A Boy and His Fox: Redux Ch. 25

AN: Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I've updated this story. Here it is, Ch. 25. There is more to come, but I want to make a request of you guys. As some of you know, I do write original work. Specifically, I have my middle-grade series Warren High available on Amazon. A while back, you all were huge helps to me by buying copies of my book and leaving reviews when you could. Now, I've begun work on creating merchandise to sell/give away at conventions. If you'd like to help, I have a Kickstarter for the merchandise. My profile is JCRoberts. It's an all or nothing campaign, which means that if we don't reach my goal of 300$ by the end, you won't lose any money. I've got great packs and give aways for donating, so any support you could show would be most appreciated. Thank you all very much for your time. I wish you the best of luck in life and literature. -Kiba

We panted as our footsteps sank into the loose sand of the desert. Gods, this was horrible. It was difficult to believe that at one point this place had been a beautiful oasis. Now, all I saw when I looked around was the result of wanton magic upon the world.

My compass was still pointed in the proper direction. Thankfully, that meant we were on course towards the Voodoo Lands. The fact that Annie had made it this far was troubling. We were getting nearer to her home. What could have possibly captured her when she was so close?

"Penny for your thoughts?" my champion asked, moving to walk beside me. Normally, she'd have hugged me close and nuzzled my cheek. Since we'd agreed to form our relationship, she'd become much more affectionate.

However, the heat of Shurima was so intense, for once, we both had no interest in hugging the other. I reached up, wiping a bit of sweat away with the back of my hand. "I'm concerned about Annie. At first, I was certain that...you-know-who had been responsible for her disappearance. But now I'm not so sure. What if she died in these desert? Her body could be buried under a sandstorm in the snap of a finger, and we wouldn't be able to find her in a thousand years."

The fox's ears twitched in thought as she frowned. "That's a valid point. Still, something in my gut tells me there's more to this than just the environment. We're talking about a little girl who was an absolute savant in sorcery."

"Most definitely," Lux chimed in. "Annie may be the most powerful mage I've ever seen. Maybe even more powerful than you, Kal. No offense."

"None taken. Still, that's incredible. If she's really that strong, it would lend weight to our theory. This guy was able to control Ashe, and she was no joke, even back in the academy. The fact he can do it without champions getting the shakes is horrifying. I'd be very much interested to see how he does it."

"Sorry?" our gunslinger asked, pausing to peer over his shoulder at me.

"For curiosity's sake," I added. "I'd never actually use it."

"Then why would you care?" he pressed.

Lux frowned. "What's your problem, Lucian? He didn't mean anything by it."

"Yeah, well. I wouldn't be so sure," he huffed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I retorted. "You don't actually believe I'd be capable of doing something like that, do you?"

Lucian sighed before gesturing around himself. "Look around you. All of you. What do you see? For hundreds of thousands of miles there is nothing here but sand and dirt. We all know the story. Before the League, this was a paradise. Then, people began to abuse magic and now look at what's become of it." He kicked his boots into the yellow dirt, sending it scattering in front of him. "Nothing but a barren abyss. It starts with curiosity, sure. But then you become curious about the next thing. What would it be like to have total control over your champion? No resistance. Total devotion. Unconditional love." The last words came out with a pointed glare in our direction. "So you try it. You tell yourself, only once. Then once becomes twice. Then twice becomes once a week. In time, it always ends up back here in the desert."

A stifling silence fell over us as we continued our journey. Well, if I hadn't been tense about the idea of it before, I was now. Lux must have noticed my expression, because she clapped her hands before chiming in, "Let's play a game."

"That sounds like fun," Ahri agreed, a little too quickly. "What sort of game?"

"Umm...how about I spy with my little eye something…" Lux's words trailed off as she stared out across the barren expanse. With a sigh, she concluded, "Never mind."

Kal and I kept pace at the front of our little group. Even though this unbearable heat would have made it a wasted effort, I still regretted not getting my bath. As if sensing my thoughts, my summoner flashed me a half-smile. "You look nice," he complimented.

