BEAST'S SLAVE - CHAPTER 17
Emeriel’s heart skipped several beats.
Panic flashed in Aekiera’s eyes as they met his.
Emeriel adjusted himself on the bed, fingers trembling as he reached for the hem of his tunic.
“Not you,” Lord Zaiper’s deep voice stated, his gaze shifting from Emeriel to rest upon Aekiera. “You. Rise and undress for me.”
Relief rushed through Emeriel, but it was short-lived. Aekeira rose and began to undress, her movements tense. Finally, she stood before Lord Zaiper, completely naked.
He closed the distance between them, his eyes scrutinizing her body intently.
His gaze lingered on her plump B??@š?s, then lowered to her flat belly before settling on her most intimate area. “Mmh. Beautiful,” Lord Zaiper remarked. His hand moved to her womanhood, palming her there.
Aekeira whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut. She remained still as Lord Zaiper explored her body. His eyes held a daring challenge, silently warning her against any wrong reactions.
Emeriel clenched his fists at his sides, and held his breath. Do not react. Reacting would only put you and Aekeira in greater trouble.
“Such a pretty P?$$¥,” Lord Zaiper commented, one hand encircling Aekeira’s narrow waist while the other slipped between her legs, forcing them apart. Without finesse, he inserted two fingers inside her.
Aekeira cried out, pain searing through her body. Her eyes watered.
“Tight. Too tight,” he murmured approvingly, his head tilting to the side. “Your body recovered quickly after taking our beast form. Impressive.”
He continued th-ru_sting his fingers in and out, exploring and probing. “Hades, your channel is too narrow. You are going to feel so good on my ?ï?k. We will have so much fun.”
Aekeira felt sharp, acute pain gnawing at her. Tears flowed freely, and her knees trembled with the effort to remain upright.
He had penetrated her dry, and now he was th-ru_sting his thick fingers relentlessly.
Suddenly, the same loud voice that announced Lord Zaiper boomed through the air. “All hail His Majesty the Third! The third sovereign ruler of Urai and the sole leader of the Western Wings. All hail Grand Lord Vladya!”
In the next moment, the door swung open, and Grand Lord Vladya entered with his characteristic lethal grace. Everyone, except Lord Zaiper, bowed in respect.
“Our presence is requested. We must gather at the Court of Duty to address the council,” Lord Vladya announced, his gaze fixed on Lord Zaiper.
Lord Zaiper withdraw his fingers. Like a male who had all the time in the world, he brought those fingers to his nose and inhaled deeply.
“An earthly scent.” A low growl emanated from his throat, his eyes shutting momentarily as he savored the scent, and then he licked his fingers clean. “Truly exquisite.”
Only then did he step away from Aekeira, his attention shifting to Lord Vladya standing behind him. “I did not want to be interrupted. d@mn it, I had plans for tonight,” he grumbled, his eyes suggestive as they landed on Aekeira.
“This would not have happened if you had not foolishly decided to spread fear among our people,” Lord Vladya growled.
Lord Zaiper’s eyes blazed with fury. “Foolishly? Are you calling me foolish!?”
“You heard me right, Grand Lord Zaiper. Or does your stupidity impair your hearing?” his tone remained annoyingly composed.
Lord Zaiper got to his face. “You dare insult me? In the presence of these peasants?”
Grand Lord Vladya simply turned toward the door. “Do not keep the council waiting, Grand Lord Zaiper. If you aspire to be the grand king, at least show respect for the voice of the people. Do not just pretend. And ensure you are punctual for council meetings.”
At the mention of “grand king,” Lord Zaiper’s anger dissipated, replaced by a gleam in his eyes. “I do not pretend,” he said indignantly, but Lord Vladya had already departed.
Lord Zaiper glared at the three witnesses in the bedchamber, who kept their heads low and carefully avoided his gaze.
Addressing Aekeira, he said, “We will continue this later.” To Emeriel, he added, “You are quite a pretty boy. Make sure you heal well.”
With his robe swirling, Lord Zaiper spun around and left the room.
••••••••••••
By the end of the week, Emeriel’s condition had significantly improved.
