Sufferance Ch. 12

The one thing that did keep the Hunt genuine at this point was the quality of what I might learn; it would be far less if she believed I threw the victory to her on purpose. I imagined the Drider was chasing me instead of Jaunda to help with that.

I took a running leap just before the base of the shale slide, starting my climb a couple body lengths up, and pushed hard trying to navigate the least unstable areas of the hill. The sheets of broken rock were so light they almost sounded hollow, tinkling a bit like broken glass as I disturbed them scrambling past.

I heard the second set of limbs behind me and stubbornly refused to panic, focusing on one hand and one foot in front of the other. No slips, no stumbles, I still had a chance.

The only downside was that Jaunda hadn't slipped either, and in the end her very last gambit paid off. As I stretched my left arm straight out and touched the level top of the hill, Jaunda risked a jump for that last few feet to reach me. Lolth saw fit for the ground to not collapse enough beneath her weight and she managed that tiny bit of extra distance. I felt the gloved hand snatch tight hold of my ankle and pull, my fingernails digging into the dirt and leaving small furrows as I slid backward almost on my belly.

"No!" I blurted in genuine dismay, trying to kick her off and make the top, even though the game was over. I had been so close!

My cry of denial excited Jaunda even more; I felt her hands pawing up me as she moved from ankle to calf to thigh, finally seizing my hips. Her chuckle was deep and primal as she handled me roughly, gaining her feet over me and actually heaving my body up a little farther so that my belly was pressed to the very edge of the hill where my hand had touched. Then she dropped on top of me and held me there, hooking her arm beneath my right pit and across my neck to hold my left shoulder.

She was compressing my chest and making it hard to breathe. Fortunately only a few small pebbles were beneath me; mostly I lay belly-down in the dirt, unable to escape from beneath my captor. I became aware of the length of Jaunda's Feldeu pressed against the crack of my ass; it was beneath her leathers. She must have been wearing it during the chase, much like I had while crawling after Lana.

It didn't stay hidden for long. Parts of Jaunda's belt rubbed or poked against me as she used her free hand, jerking impatiently to free her erection. It felt incredibly hot as it pressed naked to my sweaty skin.

Jaunda groaned and panted hard, intent on penetrating me right there at the edge of the safe point. "Fuck, Sirana...you almost got away."

I felt the spongy head wedge itself at my sex and my Lead's hips surged forward, forcing herself partly inside. I grunted, wheezing a little, as she used three hard thrusts to plant herself in fully to the hilt. I was not exactly dry down there, but she hadn't so much as touched my sex before she had speared it.

I became wet with the first proper strokes however, and accepted Jaunda's rut, closing my eyes as I focused on the growing pleasure. I didn't have the breath to say anything at this time, and Jaunda could barely slur the occasional lewd insult in my ear—how slippery my slit was for her, how tight— which made the pleasure more intense for her.

I would have to say that fucking immediately after a prolonged chase like this didn't provide much air or thought for conversation.

My Lead climaxed before I did while seated in my pussy; she had left my ass alone for the time being. She withdrew, crawled up to the top to kneel in front of me, and took hold of my loose hair while pressing the fragrant tip of her Feldeu against my lips. I gave her just enough resistance to get the explicit order from her.

"Better clean me, spider-bitten slut...wrap those talented lips around my shaft."

I opened my mouth and she pressed in; I worked busily at the slick pole, finding myself smiling with my mouth full. My cunt was buzzing and I could feel the air cooling the fluid on my thighs. I hadn't peaked yet, but I could wait and make the release so much more. I stopped when she tugged on my hair.

"Alright," she sighed, and I watched her pull a small black bag from the back of her belt. I blinked up at her and she grinned. "What? You remember this part, right?"

Jaunda pulled the black bag over my head and cinched it beneath my jaw, muffling all my senses except for touch, and dragged me to my feet. Before I had gotten my bearings, I found myself lifted and hefted face down over her shoulder.

She started carrying me and found plenty of opportunity to slap my ass with her gloved hand and tease the glazed, puffy lips of my slit with her fingers. All of it made me squirm and squeak and, as far as losing the race went, I wouldn't be holding much of a grudge.

