Chapter Twenty-One

A few weeks later, Jay’s first impression of Rike was smelly. The coastal city, which he was using as a loose classification of size, positively wreaked of fish, filth, mud, various body fluids, and alcohol, or some bizarre combination thereof. It was a strange contrast to the mostly well maintained city of Shren, of which Jay now somewhat ironically assumed was a shining beacon of progress. It made him wonder what Dren, the capital, was like, as it based the mages’ college for the central kingdom.

Rike’s citizens emulated the city in their manners and appearance. Dirty, smelly, and rough were the first three adjectives that came to mind. Sailors and fishermen were the largest percentage of immediately visible sentients, followed by sleazy merchants and ‘working girls’ as Jay preferred to call them. Calling them whores was rather impolite after all. They were just doing what they had to in order to get by, no need for him to rub salt on the wounds.

Jay was only moderately surprised that there were no prominently well-to-do areas of the coastal town, despite how much wealth seemingly traveled through the area. He was forced to reconsider, however, after walking past three bars in a row on his way to the local branch of the guild, only to find that all three were currently in the middle of all out brawls. Previous questions suddenly became much more easily understood.

Jay and Katie made quick time to the guild building, sticking to the main thoroughfares and deftly avoiding anything that looked as though it might delay them. Katie’s cloak and mask seemed to work this time, although it may have just been Jay’s matching outfit and the feeling of absolute menace he exuded as they walked.

Stepping into the guild, Jay immediately dodged to the left, pulling Katie to his chest as a fist swept through the place where his head previously existed, hammering into the door frame. Utilizing their momentum, Jay rolled Katie out of his embrace and into a corner post, lashing out with a kick into the genitals of his aggressor as he finished his rotation.

The man went down in a heap of screeching, quickly silenced as Jay kicked him in the chin, blessing him with unconsciousness. Glaring out from behind his mask, the rest of the guild quickly quieted down to observe the new arrival. Jay stepped forward, placing his foot on the throat of his comatose victim before snarling.

“Who’s next?” Silence pervaded as he slowly increased the pressure of his foot on the man’s neck, causing the splayed form to spasm in pain and desperation.

“That’s enough lad, they get the point.” A burly middle aged man looked down on the scene from the second floor balcony. Jay glanced up, releasing his foot as he scanned the crowd once more before kicking the inert body out of his way. Grasping Katie’s hand he moved to the stairs, ascending steadily to the second floor and walking to the end of the hall where most guild heads kept their office. Knocking twice for courtesy, he opened it without waiting for a response, tugging Katie in quickly behind him, leaving the burly enforcer staring at their backs with an amused expression.

To their mild discomfort, they found themselves staring at a similarly built male plowing into a rather voluptuous, moaning woman bent over his desk. Both occupants immediately noticed the new arrivals and paused briefly before Jay wordlessly waved at them to continue. Katie pinched his waist as he brought her to a seemingly undefiled stool, sitting her on his lap as the pair of lovers picked up their pace, an audience seeming to spur them both on as the grunts and moans rapidly reached a crescendo, before a joint release was achieved.

Jay hissed into her ear as Katie’s nails dug into his skin.

“Stop it. I want to leave just as much as you. The sooner we get the information and notification, the sooner we’re gone.”

Katie’s upturned head made eye contact with Jay.

“I’ll do the same to you later as long as you bear with me for the next few minutes.” Jay growled lowly into her ear, causing a spark of desire to ignite in her previously cold eyes. The past few weeks had seen both lovers become progressively more aggressive in their passions, venting years of pent up stress and emotions.

The coupling pair had seemingly finished, at least temporarily, as the woman lounged fully in the nude on the nearby sofa. Jay had to admit, she was well-endowed in all the right places and wasn’t unpleasing to look at, though more than a cursory glance was all he spared as any more would be met with swift, violent retribution from the lady in his lap. The muscled man returned to his seat, maintaining his own state of undress as he turned to his visitors.

“I’m the head of Rike’s merc guild, Benos. The man outside is Denos, my twin brother. The gorgeous work of art on the couch is my woman, Dimi.” The woman snorted as Benos claimed her as ‘his woman’ but he ignored her, continuing with his introductions.

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“You must be the fresh blood here to investigate the slaving and disappearances.” Jay nodded, opting to remain silent while flashing his silver guild emblem, hoping it would speed along the process so they could vacate the premises. Jay was usually rather unflappable, but staring at a nude man for extended periods of time really wasn’t on top of his list of priorities in life.

