Draconess
Vol.2 Chapter 22

I sit by Rey’s left, swirling wine around my goblet, while Rey sits straight, eyes forever scanning the dinner hall in his Red Castle. He searches for trouble, perhaps even for Torrent in a possible disguise. Lixar was at one point drinking and dancing with Andoll, and then disappearing, in and out of the place. Rey was barely tolerant of his company.

It seemed that with every second, our Venatores was splitting apart further and further. Rey seemed uncomfortable by it, but maybe it was just that Zarcar was in a dungeon, so the true glue of us wasn’t present to keep us stuck together. I never realised just how much he truly bonded us.

And just to make matters more complicated, I had to meet a bloody Centaur.

A very late Centaur. I couldn’t see a horse man anywhere.

“It’s been an hour into this horridly loud dinner, my King,” I grumble into my goblet, knowing his keen ears will hear me, “I wish to return to my tower. To sweet isolation –”

“Is my company not enough?” Rey growls it back without looking at me, and it comes out in a tortured hiss of impatience.

“You are no fun,” I murmur, while Rey slowly turns to me with a genuinely cross expression. His lip curls up and I just pout, “You stare at everyone else –”

Rey’s eyes blink slow now, understanding my greedy request.

“Shall I stare at you then, Chyronex, selfish little Queen,” my Immortal King delights me for a moment, almost as if it was the latter of a more derogatory response. He shuffles around upon his seat to face me, and I face him also, by slyly placing a hand upon his knee.

“Before trouble arrives from Uldaya, as it inevitably will, Rey,” I whisper, “Shall we… indulge… ourselves…?” perhaps I had not lost my whoring streak of 3 years running. Some of this luxurious wine was poisoning my brain too, but I was also… thinking… if I could have Rey to myself for the night, perhaps I could further ruin him for me. He was a rather lonely Vampyre when it came to close company, I wondered if I could use that part of him for my own wicked desires.

Rey’s eyes promptly drop to my chest, he focuses on my breasts, nestled behind the red silk of the gown he chose.

“No,” Rey speaks but I can hear the distinct tone that tells me he is not responding to my words. It’s like I have not spoken at all. He is speaking to my boobs, as he reaches out a hand and grabs the silk, yanking it down, while using his other palm to push the underside of my breasts upward, plumping them up as far as possible without having them spill over, “We need these tits on display for our new guest–” always so fucking selfless.

“The Centaur? The very smart ‘man’? The very late demon spawn? Isn’t that an insult to you, Rey?” I interrupt my Immortal King, rolling my eyes as I turn my head to the hall and the guests, knowing I will not see the mystery Centaur. I would feel it in my blood, the need to eat him, if he was close by.

“You’ll welcome him with a smile for me, Chyronex,” Rey abruptly grabs my knee as he shuffles back around to face the crowd, “Are you having fun yet?”

“For what, waiting on a guest that will never show… perhaps he doesn’t like crowds –perhaps he is outside boozing with the commoners, shall I check?” I trail off as Rey is handed a new wine glass with freshly drained blood.

I blink multiple times while Rey squeezes my knee, rather tightly, as he takes a sip and his pale pink lips turn a bright amused red, “…you will have to please him… I lied to you before, my dear Slave Queen...” Rey smiles into his goblet, and my stomach drops.

I would not be reduced to bestiality, I’d sooner kill. Just the thought makes me want to puke. I must go green in the face, my bile rising in my throat, as Rey’s nose twitches as if he senses the disgust. He looks at me sideways.

“You said I wouldn’t have to,” I hiss at him, gulping in a breath, “I can not –”.

“With your tits,” Rey keeps whispering back, but already I have jerked my knee out of his grip, my hand over my mouth as I leave him without courtesy of any kind.

I practically run from the high table.

Rey promptly chuckles relaxed and low, and it travels all the way to my ears as I swing my way through the crowd and almost trip from the Torquem Steel connecting my ankles.

I make it out the front hall, into the Red Courtyard, and I keep walking to get some fresh air.

I pass Lixar sitting on the steps, and he promptly jumps up to follow me.

“…oh… hell,” Lixar murmurs, reading my mind.

