Chapter 3: Helemoira

I grinned childishly to myself when we returned to the ballroom and Queen Zylhana clicked past me in a huff, returning to her throne. She was simply too entertaining, and it could be so boring in the temple all day.

My priestesses were good company most days, but there was too steep of a separation in status between them and I. They could never relax around me, nor should they. I was their High Priestess, the divine connection between them and our God.

Thankfully, I had Adhmad Dé to keep me company. That was the vast woods that was Geien's terrestrial domain. It was once a considerable civilization, inhabited by The Fallen; a race of beings that were the result of the Old Gods coupling with the fae. Now, it was chaos; overrun with every flora and fauna conceivable, and others that would defy explanation.

The woods stretched for days. You could walk in a straight line for a week and still not reach the end of it. I had tried. It was the only place I felt truly at peace, truly happy. It was the only place I felt close to Geien, my God. Though, that wasn't always the case.

Before my ascension rite, I had never stepped foot in Adhmad Dé. I was born to a noble fae family and thus never thought I would be chosen by Geien to be his High Priestess. So, when the vision came to me on my name day, I had been terrified.

I didn't want to become like Vaeri; some crazed woman living in the woods, only coming back into civilization to perform her various duties. So, I made myself a promise that I would never become her, or like the High Priestesses before her. I would carve my own path.

"What are you thinking about, Hele?" Pelleas' rich voice broke me from thought.

I turned and smiled, taking the glass of wine he offered. "I was just wondering where you'd run off to."

He stepped towards me, his eyes darkening as they traveled slowly down my body and then back up to my eyes. "Do you have any more duties tonight, my love?"

I took a long sip of wine, eyeing him playfully. "No, but I won't let you drag me away from the festivities just yet. Be a good male and wait."

His fingers pinched the tip of my chin and forced my head up to meet his gaze. "You've got three hours before I throw you over my shoulder like some crazed beast and drag you out of here."

"Pel," his words made my core tighten and I felt the first hint of my arousal drip down my thigh. He must have scented it, because his nostrils flared wide and his gaze turned feral.

"Two hours." He bit out the words harshly.

I pulled my lower lip between my teeth and smiled. "One."

"You drive a hard bargain, Helemoira. But, you've got yourself a deal." He grabbed my free hand and kissed from my pinky finger all the way up to my shoulder.

I felt hundreds of pairs of eyes on us, but none of them mattered. All that mattered was the way that Pelleas looked at me now; his rich brown eyes filled with lust, his dark brown curls hanging over his forehead in a disheveled manner. He was quite possibly the most handsome male I had ever laid eyes upon. All of his features were so dominant, from his brows to his nose and his perfectly sculpted lips.

Once my wine was finished, he took the glass from me and set it aside, pulling me once more with him to the dance floor. There, we danced for another hour as the wine emboldened me and increased my desire for him.

"Let's go," I said as I pulled him from the crowd, heading towards the exit.

Before we could make our escape though, a voice cut through the music, calling me by name. I turned to see Queen Zylhana descending the steps of her throne and coming straight towards Pelleas and I.

"You wouldn't be leaving so soon, now, would you," she said when she finally approached, all eyes on us.

"Unfortunately, I have other matters to attend to." I held firmly to Pelleas' hand and squared my shoulders. I was taller than Queen Zylhana and it made me feel powerful to stare down my nose at her.

"Surely those matters are not more important than your duties here?" She spoke loudly so that all could hear.

A cold chill coiled around my spine and gripped it firmly. She was trying to embarass me. So, I spoke louder. "The last I checked my Queen, I did not answer to you."

Her jaw ticked and low whispers began around us. "Very well," she seethed and spun around on her heel, heading back to her outrageous throne.

I stood there and met the eyes of the onlookers, daring anyone to say anything to the High Priestess of Geien. When they all looked away and began to take part in their revelry once more, I turned to Pelleas.

"Are you sure you should leave after that?" There was a knot of worry between his brows, as I'm sure there was between mine.

