Priestesses of the Goddess Pt. 16

Soji pretended to read the tablet while Tam was once again deep in discussion with his commanders. Krut was always by his side as were a couple other faces that she was beginning to recognize. Their days had taken on a sameness that she found tedious. Long hours planning battles in far reaches of the universe about which she knew nothing. Counting and assigning men to stations as if they were pawns upon the chess board, a game that Tam had insisted upon teaching her during their long evening alone together.

It was not as if much else happened during those times. After their evening meal with the others, she guessed there were about five hundred people in this place. They all lived in the caves beneath the surface because its bright sun meant the heat there was not tolerable for humans. They had discovered this place when a Morian battle ship had shot down one of their own. It had crashed here, but the Morians had not bothered to follow it down once they took climate readings and discovered that the planet had surface temperatures of a couple hundred degrees.

The resistance had lost many of its fighters in the impact and many more in the hours that followed, baking under the red giant that was too close for comfort. But a handful had stumbled into a cave hidden in a rock face. It went on for several miles and could be adapted to their needs. And had become their primary outpost for several cycles, years she corrected herself, although the two were not quite the same.

So much was different with these people, beyond just their physical size. Their nature was more savage than even Tavian males. The need to conquer, an insatiable greed for power and material things had driven their culture for millennia. They had used up all the natural resources upon their once beautiful planet, destroying it completely as they moved into the universe to repeat the process upon countless other worlds. And now they were likely doing the same thing to Tavia.

She sighed; there was not much she could do about it. Her nurturing goddess of love, light and life had abandoned them to the Morian dark god of Fate. Or more likely her own failings as High Priestess of the rock had brought about this untimely destruction of all that she held dear. What did it matter really? Either way she was stuck on this goddess forsaken rock...with him.

And he was the real problem. Tam. Oh sure, he was nice enough, a bit possessive for her tastes. He rarely let her out of his sight for more than a moment. She looked down at the large, rough shirt that was belted about her waist. His taste in clothes definitely left something to be desired. Why he could not have simple had her robe laundered was beyond her? But no instead this monstrosity had appeared that first morning...after he...

She frowned. That most definitely did not bare dwelling upon. The man had become fanatical about seeing to her needs. For someone that was not Tavian, he would have made a hell of a primary. Bathing her each night, washing her hair and brushing it, sectioning it and plaiting it before bed. Bed, was most definitely worth thinking about. The way that he saw to her physical needs with his mouth and fingers would put the best primary to shame. She had probably not worshipped the goddess so well in a very long time, if ever. The amount of energy she had released the past days would power a small ship had they the technology to capture it.

She toyed with cold metal about her neck. She hated it, hated him for putting it on her. But most of all she hated him for giving her everything she always wanted...and nothing at all. She wanted out of this place...now.

She felt the soft tap on her shoulder and turned. The giant woman loomed over her. Ether was Krut's mate and the only Morian female on the base. She forced a smile in greeting to the other woman as she held out a cup of the dark liquid that these warriors seemed to prefer. Not even the sweetener could cover the bitterness of the steaming hot liquid. She frowned as she forced more of it down.

The other woman nodded, "Stupid beasts, I never could figure out why they like this crap so much." She smiled like they shared some deep conspiracy.

Soji returned the smile. This was what she missed, female companionship. There were only a handful of women among the hundreds of male fighters and while she could appreciate the tapestry of giant masculine bodies as much as the next woman, she missed the softness of her sisters. She missed their conversations. She missed having someone to share her thoughts with. "It is good to know that Tavian males are not the only ones that are truly inferior."

The woman chuckled, "Yes, why is it that the males think that their physical prowess make them stronger?"

Soji took another sip of the liquid as she watched the woman over the rim of her cup. In all her days here, this was the first time they had spoken properly. "I am Soji," she introduced herself.

"Yes, I know. Krut has told me much about you and your sisters. I must say as a Morian woman, I am intrigued by the idea of a race with a female god, by priestesses that rule in her name."

