Nocked Senseless Page 6

  The bright pain drew another shuddering wave of pleasure from my body and I reveled in the jets of hot cum my body sent into hers.

  It felt right. It felt perfect. It felt like fate.

  I collapsed over her, my body beyond weary and sated and nuzzled her soft neck. Nidras whimpered slightly and then laughed, the vibrations traveling down her body to pull against my softening cock.

  I laughed too.

  It seemed right. Something as powerful as what we’d just shared had to be celebrated, enjoyed to its full measure.

  Then she sighed against my chest and the rhythmic touch of her breath danced against my skin. I rolled to my side, pulling her close.

  And followed her into healing sleep.

  Chapter Six

  Tights Spots

  Soft hands slid down my thighs, over my knees and along my calves. My lower legs were pillowed in something soft and heavy, as warm wetness slid over my toes. My cock rose expectantly, oblivious to the cause of the sensual assault but ready and willing to act on it nonetheless.

  I groaned and lifted my hands. “Go away, Sidra.”

  Soft, husky laughter met my rejection.

  Warmth encompassed my cock and gentle rubbing created a delectable sensation on the exquisitely tender underside of the engorged shaft. I tossed my head on my pillow and tried to open my eyes but I felt as if I were covered in smothering clouds of sleep and I couldn’t seem to claw my way out.

  “No.” My hands shoved ineffectually at the unseen Succubus, only to be met by more giggling. The heavy warmth lifted from my cock and I felt the loss like a physical pang but the separation didn’t last long. A velvet hand grabbed my hungry shaft and guided it to heaven.

  My sensual assailant slowly lowered her weight onto my body and embedded my cock deep, all the way to my taut, aching balls. Despite myself I groaned and grabbed at a lush pair of hips, urging them to move.

  Guilt swept over me. Something felt wrong about letting Sidra take me in my sleep. Something wasn’t quite…right…

  My mind cleared suddenly and my eyes shot open in panic. “Nidras!”

  The wanton creature riding my dick turned her dark head and grinned. “Yes?”

  Relief flooded me and I laughed. “Oh my gods, you scared the shit out of me.”

  Nidras slid her legs behind her and bent toward my toes, keeping my shaft safely embedded in her clutching pussy. She pulled the big toe of my right foot into her mouth, sucking softly.

  My shaft thickened and bucked with surprised pleasure.

  Nidras gasped from the movement inside her body. Letting my toe slide free of her lips she turned her head toward me. Her eyes flashed with devilish delight. “You don’t feel scared.” Then she captured the big toe of my other foot, sucking hard while her lithe body rode my delighted cock.

  She sat up straight again and I grabbed her shoulders, pulling her backward so I could give her lush breasts the attention they so richly deserved. Nidras placed her hands on the bed on either side of me and leaned back, giving me full access to the tender mounds. Her lush fall of midnight-black hair fell against my chest, the strands now grown so long they draped my body and puddled on the sheets to either side.

  I realized I needed to have her underneath me. Sitting upright, I displaced her handholds on the bed and rolled until she lay on her belly beneath me. Reaching down, I pulled her hips off the bed, holding them while I drove my cock more deeply into her velvet wetness.

  Nidras cried out as the engorged head of my cock speared deep inside her body. I slowed, thinking at first that I’d hurt her. But she whimpered for me to continue, pushing her soft butt higher to allow me even better access. I happily complied.

  Nidras groaned huskily. She lowered her head to the bed and her muscles tightened in ecstasy beneath me. I wrapped my fingers in silken waves of hair, rubbing the cool strands along her back and sides as her body spasmed around my painfully hard dick in the first waves of orgasm, milking it relentlessly and pulling me toward that razor edge of release with her.

  The pleasure built until it couldn’t go any higher. My body stilled, waiting for that final intense surge of delight to pull release from my body. When it hit I threw back my head and growled under the intensity. Every muscle in my body clamped down on the fiery wave, savoring it, pulling strength and energy from its dazzling power and then softened as it slid into soothing aftershocks that curled my toes with their brilliance.

