《Myth Hunter》


 1: Myth Hunter

    I¡¯d been chasing Tracy Robertson for several weeks. It was the most fun I¡¯d had in my twelve years of bounty hunting. Multiple warrants meant multiple paychecks from five separate bondsmen. No She wasn¡¯t accused of anything violent, which meant the pursuit wasn¡¯t quite as fun as the usual, she¡¯d made up for it with her craftiness. It had been a good run.


    I was close to her now, I wasn¡¯t as much running after her as I was waiting for her to show herself. The only lights in the place were hanging from the ceiling. Old incandescent bulbs cast a cone of sickly yellow light on cardboard boxes with a logo that resembled a dead rat, with a big, black X over each eye.


    A creak less than thirty feet to my right alerted me to her presence. She¡¯d been quiet the whole time, maybe holding her breath. It was too bad she fell for my oldest trick. I¡¯d expected more from my elusive prey.


    I burst from my hiding spot and toward the sound. Tracy had managed to climb to the top shelf, nearly twenty feet high, and she gasped when she saw me. She whirled around and started to run.


    I followed along the ground as she jumped the six-foot gaps between the shelves, scrambled over boxes too big to avoid, and knocked a few to the ground. She¡¯d chosen the wrong path. I sprinted ahead and slammed my shoulder into the shelf in front of her, sending it slowly tipping to one side. There would be some property damage, but she would be the one to pay for it.


    She had too much momentum. She tried to find a footing on the shifting boxes and pallets, but let out a little squeak of defeat when she finally stumbled into the gap.


    I caught her flailing form on the way down. It wasn¡¯t hard, she weighed barely a hundred pounds. She gasped and wrapped her arms around my neck. The shelf she¡¯d just fallen off of crashed into the one next to it. That one crashed into the next, and so on. I was glad I didn¡¯t work there. The clean-up would take hours, maybe days.


    She looked up from my arms with big eyes, they were such a light shade of brown they were almost orange. She had sharp, exotic features and big eyebrows that perfectly matched her olive complexion. She was almost primitive. Not one of the many photographs I¡¯d seen of her did her justice.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, batting her long lashes at me. Her chest was heaving.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± I said. Then I flipped her over, dropped her to the hard concrete and put my left knee in the small of her back. ¡°These are a little tight,¡± I warned her as I retrieved my handcuffs, ¡°but that¡¯s because they''re new. Don¡¯t worry, though¡ªthey¡¯ll stretch to fit your wrists after a while.¡±


    I fastened the cuffs gently but firmly. ¡°My name is Zachary Novak. You can call me Zac. Better yet, Mister Zac. I¡¯m not going to read you your rights, because you don¡¯t have any. I¡¯m a bounty hunter, and I¡¯m returning you to the Cottonwood Police Department, where you¡¯ll be locked up until your trial. You should¡¯ve shown up to court. Nobody hides from me for long.¡±


    ¡°You have nice hands,¡± she said, moving her hands as far back as she could to stroke mine. ¡°How about a backrub while you¡¯re back there?¡±


    She twisted around enough for me to see her eyes. She wasn¡¯t kidding. If I¡¯d been on top of her for any other reason, I might have taken her up on the request. Still, it wasn¡¯t normal behavior for someone I¡¯d just pinned to the ground and cuffed.


    People high on drugs often said weird shit. If she was on drugs, the jail would insist she visit the hospital before they¡¯d accept her. I flipped her over onto her back and retrieved a little flashlight from one of the pockets of my black cargo pants. I¡¯d seen enough fugitives to know what to look for in their eyes.


    When I looked, though, I wasn¡¯t sure what I was seeing. She had deep blue eyes, but when I looked, they were milky white. There weren¡¯t even any little red veins¡ªjust white.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± I whispered.


    ¡°My name is Jayna,¡± Tracy whispered. Her voice had changed and she¡¯d suddenly developed a Slavic accent. ¡°You must save me. I will unbind from this world and bring you to mine. Find the items I have left for you. Free me and I will be yours.¡±


    Of all the things I¡¯d heard fugitives say to try to get out of custody, this was¡ªthe most original, to say the least. The girl was proving to be a lot of fun, even when in custody. I barely had the time to think this thought when I felt the universe turn in on itself, tilt a little to the left, and escape out some kind of cosmic funnel.


    The objects around me stretched and spun, creating a kaleidoscope of colors, bubbles, and swirling shapes. A few seconds later it was all over, and I found myself on my hands and knees, trying to catch my breath.


    My first thought was that the lady had kicked me in the head and knocked me stupid for a moment. I didn¡¯t see how she could have done it, though. Maybe she had an accomplice. But there was no way anyone could sneak up on me like that. It all became a little more¡ªand a little less¡ªlucid as the seconds passed.


    The girl was gone. So were the concrete floor, the heaps of crushed boxes, the toppled shelves, the lights and walls and anything else that might have resembled a warehouse. Instead, I found myself in a cave. There was light, but it looked like it was coming from some kind of nasty, glowing fungus which lined most of the ceiling and walls.


    I glanced around, taking in everything at once as I searched for possible threats, and for my quarry. I found neither, but I did see a pair of three-level daises of about a foot high and three feet wide. On the first lay something that reminded me of a sword, only bigger¡ªa lot bigger. There was another dais to the right of it, and though there was something on it as well, I couldn¡¯t properly see what it was; in any case, it didn¡¯t attract my attention the way the big-ass sword did.


    I stood up and checked myself for injuries before scanning the room once more. I noticed a third unnatural feature in the cave. It was a wooden shelf, sitting on top of two wooden rods protruding from the stone. On it were several small discs. I ignored them while I touched my head, elbows, and knees, searching for hurts.


    I felt fine, beside the fact that I was no longer in the warehouse, and that Tracy¡ªor ¡°Jayna,¡± as she called herself¡ªhad gotten away. No matter, though. As soon as I found out where I was and got back home, I¡¯d find her again. Next time, though, I planned on shackling her ankles as well. She wouldn''t get far after that.


    I approached the dais on the left. The sword had to be close to four feet long, with a foot-long crossguard. Its silver pommel was shaped like a dragon¡¯s clawed foot and held a black gem that sparkled in the dim, green light of the slime. I didn¡¯t see any signs anywhere and it didn¡¯t look like anyone was there to claim ownership, so I decided to take it for safekeeping. It would look nice mounted on my wall with the rest of my blades, even if I did have to find a way to hang the thing. It looked like it weighed at least fifty pounds.