Soji shook her head, "It is not quite like that. The males still rule," she paused, a sad look came over her face, "Who ruled Tavia. We were merely their advisors. Their counselors to commune with the goddess, to bring them closer to her will so that they might hear her voice."

The woman looked down, "Oh, I had thought that perhaps you held real power, more control over your fates. Have you never wondered what it would be like if we ruled instead of them? If women were the ones to control their own destinies? Theirs too."

She frowned. It was not something that she had ever considered. Their ways were as ancient as Tavia itself, as old as the Temple, as certain as the goddess herself. But the woman had a point, if women ruled...without the male need to conquer, for more power, greed for things, would their world not be a much better place?

***

Tam watched as his mate spoke with his cousin's. Something about the woman always made him uncomfortable, although he could not say what exactly. Krut certainly seemed enamored of the woman, everything that a true Morian mate should be. But still, something was just off about the woman. Certainly she was of one of Moria's best families, a distant cousin of the king. Yet, she had followed her mate when he deserted his military post to join the resistance. She had become a leader of sorts among the few women that lived here.

There was no logical reason for his unease. But he had learned long ago that something did not need to make sense in order to be true. His instincts were rarely wrong about these things. And Ether was not to be trusted.

"That will be enough for today, gentlemen," he interrupted one of the lieutenants. Like many of the others, they felt it wise to make a second attack on Tavia. To capture more of the priestesses. Mates for their number. But Tam was not so certain. They could not risk such an assault on much greater numbers unless they were certain that the prize was worth it.

And as of yet, not even his mate surrendered to Fate, to what was between them. And the fact that the other priestesses had mates among their own kind confounded his theory that the tablet foretold of a mating between their races, between the dark god of Fate and their goddess of Love that would usher in a new age of faith, hope and charity. It was certainly not worth losing dozens of men in battle to capture a few women, who might or might not be true mates. Especially not when they had a traitor within their own ranks, someone that might well spoil it all and betray them to their brothers.

He shook a couple of hands, thanked them for their loyalty even as he doubted each man. He hated being like this, skeptical of his own men, but there were too many signs, he could no longer ignore the truth...there was a Judas among them. One of his own men was a Morian spy.

And having her here only made him more cautious. He had sworn his allegiance to her, would give his life to protect her. He pushed past them and made his way to where the women were finishing up their conversation. He smiled at his cousin's mate, "Thank you Ether for seeing to my mate's needs."

The other woman nodded and bowed her head as was proper Morian behavior for a slave, but those warning bells clanged louder in his head as she smiled to his mate and said, "Think upon, High Priestess."

He watched as she walked over to his cousin, knelt beside him and waited his bidding. Her behavior was impeccable but still it bothered him. He would watch the couple more closely as much as it troubled him that the traitor might be in his own house; it was a reality he could not afford to ignore. Who knew their secrets, their plans better than his cousin, his second in command?

But now he had better things to think upon. Turning to her, he smiled, "Think upon what, my salvation?"

Soji chuckled. It was the first time she had laughed in days and he drank it in, thanked the woman for that much at least. "Nothing. It was silly really. Your cousin's wife thought that we, priestesses, actually ruled Tavia. Wondered what it would be like if women were in charge."

He smiled as he lifted her hand to his lips and drew her against him, "But don't you know, you do?"

***

Rata watched him appear out of the forest carrying more wood. He had taken to hiding away from her in his sanctuary again. And she did not blame him.

"Fuck," she spat as she stirred the fire. Since that night nothing had been the same. It had been so fuckin' perfect. More even than her deepest fantasies. The way he touched her, commanded her. It had been unlike anything she had ever imagined.

Until he had...finished. One moment she felt the power rising between them, bouncing back and forth, cresting unlike anything she had ever known or even heard of. Then the next he collapsed, unconscious in her arms. She had been terrified that she had killed him. It had taken her a couple of moments to wiggle from beneath his weight and turn him over. The gentle rise and fall of his chest had been her only reassurance as she shook him, called his name, even tried to sooth his forehead with her healing waters.