  I hadn’t thought last night’s experience could get any better.

  I’d been so wrong.

  I pulled on my boots and sat up, watching Nidras dress with a feeling of regret. It was a shame to hide even an inch of that delectable flesh under clothes. Moments earlier, I’d lain naked in bed and watched her ruthlessly snip the silken length of her hair, leaving it in the short, spiky style she’d worn when I’d first seen her.

  She tucked the diamond sword necklace inside a black turtleneck sweater and slipped into black, form fitting slacks.

  “What’s the story on the necklace?”

  Nidras reached up and touched it through the turtleneck. “My father gave it to me on my eighteenth birthday. It’s a reminder of my destiny.”

  I frowned. “Your destiny?”

  She pulled on short, black leather boots and slipped a knife into each one, tucking them beneath the narrow hem of her slacks.

  “I come from a warrior family. We’ve always fought against one type of curse or another. We’ve known since I was very small that I would face the wizard. I must defeat him.”

  “The wizard?”

  She glanced at me as she slid a knife sash over one shoulder. “My ‘date’ from last night.”

  Suddenly it all came clear. “Ah. That would explain your reluctance to bond with him. I assume he’s not a nice wizard?”

  She laughed. “Have you ever met a nice wizard?”

  I stood up and grabbed my shirt. “I can’t really say I’ve met any wizards personally. I don’t know much about them.”

  She nodded.

  “Why do you need to defeat him? Aside from the obvious reasons that is.”

  Nidras’ perfect face folded into a scowl. “It’s the only way to remove my curse…and save my family.” She settled her knives into the sash on her chest and checked to make sure they slid free when she grabbed them.

  “What do you mean, save your family?”

  She continued sliding weapons into hidden niches in her clothing. “If I fail my family falls under a centuries-old curse that they will struggle mightily to overcome. Failing is not an option. We need to get to the wizard and make him remove the curse.”

  “Will he do that?”

  She lifted a well-shaped, dark eyebrow at me. “Not likely. We’re probably going to have to kill him.”

  She headed for the door and pulled it open. Turning back she gave me a challenging look. “You coming? Or have you changed your mind now that you know what we’re dealing with?”

  I grabbed my weapons off the bed and hurried after her. That was becoming a habit for me…hurrying after Nidras. I walked past her, smacking her on the ass as I passed. “Hurry up, woman. I’m tired of waiting for you.”

  I’m pretty sure I heard her growl softly as she pulled the door closed.

  I sat astride the enormous horse Nidras had filched for me from her father’s stable. I was pretty sure she’d gotten me the biggest horse she could find. Generally speaking, I’m not fond of sitting astride things that have a fight or flight mentality. I’ve found they make very unpredictable transportation.

  They were incredibly uncomfortable too.

  Give me a plush, leather car seat any time.

  As I squirmed uncomfortably, the beast turned a large, brown eye in my direction and flapped its lip derisively. “You could have a little more padding, you know. Then I wouldn’t feel as if my butt was going to fall off.”

  The creature nickered as if laughing at me.

  “You know if you keep talking to that horse peo
ple are going to think you’re simple.”

  I put my weight into the stirrups and stood up. “Fairies must have iron butts. This saddle is about as thick as my jeans.”

  Nidras shook her head. “You’ll need to man up before we face off with the wizard.” When I made an indignant sound she just grinned at me.

  Puffing my chest, I vowed to present a strong, silent front from there on out.

  A small scrub bush exploded from the ground just to the left of us. My horse bolted with a shriek of terror. I grabbed its mane and screamed like a girl.

  So much for strong and silent.

  Nidras’ horse came up beside mine just as I remembered I was carrying a set of testicles and pulled myself out of the fetal position. I forced a neutral look onto my face, nodding sternly as she caught my eye.

  “The wizard knows we’re here.”

  I grimaced. “You think?”

  Nidras kicked her dainty, white horse in the ribs. “Come on, we need to move fast and unpredictably. Just follow my lead.”

