“Drink this,” the Emvola said, practically shoving a wineskin into his mouth.
If it actually was wine within, it was the most disgusting wine he’d ever tasted. Bitter, with an underlying taste of spoiled dirt. Keaton pulled a face, thrusting the wineskin away from himself. Just moments after taking that swig, though, a warmth began to spread from his lips down through his throat, chest, stomach, then to every part of his body. Fatigue was a thing of the past and so was the pain. Instead, all he could feel was bliss, a dreamy smile coming over him.
“That’s… that’s nice,” he said, the words slurring.
“The euphoria will wear off in a few moments,” the Emvola promised him. Keaton frowned. “It’s only to help with this.”
Her palms glowed as she took his arm in her hands, one on either side. Keaton’s eyes widened once he finally realized what she intended to do, but it was too late. His reaction time was too slow. The Emvola pressed inward, applying so much pressure to his broken arm that tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, despite the fact that he wasn’t actually able to feel the pain. Just an intense amount of pressure, then a searing warmth that enveloped his arm.
Yet when she removed her hands, there was no more throbbing pain.
Keaton felt relief wash over him that was almost orgasmic. He let out a heavy breath, his eyes briefly closing. Gods, that battle was… intense. But he’d made it out the other side with his body — and his pride — intact. And what had she said? He’d been in so much of a fog he’d barely heard it, but Keaton was sure now that she’d said he’d been a worthy fighter. That he’d held his own and made a decent show of it.
“That means you’ll join me, then?" he managed, his voice still slightly strained.
Probably from how hard she’d squeezed his throat. Keaton reached up to rub it, as if doing so would soothe his vocal chords.
“Yes, dungeon lord. I will become your lieutenant," he heard her say from across their impromptu field of battle. "And my tribe will become your minions, serving under my command. As agreed.”
He nodded, trying to find her amid the mass of female warriors that were now gathered around him. They parted, and he saw her again, but not as he had before. She strode toward him with confidence, eyes fixed on him, breasts swaying with every step she took. Breasts that were no longer covered by anything at all — not even the flimsy leather harness she’d been wearing before.
Unable to help himself, Keaton let his gaze travel down to her bare midriff, pausing at where the hem of her leather pants should have been. Those were gone, revealing toned legs covered in the same soft, tan and white fur that her torso was covered in. His gaze traveled inward, catching the briefest glimpse of a pink, glistening slit before he looked away, a deep blush suffusing his cheeks.
She was completely and utterly naked, and she was almost upon him.
17
“I— You don’t have to— I know I was—”
Keaton stammered uselessly, his gaze still averted as the leader of the Emvola stood before him wearing nothing but a triumphant grin. Her hands were on her hips — round and feminine, despite the muscle tone in her body — and she assumed a wide stance.
“Do you not like what you see, Lord Keaton?”
The sound of his name on her lips — the sweet, husky taunt in her voice — made him shiver, arousal thrumming hot through his veins.
He wanted to look again. To reach up and smooth his hands over her luscious thighs, then bury his face between them to taste her inviting pussy. He wanted to—
What is wrong with you? You’re in the middle of a crowd, and Adriana is right here!
That same guilt washed over him, the same sensation he’d felt when the daemon sucked his cock until he came the previous night. It’d helped that she’d taken on Adriana’s form. Or maybe it hadn’t. Keaton still wasn’t sure what to make of any of that, and he definitely didn’t want to think about it now, when his erection was already tenting his trousers in a way that was obvious to absolutely everyone in that makeshift arena.
“This is my fault," Adriana said quickly, still knelt beside him.
Her hand rubbed a soothing circle against his shoulder, which… wasn’t helping. All he could imagine was those small but strong hands caressing him all over while Cassia rode him with the same wild abandon she’d had during their duel…
“What do you mean?" he choked out, turning his whole face away so he couldn’t accidentally sneak a glance at his new lieutenant.
“What is the matter, my lord?" Cassia asked, her tone changing to one of concern. "Do you not accept my offer? It would be your loss, if so, and I’m afraid it would make us enemies.”
“He doesn’t know what the acceptance of a lieutenant entails," Adriana explained, a touch of agitation in her voice. "Leave us be for a moment while I explain.”
Keaton looked at her, bewildered. She’d been firm before, but this was the first time he’d seen her sound actually angry. She backed down from that stance quickly, though, looking away from the Emvola.
“Um… it will just be easier if there are less distractions.”
“Ten minutes," she told them. "My time is valuable, Lord Keaton, and I will not be made to look the fool. Not even by you.”
Her hooves hit the packed earth in a manner that wasn’t quite stomping away from him, but close enough to give Keaton pause. He thought he’d be safe after the duel, but somehow, he’d landed himself in even more danger, it seemed.
“I guess I need you to tell me what that was about," Keaton said, looking up at his companion. "And you’re probably going to need to explain it to me like I’m a child. My ears are still ringing a little from that fight.”
With a groan, Keaton pushed himself to his feet. He swayed slightly, but Adriana caught him, a hand bracing his chest this time. She quickly removed it once he was steady and proceeded to look anywhere but at him.
“Um. In addition to stealing life essence like you demonstrated with the goblin, you can also absorb and… transmit essence through…" The blush that colored her cheeks made the transition from skin to scales even more noticeable. "Um… through sexual intercourse. That is how lieutenants are bonded to their dungeon lord.”
If she were anyone else, Keaton would have assumed she was just fucking with him. There was no way sex was an integral part of a dungeon lord’s army. He assumed it happened — people of all stripes were attracted to power, after all — but as a leisure activity, like it did elsewhere. Maybe to procreate, if a dungeon lord needed little lords and ladies to take up the throne once he was gone. But this sounded like something else; something intrinsic to the very structure of a dungeon lord’s life and success in his position.
And Adriana wasn’t fucking with him. If she did have the capacity to jest, he doubted she’d be comfortable enough to tease him about something like this. All Keaton could do was stare at her, gaping like a fish.
“I’m sorry, you’re saying if I want to have any lieutenants — which I need to help grow my dungeon — I have to fuck them?" He shook his head. "Sorry. Sleep with them?”
“It is not strictly necessary. I think. Or… I have heard." She wasn’t looking at him, her gaze focused down at her hands which she was wringing together in front of her body. "Every dungeon lord I’ve known has done this, and every lieutenant has been eager to um… undergo the ritual. Those that aren’t don’t tend to be treated well. Our kind are here to serve the dungeon lords, after all.”
The way she said it gave Keaton pause. A disgusted shudder passed over him, and he remembered something from the first day they met. She kept repeating something over and over. Something about not wanting to be bonded.