None of it had worked. It was almost dawn when she had finally given up and crawled into bed next to him, holding him and praying with all her being to the goddess. They had both slept through most of that rising. The weak sun was beginning to set when he had finally awoken with a start, pushing out of her arms like she was a disease he wanted to avoid. He had remained weak and his head painful for several days. Grouchy too.

Now they carefully avoided each other. Him hiding in the forest and her soaking in her waters, seeking answers that were not to be found. What had happened that evening? She had never heard of such a thing. Of course, she had never indoctrinated anyone before either. Perhaps she had done something terribly wrong, she must have, why else would that have happened? She wished that Soji were here. She would have the answer, know what to do.

Rata shook her head as she gathered her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms about them. The sun was barely setting and she was tired already, ready for bed. Well, ready for sleep. She was never ready for bed, for his body so close to hers. They needed to share body heat, he had explained, conserve energy. And it made sense, what did not was the way that they woke each morning, their legs and arms tangled together. His hard erection pressed tightly against her bottom. It was torture...far worse even than what the Morians had done to her.

"Frig," she cursed as she thought of how her body had sung at his command that night. The intensity far greater than anything she had ever known.

"You are getting to be as foul mouthed as I am, priestess," his use of that term infuriated her. No matter how many times she had told him to use her name he steadfastly refused. Priestess, High Priestess even your Highness, anything but her name.

"Fuck yourself," she spat in a bad mood. She stood up to escape to the safety of their bed, but her head swam. She would have fallen then but for his arm reaching out to wrap about her waist. He drew her against him and slowly lowered her back to the ground. He kept her wrapped tight in his arms as he brushed her hair back from her face for several long silent moments.

"Are you all right?" he asked solemnly.

Rata nodded, "Yeah, I just stood up too quickly I guess."

He frowned, "If you would eat more that would not be a problem."

"Excuse me, but fish, bananas and coconut milk are getting a bit boring. Don't you think? Just the thought of it is enough to turn my stomach," she lashed out. She regretted it the moment she saw his face.

"Yeah, well, blame your goddess damned Morian savior for stranding us in this fucking shat hole. I do the best I can, your fucking Highness. So pardon me if it ain't the specially prepared meals that the temple chefs fed your asses," he said as pushed her away.

She shook her head as tears well up in her eyes, "I'm sorry," she pleaded as she ached to be safe back in his arms. "I didn't mean it. I don't know what has come over me lately."

He knelt next to her and drew her back into his arms, his hands running up and down her arms slowly, "Shh, don't cry. Please don't cry. I hate it when you cry."

She chuckled softly as she buried her face in his chest, "Tears are the soul's cleansing waters is what I always told my sisters."

He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head, "I know but I still hate them. Especially yours."

She shook her head, "It is all I seem capable of doing these days," she admitted as she smiled weakly up at him.

He frowned, "Goddess fuckin' damn it," he cursed particularly violently. "When was the last time you released your energies, priestess?"

She dropped her head to keep him from seeing the deep stains in her cheeks. She shook her head as she tried to move away from him. "What does that matter anymore?" she denied.

He pulled her back to face him, lifted her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. "You think because we are not on Tavia, because the temple was destroyed, because your sisters are not here, that you do not have the same needs. That your body does not crave its release?"

She shook her head, "It's just..." She did not want to explain it to him of all people.

"Just what, priestess?" that steely edge was back in his voice and her body could not help responding. Her nipples hardened and she felt her nectar begin to flow within her fountain.

She was not going to have this conversation with him that much she knew. She pushed against the solid wall of his chest, "Let me go. This is none of your business."

His hand came up to grasp her breast. She cried out, it was fuller, more tender, more sensitive than she could remember. "What, priestess? Once was not enough? You want another taste of the fucked up little acolyte? Want to drain me of every last fucking ounce of my energy, my life force again? Is that what you need?"

