by Sharon Kay
Larissa plucked one warm cotton bundle and handed it to Nicole, who gratefully wiped her hands, then repeated the process as Larissa gave her another towel for her face. Next, the nymph’s strong hands on her shoulders pressed Nicole down into a cozy armchair. Handing her an apple, she ordered, “Eat.” She settled on the ottoman in front of Nicole.
To her surprise, Larissa pulled Nicole’s feet onto her lap, removed her shoes, and began to lightly rub her tired toes. She was definitely the most touchy-feely hostess Nicole had ever had. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Nonsense. We are honored to have guests such as you and your Lash.”
Nicole recognized her cue to volunteer that Gunnar was, in fact, not hers. But she kept silent. Selfishly, she didn’t want these lovely little creatures to throw themselves at his feet. Or give him lap dances. Or whatever wood nymphs did when they wanted to seduce someone. They were all gorgeous, and they probably didn’t have to try very hard to get a man into their beds. She didn’t want him to even look at any of them.
Squaring her shoulders, she smiled at her diminutive hostess. “We’re grateful for your hospitality.”
Larissa smiled back at her and instructed the other nymph to bring water for a bath. That’s when Nicole noticed the large white enameled tub on the other side of the bed. Not one minute later, the female and several others returned carrying warm water to fill it. That seemed quaint, but the surprises weren’t over. Next, a green dress and slippers were brought in. And dress was a rather generous term for the garment. It looked like it would hit just above the knee on a nymph, which meant that it would barely cover Nicole’s butt.
“I think that might be a little short on me,” she said as politely as she could.
“Hmm, perhaps. Your legs are so very long,” Larissa murmured, her eyes appraising Nicole’s limbs and then the dress. “We can add more moss.”
“Moss?” Nicole took a closer look and realized that the dress was indeed made of moss. The fuzzy parts had been combed smooth and the fibers were woven tightly together. It did look a little sheer, though otherwise it was tasteful. It was short and fitted, with one strap stretching diagonally across the front from bodice to shoulder. “That’s amazing,” she breathed.
Still massaging her feet, Larissa looked up at her piercingly. “Would you like me to attend to your bath?”
“Um…” Nicole gaped at her, taken aback. Was Larissa propositioning her? Did she help bathe all of her guests? She didn’t want to be rude, but definitely preferred to bathe in private. Unless I’m with Gunnar. “I…I’m used to doing it myself. On Earth, we don’t…I mean, I can…uh, no thank you.”
Larissa only smiled at her, completely unfazed by her flustered response. “Of course, my dear. We shall give you some privacy and return later with the dress.” She stood to leave and ushered the other females out. “Call if you need anything. We’re close by.” She smiled and closed the heavy door.
Nicole blew out a breath and sincerely hoped she hadn’t just committed a huge faux pas. She stripped off her dusty clothes and lowered herself into the warm water. Like most tubs, it was too small to accommodate her long legs, but today she didn’t mind. The water had been sprinkled with lavender, which made the whole room smell divine. Relaxation beckoned. Bent knees falling to one side of the tub, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
Her mind was instantly flooded with images of the last time she had bathed. She sighed and shifted as she remembered Gunnar’s mouth at her breasts and his fingers teasing her cleft. She thought of his powerfully muscled thighs under her fingertips, and the sight of his enormous cock straining for her. She moved her hand beneath the water, stroked between her legs just once, and sighed again. Her slender fingers were woefully inadequate.
She’d wait for later, when she would have the chance to get him alone. At least, she assumed she would be alone with him later. No little wood nymph had better dare to flirt with her man. Hers. The thought startled her and at the same time felt very fitting. It didn’t make sense, but there was simply no other way to describe the way he affected her. He was addictive.
CHAPTER 12
GUNNAR’S MIND WAS still reeling from the aftermath of the encounter with the Ghazsul demons. Not from the fight, or even from his spontaneous shift, but from Nicole’s reaction to him. He had expected her to be terrified of the way he changed. For the gods’ sakes, he hadn’t even been able to speak. He was only able to bellow some unintelligible words at her. And she didn’t break down. She didn’t run. Instead, she tried to understand him, and she fought back using her ability in a way she had never done before, against a foe she had never seen.