    There were runes forged into the blade by a master smith. ¡°Pinion,¡± I whispered. I could read what it said, even though I didn¡¯t recognize the language. Weird.


    An ornate sheath lay next to the sword. It looked like it was made of lizard skin, maybe snake or alligator.


    I grabbed the sword by its long grip and nearly threw it when I heaved it off the ground. It was surprisingly light. My first thought was aluminum or titanium, but it was even lighter than that.


    ¡°Nice,¡± I said to the empty room. ¡°This isn¡¯t a legal residence in anyone¡¯s definition. And, abandoned property can¡¯t be stolen. Finders keepers.¡±


    I checked the edge and discovered it was razor sharp. If I encountered any dragons, I knew I¡¯d have a fighting chance. It meant I needed to find a mount the sword wouldn¡¯t gouge, but at least I wouldn¡¯t need any heavy-duty anchors. I imagined myself cornering my next fugitive and drawing the huge blade. Whoever it was would shit their pants. I laughed aloud.


    I picked up the sheath and inspected it, too. I looked for a way to attach it to my tactical web belt but couldn¡¯t find one. Then I remembered the other dais. On it was a thick leather belt, decorated almost the same as the sheath¡ªa matching set! What didn¡¯t match, though, was the brass rings running all the way around one side of the belt. It looked like something had been held there at one time. I had no idea what, though.


    I ran the belt through the sheath and secured both to my waist with a brass buckle at one end of the belt. After giving the sword a few more practice swings, mesmerized by how light yet solid it felt, I inserted it into the sheath. It was a perfect fit.


    Then I turned to the small coins stacked neatly on the shelf. Each dull silver coin had a small rune on each side, all four of them different. The coins were lighter than aluminum, but I couldn¡¯t work out what these were made of either. I dropped one on a dais to listen to the sound it made, but it simply stuck to the stone, not bouncing even once.


    The ground at my feet began to vibrate. I instinctively stepped back and drew Pinion, holding it with both hands. A second later, thick, barbed vines burst out of the ground around the coin like a clawed hand and snatched at the air. I began to wonder if I¡¯d been drugged, but it looked so real, and yet so unreal. It was like magic. At that moment, I suspected it was.


    It was a magic trap of some kind. I glanced at the sword, touched the belt, and marveled at the rest of the coins in my hand. I wasn¡¯t in Phoenix anymore.


    The vines calmed a moment later, so I approached cautiously and poked one with the tip of the sword. The plant, if that¡¯s what it was, didn¡¯t react to being rudely gouged. The six tentacle-like vines waved and bobbed.


    I carefully reached in to scoot the coin closer to me. As soon as I touched it, though, the vines receded back into the ground. I picked it up without further incident and placed all of them in my pocket. I wasn¡¯t sure what I¡¯d just stumbled into, but I was intrigued.


    It was time to find an exit. I kept my new sword out and ready. Besides pepper spray, a short expandable baton and a stun gun, I¡¯d left the rest of my tools locked in my truck. Tracy Robertson weighed barely a hundred pounds, after all. And, she wasn¡¯t wanted for violent crimes, just theft, forgery, things like that.


    I crept around the edge of the cave. The floor was mostly flat with small pebbles and some scattered pools of water. It was only about fifty feet wide and more or less circular, but I didn¡¯t find the exit until I got half way around. It was small, no more than three feet high, but after crawling for just a yard or so it opened back up again to a ten-foot-wide passage with a ceiling nearly as high. The floor undulated, and I guessed it had once been the home of an underground stream.


    I hadn¡¯t traveled far when the passage turned left and I heard chittering voices. I noticed the orange flicker of fire and smelled burning wood. When I finally reached a place from where I could see the fire, I couldn''t believe my eyes.


    Three giant rats, wearing matted, loose clothes, sitting around a small fire, eating and talking. They had to be at least four feet tall when standing up straight, and though they spoke a language I¡¯d never heard before, I understood.


    I recalled what Tracy¡ªor Jayna¡ªhad said. She said she needed me to free her. She said she needed me to collect the items she¡¯d left for me. I had a strong suspicion she hadn¡¯t been saying those things because she was drugged¡ªat least not just because she was drugged.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± I said, stepping into the light, doing my best to keep the giant sword out of sight. ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone named Jayna.¡±


    The rats looked startled. One of them dropped a bit of what looked like bread. They sniffed the air, long whiskers quivering as they did so, then cautiously sat down and continued to eat. They didn¡¯t take their eyes off me, though.


    ¡°Jayna?¡± I repeated. ¡°Anyone know who she is, or better, where she is?¡±


    The rat who¡¯d dropped his bread stood and hissed at me.


    ¡°Begone or we¡¯ll eat your flesh,¡± the creature hissed, drawing a nasty-looking short sword from his belt. The others stood and drew their own strange blades, and though they didn¡¯t look as confident, the menace in their expressions was unmistakable. They wanted a fight, and they were certain they could win. I was more than happy to disappoint them.


    I lifted Pinion to low guard, twisting the blade in my hand to make sure they could see it. The sight of it only seemed to infuriate them more. They attacked.


    The first came in straight, screaming at the top of his lungs. It sounded like a police whistle mixed with a harmonica. I swung my sword in a hard downward arc to cause the most damage possible. I was surprised when I split the creature in half and buried my sword several inches into the stone.


    The rat dropped his sword, his brain no longer able to send signals to each half, and came apart as the pieces toppled down in opposite directions¡ª one toward me, the other away. Halfway down, the creature¡¯s guts fell out of his belly and onto the stone in two sloppy piles.


    The other two didn¡¯t even blink. They charged forward, and it was immediately clear to me what they were going to do. One was approaching on my left, the other on my right. When they got to me, they intended to swing their thin blades at the same time.


    I pulled hard at my sword to get it out of the ground, and was again amazed with how light it felt in my hands. I rolled to my left, blocked a wild swing from the nearest rat, reversed my swing, and cleanly severed his head from his body. He began to twitch violently as he fell, and although his brain was several feet away, the creature¡¯s corpse began to run as gouts of blood fountained out of its neck.


    The last creature came straight at me, his sword pointed forward like he meant to run me through as if with a lance. I batted his blade down, and the rat impaled himself on his own pommel. As blood bubbled from his dark lips and he gripped his wound, I grabbed his filthy tunic and put my blade to his neck.


    A new sound reached my ears. Scurrying feet, whistles and chittering. There were more. I was in their nest, and they were coming.


