It was late when the party came through the door to Meeda's Bar and Inn.

Ivan liked the simple name of the place; called the Bed and Barrel; the barrel in question being a rather large barrel of alcohol. The simple wooden furnishing of solid timbers gave it a warm and rustic feel. Monster pelts, weapons, armor, and artful tapestry like wool rugs were on display on the walls where there weren't windows or paintings, and various guild banners hung in the rafters alongside the taxidermied heads of monsters taken as trophies. Ivan also noticed that hung up there were wooden plaques with gold, silver, and copper plates signed by teams of adventurer's bearing the names of those who had fallen in the Dungeon and never returned.

In better times than when Ivan had first visited the adventuring teams here would salute and toast drinks to their fallen comrades. Sometimes they would also write prayers to hang near their plaques to be read and honored by all, or simply to tell a tale humorous, or valorous in nature about the person who was now gone. With the recent national drama settling out and people returning or enacting plans of action the Inn was closer now to its original function.

Ivan was dragged toward the counter, fighting a yawn, when they finally arrived. They had stretched their daily travel limit quite a ways to get here and bypassed some of the training they could have done too. But they hadn't found much on notice boards or had any official monster hunts that suited them in the few villages between where they were and Dentennek itself. So they mostly made up time and ran here.

The effects were most visible on the rest of the party whereas Ivan and Myrn were both mostly fine.

“MEEEDDAAA!” Myrn shouted into the kitchen, practically diving past the veteran looking Serving Woman manning the bar. She returned in a flash, grabbing Ivan's hand and dragging him along.

The stunned serving woman knew Myrn as it seemed and only sought to get out of the way of her antics. The team was left behind as Myrn dragged him into the kitchen to meet with Myrn's aunt and uncle once more.

Myrn quickly told a mostly true story about their plan and what had gone down in the time they were gone. Likewise Meeda had heard about them, and this 'Isaac' everyone was so happy to see.

“It's late, but there's people who will want to see you. Herbal remedy or not we're missing plenty of healers, and there's been a few fools who've gone into the Dungeon and come out badly wounded. We're not so bad as to not have them patched up and keep from bleeding out, but some of them need some proper tending I bet and might pay you a few pretty bits to get their friends up and moving in good order.” Meeda said, a business man in his own right, giving advice to another.

Ivan nodded and considered Myrn for a moment who nodded and grinned.

“Just not tonight. Even my feet are about to come off so you must be pretty tired too eh Isaac?” Myrn said with a grin and tone of voice that had Meeda's wife, Layla, eyeing her and Ivan from across the room.

“You'll be wanting food and drinks then I bet.” Meeda said with a laugh.

“Just the food is fine, and some good water. We'll need it after the run today.” Myrn answered.

Meeda blinked at her a moment, but then nodded.

Ivan gave her a dry and level look. She grinned at him innocently, her eyes sparkling a little too much to hide her intent from him even if she projected no guilt at all for his Insight to pick up on.

“Oh dear Ivan. If only you had my level of Insight. It's a surprise her pants aren't leaking.” Penelope said, nearly spoiling his composure.

“Leaking what?” Azalea asked, innocently mirroring Ivan's own thoughts for a moment before he had the answer for himself with dreadful clarity.

Penelope sighed, and projected her pure amazement as a broadcast sensation within the Shroud.

“Well you see my innocent little flower when a mortal woman, or a woman in a summoned and very similar structured humanoid body gets very aroused her body produces a lubricant that helps facilitate the act of sex.” Penelope explained, using her fingers to demonstrate the act itself.

Ivan's cheeks got a little warm and he tried not to listen to the rest. Myrn saw him blushing and did so herself, but held back little of her anticipation. Azalea's lanterns pulsed with a flash of fire at some point and she hid herself within the cowl of her ragged robes.

“There's no need to be nervous.” She whispered to him as they came out of the kitchen.

She spotted Marvin and Andy picking out a booth near one of the corners for them, it was one of few tables left empty in the place. Meeda followed them out.

“How many did you have again? We have lots of travelers and you might need to double up.” He asked.

Myrn grinned, mischievous lights flashing like fireworks in the crystal blue of her eyes.

“You can put those three together. I'll make room for Isaac.” She said with an innocent grin pointed at her uncle.

Meeda gave her a dry, but smiling little look and nodded without saying more.

Myrn again practically dragged Ivan to the table, and encouraged everyone to drink plenty of water, and quickly relayed they had rooms being prepared and what the layout was.

“So uh...” Marvin said idly, eyeing Davian who was simply eyeing the nearby empty stage instead of making eye contact with anyone at the table. “You left Isaac out on purpose or you're--”

“He's turned eighteen during all this trouble Marvin.” She said with a grin that lit up her cheeks with color. “And I've got a birthday present for him.” She said, nearly breaking into giggles after attempting to keep a straight face.