“Get out of my head,” I hold up a hand and glare at Lix over my shoulder while he follows from close behind.

“Where are you going, Chyronex?” Lixar reaches for my elbow and clasps me to a halt.

I turn and hiss, “…luceat luna caecum illum...!” a rather painful blinding spell.

Lixar doesn’t know this moon priestess curse, and he attempts to deflect it too late, opening his mouth – the moon shine brightens his eyes and he freezes.

“I can’t fucking see – Chyronex? How long will this last?” Lixar attempts to follow me but he cannot. He will see nothing but intense moon shine. I don’t give him comfort, I let him act the fool while I walk away, genuinely overwhelmed.

I consider going to Zarcar but even he would only be a butt hurt sorcerer staring at a dungeon wall. He would give me no comfort, and Rey would punish me worse when he inevitably found me disobeying, then in turn I would anger Zar from my impudence… a toxic cycle, it was best I stay away.

Argh.

Feeling controlled, I head for the stables without even thinking.

My greatest fear attracts me and on the way I don’t smell horse shit.

But I do smell the demon.

My nose crinkles and I slowly turn until I see a portion of the Red Courtyard, between all the roses – a very large Centaur, with some company.

Two pretty naked wenches walk by his side, sighing and speaking of cute things while holding a hand of his each.

I feel a bad ominous feeling about it… about his strange silence.

The Centaur wasn’t typical, he would definitely be some kind of leader in Hellfire’s army. Why in Hellfire did Rey want this monster here?

I watch as both girls walk with him through the roses, and he picks some for them.

I am frozen, watching his horrid beast pick bloody roses for disgusting women who would dare consider him… attractive enough to bed –

I freeze as his body turns and I witness his front end.

Oh, hell...

I am frozen in my red dress as I stare at this god like creature… how was this attraction even possible? The black torso ripples up towards the handsome demon, like any Mystifyer, except he is growing out from the body of a powerful stallion.

I gulp, I have not seen luscious skin so dark before, but the moon kisses every part of him and he shines with it. He lived by the night, I could tell by the way he blended into the shadows. Not even by the moon, I was incorrect with that.

He lived by the lack of light. I also feel like I am interrupting something.

I go to stumble backwards, to hide somewhere else – but by this stage no one is going to miss the red flame of this dress, I was stark and obvious, right there before him.

Bloody Rey, making me stand out in the night so I could not run.

By the time this Centaur has glanced at me and caught my eye and my figure, my bare feet and my chained ankles – which are visible as I lift the dress from the dirt.

I can’t describe the rest.

This bloody Centaur was double the size of my beloved Mystifyers.

And he… he was making me feel weird… inside…

I knew lust but – this was indescribable and it was too much feeling.

All I felt was a burning in each capillary, a burning for some kind of sex. I close my eyes, I keel over and throw up on the spot. I can’t help my turning stomach. All the wine, floods past my lips like blood and I stumble back from it as it catches fire and burns in a puddle in the dirt.

The two girls are prancing towards me now, and it’s not until they are closer that I see their gossamer skin, and their obvious fangs, and the way they float – vampyre ghosts?

They laugh and giggle by my ears and behind me, and I angrily cast out a slash of Draconess fire, but it does nothing to kill them, only to push them back temporarily. Now they watch me from afar, judging me with glares.

I start to walk backwards, to keep my eye on this bad demon… he didn’t really seem like a… like a…

Oh hell, the Centaur starts towards me and like a horse – haha – he’s um… he’s really fast.

He practically circles me twice by the time I’ve stood still to take in two frustrated breaths.

“Stop. Playing. Around. With. Me,” I growl out, “Demon.”

“My name is Asmodeus, girl,” his voice is equivalent to Lucifer’s grasp on evil. Except this Centaur has a lovely added tone of beautiful addictive poison. My ears prick and my hair rises in warning. I look up as he slows to my front, his hooves digging into the dirt, a bit too close for comfort. He’s so bloody tall and now he holds out a hand for me to shake, “I’m a Prince of Hell. It’s lovely to meet you.”

I stare at Asmodeus’ offered hand, and it oozes with power. I refuse to touch it lest my soul wisps into that of a ghost

I say nothing, I just force myself to step away from his front. Prince of Hell?