    Those I¡¯d killed must¡¯ve been scouts, there to sound the alarm if they were invaded. Since I was only a single person, they must not have felt threatened. But there had been enough noise to inspire others, possibly hundreds, to find out what had happened. A rat army was on its way. I needed to hurry.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again,¡± I growled at the ratman in my grip. ¡°Where is Jayna?¡±


    The creature smelled like piss, I could barely stand to be as close to him as I was. He lifted one thin, clawed finger and pointed to a tunnel, one of several exiting the small room. Then he died, and I allowed him to slip from my grip.


    I headed down the tunnel. This shit was getting weirder by the second. My mind raced to try to find an explanation, but the only solution I could come up with was Jayna. She had some explaining to do.


    The tunnel was as tall as the last one but had clearly been worked. The floor was flatter, the walls were straighter. The ceiling still undulated, but, based on the short stature of the rat people, if they were the ones who¡¯d done the work, I didn¡¯t think they would have bothered to correct the natural features of a ceiling they would have trouble reaching.


    As I progressed further, I noticed more. There were small alcoves carved into the walls. A few had ruined statues within them, mostly just feet and knees. None of them appeared to be humans or rats. It was difficult to tell with only the moss light, but it looked like the legs were too hairy and too long.


    I continued in silence. If there were any other creatures, none of them had checked on the rats I¡¯d killed, or none had been alarmed.


    The tunnel suddenly became a proper passage. The floor was as smooth as the concrete back at the warehouse. The walls were straight, and even the ceiling looked like it was finished. I knew I was about to get to somewhere important.About twenty feet ahead, the slimey glow became less intense, and I got a sense of a vast open space beyond. I thought about calling out to Jayna, but if she¡¯d really transported me somewhere by magic, she might have been worried I was pissed and meant to kill her. I was more curious than pissed, though.


    I stepped slowly into the room and laid my eyes on the eeriest sight I¡¯d ever seen. I¡¯d been in some weird places before, but they didn¡¯t come even close.


    The room was vast, at least a hundred feet deep and maybe twice as wide. The ceiling was far enough away that the glowing moss barely cast any light onto the floor. Most important, though, were the carvings and statues filling the space


    Dragons. Lots of dragons. Whoever had commissioned this really had a thing with giant flying lizards. There were other creatures too, though, many of which I recognized from books and movies. I spotted a centaur, a hippogriff, and a giant squid with curling tentacles covered in hooks and barbs.


    It was a temple.


    The craftsmanship was amazing. Every one of the statues was exquisite and I found myself wondering, if I ever found a way back home, whether the landlord would lose his shit if he came into my apartment and found a couple of these in there.


    One statue, however, looked more realistic than the rest. It was a ten-foot-tall hairy beast with hunched shoulders. Its arms were thin and long, its fingers nearly touching the floor. Its legs were long too. As I approached it, I become more and more convinced that it was too lifelike to be made of stone. I stopped and raised my sword to high guard.


    How, if Jayna had truly come this way, had she managed to sneak past the beast?A half-second later, it whirled on me and attacked. It lunged, its wide-open maw displaying inch-long pointy teeth. It had black claws, and it was fast.


    I spun behind a statue of a winged horse. The creature¡¯s claws raked the stone, sending hot sparks bouncing across the floor. I ducked and felt a gust of air as the thing tried to take my head off with another swing.


    There was barely time to bring my sword up before it was knocked aside and I had to roll away to avoid another clawed attack at my head.


    I stabbed at its forward leg, but the creature lifted it out of the way surprisingly nimbly and attempted to kick the sword from my grasp. I followed the momentum to my right and made a sweeping strike at its leg again, which it easily dodged before coming at me again.


    I didn¡¯t have time to think or plan. I swung hard and ended up cleaving a statue of something that looked like a big-breasted naked woman in half. Too bad. That one would have looked nice next to my television.


    The statue fell toward the creature and I backed away, hoping it would be crushed. The hairy beast saw things differently. It picked the half-statue up and hurled it at me as if it weighed no more than a bag of flour.


    I dived out of the way but still felt shardsl from the statue pepper the back of my head. The creature howled, turning its drooling muzzle toward the far-away ceiling, listening to the echoes as I stood up and braced myself for battle again.


    It looked down and stared at blankly me for a moment, before glancing at the stump of the statue next to it, then at a smaller one of a winged monkey. It looked back at me a last time before finally grabbing it.


    I considered using my stun gun, but the monster was far too large. Instead, I reached into my pocket and grabbed one of the dull silver coins I¡¯d found. I wasn¡¯t sure if they all did the same thing or not, but I might as well try. I had to make sure it didn¡¯t see what I was doing, though, so I started backing up like I was preparing to run.


    The beast threw the statue up and down in his hand a few times, looked at me, and apparently decided it would be better to attack me with its claws instead. As it lowered itself on its haunches, I dropped the coin and quickly retreated, keeping my sword between my opponent and myself. It lunged, mouth open and clawed fingers extending just as the vines erupted from the ground.


    I rushed forward as it frantically fought against the snaring tentacles, stepped to my left to avoid its flailing claws, raised my sword, and brought it down on its neck. It cut through it like butter. The creature¡¯s head fell to the floor and the body stopped moving. The vines, however, continued to snake around it, squeezing tighter and tighter. Blood cascaded from the thing¡¯s neck.


    No sooner had I taken a step back and began to relax, than wind began to rush through the temple, swirling eons of dust into the air. I was battered from side to side and had to take a knee, keeping my sword raised against the unseen threat.


    The violence of the wind continued to increase, but it started blowing from just one direction. I wrapped my arm around a statue and held my sword close, trying to peer into the dimness as the wind ripped tears from my eyes.


    Then I noticed something.


    The beast¡¯s hairy body was glowing. I had no idea what it meant, but I didn¡¯t like it. The wind was blowing too hard for me to try to move, though, so I waited.


    As the light intensified, so did the wind, until suddenly, I was freed. A glowing cone of wind had formed itself over the creature¡¯s body and was slowly sinking into it. A few seconds later, it vanished, but the body still glowed.


    Then a beam of yellow light shot out from the body. I tried to dodge, but it followed me. I brought my sword down to try to block the beam, but it was as if my blade didn¡¯t even exist. When I looked, I saw where the beam was aimed. It was illuminating one of the empty brass sockets on my belt.


    I wasn¡¯t in pain. I couldn''t even feel it, so I waited and glanced around the room, double-checking that some other opponent wasn¡¯t taking advantage of the situation to sneak up on me. The coast was clear.


