The kitchen is a secret trove of delights. It’s where we keep the barrels and crates delivered by Howie, the servants watering them down before taking them out to the drinks table. Snacks and desserts cover the counters, ready to go out at a moment’s notice, filling the air with savory smells. I’m tempted to grab a little sandwich or cookie, but Alana only has eyes for me.

I led her toward the kitchen but once there are no gazes on us, Alana is the one dragging me forward. Her eyes are wide and desperate as I let her shove me against some tall cupboards. I duck, aiming for her lips but she dodges me, pulling my pants and underwear down as she drops to her knees.

After several minutes of inattention, my gift is soft but hasn’t retracted. It takes barely any time of Alana’s lips wrapped around me before I’m at full mast. One hand gently caresses her hair while the other scrambles for something to hold onto to, eventually gripping the side of the cupboard I’m leaning against.

It’s another perfect moment; Talia’s beautiful voice muffled by the walls between us mixing with my low moans and the wet sounds of Alana’s efforts, the scent of sex mixing with that of good food, and the feel of her calloused palms holding and tracing my thighs. I do my best to engrave the moment in my memory but it’s a little difficult to focus as my thirsty girl brings me to a shuddering climax. She’s not hesitant at all to take what she wants, her nose touching my groin as she takes me down her throat, making sure not a single drop of my release escapes her. When my gift is done twitching, her lips retreat, tongue trailing along my length and circling the sensitive tip before she goes back to milking me with her mouth.

My prime form is amazing but it’s not without its faults. I’m built for sexual stamina but it’s also a curse. This body that can go for hours and hours needs constant, overwhelming stimulation to be satisfied in the slightest. That’s what a tumble in the sheets with Kierra is. Fast, hard, and intense. The two of us fuck like animals in heat, rutting until we both collapse with complete exhaustion.

Being with Alana is nothing like that. It’s soft and sweet. Almost torturous with my physique. I used to be concerned that I’d lose myself to the pleasure and be too rough with her while seeking satisfaction but I’m not half the beast the rumors circulating the Grand Hall paint me as.

Forget being too rough with her. One look at those big, blue eyes staring up at me and I’m a puddle, more than willing to suffer the sweet torture. Even as I become more desperate, I whisper sweet nothings and soft encouragements.

She kisses my gift once she’s had her fill and rises to kiss me. I groan, tasting myself on her tongue. She swallows my yelp of surprise as she climbs on me, wrapping her legs around my waist. I oblige the wordless request she makes by rubbing herself against my gift, reaching a hand under her dress and tearing away her underwear.

She gasps as I turn us around, hands going to her waist. Her legs loosen their lock as I raise her up, a soft whine escaping her as I lower her onto my gift. One hand grabs my shoulder while the other grabs my neck, nails pressing against my skin. I recognize her tell and pause, giving her a curious look. She lovingly kisses my face before bucking on my gift, pleasuring herself. Ah, so she wants to set the pace. She really is a greedy girl, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

One of my hands supports her while the other fondles her chest, my lips kissing along neck and collarbone while I meet her bouncing hips with short thrusts. For me, holding her warm body against me, despite the barrier of her dress, while I’m deep inside her is a small, sustained pleasure. Alana is a lot more affected. It only takes minutes before her face is buried against my neck and I feel the slight pressure of her harmless bite as she muffles her screams against my skin.

“More?” I whisper once her shaking stops. She subtly shakes her head but makes no attempt to get down. Saying she wants more but needs a break first. A request I happily oblige. “Alana~”

“Mm?”

“I love you~”

“Wuv you,” she slurs adorably, drunk off me.

I nuzzle and kiss her, enjoying the little affections while she recovers. I’m so absorbed, I don’t notice there’s company until they noisily enter the kitchen from the second entrance.

I recognize the pair in the lead. The first is my gloomy but trustworthy servant, Nomad, looking no more cheerful than usual despite the celebrations. Beside him is Cloud, dressed for the festivities. And I do mean dressed.

Usually, she only wears sleeveless black shirts and tasteless brown skirts but tonight, she’s wearing a pristine white dress shirt and fitted pants that look far too tight to be anything but painted on. Her dark hair is braided down her back, showing off the surprisingly white bone earrings in both her ears and the large tooth hanging around her neck on brown string. She’s always been a rugged beauty but having cleaned up, it’s more of a rough charm.

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Struggling a little to get in behind them are obvious friends of Cloud. It’s the black rings around their necks that give them away, a tattoo common to the members of the Temple. I know from experience that they tend to be scruffy in appearance, but they’ve all cleaned up for the occasion. I’d have called them civilized if they weren’t carrying a huge dead pig between them. Four strangers that catch me with my pants down, literally.

Nomad’s expression doesn’t so much as twitch taking us in, but Cloud’s dark lips turn up in a sly smile. “We seem to have come at the wrong time, honored sister,” she practically purrs, gaze focused my ass. “Or maybe the perfect time.”