"Flattery will only get you so far," I teased, still keeping at arm's length. It wasn't just the heat that drove me to not get too close to him. I didn't want to admit it, but what he'd said had bothered me. Curiosity be damned, would he really want to know how to fully control me? If he did, then what difference was there between him and Magnus? "Kal...can we talk?" I finally murmured.

"Regrets dating me already?" he asked, reaching up to wipe a bit of sweat from his brow.

"No. But I don't get why you're so interested in Magnus' power. It's evil and wrong. I mean, you do think that, don't you?"

"I believe magic is a tool," he explained, digging his boot into the sand of one of the dunes. "Sure, it can be used to do evil things. Fireballs can burn down houses, even healing magic can be evil if it heals the bad guys."

My tails drooped slightly. "But Kal, this is different. You're talking about slavery, here! Think about when you had the gauntlet on. Imagine what would have happened to us if you really could fully control me then."

"That was a fluke," he tried.

"No, Kal. That was life. Our life."

The look he gave me was not a pleasant one. I knew this would be a tough conversation, but this was worrisome. Riven had warned me that there may be a bit left over in there of the gauntlet. Was this it? It was a big thing to have kept hidden for so long if it was. "How long are you going to hold that over me?" he asked. "It wasn't my fault. I couldn't have known…"

"That's my point," I told him. "Things happen that we can't control. Some things we're never meant to control. Magnus' power is just one of those things."

"Do you not trust me?"

"Of course I trust you. This has nothing to do with trust. Right now, I trust you more than anyone else in the world, and I still would never want you to have complete control of my body. As for my mind, I don't know what would be worse...you being able to control it, or being stuck in a shell like a puppet while you make me dance on strings. You can't honestly tell me you don't feel the same way."

"I don't feel the same way. I understand the whole idea is new to you, but it's not to me." With that, he stormed off ahead of me.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I protested.

"Think about it, you'll figure it out."

Ooh! How that man could get under my skin! I had half a mind to roast his ass with a bit of fox-fire. "Told you so," Lucian quipped as he passed me. Make that two asses.

I marched past Lucian ready to give Kal another piece of my mind, but stopped at the top of the dune. I took a sharp breath as I stared out over a sight I'd never imagined. "What is this?" I gasped.

"I've no idea," he said beside me.

Below us was a glittering expanse of structures. They were gold and shimmering in the desert sun. Tall obelisks, large disks, and beautiful oasis-like streams that slithered through, all led back to a massive stone palace. "I've never heard of a kingdom in Shurima."

"Nor I," Kal admitted. "But shelter is shelter. The water looks clean, and a bit of shade would do us all good."

I didn't even have to agree. Before I knew it, we were all running full speed towards the city's gates. Inside it was amazing! There were markets and restaurants and everything else from a civilized society.

It took all of my will to not cannonball into the crystal blue water, and Lucian was fast enough to stop Lux from doing just that. As she complained to him, my awe was broken when I noticed Kal, still looking concerned.

"Kal? What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing," he answered. "Just thinking." It was a lie, I knew. But it was evident from the way he spoke it was something he didn't want pushed. "We should head for the palace first. I want to know who is leading this place and whether or not the League is present here."

"Is the League always your first priority?" I questioned. "Can't we get something to eat or drink first? Maybe a room to rest in? We've been walking for nearly ten hours in this heat. We're lucky we're not dead."

His eyes sharpened at me. "We have a job to do, first and foremost," he stated coldly. "Your comfort comes second, or did you forget a little girl's life is on the line here?"

I frowned. "Why are you being like this?"

"Being like what?"

"Being an asshole! Does it really piss you off so much that I don't want you to control me?!"

"Oh, here we go again!" he groaned. "It's not always about you, Ahri! There are other people in the world, so maybe you should start putting them before yourself!"

"Don't make this out as me being selfish, Kal'Adamsul! I'm just as selfless as you are! Do you know how many women would share their boyfriends with another girl like I did on that mountain? None!"

Rage gleamed in his eyes, but instead of giving me a comeback, he just turned on his heels and marched towards the palace.