His lips were brutal as he crushed them against hers, silencing her denial. His hand squeezed painfully at her tit, but it only ignited the need in her more. How could she want this? Want him? Like this? But the way she moaned and pressed herself against him was not to be denied. "Please," she whimpered as he drew back to stare down at her.

***

Leamus shook his head as he stared down at her. She was pale, she had been getting more so each day and he had suspected the reason. But in his selfishness, he had wanted to deny her. It was a losing battle. He swallowed hard as the truth hit him harder than any physical blow could. "Fuck, I must be crazy, baby. But I can deny you nothing. Even if it fucking kills me, I want you so goddess damned bad."

His hand on her breast lightened its grip. He saw the white imprints of his fingers upon her tender flesh, hoped it would not bruise even as the darker side of nature craved his marks upon his mate's body. His mate...he faced those words. That was what he had been fighting, been denying ever since that night.

But he could deny it no longer. Tam had been right; it was he who would never be safe without her. His fingers caressed the collar about her neck as he stared into her eyes. He had hated it. Hated what the Morians had done to her through it. But that was all a lie, an abuse of a precious truth. And that truth was that this collar did not bind her to him, but him to her. While he might play the role of Dominate, the protector, the truth was that it was he, who was totally and utterly enslaved to his mate.

He leaned his forehead against hers, inhaled the soft scent of her that was completely woman, completely his. He pressed a soft, sacred kiss to her lips for a long moment. "Mine. Mine alone. To protect. To cherish. To rule for all time. In this life time and those to come," he whispered. His fingers practically burned with energy as they brushed the metal that seemed almost scalding hot then.

She stared up at him, her eyes large, almost innocent as he felt the power surge through her body. She screamed his name as she arched against him. He felt the power of her release to his toes. But still it was not enough, "Cum for me, mate." She clutched at his shoulders, clung to him as his power was transferred through the collar, surged like the most powerful of her tsunamis over her body and soul.

He felt its waters returning ebbing back into him through the collar. He gritted his teeth, forced his mind to focus, fought through it this time. He was more accustomed to it but still its effects shook him. He was thankful that he was not standing, doubted that it was even possible then. Its power was pure, strong and sure as it throbbed through them both for long moments.

His lips moved over her face softly, held her, cherished her. His hands learned every inch of his mate's ripe lush curves. She was panting and squirming in his arms by the time his hands caressed her inner thighs. He was not in the mood to play with her or his own needs as his fingers sought and found her fountain. He plunged them inside of her and forced her to remain still as he worked them deeper into her depths. She was moaning and pleading, calling his name and still it was not enough, "Cum for me."

He felt her nectar squirt around his fingers as he plunged them in to the hilt, but it was not enough. It never would be. His mouth covered hers as he took her screams inside himself. He shifted, moving over her as her body continued to respond to his touch and command. He felt her whimper to the bottom of his soul as he withdrew his fingers. She clutched at his shoulders, pleaded for more.

More was exactly what he gave his mate as he shifted between her open thighs. He held still, his sword poised at the entrance to her fountain. She whimpered and moved beneath him. He knew what she wanted; it was what he wanted too, more than breath itself. But not this time, not without her complete surrender as she already had his.

Her eyes opened, her voice trembled, "Please, Leamus, I need."

He smiled, "What do you need, mate?" He inched forward just a tad then withdrew as she squirmed and pleaded.

"Leamus, stop playing. You know what I want. Fuck me," her nails sank into his shoulders, tried to pull him deeper.

He shook his head as his fingers laced through her hair, "I am not playing. I do not need to toy with what is mine. Do you understand, mate? Mine. Say it and you shall have what you want."

She whimpered again, shook her head until he tightened his fingers, held her head still. "Admit it, Rata. Say you are mine," he demanded.

He watched her swallow, saw the tears gather in the corners of her eyes. He felt her pain, her indecision, and her surrender as she nodded slowly, "Yes, yours, Leamus," she whispered.