Alana is as stiff as wood in my arms, whimpering softly. The embarrassment of the moment must be choking her. I feel bad about it, really. I’m the one with the amazing hearing. I should have heard them coming before they got anywhere close to the door. In my defense, I was far too absorbed in Alana to care about what was going on around me. Didn’t even notice the music had stopped, Talia likely taking a break. It would have taken a titan to catch my attention.

That isn’t going to make Alana feel better though so I keep it to myself as I pull out of her and set her on her shaky legs, smoothing down her dress. Doing what I can to preserve her dignity. It would be much better if she feigned nonchalance, like me, but my poor future knight can only hide her flushed face against my shoulder. “Glad you could make it, Cloud,” I say while maneuvering her behind me, hiding her from the many curious gazes. “Who’s the group?”

She pouts as I pull my pants up. “A few friends eager to meet you. It is customary to bring food to a celebration. We got a bit…excited.”

“I can see that.” Saints, the damn hog is bigger than me. “What am I supposed to do with that?”

“Not you, sister. Your pet.” She licks her lips. “I am dying to see what she can do with it.”

“Can we put this down?” one of her friends, a rather petite girl, whines, drawing my eyes to her.

…she’s got a tail. A big, bushy one, with two fuzzy ears jutting out of her brown hair to match. It’s…very, very strange…but also kind of cute.

Reminds me of a fox. Foxes are cute. Girls are cute. It makes sense that mixing the two, in moderation, makes for more cuteness. I don’t know how I’d feel if she had whiskers and a muzzle but as it is, I have mixed urges to grope her modest chest and scritch her behind the ears. If this is what Cloud is after, I’m much less apprehensive about her inevitable changes.

The whiner isn’t the only one with furry, and not so furry, additions. One girl has a pink mousy tail, another has a white horn sprouting from her forehead, and the lone male in the group has scales on his cheeks. They’ve all fully embraced the Temple’s ways, huh.

“Just set it down where there’s space,” I say, vaguely gesturing to the floor. The group obliges, all of them relieved to be free of the enormous burden. Fox-Ears spies the desserts on the table and reaches for them, but Mouse-Tail slaps her hand away with her tail, the appendage snapping out like a whip. Fox-Ears yelps, almost as adorable as Alana when she’s spooked, and rubs her wrist.

“Don’t worry,” I tell her. “There’s plenty out there.”

Fox-Ears smiles, flashing two sharp teeth. Saints, those look dangerous…for ordinary people. Might tickle if she bites down with everything she’s got. “Great! Let’s go!”

Horn lightly smacks her on the back of her head. “We may walk the path of the brethren but we shall not become beasts,” the largest of the group says in a deep, sultry voice. She moves ahead of the others and bows before me, one hand forming a fist and the other clasping it. “We give thanks to you for welcoming us into your home. Let bonds of joy strengthen the bonds of trust between the lady of men and the Temple.”

Oof. Been a while since I’ve heard such deep Temple jargon. “Glad to have you here. Quick introductions. I’m Lou. Behind me is Alana but she can’t meet anyone’s eyes right now.” A soft fist to my back makes me chuckle.

“Stampede That Shakes The Mountain.”

“…please tell me you shorten that.”

She smiles a big white smile. “Shake.”

I sigh in relief. “Shake. Alright.” I take in the way the others are hanging back, not interfering in our conversation. Looks like I’ve found the leader of this little group. What’s interesting is that Cloud also seems to be following the large woman’s lead. “I’d shake your hand but…” Well, it’s been places.

To my shock, Shake grabs my hand and shakes it, pumping it strongly. Then she pauses and raises it, nostrils noticeably flaring wide as she sniffs. “The love between you and your mate is…enticing.” She sniffs again. “And fertile? Your tool is fully functioning. How surprising.”

I just gape at her, stunned by her audacity. Though I shouldn’t be. The Temple worships manabeasts and communes with them by fighting them barehanded. They’re all a special kind of insane.

Eventually, I recover enough to take my hand back, surprising the big woman again as I easily escape her grip. “Food. Drink. Inside.”

“Peace is easiest found at watering holes. We shall make ourselves comfortable.” Shake gestures to the others and they move past, all of them giving me indecipherable looks. Except Cloud. I know her well enough that I have no trouble deciphering her expression. Saints.

“I shall return to my duties,” Nomad proclaims, bowing briefly before escaping. Leaving me and Alana alone.

She finally steps from behind me. I give her time to collect her thoughts but all she manages is a succinct, “Fuck.”

“Mm.”

Alana marches over to the counter holding the drinks and grabs an unopened bottle of Herbanacle. I don’t even bother trying to stop her as she hastily cracks it open and takes three long gulps of the shroom juice. She stomps back over to me and extends the bottle. The look in her eyes is demanding so I obediently raise it to my lips and take a long drink.

Alana nods in satisfaction. “Problems have to wait till tomorrow, right?”

I chuckle. “That’s right.”

“Good, because I can’t deal with any of this right now.” She takes another swig of the shroom juice before grabbing the front of my shirt and pulling me into a kiss. I’m just getting into it when she pulls away. “We should get back to the party. That group is bound to stir things up.”