I decide to speak with logic.

“But I thought Lucifer is a King of Hell,” I whisper.

“I represent Lust, Chyronex, I am only one Prince of Hell, one of many,” yet Asmodeus sounds like a fucking angel, “You can take my hand… I will not hurt you,” he sounds too believable.

“Rey calls you a very smart man,” I stare at his hand, refusing to submit.

“You’d have to be smart to escape Hellfire, little one,” Asmodeus chuckles and I replace myself leaning into sniff the back of his hand.

“You don’t smell bad, like you should,” I growl, as I lift my head back and he finally drops his hand.

“I have no ties to Hell’s stink, Chyronex. I live here now, tied to this realm – banished – and proud of it,” Asmodeus starts to circle around me, “Rey welcomed me into his Kingdom, previously I’ve been alone in the woods. I escaped with the Surge of Hemon. A perfect opportunity to break ties with my birthing ground. Not all Centaur’s are bad vile beasts, Draconess –”

“How the hell did you end up a Prince of Hell, then? You must have been,” what was the word? “Ambitious,” I grit my teeth, like Torrent, like Rey, “Ambitious, Asmodeus –?” I almost choke on his name, which sends hot arrows to my nether regions.

I try not to throw up twice.

“Don’t say my name, unless you desire that kind of trouble,” Asmodeus warns me, politely, tenderly even. He finally walks with me as I attempt to walk in a straight line, “I see the Torquem steel adorned lovingly across your ankles. You’re already enslaved to multiple other demon bred males. Interesting. You’re a Draconess of many talents then…?” he seems just as confused by me, as I am by him.

“I live a unique lifestyle,” I speak through gritted teeth, while Asmodeus follows beside me, “I will make it clear now, I have no open reservations. Though Rey expects me to… commands me to… be a…”

“Whore?” Asmodeus murmurs, “I have nothing against whores.”

“Hmmm, well,” I nervously chuckle, and promptly trip when my toe gets caught in a crack in the ground. The soil splits where Asmodeus travels from his massive weight. He promptly snatches my raised hand to steady me, and he grips it so tight.

He doesn’t let go once he has his hold.

I try to tug away but he smirks and holds me a few more seconds longer than necessary.

When I pull back so hard, he unleashes his grip and I promptly fall on my ass.

A secret bastard.

“Excuse me?!” I hiss from below, and I stare past his magnificent fucking warrior-prince-of-hell-and-lust’s body, what a fucking existence – and then I stare below. Because, I’m curious. One look and the blood drains right from my face. Oh, hell no. I spin and get to my feet, while Asmodeus just watches me struggling to exist with every step walking next to him. It doesn’t help he lingers to see how the effects of his existence, impact my own, “Yes. Excuse me,” I repeat myself, “I’m going back inside.”

Asmodeus says nothing and I glance back to see him staring at me with rather invested eyes. But he’s smart because he doesn’t say anything obvious. It makes me think he’s a part-way gentlemen, I would almost believe it, but my natural instincts told me he is a sexual deviant of the worst kind.

I can’t even think along those lines or my blood starts to boil.

Asmodeus still did not answer my question about his ambition.

Which meant he was – definitely – ambitious.

Great.

As we near the dinning hall, I see Lixar being led by Andoll, into multiple trees.

Yes, it’s exactly as it sounds.

She holds his hand and tries to guide him, but then fakes a pitiful, sorrowful sigh when she keeps leading him into more obstacles.

“Andoll!” I growl at her and she spins very fast, blushing madly at being caught being a little too evil, “Stop. Come meet Asmodeus.”

“Who?” Andoll sprints to my side while Lixar spins to the sound of my voice, he blushes too but he is still blind.

“The massive horse man right next to me?” I hold out my hand as I turn to thin air.

I blink.

I blink again.

“My Queen, you are losing your mind,” Andoll scolds me, taking my hand. I genuinely feel my heart beat faster in confusion and anger. I was not crazy. Where the hell did the Centaur go?

I pull back to check inside the dining hall.

I relax my shoulders when I see Asmodeus is inside.

He was just really, really fast on his hooves.

And really, really silent.

