Chapter 7: Clyr

Clyr slipped into my room and quietly closed the door behind her.

Then she walked to the bed and sat on the edge.

That was it.

No speech. No official village business. She just sat there, very straight, very tense, and very red.

Her freshly washed brown hair was still damp around her shoulders, carrying a faint herbal scent that made my exhausted brain cancel every plan involving sleep. Her hands fidgeted on her lap while her eyes studied everything in the room except me.

The floor. The wall. The bedpost.

Apparently my room had become fascinating.

I leaned against the closed door and watched her.

Cute.

Ridiculously cute.

This was the same woman who had faced enslavers with a spear in her hand and enough attitude to insult Agrus while kneeling in front of him.

Now eye contact seemed to be her greatest enemy.

Considering she had bathed after the celebration, waited until the village went quiet, then knocked like she was smuggling herself across a border, I was reasonably confident we both knew why she was here.

Recognizing the situation did not require another supernatural ability.

Still, teasing her felt necessary.

For science.

I pushed away from the door and approached.

Clyr looked up.

Her ears twitched.

I stopped directly in front of her, then leaned forward and planted both hands on the bed, one on either side of her.

She stiffened.

Her eyes met mine.

I smiled.

"So, Chief."

"What?"

"What urgent matter brings the leader of Silverclaw into my bedroom after everyone else has gone to sleep?"

Her cheeks darkened.

"It isn't urgent."

"Oh?"

"No."

"So this is a casual secret visit."

"It is not secret."

"You knocked quietly enough to avoid waking dust."

"Wolfkin hear well."

"Exactly. You were being sneaky."

Her gaze dropped.

I tilted my head.

"Should I be worried?"

"No."

"Good. I'd hate to discover this was about tomorrow's firewood."

"Caled."

She hesitated.

Then she stood abruptly.

"Never mind."

I blinked.

"That was the shortest meeting of my life."

"I should go."

She tried to move around me.

I gently caught her wrist.

Clyr stopped.

She looked at my hand, then up at me.

For once, I decided not to fill the silence with something stupid.

A rare event.

People should have marked the date.

I leaned in and kissed her.

Soft.

Brief.

Just enough to ask the question neither of us was saying.

Then I pulled back and released her.

Her eyes were wide.

Her face turned bright red.

Her fingertips slowly touched her lips.

"If that was the wrong answer," I said, "the door is still available."

She glanced toward it.

Then back at me.

She stayed.

Instead of leaving, she whispered, "You're very comfortable doing that."

I smiled.

"Kissing?"

"With women."

"That sounded judgmental."

"It was."

"Fair."

She narrowed her eyes.

"You admitted you drank almost every night back home."

"I did."

"And you flirt with half the women in this village."

I placed a hand over my heart.

"Chief, I am wounded by how strong your evidence is."

Her mouth twitched.

I leaned closer.

"Do you want me to stop?"

Her expression changed.

The irritation softened.

"No."

The answer was quiet.

But immediate.

Good.

I kissed her again.

This time, I let it linger.

Clyr hesitated at first.

Her lips moved awkwardly against mine, careful and uncertain, like someone trying to dance after only seeing the steps once.

Then one hand settled on my shoulder.

She followed me.

Slowly.

Each second brought a little more confidence.

When we separated, she was breathing faster.

I smiled.

Her eyes narrowed immediately.

"Why are you smiling?"

"No reason."

"You noticed."

"Noticed what?"

Her ears tilted slightly backward.

"That I haven't done this much."

I touched her cheek.

"I noticed."

Her embarrassment deepened.

I added, "It's cute."

"I am not cute."

"Terrifying, then."

"Better."

"Terrifyingly cute."

She slapped my shoulder.

I laughed.

"You ruin everything."

"And yet somehow people keep inviting me places."

"You invited yourself into this village."

"Details."

She grabbed the front of my shirt and kissed me again.

Oh.

Progress.

Fast progress.

Her kiss was still inexperienced, but this time she pulled me closer.

I slipped an arm around her waist and eased her back onto the mattress.

Her breathing caught.

I stopped.

"You okay?"

"Yes."

"Good."

I kissed her forehead.

Then her cheek.

Her jaw.

The side of her neck.

Each time my lips moved somewhere new, her fingers tightened slightly against my shoulders.