"Don't just walk away from me!" I shouted, chasing after him.

"I wouldn't have to if you would do what you were supposed to do!"

"What I'm supposed to do?! Who died and made you the boss of me?"

"I'm your summoner! I'm literally your boss!"

"Oh get off your high horse, you arrogant son of a–"

"ENOUGH!" he boomed, wheeling on me. "Enough," he repeated, this time more calmly. "We can discuss this later, after we find Annie. Right now, she is my first priority. Whether or not you like it, that means you, our relationship, and everything else comes second to that. If you can't deal with that, take it up with someone else because I'm done listening."

Under his harsh gaze, I could feel the familiar sensation of fear crawling up my neck. I silently nodded my head. When he turned to leave, the tension still remained. I began to feel sick to my stomach. Had he fooled me again? No. No, definitely not. I'd made the mistake of not trusting him once, I wouldn't do it again. Still, what he said was troubling. What if Riven's sword and bracer were made improperly or damaged? Maybe it was controlling Kal now.

As Lucian and Lux passed me where I stood, I heard the blonde give him an angry quip. "Now look what you've done. They're fighting again."

"Don't act like you're not thrilled," he huffed.

That's when I realized that Lux had a point. How long would it be until we stopped fighting like this?

So I was pretty pissed. I knew that what I'd said was over the top, but how could she honestly judge me like that? I'm the bad guy for being curious about mind control, but she was Ms. Innocent despite having made her entire career around it? To the Hells with that.

The moment we entered the palace, gilded spears leveled at us from every direction. Immediately, our hands went up in surrender to show we meant no hostility. My eyes went to the warriors, looking for weak spots in their stances.

Instead, I found that their bodies were...strange. Something about the way they stood was unusual. As I stared into one's helmet, I came to the realization. They weren't human. Their entire bodies were made of sand.

"Bring them to me," a booming voice ordered.

The spears they were holding vanished, shifting into large tower shields. They moved to form a line behind us, blocking our exit. As they advanced forward, I got the message. We'd trespassed into a land that belonged to someone else. We didn't come and we didn't leave unless whoever this mysterious man was said so.

The gilded building was covered in ancient carvings unlike any I'd ever seen. They were runes and hieroglyphs and pictographs and everything else under the sun. When we arrived at the far room straight ahead, we found ourselves standing at the base of large golden steps.

At the top, a man with the head of a bird sat upon a throne, staring intently at us. "Strangers enter my home," he noted. "Kneel before me, rabble. Only then may you speak to your ruler."

I could see Lux about to protest, but before she could, I put my hand on her shoulder and pushed her to her knee before doing the same. "Forgive us for our intrusion, sir. We meant no disrespect. My name is Kal'Adamsul, I am a Summoner of the League of Legends. These two are my companions, and Ahri is my Champion."

When I gestured to the vixen, I could feel his eyes lingering on her form. Great. One of those types. "This is your champion?" he repeated. "So she is a warrior?"

"Yes."

He drummed his fingers in thought on the arm of his chair. "I am aware of your League of Legends," he finally said. "I respect their influence, though we have an agreement that they have no power here in my kingdom."

"Please forgive us," Ahri chimed in. "But can you give us your name? We have no knowledge of how to address you."

His eyes gleamed with gold as he stood. "I have many identities. I am the legacy of Shurima. I am the guardian of this desert. I am the God of these people. To all, I am the Emperor of the Sands. But you, my darling flower, may know me by the name Azir."

Ahri's eyes met mine before I could hide my jealousy. She licked her lips, and immediately, I knew what she was going to do. "Well, my lord Azir, we come on a mission. We seek a young girl by the name of Annie Hastur. She is an outsider, no more than ten years of age. We have word that she passed through the desert. Surely, one as powerful as you would be aware of all who come and go through your lands. Do you know where she is?"

My fingers dug into the sand, but I kept my mouth shut. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction, and I wouldn't risk our position by letting her under my skin. "Perhaps," Azir mused. "I will gladly tell you what I know. But first, the night is falling soon. I implore for you and your friends to join me for dinner. And you, my dear, shall be my guest of honor."

