Drachne Ch. 05

Suleos' kisses seemed to fall into line with the rhythm of the music.

Sindi reached down, grabbing the edge of her underwear, and demonstrated her flexibility by lifting her legs and drawing them up and over, almost touching her ankles to her shoulders.

She tossed the underwear away carelessly, and then her eyes widened as she felt him kiss her. A moment later she gave a little gasp as his tongue ran around her quickly-hardening pearl. He gave it playful but gentle nibble, before pushing his tongue down forcefully inside her.

"Oh, Sul!" Sindi gasped, "Oh. Oh... No. I want you. Please. I... Don't need this."

He looked up at her, "I cannot enjoy you for a few moments, first? Hunger is best sated when ravenous."

The elf narrowed her eyes, "Husband. I am ravenous, already. Um... Fuck me."

"Yes, m'lady." He grinned and moved up on the bed. But rather than position himself, he rolled her over, and grasping her wrists lifted her so that she was balanced, half upright.

Only then did she feel his spiral dip against her. She closed her eyes, moaning as he pushed into her. Each rise of her interior ribbing lifting and falling as he penetrated deeply inside her, stretching out her sides, as she tried to clamp down on him.

Then, still holding her wrists, he began to thrust into her.

"Oh fuckshit!" Sindi's eyes sprang wide open at the assault.

She could hear him grunting as he ploughed into her. Making her gasp and moan as he took her for his own. Claiming her as all his, as promised. She couldn't speak, only stare wide-eyed as he penetrated her depths.

This wasn't like when they'd made love. This was passionate, fiery, and filled her mind's eye with explosions of colour. The melancholy tune seemed to rise and fall along with them as her husband made her cry out in ever louder bursts.

The music moved to prestissimo, as Suleos showed her that he had been being gentle. Sindi's voice cried out enough to penetrate any wall, announcing to the entire world exactly what her husband was doing to her.

Their skin slapped loudly together, and she could feel the thrill as his balls struck against her pearl. He was almost simultaneously deep within her, and shallowly rubbing at her entrance.

Her hands fell forwards as he moved to her hips, but failed to catch her as she dropped down onto her elbows. The elf's head hung as she started struggling to breathe as her stomach rolled and she felt herself flushing around him.

The unigrad continued fucking her through her orgasm, causing her eyes to roll back, and her teeth to chatter quietly as her face spasmed. She was lost in a world of pleasure, the music and the sound of their love making the only things she could hear.

She cried out louder as a second wave ripped through her, and she forced her mouth to obey her, "C-c-cum! Sul! C-cum wiiiith me!"

The unknown musician began to sing, a sweet and cooling voice.

"Spill the seed,"

Suleos grunted, leaning over her, hands moving to grasp at her breasts as he pulled her up. Her back pressing into his stomach as she felt herself completely his.

"Plant the desire,"

His horn pressed up between her shoulder blades and she heard him grunting loudly as he pushed towards his climax, promising her that he was about to deliver.

"Remind the world of truth and fire,"

He swelled momentarily, and Sindi squealed as she felt it send her over the edge again. Warmth flooded through her as he spilled into her as her own struck her. Mingled fluids overflowing and dripping down across her pearl.

"Another day beyond the birth of chaos."

---

Flick skidded through the mud and dirt into the front of her hut. She looked with disappointment at all of her meat, knowing she couldn't take it with her. She'd have to build herself a whole new system for drying and smoking it all.

She snagged the last of her rabbit, shoving it into her mouth and then dragged one of the lighter wolf skins over, flipping it over and started dumping things she couldn't live without into it.

In went her beaten ladles and a few wooden spoons. A couple copper bowls. Down came her dried herbs which she tried to put into some wooden containers before throwing aside what wouldn't fit.

If there was anything at all she knew about the kitsune, it was that it was too late to run. But she was damn well going to try.

She pulled up the rug and tied it off with some cord and threw it over her shoulder. She didn't actually have a plan of where she was running to. She figured that would make her predictable, and lead to the goddess dragging her into the chaos and ruin.

Flick's tail dropped and curled up between her legs as she detected the scent just outside her hut. She dropped the satchel, holding up her hands and issuing a deferential whine.

"Not bad." The woman replied, blocking the doorway, "I'm going to assume you smelled me coming? Sensitive little snout."

Flick blew at the leaf on her head and took a step backwards, "Keeps me alive."