When I kissed along her throat, she took a shaky breath.

When I reached her collarbone, she gripped my shirt.

Then I moved toward one of her wolf ears.

I stopped.

Clyr opened her eyes.

"What?"

"Permission."

"For what?"

I glanced toward her ear.

Recognition hit.

Her face reddened all over again.

"You remembered."

"You nearly removed my hand the first time I tried touching one."

"I did not."

"My wrist still has emotional damage."

"That is not a real injury."

"It is to me."

She fought a smile.

Then nodded.

"Gently."

"Chief, gentleness is my middle name."

"That is definitely a lie."

I kissed near the base of her ear.

Her whole body reacted.

Then I gave the edge the lightest playful bite.

A moan escaped her.

Clyr immediately slapped a hand over her mouth.

I froze.

She stared at me.

I stared back.

Her face became crimson.

"Don't say anything."

"I haven't."

"You're about to."

"I was going to compliment Wolfkin sensitivity."

"Caled."

"Fine."

I kissed her before she could reconsider coming here.

My hands moved slowly along her waist.

One slid beneath the edge of her top.

Clyr inhaled sharply when my touch traveled higher.

I paused.

Her eyes opened.

"Still okay?"

"Yes."

I continued.

Then I realized there was no second layer underneath.

I lifted my head.

Clyr immediately knew what I had discovered.

"You're not wearing anything underneath this."

Her gaze fled sideways.

"I bathed."

"That explains remarkably little."

"Caled."

She grabbed my face and kissed me hard.

Apparently that was her emergency procedure whenever my mouth became dangerous.

Between kisses, we helped each other out of our clothes.

Her top came away, then my shirt.

Clyr's eyes immediately dropped to my chest and stomach. Her fingertips traced the muscles there.

I cleared my throat.

"My eyes are higher."

"You stared at my thighs the first day we met."

"I've undergone tremendous moral development."

"It has been three days."

"Rapid transformation."

She slapped my stomach lightly.

I laughed.

Then my attention returned to her.

She covered her chest with her arms.

I gently caught one wrist.

"You don't have to hide from me."

"I know."

"Nervous?"

She hesitated.

Then nodded.

That honesty changed the mood immediately.

I leaned in and kissed her slowly.

"No rush."

Her shoulders relaxed.

Then she whispered, "Please be gentle with me."

"I will."

I kissed down her neck again.

Then lower.

When my mouth reached one of her breasts, I kissed it softly.

Clyr inhaled sharply.

Her fingers curled against my shoulder.

I kissed her there again, lingering this time, while my other hand gently caressed her other breast.

A quiet moan slipped from her.

She covered her mouth.

I lifted my head just enough to look at her.

"Still worried about the neighbors?"

"The walls are thin."

"Then stop making me make noise."

"That seems fundamentally opposed to the activity."

"You're doing it on purpose."

"Possibly."

Her eyes narrowed.

I returned my attention to her chest, kissing and teasing one breast before moving to the other.

Clyr jerked slightly beneath me and tightened her hand over her lips.

I smiled against her skin.

She immediately felt it.

"You're smiling."

"I'm having a nice evening."

"You're impossible."

"And yet you came to my room."

I continued, taking my time with her instead of rushing ahead.

Her breathing became uneven.

Her fingers slid into my hair.

Every time she tried suppressing a sound, another one escaped anyway.

"Caled…"

I lifted my head.

"Yes?"

She opened her mouth.

Then another kiss against her chest stole whatever she had planned to say.

I looked up.

"What were you saying?"

Her eyes narrowed.

"I dislike you."

"That sounded extremely affectionate."

"It wasn't."

"Your hand is holding my head against you."

She looked down.

Apparently she had not noticed.

Her face went red again.

I laughed softly and kissed her lips.

My hand gradually traveled down her body.

Over her waist.

Across her stomach.

Then between her thighs.

Clyr tensed when I began touching her intimately there.

I moved slowly, giving her time.

Her eyes closed.

Her legs shifted instinctively, allowing me closer.

I watched her face while I continued teasing her with my hand.

Embarrassment gradually mixed with something much warmer.

She pulled me down into another kiss.

Her breathing broke against my mouth.

I continued until her fingers tightened around the back of my neck.