I narrow my eyes at the fact Asmodeus is totally relaxed, heading towards Rey, who smiles brilliantly like they are long lost friends.

Hellfire, they probably grew up together or something.

“There is the horse man!” Andoll yells, pointing, “…a beautiful horse man…” she whispers now.

“No, no, come here,” I tug her with me to Lixar, and I grab his hand too, “Can you see now, Lixar? The curse should fade soon. I apologise for my temper.”

“I have walked into a multitude of walls, and trunks, and branches and their sticks, poking into my eyes, Chyronex,” Lixar genuinely sounds embarrassed, “The moment I see, I will throw that little nut into a dungeon to rot.”

“Eeek,” Andoll pulls from my hand and sprints away.

“Don’t go near that Centaur!” I yell out the order and Andoll hears, I see her ears prick up. She disappears running towards the city instead, rather than the dining hall. Good.

When I turn to Lixar I see his eyes still shine, and I grab both his hands and stand with him, “You will leave Andoll alone,” I order him too, “You tease her and she teases you, no one is being put into a dungeon to rot –”

“I did for 7 years,” Lixar murmurs, “Andoll can survive one day, much like my cousin tonight –”

“We will not speak of Zarcar,” I sigh, feeling exhausted, “I need to know something while you can’t see and tease me back – Lixar, are you on my side… or are you firmly within Torrent’s ranks? Where does your loyalty really lie?” I murmur, “I feel my Venatores is slipping out of my hands…”

“You need to tend all of us regularly to keep the bonds alive, sweet birdy,” Lixar ignores my probing about Torrent, “Or you’ll lose every member. I’m not even in your Venatores. You didn’t indulge me for 3 whole years. I followed you and you discarded me, including Zar briefly for Andoll and Tor… dearest Draconess… you are at your weakest when you went to save Andoll… you gave into a devil’s deal. It’s damaged your Venatores. Not permanently, but certainly it’s weakened us all…” Lixar brings up my hands and kisses both of them, the left and then the right, “And now I kind of fucking hate you,” he whispers over both my knuckles, “You gorgeous selfish whore.”

“Saving Andoll is not what bothers you, choosing Zarcar is what –” Lixar interrupts me with a smile, even though he is still blind.

“I don’t care about that,” Lixar forces out the words.

“I can hear the falsehood of your statement –”

“It hurts my pride, that is all,” Lixar lowers his tone, and his eyes flash back to hazel as the spell finally dissipates, probably with his rising emotion. He’s watching me, angry, until his eyes fall to my chest, “Why are you walking around bare breasted?”

I look down and see my tits have spilled out.

And I didn’t even notice.

Hellfire.

“You – it’s, it’s – a long… s-story,” I stutter, taking one hand from his to pull up my dress, “And I do not hate you, Lixar, I rather like you.”

“Like, me?” Lixar whispers, his pride further hurt.

“Of course I love you too,” I whisper, “Lix – listen.”

“Well I hate to love you,” Lixar blurts, then promptly coughs and takes his last hand from mine, “That came out wrong –” he turns to head back into the dinning hall; a red blush creeping up his neck.

I feel my heart skip a beat. So, Lixar really did fall for me then… at some point. Properly into love. Beyond lust.

I am also blushing because of it, a little bit madly.

Oh, Lixar… now there was yet another to share me with.

Speaking of the Centaur… I wasn’t really sure how Asmodeus was going to balance my Venatores.

Although I’m sure with Rey’s genius, it would somehow fall according to plan.

I just hoped I wasn’t the one to lose everything, while Rey gained more.

Sometimes I felt like a useless slave being tossed around. Sometimes I questioned all of it. Rey used sex to control me? Yeah. Perhaps he used my egotistical desire for sharing my love against me too… a Draconess’ instinctual promiscuity and tendency to lust… hmmm… was it my downfall that I enjoyed it so much?

I cross my arms over my chest, refusing to enter the hall.

I’m alone now.

But I’m – feeling – watched.

My spine? Tingles. I hear a slight jingle of a belt. A sword.

But the heavy boots were silent.

A hot devilish breath passes by my ear, and then kisses the curve of my neck.

“I told you not to be here when I visited, Viperae…”

Oh, hellfire.

Torrent.

Right on fucking time.