“Is it you?” Marvin asked sweetly.

Nearly all of Myrn's visible skin turned red, but she nodded and nabbed a large steel tankard of water from the serving girl as she put them down on the table. She took a huge long drink, but the color remained in her cheeks. She was smiling at Ivan, and Ivan wasn’t sure if the room was just really warm or if the heat in his cheeks had just spread over most of his body.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Marvin eyed the water in each of their cups, a clear change from Myrn would have ordered before and turned his gaze to Ivan.

Ivan looked into his mug and pointedly not back at the man. Marvin grinned.

“You're in trouble aren't you?” Marvin asked, a laugh nearly on his lips.

“Wish it was my birthday.” Andy grumbled, and touched the waitress's arm. “Bring me some honey mead after another flagon of water. Helps me sleep.” He told her with a grin. The serving girl grinned at him and nodded.

Ivan really had to fight to control himself. He was honestly excited. A part of him had wanted the moment to come, but having Myrn so giddy and ready for it beside him was starting to be its own strangely pleasant sort of torture. She kept gently touching his arm and smiling at him in a way that made his heart race, and she wasn't hiding her intent at all. Ivan had hoped his charisma would take over and he would find himself smoothly talking himself out of it...well did he want out of it? No.. Or maybe... His thoughts on that were consumed in the rapid beat of his heart and the swirling of butterflies in his chest.

“Calm yourself Ivan. Consider it a reward. You're doing well, and all you will have to do is as she says and follow your own instincts. Myrn is an experienced young lady and will show you just what you need to do. Make sure to pay attention. Your instincts are quite good, but I expect you to remember what you learn tonight.” Penelope said, her words all tinted with her clear amusement and her own expectations.

Ivan thought the cool water he was drinking might just boil in his guts and spill out of his ears as hot steam.

The food came, and he ate. The others yawned and found their way to their rooms. Again Myrn dragged him along, laughing, and squeezing his hands. The whole while his heart was racing.

In the room Myrn abandoned her things and pack with no preamble. She turned on him and kissed him without hesitation. Ivan thought he might lose himself in just that alone, but found his hands running down the solid muscle of her ribs to her hips, and then into her shirt and along her pant line. Myrn clawed at his hair and pressed into him until his back was at the door.

She pulled away and laughed softly into his chest, shaking her head softly. She paused for a moment, looking down, and practically ripped open her belt and the buttons off her pants for Ivan. She wore a heated little grin on her face as she guided one of his hands down the side of her hip and down.

Ivan's heart hammered in his ears as her fingers guided his own in a deliberate sexual act, but she closed his gaping mouth with her own lips. Ivan's mind filled with need to answer the call of his instincts, and his heart beat so hard in his chest it was always as if it were about to burst.

To the senses of his Insight Myrn was nothing but warm and fresh desire mixed with new passion. Her trust in him was shown in her eyes as she locked gazes with him, the two of them panting, and her sometimes breaking into soft moans as she directed his fingers. Ivan was like puddy in her hands, doing and acting just as she wanted until finally his instincts demanded no more of what felt like very adult play.

“We should maybe towel off a little.” Myrn got out between heavy breaths.

Ivan gave her no such luxury and dashed her pants, stockings, and all in the moment he put her to the bed. Myrn giggled and made pleased sounds before gasping as he knelt to bring his face down to her waist. Her hands only found his hair as he began a mirror service of what he had provided for Penelope, and failed to pull him away after only a few moments.

“She's already so ready for you Ivan. You tease her.” Penelope chided happily. “Be careful. You will feel it soon--the need to feed on her. Hold it back as much as you possibly can. Give it no mana.”

Ivan listened to Penelope, struggling to focus on her words over his thundering heart, and the heat of passion roaring in his limbs. In the end he could only pay her words as much heed as he could muster. There was no stopping entirely now.

In the meantime Myrn lost her shirt and what little was left of her clothes. Ivan did much the same as he could with one hand, and occupied as he was. He bought himself a little time with his service and prepared himself for what he was about to do. Memories, heated and passionate things, with Tanya passed through his mind, but he pushed them away and readied himself for the demonic hunger he was anticipating. Myrn's hips shook, giving him as much signal as Penelope's own.

“She will grow impatient if you don't move now. Wipe your mouth and--” She cut off as the moment Ivan stood Myrn had her arms around his neck and was pulling him into a kiss.

“Ivan, be ready. Brace your mind. Focus! Focus!” Penelope shouted.