Eventually she pulled away.

"I want you."

I smiled.

"You know I enjoy clarification."

Her eyes narrowed.

"You are terrible."

She kissed me, then whispered, "I want you inside me."

Very clear.

I kissed her.

When she reached for the rest of my clothes, I caught her hands.

"Not yet."

She frowned.

"Why?"

"Because patience builds wisdom."

"You are not wise."

"Exactly."

She nearly laughed.

I removed the last piece of clothing she still had on.

Then I kissed down her stomach.

Clyr watched me move lower.

Her eyes widened when I settled between her thighs.

"You're going to…"

"Yes."

Her face burned red.

"Oh."

"Beautifully phrased."

"Stop talking."

"Gladly."

I lowered my head between her thighs and pleasured her with my mouth.

The reaction was immediate.

Clyr's back lifted from the mattress.

Both hands grabbed the blanket.

A sharp gasp escaped her before she covered her mouth again.

I continued slowly, paying attention to every change in her breathing and every movement of her body.

Her legs tightened whenever I found something she especially liked.

The first few times she whispered my name, she sounded embarrassed.

After that, embarrassment appeared to lose the argument.

"Caled…"

I paused and looked up.

"Yes?"

"I can't take much more."

"Good?"

She glared down at me.

"Come back up."

"Chief's orders?"

"Yes."

"Very authoritative."

I climbed back over her.

She kissed me the instant I was close enough.

No hesitation now.

While we kissed, I removed the rest of my clothes.

Clyr's gaze dropped.

And stayed there.

Her cheeks turned red again.

I waited.

Eventually she looked up.

"What?"

"That was a long inspection."

"I was not inspecting."

"Of course."

She reached for me, her touch uncertain enough that I gently placed my hand over hers and guided her.

"Like this."

Her eyes widened.

"This feels very hard."

"That is generally considered encouraging."

"And bigger than I expected."

"My condolences to your expectations."

She covered her face.

"Why do you joke about everything?"

"Nerves."

"Yours?"

"Yours. I'm helping."

"You're making them worse."

But she was laughing.

I settled between her legs.

The humor faded when I saw the nerves return to her eyes.

I kissed her forehead.

"Still want this?"

"Yes."

"Tell me if you want me to stop."

"I will."

She helped guide me closer.

I entered her slowly, giving her time to adjust.

Clyr stiffened immediately.

Her nails pressed into my back.

I stopped.

Completely.

Her eyes squeezed shut.

"Does it hurt?"

She nodded.

"A little."

"We can stop."

"No."

Her arms tightened around me.

"Just wait."

So I did.

I stayed still and kissed her until, after several breaths, the tension gradually eased.

She opened her eyes.

"Okay."

"Slowly," she whispered.

"Chief's orders."

I began moving carefully.

Little by little.

Watching her face the entire time.

For the first few moments, she simply held onto me.

Then the tension in her body slowly faded.

"How is it?"

"Strange."

"That review could destroy a man's confidence."

She shifted slightly beneath me, then her eyes widened.

"Better strange?"

Her cheeks reddened.

"Yes."

I kept the rhythm slow.

Clyr's body gradually relaxed beneath mine.

Her hands moved over my back.

The discomfort disappeared from her expression.

Then her hips began moving with mine.

That was when I knew she was no longer simply enduring the unfamiliar feeling.

Her quiet moans slipped between our kisses.

I increased the pace carefully.

A louder sound escaped her.

Her hand immediately covered her mouth.

I leaned close to her ear.

"Chief."

"What?"

"The entire village has wolf ears."

Her eyes widened.

"Then slow down."

"Excellent idea."

I did not slow down.

Clyr stared at me in betrayal.

Then the faster rhythm stole whatever thought she had.

She buried her face against my shoulder.

"You did that deliberately."

"Unproven."

"You are horrible."

"And yet you're holding me tighter."

She bit my shoulder.

"Ow."

"Be quiet."

"You first."

The pace grew faster.

Her attempts at silence became increasingly unsuccessful.

I wrapped an arm behind her back and held her closer while we moved together.

Her breathing came in short bursts against my neck.

"Caled…"

"Yeah?"

She could not finish the sentence.

I smiled.

"That good?"

She closed her eyes.

Then whispered, "Yes."