  I wish I could say I kicked my horse in the ribs and took off after her. Alas, my horse took the initiative and I barely stayed with it. Happily, though, the result was the same.

  Though ground continued to explode all around us, the wizard wasn’t able to lay a magical finger on us as we climbed the steep incline toward a castle that looked like something out of a human, gothic movie.

  The sky above us had darkened threateningly as we traversed the peaks and valleys around Olympus. The mountain peak the wizard lived on looked as if it existed in permanent darkness. Heavy clouds hung like beacons of trouble above the castle and bolts of lightning speared the thick air above our heads, the accompanying rumble of thunder muted by the heavy atmosphere.

  As we neared the high walls surrounding the castle, a thick fog settled around us, obscuring most of the landscape and dulling all sound.

  My hearing was muffled within thick cotton. Only the distant sound of the horses’ hooves on the rocky ground and the sound of my heavy breathing disturbed the silence. My vision fogged over and I found myself blinking rapidly in an effort to keep Nidras in my sights.

  Despite the visibility issue, her stark, white horse continued forward at breakneck speed, plowing through the thick, gray air without apparent concern for what lay ahead.

  I’d been keeping my eyes firmly on the horse’s wide, white rump. When it disappeared from view, it took me a minute to grasp what had happened. By the time I realized she was gone I’d broken through the fog and saw her up ahead again. The air was clear and the castle loomed overhead, much closer than I’d thought.

  I now realized that the fog had been a distortion, meant to keep us away.

  Nidras rode her horse into a dense copse of trees and I followed. I found her sliding from the horse’s back, pulling off the bridle. “We’ll leave the horses here. Hopefully they’ll still be here when we come out.”

  I pulled on the reins and put my weight into my left stirrup. As I tried to lift my right leg over the horse my sword got caught on the saddle and I almost fell off the other side, onto my head. Swearing softly, I disengaged myself and slid to the ground. My knees wobbled a bit when my feet hit the ground.

  The beast I’d been riding cast a gimlet gaze in my direction and nickered softly. I glared at him, certain he was laughing at me.

  Nidras glanced at me. “You okay?” Her lips quivered in a repressed smile.

  I squared my shoulders and grabbed the hilt of my sword. “Just point me at the wizard and stand back, woman.”

  She chuckled. “Shall I hide behind the furniture?”

  “That might be wise. I occasionally lose control of my sword.”

  Laughing softly, she turned toward the castle.

  By unspoken agreement, we didn’t converse as we neared the castle wall. Nidras motioned for me to stand back and then disappeared into a thick shadow at the base of the wall. I heard a thump and a groan and pulled my sword, stepping forward.

  A sliver of dull light pierced the shadows and Nidras’ small form was outlined in the light as she slipped through the door she’d opened. “Watch out for the gremlin.”

  A small mound of what looked like a dirty pile of rags lay on the ground in front of the door. I stepped over the fallen creature and grabbed the edge of the door, slipping through behind Nidras.

  The door opened into what looked like a marketplace. In deep contrast to the other side of the wall, the interior was loud, colorful and filled with activity. Row after row of merchants displayed a wide array of bright, interesting items and myriad scrumptious-smelling foodstuffs.

  The sounds alone were overwhelming. Merchants hawked their wares loudly and insistently. Jesters danced among the crowd, playing some kind of string instrument and singing bawdy songs at the top of their lungs. Livestock bellowed its disapproval of being handled. And the milling crowd laughed and talked and shouted enthusiastically at one another. All in all it seemed a fun and festive place.

  I leaned toward Nidras. “You did say evil wizard right?”

  She frowned at me, jerking her head toward a couple of Jesters standing slightly apart from the crowd. “Follow my lead.” She took off toward the Jesters.

  I shrugged, figuring she was looking for a few good jokes to distract the wizard with, so we could kill him.

  Nidras stopped in front of the Jesters and placed her hands on her hips, glaring at them. When she opened her mouth a woman I didn’t know emerged.

  “’Ello buffoons. And which one o’ ye slackjaws would be Malcolm?”