    Suddenly, the body stopped glowing, and a smooth yellow gem filled the socket on my belt. Neat!


    Just a moment later, though, another beam appeared, but it came from the newly appeared crystal this time. I watched in fascination as it formed a glowing cloud in front of me, which began to coalesce into a human-like shape. It slowly became less transparent as limbs, a torso, a head, and the rest of a body began to form. I kept my sword in my hand, just in case.


    A few seconds later, the beam stopped, but the cloud remained, darkened, solidified, in the shape of a gorgeous woman. She was completely naked and very human-like except for an abundant crop of hair on her shins and a pair of enlarged canines protruding over her full bottom lip.


    She had an olive complexion, and her breasts were well over a plump handful with small, pink areolas. Straight, black hair fell over her shoulders down to her hips. I drank in the sight of her as images of tasting her wet depths flashed bright through my mind.


    She was a few inches shorter than me, and when she lifted her eyes to meet mine, I recognized them immediately. There was only one person I knew whose eyes were such a light shade of brown.


    ¡°Jayna,¡± I said.


    ¡°Hello, Zac,¡± she said.


    I motioned to the dead, hairy beast. ¡°You were, what, hiding inside that thing?¡±


    She smiled and shook her head. ¡°No. ¡°I was imprisoned within the myth. I was once a powerful witch, but I feel my powers have waned. It took everything I had to bring you here. It was selfish, I¡¯m sorry¡ªbut I needed you.¡±


    ¡°Was that a werewolf?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Awesome. I never killed a werewolf before. ¡±Anyway, now that I¡¯ve saved you, what are your plans? Will you be sending me back?¡±


    Jayna stared at me with a curious expression and cocked her head to one side. ¡°I can¡¯t send you back. I¡¯m sorry, but I no longer have the strength. I have many sisters who are also sealed in myths, as I once was. Please hunt down the myths. Kill them, and rescue the others. They are prisoners and will remain so, but you are good and it would be better to serve you than them.¡±


    It was quite clear what I should choose, but I considered it briefly anyway.


    Firstly, and most obviously, there was the sword I held in my hand. I lifted it and inspected the blade. It was completely unmarred, even though I¡¯d chopped through stone twice. I¡¯d do anything to spend more time with this thing of beauty.


    Secondly, I was in a world filled with magic¡ªsomething we didn¡¯t have on Earth, at least not that I knew. Anything and everything was possible. I had coins, for instance, which made dangerous vines pop out of the ground like angry, hooked pythons. I bet the other ones did something different, and I looked forward to finding out what.


    Thirdly, well, there was the woman standing in front of me, flaunting her fine body shamelessly. When she noticed me inspecting her body brazenly with my eyes, she even pulled her long hair over her shoulder so I could get a complete view of her gorgeous breasts. The look in her eyes told me it had been a long time since she¡¯d been bedded.


    Lastly, instead of hunting humans¡ªwhich had become routine until I¡¯d met Jayna¡ªI got to hunt monsters. Big monsters. Legendary monsters. I felt a big grin spread across my face.


    I sheathed Pinion and grinned. ¡°Count me in.¡±


    I was about to step forward and grab her around the waist, when I heard familiar high-pitched, frantic voices. I turned around, and there they were. Gray bodies draped cloth, leather, and ill-fitting metal armor marched up to the temple entrance. One scurried forward before the others, gasped, and pointed to the werewolf¡¯s corpse.


    ¡°They¡¯ve killed the Protector!¡± he squealed.


    The entire mass of overgrown rodents surged forward as angry curses and hisses drowned out all other sounds. I¡¯d tried to avoid fighting the army, but it didn¡¯t look like I had a choice anymore. I drew Pinion and stepped forward.


    Jayna had retained some of the fur and fangs of a werewolf. I wondered if she¡¯d kept anything else. She answered my question with a low, guttural growl that echoed off the walls.


    This was going to be fun.


    <h1></h1>

 2: King of the Ratfolk

    But the rats didn¡¯t attack. Though they surged forward every second or so, they retreated just as often, like an undulating sea of fur.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡± Jayna asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re waiting for something,¡± I murmured to her. I hadn¡¯t the foggiest idea what that something might be. They answered that riddle a moment later when a low chant began to echo through the passage and into the temple.


    ¡°Gustav,¡± they chanted. ¡°Gustav. Gustav. Gustav.¡± The sound of heavy footsteps began to add to the din of high-pitched voices just before he showed himself: a rat, at least three times as tall as the rest, was pushing his way through the crowd.


    Those near the end had to enter the temple to let him through, but they quickly huddled themselves against the wall near the door. It seemed it was Gustav who did their fighting for them.


    The giant rat had to duck to enter the temple. He looked even more impressive in there. He must have been twelve feet tall and was layered in thick, corded muscle visible even beneath his fur. He wore a braided leather cord like Muay Thai fighters, and he had black and red war paint on his face. That, combined with his leather armor covered in riveted plates of metal, made for an impressive sight.


    He was ready for battle.


    When he stepped forward, he was immediately flanked by four other rats, all wearing similar armor and carrying single-edged battle axes. They had the same kind of war paint, but were only as big as the regular ratmen.


    ¡°If we¡¯re going to get out of this alive,¡± Jayna whispered, ¡°we¡¯ll need to defeat Gustav and his lieutenants. You, however, need to make sure that you deliver the killing blow to Gustav personally.¡±


    ¡°And if we do, they¡¯ll let us go?¡± I asked as Gustav stretched to unsling the biggest two-bladed battleax I¡¯d ever seen from his back.


    ¡°Something like that,¡± Jayna said.


    Her non-committal answer didn¡¯t sit well with me, but I resolved to ask her about it after the fight.


    Gustav motioned to a square of flat ground surrounded by statues. I nodded and made my way there. I guessed it was ceremonial, part of their weird rat tradition. It didn¡¯t matter to me where Gustav got his ass kicked, so I was happy to oblige.


    Gustav swung his ax easily with one hand as he stared me down.


    ¡°You ready?¡± I asked Jayna. I wasn¡¯t ready for what I saw when I looked, though. She was hairier than before. A lot hairier.


    Jayna was crouching down like she was ready to pounce on the first rat who made a face at her. Two-inch ebony claws extended from the ends of her fingers, and the whites of her eyes had disappeared.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± the creature said in Jayna¡¯s voice.


    Once the fight started, I¡¯d have to work hard to make sure I got to kill something before she tore them all up.


    Challenge accepted.


    I raised my sword and charged. The two rats on either side of Gustav fanned out, but he held his ground. When I was close enough, I slashed my blade down, but Gustav blocked it with ease.