"With pleasure," she beamed. When he offered her his arm, she rushed to his side. Wrapping her arm around his, she pressed against his side. "I'm so thrilled to meet a man who knows how to treat a lady."

With that, the emperor beckoned us to follow him. When I stood, Lux moved beside me, gently stroking my arm. "Don't let her get to you, Kal. If she's going to be like this, you can always get back at her with me."

I didn't bother dignifying that with a response. Instead, I filed into the dining room. A large banquet like table, surrounded in pillows waited for us as we all took our places. Ahri, of course, sat beside his "majesty".

As the servants brought food and wine, I couldn't stop staring at the two. I should have known this would happen. I'd betrayed her trust, and to Ahri, that meant all bets were off. She'd do whatever she wanted now, and I couldn't even say anything. But instead of resenting Lux, I actually felt my anger leveled more at Ahri.

Was she using Azir to get to me? If so, what would happen when she stopped using him? Would she even stop? Being a summoner was a lucrative position, but not as much as an emperor. If her reputation was to be believed, and I really hated to believe it, this was her opportunity.

And so, all I could do was watch as they talked. Every time she laughed at his jokes. When she gasped and awed at his stories. And with every word, all I did was drink more wine. For Annie, I reminded myself.

Soon, my head felt heavy. Warmth surged through my blood as dizziness overcame me. After Ahri had stared at me and whispered into Azir's ear, he erupted into laughter. "You are just too precious for words, my little fox! Truly, there are very few women in the world like yourself. Tell me, are you wed?"

She put her finger cutely to her lips, shot me another glance, and shook her head. "Heehee, no. I'm not married. Why do you ask, my lord? Surely you'd not put a ring on my finger, hmm?"

"I'd much rather a collar around your neck," he replied, giving her a scratch beneath her chin playfully.

She pursed her lips at him. "Ooh, that could be fun," she purred.

That was it. I had had enough. I slammed my hands down on the table and rose to my feet. Azir's sharp gaze found its way to me. "Something the matter, friend?" he asked.

"No, my lord. I fear I have just had too much to drink. Is there a place I could get some rest for the night? I don't wish to trouble you any more than is necessary."

He gave a half-hearted huff. "You? Trouble me? Hardly. Since you are a colleague of this lovely creature, I insist you take a room here in my palace. One of my servants will show you to your room."

"Kal…" Lucian began, ready to lecture me, but I waved him off.

"I'm fine, Lucian. Thank you. I just need to get some sleep is all."

I could see that him and Lux were still more than concerned. They'd seen through my lie easily. And if they could, I knew Ahri did, too. She just didn't care. As one of the women, dressed in plain garb led the way, I stole one last glance back at my champion.

She'd perched herself into Azir's lap, arms around his neck. Staring directly at me, she smirked, leaned up, and placed a kiss on his cheek. He in turn cradled her in one arm, the other reaching for his goblet for more drink.

When I'd reached my room, I found that it was more or less bare bones. Not much in the way of furniture or fanciness. "I hope this bed is to your liking, milord," the woman murmured, bowing her head to me politely.

As she went to leave, I grasped her wrist and stopped her. "Tell me something...this guy, your king. Is he a good man? Does he treat his people well?"

I could see hesitance in her eyes to answer the question, but still she nodded. "He is our protector," she answered. "We build statues in his name and offer him tribute. He ensures our survival, and in turn, we are his servants. That is all I have to say on the matter."

"I understand. Thank you."

She left the room swiftly, closing the door behind her and leaving me in inky darkness. I crawled on to the bed, and sank into it with a sigh. It'd been so long since I'd felt something so soft. It was a little rugged, having been stuffed with straw or whatever it was they used in the desert for stuffing. But, it beat the hell out of a cave floor.

