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  I could have dealt with all them myself, of course, assuming I was willing to channel an enormous amount of power through me. The Aether’s corruptive backlash was a serious deterrent, however, and fireballing a bunch of half-starving thugs in the middle of the street didn’t exactly fit my strategy of “blending in.” Still, there was another more subtle way I could help Kaseya deal with our attackers…

  Above!

  The word seemed to echo between us, and the moment she bludgeoned the last thug into submission she turned to her left and broke into a flat sprint. She jumped—an impressive, athletic leap—and just as she reached her apex I stretched out with the Aether and telekinetically boosted her up onto the closest rooftop.

  One of our shadows was still up there, and he yelped in shock when a towering amazon suddenly appeared in front of him. I heard a thud and a grunt, then watched his body tumble off the edge and land inside an empty wagon.

  The third shadow was still unaccounted for, but when I pivoted around I spotted a lithe, leather-clad female figure darting across the rooftops on the opposite side. The moonlight offered me a quick glimpse of her hood and crossbow, confirming what I already suspected. Apparently one of the Senosi had chased me from Vorsalos…or had been waiting to catch me when I left the boat. What I didn’t understand is why she was retreating so quickly.

  Once the Huntress was out of range, I helped Kaseya down off the roof and admired her handiwork. None of the locals had made any move to interfere just yet, but it was only a matter of time before a knight or guardsman showed up.

  “We should move,” I said, dismissing my spell armor. “Come on!”

  ***

  We entered the plaza less than a minute later. The crowds in the street were large and boisterous, and thankfully no one seemed to have noticed our little skirmish down the road. I kept us outside for a bit, mostly to ensure that we weren’t being watched or followed. This area was probably as safe as Highwind was going to get—I spotted three Knights of the Silver Fist milling about the revelers, and the guard patrols all included a guild wizard for magical lighting and support. Even the most overzealous Senosi wouldn’t be stupid enough to try anything here.

  As the rush of combat faded, a score of unanswered questions started looping through my head. How had the Huntress organized an ambush on such short notice? Why in the hells had she hired local thugs rather than take us on herself? Why hadn’t she fired a single shot?

  Nothing about the ambush made any sense, when it came right down to it. Huntresses almost always stalked alone or in a small group, and they were nothing if not efficient. I was clearly missing half the pieces to this particular puzzle.

  Shaking away the thought, I led us into one of the nicer inns and ordered a drink from the bar. There were at least two dozen other people here—mostly travelers from the looks of them—and they were louder and more raucous than I’d expected from such a relatively upscale establishment.

  “Well, it only took twenty minutes for someone to try and kill me here,” I muttered in between sips. “Honestly, that’s longer than I expected.”

  Kaseya’s eyes continually swept about the room, and her stance reminded me of a coiled serpent just waiting for an opportunity to strike. From the moment we’d been attacked she had become an entirely different person—one that was much more like the amazon warrior I had expected, frankly.

  “Why does this woman wish to kill you?” she asked after a moment.

  “She’s a Senosi Huntress, one of the Grand Inquisitrix’s personal assassins,” I said, keeping my voice as low as possible. “They believe all magic is evil, especially sorcery.”

  “Yet they employ magical poisons?”

  “Like all good cultists, they’re also raging hypocrites,” I replied dryly. “They’ve been pursuing me off and on since I was a teenager.”

  Kaseya’s eyes finally returned to me. “So they’re not very good at their job, then.”

  “I’ve gotten lucky…really lucky,” I said, debating just how much I wanted to reveal to a woman I hardly knew. “I also had some powerful friends willing to protect me.”

  “But not anymore?”

  “Not anymore,” I murmured. “That’s actually why I finally left Vorsalos. The people of Highwind aren’t particularly fond of sorcerers, either, but they’re perfectly comfortable with magic.”

  “What a strange society,” Kaseya said. “The Aether is the lifeblood of the gods. Males who can properly channel such power deserve obedience, not scorn.”

  I sipped at my drink and studied her profile. There were still about a million questions I wanted to ask her about Nol Krovos and her people’s culture, but I decided to shelve most of them for now. I was bloody exhausted from the trip, and a hot bath and real food were all I could think about.

  “Will this Huntress continue stalking you?” Kaseya asked.

  “You can count on it,” I said. “I bet you regret making this pact with me already, huh?”

  Her brow furrowed. “Why would you say such a thing?”

  “It was a joke…mostly,” I managed. “All I’m saying is that I’m not going to be the easiest person in the world to protect. You might have signed on for more than you can handle.”

  “I can handle anything, and I will not retract my vow.”

  “Right,” I whispered, chugging down the glass and setting it on the table. This woman might have been preposterously gorgeous and horrifyingly deadly, but if I decided to keep her around I was definitely going to have to work on her sense of humor. “Anyway, I don’t know why the Huntress let up. They aren’t usually squeamish about being outnumbered. And I’m really surprised she hired local help. Senosi typically work alone, even when they’re outside Vorsalos.”

  “I do not know enough about them to speculate,” Kaseya said.

  “Well, in any event you were damn impressive back there. And I can’t believe you took out so many without killing them.”