Then there was her obvious concern for him, despite her bewilderment at his physical changes. He still felt the fury flowing through him for a few moments after he killed the last of the Ghazsuls. As he stood over its smoking body, her presence called to him. Two coherent thoughts formed in his mind: his female was safe, and the Ghazsul demons were dead. As he looked her over, seeing no severe wounds, the rage began to ebb.
He didn’t know what would happen if she got too close to him. He wasn’t sure that he could live with himself if he inadvertently hurt her in his altered state. But the beast inside him calmed to let her approach. It recognized that she was his, and as she boldly stood in front of him, murmuring soft words, the fury left him in a rush. He wanted to shout to the heavens with pride and relief that she wasn’t afraid, but the crash from the adrenaline high brought him to his knees. His rational mind didn’t understand, but his base nature did. His beautiful, brave Solsti had wound her way into his very fiber, and there was no way he was letting her go.
Taszim’s words broke into his reflections. “This way is our armory.” He gestured ahead. The nymph had given Gunnar a thorough tour of the colony, partly to be gracious and partly to give Gunnar any logistical information that he may need in the future. The enclave at Rivkin housed many buildings, some on the ground and some in the air. They had yet to discuss the issue of the dead demon ash. That would come later, after a hearty meal and some nymphy entertainment.
Gunnar had first been shown to a room and taken a quick bath, then devoured a snack of fruits and nuts. He was dressed now for the impromptu banquet being held in honor of his and Nicole’s visit. Nymphs loved a party as much as they loved company. And his state of dress was more of a lack thereof. All the males were shirtless. Growing up on Torth, he was accustomed to the preferences of the different species, including the nymphs’ fondness for bare skin, but he could only imagine Nicole’s reaction to the upcoming dinner.
He examined the impressive selection of bows and arrows. Like the Vipers, the nymphs had poison-tipped arrows, as well as wood, metal, silver, and iron. Other arrows were hooked or barbed. Their foes had different weaknesses, necessitating the variety of weapons. Swords and daggers, boomerangs and maces filled out the stock of battle gear. The nymphs knew how to put up a good fight, but some enemies would prove too strong for them. Their greatest weakness was fire. After all, they were creatures of the woods.
“You are well-armed,” he told his host. For wood nymphs, the statement was true.
Taszim nodded. “We do our best to be vigilant, but we are aware of our limitations. Your help will be an asset.”
“As will a certain item in your possession.”
“Yes, of course. You have my word that we will soon speak of the reason for your visit. Would your lovely fae, Nicole, like to be present for that conversation?”
“Yes.” Gunnar didn’t know whether or not Nicole would want to be there when they discussed the ash, but he figured it was better to err on the side of caution. “And, Taszim?”
“Yes?”
“Nicole’s not a fairy.”
“Oh, my mistake! She is a sprite, then?”
Gunnar smiled and shook his head. “She, my friend, is a Solsti.”
Taszim gaped at him. “But they are a myth.”
“I said the same thing. But sh
e’s real. Rosa confirmed it.”
“My stars…a Solsti. A great goodness necessitated by a great evil. And Rosa’s rarely wrong.” The nymph rubbed a hand over his jaw and leveled a look at Gunnar. “We are doubly honored, then, to be graced with the presence of such a rare creature.”
They walked back to the large banquet hall on the lower level, the colony bustling with preparations. Delicious aromas wafted from the kitchens. Nymphs carried platters piled high with meats and breads. Swaths of bright fabric draped the walls. The music of stringed instruments emanated from the room, which was filled with long tables.
“Truly, friend, you did not need to go to all this trouble,” Gunnar told his host.
“You know we love to celebrate. And now we have even more reason.” Taszim spied his pixieish wife. “Larissa! My love, I have the most exciting news to share with you!”