For some reason, an order had been issued granting him a temporary release from his duties while he healed. This meant no work, no responsibilities, and instead, Amie diligently brought him books to keep himself busy, and his meals.
When Emeriel inquired about the unexpected change, Madam Livia remained tight-lipped. All she asked was, “Do you not appreciate it? Would you prefer to work while you heal?”
Naturally, Emeriel was grateful for the reprieve. He expressed his thanks to the elderly woman, but she waved it off dismissively.
The reason behind Madam Livia’s continuous assistance remained a mystery to him, but Emeriel saw no reason to question her kindness.
Unfortunately, Emeriel did not get to see Aekeira as frequently as he would have liked. She had been assigned to the well area for the week, tirelessly drawing water and filling countless basins and gallons throughout the fortress.
The silver lining was that the large wells were located far from the northern wings. There was little chance that Aekeira would not cross paths with Grand Lord Zaiper.
After the awful experience with that lord, Emeriel would be glad if his sister never encountered him again. Forever.
She had informed him of Lord Vladya’s summon. Emeriel had journeyed to Blackwood to respond to the call, only to discover that Grand Lord Vladya was away on a trip. Since then, there had been no sign or word from the Lord.
However, that was the least of his worries.
Emeriel faced a whole new predicament. The beast.
Ever since that fateful night, something within him had changed. He was not in heat, nor had he experienced it again, but an unfamiliar craving had awakened within him.
The mere thought of that night or the beast, made him feel warm inside. Made him wet.
It seemed as though an inexplicable connection had been forged between them while the feral ruthlessly plundered his body and now Emeriel wanted for more.
The very notion was absurd, horrifying, and utterly dreadful. He h@??d being taken by the beast, the excruciating pain still fresh in his memory.
The fear and panic of a repeat encounter sent him into cold sweats. No, he had no desire for the beast’s strange attention to be focused on him. No, he did not want to be mounted by the beast again.
And yet, his body craved more.
His nights were plagued by erotic dreams of the beast ravishing him repeatedly, causing Emeriel to wake up flushed, feverish, and teetering on the brink of climax.
Goodness, what was happening to him?
••••••••••••••••
After two full days on the road, Grand Lord Vladya desired nothing more than to recline upon his comfortable bed and doze for the remainder of the day. It was precisely why he detested venturing to the outskirts of Urai. However, when the Elder summoned, he had no choice but to answer.
Weary to his very core, he trudged along the path that led to his quarters. The sight of the woman standing by his door caused him to halt. By Ukrae, how had she known he was back?
Mistress Sinai greeted him with a smile. “You have returned?”
“How did you come to know of my imminent arrival?” he asked cautiously.
“I encountered your butler downstairs, my Lord,” she replied, walking toward him. “How was your journey?”
He took a deep breath. “Exhausting. I need to rest.”
“I have heard about the boy. Emerald, is that his name?” she inquired.
“Emeriel.” He corrected curtly, “Not that his name holds any significance to me. What is this about?”
A deep frown marred her otherwise lovely face as she approached him, stopping directly in front of him. “I have heard rumors that Daemon’s beast had taken a keen interest in him. News of him has spread throughout the fortress. Is it true? Did the beast truly seek him out?”
Lord Vladya pondered for a moment, opting for honesty. “Yes.”
“But how is that even possible?” she hissed, her eyes darkening. “I have visited that beast for centuries, and never once has it shown any signs of recognition, let alone fixation. What in the world is happening?”
Lord Vladya contemplated reminding her that even prior to going feral, Daemonikai had never fixated on her—he had barely tolerated her. However, it would be unfair.
Despite Sinai’s often insufferable nature, as the bloodhost to the grand king, she was one of the most powerful and respected females in Urai. In this case, her concerns were valid.
“I have no idea what is going on, Sinai. Perhaps it may be the boy’s smell. Maybe he emits a scent that entices the beast. A scent that makes it seek him out. Our primal instincts can be unpredictable at times, as you well know.”
“I do. Of course, I do. But this? It is simply too strange. I do not like the sound of it. Not one bit!”