  The Jesters took one look at her hostile face and shook their heads, stepping away from her.

  Nidras lifted a poking digit toward the nearest one’s brightly clad chest. “Now, now, don’t ye lie to me or ye’ll be sorry.” She fondled a knife with her non-poking finger. “Me sis tol’ me ’twas one o’ you clowns what spoiled her and now she’s wiff child. Ye need to come clean or I’ll just have to castrate ever’ last one o’ you.”

  Both men dropped a hand toward their crotches and stumbled backward, right into the shadows caused by the exterior wall.

  She placed a hand on each man’s shoulder and sparks flew. Their eyes rolled, showing white in the dim light and they buckled toward the ground. She grabbed the string instruments as they fell.

  Nidras knelt beside the smaller one and began stripping him.

  I frowned. “Please tell me you aren’t planning what I think you’re planning, woman.”

  Her teeth flashed white in the shadows. “I hope you can sing, Cupid.”

  I groaned. “Real men don’t wear tights, Nidras.”

  She stood up and held something long, wrinkled and bright red in front of my nose. “If I have to wear these so do you.”

  I looked down at the other Jester. “But his tights are lime green.”

  She snickered. “Come on, Hermes. We’re running out of time.”

  I hurried through the crowd, head down, hoping nobody would notice me. Not likely, I was pretty sure my tights glowed in the dark.

  “Hey you, Jester. How about a song?”

  I looked up in horror, just in time to see Nidras step neatly behind a display of tall feathers. I called her names under my breath and glared at the slit of a face I could see grinning at me from between the feathers. Then I decided to suck it up. After all, I was standing in the midst of a crowd of people wearing a tri-colored, multi-coned hat and lime green tights. My shoes curled up at the toes and jingled when I walked. It wasn’t as if I had any pride left.

  “I’d be happy to sing for you, good people.” I spoke loudly, figuring I might as well make the most of it. All around me people stopped shopping and conversing and turned to enjoy the show.

  I strummed the instrument. Fortunately for me I knew how to play a guitar. I assumed the principles were about the same for the instrument I now held.

  I was wrong.

  My first notes twanged painfully across the nearly silent courtyard. In the distance a do
g howled in pain.

  I tried again. The notes sounded marginally better. Still, I decided a capella was the way to go.

  I strummed the strings one more time and started singing—

  I came to the castle dread, Sir,

  To bonk the wizard on the head, Sir,

  The market was full,

  And the shoppers so dull,

  That I hoped I’d soon drop dead, Sir.

  Silence.

  The entire courtyard seemed locked into a rigid state of shock. I opened my mouth to spout a second verse…something about the stupidity of people who hung around with evil wizards…I didn’t get more than a couple of strums out before Nidras grabbed my arm.

  “Okay, break it up folks. I’m taking this man to the infirmary. He’s obviously touched in the head.” Nidras grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the gaping group. Shoving me toward the castle doors none too gently. “Have you lost your flippin’ mind, Cupid?”

  I frowned at her. “I couldn’t help myself. Tights make me cranky. My balls are in spandex hell.”

  Nidras shook her head. “We’ll be lucky if the soldiers don’t descend on us.”

  My eyes widened. “There are soldiers?”

  “Have you forgotten the gremlin already?”

  I snorted. “Gremlins are just giant teddy bears.”

  “You’ll eat those words, Hermes.”

  Inside the castle, we kept to the walls and shadows down a maze of long, stone hallways. My inner compass told me we were heading toward the back of the castle, deep into the bowels of the unwelcome place. The air was cold, damp and smelled like mildew. The stone walls we scraped against were covered in green slime. The floor was slick with the same green stain.

  My curly toed shoes didn’t have much traction against the slime. It was all I could do to stay upright.

  The only light in the halls came from the occasional torch, sending smelly, black oil smoke into the air to mix with the mildew.

  All around us the skitter of little critter feet danced across the stone floor. Probably rats.

  “I like what he’s done with the place.”

  “Shh!”

  I lowered my voice. “This place is like a bad cliché.”