Clad in a scant dress made of leaves and vines that wrapped around her curvy figure, she sashayed over to give her spouse an open-mouthed kiss. Then she turned to Gunnar, tugged his shoulders down, and did the same to him. Her actions didn’t surprise him. Describing the nymphs as friendly would be an understatement.
Larissa gazed up at him. “Your fae has the longest and most lovely legs I have ever seen.”
He couldn’t suppress a smile, remembering Nicole’s ankles hooked behind his back. “Yes, she certainly does.”
“But that’s just it, darling.” Taszim didn’t seem surprised at his wife’s blatant admiration of Nicole. “Nicole isn’t a fae at all. She’s a Solsti.”
“Taszim, dear, have you spent the last hour with Gunnar in the brew room? The Solsti are only a myth.”
“You know, that’s what everyone is saying these days.”
Gunnar turned in the direction of Nicole’s voice and froze. There she stood, endless legs on full display in a garment that he could only describe as lingerie. It was ridiculously short, with just one little strap running diagonally across her collarbone to hold it up. Moss-green in color, it matched her eyes perfectly…in fact, he realized as he took a closer look, it was moss. And because it was made of moss, it was almost sheer. Unable to draw his eyes from her figure, he could just make out the jut of her nipples beneath the “fabric.” With a hidden reserve of strength, he forced himself not to look any lower down her delectable body. Even though he wanted to drink in every last inch of her, he had the sudden urge to cover her up so none of the other males could see her.
“What?” she asked, self-consciously smoothing a hand over her blond hair, which had been styled artfully atop her head.
“You look...beautiful,” he said, searching for an adequate word.
“Thank you. You know, they had to add more moss to the length.” She grinned at Larissa, who moved forward to embrace her. Nicole easily stood a foot taller than the nymph.
“It’s still short,” he said gruffly.
“Oh, never you mind what he says.” Larissa playfully slapped Gunnar’s hand. Nicole’s eyes flashed at the contact. Interesting.
“My dear, I had no idea you are a Solsti,” Larissa continued. “This is the most stunning and delightful news. Like most of us, I didn’t think the Solsti truly existed. We’re simply over the moon to have you here with us.” Nicole smiled sweetly at their hosts.
“Please excuse us as we see to some last details.” Taszim steered his wife toward the great hall. As they walked away, Gunnar could hear him whisper to her about using the vines in her dress for another purpose later on that evening.
“Can you believe the way they dress here?” Nicole smoothed her hands over her hips. “Moss, for heaven’s sake. And you, with no shirt. Not that I’m complaining.” Her eyes drifted down his torso before moving back up to his face.
He stifled a groan at the movement of her hands and the appreciation in her eyes. “First, I’m not the only male here without a shirt. But I am the only one you should be looking at. Second, I’ve worked around nymphs before, so the dress code isn’t a surprise to me. And third, that dress…” He trailed off, gripping her upper arm and leaning down to her ear. “It’s going to drive me crazy all night.”
“Hey, I didn’t get to choose it. Larissa brought it to me. And she did have it made longer, so I couldn’t refuse it. Not after...” she broke off and moved even closer, whispering, “She offered to bathe me!”
He raised his eyebrows. “She did? Well, she is a nymph after all. Remember what I said about them being friendly?”
“Yes, but, I didn’t think they would...I mean, I hope I didn’t offend her by saying I could do it myself.”
“I’m sure she wasn’t offended. That was probably her way of finding out what your preferences are.”
“Oh my,” she said. “I had no idea their hospitality extended that far.”
“Actually, you may be in for another surprise tonight. Just wait for the entertainment portion of the evening.”
Her green eyes widened. She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Gunnar felt a feminine touch on his arm. He turned to see a voluptuous nymph who barely reached his elbow idly running one finger along his forearm. Dark brown hair fell in waves to her waist.
“Welcome to Rivkin.” the nymph gazed up at him with purposeful eyes. “I’m Diantha. Can I get you anything?”
She, too, had a “dress” made of vines and leaves, with heavy emphasis on the vines. She had only bothered to arrange a few leaves in strategic places along the front of her garment.