Jaunda brought me to a second interrogation room similar to the first, except I didn't know exactly where this one was located. She had not removed the black bag until she had me bent over something waist-high, my belly barely resting on it, and my neck and wrists strapped down to a short, carved platform of stone. There were smooth depressions where my forearms and chin settled, and the restraints kept me only looking forward. At least I was held with thick leather rather than bare metal; I would have some raw spots from the straps after Jaunda's usual enthusiasm, but no open cuts.

My hips were supported as well and that would relieve some of the strain—which could only mean she didn't want me wearing out too soon—and Jaunda decided not to shackle my ankles. My back and buttocks and legs were completely exposed to her, and my breasts hung down underneath next to the platform.

As the blunt, forceful Drow she was, Jaunda picked up a thick flog with quite a few wide lengths of leather and slapped my ass several times without ceremony. I gasped and flinched, feeling heat build in my skin.

"Sound's dampened in here, Thall," Jaunda murmured. "You can make as much noise as you want."

"I take it you want me to, Lead?"

She slapped me again and I yelped. I realized as the heat spread farther across my buttocks that neither the strike nor my cry—both of which we could hear—had had any sort of echo. It was an odd realization. Jauda thrust two fingers into my twat then and fingered me roughly; my body knew her touch well and I moaned in pleasure.

"Yes, novice. Louder. Make a lot of noise for me."

Like most of the times she'd had me—except when she'd been telling me about the Surface party and the blonde elf she'd fucked—Jaunda focused much more on pleasuring herself with my body and less on talking for the first mark or so. It was just as well...she teased me so badly that I couldn't have focused on a conversation. She alternated between strikes across my back and buttocks, playing with my breasts and twisting my nipples, and using her tongue between my legs. The latter surprised me so much that I failed any power of speech and only mewled and moaned and shrieked for her.

I felt her hands slide up the backs of my legs as she kneeled behind me, squeezing my flesh roughly, slapping, licking, biting...

"Uh, guh..." I groaned.

"You haven't tried to kick me, Thall," she said slyly. "I left your ankles free just so you could. If I didn't know better, I'd think you wanted me to ride your back portal until it gaped."

I moved my hips, tilting them up as I felt her tongue again, as I sucked in air. "Y-yes, Lead..."

"Hmm?" she hummed, her mouth still buried between my legs. Her tongue flicked and darted everywhere and I squeaked several times.

This was such a rare treat from her, I didn't understand why, but it made me ache for the rest of her, to feel her fill me. When I caught my breath I said in a rush, "I want you to ride it. Ride my ass!"

"Want it bad?"

"Yes, Lead!"

"Too bad you can't pull apart your own cheeks and show me how much you want it..."

I responded by spreading my legs a bit more and she laughed in delight. I felt her hands massage me as she stood up and settled herself between my sore, marked thighs. Her Feldeu sank straight into my sex, stroking hard for long enough that I was swiftly climbing toward a climax. I knew she wouldn't allow me to peak yet, but couldn't help trying to build it up anyway.

Jaunda pulled out before I could reach the top, of course, and realigned the slick knob at my second hole. I anticipated more teasing, a pause as she forced my rise to stall, but—

"Figure it felt like this for Jael?"

She buried her entire length in one stroke and my body jolted within the restraints. I had been relaxed already, willing to let her in, and the explosion of sensation forced a short scream from my throat. Then, just as Jaunda withdrew half way and thrust in again, I started to come. She stayed very still, her hips flush against my buttocks, as I convulsed around her and grunted in pleasure.

"Ohhhh, you like that..." she whispered hoarsely, "I can feel how much you like that... probably a lot better than Jael got, eh?"

"Yes...yes..." I gasped, struggling to answer her as the delirious coast downward left me with far fewer words present in my brain. I almost choked on my own drool as I felt her begin thrusting into my ass with force.

Oh, Goddess, yes!

I had loved fighting Gaelan; I could still top her, too, if I chose. I felt I had claimed Jael in some way, and I had thoroughly enjoyed blackmailing a reluctant Panagan. I knew I wanted to be the one in control with any male, to coax and direct their responses. I knew I was not much to D'Shea's taste as a regular bedmate, for whatever reasons. I knew Qivni had trouble controlling me or keeping me serious, and most other Sisters just didn't seem as intense, like our auras weren't meshing as well.

Yet Jaunda and Rausery each turned me into something of a squealing leather-biter when they fucked me. I could relinquish my control; some of my best orgasms were with them, and my pride did not seem to matter until later when I'd flush afterward at some of the things I'd said. It wasn't just their rank above me, I knew, but I would ponder why this was again and again.

