Devotia Ch. 17: Placation

"Knight-Commander," Callie beams, "now that you've seen more of her, what do you find most attractive about her?"

"It's difficult competition," he replies, his voice strained as he holds back his own desperate noises enough to talk. Those gorgeous smile lines on his face beam back at her, then look over Cirene as he adds, "her breasts... her hips... her stunning legs..." He moans, pushing deeper into her and causing Cirene to squirm underneath him, panting with conviction. "But, despite how breathtaking... all of her... her form is, I... ah... I still find myself most drawn to her beautiful face."

"It's my favorite part of her as well," Callie agrees, and, to prove her point, kisses Cirene passionately. "Just wait until she's begging to finish," she says gleefully. Cirene moans louder, her breath racing with each moment, and Callie guides, "Deep breaths, Cirene. Savor it."

"...y-yes, ma'am!" The girl cries out. Callie pinches her nipples once more to make it even harder for her.

"And keep your eyes open," Calvin coaches, "I love the desperate look in them."

Cirene's face contorts with bliss as she does, her brow frowning as she fights the overwhelming feeling. "Yes, s-sir!"

"Beautiful," Calvin beams, kissing her. "Absolutely beautiful."

Callie brings her hand down to pull up Cirene's skirt, wrapping her fingers around the girl's stiff clit. "The poor girl is dripping wet. You must be doing quite the job, Calvin," Callie glimmers. She runs her thumb across the tip, lubricating her palm with her juices and bringing it down to stroke her. Cirene's eyes shut tightly for a moment before she peels them back open, fighting to obey their directions as the feeling consumes her. "How good is he?"

"Very!" She squeals.

Callie brings her free hand to Cirene's chin, tilting it up to lock eyes with Calvin, his own face grimacing with need. "Do you see that hunger in his eyes? Do you know what that face means?" Cirene bobs her head frantically in Callie's hand. "It means you feel incredible," she whispers, directly outside of her ear. "It means you're driving him wild. You're going to make him fill you up and have nothing left." And, for good measure, she mutters into the other ear, "Good... girl..."

Cirene's body shudders between them, as Callie's hand stroking her, and Calvin's cock inside of her, overpower all of her remaining defenses. Her body clenches up as she cries out, and if it was not for Calvin's hands holding her down Callie is sure she'd launch right up. Callie's grip grows warm and sticky from her cum as Cirene shivers, panting like all the air had left her. Her chest heaves, and she makes beautiful, pitiful noises as Calvin continues pounding against her.

"Don't give up yet," Callie encourages her, holding her palm in place so she doesn't overwhelm her. "He isn't finished with you."

Cirene nods frantically as Calvin speeds up, and it doesn't take long for him to cry out as well, burying himself deep inside of her as his hips rock. He groans happily, and Callie watches the two of them collapse into one another, a booming delight in her chest.

She slides her wet hand up Cirene's abdomen, bringing the taste of it to her lips and adoring the salty gift. She kisses Calvin with it in her mouth, then pulls away and gives Cirene a taste as well. And then she laps up the rest of it from her palm as Calvin watches her - gazes upon her like there was nothing more he wanted to do than to make her cry out, too.

Gods, yes.

Her own hips fight against the cage, straining at the confinement, and she relents in her desperation, guiding it towards a contented satisfaction at the two bodies before her instead.

"Do you require my attention as well, hal Devotia?"

"And mine?" Cirene perks up.

Callie shakes her head. "Maybe later tonight." And, a little sour, adds, "Not that I think it'll have much success."

"I'm eager to try," Calvin grins.

"I'll let you give it your best effort." She pets a hand through Cirene's hair, kissing the top of her head. "Was that everything you hoped it would be, my dear?"

Cirene's eyes are sealed shut as she exhales, "Gods, yes. Calvin... you're... wow." She looks as though she's still riding a few residual waves of bliss.

"So are you," he kisses her. Calvin's eyes flick back up to Callie. "The face she makes when she's nearly there - it's remarkably similar to the one you make."

Callie snorts. "That has to be a joke."

"I'm serious," he chuckles. "It's cute." He kisses Callie, then brings his lips back down to Cirene once more.

As he pulls away, Cirene wraps her arms around him and pulls him into her embrace, then she nestles up more comfortably into Callie, settling into a sweet cuddle. He adjusts to find a good spot, and soon the three of them are tucked away into her sheets, enjoying the warmth of being together.

"So..." Cirene says after a bit. "Is this a one-time thing or...?"

"That's up to him," Callie replies. I'm game.

He leans over her, tracing the lines of Cirene's face with his fingers. "I'd be very excited to do that again. The two of you together..." He makes a soft noise of approval. Cirene leaps up to kiss him, kicking her legs with a giddy excitement.

And then she turns back to bring her mouth to Callie. She holds it there, until she pulls back and sighs, "Callie, you always know how to make my night. And week. And life, really." With a final peck on her cheek, the noblewoman slowly begins to extricate herself from the covers.

"Leaving so soon?"