Despite this comfort, I found myself unable to sleep. All I could think about was Ahri. I'd told her that Annie came first, but after so many drinks, the girl was all but lost to my mind. To Hells with Ahri! If she wants to fling herself at the first nobleman she finds, then let her. This is my fault anyway for not stopping Lux. At least Azir can shower her with gold and jewels.

After hours of tossing and turning, I heard my door slowly creak open. My room filled with the dim light of a single candle. When I turned to look, I saw my champion standing there. Gone were her normal travel clothes. Now she wore a beautiful, but revealing attired.

The leather brassiere that barely covered her breasts was decorated with pieces of gold that clinked like coins when she moved. A sash dangled from her waist, accenting her long legs, leaving little to the mind's fantasy. Up and down her arms were intricate drawings in ink. Completing it all was a silver collar around her neck.

"What do you want?" I grumbled.

Setting the candle down, she placed her hands on her hips. "I wanted to give you the chance to apologize for how you treated me."

"I've got nothing to apologize for that I haven't already done so."

"How about the way you acted outside, hmm? Talking about treating me like a puppet?"

"You're not a puppet."

"Thank you!"

"You clearly only do whatever the hell you want, so I don't even see why you'd think I'd even consider you one."

She stomped her foot angrily. "You are the most infuriating man I've ever met! Seriously, what is your problem? I have bent over backwards for you! I am doing my best to make this work. I didn't want to fall in love with you. You made me fall for you! Then what's the first thing you do? You cheat on me! With a kid!"

"Well maybe I'm not sure you love me!" I snapped.

Immediately, the room went silent. Ahri didn't say a word. The truth had come out, and now there was no way I could take it back. I rolled away from her, facing the wall. I could hear a choked out sound from behind me. Water works, right on cue.

"D-do...do you really think that?" she asked. This time, her voice was soft. When I didn't answer, she came closer to me and gently shook my arm. "Kal? Please look at me."

"No."

"Please?"

"I said, 'No'."

Again, I heard her cough on a sob. "What did I do wrong?" she asked. "Is it because I was flirting with Azir? I'm sorry. I didn't mean...I just wanted…"

"I know what you wanted," I told her. "You wanted someone better than me. Congratulations, you got your wish. You have someone better. Go enjoy your King. Quit being a champion for all I care."

"You don't mean that," she whispered.

"I do."

Her hand reached out to grab me. When I turned to look at her, I could see her face covered in tears. It hurt for me to see, but that only worried me more. I shut my eyes tight, averting my gaze from her. No. I couldn't let her do this to me. Not again.

She crawled into the bed with me and threw her arms around me tightly. "Kal, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please, don't hate me. I won't flirt with him again, I promise. I won't ever breathe a word about you or Magnus or anything again, but please don't treat me this way."

"Why are you still playing this game?" I asked her, my own tears starting to clog my throat. "You got what you wanted. Azir can take care of you. You have all the riches in the world and you have influence and power. You don't need me anymore, so why are you still doing this?"

Her hand rested on my cheek, caressing it. My eyes opened to stare into her golden ones. In them, I saw confusion and misunderstanding. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "Why would you think any of that was what I wanted?"

"Then why did you charm me?" he asked.

She bit her lip, shaking her head. "I don't understand. What are you talking about, Kal? I didn't charm you. I swear I didn't."

"But how do I know that?" I questioned. "I saw how you had Azir wrapped around your finger. I've seen you use your charm on people and made them bend to your beck and call. Then all this talk about Magnus started. All this stuff about mind control and being able to alter a person's thoughts and feelings and...you were so dead set against me even looking at it. Like you were scared of what I'd find."

Her eyes widened in shock. "Is that what you think?" she asked. "That I'm only saying I love you to control you?" Now that she'd said it out loud, I felt horrible. Still, I nodded. She took my hand in hers, weaving her fingers between mine. Without a word, she pressed her lips to me for a soft kiss.

At first, I hesitated. Was this her trying to get me to drop the subject? I couldn't. As much as I wanted to just let myself enjoy this, I couldn't do it. That didn't stop me from kissing her back though.

