I take my place in line and scan the line of women, searching for her. Making a point to keep my gaze leveled on their faces as I promised. She’s not hard to find because the women around her have cleaved several feet of distance between her and them. Her gaze is deliberately diverted, eyes skirting the festivities. They veer to me and I put the most apologetic face on I can muster. It only lasts a heartbeat before she sharply turns her head, a murderous expression on her face. So damned angry with me. I loose a disgruntled sigh.
The women outnumber the men by a long shot. The numbers hadn’t seem so slanted the last time I came to this thing. Before I know it my eyes are making their way back over to her of their own accord.
This timeshe’s looking at me.
Blatantly staring more like.
Not at my face.
That didn’t take long, pet.
I shift on myfeet and cough. My cock is too responsive. All the anger sifts out of me, replaced by something even more feral. My shoulders loosen, fingers unraveling out of my palms. I drop my head, flexing my thighs and abdomen in an attempt, but there’s no stopping it this time.
Oh, that’sembarrassing.I should’ve prepared myself better for this damn rite. I hardly had time. The only thing I can do now is own it. I am at least far from the only one. Even from across the field, I can see her eyes grow wider and rounder. She finally pulls her gaze up, to see what it isI’mlooking at.
Her lips pop open, and I quirk a brow.
Yes, pet, I’m looking at you.
Watching you, watching me. I expect her to shrink or maybe even turn away. She merely juts her chin, a blush roasting her cheeks. I can’t stifle my grin. She fights it back, still angry with me, but then her chin tips down, and she grins too.
I let out a quiet laugh. Not quite forgiven, but I will be. The urge to look is strong. I wait for her to meet my gaze again before cocking my head.
This means I have permission, doesn’t it?
She already lost, yet I want her blessing. I jerk my chin down in a question.
Can I look at you?
She extends a slight jerk of her own that seems to sayif you must. I must,but it’s not quite good enough for me.“Yes?” I mouth.
Her lips scrunch to the side as she fights another grin. She doesn’t want to, but she likes that, the asking. Finally doing something right. She concedes with the barest of nods.
I smile, and slowly let my gaze lower over her hair, the thick strip of moonlight shielding her breasts. Lower, across her abdomen, the slight curved incontestably feminine carve of her hips. Liquid like pitcher-poured milk, the dimple of her navel a single splash. And then across that contrastingly shadowy place between her thighs.
Her fingers twitch at her sides as I drink her with greedy gulps. The many differing creations of my imagination haven’t done her justice. It’s the degree of rigidity, quickly becoming uncomfortable, that finally has me pulling back to her face to find her staring at me so much more bravely than I anticipated.
All of my insecurities fade away. This is right between us. Maybe notrightconsidering.I know it's wrong. All wrong. But inevitable. She flicks her head in a motion that’s not the least bit shy, adjusts the hair across her chest, and licks at her lips before taking her bottom lip behind her teeth with a seemingly…innocent expression.
Oh, shit.
She knows now. Finally fucking gets it. Understands all that power she possesses, magic-less as she is. The magic doesn’t matter, Pandora. It never fucking mattered. The desire to wipe that faux coy look from her face is strong.
Plenty of ways I could manage it. I get a little carried away, indulging myself as I envision the possibilities before squeezing my eyes shut with an internal groan. Stillso innocentdespite the cocky act.
I allow one last sip, one last up and down, before I force myself to break away. This is not a moment we’re sharing alone.
It’s the right call. I find Valik positioned some twenty paces behind me, watching me like a fucking hawk. The whole interaction was maybe a minute tops, but how much has he already seen? Stupid fucking weasel.
I make a point of scanning the line of women more thoroughly this time, finding far too many hungry eyes pointed in my direction. I exhale slowly as I make the connection as to why there are so many more of them than last time. They’re here for me, of course. It’s not like I can blame them. Trying to improve their quality of life, one where they’re not forced to toil away for the Crux.
They don’t know a life with me is far from an advantage. I continue scanning the line for Valik’s benefit and to search for targets. I suppose it doesn’t matter. Any of them will do.
When I find Pandora again, she’s not looking at me, her face once again twisted into a scowl. Fuck. She thinks I’m looking at other women. AndI am. But not because I particularly want to be. I stare at her, trying to get her attention, but she won’t meet my gaze. I told her I needed it to look like I was participating. Maybe I hadn’t explained that well enough. Or maybe I was intentionally trying to avoid explaining it because I’m not sure she’ll understand. I know she won’t understand. She thinks I’m humiliated to be seen with her. If things were different I’d gladly flaunt her to the world.
The scene has already begun to transform as more Magi complete their offerings and pair off, some seeking the privacy of the nearby wood, others taking a much more voyeuristic approach right here in the clearing. As if seeing Pandora wasn’t titillating enough the field of writhing bodies would do it.
I can’t imagine what the prudish little nought is making of all this. Although maybe not so prudish after all. My eyes roam the area for a moment. I’m powerless to keep them from straying over in her direction once more. Before I catch a glimpse the line moves and it's my turn.