"I need a bath," she says at the side of the bed. "And I'd like to give the two of you some time together." She blows an air kiss to them both, and says, "Summon me anytime. Truly. It literally does not matter what I am doing. Anytime."

And then she slips out of the room, allowing the two of them to settle into the sweet, forbidden delight of laying under the covers while the night has arrived around them. Callie allows him to scoop her up into his embrace, and she rests her head affectionately onto his chest. "You really enjoyed that," she says.

"How could I not? You were there," he squeezes her. "And Cirene seems wonderful."

"She is."

After a few soft minutes more, his index finger is carefully tilting her chin up to face him. His brows furrow seriously, and he looks at her with a gentle reverence. "You know I'm content if it's just you, right? This was fun and exciting, but all I need is you."

Her fingertips pull against his skin as she closes her eyes and savors those words. "Thank you," she breathes out, quietly, and a little frightened of what he might've said. She'd made a big leap through her jealousy, and she's grateful not to feel it consuming her now. "If you did want to see her alone sometime, I'd... I'd be okay with that."

"Maybe someday," he shrugs, a little disinterested. "For now, I'm more interested in taking advantage of this time we have together."

"Like I said, with the cage, I'm not even sure it'll even-,"

"I meant just getting to talk," he squeezes her sweetly. "Be around one another. It's been ages since we've been able to just sit and talk."

"Oh. good."

He grins at her, resting his arm around her back and shifting so they can see each other's faces better. "How are you? I mean, despite it all."

She holds her words in her throat, considering them. "I'm adjusting, I think." A little pang of nerves sets off in her stomach, a residual wave of fear crashing in. "Was this a mistake?"

He frowns. "In what way?"

"The sun has set and here you are. I shouldn't have asked you to-,"

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be," he assures her. Stops. Ponders for a moment. "I regret that I sent you away that night. I keep thinking about it, over and over, kicking myself for being so burdened by my worries. I hate that I hurt you so deeply."

"I just..." Do I be honest? She sighs. Yeah, you should. "I know it's a risk to be with me, and I'm asking so much of you to do it... I... sometimes I worry that you don't think I'm worth it."

She cowers back, as though she'd said something too horrible to utter aloud.

He pursues her, sitting up and pulling her face closer, holding it sweetly as his thumb caresses her cheek. "You are worth it. Honestly? It's me I'm more concerned about."

"You don't think you're worth it?"

"Absolutely not," he says without hesitation. "I'd have to be a narcissist to think I'm entitled to this much of a Devotia's attention."

"But you do deserve it," she looks at him fondly. Sweetly. "Do I not tell you that enough?"

"You've been nothing but good to me-,"

She sits up higher, overcome with a sensation of insufficiency. I haven't told him that enough. I haven't made him abundantly aware of how desperately I need him, how much longing there is in me for him. For him, not just for the sex.

So, she straddles his chest, holding his face in both of her hands and gazing into his eyes with as much sincerity as she can muster. "I love you, Calvin," she says ardently. Confidently. A little tenderfully pitiful. "You're so absurdly worth it to me. I was ready to give up being a Devotia just because I thought you were so worth it."

And to her great amusement, he blushes. "You ought not to give it up for me. You like being-,"

She kisses him, hovers in his breath. "Calvin, if all I had was you, it would be enough for me."

"You're really too kind," he flusters, "but I-,"

And she giggles delightfully. "You're so bashful." She pulls his hands away from his face, ensuring he could not escape from her affection. Sure, he was far stronger than her, and could easily resist, but it's fun to toy with him. "Do you never get compliments like this?"

He purses his lips, a little out of his element.

"Gods, you're precious," she beams, resolving to march right ahead with a barrage of sweet adorations. "Calvin, not only are you a man so beautiful I can't bear to be in a room and not want to touch you, but you are sweet, and gentle, and supportive, and make me feel like I need to bury my face in your chest and never leave. I want to give you everything and anything you want." She embraces him, holding him as tightly as his muscles will allow. "And as much as I love your body - and I love your body - all I want is to just sit and talk with you for hours and hours."

He clears his throat, adjusting to the weight of her compliments. "Thank you. That was very... thank you." And, a little hastily, he adds, "I really admire you're-,"

"Uh-uh," she silences him with a kiss. "You don't need to compliment me, handsome. I just want you to sit and feel how much I love and appreciate you."

"Torturous," he accuses.

She flips around, resting her ass against his hips and rubbing it into him enough to feel a response. "I promise to soften the blow," she teases. "Now, let's talk about how cute your dimples are."

- - -

As much as she had wanted to stay in Cirene's bed all night and cuddle with Calvin until dawn, Callie musters up her mercy for Gloriana's orders and allows the Paladin to escort her back to the villa. Unwilling to sleep alone, she finds herself in the comfortable rest of Junivere's bed instead, cuddled up deep into her chest and savoring her perfect softness.

She has a dream she can't remember upon waking.

Feels consumed by a drive for action.

Has a plan assembling in the back of her mind.

And she hears a whisper of a voice in the air around her, audible to her and her alone.

"I desire for my Devotia to be free."

And who was Callie to deny the will of her goddess?