Bound to the battle god

16

At Tadekha’s words, a large man comes out of the audience surrounding the goddess. Dark, long hair. Pale face. Bright red scar down one eye. Mismatched eyes. Forbidding scowl on his handsome features. He’s still dressed in the uniform of the Aventinian soldiers, the red and gray kilted tunic and gladiator sandals. His cloak is dusty and his hair slightly disheveled, but other than that, he looks just as I left him.

Well hell. Aron is here. When First was talking, I thought she was just making conversation.

I get to my feet as he strides to my side. "Aron! What—" My words cut off as he shoves me behind him and steps forward, blocking me from the goddess's sights.

"Tadekha," he says in a flat voice.

"I was wondering when you'd introduce yourself," she purrs. "Hello, dear friend."

"We are not friends," Aron says tightly.

Well it's nice to see that some things haven't changed. Aron's the same guy he ever was. I touch his arm to get his attention, and that little spark ripples through me. "How did you know where to find me?" He turns and glares at me so fiercely that I take a step back. "Sorry I asked."

"Do not move from where you are," he commands me, pointing at the floor. Like I'm a bad dog or something.

Before I can smart off about that, Tadekha chuckles and the warm, lovely sound rolls through the room. "Come, come Aron. Do not be so upset. I mean no harm to you or your anchor. In fact, I have one of my own." She reaches out to stroke a hand over the hair of the girl holding the tray and a blissful look crosses the angel's face. Tadekha smiles absently at her, chucks her under the chin, and then returns to petting her head. "I think it's marvelous that we get to spend time together. After all, we are both exiled, are we not? Perhaps we can pool our resources. Work together."

"Us?” He laughs as if the idea is insulting. “You know that is a bad idea.”

The goddess waves a hand absently. "If I was not a fan of bad ideas, I would not be here."

Aron grunts as if this makes sense to him.

She wags a finger at a few of the angels fluttering on the sidelines, and then three of them rush forward, a gilded chair in their hands. They float up to the dais with their tinkling windchime wings and place the seat near Tadekha's throne, arranging it just so before bowing to the goddess and floating back to rejoin the crowd.

Tadekha gestures at the empty seat, indicating that Aron should join her. "At least enjoy my hospitality since you are already here." When he remains perfectly still, she picks up another bonbon and nibbles on it, raising an eyebrow.

My stomach growls.

Aron sighs heavily as if this all bugs the crap out of him. He turns to me and flicks his gaze over my gown, eyes resting on my nearly naked breasts for a long moment. "Come."

And he heads for the throne designated for him.

I scurry after him, gathering my skirts as I walk. There's no seat for me, not that I expected one. I glance over at Tadekha's chair and she's seated regally upon her throne, caressing the cheek of the girl kneeling at her feet and clutching the tray as if it's an honor to serve the goddess. Heck, for her, maybe it is.

Then again, she wasn't stuck with Aron.

Then again, maybe Aron expects me to be all kissy-kissy to him and is pouting that I'm not. Of course, even as the idea crosses my mind, I dismiss it. Aron's a lot of things, but he's not a crybaby. And really, he's handsome. If he hit on me, I…

My mouth goes dry as I think about Aron. Kissing Aron. Touching Aron. Aron’s big body thrusting into me as I rake my nails down his back…

I'm shocked at my thoughts.

Of course, the moment I do, I can feel myself blushing. I wait for Aron to sit in his throne, and he immediately gestures that I should sit next to him, but on the floor. Yeah, I expected that. The chair he's sitting in isn't much in the way of legs, though, and there's no place for me to rest my back or get comfortable. After a few moments of shifting in my skirts, I tentatively lean against his leg. That pleasant little electric ripple moves through me again.

"Lovely. Shall we eat and drink, then?" Tadekha seems pleased.

“I do not need to eat.”

“Ah, but it’s such fun. You should try it. I've no doubt your anchor is famished. Is that not right, little Faithful?"

I open my mouth to speak.

"Do not address her," Aron growls, and I can see his hand clench on one arm of the throne. "She is mine."

Jeez. So possessive. I should be irritated, but instead, a warm flush rushes through my body. I nudge his leg with my shoulder, but I'm kinda pleased. You'd think the guy hadn't abandoned me on the road with the way he's acting. Maybe it's my endorphins rushing back after days of being tortured with pain, but I'm feeling pretty good right now. I'm happy Aron's here, because he's familiar. He's my rock in all this madness, oddly enough. And in his weird way, he's acting like he's happy to see me, too.

Tadekha gestures, and a winged servant arrives with a small tray of food and a cup for me. I'm starving and thirsty, but I hesitate. Maybe Aron wants me to hold off for some reason I can't imagine. I glance up at him and he makes a dismissive gesture with his hand, indicating I can have it if I want it.