    Gustav¡¯s trailing foot shifted a bit, and his tail lashed to one side¡ªclear indications he was trying to counter my move. I had my sword up way ahead of time. When the two weapons clashed, sparks showered over me, temporarily blinding me.


    I slid my blade along his, found his weapon¡¯s handle, and cut along its leather wrapping. The brute saw what I was doing, and my vision returned just in time to see him return his hands to his spinning weapon. Nice move.


    He took a step back, assumed a more defensive posture, and squinted behind me. I was a little insulted he thought I¡¯d fall for that old trick. The now very hairy Jayna did a backflip over my head and landed on one of Gustav¡¯s war-painted companions.


    She slashed at the rat¡¯s muzzle with her claws as he fell to his knees, launched herself into the air, and drop-kicked another, before returning to the first. The rat had recovered and slashed at her midsection. His attack looked like it had made contact, but she didn¡¯t cry out. Instead, she kicked the creature between his legs, lifting his long, hairy feet a few inches from the ground for a second. He collapsed into a moaning heap.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    I¡¯d seen enough. She could take care of herself. I¡¯d take care of Gustav.


    I feigned a stab, and the huge rat attempted to block it. When I switched sides for an actual stab, taking advantage of the opening I¡¯d created, the creature spun on one foot, using his tail to knock my sword aside. He then followed with a slash of his own. It was slow, though, clearly also a feint; I parried lightly, and when Gustav reversed his swing, I was ready to block that too. He ended up close to me, so I kicked at his leading leg. He grunted and slashed upward, but I rolled out of the way.


    Gustav eyed me warily, his ax at the ready, but he didn¡¯t press forward. I¡¯d earned his respect. He wasn¡¯t sure he could beat me anymore. He was good¡ªprobably almost a match for me. I hated killing such a fine warrior, but now that I had his respect, it was time to earn his obedience.


    I lunged twice, keeping him busy while I slipped my hand into my pocket. I could tell the vine-coin apart from the others just by touch now. It wasn¡¯t the time to start experimenting with the others. I¡¯d save that for later.


    A second later, Gustav grew tired of my showmanship and attacked. I dropped the coin between us, planted my feet, and watched him to predict his next attack. He either didn¡¯t see the coin when he passed over it, or he didn¡¯t care. Either way, it was a mistake.


    The vines shot from the stone, wrapped around one of his muscular legs, and pulled him down. As he struggled against the bonds, he took one swing at me with his ax, but I avoided it by hopping back. He started hacking at the vines, but every time he chopped through one another appeared.


    Suddenly, Jayna¡¯s pained snarl drew my attention. One of the smaller rats was dead, but the matted fur on her leg told me she¡¯d been cut. I had to take care of Gustav before he got free, but Jayna needed my help right away.


    I reached into my pocket, grabbed a random coin, and tossed it toward the three rats closing in on her. The coin exploded the moment it hit the ground, sending shards of stone flying in all directions. It bounced again, and the result was another, smaller explosion. I covered my face as bits of stone bounced off my clothes. Each time it hit the floor, stones burst from the spot and brought the sound of screaming rats screaming.


    When I peered out, a rat was lying in a heap, bleeding out; one was injured; and Jayna was busy injuring the last.


    I turned my attention back to Gustav, who had just hacked away the last vine that had entrapped him. He rolled to the side and faced me, pulling his ears back and baring his teeth. This might have frightened others, but I knew what it was: he was signaling fear.


    I raised my sword and studied him as I slowly approached him. He was the only one of the rats wearing a headdress. If it was a rank insignia, I would have expected to see some variations of it among the others. If it was a symbol of him being their champion, it was overkill for such a creature so big and already wearing warpaint. It had to be a symbol of authority. He was their chieftain, or their king.


    I bellowed wordlessly as I charged Gustav. He swung at my midsection, but I ducked, slid across the stone floor, and swept his legs out from under him.


    He landed on his face, and a gasp rose from the rats spectating the fight from around the temple. When Gustav raised his ax to block my next strike, I struck his weapon three times in rapid succession, each time forcing it closer to the floor, until I could put my foot on it.


    Once it was pinned, I raised my sword high and brought it down¡ªstopping only an inch from Gustav¡¯s skull.


    The room went silent. Even Jayna had stopped her ass-kicking to see what I was going to do.


    I waited a few seconds until Gustav opened his eyes and stared at the blade hovering over his head. I kept my sword in place, but turned to the rest of the rats, who were open-mouthed and staring.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill your finest warrior,¡± I said. ¡°He has fought bravely. I do need safe passage from here, though. Allow me to go, and I will spare his life.¡±


    The rats continued to stare, and Gustav remained frozen.


    ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± I asked Jayna.


    ¡°To Agorima,¡± she said. When the warrior she had pinned under her foot stirred, she added a bit more pressure, drawing out a squeak. ¡°We need to go to Agorima.¡±


    I turned my attention back to the gathered rats. I¡¯d defeated their champion. If their traditions insisted I kill Gustav, I¡¯d do it, but I didn¡¯t want to if I could help it. It had been a great fight, and though some of the rats had tried to kill me, I knew there was some good in them. There was some good in everyone.


    I turned my attention back to Gustav, who was looking at me with his dark, round eyes. ¡°Do you yield?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I yield,¡± Gustav said. ¡°You are the victor. I am beaten.¡±


    I used my foot to drag his ax behind me and held out a hand to help him up. Gustav accepted, stood, then took three steps back. I watched in astonishment as he kneeled and lowered his head.


    Sounds of shuffling drew my attention to the hundreds of rats who¡¯d seen the fight. One by one, they knelt down as well. Within seconds, none were standing, not even the ones in the hallway who were too far back to have seen much of the battle.


    ¡°What just happened?¡± I asked Jayna.


    She took her foot off the one she¡¯d been pressing to the floor, and watched as he faced me and kneeled as well. Immediately, her fur started to recede back into her skin. Her arms shortened, her nails retracted, and she shrank a little. While this was happening, she tore some clothes off one of her defeated opponents, and started putting them on. When she looked at me again, her eyes had returned to normal as well. The tunic she was wearing was so short the bottom edge of her breasts showed underneath. The garment was so wet with blood that it perfectly followed their round form, and subtly revealed the shape of her nipples.


    ¡°You have defeated their king,¡± Jayna said. ¡°You rule them now. They are your subjects, and will do as you say.¡±

 3: Kings Feast (NSFW)

    ¡°I¡¯m king?¡± I asked as I slowly surveyed the crowd and sheathed my sword.


