All Hallows' Eve Masquerade Pt. 02

"Love." She framed his beautiful face with her hands. "You had love and are now punished for it."

His eyes hardened, just enough to scare her and remind her that it was not good to poke at a demon's weakness. "Give yourself to me, Althena. One night of pleasure with me and I will give you a lifetime of pleasure with one who will claim your body and your heart."

How could she say no to that, as wicked as it was? "Yes."

His mouth claimed hers, and the room melted away.

Soon, they were surrounded by an endless darkness, and that strange purple smoke. Breaking away, Althena gasped. "What have you done?" She demanded. She had not consented to be dragged away.

"Easy, my sweet. Before dawn, you will be tucked back in your bed, snug beneath your blankets. No one and nothing will harm you here. This is about revealing yourself to me, and this is where I can read you best."

Doubtfully, she eyed him. "You do not intend to keep me trapped here for all eternity?"

"As delectable as you are, you are not the one I wish trapped here," he said a little darkly and held out his hand. "Part of this is about trust, sweet Althena. You have trusted no man in a very long time. Let's see what we can do about that."

He leaned down and pressed his mouth to her shoulder. At the touch of his lips, the smoke below reached for her, curled around her wrist playfully, and pleasure shot through her.

When the feeling became a little too intense, she tried to pull her hand free, but the smoke held firm, tethering her arm in place. "Dashiel?" She asked.

Instead of answering, he claimed her mouth, kissing her gently. Wasting no time, another tendril of smoke claimed her other wrist and then her ankles. Crying out, she shuddered as it spread her legs and held her in place.

Slowly, his hands wandered up and down her bare body. "Have you ever been tethered before?"

There had been offers, and she had considered it if for no other reason that it would have been something different and exciting, but there was too much a man could do, and she simply didn't trust them.

Not that she trusted the demon, either, but then, this wasn't entirely real, was it?

"No," she admitted.

"There is something to be said for feeling helpless in front of another," Dashiel said with a wicked glint in his eye. "There is nothing to stop me from doing whatever I want with you. For example, if I wanted to lick these pink nipples of yours, they would be mine for the taking."

Proving a point, he bent his head and lapped at both until both they and other parts of her were wet. "And if I wanted to pinch..."

Gasping, she jerked away as just the sharp pain pulsed. With a chuckle, he waved his hand, turning her in mid-air and suddenly, she was pressed back against him. "And if I wanted to rub that pretty little pussy of yours until you came, there is nothing at all you can do about it."

Anticipation shot through her, and she dropped her head back against him in surrender. His touch feathered down her body to her center, and those longer fingers wasted no time sliding into her, rubbing her, teasing her.

"So wet. Is this for me?" He whispered in her ear before he tugged at her lobe.

"For your fingers," she moaned as he continued his soft teases. She wanted to break free from the smoke and grind herself against him, but the tendrils held firm. "For your tongue. Gods, for that cock."

That magnificent cock that she could feel pressed against her. "More. Yes, please, more."

Suddenly, a fifth tendril of smoke slid up her body while he seemed to just disappear. "Dashiel?" She cried out as the smoke replaced his fingers on her pussy and began to rub. The pressure inside her mounted, the need for release clawing at her, but just before she peaked, the tendril all but disappeared. "No!"

The air moved, the smoke retreated, and she was in his arms. Without a second thought, she wrapped her body around his naked form, appreciating the hard muscles beneath her touch and the scorching heat.

In a silent grunt, he impaled himself inside her, and her scream echoed in the vast darkness. She was so close that it had only taken that single thrust before she was coming, and he rode her every shiver and held her tightly.

"That's it," he groaned. "Ah, the strength in you. Only one who can handle the heat of your body, the fighting spirit of your soul. That's it, Althena. Fuck, reveal it all to me. Yes!"

With a hoarse shout, he emptied himself inside her and then let her fall.

Closer and closer, the heat from the flames burned her skin. She should have been panicked and terrified, she felt only freedom. This was what it was like when nothing was holding her back.

Landing softly, she jerked upright, her heart pounding. Sweat covered her and her sheets, and she suddenly realized that she was in her own bedroom.

And alone.

Pressing a hand to her chest, she gasped and took stock of her body. There was no wetness between her thighs, no ache of her muscles. Damn, but she knew what it was like to have a man between her thighs, and this had been no dream.

So what was she to make of it?

Then, his voice curled around her with the familiarity of a lover.

"The man in the black mask will make a bid for your body. Let him in, and he will fill the long nights with unforgettable pleasure and work the days to earn your love. Only he is deserving of a heart as spirited as yours."

The voice faded, and she closed her eyes. This would be the last time Dashiel touched her, but it would not be the last time she would be touched.

The best was yet to come. This she knew and silently thanked her demon lover.

***

Holinite Village was famous for going all out for festivities and All Hallows' Eve was a favorite among the residents. Travelers came from villages across the land to attend the masquerade. The inn was so full that the stables were used as overflow, and many visitors were happy to sleep under the stars.

