In the darkness, Kalos gives me another kiss. “Quieter,” he whispers, and thrusts into me deeper.
How am I supposed to be quiet when he’s driving into me? When he’s reminding me how good sex can feel? When he’s giving me everything I’ve wanted ever since the day I arrived here? I try to nod, but then he’s thrusting into me again and it feels so good that my entire body twitches in response. My legs kick and I clench up around him, and I pull him closer.
Kalos puts his hand behind my thigh, hitching my leg up and pressing it back until my knee is near my ear. Then he drives into me again, and this time I can’t help the croak that escapes me, because he’s so deep inside me that I swear to god, he’s tickling my tonsils. It’s like I’m seeing stars with every thrust, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever felt.
“You feel incredible,” he whispers to me. “Look at how good you’re taking my cock.”
I draw in a shuddering breath. He rocks into me again, with each surge of his body against mine, he’s pinning me deeper into the rickety bed, and I’ve never been fucked so good, so hard, so deep. I don’t care if Omos hears us. I don’t care if Omos gets out of bed to watch. I just need Kalos to never stop what he’s doing, because it feels so good that my entire body is tying itself into knots of pleasure.
The pleasure intensifies with every stroke, and I can feel that delicious, spiraling build of a climax as it escalates. I chase the feeling, digging my nails into his shoulders and raising myhips to meet his, as if force can somehow push me over the edge. Kalos buries his face in my neck, biting down on my collarbone, and the sharp burst of pain-pleasure makes everything in me tighten. I clench, and clench, and clench, and I’m coming so hard that my vision fuzzes.
It’s the best.
His tongue and lips soothe at my love bite as he pounds into me, but I’m beyond caring. I’m floating on a wave of bliss, my orgasm cascading through me as I continue to clench around him. Then he’s coming, too, his body shuddering over mine, and we’re trembling together as we collapse on the rickety bed.
We probably just made an obscene amount of noise.
Don’t care. Assassins could burst in and I wouldn’t have the energy to fend them off. My head throbs and I close my eyes, stifling a groan. I think I just came so hard I gave myself a headache.
He presses another kiss against my neck, right against the spot he bit. “Did I hurt you?”
“No, the bite was nice.” I take a deep breath and the pounding in my head grows worse. “Just gave myself a headache, that’s all. Give me a moment.”
A cool fingertip brushes over my forehead. The headache dissipates like a soap bubble, there one minute and gone the next. My nose tickles, as if a burgeoning sneeze is preparing itself.
I know he’s responsible for my miraculous cure. I pinch one of his buttocks. “You shouldn’t do that. You’re not supposed to be using your powers.”
“Hush.” His voice is low and soothing, and he continues to trace fingertips over my face, as if he’s memorizing me. “It’s the very smallest bit of magic.”
“I’m not sure it’s worth it,” I say sleepily. I should tell himto get off me, but the weight of his body over mine is comforting, and I’m hazy with endorphins. There’s nothing I want more than to drop off to sleep again. “Gonna go back to bed.”
“I’ll get a towel to clean up,” he whispers, and nips my ear. “As for it being worth it or not, haven’t you realized yet I’d do anything for you?”
Chapter
Thirty-Six
One Month Later
I’m painstakingly drawing the veins on a nettle leaf when my vision blurs and my head throbs painfully.
“That’s enough for today,” I say aloud to the books around me. I blow out the candle on my desk and stand up, stretching. I’ve been working night and day on the books, carefully drawing out images of plants, bodies, and how to prepare the medicine, and my body is feeling it. My shoulders lock up when I sit down to work. My lower back twinges and is supported by fluffy pillows on a high-backed chair. My wrist hurts from trying to force a feather quill to do the same work as a normal ballpoint pen. My eyes get tired because of the low light, and it gives me headaches.
In short, it sucks.
But oh, the progress we’ve made. It’s been about six weeks since I started, and I’ve got nearly a full book of solutions for the local village, everything from pain relievers to decongestants to healing burns. Most of it is surface level cures but I’mfeeling good about it. If we can help with the smaller issues, they won’t turn into bigger ones. I’ve got all kinds of plans for a second book because one won’t be enough.
Rubbing my shoulders as I walk a few paces around the monastery floor, I stretch again and wince at how stiff I am. I hurt all over, too. It’s like one big body-wide toothache. “Now if my body could just keep up.”
Time for a shoulder rub and a break. I tidy up my materials, moving my chair to its place by the hearth again, returning the pillow to the bed, and putting away the inks and quills. Omos has cheerfully supplied everything. I feel so guilty about using his supplies, but he reassures me that generosity is the way of his goddess, and he will accept no payment. I’ll go along with it…for now. I’m going to have to figure out how to repay him in the future, though. I wish I had the gold necklaces I’d been showered with when I first arrived.
That feels like a million years ago.
I head outside, the bright afternoon sunlight in my eyes. After spending all day inside the dark monastery, it’s blinding. I raise my hand to my brow, squinting at my surroundings and looking for Kalos. There’s a chill on the wind, storm clouds in the distance, and I shiver. We don’t have warmer clothes. It’s not something I’ve been focused on—my entire drive has been around my book.
Or around Kalos. I fully admit I’ve been dickmatized…and it’s been awesome.
The monk stands in the road, framed with sunlight, and he’s talking to two men with heavy packs on their backs. Pilgrims, then. Omos waves at me, all cheerfulness. The man has never met a stranger. I wave back and go head towards the goat pasture to find Kalos. Omos wants to host every single person that passes through, but newcomers make me nervous. He told us he’s been robbed three times in the last year anddoesn’t mind because “his goddess would want him to share.” I mind, though, and I’m very aware that Kalos’s presence needs to remain a secret if we’re going to be safe. Omos has agreed that while we’re staying with him, guests sleep in the barn for everyone’s safety, but I don’t want anyone lingering around, either.