"Run, and I'll have to hurt you." The eight-eyed beauty warned her. Flick believed her. None of the eight eyes were looking the same direction, and two of the four hands were holding knives. The other two arms were casually crossed, but only an idiot would assume they weren't ready to pounce.

"I just want to go my way." Flick said breathlessly, trying not to pant as her heartrate accelerated out-of-control.

The woman smiled at her, clicking two large and curved fangs horizontally, "I like you, I think. I'm not much interested in hurting you. Or actually you, to be honest. I need you, as an excuse. If it works, you can go your way in a couple days. If not, we'll work something else out."

Flick whined, "You're a predator. I'm your prey."

"Nah. I mean, I am an assassin... But who would pay for your hide, doggirl?" The woman laughed callously. "You're worthless to me. Which means I have no interest in you. Take it as a good thing. But... Right now... I still need you. So, I'm going to ask you to scream in a moment. And if you don't or can't... I'll make you."

She panted.

The woman looked around, "Nice hut. Pity I'm going to burn it down. Oh well."

With that, they spat onto Flick's bed. A giant gob of green phlegm hit the leaves and dried grass, immediately beginning to smoulder and smoke. The woman smiled at her sweetly and clicked her fangs. "Now."

Flick bounced through the open window, landing on all fours and going to sprint. She ended up with a mouthful of dirt as she went nowhere, shoulder ploughing into the ground. She winced, feeling the sticky substance on the ground, binding her feet and hands to it.

The woman landed lightly in front of her and crouched, "I asked nicely. Don't ever say I didn't."

The knife went all the way through Flick's hand and into the ground. Her eyes watered in agony, and she stared at the horrible creature in front of her, but she didn't scream. It wasn't like she didn't want to, but her throat had closed.

The woman looked irritated, "Seriously? I don't want to hurt you, bitch! Play along. Please."

"I want to." Flick growled, hackles rising, "You're fucking scary. You don't have to try. You've practically got me ready to piss meself. But have you ever tried to scream on demand?"

"Yeah. It's not that hard. Open your throat and let it rip."

She clenched her eyes shut, and let out as loud a noise as she could. A sobbing howl rose up and into the cold air. A few moments later, to her utter surprise, Flick heard another howl answer her back. And then another, and another.

Pained howls echoing in from every direction.

A knife touched her throat, "The fuck is this? Calling your pack? Dumb move."

"Not mine." Flick choked out, opening her eyes to find the woman's face practically touching hers. "Most of those were wolves. Tanukiki don't have packs. We just... Want..."

"To be left alone." The woman sighed, withdrawing the weapon, and then terrifying Flick further by bundling her up into the web, like rolling up a carpet. She was tossed over their shoulder and the ground was yanked away.

The woman moved through the tree branches at an incredible pace that even Flick was jealous of. No wonder the arachne were the ultimate predator. There weren't exactly a lot of things faster than Flick, but this thing made her look like she walked everywhere.

She grunted as she unexpectedly hit the ground.

The woman sheathed her knives, "Torug. You know what the wolves were saying?"

"It was a cry for help, so far as I can tell. An acknowledgement of injury." A man's voice replied.

Flick rolled onto her back, freezing and whining as she found herself looking up at a towering snake-woman, who was watching her in amusement. The sparkling emerald eyes showed a distinct lack of warmth to them that made Flick realise she was completely surrounded by people who might kill her without a second thought.

"Vestra." The arachne snapped, "Don't touch her."

The woman flicked a tongue in the air, "But she looks so very... Delectable."

"She's. Mine."

The lamian pulled back instantly, and bowed her head, "As you wish, my queen."

Flick squirmed for a moment and then sat up, ripping the web off herself. She gave a small gasp of freedom, and then sat there glumly, knowing that there was absolutely nowhere to run.

"So... Why'd you kidnap me?"

"Elves." The arachne replied, kicking at the edge of a fire with irritation, "They noticed that you dug up the carriage. They were thinking I killed Elan on purpose. Looking to hunt me down. But..."

"I was in all the places your little zombie was." She said tightly, looking over at the man with the goofy grin as he stared at the spider. "I'd say it's just my luck, but this stinks of the kitsune."

"Kitsune?" Drachne turned and looked at her curiously, "I thought most of those were dead. Is there one in this forest, one who might care that all these bastards have decided I'm queen without my asking?"

"That smells of her, too." Flick laughed bitterly, "The Golden Kitsune. Goddess of fucking Mischief, and fucking over my life. I came home to run away from her, not you."