    ¡°I say we ask them for some food,¡± Jayna suggested. ¡°I¡¯m famished. Aside from the very occasional adventurous temple visitors, I haven¡¯t eaten hardly anything.¡±


    I nodded, but did my best not to show any other reaction. ¡°I see,¡± I managed to say.


    A single rat emerged from the crowd. He was old¡ªpossibly ancient by their standards¡ªand his movements were aided by a finely carved and polished walking stick. His fur was a near-pure white, his eyes were clouded, and his steps were small.


    ¡°Welcome. You are the new king of the home of the ratfolk, the new king of Crigahn,¡± the old rat said. ¡°I¡¯m called Penzaar. I¡¯m the historian. I serve the king; I live to serve.¡±


    ¡°I serve the king; I live to serve,¡± the ratfolk repeated.


    ¡°If it would please the king,¡± Penzaar said, ¡°please follow me, and I will show you our city.¡±


    ¡°Will my companion be safe as well?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Of course. This way.¡±


    I didn¡¯t detect any malice in his voice or body language, so I followed. He led us down several tunnels. The deeper tunnels had smoother floors, they¡¯d clearly been evened out by many, many footsteps. They must have been traversed far more often than the ones closer to the temple and those beyond.


    Along the way, ratfolk approached, sniffed me, and bowed deeply before making way for others to do the same. At first it was unnerving, but I realized they were learning my scent. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for someone to pretend to be me if they smelled different.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what I expected to see in a so-called ratfolk city, but it sure wasn¡¯t what opened up before my eyes when we stepped out of the last tunnel.


    The ceiling was so high I couldn¡¯t see it except for the glow of its moss. Stalactites as large as office buildings hung down and stalagmites burst up from the floor. I heard water rushing somewhere in the distance and saw movement everywhere.


    A tiny rat, reaching no higher than my knee, pushed its way through the crowd, ran up to me, and sniffed my leg before sprinting away.


    ¡°It¡¯s young,¡± Jayna whispered. ¡°A child.¡±


    I nodded as I took in the hanging skybridges of wood and rope, the green glowing orbs outside of smaller stone structures, and the sheer vastness of the cavern.


    ¡°Crigahn is ancient¡ªeven older than me!¡± Penzaar laughed at his own joke, then broke into a fit of coughing. A ratwoman rushed over to support him, gently laying his arm over her shoulders for support. He shooed her away and cleared his throat.


    ¡°Your palace is this way,¡± Penzaar said, and began walking.


    I followed, taking in everything, and learning to tolerate the constant sniffing. We walked down cobbled streets, over small bridges spanning streams of burbling water, and past busy workshops where ratfolk crafted everything from spoons and cups to swords, axes, and armor.


    A short time later, we entered the palace, which was made of large, expertly chiseled blocks. Brass rods supported clear globes of slime which burned the darkness away with powerful, green light. There were several on each side of the arched doorway. It was both welcoming and foreboding.


    There were two guards, one on each side of the archway, and when we approached, one opened the door for us. Each sniffed me as I walked past them into a long hallway illuminated by more orbs, though these glowed white instead of green.


    Portraits of ratfolk had been painted on both sides of the walls. There were at least a hundred of them.


    ¡°These are the kings of old,¡± Penzaar said as he hobbled on by my side. ¡°If you desire, and when you have time, I will tell you the story of each, or some.¡±


    Every single one of the portraits was of a ratfolk. Some had mottled fur. A few were pure white with red eyes. The rest had distinct shapes and patterns to their mostly black, brown, and gray fur. There wasn¡¯t a single human represented among them.


    Could I really be their ruler?


    ¡°What about that?¡± I asked, pointing to an empty bronze wall-sconce. It was ornately detailed ¡ª a masterpiece of craftsmanship.


    ¡°That,¡± the old rat said sadly, ¡°is where our most prized possession used to rest. It was the first gem discovered within Crigahn by our first king. I am told it was beautiful. We called it the Heart of Stone. It was stolen before I was born, many years ago. We are still hopeful we will find it someday. We are ashamed to have lost it to a thief. It is a source of grief for us all.¡±


    We continued down the corridor, and I saw more gold and gemmed items than was probably present in Buckingham Palace. Penzaar explained that his people had once been nothing more than primitive thieves, stealing precious items from the surface and bringing them back here. Eventually, over time, they became the prized relics of the Crigahn.


    As we neared the end of the corridor, I smelt food, and though the odors were somewhat foreign to me, they were delicious.


    Penzaar stopped, turned to me, and looked up into my face with an appraising eye. ¡°It is customary,¡± he whispered, ¡°for a feast to be held in honor of the new king. You are king, though, so you may choose whether or not to observe this tradition.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m all for this tradition,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡±


    Jayna sighed in relief.


    ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d say that,¡± Penzaar said with a wink. ¡°The traditional spot for the king is at the head of the table. To his right, sits his most trusted advisor. To his left, his first mate.¡±


    I was caught off guard. I wondered if I had a navy as part of the deal.


    Jayna leaned close. ¡°He means, your first mate, as in you get your official royal hot, wet sex,¡± she whispered into my ear.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I said, turning to Jayna. ¡°Will that be you?¡±


    ¡°I certainly hope so.¡± She batted her eyelashes at me.


    I felt a smile snake across my face. ¡°Count on it.¡±


    The room was long, and a small fireplace on each side of the stone table warmed the place to near-uncomfortable levels. On the table were platters heaped with cooked meats, root vegetables, and more mushrooms than I could count. Luckily, I loved mushrooms.


    Six uniformed ratfolk stood around the table, three on each side. When I stepped into the room, twenty ratfolk dressed in fine linens sparkling with jewels stood up, turned to me, and kneeled.


    ¡°I serve the king; I live to serve,¡± they intoned.


    I took my spot at the head of the table. Everyone took their seats when I did, except for Gustav. The seat to my right was open, so I motioned for him to sit there. He looked surprised, but took the seat anyway.


    ¡°You do me a great honor, King,¡± he said. ¡°Former kings are usually killed to ensure they do not seek revenge.¡±


    ¡°Are you in the mood for revenge?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No, my king,¡± Gustav said, lowering his head. ¡°I am honored to serve you. I look forward to fighting alongside you.


