“You’re so full of me,” Vale groaned. “How does it feel? You do not smell like pain.”
“It doesn’t hurt,” said Ivy faintly. She pulled at the vines around her wrists, suddenly wanting to touch the bulge of his cock inside her. She could feel every inch of him, her body barely stretching to fit. The spell must have…rearrangedthings. She should have been horrified. But she just wanted him to fuck her senseless.
Ivy stared up at him, her thighs shaking where they were being pulled apart by the vines. She felt wild with it, blood pumping, legs dripping with her own slick. She had no clue how she must smell to him right now, only that he would go feral over it.
“What else do I smell like?” she asked.
Vale growled. “Mine.”
He thrust again. Ivy watched as that gorgeous cock pushed in and out of her, filling her up in ways that were impossible this morning. Pleasure crackled through her core, and she squeezed her eyes shut against her will.
It felt so strange. It feltincredible. Like she’d been craving something her whole life and was only realizing now, while Vale fucked her faster and faster, his claws popping out as he lost himself in her.
“So soft,” Vale panted, nuzzling her breasts. He fondled her stomach, running his claws over her folds. Ivy should have felt self-conscious, but it was difficult when his gaze was so reverent, his clawed hands coming up to stroke her cheeks and press into the softness like she was something worth keeping.
He had never touched her like this before. There were always moments, but he had never been so open about it. Never let her see howhungryhe was for her.
The vines tightened around her wrists. The ones around her legs pulled her wider, spreading her open for him. Vale thrust harder, balls slapping loudly every time he pushed into the hilt.
Ivy heard herself whine. She had been concerned she wouldn’t be able to let herself go without the pollen, but it turned out that she needn’t have worried: Vale’s inhuman cock could pull those noises out of her easily.
“I am close,” Vale said raggedly.
Ivy’s legs quivered in anticipation. She’d felt him come inside her before, but neverallof him. What would it feel like, his whole length throbbing inside her as he came?
Vale opened his mouth, tongue lolling out. At first, Ivy thought he would circle her breasts again, or even shove down her throat. But Vale arched his head downward, his tongue slipping down over her stomach and the coarse hair covering her cunt, all the way down until it smeared over her clit.
Ivy arched up with a scream and came. She was dimly aware of his tongue still working at her, rubbing and even trying to fold around the tiny nub, his movements clumsy as his thrusts sped up.
She was riding out the last waves of her orgasm when he reared back and roared, spilling deep inside her.
Ivy felt all of it. Every lovely inch of him twitched with each spurt, filling her until his release gushed down her legs and puddled in the nest.
Vale collapsed on top of her, panting. The vines retreated from Ivy’s limbs, and she ran a cautious hand over his antlers. His head twitched, and Ivy waited for him to pull away. But after a moment, he pressed his antlers harder into her grip.
“Well,” Ivy said when she could breathe again. “The pollen is definitely gone.”
Vale rumbled against her scalp.
“I kind of miss it,” Ivy admitted. She thought about running her hands over all the places she had been too afraid to touch: his skull mask, the tips of his fangs, even his tail. But she didn’t want to push her luck. He had let her touch his antlers; that had to be enough for now.
Vale rumbled louder, nuzzling her hair. “You could find another heatbloom.”
Ivy laughed. It didn’t last long.
“I don’t know if we can afford to get distracted like that again,” she said slowly.
Vale’s face, lit up with amusement for once, dimmed instantly. He looked at the plants surrounding the nest, and Ivy wondered if he, too, felt the pulse of their exhaustion. Could he even untangle the void’s tiredness from his own?
“What will we do?” Ivy asked him. “If there really isn’t an antidote.”
“We will make one,” Vale said. But there was a hint of uncertainty in his tone. He had already asked all the Skullstalkers he knew. Skullstalkers were the oldest creatures Ivy knew of. Iftheydidn’t know, who else would?
“We could…” Ivy stopped, petting the vines that had been around her wrists. “We could find a way to sever you?”
Vale looked down at her gravely. He knew what she meant. But he was still going to make her say it.
“Sever me,” Vale repeated.