  “That was not my preference, but after I slayed the first one with my knife I sensed your displeasure,” Kaseya said. “You wanted them alive.”

  “How did you…?” I trailed off and glanced down at her collar. I hadn’t consciously thought about asking her to spare those men, but unconsciously…well, she was probably right.

  “Killing your enemies is the only way to ensure they never return,” she said. “But it is not my place to question your wishes.”

  I poured myself another glass and shook my head. This bond of hers was growing more and more interesting by the hour. A part of me wanted to test her commitment and see exactly how far she would go to obey me. Would she hurt someone for me? Would she kill them?

  Would she let me bend her over the barstool and fuck that sweet little ass of hers in plain view of everyone here?

  I bit down on my lip and suppressed the thought before her collar caught wind of it. “The Senosi must have hired those thugs, and I doubt it cost her much,” I went on, clearing my throat. “You saw them—they weren’t exactly the most impressive warriors in the city. They were probably just desperate, half-starving gang members.”

  “Desperate men are the most dangerous,” Kaseya said. “They may attempt to harm you again.”

  I nodded, once again marveling at the abrupt shift in her attitude. “Regardless, we’re safe enough here. I’ll get us a couple of rooms so we can head upstairs and get some rest.”

  Her trance finally broke, and she turned and frowned at me in confusion. “Why would you purchase two rooms?”

  “Uh, I mean, I assumed you would want your own so you could…you know…have some privacy.”

  “I cannot protect you through walls,” Kaseya said matter-of-factly.

  “I suppose, but…” I sighed. “Please tell me you aren’t planning on staying up all night staring at the door.”

  “Of course not,” she said. “I assume you will also wish to fornicate.”

  I nearly spit the last of my liquor across the bar. “What?”

  “
You have desired to copulate with me from the first moment we met, yes? I do not understand your confusion.”

  “I’m not confused, I’m just…” I quickly downed the last few drops in my glass and forced myself to breathe.

  She has to be some kind of demon…or at the very least a magical construct created by a perverted wizard. Nothing else could possibly explain—

  “If this scrawny little twig ain’t enough for you, sweetheart, you just let me know.” A large, loutish brute of a man said from behind her. He lurched up to the bar and placed his hand upon her bare thigh. “A girl like you needs a real man who can…argh!”

  His voice cut off when Kaseya abruptly grabbed his wrist and wrenched it back until I heard an audible crack. The man crumpled to a knee, but before he could scream she smashed her elbow into his face and knocked him onto the floor.

  “I do not understand your embarrassment,” she went on as if nothing had happened. “It is perfectly normal for a male to wish to fornicate with a female he finds attractive—and I know you find me attractive.”

  “I have eyes, so yes,” I muttered, glancing down to the unconscious man. A few of the other patrons had a chuckle at his expense, but no one made any move to help.

  “Then you should purchase a room,” Kaseya said. “And I shall do my best to sate your desires.”

  Once again, I couldn’t help but ponder how a better man would have acted were he in my position. He would have refused her offer outright, or at the very least tried to learn a lot more about her culture and the nature of this bond before he did anything hasty. I, on the other hand, immediately gulped down the last of my drink, purchased the largest suite in the establishment, and raced up the stairs before my trousers split open.

  I barely had time to close the door before Kaseya tossed down her equipment and dropped to her knees in front of me. My trousers joined her on the floor a split second later, and my cock hit the back of her throat a split second after that.

  My hand reflexively gripped her long ponytail while she hungrily bobbed up and down my shaft. Just like before on the boat, she knew exactly what I wanted even before I did, and her tongue and lips were so warm and soft I didn’t stand a bloody chance.

  “Oh, fuck!”

  I was a split-second from firing another load down her throat when she abruptly unexpectedly pulled away. My cock twitched in mid-air just above her lips, desperately yearning for her attention. Her blue eyes met mine, and she smiled innocently before she stood and sauntered across the room.

  I almost grabbed my aching member and stroked myself to climax right then and there, but instead I just slumped against the door and watched in breathless anticipation of what Kaseya would do next. The suite was huge—it occupied a full quarter of the third floor, and it featured its own personal bathing pool thanks to Highwind’s legendary magical aqueducts. She stopped next to the water and began to slowly and seductively unstrap her armor while she studied the enchanted faucets.

  “This system reminds of the public bathing pools in the heart of Nol Krovos,” she commented. “Though I have never seen one indoors before.”

  Once I finally caught my breath and regained my balance, I stumbled forward and kicked my trousers off my feet. “The, uh, the aqueducts bring water into the city, and the Mage’s Guild designed a system to control the flow anywhere they like, even upwards.”

  “I can sense the magic,” Kaseya said. “It is quite impressive.”

  I stood in place, still dumbfounded, while she stepped out of her boots and leather breastplate. Somehow, her naked body was even more breathtaking than I had imagined. She was shaven completely bare, including her quim. Her long legs never seemed to end, and her ample breasts were the perfect shape and size. I had a thousand simultaneous thoughts about what I wanted to do to her, and I was terrified—and admittedly pretty aroused—about the fact her golden choker was probably revealing each and every one of them to her.