Ivan's thoughts were barely conscious and lucid, flooded and nearly consumed in pure animal desire. He almost lost everything in the first moment. The intense hunger dove on him like a jungle cat from the trees the moment Myrn's hand succeeded in guiding him. Instinct roared in his mind and body, something in him reached for mana, and at the last instant he denied its pull before it gained too much.

Still he felt the hands of mind clasp upon something like levers or reins in Myrn's mind. The effect of it exploded the sensations brought to him by his Insight, and gave him a deep understanding of her feelings just then.

Desire overwhelmed the whole of it, it was an honest, clean, and excited feeling except at its deepest center. Something there was hurt within Myrn. An old wound in her mind that had healed, but still colored her thoughts. Ivan felt a strange duality take him then as sober objectiveness separated from the heated passion of his body. It was a stretch of time only between heart beats, but his mind clung to it with such clarity it astounded him.

The core of himself, and indeed this new hunger, backed away from the feeding powers Penelope spoke of. The hurt within Myrn's passion was old, an invisible and tender scar that nothing, not even magic healing, would ever truly mend. The new instinct was shoved down and out of the way by something far stronger and older inside of Ivan’s mind. It went with its tail between its legs as that part of Ivan drew a line to never be crossed around that hurt he felt just below the surface of Myrn's heart.

Ivan kissed Myrn for long moments, allowing her to guide the pace, but pulled his lips away for just a breath.

She was crying. She was also certainly smiling, and delighted, but crying all the same. Her eyes sparkled with the gentle tears and her thoughts shone clear and unstained by negative emotions in their depths. Even more important just then her eyes were beautiful blue gems to shame the most beautiful oceans and secret mountain lakes. Her hair was like fire spread out around her head, and her skin was alive with passion and heat. Her aura was flaring like a bonfire over and around Ivan, and he did all he could to embrace her in the same manner.

Ivan would remember it as an objective moment in his mind, about the beauty of nature and women in particular. Life boiled down to a moment as intense as any combat he had been in, but sweet as honey, buttermilk, and all other things sweet and soft. That and he finally knew some reality to that long held boyhood dream he had struggled to keep at bay all his adolescence gave the moment its own importance as a step into true adulthood.

He let the passion of his body overtake him, but held just enough awareness back in case that demon hunger moved on its own again. He indulged and let his instincts guide him otherwise, but the strange new hunger did not appear again. It appeared he had a new stance in his thoughts. A rather solid one. It was about Myrn. She was…

Myrn was his friend. His ally. First and foremost. Be it a lover after this or more Ivan committed to the promise of that friendship. He would care for her, and not take from her unfairly. She was...precious to him and the key to so much of his plans of late.

-Plans that she very easily could have turned aside on her own, but had chosen to embrace.

Myrn chuckled as the intense moments came to an almost violent end. Ivan sagged against her, barely able to hold himself up, but she welcomed him all the same. She didn't wait even a moment before attacking his ear playfully with her teeth.

“Myrn...” Ivan complained, but there was a laugh on his lips.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and hooked her legs about his. Her cheek pressed into his own and she greedily snuggled into him, sweaty body to sweaty body. Ivan was still a little weak kneed, but too full of happy bodily emotions not to smile, or feel their emotions reflected on one another through their Insight attributes and their auras.

He tried to push up slightly, but Mryn shook her head.

“You just catch your breath and get ready for more.” She told him, her cheeks swelling in a smile.

Ivan didn't know exactly what to say to that, but her words did send an intense flash of heat and fresh desire down through his middle. He laughed and found her neck with his lips.

She giggled and laughed, obviously delighted with his kisses. Her arms found their way under his own and her hands gripped the back of his shoulders. Something he felt from her made him pull away just enough to see her face, and take in the delighted look that was surely in her eyes.

He wasn't wrong. She was smiling, her cheeks red and slightly damp. She laughed as they kissed a little more and Ivan promptly grew ready as she asked. Still she slowed and smiled up at him.

“Thank you.” She said and kissed him again.

“For what? That little sprint before? I'll do better.” Ivan insisted.

She laughed. It was a delighted laugh, and was reinforced by the grip of her calves on the back of his thighs and the shifting position of her hips. Ivan very nearly forgot how to speak or where he was when she moved like that.

She shook her head.

“You're doing just fine, trust me.” She said with another laugh. “Really though...thank you.”

“What for?” Ivan asked, his voice reduced to somewhat of a growl as he braced himself against the slow gyration of her hips. If they kept talking like this during the act he half expected his scroll to pop up and say that his Mental Fortitude had increased.

Myrn shook her head, as if what she was saying was so obvious, and resolved just to pull him into another long kiss. She smiled, pressing her forehead into his own as he panted for breath when she finally let him go.

“Happy Birthday.” She whispered instead, laughing and giggling and making other sorts of pleased sounds for him as they went on.