My Lead climaxed inside my body for the second time and withdrew to step away, leaving me wet and sticky and soon chilled without the heat of her body leaning over me. I couldn't see her but could hear as, at the other side of the room, she washed herself with water.

"So, what tonic sipper were you thinking about to stumble head-on into a Drider like that, Thall?" she asked in a tone I recognized well. "Don't you know better than that by now?"

Well, at least she wanted to talk per usual, and it was on the subject I was most curious about at the moment. Leaving me bound and messed, of course, meant I had a lesson of some sort coming.

I shifted in the restraints, trying to flex muscles that were beginning to get stiff. "If you drink lots of tonics, that would be you, Lead."

She huffed a laugh and continued washing. "I like Shaltric spirits best myself."

I smirked even though she couldn't see it. "One of the worst headaches after reverie."

"Only if you're a light weight," she grunted, and from the sound of things, I would have guessed she was removing her Feldeu from her cunt the next moment.

"Granted. Some pretty odd dreams I've had under the influence of that stuff."

"Never remember mine." Jaunda started walking back over to me. When she reached me she slapped my backside. "Don't change the subject. We were talking about the Drider."

I smiled to where she could probably see it; she was barely in my periphery. "I've answered your question exactly, my Lead."

"The first one. And the second?"

Dung. I thought for a moment. Oh, yes. "Yes, Lead, I know better than to run headlong into a Drider."

"You'd never know it. How did you get caught off guard like that?"

I paused the shortest of moments then admitted, "I was distracted by a strong ward in the same cavern. Something's protected?"

Jaunda grunted. "Should be obvious, shouldn't it?"

"You know who or what?"

I felt her gloved hand spread over the small of my back, and the next thing I knew she was leaning on it, letting me support her weight. I quickly stabilized my stance and flexed to keep my knees from buckling. By Lolth's Tits, she had a dense body.

"If I did?"

"Just looking for a yes or no, Lead."

"And what would you do with knowing only that?"

I managed a small shrug.

"Just curious," she filled in wryly. "What did you sense off that ward?"

"High warning, mostly danger."

"Did you touch it?"

"Um. Yes."

She paused. "Without your bracers?"

"Um...yes, Lead," I said again, wondering if I'd somehow compromised it?

"Huh." She patted my rump. "You always had guts, sweetcake. Just don't let it get you killed. You still have a lot of training to do."

"Yes, Lead. So...do you know what's there?"

"No. Only that it is, and you aren't supposed to know. Only the Prime, Elders and Leads. Of our order, anyway. You would figure there are some Priestesses who know, Auranka being the given."

I would have nodded if I could. My thighs were starting to tremble under the pressure Jaunda was putting on my lower back. "So...I will tell Elder D'Shea that I know."

My Lead paused for some reason. "No. Let me report that. You were under my watch, she'll hold me responsible. No point both of us getting our butts kicked."

My brows drew down. "Mm—"

"Don't make me change my mind by arguing, Thall. I'll be doing more than kicking yours for the next ten marks as it is. You'll barely be able to sit down."

I cleared my throat. She had a point. "Yes, Lead."

Her weight suddenly lifted and I nearly lost my footing. I felt her begin to release the first restraint on my right arm.

"Time for a different use for that mouth, Thall. No point in bathing you quite yet, is there?"

Not with the way she tended to drown a body during oral, no. There was absolutely no point.

******

Four weeks more found me more bored with the smaller tasks I was being given by my Elder. D'Shea wasn't telling me much of anything at the moment of her plans after the revealing conversation on the bloodstone, which was eating at me more than a bit.

I had long noticed my Elder had the tendency to praise me quite well when I found something for her, but tended to not include me in any follow up. It was the same this time, for my largest assignment in my time with the Red Sisters thus far— uncovering so much more of Wilsirathon's plans with House Itlaun, and I still had no idea what D'Shea schemed to do next about it. If anything.

Gaelan could read me well enough and had said D'Shea was testing my patience and to not try to dig into it on my own.

*Yes, but I could still visit Shyntre at the Tower. That's my own 'secondary' project, isn't it?*

Once upon a time, I might have said that aloud. Now, knowing how she saw herself beholden to D'Shea, I didn't share as many of my thoughts or plans with her. She'd have to tell on me.