    ¡°Glad to hear it.¡±


    A rat dressed in colorful gauze walked into the room carrying a lute. He settled down close to me and began to sing. The lyrics were a recount of my battle against the giant rat sitting next to me. Gustav didn¡¯t seem bothered in the slightest.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how long I¡¯m going to be king,¡± I said to him. ¡°I¡¯ll abdicate in the morning, and you can be king again. I¡¯m only here because I agreed to help Jayna.¡±


    Gustav squinted at me and turned his ears my direction. ¡°That¡¯s impossible, my king,¡± he said. ¡°You must be killed in battle to lose the throne. It¡¯s the only way.¡±


    ¡°I could always challenge you a second time, and yield.¡± But as I said the words, I knew I would never do it. I would not yield to an inferior warrior, no matter how much I respected him. For better or worse, I¡¯d be ruler of Crigahn for as long as I was in this world. As with anything I had no control over, I accepted it. That was how real men dealt with life.


    ¡°If you must leave the city,¡± Gustav said, ¡°I can act as your regent. I¡¯ll keep the people safe while you¡¯re away. It has been done before, and as your chief advisor, it is to me that the responsibility would fall. You would still be king, the tradition would be upheld, and the government would survive. If you are killed in battle away from Crigahn, I will assume the throne¡ªthough I would climb it with a heavy heart. I live to serve.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°It sounds like we have a deal,¡± I said.


    There were too many cuisine choices for me to decide what to try first, so I reached for what was closest¡ªa golden platter overflowing with some kind of sliced meat. I didn¡¯t see any utensils, so I used my hands. It wasn¡¯t until I had taken my first bite that the others dug in.


    Jayna went for the same platter, but she scooted it close to her before she shoveled some onto her plate with her hands. She took about half of it. I liked a girl with a big appetite.


    The rest of the company ate in silence, shooting me occasional furtive glances. I assumed it would take them some time to get used to a human sitting at the head of the table. Until then, they¡¯d have to deal with the discomfort.


    When one of the stewards walked by with a glass of dark green liquid, I took it, sniffed it, and decided it was something like wine. I wasn¡¯t disappointed.


    ¡°So,¡± I said to Jayna, after I had cleared half my plate. ¡°I guess this time is as good as any other to ask you about your past. How were you sealed inside the monster?¡±


    She stopped chewing and looked me in the eye. ¡°It was centuries ago,¡± she said softly. ¡°My sisters, all witches, were captured by people who feared us. They simply didn¡¯t understand us.Before that, we were often hired to perform minor tasks, such as creating rain for their fields, curing minor illnesses, or clearing land. Others thought the magic was artificial and that it would taint their blood. They blamed us for earthquakes, droughts, and storms. They said we created these catastrophes to enrich ourselves.


    ¡°Fanatics were also chasing down the monsters plaguing our land at the time. Many died in the attempt. This was all for the good of their people. But then they came after us, and they captured us easily enough. By intermingling our blood with those of the monsters, we became bound to them. We were absorbed by them.¡± She shuddered at the memory.  ¡°I believe they meant to kill us. However, the outcome was not what they expected. So instead, they sent us to the temples of the ancient gods, mostly forgotten, to remain there forever.¡± She stared down at her plate blankly.


    ¡°Who are these fanatics who did this to you?¡± I asked.


    She dismissed the question with a wave of her hand. ¡°They¡¯re long dead. There were many wars since we were imprisoned. None of them remain, but my sisters are still trapped.¡±


    I thought about what she¡¯d said, but decided against asking more questions.  anI didn¡¯t want her to end the night in a foul mood, so I changed the subject.


    ¡°How did you bring me to this world?¡± I asked. ¡°Is this a different dimension from mine?¡±


    The question seemed to brighten her mood, and she looked up from her plate. ¡°There are many worlds. They all coexist near each other, but not so near that they can be seen. Your world and this one are two of them.¡±


    ¡°Whoa,¡± I said. ¡°I thought I would be more surprised, but I always wondered if the stuff you see in movies might actually be real.¡±


    ¡°It is very real. You are the embodiment of its reality.¡±


    ¡°Are there others like me? People who were once in my world but have come here?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Some exist in both worlds, or have lived in one and then crossed to the other. Like Tracy Robertson¡ªthe woman I used to communicate with you.¡±


    I sat up straighter. I was of the mind that they were the same person¡ªthat somehow Jayna had managed to enter my world long enough to get my attention, get me alone, and bring me to her world. ¡°Where is she now?¡±


    ¡°She came to this world five years ago, but her other self is still on your world. She is here, and she is there.¡±


    ¡±That¡¯s impossible, at least in my book. Sounds suspiciously like quantum-space-time mumbo jumbo. Then again, this wouldn¡¯t be the first surprise I¡¯ve had today.¡±


    ¡°Here,¡± Jayna continued, ¡°Tracy Robertson is a high-ranking member of the Thieves¡¯ Guild.¡±


    ¡°Strange. Back on Earth she wasn¡¯t said to be ambitious, exactly..¡± I took another bite of meat.


    ¡°Were you friends with her?¡± Jayna asked.


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± I replied, almost laughing through my food.


    ¡°Tracy Robertson is part of the reason I brought you here.¡± Jayna leaned close and laid a hand on my forearm. ¡°I needed to be freed by someone who could be my hero, a strong and noble man. And, though I couldn¡¯t see much of your world, I could see you seemed to know Tracy Robertson well, and I needed that too.¡±


    ¡°I did learn a lot about her over time.¡±


    ¡°Will you speak with her? Ask her to give you something?¡±


    I had to stifle a laugh again. ¡°I doubt she¡¯d hear me out, and I really doubt she¡¯d give me anything. We didn¡¯t part on the best of terms. Does this have something to do with rescuing one of your sisters?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Eulene is imprisoned in a temple within Agorima, a fortress owned and controlled by the Guild. Tracy Robertson can take you there, and I know where she is.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll go see Tracy. But not before I get to see some more of you.¡±


    I smiled and stood up, and the room instantly fell silent. Everyone stopped talking, ¡ªthe bard even stopped playing¡ªand dropped whatever they were holding, before getting to their feet. I was going to have to study some of these customs if I was going to be comfortable as their king.


    ¡°Please, everyone,¡± I said. ¡°Sit. Enjoy your meal. Relax. This is a custom where I¡¯m from.¡±


    The ratfolk glanced at each other and slowly sat down again. Soon the bard picked up where he left off too, a happy tune with a steady beat.


    When people started continuing their conversations and stopped looking, I offered Jayna my hand. She glanced at the others before she eagerly took it and stood beside me. Her eyes were curious, and her body angled toward me, eager for the physical attention it was hoping to receive.