"Honest girl."

She opened them again.

I kissed her.

"Good girl."

Her grip tightened immediately.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

I kept moving, and the room filled with the creak of the bed, uneven breathing, whispered names, and Clyr repeatedly forgetting that the entire species she governed had excellent hearing.

The rhythm between us grew rougher, less controlled.

Clyr's arms locked around my shoulders as she pulled me closer, her breaths breaking against the side of my neck. Every movement drew another sound from her, and whatever concern she had about the entire village hearing us had apparently packed its belongings and left.

My own breathing was starting to fall apart too.

The pressure had been building for too long.

I kissed her hard, but even that did little to hide the strained breath that escaped me.

"Clyr…"

She opened her eyes.

There was barely any distance between our faces now.

"What?"

"I'm close."

Her fingers tightened against my back.

For a moment, some of her shyness returned.

Then she pulled me down until our foreheads touched.

"Don't stop."

Well.

There went whatever remained of my self-control.

"You sure?"

She nodded quickly.

"Yes."

Her legs tightened around me as she whispered against my lips.

"Stay inside me."

My breathing caught.

Clyr was apparently discovering confidence at the exact moment mine was becoming a public safety concern.

"I want all of you, Caled."

I stared at her.

"Chief, you really picked an unfair time to learn how to say things like that."

She kissed me before I could recover.

I stopped holding back.

The bed protested beneath us as our pace became faster and harder. Clyr clung to me, her muffled cries breaking through our kisses until she finally stopped trying to silence herself altogether.

Her body suddenly tightened around me.

Her eyes squeezed shut.

"Caled…"

The way she said my name made something inside me snap.

I wrapped both arms around her and held her against me as the last few movements became desperate and unsteady.

"Clyr."

She buried her face against my neck.

Then she trembled beneath me, a broken moan escaping her as pleasure finally overwhelmed whatever restraint she had left.

That finished me.

I held her tighter, buried myself as deep as I could, and came inside her.

For several seconds, neither of us seemed capable of breathing normally.

Clyr's nails remained pressed against my back while I stayed inside her, both of us trembling through the last fading waves of it.

Then everything slowly went still.

No jokes.

No clever remarks.

Just her heartbeat pounding against my chest, my breath warming her neck, and the two of us holding each other while our bodies gradually remembered how to function.

For several seconds, neither of us moved.

We just stayed together, breathing hard.

Her arms remained around my back.

I rested against her carefully.

Eventually I lifted my head.

Clyr looked exhausted, her hair spread across the pillow, cheeks flushed and eyes heavy with satisfaction.

I smiled.

"That was incredible."

She gave me a tired little smile.

"Yes."

"That sounded suspiciously calm."

She laughed softly.

"It was incredible."

"Much better."

I kissed her forehead.

A thought crossed my mind.

Having sex with a wolf girl was considerably better than anything my imagination had prepared.

Apparently Aphrodasia had tourism advantages nobody advertised.

Clyr rested her head against my chest.

After a while, she glanced toward the door.

"I should go back to my room."

I tightened my arm around her waist.

"No."

She looked up.

"No?"

"Stay."

"All night?"

I smiled.

"If you're willing."

Her eyes narrowed playfully.

"What exactly are you planning?"

"I'm planning to make love to you until sunrise comes knocking with a complaint."

Her cheeks reddened again.

"You still want more?"

"Chief, I take important responsibilities seriously."

"That is the least believable thing you have ever said."

"Then stay and verify it."

She kissed me.

"That sounds good."

I smiled against her lips.

"And it feels even better."

She laughed.

And she stayed.

We rested, talked quietly, kissed again, then started over.

The second time was easier. Clyr was less nervous and far more confident. By the third, she surprised me by taking the initiative.

I informed her she was learning dangerously fast.

She told me to shut up.

I obeyed for nearly thirty seconds.

Personal record.

Hours blurred together. Sometimes we moved slowly. Sometimes patience became a forgotten historical concept. More than once we stopped because I made her laugh, and twice she threatened to throw me out.

She never followed through.

We made love again and again throughout the night.

Eventually the moonlight faded from the floor.

The darkness outside softened.

Birds started calling beyond the village.

A thin line of gold appeared around the curtains.

And the only thing that finally stopped us was the rising sun.