Jaunda had a point about Gaelan's will having been severely weakened by her Elder's compulsion spell. I hadn't even known my roommate before that, and I could see the disadvantage. It may be why D'Shea was keeping her closer to her lately.

There came another time in which Rausery wanted to borrow me, D'Shea granted it, and I was inwardly thrilled. If I didn't know what was going on with D'Shea's plots, then at least Rausery could give me something productive to do.

"I need an extra pair of hands to hold maps," Rausery had smirked as we left the barracks. "I'm visiting the Tower briefly and you're coming with."

I had blinked at her, but recovered quickly. "I'll carry as many as you want, Elder."

"Good. With me, novice."

Great that she still called me that. It reminded me of Jael, of course, and I'd been doing as much as I could to hear about her or watch things of interest in my more bored moments. I wasn't going to ask first, though—

"So you never did give me your thoughts on our fresh meat," the Elder said as we took one of the many hidden passageways to outside the cloister, stepping onto a rare open path the foot hills around the great cavern.

I looked around us; the City spread out before and below us, I could see the Sanctuary and Palace rising much farther away to our left, and the Tower was closer ahead and more straight on. It would take about half a mark to reach the perimeter of the Tower from here.

And we'd be visible the entire time. I hoped Rausery knew what she was doing.

"Sirana?"

"Yes, Elder. The personality I observed most of last year remains. She is a bold fighter with little fear and can tend to be impulsive."

"She's also one of the youngest we've ever taken on. Did you know what? She's almost a decade younger than you even."

"I didn't know that, Elder. May I ask why now? Why not wait until she'd matured more?"

Rausery quirked a brow at me and gave me one of the most teasing looks I remembered from her. "Maybe when you're older."

D'Shea wasn't the only one testing my patience. I focused on breathing and placing on foot in front of the other in silence.

When I was quiet for a full dozen breaths, Rausery commanded in a low voice, "Tell me about your personal experience with her."

"Elder?"

"You fucked her, right?"

I nodded, hesitated, then shook my head. "Maybe. Do you mean with a Feldeu?"

"No. I know you don't have one."

"Then yes, Elder." I could recite the basics, of course, but I got the feeling Rausery was already getting impatient. "I had her sleep next to me first. I needed a reverie after my last mission, and I wanted to see if she would be stupid enough to attack me as I rested."

Rausery grunted. "Did she?"

"Attack me, no. I believe she slept."

"Interesting. And then?"

I shrugged. "I did as I liked with her, mouth and hands, and she submitted with nominal resistance. We were interrupted by Thena—"

The Elder grinned fully there. "Mm-hm. Continue."

I started to smirk. "I won the scrap and Jael dusted her face with sleep powder."

"Did you instruct her to do that?"

"Yes, Elder."

"Then what?"

"We dumped her unconscious with your Team Five and went back to bed."

Rausery laughed out loud, and I saw something skitter into hiding out of the corner of my eye. "Pretty much what I heard from the other side. You're doing a good job making enemies on my teams."

"Perhaps you have noticed that they are only those who try to take what is mine, Elder?"

Rausery shook her head. "I'd say it is more fighting over mutual toys, novice, be it your ass or Jael's. Don't try to fool yourself. Grace varies a lot for those who lose their toys."

She hadn't yet asked if Jael and I had talked, or what we'd talked about. D'Shea would have by now. I was actually grateful for that.

"I heard Thena hasn't managed to wax Jael again so far and she's starting to grow her fur back a little," I said.

"You'd be right. Not that Jael has a lot of time for that now that she's passed the tests."

"She has, Elder?"

"Sure. What were you doing by this time?"

"Shadowing Gaelan and Jaunda, Elder."

"Likewise, Jael is shadowing Panagan and Qivni."

I half-smiled. "May I ask if you request all experiences with a recruit, Elder Rausery?"

"An Elder's an idiot if she doesn't get a word from every Sister, Sirana. Sometimes it just takes some time. Are you satisfied with your stunt to keep her alive?"

"Yes, Elder."

"Why did you do that, anyway?"

I was pretty sure she had already heard this from D'Shea, but stayed with my story. "My orders from you were to make sure the recruit lived past the initial threat of the Duergar, Elder. Duergar remained alive but she wouldn't have lived without that potion."

Rausery nodded. "Mm-hm. I understand your justification, Sirana, and it holds up. Now forget about that and tell me why you really did it. What you say isn't going to change Jael's status or yours at this point."