"Explains that. I was wondering." The woman chuckled, "I'm Drachne, by the way. So why the fuck would a goddess care about you? Especially a betrayer god?"

"Most people don't know who she is." Flick's eyes narrowed.

"Most people aren't temple trained killers." Drachne smiled at her, "I really do you like you, by the way. There's something about you... A very angry little fire, kept right beneath the surface. Your magic is pretty, too."

"I don't have magic." Flick laughed.

"Bright green and spiky. You're practically glowing with it." The spiderling replied. "No point hiding it from me, girl. I can actually see magic."

"She's not hiding, she just didn't know." The lamian said with amusement, "She's a tanukiki. What you're seeing is her luck. They're all born that way. It's a myth that hurting one causes bad luck... But they do have good luck."

Flick laughed, "Hunted by a goddess. Kidnapped by an arachne who doesn't want to be one. Surrounded by snakes and zombies. Yeah. My luck is fucking awesome."

The spiderwoman walked back to her and crouched in front of her, "You managed to rip your way out of my web. See the elf up there? He's been there for days. Tell me again that you're unlucky."

"You kidnapped me."

"And I have not a single reason to hurt you." The woman sighed, "If I promise to help build you another hut will you stop treating me like I'm nothing but a bitch? I only did what I have to."

Flick rolled her eyes, "No. Because I actually, literally, am a bitch. Don't fret, though. The fucking kitsune wanted us together, apparently. Nothing either of us could do about it."

"I've never... Met someone... That I believed had anything to do with the gods." Drachne said slowly, "Until now. Your aura doesn't even spark. You actually have met a god, haven't you?"

"She was my first fuck." Flick said glumly, pulling in her knees to her face, "I didn't know who she was. I grew up on my own. She turned up out of nowhere and went as easily. I had no idea what she was. It was fun. Right up until she brought a dying cat to my hut and made me tend her instead of just running the fuck away."

Drachne stared at her in confusion, "A kitten?"

"Mmm." Flick shrugged, "A neko. About our age. She was stupid as fuck. A street kitty. I don't do cities. They scare me. But... This neko. She attacked everything in sight. Kept swatting at me whenever I did her bandages. Eventually the goddess took her back, and gave me back my space. Until today. Damn bitch sent a scorpion to let me know she was screwing me over again."

The spiderling laughed softly, "Cookie."

"Fucking kitsune." Flick said dramatically and rolled her eyes. "Yeah. So the cat's connected to this, too. Fuck's sake."

"She got given to the temple, after you saved her life." Drachne sighed, "Me... I wasn't allowed to talk to anyone. But I do have a soft spot for Cookie, even if she doesn't know I exist. Cute, anxious, and with a temper like a salamander. She's adorable."

Flick frowned, "You say cute a lot, you know? Are you into women, by any accident of the Void?"

"No. I'm fucking my lich." Drachne smirked, looking over at him with a grin. "Still learning exactly what that means, but I really like him. Even if he can be an arrogant jerk. He was my first. No gods for me. Just dead people."

Flick gave a small smile, "What? Got a prejudice against the undead?"

The spiderling beckoned to the man, kissing him deeply as he stood in front of her, before turning and leaning back into him. "Mmm. You could say I'm prejudiced. Still doesn't mean that I'm going to let him go. What about you, free-dog? Got anybody?"

"Nope." She shook her head, "Well... There's a whore in the city I like. He's cute, fucks me good, and doesn't expect me to stay. That's about as good as it can get... But he still lives in the city. Which I hate."

Drachne sat down in front of her, "I know this isn't ideal. I'll try and make this as painless as possible. Still don't know if this is really divine intervention, like you think. But you're not my enemy."

"If I was, I'd be dead." Flick snorted, "I'm not that stupid. Temple or arachne. I know what death smells like."

"You're also cute." The woman smiled, leaning back on two of her hands as she stretched her other two arms above her head. "I'm tired. Useless frog bastard! Wolf was nice and all, but can you actually get some real food, this time? Pretty please?"

Flick's tail flicked back and forth excitedly, "Food?"

"Eh. Throw a feast, if you want." The spiderling said and fell onto the ground, "All these idiots keep calling me queen or whatever. They're not going to leave me alone, so may as well live it up."

The tanukiki blew at the leaf on her head, thinking to herself carefully, "So... Arachne having that weird hypnotic loyalty thing isn't just a myth, then?"