“Well then, I suppose I’ll get right to it. Slavers from the continent Gerani have been basing their operations out of Rike for a few years now. We haven’t been able to do much in an official capacity because, as you most likely noticed on your way in, this is a rather lawless city. Gangs, slavers, bandits; on this continent, you will probably never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.” Jay almost choked but recovered quickly as Benos continued to monologue.

“Gerani is a continental empire based around their god of war and combat, Rividus. They run slaving operations on every landmass, ours is just exceedingly well managed compared to previous… incursions.

“What we have found, largely in part to you from what I’ve come to understand, is the local operation is led by a man named Tirious Bendlewiess. He set up both of the expansions you destroyed and has since personally taken the reins here in Rike. Since then, disappearances have doubled, yet no clues have been unearthed as to how and where people are being abducted. Your sole duty, for now, is to find out where they’re being taken and how they’re moving them.” Benos glanced down behind his desk before looking back up.

“That should be all. I recommend investigating the harbor first. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to.” With that dismissal, Jay and Katie rose at the same time Benos stood, his new erection standing proud as he swaggered over to Dimi, picking her up and placing her on his cock with a moan of satisfaction while the two onlookers beat a hasty retreat.

Denos smirked as the two withdrew back down to the first floor. Taking a moment to converse with a male guild clerk, they learned the location of a more reputable inn, leaving the hall almost as quickly as they came.

Jay wasn’t sure if it was the scenes they had just witnessed, or his promise, not that he was putting very much brain power towards contemplating either, but as soon as the door was shut and secured, Katie had him pressed against a wall, his face dragged within her reach as her lips devoured him and tongue tasted the inside of his mouth.

Jay responded in kind, a quickly rising passionate fervor as they both gasped while briefly parting. Clothes were shed, masks and cloaks flung to the far side of the room as boots, shirts and pants fell where they were dropped. A hunger stirred in Jay’s lower gut, his manhood already desperate for attention yet forcefully ignored as Jay reciprocated Katie’s eager attention, pressing her into the opposite wall, completely ignoring the bed as he went to his knees.

Spreading her legs around his body, Katie pressed her hands onto his shoulders, bracing against the wall as he gave attention to her already lubricated sex. At first gently, but with increasing zeal, his tongue stroked, prodded, and delved into her depths, tasting all her body had to offer as he brought her rapidly to her first climax. A large gasp and drawn out moan the indication he needed that he was showing his appreciation for her in all the right ways.

“Jay, inside. I need you to fuck me. Harder than the guildmaster’s little whore.” Katie’s words were breathy whispers as she came down from her first high. “Own me, make me yours; paint me with your color.” She practically begged, and so Jay gave her what she wanted, still pressing her against the wall as he let out a bit of the animal he kept locked away. Growling in her ear, nipping at her neck, he pushed his rigid manhood slowly into her, wet warmth grasping him as the two joined together, gasping in unison as he bottomed out.

Slowly at first so as not to hurt her, he began stroking in and out. Transitioning to the floor, he rapidly increased the pace until he was pounding into her, her moans and his grunts a chorus of their joining. He suddenly pulled out, eliciting another gasp from his lover before picking her up, flipping her over as he placed her top half on the bed. He reached around, grabbing one of her pert breasts, rolling her nipple and lightly pinching as he leaned over her, reentering her warmth to take her from behind.

Another gasp and a few short strokes later, he lay into her, rapidly approaching his own climax as she gasped out words of encouragement, spurring him higher as he spanked her ass, owning her, possessing her, claiming her as his. The last thought pushed him over the edge as he clenched, every muscle in his body flexing, growing rigid as he emptied his seed into her as a flood of pleasure rolled down his spine. She was his.

He slowly withdrew, gently stroking the back and sides of the panting woman, whose eyes only revealed unconcealed love and adoration for her partner. He gently picked her up, placing her on her back on the bed as he caressed her face and neck, slowly moving lower as he tweaked her nipples, another light gasp his reward. He leaned into her kissing her softly while his hands moved to her waist and stomach, massaging her muscles lightly before moving to her legs, kissing his way down her body to catch up to his hands ministrations.

A minute later, he once more mounted her, spreading her relaxed limbs as he leaned over, hovering above her as he stared into her eyes. They kissed once more, still a gentle, tender touch as his member slowly penetrated. She moaned into his mouth and he responded in kind as he gently moved, a slow and steady cadence in stark contrast to the previous animal like rutting, once more showing his care and affection for the woman in his arms.

It wasn’t long until the flexing of both of their lower halves brought another, different kind of climax to both lovers. Shuddering breaths resounded in the room as he rolled off of her on to the far side of the bed, pulling her into his embrace as he kissed along her neck and shoulders, where both parties, physically and emotionally spent, soon fell into the oblivion of sleep.