It was tricky landing in the forest, but I had mastered it many years ago. Far enough away from Auntie's cottage so neither would see me, I came to a halt, glamoured my wings and fangs, then walked the short distance to my home; accompanied by a delicious smell wafting from the kitchen window. Stopping outside, I peeked in. Kyra was standing at the kitchen counter kneading bread dough, a spot of flour decorating her left cheek. Her hair was piled atop her head, but one rebellious curl swung down in her face. She kept poofing her lips out and blowing at the strand as if that would help. It was the cutest thing I had ever seen a woman do.

"Auntie, I don't understand how making bread helps me to learn to control my magic," Kyra stated.

"It doesn't. But it will taste awfully good later this evening with supper," Auntie answered. I chuckled to myself when Kyra's eyes widened.

"Come on in, Mareck. I know you're out there," Auntie announced.

Damn, it never fails.

I had been considerate of Kyra and put a tunic on after glamouring my wings. No need in making her nervous. It didn't seem to matter though, her face still flushed when her eyes focused on me.

"Hello, Auntie. Hello, Kyra," I greeted.

"Good Morning, Mareck," Kyra said in a soft voice. If her face got any redder, she would look like one of Auntie's tomatoes.

"Kyra was finishing the dough, and we were going to start her next lesson. She has progressed well this week, and is quite a powerful witch," Auntie praised, making the situation with her reddened face even more pronounced. "Anyway, Mareck, you can help us with today's lesson and in exchange, Kyra will let you have a whole loaf of her wonderful bread, right out of the oven."

"Let's get started," I exclaimed. Auntie knew I loved fresh baked bread and Kyra would soon find out.

Auntie took us to a small clearing in the forest covered in tiny, yellow daisies. I had played here with her, many times as a child.

"Mareck, get over there and, Kyra, you get over there," she said, pointing to opposite sides of the meadow. "Now, Kyra, blast him," Auntie stated with a straight face. I didn't know which one of us had looked the most startled, me or Kyra.

"But, Auntie, I don't want to hurt him," Kyra pleaded.

"Don't be silly girl, you won't hurt him. Look at him."

Looking at me with concern, Kyra reached out her hands, shut her eyes for a moment in concentration, then...

What in the name of Fairy just happened?

When I opened my eyes, I found myself supine, my vision swimming with little yellow spots that soon turned to flowers. A warm hand was resting on my chest, a slight tremble in the fingers. Focusing on Kyra, she leaned over me, concern etched in her face. "Mareck, are you okay? I'm so sorry!"

Nodding my head, I heard Auntie remark, "He's fine. He's made of nice, sturdy oak."

It took a moment before I realized Kyra's hand was still touching my chest.

Why did I have to wear a tunic today?

Noticing herself, Kyra jerked her hand back and dropped her head in embarrassment. It was so cute.

"How much of your powers were you using Kyra?" Auntie asked.

"Just a small bit. I didn't want to hurt him," she answered.

Auntie hummed, then stated, "I want you to try it on me, but this time give me at least half of your full power to start, then slowly increase until you are full strength." Kyra's eyes went wide.

"Put your eyes back in your head, dear. I haven't survived one-hundred-thousand years without having my own ways of protection."

Kyra prepared herself, reluctance evident on her face. This time, as a spectator, I stood to the side and watched. Although Kyra's power was invisible, I saw a shimmery effect around her hands and noticed colors appeared displaced in a straight line to Auntie. The severe look of determination on Auntie's face told me how strong Kyra was. I knew Kyra was increasing her powers, because the displaced area of colors was getting wider and Auntie had taken a step back, bracing herself. After reaching her full potential, Kyra held her magical onslaught until Auntie rolled her arms in the opposite direction, deflecting Kyra's strike to a nearby tree. It uprooted, then burst into flames within seconds of impact.

Both women were breathing heavy when it done, Kyra with a look of terror on her face, and Auntie smiling widely. "That was excellent, Kyra. I'm impressed," Auntie exclaimed, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice.

For the rest of the morning and well into the afternoon, Kyra practiced. Auntie had taught her many spells this week, and she had already mastered them all. I enjoyed watching her confidence grow, her face glowing with pride. When Auntie stopped, I followed the women back to the cottage, falling behind on purpose. I was famished and my fangs had appeared a few minutes before.

"Put two loaves of bread in the oven, my dear. Mareck can eat one by himself," Auntie reminded as we entered her cottage.

Without thinking, I smiled at Auntie's remark and was greeted with a loud gasp from Kyra. Covering my mouth and looking away ashamed, Auntie stated, "You uncover yourself this instant, Mareck. I will not have you embarrassed at how you look. Not in this home."

