The Vessel of Ra

Chapter 14: The Survivors

In a few short minutes, October would turn into November. In the stone circle outside Mistraldol, the sacred place hewn from the Hathersage peaks, Octavia and Khun lay on the ground. The power vortex summoned by the Binding spell shielded them from the eyes of Octavia's Anchor. All was well. Octavia had decided not to decide, and Khun had decided he wouldn't Bind Octavia. Equals. Still connected, but not moving forward. Stasis. No one was free, but no one was a servant. Since they had decided to change nothing, the family would think Octavia had won. It was the simplest solution to their impossible situation.

Octavia was crumpled, her body uncovered, skirts hiked, stays loosened and breasts bare. Her lips were darker with the rough stubble of Khun's bearded face, and splotches of blue covered her thighs where he had rubbed against her. She had turned toward Khun, watching his chest rise and fall. He was erect in his sleep. She straddled him, her skirts covering their contact, and pain stabbed into her, dark and sexual, filling her with heat. Khun's eyes fluttered open. He bucked against her and she closed her eyes. He thrust into her. His hands strangled her breasts and she orgasmed, biting her scream into a grunt behind her mouth. Khun's sharp nail ran over her chin's curve. It sliced and her blood welled. She bent, and he licked it off her cheek.

"Take me," said Octavia.

"We have to go. They'll suspect something is wrong if we don't appear soon."

"I don't mean this." Octavia climbed off him and cleaned herself with a petticoat. "I mean Bind me. I don't want the scroll. I want you."

"You can have me and the scroll."

"If we leave here and you aren't my master, you know we can't do this again."

His hands cupped her breasts with the gentleness of beating wings and his lips traced her collarbone. "No one will stop us. We can do whatever we want." His tongue found her ear, and the inside of her thighs prickled.

"Bind me to your will," said Octavia.

"You don't love me?" said Khun.

"I don't understand you."

"It's a simple question."

"It's not that simple." Her happiness was crumbling away morsel by morsel. "They expect things from me. I have obligations. If I go back to the family, I have to pretend to control you, and we can't risk getting caught."

"We can be very careful."

She pulled away from him. "No, we can't. If you possess me, we won't have to."

"They'll kill us."

She shook her head as she shifted her vest into place. "We can run away."

"I won't risk you. I've spent all your life with you. I adore you."

Octavia laughed. "How can you love me? You're a demon."

"You believe we don't love?"

"Everything you do, you do for your own benefit."

"Is that so? Then why didn't I try to control you?"

"I don't know you didn't. I don't know how this works."

"Yes, you do know." He kissed her. His chin scraped her skin. He smelled musky and she wanted him again. "Tell me you want me."

"I... I don't."

He nibbled her ear and deep pleasure turned her skin into gooseflesh. "Tell me." Khun nuzzled her hair. "This will be our secret. No one will find out. I promise you."