place?” Lela asked.
Squeezing her hand, he said, “It’s a sign. We’re near the Kingdom of the Dead.”
She gasped. “Let’s keep going.”
“The sun will set in less than an hour. We should find shelter and come back at first light.”
“No! We’re here now,” she said.
“We have no idea what is out there. We have no light with us. You’re not being rational.”
“You don’t have to come with me. But, I’m going. I can’t turn back. What if when we return in the morning, it’s gone? What then?”
Xavier lowered his head and exhaled a long sigh. “You win. Let’s go.”
They resumed walking. Lela was completely afraid but she’d not let her fear break her down. As they walked, the calm air turned to wind, picking up dust and hurling it at Lela and Xavier.
Shutting her eyes, she brought her hand to her mouth. The wind became stronger, nearly knocking her down.
“We must be very close!” Xavier yelled. “Keep your balance and don’t speak.”
Onward they went, pushing through the cloud of dust, the wind getting stronger and stronger.
Lela could not sense Xavier. She felt as if she was walking alone through a tunnel.
“Xavier!” she yelled. “Where are you?”
“My, my,” someone said.
“Xavier?”
“Your angel is no longer here,” the person said.
“Who are you?” she asked, feeling the air with her hands.
“While you were frolicking, your father, oh your poor father was pleading for you...begging me not to hurt you.”
“Are you Godfather Death?” she asked, unable to open her eyes because of the wind and dust.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Princess of the Kingdom of Barmoth. Stiltz told me you’d be coming to visit me. She’s such a wretched witch, isn’t she?”
“Please let my father go!” she yelled.
“You’re such an interesting girl. I have to admit I’m quite taken, quite, indeed.”
“I’ll do anything. Please...I’m begging.”
“Unlike Xavier, I have no desire to possess yo
u,” he said, laughing.
“What then?” she asked. “What do you want?”
“What makes you think I want something? I didn’t ask for any of this. You may thank Stiltz for your predicament. She sent your people and your father here. She’s quite the thorn...always vanishing people.”
“Will you set my father free?”
“Of course not! He’s mine.”
“Let me see you,” Lela said.
“You’re in my kingdom. Make no demands of me!”
“I meant no disrespect,” Lela said.
“You’re never going to see your father again.”
“No! Please tell me what you want. Take me instead.”
“That’s not how it works, dear princess. I decide when to take someone’s life. And I don’t want yours. You’re only just beginning your life. I want to see what you do with it. Go back to Barmoth and lead your people. They need you. Your father is old and ill. His time as king has passed. I’m keeping him as an act of mercy and well, because I’m also curious about you. I want to see what you become. Will you take your place as queen or will you hide in the shadows of the Barmoth forest with a vampire?”
Lela started weeping. She wanted to pull out all of her hair. She wanted the wind to pick her up, carry her high into the air and then let her go. She wanted to die. Let the Kingdom of the Dead take her, too.
“Will you not change your mind?” she asked.
“You shouldn’t have come here. This place is not for you. When I’m ready to take you, you’ll know it.”
“What do I do now?” she asked, crying.
“What you do with your life is your decision.”
“How do I get home?” Xavier, oh angel, where are you?
“I shall return you to the place your heart is craving.”
“I want to go home,” Lela pleaded.
“Open your eyes,” he said.
“I can’t. The wind...the dust.”
“Open them! I’m losing patience.”
***
When Lela opened her eyes, she was standing in the foyer of Eldrich’s house. Grasping the door handle, she unlocked the front door. She’d not stay in his house.
“Don’t go.”
“I didn’t come here by my own will,” she whispered.
“Your hair is completely red. What happened?” he asked.
She glanced down at a strand. Her hair now resembled the red sky of the place she and Xavier had traveled through.
“I’m not the same person,” she said.
“Is your father safe?” Eldrich asked.
Sighing, Lela lowered her head. “I failed him.”
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“I need to go back to the castle. It’s where I belong,” she said, stepping outside onto the porch.
He joined her.
She couldn’t bring herself to turn around. She didn’t want to see him.
“Will you ever forgive me?” he asked.
“You broke my heart.”
“Not telling you the truth was wrong. But please, you have to know I didn’t want any part of what my kind did to your mother. I abandoned my kind after that night. I abandoned my place as prince. I regret it all. I regret not telling you.”
Tears in her eyes, she turned to face him.