I want it. I'm starving. I take the tray from the angel and balance it on my knees, then plow into the food. God, it's so good. Every bite is like heaven.

Dancers come out onto the floor and musicians move forward with their instruments. They set up and begin to play. The dancers leap about in their skimpy outfits and tinkling, delicate music fills the room.

Okay, this is nice. Food, music, entertainment. Tadekha knows how to live. Aron could take some notes from her.

I keep eating. Even if I wanted to stop, I'm not sure I could. I don't know what any of this stuff is, but it's all shaped into intricate designs and tastes amazing. I do my best not to stuff my face like a wild woman, but I eat and drink without stopping, licking my fingers when all of the delicious treats are gone. Someone moves forward and takes my tray, then offers me a napkin. As I wipe my fingers with the floaty, see-through napkin given to me by one of the angels, I notice that neither Aron nor Tadekha are talking to each other. The room is very quiet, and it's like they're waiting for something…or testing each other out. It's odd but Aron’s also made it very clear he’s not friends with Tadekha.

He must be here because of me.

That makes me feel absurdly warm and pleased, like he’s gone out of his way for me. I curl a hand around his stiff, naked calf and give him a squeeze. "Everything okay?" I whisper.

He glances down at me and gives me a brief nod, but he's not as much of a douche as he normally is. In a way, that's sweet. I think he's trying to be nice. I stroke my hand up and down his bare leg absently and then turn to watch the room. I didn't pay much attention to the dancers while I was eating, but I'm looking now and…well, they're rather sensual. Their movements are not “dancing” so much as “writhing” and their clothing sways around almost naked limbs. I feel a bit like I'm at a high-end strip club, and when one dancer grabs another and begins to slowly undress her, I change that from strip club to orgy.

It's weird, because I'm not offended by the sight of the two angels making out. Instead, it makes me hot and flushed with my own arousal. That's…odd. I clutch at Aron's leg, watching as one woman bears the other to the ground, their mouths locked together, hands on each other, in front of the entire room. Are all of the dances here like this? Or are we just being treated to a special show that no one feels like stopping?

And why is it turning me on? I stroke my hand up and down Aron's leg, unable to help myself. I have to touch him, have to feel that crackle of energy that comes between us. I can't tear my eyes off of the women as they continue writhing and the music flares faster and louder. I lean against Aron's knee, and I know I'm clinging to him. I can't seem to stop myself. I'm in a lust-filled fog and when he reaches down and puts a hand on my shoulder, grazing his thumb over my bare skin, it sends a shockwave of pleasure through my body. My pussy squeezes on nothing, and I’m growing hot and wet between my thighs.

The lusty music comes to a crescendo and the dancers fall flat, their song ended. The room breaks into applause and I feel breathless and needy. I turn to peer over at the goddess…and gasp at what I see. The goddess's anchor—the beautiful angelic-looking woman—kneels before the goddess as she sits on the edge of her throne. Tadekha's legs are splayed open and her hand is on the silvery head of the woman before her. The anchor has her head buried in the goddess's lap, and when Tadekha closes her eyes and her lips part, I realize that she's being pleasured.

A goddess is getting head right in front of everyone and doesn't give a damn.

A moan escapes my throat and I can't stop staring. I know my mouth hangs open in surprise and I should look away, but I can't. I'm too fascinated by the bob of the angel's head as she licks her mistress, the way her bare toes are curled and her wings shudder as if she's getting intense pleasure out of this, too. Tadekha keeps one hand on the girl's head and gestures for new musicians, and they stroll out to the center of the floor as if nothing is happening.

As if this is an everyday sort of thing.

Maybe it is. Maybe this is how an anchor serves their god. Maybe this is why Aron is so impatient with me, because I haven't touched him. I'm touching him now, though, and as I watch Tadekha get pleasured by the mouth of her servant, it makes me want to do more. The weird hum in my body and the arousal I'm feeling heightens. I want to do something. I look up at Aron, who's gazing straight ahead as if he's deliberately avoiding looking over at Tadekha. Me, personally, I can't stop staring. The goddess is beautiful, and even more so when she parts her lips and moans loudly enough to be heard over the music. It makes my belly tighten, and I lean in and brush my mouth against Aron's skin. The belted Aventinian tunic only goes to mid-thigh, and I could push it up and put my mouth on him like the other girl is doing to her goddess.

The mental image of that makes me suck in a deep breath. I haven't thought of Aron in a sexual way until now, but in this moment, I can't stop thinking about the hard planes of his features, the firm line of his mouth, the scar that makes him look rugged despite the elegant stamp of his cheekbones. I think of his pale skin and mismatched eyes which should make him look creepy and instead make him look dangerous and otherworldly.

I press my mouth to the side of his leg again, and then lick him. Just a little.