"I don't know about that." The snakewoman laughed, "I carried her egg, so my affection is familial. The torug is nuts because he's over ten millennia old. He's allowed to be a little nuts. And the Great and Pointless Palantok is a little over two millennia. But he was nuts as a hatchling."

Flick burst out laughing. "He's two thousand. He's four thousand. What are you? Twenty thousand? A million!? Fuck's sake."

The spider joined in on the laughter, "I know, right? Fucking ludicrous."

The snakewoman crossed her arms under her breasts and puffed out her chest, "I'm the youngest. You'll understand one day. Time and arachne go hand in hand, when they're the queen. As she is."

"Queen of what?" Flick rolled her eyes, "Being rained on? Some webs and a fire. It's going to fucking pour, tonight. You lot going to build her a nice little nest? Or is she going to have to burrow into the ground like a monster out of an elven nightmare?"

All three of them went silent, glaring at her, and Flick got the distinct impression they would have killed her if Drachne hadn't already made it clear that none of them were to touch her.

The spider sat up, "It's going to rain? You can tell that?"

"Sniff the wind." She shrugged.

Drachne shook her head, "My sense of smell isn't that great. Shit. Palantok, Vestra's right. You've been fuckin' useless until now. Even your cooking tastes like shit. I want a roof over my head, tonight. Anything we can do about that?"

The snakeman grinned, tongue flicking the air as he looked out from a face that Flick was pretty sure was half melted. The scarring was pink and puckered, brand new.

The man slapped his hands together, "Behold, you petty mortals! See and stand in wonder! For upon this very eve you will bear witness to the amazing, the delightful, the unexpected, and the surprising magic of the Great and Wondrous Palantok!"

Flick stifled a laugh, "So that's why everyone calls him that."

"It's kinda annoying. He always talks like that." Drachne said from on her back.

Flick backflipped to her feet and let out a frightened howl as the ground shook violently. Her jaw dropped open, as the adderan lifted his hands skyward, "What. The. Utter... Fuck?"

Drachne rolled onto her side. "Huh. Did not expect that."

---

"Stop! Please!" Aless begged her, grabbing at her arms and roughing up her delicate white scales. The salamander shoved her to the ground and continued packing her bag.

She didn't want to pack the bag.

She really did just want to jump into bed with Aless and back between the harpy's legs, but that wasn't going to happen. She'd tasted the scent on the mountain air and she knew what it meant.

It meant she had exactly two options.

She could either follow the scent to the source, prostrate herself before them. Try and explain how she had failed in her duties, that she who had carried the prince in her womb, had failed to protect him and let a fucking elf cut off his head.

Or, instead of saying she'd let her brother die, she could point her tail to the arachne, open her wings, and fly the other way as fast as she could until she couldn't fly anymore.

The queen... The queen was alive.

Somehow.

Vestra had abandoned the fucking egg! Giving it up to the elves so that she could go into hiding and protect her own hide. Whereas Kisten had stuck by hers, raising and coddling it.

She'd tried to teach the prince everything she knew. He had even been beginning to grasp his magic when the elves tracked the two of them down. Burned down their house and impaled the prince on the end of a spear.

Kisten wouldn't have made it out of there if she hadn't been found by Aless. The harpy had nursed her back to health. Healed her scars with her tears, promising to never leave her nor forsake her.

Why was it that Kisten was the failure and Vestra had nothing to fear?

"What did I do wrong?" Aless cried, staring at her.

Kisten sighed heavily, and dropped onto the edge of their bed, bending the iron frame with a thunk. She curled her tail around her feet, "Not you, Aless. Still love. But... You remember how you found me?"

"Elf hunt." Aless sniffed, jumping into her lap and curling into a ball. Pulling her wings in until she was nothing but a feathery bundle. The woman nuzzled into the salamander's armpit, ducking her head inside it.

She sighed, "Yes. Elf hunt. The elf hunt for an arachne. Whose sister... Just claimed Tangles."

"Fuuuuck. Fuck. Fuck! Fuckfuck." Aless squawked.

Kisten hugged her, "Exact. So I must go. Must protect by not being here. Must run far, far away."

"Come with. Come with!" Aless could be stubborn, when she got upset.

The white salamander pulled the woman out from under her and planted a kiss on her forehead. She smiled at her, blue eyes dancing as she took in the features of their face. The cute little button nose, the freckles spread across her cheeks. "I love you."