    I lifted her left hand to my shoulder and placed my right hand on her waist. Then I lifted her other hand, pulled her close, and began to move, guiding her across the small rectangle of open floor space at our end of the table.


    She looked at me with innocent surprise. We stumbled a few times, but eventually we settled into a swaying rhythm, not minding the sweat that was slowly starting to mingle between our tightly held bodies. It was impossible not to move our hips with the upbeat tempo, and every now and then I felt the alluring heat between her legs against my thigh.


    Jayna slid her hand down to the small of my back  and pulled me even closer. She must have felt my manhood stiffen against her stomach. Her eyes flitted down, and when they met mine again I saw they now radiated hunger instead of innocence. She knew what was coming next, and she was doing everything she could, all but openly rubbing between my legs with her hand, to let me know she wanted it¡ªshe needed it.


    But I made her wait. I enjoyed seeing the burning desire in her eyes grow frantic, feeling how her hips stopped moving away from me, instead keeping contact with my body as they swayed and tilted. Every few notes, her hand on my back gripped a little tighter. I did the same with hers, before I allowed my hand to slip further down. I was the king; who was going to tell me I couldn¡¯t grip my first mate¡¯s ass wherever and whenever I pleased.


    It was strong and round, I could easily picture how it would be softly jiggling as she danced with me, without losing its gorgeous shape. Her hips curved perfectly toward her narrow waist. As my hands landed there, she leaned in, slowly pressing her firm breasts into my chest. Even through our clothes I could feel erect nipples pressing into my skin. I closed my eyes and imagined what they might feel like between my lips, against my tongue.


    ¡°Gustav,¡± I said with an unwavering voice, all the while holding my firm grip on Jayna¡¯s waist. ¡°Does the king have private quarters?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said, standing up. ¡°The door right by your side leads to a stairwell with only one door at the end. Those are your private chambers.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I released my hand from Jayna¡¯s back, and slung the other loosely over her shoulder, gently guiding her toward the stairs. ¡°Have a good night.¡±


    Jayna giggled and leaned into my side.


    ¡°Thank you, my king. And have a good night.¡± Gustav bowed low before he sat down again. I could have sworn there was a subtle grin on his face.


    Spoiler: Spoiler<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


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    No sooner had I closed the door behind me than Jayna pressed me against the wall and began to caress my shirt, face, and neck, seemingly trying to touch all of me at once. She tugged at my shirt and belt, while her lips found mine and kissed them. She tasted fresh¡ªshe must have chewed some of the mint leaves as I had¡ªand she was surprisingly gentle at first. First, only our lips touched, and then she slowly circled my lips with her tongue. Her hand had found its way to my bare chest. Suddenly, she started gripping my hard muscles, and her kiss became irresistibly greedy.


    I didn¡¯t want her to stop, but I didn¡¯t want to take her right there either, so close to the dinner, so I immediately scooped her up in my arms. She gave a little gasp but let me carry her up the stairs. I went a little slower than usual, as I was somewhat distracted by her hungry kisses on my neck, her tongue on my ear, and her hot, heavy breath on my cheek. I guess if ever there was a good reason to go slower, that would be it.


    I used my foot to work the latch on the door at the top of the stairs. The room was illuminated with a green light. Curtains hung from the walls and could be closed to block the glowing fungus if I chose. I left them drawn¡ªI wanted to see her body again.


    I pulled her shirt over her head as she dropped her pants to the floor. She stood before me boldly. A proud and gorgeous woman¡ªand an impatient one. She tugged at my shirt and put on puppy dog eyes.


    ¡°Me too,¡± she said through play-pouted lips.


    As I pulled off my shirt, though, she started to shuffle and blush.


    ¡°It¡¯s been¡­a while,¡± she said. ¡°Even before I was imprisoned. But I want¡ªI need¡ªyou. I need to feel you inside me, Zac. Please don¡¯t make me wait.¡±


    I kicked out of my pants and shoes and wrapped my arms around her. Her breasts were cool, and I felt her nipples against my bare skin. She gently moved from side to side, her nipples tracing lines across my chest as her hands played with my hair.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be gentle,¡± I promised.


    ¡°Let me admire you,¡± she said, as she reached down and curled her fingers around my cock. Without saying another word, she started kissing my neck, then my chest, and she worked herself down my stomach to my shaft. I was throbbing so hard it felt like my manhood might pop.


    I was nervous when she started licking me. She had some long canines, but when she put me inside of her mouth, she was careful not to touch me with her teeth. That probably wasn¡¯t a hard task for those voluptuous lips.


    The four-poster bed was large enough to fit Gustav comfortably. I had to grab hold of one to keep myself steady. I marveled at how she took me all the way into her mouth, granting honey-sweet pleasure to the entire length of me, all the while providing extra pressure with her tongue in exactly the right spots.


    She slowly drew me out, licked me from base to tip once more, and said, ¡°I¡¯m ready for you, Zac.¡±


    She turned away from me, got on her hands and knees, spread her legs just the right amount, and turned her ravenous eyes toward me.


    I got on my knees behind her and was amazed by how wet she was. I hadn¡¯t even needed to touch her. I guided myself in and plunged into her depths. She sighed and pressed her ass against me, urging me with each thrust to push ever deeper. I played around with her a little at first, sometimes holding back when I pulled out. She gave a little exasperated moan when I did, reaching back and scratching my hand holding her hips tight.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± was the only thing she could say.


    I finally increased my speed and force, sometimes freeing a hand to squeeze her ass, until we reached a steady rhythm.


    We were almost one wet body made of heavy breathing, new heights of pleasure, and hot, electric skin. My hands were leaving white marks on her hips where I held her, but she only gave a shuddering moan when I came back to grip her even tighter. At one point she pushed herself up on her hands and reached back for me to hold her. I gripped her stomach with one hand and her breast with another as I maintained my rhythm, and she gave herself over to me as she craned her neck to kiss me.


    When I placed her back down, she leaned on her elbows, and she knew what was coming. She was nearing her climax too through my powerful final thrusts, saying my name into the sheets with every one of them, already softly trembling.


    When I exploded, she did, too. I took her by the hips and pulled her against me hard. She grabbed hold of the sheets and bit into the pillow as she arched her back, pressing her breasts into the mattress so I could see their perfect edges bulge out the sides.


    No matter the several doors and passageway between us, nor the music and din, I was sure everyone present at the dinner had dropped their food and turned toward the door to their king¡¯s chambers as Jayna let out the first of a long series of shuddering howls of ecstasy.