Page 69 of Daughter of the Darkened City

By the goddess, she was gorgeous. Enid could get caught up in the lines of her beauty for an eternity, lost in the glory of her hips, oblivious to the world as she tasted those lips between her thighs.

Avenay ground her ass against Enid,and Enid shifted her hips so her clit felt the friction of it, sending glorious shivers through her. Enidtook the soap down, washing her thighs, teasing between her legs and over her mound. Then she dropped it in the water and found Avenay’s clit with her fingers. Avenay drew in a sharp breath, her hand flying up to touch Enid’s horns, stroking and teasing.

Enid moaned, nipping Avenay’s neck as she rolled her hips against her hands. Enid lost all sense of time and place. The world was nothing. The only thing that existed was them, together, these touches, the skin on skin, the intimacy of this moment as she tumbled into the sweetest bliss she’d ever felt.

Her lips grew swollen from Avenay’s teeth, their bodies moving in rhythm to one another, the oneness of it like the sweetest ecstasy. She felt every sensation, every touch, as the pleasure built and built, toppling them over the edge at the same moment, the ripples of pleasure in her cunt so fierce she bit down on Avenay’s neck to muffle the cry.

Avenay slumped against her, letting out a sighing whimper. Enid swirled her tongue on her neck, not wanting to remove her teeth. She wanted to leave a mark, some evidence she’d been there, that Avenay had given herself over to her. But she released her and Avenay turned, curling up in her arms as the water lapped around them. It was cold, but the heat between them made her want to stay there forever. Herwings curled around Avenay and she peppered kisses along her neck as Avenay placed ones along her chest.

“You’re good,” Avenay said, looking up at her with lust filled eyes.

“So are you,” Enid said, tracing a line along her chin. “You took to my horns faster than demons even do.”

Avenay smiled. “I’ve always been a quick study.”

Enid chuckled, her eyes catching on her wings.

Curled.

That was the telltale sign of a mate. How many times had she woken next to someone, desperately hoping her wings curled, or theirs did, only to see them tucked neatly behind them? But here it was.

Avenay was her mate.

She looked down at Avenay, shock coming over her. It all made sense now. Of course it did. But Enid had thought for so long that she was incapable of having a mate.

But here it was, with Avenay.

Who she’d just fucked in the river. Oh shit, was this the mating frenzy? No wonder she’d been dying of lust. Her body wanted to consummate the bond, and now she had.

Without Avenay knowing and agreeing to being her mate.

Shit.

Avenay pulled away, her once open face now stony and cold. “We should head back.”

Enid grabbed her wrist. “What was this for you?” The words slipped out before she could stop them, her chest tightening, not wanting to hear the response. “It doesn’t have to mean anything, you know.”

Avenay looked down at Enid’s hand, biting her lip in thought for only a moment. She looked up at Enid, forcing a smile. “Just sex. Nothing serious, just casual.”

The bliss Enid had felt a moment ago crashed into the pit of her stomach, cracking and breaking. She couldn’t let Avenay see it.

What had she expected? Some profession of love? Of course it was just sex. They’d been nothing but travel companions. They barely knew each other.

Just sex.

Enid nodded her head, releasing Avenay and smiling. “Good. Glad we’re on the same page.”

Avenay nodded, then left. Enid watched her go as longing pierced her heart, the blood pumping in her veins sore with every beat.

Chapter 19: Avenay

Avenay avoided Enid’s gaze the next morning. Though, to be fair, every time she looked her way, Enid was never looking anyway, and that lit a small fire of fury in her chest each time. Was Enid ignoring her?

Could she blame her, though? Avenay had made it very clear that it was just sex between them. But was it? Every moment leading up to that had been so intimate, so caring, so deep. But she’d seen Enid’s face, the awkwardness there, as if she didn’t know how to end it, to dipaway politely. Avenay knew it was only sex, and she’d be damned if she let Enid have the upper hand.

She packed up her things carefully as the sun dotted the ground through the leaves. Cyrus came up beside her, kneeling to help. She glanced up, unsure what to say.

“Do you really believe Cirro is real?” he whispered.