“Why?” he relinquished his grip on the door handle and turned to face her, his brows knitted and nearly reaching his hairline.
“You, above all others, should be elated if, by some miraculous occurrence, his beast has fixated. It could signify something positive. Perhaps his mind is not entirely lost? Or maybe his sanity is resurfacing. He might become the first Urekai to emerge from madness.”
Sinai’s mouth opened, closed, then opened again. She was dumbfounded. “You, of all people, know that it does not work that way. There is no return. Once the mind is gone, it is lost forever, and in its stead remains a mere husk. A shell. A ghost of who he once was.”
“I did add ‘miraculously,’ did I not? All the more reason for you to know that it is implausible for the beast to desire the boy as an individual. It was likely a one-time incident,” Grand Lord Vladya exhaled.
He massaged his throbbing temples. “Leave me be, Sinai. I have just returned from a long journey, and I am in dire need of rest.”
“You are right, you are right. It was probably a one-off. Unrepeatable.” The lines of anger faded from her face, and she formed a saccharine smile. “I shall leave you to rest now.”
Leaning in, she planted a kiss upon his cheek, bowed, and gracefully walked away, her smile widening as her gown elegantly swept behind her.
•••••••••••••••••••••••
“Are you certain?” Yaz asked gently, his eyes brimming with barely concealed concern.
“I am certain,” Lord Vladya replied, and Yaz nodded. He exited through the sturdy metal gates, securing the locks behind him. Now, Lord Vladya was left alone in the forbidden chambers with the beast.
Lord Vladya made the decision to come here after resting for hours. He fought solace in this place on days when exhausion overwhelmed him. When he felt far too drained.
Today was one of those days.
Daemonikai’s beast emerged from its favored spot and prowled closer to him. Vladya remained motionless as the beast circled him, growling and hissing. He suppressed his own beast, bowed his head and tilted it to the side.
At his willing submission, the Feral’s growling ceased. It dug its claws into his side, drawing blood and waiting for retaliation. Yet, Vladya remained still, even as the beast pressed its claws deeper, pain coursing through his body.
Finally, the feral withdrew, turned around, and retreated behind the floor-to-ceiling barricade. Only then did Vladya allow his own beast to rise to the surface, enveloping him like a second skin.
In the blink of an eye, his clothes tore apart, and in the place of a man stood a magnificent beast.
Nearly identical to the beast behind the barricade, it stood tall and flexed its tail. Taking position before the barricade, it settled down, mirroring the feral’s posture.
Like every Urekai, Vladya found solace and ease in his beast form. In the past, when he assumed this form, he and Daemonikai would venture into the woods, running, hunting, and battling together.
But now, the beast behind those bars stared at him without any trace of recognition.
His chest tightened, making it difficult to breathe.
Vladya lost track of time as he kept his best friend company. This place inflicted immense pain upon him, yet it also provided some measure of peace.
It scarred him, yet it also offered healing. It was his doom and his sanctuary.
Time dissolved into nothing. He could have spent minutes, or hours here–simply existing in beast form. Shutting the world out.
When he finally reverted to his human form, he felt better than he had in days. Even as his heart ached. Vladya gazed at Daemonikai, tears welling in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall.
He would not shed tears. He has not done so for centuries.
“How do you fare, my friend?” he spoke aloud, his gaze fixed on empty space. “Sometimes, I envy you. There is no pain for you. No memories. No recollections. Just blissful nothingness. No dreams to haunt you. Keep you awake at night, tearing your heart out of your chest.”
He sounded wishful. “Just simple, blissful silence, even if it manifests as madness.”
Vladya recounted everything that had transpired since his last visit to the feral. He spoke into the void, aware that the wild one could neither hear nor comprehend, yet it was a ritual he performed nonetheless.
“Nothing remains the same, you see. Our land is no longer what it once was. That night scarred us all irreparably. Without you here to anchor the people, they have all become lost.”
He glanced at his best friend, “And the truth is, I do not know how to help them. Centuries have passed, and I have yet to find myself again. I do not believe I ever will, nor do I wish to. That is how lost we all are, Daemonikai.”
.
.
.