Pulling my hand away, I kept my mouth closed. Chancing a peek at Kyra, I expected to find a look of disgust. Instead, she had moved closer to me with a cautious, yet kind expression adorning her beautiful face. Now standing close enough to touch me, she reached up and placed her hand along my jaw and whispered, "Show me." I shuddered at her touch, a mixture of fear and excitement.

As I opened my mouth, her eyes widened, but instead of pulling away, she gave me a small smile. I felt a warmth spread through my chest that heretofore, I had never experienced. Without realizing she was doing it; her thumb stroked my jaw near my bottom lip, while another shudder raced through me.

I hope she didn't notice it.

My turn to blush, I met her eyes. They sparkled with something I couldn't name, something I had only seen in Auntie's eyes when she looked at me, yet different. We shared a moment of connection in our gazes before being interrupted by pans clanging while being placed in the oven.

"Now that we have that out of the way, Mareck, take Kyra outside where there is more room, and show her your other attributes," Auntie stated, wiggling her eyebrows at us. "You heard me, boy. Don't make me tell you again."

Moving toward the door, Kyra followed as my stomach flopped in nervousness. Outside, I directed Kyra to stand back a moment, took off my tunic, and dropped my glamour. When my wings appeared, I unfurled them with a flare and lightly flapped them, sending bouncy curls flying around Kyra's face. Her mouth fell agape, eyes impossibly wide. Stretching them out to full expansion, she didn't hesitate to walk near. When her fingers grazed over a few of the feathers, she hummed and murmured, "They feel like silk."

No one besides Auntie had ever given me a compliment on my wings, unless you count the Queen, and that was only when she wanted me to use them for sexual escapades. Ducking under them, Kyra examined my lower shoulders where the wings originated. When she touched my shoulder blade with her warm hands, my skin broke out in pimply flesh. Circling underneath the other wing and coming to stand in front of me again, she looked me in the eye and stated, "They are magnificent. I've never seen anything more beautiful." On the second sentence, her eyes strayed to my face and other parts of my body. My heart swelled at her flattery, feeling that warmth in my chest expand.

Did she really mean it, or was she just being kind?

A bright smile broke out over her face, lighting up the evening. I couldn't help but return her pleased look.

"If you two are finished, would you like to come in and eat a little supper before Mareck has to leave?" Auntie winked at us with a twinkle of mischief in her bright blue eyes.

I re-glamoured my wings for the sake of not breaking anything in Auntie's cottage. She was right. I ate a whole loaf of Kyra's bread myself, enjoying every morsel, somehow feeling lighter with every bite. When it came time to leave, Auntie and Kyra followed me outside to say goodbye. I flapped my wings and took to the air in a flourish and may have performed an unnecessary dive back down, showing off. The last thing I saw was a beaming smile and waving hands.

******

I was four days into the six I had to spend at the castle. Thus far, it had been an uneventful week. All the Lords had been home, saving me from whoring for the Court Ladies.

Preoccupied, my thoughts dwelled on Kyra most of the week. Her demeanor fascinated me; the mere thought of her presence brought me peace. The little human was quickly placing me under her spell.

"Jester, the Lady Malum will require your... company tonight," the Queen stated, while sauntering by, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Prepare yourself."

I knew this week was going too well.

Of all the Ladies of Court, Lady Malum was my least favorite. Not that she was unattractive. She was quite beautiful and the only other member in court, besides me, that had a physical aberration. Although most of her hair was the coveted silver, she had one lock that was glossy black from root to tip on the left side of her head. No one teased or mocked her for it, though—probably because they were frightened of her. She was scary and intense. I believed even her mate was afraid of her. He volunteered for many more assignments than any other Lord, assignments that took him away from home.

Fortunately, she only required my services occasionally. The last time, three full moons ago, remained ingrained in my memory. Afterward, I had to plead with the healers for a small amount of ajwain healing ointment for my buttocks. She flogged me worse than the punishers at the whipping post. She was a foul and wicked soul. Using a magic lasso, she choked me until I lost consciousness, all the while riding me like one of the equod stallions of the Pedora Plains. She had to use magic to preserve my ability to perform sexually because of the abuse she put my body through.

I wanted to say no to her, but knew if I did, her retaliation might cost me my life. The despair that weighed so heavily on me, but had lifted since Kyra arrived, returned with a vengeance. I could only pray to Perses that I survived the night with this woman.