When we parted, she rested her forehead against mine. "I'm sorry, Kal," she whispered to me. "I wish I could prove to you that I'm not controlling you. Really, I do. I understand why you're worried. That's...well, I guess it's kind of what I do. I flirt and I seduce and I tease and...Gods, I charm my enemies and then attack them when they've lowered their guard."

Disappointment welled up in my chest. All I could manage was a weak, "Yeah."

"But I'd never do that to you, Kal. Everyone else, but never you."

I wanted to believe her so bad. I'd give anything to make that true. My champion clung to me, her body pressed against mine. The jingling metal was muted by our closeness as I felt her warm tears on my cheek.

"I want to tell you something," she whispered. "I've never told anyone this before, but I want to tell you." When I didn't say anything, she tangled her fingers in my hair, nuzzling closer to me. It was like she was trying to absorb my being into hers. "I have an invisible spirit that follows me. No one else can see him. No one else hears him. Only me. He goes by 'Bard', and he watches over me."

I looked at her in confusion. What in the world was she talking about. "Ahri, how does that…?"

She pressed her lips against mine to shush me. When she pulled away again, she pleaded, "Please. Let me finish."

"Okay…"

"He's kind of like a guardian. He's the reason I first left Magnus. We were having sex, and I was just laying there and taking it like I was supposed to. There was no passion, no romance...nothing. That's what I thought love was like for me. Bard came in out of nowhere. He grabbed Magnus and he threw him off of me with one hand like he was just made of feathers."

"I like him so far," I teased, trying to make things lighter.

She giggled. "Well, he likes you, too. At first, I hated him. I blamed him for my relationship being ruined. But then, he reminded me that my relationship had been ruined for a long time. When you and I first made love?"

"In Ionia?"

She nodded. "I woke up after you'd left for breakfast. I was certain you'd gone forever. It broke my heart, and I thought I'd die. But he showed up again. He told me to just wait. When I was with Magnus, he told me I'd meet a man who would force me to love him, even though I did everything in my power not to. At first, I thought he meant someone would try to control me. That's why I am so scared of you getting your hands on that mind control magic."

"Oh, Ahri...I didn't mean to make you think I'd ever...I mean, that's even what I told Lucian. I'm not the sort of person to do that."

"I know," she whispered. "Because I figured out what Bard meant. He was right, Kal. I didn't want to love you. I picked you because I didn't want a summoner who'd fall for my charms so easily. I tried to push you away, but you just kept coming back, you stubborn, stubborn, fool. And then, when you'd push me away, I found myself coming back to you, too." She gave a choked up laugh, starting to cry again. "And now look at me. I pushed you away, and I came back to you. I'm such a damned mess, but don't you see, Kal? Even if I did charm you. Even if I could control your mind...it wouldn't mean a thing, because I am so hopelessly, irrevocably in love with you. You wouldn't need to control me. My love for you already does that. And I'm hoping...praying...I wouldn't need to control you either. Am I right? Please tell me you'd do anything for our love."

I was such an idiot. Gods, I was a damned fool . "Yes," I wheezed. "I would. And if I'm being honest with you, it scares the absolute Hells out of me. No one has ever been able to control me the way you do. That's the only reason I thought you could be charming me."

"And now? Do you believe me?"

"I…" My mouth felt so dry as she stared at me hopefully. The look in her eyes was so loving and genuine. I'd never seen that look from anyone before. "I don't care anymore. You've made me so happy. Happier than I've ever been, even. If you are controlling me, well...you don't have to. I love you. And if you're anything like I believe you to be then I'd love you even if you weren't charming me."

"Oh Kal…" she whispered, snuggling beneath my chin. Her ears tickled me through my beard as she purred happily.

I held her there, my fingers brushing against the ink and feeling it smear on my fingers. Still, I didn't care. I wanted her. I wanted her so badly. Azir could go fuck himself. Ahri was worth fighting any number of people, and that included an entire kingdom if it had to.

I rolled over so she was under me. Her eyes went wide as she stared into mine. "Kal?" she murmured. I said nothing, instead kissing her deeply. My tongue begged hers to play, and like that we'd begun.