I dragged him out of the ballroom, away from prying eyes and ears. "She's hated me ever since we were children, she's not going to stop just because I stay for the celebration. I won't let her bully me."

"As you shouldn't, my love. She's a fool to try and belittle you in front of the court."

"We don't know when our next night together will be, let us make the most of it." I cupped his strong jaw in my hand and kissed him deeply, moaning when he kissed me back with fervor.

I had a room in the castle that was used mainly for overnight stays when my duties brought me here. It was high in one of the towers and overlooked Adhmad Dé. It was a little home away from home.

Once in my room, Pelleas slammed and locked the door and then turned on me like a rabid animal. "I've waited months for this, Helemoira." He charged me and took my face in his hands, kissing me so deeply that our teeth clashed together.

"Tell me how you survived without me, my love." I ripped at the fastening of his cloak and let it fall to the floor.

He leaned back and inhaled deeply. "Who said I was surviving? Every day that passes without you is pure torture."

I giggled as he tore my cape from me and then ripped the sleeves of my dress from my shoulders, exposing me to him. He ripped the fabric from my hips then, leaving me completely bare save my heels.

He backed me towards the bed, his lips on mine, as he undid his shirt and breeches, casting them aside. I felt the backs of my knees meet the mattress and Pelleas pushed me gently so that I fell back, my hair spilling everywhere around me.

"You are so beautiful, Hele. Geien only knows what I did to deserve you." Just then, a bolt of lightning struck outside, followed by a booming thunder. Then, the skies opened up.

"Then he has blessed us both." I kicked off my heels and slid my bare foot up his naked torso until my ankle came to a rest on his shoulder as he leaned in to hover above me.

Another bolt of lightning, another crack of thunder. "Every raindrop that falls is a tear that I will shed for you when you are no longer with me."

"Then tonight, let me show you why you shall weep for me, my darling."

His lips crashed against mine as if he were possessed by some ravenous beast and I could do nothing but surrender myself to him. If only for the night.

His hands ripped at the gauzy fabric that made up my dress and my long cloak, the little bits of armor covering my exposed breasts falling to the floor with a loud clanging sound. I panted like an animal in heat as his hands grabbed at me hungrily.

I bit at his lips and tore his cape from his shoulders. Before I could relieve him of his pants though, he pulled away from me. His eyes roamed over my body, drinking in every inch of flesh bared to him. The effect it had on him was evident by the sounds of groaning leather as his pants tightened.

“Geien save me,” he whispered as his wings sprang forth with excitement. Due to his hybrid nature, he was gifted with a set of beautifully feathered, black wings. Fully extended, they were over three times his height. I reached a hand out and stroked at the soft iridescent feathers that reminded me of a raven. They shimmered in the low light like oil atop water.

He shivered as I stroked them again, my other hand moving to the bulge in his pants. “Do you ever wish you could show the world your wings?”

He shook his head. “It’s in my best interest that no one knows what I am besides you. You are the only one that has ever touched my wings, let alone even seen them.”

“Are you saying I’m special?” I began stroking him with vigor and I squealed softly with delight as he growled and leveled me with a glare.

He gripped my wrist and yanked my hand free from his pants – the only piece of clothing remaining between us. He kicked them off and tossed them, his wings twitching as he stalked towards me naked as his name day.

“I’m saying, to me, there is no one above you, Helemoira.”

My breath caught in my throat as I got up from the bed and took a half step towards him, right into his strong arms. “You say such sweet things to me, Pel.”

“Maybe one day, if you’d let me, I could fly you high into the heavens and you could look down on the world from your rightful throne.”

My brows pulled together in confusion. “My throne? How do you-”

I had no time to finish my sentence as he was pulling me back forcefully to the bed and pulling my hips down so that I was sitting upon his face.

“Oh!” I yelped as his tongue lashed out at me.

And on my throne I sat, for over an hour, as Pelleas found every way imaginable to worship me from on his back.