“I want to hurt you,” she said.
“I don’t deserve anything less,” he said.
“I wasn’t faithful to you,” she said, swallowing.
He looked at the moon and then back at her.
“I enjoyed it,” she said, tears streaming down her face.
He rubbed his brow.
“Say something!”
“Have you stopped loving me?” he asked.
“I enjoyed it all so much. Do you hear what I’m saying to you? I fucked someone else!”
“You wanted to hurt me. Well, you’ve done it.” He entered the house.
She went after him. “Is that all you’re going to say?” she asked, standing directly in front of him.
“I love you more than anything in this entire wretched world. I would do anything for you. Anything. I can’t breathe without you. I can’t sleep. I can’t think. I’m hopeless without you. My heart...my soul...my everything belongs to you,” he said.
She slapped him. “I just told you I slept with another man and that I enjoyed it and this is your response? I hate you!”
He tried to hug her but she stepped away.
“I’m lost. My father is gone. Everything I knew is a lie. What am I to do now?”
“You’re strong. You’re brave. You will lead your people and take your place as Queen of Barmoth.”
“I can’t. I just can’t!”
“You don’t have a choice.”
“Did you sleep with the witch?” She wanted to faint. Her entire body hurt. Imagining Eldrich with someone else made her want to vomit. Yet, she had no right to feel the way she did. Curse my soul!
“Yes.”
“She got what she always wanted from you.” The witch who cursed Eldrich, turning him into a frog for not lying with her had won after all.
“She doesn’t matter,” he said.
“How do we fix this?” She loved him. And she was not ready to give him up. In her soul, she knew he was kind and that he loved her.
“Can you forgive me?” he asked.
“I don’t know.”
Forgive him for not telling her he was the prince of the Barmoth vampires. Forgive him for not telling her he had arranged for her mother to offer herself to his kind in return for Lela’s safety. Forgive him for not telling her he knew who she was the day he pulled her out of the well. No, she did not know whether or not she could forgive him.
But, there was one thing she knew without a single doubt. She loved him. Yet, she did not regret her sexual encounters with Xavier. Just two and a half months ago she was a princess living in a castle with nothing more to do but wander the forest aimlessly as if she were seeking something more, something adventurous, as if she were seeking love, yes love. And here she was, completely in love with a vampire. And here she was, a woman having had sexual experiences, having suffered loss, having suffered betrayal. She was alive, and free, and ready to take on whatever lie ahead for her. She’d hold her head up high and walk with no regrets.
If Eldrich truly loved her, he’d have to accept her as she was, a woman whose blindfolds had been removed, a woman who longer suppressed her desires, a woman who had made mistakes and would make many more. In return, she would accept him, despite his past, despite the secrets he kept from her, despite everything, she would love him, truly love him.
“Do you still love me?” he asked, his eyes bloodshot.
“With all my heart,” she said.
“I will never keep anything from you again,” he said, taking her hand.
She embraced him. “I love you, I can’t deny it.”
“Lela,” he whispered. “I’m yours, only yours.”
“And I’m yours,” she said. “What now? Where do we go from here?”
“Wherever you want, I’ll follow you to the end of all the kingdoms.”
He kissed her. Oh how she had missed his touch. Her very soul cried out with happiness. Godfather Death had returned her to the place her heart craved.
“Will you follow me upstairs?” she asked, leading him to the staircase.
“Only if that is what you desire.”
“I missed you. I tried to replace you.”
“Did you succeed?” he asked, once they were standing at the top of the stairs.
“I made myself believe I had.”
“And now?” he asked.
She pushed the door open to her bedroom. “I can never replace you.” She sat on the edge of the bed.
“I have to tell you something,” he said.
“Can it wait?” she asked. She wanted to fall asleep in his arms.
“Your mother’s spirit visited me last night. She had a message for me...for us.”
“The God of the Sea has returned the golden ball to land.”
Blood rushed from Lela’s heart. Holding her chest, she said, “How long do I have before it finds me, before vampires come for me?”
“Not long.”
Pacing the room, she said, “Where should I go? Blessed Gods, I need to formulize a plan.”
Wicked golden ball was intent on finding her. And once it found her, vampires would come for her...drain her, believing that her blood could make them human again. Sweet Gods, she was in trouble!
“You need to get some rest,” Eldrich said.
“What? How can I rest?” Oh, but she was exhausted.