Most intended to spend the night in a residents bed, for the masquerade was a time to indulge in wicked whims. It was a celebration of life and desire and warmth before the winter's snow blanketed them for months. Thanks to the gods' mercies, the fires in the hearth and the infinite flames along the square would keep them warm, but tonight was the night to celebrate the heat of another's body to keep them sated for the winter.

Althena wore black. Meant to resemble the night sky, the silk was a midnight black at the bodice that faded slightly to her ankles. Beads trailed down the sides. Each tiny stone was a brilliant shimmer of white like the sparkles of the stars. The dress clung to her skin so the stars moved as she did, and her black mask, adorned with beads and feathers, matched.

Had the demon known that she and her masked lover would match?

Next to her, Cecily and Pryanna were stunning as well. Cecily, in all her hope and innocence, wore white, and Pryanna was dressed in flames of red.

If either of them had also experienced the erotic dream, they didn't mention it. Cecily's eyes gleamed with hope whereas Pryanna...

Well, she looked much like Pryanna. Aloof. Independent. Strong. Sometimes Althena wondered if she would ever let anyone close to her heart. If her friend had felt the embrace of a demon the night before, nothing echoed from it now.

With only a murmur to be safe, they separated. Althena didn't know about her friends, but she was searching for the man in black.

Many were already in the spirits of things. Some were dancing in the shadows by themselves listening to whatever music was playing in their heads. Others were stretched out on flat surfaces so wandering hands might pet them as strangers walked by.

And others were coupled up or in piles, moaning and thrusting. Althena felt exhilarated. She loved the spirit of things, loved the taste of pleasure in the air.

Every year, she came here, and while she never participated for she could never allow someone to touch her when they were masked to her, she enjoyed watching others find their pleasures. The rest of the year, they judged her for seeking pleasure, but here, she could see them stripped bare, and because she always made herself known, they would know that she had seen.

But tonight, it wasn't about them. Tonight, she was focused. She would have expected to find many men in black masks. In years past, they were the most popular color, but so far, there had been none.

Magic at work.

Reaching out, Althena stroked a hand down a woman in green. Her dress was bunched up to her waist, her quivering ample thighs spread. The color reminded her of vines that might stretch around her wrist and leave her tangled and trapped.

"She is beautiful," a voice said huskily from behind. Hands settled on her waist. "I would not mind tasting her through you."

Her heart skipped a beat. The voice was not familiar, and she would have demanded to know why he would dare touch her without her permission except there was something about him. Before turning around, she knew she would find him masked in black.

With one touch, one whisper, she knew that he belonged to her. "And how do you intend to do that?"

Warm breath crushed along her ear. "I would taste her on your lips when we shared our first kiss."

"You're assuming that I would allow you to kiss me?"

"You'll kiss me," he chuckled confidently. "And so much more."

"Arrogant," she said haughtily as she removed his hands and turned. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the black mask, dotted in beads down one side as

if it were made to match her dress. Oh, yes, this was the one. "I require more if you wish to taste me."

The smile didn't slip one bit. If anything, it grew. "Perhaps you wish my lips elsewhere on your body before you'll grant me a kiss."

As she moved until there was more space between them, he waited until she was on the other side of the table, and then he moved with her. They were circling around each other and the table, the woman in green watching them, whimpering when one of them reached out to touch her, to stroke her arms or calves, slide a finger down her cheek.

"It's been a long time since someone brought me pleasure with just their tongue."

Almost greedily, Althena watched as he slid his hand up the woman's legs and stopped just a few inches above her knees. There was a spark of jealousy. She wanted his hands on her and no other. "But that doesn't mean I will just let anyone kneel before me."

"He can kneel in front of me," the woman moaned. "I'll tell you just how talented his tongue is."

The man looked down at her and smiled gently. "As lovely as you are, my mouth is for only one tonight. The minute I laid eyes on her, I knew that there would be no other for me."

With a groan of frustration, the woman slid off the table and stalked away. Althena was certain that it would not take the woman long to find someone to dive between her thighs, but Althena didn't dare move her eyes from her mystery man. They continued to circle the table.

Her impressions of him were clear. There was something dark and edgy about him, a hardness that left her breathless. Normally, this would be a man that she would steer clear of. Someone like that might ask too much of her, attempt to control her, and she would never dare to succumb to that.

But here she was, playing with him. He would let her win. There was no question in her mind that he might tower over others, but he would kneel before her.

And she would kneel before him, and suck him until he lost control.

"Well, that's one woman you have left unsatisfied," she said with a smirk.

"Would you rather I have licked her cunt?"

Even as she grew wetter, her heart kicked. "No," she breathed truthfully. "I don't think I would have liked that at all. If I take you tonight, I would not want to share you with another."

"And if I take you tonight, there will be no other man to touch you." His voice was almost harsh, as if he hated the idea of it. "Ever."

"I am no maiden," she murmured hesitantly. The right one would not care. "There have been many in my bed."

"'Tis no matter. There will be only one now unless we decide to play."

Yes, of that, Althena had little doubt. Stopping suddenly, she stretched out her hand, and from across the table, he took it. Using him to steady herself, she stepped up on the bench and then onto the table, standing before him. From her vantage point, she could see over the bodies in the square. Colors writhed and humped, masks lay discarded on the ground, and screams and moans filled the night.

