Sarlene's Touch Ch. 50

The room was filled with the sound of his panting, her surprisingly soft moans, and the gentle slap of flesh on flesh. Zarenis raised an arm over her head, brushing her hair aside as her hips continued to move against his. Her cries were wordless as he moved his hand to caress her body, watching the way her breasts moved, the way the moonlight dappled against her skin.

He released her, eventually, and they were kissing again, bodies pressed close together, both kneeling. He brushed his hand through her hair, cradling her cheek, as he gazed into her eyes.

"It's time," she whispered, her voice husky.

"Time?"

"To end this. So we can go our separate ways. As you know that we must."

He nodded, it had been a blissful experience, but they both knew it could not continue forever. He would always hold the memory in his mind – how could he ever forget it – but it wasn't something permanent. In the end, they were too different to make any more of it than this, two strangers colliding in the night.

Zarenis shifted against him, her arms still around his back, moving her hips up, then sliding back in to his lap so that he could impale her once more. She gasped, whispering encouragement to him as she slid up and down his length.

Almandar gave a silent prayer to the goddess, thanking her with every fibre of his being for the experience of this night, for everything she had done for him over the previous few weeks. He remembered all of them, offering the name of each to Sarlene in his supplication.

Helsa. Lyrette. Ostrid. Ansreal. Ashabi. Jiranda. Ravette. Skirina. Davnait. Nariti. Gut'rul. Kara. Yarai.

And, most of all, especially now: Zarenis.

Her body was slick against his, her back smooth against his hands, her breasts sliding against his chest, thighs tightly gripping his hips. He teased her tail again with the tip of one finger, feeling it move in response. Her hips were grinding against his, her moans quickening as they held each other, eyes locked, breath in perfect synchrony.

Almandar pressed his lips against his lover's ear and whispered her name. Seconds later, he let out a long wordless groan as he came inside her for the third, and final time. Zarenis writhed against him, crying out again and again as she was swept up in the throws of what was evidently an incredible, all-consuming multiple orgasm.

And then, blissfully, it was over.

──◊──

Four years later.

Zarenis leaned back on the makeshift couch, trailing one hand in the hot sand behind her. She glanced down the beach, watching the solitary white cloud, off on the horizon, drifting lazily against the bright blue of the sky. The sun beat down on her, warming her bare arms and legs, the long brim of her hat shading her face from the brightness.

She had come north, away from the dust and emptiness of Haredil, its cobbled streets and marbled domes that held nothing for her. Here, on the island, she had found people who venerated her appearance as a sign of divine grace, not as a hideous mutation. She was their leader now, of sorts, although she passed few judgements, preferring to let them do as they would.

She had power, but no real need to exercise it, most of the time. She had a home that was near paradise... yes, an actual home, somewhere she felt that she could, at long last, call by that name. They thought her beautiful, and tended to her every need. Delicious food, fine drink, a feather mattress of remarkable softness. Who could possibly want more?

The sex was pretty good, too.

THE END