He diplomatically removed her hand from his arm. “It’s lovely to meet you, Diantha. I’m Gunnar and this is Nicole.”
Nicole looked ready to shoot daggers. “Hello. Your dress is so…artistic.”
“Why, thank you.” She didn’t bother to look at Nicole. Her eyes were glued to Gunnar’s chest. “We’re so glad to have visitors like you. We want to make sure you’re as comfortable as possible while you’re with us.”
“And we’re so glad to be here,” Nicole said with forced sweetness, twining her hand in his arm. “We were just going to speak with Taszim. It was nice to meet you.”
She dragged him away from Diantha and into a corner of the hall near a great stone fireplace. As she walked in front of him, he had an excellent view of her ass, which was barely covered by the sheer moss dress. His groin tightened, remembering her firm little bottom pressed against him. “What was that all about?” she hissed.
“She’s just a nymph being…well, a nymph,” he said, feeling a burst of pride at her comments. “Honestly, that will probably happen again before the night is over. To you, as well,” he added, before she could retort.
“Well then, I think that you and I had better stay joined at the hip,” she muttered. “That dress was just strings and pasties.”
Gunnar couldn’t hold back a laugh at her indignation, and he pulled her close. “You’re adorable when you’re jealous.” She started to protest, but he swiftly reversed their positions so that she backed up to the wall. Lowering his head so that his mouth hovered just above hers, he whispered, “I’d rather see that dress on you.”
Taszim clapped his hands and the music quieted to a soft melody. His gaze landed on Nicole and Gunnar, and the nymph leader gestured for them to sit at the head table. “We are honored to have two special guests with us tonight.” Taszim’s eyes were merry.
The other nymphs smiled at them. Gunnar put his arm around Nicole’s waist and tugged her close as they approached the dais. Stepping up to the table, Taszim and Larissa embraced and kissed them. They all sat down and goblets of wine were immediately set at each place. The low beat of drums and trill of flutes filled the hall.
Gunnar sat next to Larissa, who chattered amiably while steaming bowls of soup were brought to them. As course after course was set on their table, he couldn’t help but notice the female nymphs that stood just beyond the empty space next to him. A similar group of males stood on Nicole’s side of the table.
“You know, Gunnar, you may partake of anything you like here at
Rivkin.” Larissa’s eyes flicked to the females. “Truly.”
He polished off his second braised turkey leg and glanced at Nicole who listened attentively, eating as Taszim spoke to her. Gunnar was only interested in the leggy blonde at the other end of their table, but he smiled and placed his hand over Larissa’s. “Your hospitality is unparalleled, my lady.”
“As is the radiance of your female. Have you known her very long? The return of the Solsti is wondrous, but I must admit it is also a little unsettling.”
“You and I are in agreement again, Larissa. The Solsti are said to exist when there is a great need for their help. Right now, I don’t know what we may be up against.” He smiled as he glanced over at Nicole, listening intently to something Taszim was saying. “And I haven’t known her long. You could say I just...found her.”
“Aren’t you the lucky one, then. If you don’t mind, I’m going to whisk her across the room for a moment. I want to show her some of the treasures we have here in the great hall before my husband bores her straight to sleep.” She turned to Taszim, wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him close to kiss him, effectively ending his conversation with Nicole. “Darling, I’m going to borrow Nicole for a bit. I’ve been dying to show her how talented our weavers are. They are masters, and not just with moss.” She winked at Nicole.
Nicole caught Gunnar’s eye and shrugged. “I’d love to see them, Larissa.”
The nymph took Nicole’s hand and led her toward one of the beautiful tapestries that hung along the walls of the banquet room. It wasn’t long before the two were surrounded by a bevy of males, who didn’t seem the least bit bothered that they had to look up into Nicole’s face to speak with her. Gunnar gritted his teeth, noting that most of them weren’t looking at her face; rather, they let their gazes drop to ogle her lush, nearly naked body in that damn moss dress. He struggled to remind himself that they would be doing the same to any visiting female. And their own females, for that matter.