Entering her immense palace quarters, Lady Malum wasted little time. "Get on your knees!" she barked an order at me. I kept my mind on Kyra's sweet smile throughout tonight's travail. Just picturing how warm and inviting it was, comforted me. Unlike many others, I knew her kind smile matched her compassionate heart.

On my knees with my head bowed, Lady Malum grabbed a handful of my hair and ripped my head up, bending my neck at a harsh angle. "Are you prepared for tonight, Raven? It's going to be a night to remember." Her sinister voice slithered over the shell of my ear, sending shivers racing over my skin.

Pulling shackles out of her bureau, she secured my hands behind my back, then gagged me with her magic lasso.

No, not that thing... Stop it! Think of Kyra.

For the next hour, she abused me in countless ways. Blood trickled off my back and dropped to her immaculate white floor. The stark contrast of the colors looked almost artistic until she walked through my blood barefoot and left a terrifying trail of scarlet prints throughout her quarters.

What will the servants think when they see this in the morning?

I took myself to another place during her torture, a place deep in the forest with a copper-haired little witch smiling at me as she cast newly learned spells.

"Raven, you don't seem yourself tonight. You know if I grow bored with you, I won't just stop, I'll make it worse, much, much worse."

"Yes, Lady Malum." She had removed the gag, better to hear my grunts of pain.

Changing my shackles to secure me to her bed with my arms above my head, she trailed her fingers down my torso, stopping to lick and bite one of my nipples. Moving farther down my naked body, she took me into her mouth, sucking and bobbing, bringing me to attention against my will.

"There, that's better," she purred. "You really are a magnificent creature, Raven. Your body is beyond compare." This is what she would do; hurt me, then tell me how beautiful I was—beat me, then caress me—torture me, then give me physical pleasure.

"I think tonight, we will try a little something different, something to get your heart pumping."

Oh gods, no!

"Since it is obvious, you are not giving me your full attention, I am forced to employ more drastic measures." The malevolence in her voice stood my hair on end. I felt like a child cowering from a cruel parent. She wanted me to be completely submissive, and I had been. I didn't know what else I could do to satisfy her besides eviscerate myself and let her ride me while I died screaming.

Placing her hands on my bare chest, I felt a sudden jolt of magic pulse through me, but not like any magic I had ever come in contact with before. "There, that should do it. Let's see the real Raven."

The glamour I used to hide my wings and fangs dropped without warning. The need to stretch and expand my wings was beyond my control. They unfurled of their own accord, reaching out to their maximum width. Straddling my hips, she laughed at the new found fear and confusion on my face. "I know you, Raven. I know what you are," she cackled, reaching the highest note her naturally deep voice could.

"What are you talking about? What am I?" I yelled while fighting against my shackles, anger overtaking my fear.

"Crack!" She slapped me across my cheek with such force, my head whipped to the side, and my fangs bit into my lip. A sudden fury engulfed me, defiance of my situation, vehemence for this woman who had humiliated me for years and a rolling darkness coming to life in my blood. Breaking the shackles with little effort, I grabbed her and sent her body careening across the room, crashing into a wooden bureau. The force of the impact would have broken her spine had she been anything other than fae.

Stumbling to her feet, she looked at me and smiled the smile of the damned, blood dripping from her busted lip.

Crouching on the end of the bed, my wings fully expanded, I growled at her. Not the growl of a fae or human, but the growl of a splendid beast, the low tone keeping the same reticulating cadence, a warning of what was to come. She licked her lips in a seductive manner, then stated, "That's what I've been wanting to see, the violent beast behind the innocent fae."

What came over me then was purely primal and inescapable. In the blink of an eye, I was on her. With her body crushed against the wall, I ripped her head back by her hair as she had done to me so often. What I saw in her face gave me a moments pause. They were glazed over with the purest form of lust. I was wrong. She didn't want me to be submissive; she wanted me to dominate her completely.

Ripping garments from her body, I gave her exactly what she wanted from me, what she craved. I needed no magic to help me perform tonight. Nothing could stop me. Throwing her to her knees, I sunk my fangs into her shoulder, her yells of pain and pleasure goading my beast for more. Using something other than my fangs, I ripped into her body over and over as she cried out in ecstasy. I ravaged her for hours, unable to satiate myself with her flesh. When she passed out from being choked, I slapped her hard, bringing her to, only to choke her again.

She loved every minute of the depravity, drinking in the pain and perversion. By the time I finished, she was a wretched sight. Passing into exhaustion beside her well-used body, I felt a moment of remorse before I slept the sleep of the dead.

Copyrighted 2/24/2021 by brhr14.
WC: 2888
WCT: 9079