  She pivoted back around to face me, her blue eyes never leaving my face, and she began to slowly and deliberately remove the rest of my clothing. I was completely paralyzed. I doubted that even a full-blown enchantress could have woven such a powerful spell over me so quickly. The tip of my cock brushed against her belly while she stripped off my tunic, and it was nearly enough to make me burst all over her.

  “Come,” Kaseya said, taking my hand. “I shall bathe you.”

  She led me into the pool. The water was almost three feet deep, easily enough to cover us up to our waists. She sank to her knees again once we were both inside, but she wasn’t just dunking her red hair—I watched through the rippling surface as she leaned forward and sucked my cock back through her lips.

  I groaned so loudly that half the inn probably heard me. Watching her gorge herself on my manhood had been hot enough on its own, but for some reason the fact she was underwater was driving me completely insane….

  Yet again she pulled away just before I erupted, and when she resurfaced she shook her hair like nothing had happened. My balls ached so badly I nearly cried, and it got even worse as I watched the water slowly trickle down her perfect breasts and taught stomach.

  “In Nol Krovos, our sorcerers learn to heat their baths,” Kaseya said. “Are you familiar with this technique?”

  “Yes,” I tried to say, but my voice was barely a rasp. “I mean, yes.”

  I forced myself to concentrate and channel the Aether through my palms. I directed a plume of flame straight at the water’s surface, and as the seconds I ticked by I felt the pool slowly warm around us. Kaseya used the delay to fetch a nearby cloth and the small bottle of bathing oil next to it. She gently rubbed across my chest with one hand while the other dipped beneath the water and started leisurely stroking my cock.

  “This bond…it is even stronger than the Sisterhood led me to believe,” she whispered into my ear. “I can feel everything. Your mood, your wants, your needs…”

  Her fingers were like magic on my shaft. Time and time again they would stroke me within an inch of climax then immediately slow down until I had recovered.

  “Soon enough, I will be able to anticipate your desires well in advance,” Kaseya continued. “I promise, you will not be disappointed with my performance.”

  “I’m not,” I squeaked. “Believe me.”

  She smiled again. Her free hand untied the bands holding up her ponytail, and a moment later her wet auburn locks spilled down over her shoulders.

  “I am yours, Maskari,” Kaseya said. “Any way you wish to have me.”

  Her fingers left my cock again, and she slowly backed away until we were several feet apart. She stood there in place, the beads of water still dribbling down her naked body. The gem in her collar continued glowing softly as it read my mind and told her exactly what I was going to do next.

  Gritting my teeth, I rushed forward, grabbed her by the waist, and slammed her against the edge of the pool. Her ankles locked around my back, and her powerful thighs clamped tightly around me as I nudged the swollen tip of my member between her slick folds. I slid into her so easily, so completely, that it was like the gods themselves had molded her quim into a perfect scabbard for my cock.

  It was a minor miracle that I didn’t flood her right then and there, especially when her nails dug into my back and her lips cried into my ear. I thrust into her again and again, delighting in her pleased whimpers almost as much as the feel of the sweltering vise that was her quim. I only paused when I glanced down and saw a tiny trickle of blood on her leg.

  “Are you…?” I swallowed. “Are you a virgin?”

  “No,” Kaseya said, smiling again. “Not anymore.”

  The contented smile on her lips brought me to the brink; knowing that I was the first man to have her this way pushed me over. My cock exploded like a cannon inside her, injecting her with salvo after salvo of my seed. My knees weakened, but she clasped her arms around my neck so that I could easily carry her down into the water along with me.

  “The bond is
now unbreakable,” she whispered, locking her thighs around me so tightly I couldn’t wriggle free even if I’d wanted to. “You are the first male to claim me. And you are the only one who ever will.”

  I felt like I had just run a lap around the whole city, and I was more thankful than ever for the cool water on my skin. “That was…wow.”

  “I will always be grateful for the opportunity to relieve you,” Kaseya said. “My body is your shield, but also your sheath. You are free to use any part of me whenever you like.”

  My mouth was so dry I was surprised I could speak, and I already felt my cock stirring back to life inside her. “Your society,” I said between pants. “This is really how it functions? All the amazons pledge themselves to a single man?”

  “Only for the Kari Vataya—the Red Sisterhood,” Kaseya said. “Sorcerers are special and must be cherished and protected at all costs. We sacrifice our lives and our bodies for the Maskari so that all of Nol Krovos can grow stronger.”

  “What about your sorceresses?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “There aren’t any. The blood of the gods flows only through the male stem. It makes them dangerous and reckless, but also useful. That is why the Sisterhood must appease them by any means possible.”

  A million different thoughts raced through my head, not the least of which was how she could possibly believe that sorceresses didn’t exist. The Aether didn’t discriminate by race or gender or anything else as far as I knew. I had personally met several dozen sorceresses in Vorsalos alone.

  I was also surprised by how little her culture seemed to match the stories I had heard about the fabled amazons. Everyone believed that Nol Krovos was an island filled with warrior-women, but apparently they had plenty of men and magic. I couldn’t decide if that made me want to visit more or less.