I tore off the brassiere. Tossing it over my shoulder to the ground, I continued to strip down my vixen. "W-wait, Kal, what if someone hears-nnngmmh!" A long drawn out moan came from her throat as I sucked and fondled her breasts.

No more talking. No more games. No more arguments. It was time I showed her how I really felt. The jewelry and bangles rattled as they hit the ground beside my clothes. Once we were both completely exposed, I stared at her in great hunger.

Without a word, I dove between her thighs. My tongue dug into her body, searching for placed I'd yet to discover. Sharp gasps of bliss escaped her lungs as she clung to my hair. I could hear her trying to speak to me, but all that came out was gargled jibberish.

I could feel it in her body. The writhing of her hips, the sharp rise and fall of her breasts, every curl of her toes. They served as the map and timer for every time she came close to the edge, and every time I made sure to pull her back from it, just in the knick.

Finally, she'd had enough. Grabbing me roughly by my ponytail, she pulled me from between her legs to roughly smash her lips on mine. Her thighs wrapped around my hips, pulling me towards her.

I was so lost in passion, I didn't even resist. My member slid inside of her like two pieces of a puzzle falling into place. The pleasure that radiated from our affections, physical and emotional, it all just clicked.

I began to thrust inside of her. Each time our bodies slapped against one another, they made a lewd sound that has us both blushing. Still, we silenced our embarrassment with kisses. Our shy natures were drowned in our bliss.

For once, we'd achieved what we'd never had with anyone else. Complete exposure. No guards. No defenses. No anxiousness. We were at our most vulnerable together, and with that came the fear.

However, the moment our bodies were joined, that fear was doomed. We'd come so far. We'd faced so many obstacles. I trusted her completely and because of that, there was nothing I feared in this world anymore.

Our sigils blossomed to life on the back of our hands. With the mental link created we could hear our true thoughts. Every word was one of love and devotion and beautiful things that I'd never imagine thinking or being thought of about me.

That was when my eyes fell to the silver collar around her neck. Without a word, I gripped it tightly. My magic exploded outward, slicing it clean in two before I tore it from her and threw it on the ground. Never again would I see my love treated like property if I could help it.

The gesture didn't go unnoticed by her. She stared up at me with those brilliant golden eyes. There was a hazy look there, as if she were completely intoxicated on our love alone. "I love you," she whispered to me.

"I love you," I whispered back.

She rolled me onto my back. Her body rose and fell as she rode me. God, that beautiful vixen knew just what to do to me. All of my teasing was being paid back in full. Her tight folds squeezed and stroked my shaft, begging to milk me of my seed.

My hands gripped her narrow waist, helping her to rise and fall. My hips bucked upwards against her, and I could feel her body all around mine. I didn't want to blink. My eyes watered from tears of joy, and being dried out at the same time.

I refused to blink anyway. I wouldn't tear my gaze from the beautiful goddess on top of me for even a moment. Her tails caressed my legs and thighs as her head tilted back. The melodious sound of her pleasure was like a song just for me, and soon she tightened down on my flesh and flooded it with her climax.

The pleasure i'd brought my wife raced through our sigils, breaking my will to keep this going. I forced myself even deeper than I thought possible as I pumped my seed deep inside of her core. Every gasp of delight seemed to bring out another jet of spunk, until we were both so drained of energy that we collapsed in a sweaty heap.

We gasped and panted, eyes closed in exhaustion. We couldn't speak, but still we clung together. The sweat on her body made it glisten in the dim candle light, and I couldn't help but to bury my face in her throat and inhale deeply.

I didn't want to forget any of this. Every sensation I felt and experienced would be there in my mind forever. It wasn't the first time we had sex, but this was definitely the most meaningful. As we lay there silently, I watched her fall asleep in my arms. My fingers gently ran along the soft fur that covered her pointy ears.

Every slumbering purr was another reaffirmation of our love that served to lull me into a deep sleep. As my eyes closed for the night, I only vaguely realized that I was still deep inside of the woman I loved.

To be continued...