A flash of white caught her eyes, and she watched as Cecily disappeared into the surrounded wood, a man in a matching mask holding tightly to her.

So she had found her lover for the night, perhaps the love of her life. Althena grinned in triumph.

But Pryanna was nowhere to be found. There wasn't a single speck of red in the crowd. Perhaps her man had already swept her away.

Bowing head, she looked down at her black clad stranger as he took his seat at the bench and raised the hem of her dress. Sliding his hands up her legs, he lifted one and kissed her ankle. "Sit," he ordered huskily as he released her. Removing his cloak, he folded it on the table for her to sit. "Show me your beauty."

Hiking up her dress, and loving the ways his gaze darkened with lust when he saw that she wore nothing underneath, she settled on his cloak and immediately spread her legs, resting her calves from one corner to another.

With a groan, he circled his fingers around her ankles and slowly moved them up her legs. Althena reached behind her back and undid the button that held her dress in place. It fell across her chest, and she let it rest, hiding all but just a hint of her breasts.

"I have never met anyone more magnificent. Tell me your name."

"Althena." She said it without shame knowing that if he lived in Holinite, he would recognize it, and a smile curved over his lips.

He had heard of her.

"And your name?"

"Malcolm," he whispered as he reached up and tugged on the fabric, baring her breasts to the chill of the night air. "When you come on my cock, you may scream Malcolm."

Hooking his arm around her chest, he guided her to lie down as he circled the table. At her head now, he stroked his fingers through her blonde tresses, fanning them out.

"I have heard stories of you, Althena, even from my small little village. The Holinite goddess." His fingers traced over her lips, and she darted her tongue out and licked the tip of it.

His jaw clenched, and she smiled. "Not a goddess. Just a human who knows how to make a man moan."

If talk of her past bothered him, he didn't show it. Instead, he trailed his wet finger down her neck, to the hollow of her throat. "Tonight, I will be showing you how I make you moan."

His finger moved over farther south, over her nipples, until tightened, and she arched for more, but the touch was fleeting as he continued his path down over her belly.

Her body was trembling in anticipation now, but his touched moved to her hips, teasing her as they glided down her spread legs, trailing to her feet and back up to her inner thighs.

And then he sat, and Althena held her breath and closed her eyes. She didn't think she'd ever been so aroused in all her life, and he hadn't even kissed her yet. Now, his breath was at the very center of her as he traced a finger around her clitoris.

"Wet," he hissed. "Tell me, Althena, what would you have me do to you? Slide a finger in you, and then another and another until I could stretch and stroke you?

Blow my breath on you to see if I can flood your thighs with your juices? Or perhaps I should taste you right here and now, lick you until you are screaming louder than everyone else here."

"I don't even care," she gasped. "Just touch me."

"So it is my pleasure. Then I shall do exactly as I wish."

Suddenly, his fingers were thrusting in her, and his tongue right on her aching nub. His words had been her only warning, and she arched her back and screamed as it took only seconds for her to explode. Open, exposed, with others watching eagerly, she could hide nothing from him, and her orgasm was only the beginning.

He licked her through it, torturing her, holding her firm when she grew too sensitive and tried to move away. "Malcolm," she moaned. "Please."

"My pleasure," he reminded her, his voice ragged. "And I am far from done, my sweet Althena."

He was too strong, and she was rooted to the table as he licked her to another shattering orgasm, and only then did he release her. In one move, he turned his body, straddling the bench, and pulled her down on top of him. Her dress was still bunch up at the waist, but it didn't keep her from landing right on his cock as it nestled in her folds.

She was the perfect height to plant her feet on the ground and rub against him, whimpering as he stroked her spine and whispered soothingly in her ears, calming her down and pleasuring her all at the same time.

"Tell me that you're mine," she whispered as she lifted her head and stared at him. She needed to hear it from his lips before she took him inside her, needed to know that she wasn't wrong about him.

"Oh, Althena, I was yours the moment I laid eyes on you, and let the gods hear my oath tonight, I will never belong to another." With a growl, he claimed her lips, lifted her, and thrust his tongue in her even as he sank her body down on his cock.

Running her hands through his hair, she accepted his kiss, accepted his cock, and she rode him desperately, loving the way they fit together.

"Fuck, yes. Sweet goddess, you are silk heat and slippery wet clenched around me. Don't let go, Althena," he grunted as he pulled her down harder on top of him and kissed her urgently.

Oh yes, she was his, and she gave him everything. In keeping with his earlier request, it was his name on her lips when she shattered once again, with him pulsing deep inside her, and her name on his lips as he gripped her hard and spilled himself inside her.

Then, he cradled her to his chest and kissed her neck, rocking her back and forth under the stars.

"Come home with me," she whispered. "I want you in private."

"For every night that you'll have me," he vowed and pulled her dress up to attach it behind her neck. "I had no idea that I would find you tonight."

"I did," she whispered and cradled his face in her hands. "And it was nothing short of magic."