Love & War 2 (complete)

    I wake one evening and breathe in the dark, cool air. I rise from my bed, and flowers fall from my hair. I hear something beyond the temple, and I rise to see what it is. Out by the bonfire, I see Valery sitting with his steed. He’s singing as he sharpens his sword. The sparks fly out, turning into small creatures that run around and then disappear into the shadows.

    Valery’s singing stops, and he stabs his sword into the ground. “I feel as though I am being watched.”

    I gasp and duck behind a pillar, but the flowers keep spilling out and give away my presence. Valery turns where he sits and chuckles.

    “Why are you watching me, lovey?” He calls out to me. “I told you, touching is much better than looking.”

    I peek out and frown towards him. “What are you doing up?” I ask. “Are you finally going to go?”

    Valery laughs and curls his fingers to me. “Come over here.”

    I slowly step out, flowers falling and forming a trail where I go. Valery scoops up a handful of blossoms. “If only I could smell the bouquet,” he sighs. The flowers burst into flames as they come near the flames shooting from his neck. 

    I frown and look aside. “If you feel well, you should go.”

    Valery laughs. “I am far from well.” He stands up and towers over me. He smooths his hand over the bandages around his waist. They’re stained red and singed at the edges. “The poison may be out of my system, but my body is working hard to replace the blood it tainted.” 

    Valery grabs my hand and has me touch his stomach. “Do you feel how hot that is?”

    My palm twitches as it touches his stomach. His is strong and hard, and very, very warm. I quickly pull back before I linger. “I am not surprised,” I huff. “Considering you spill fire from your neck.”

    Valery scratches his neck and laughs. “It is more than that. It is the effort my body is putting out to make sure I do not grow sick. I may be eternal, but my blood is just as important as those of mortals. One thing goes wrong, and I could be weak forever.”

    “Maybe that would be a good thing,” I say and take a seat before the fire.

    Valery takes hold of his sword. “Whoever made that sword was intending such a fate for me,” he replies. “I would not want my strength to wane, not before I win your affections.”

    “Are you still on that?” I scoff as my cheeks grow warm.

    Valery chuckles and tilts towards me. “Don’t act as if you aren’t happy about my confession.” He moves to sit beside me. “Those flowers give you away.”

    I jump from my seat and step away from him. “You’re so cocky,” I huff.

    He grunts and takes a deep breath. “If you only knew how cocky I was for you.”

    “You’re disgusting!” I snap at him. “You want to try and win me over, and you talk like that?” I point a finger at him, and flowers fly into his flames. “Try harder! Be better! You’re not going to win over anyone with the way you speak, let alone act.”

    He grabs my hand and presses it to his chest. “Rip out my heart, then,” he snarls. “Go ahead. I know your fingers are strong enough. I saw how you ripped out your father’s eyes.”

    I whimper. “Let go.”

    “Tear out my heart. It’s yours anyway,” he breathes. “Take it now before I do it myself.” He presses my palm tighter to his chest. “I can’t stand this any longer. Rip it from me so it will be your problem.”

    I wrench my hand back and clutch it to my chest. “Stop it,” I whisper.

    Valery growls and rises up, standing over top of me again. “It’s the head, isn’t it?” He points to his flames. “Without a way to kiss me, it’s not worth it, is it?”

    “I uh-” I stare up at him. “What?”

    He sighs and slouches his shoulders. “All I want is to kiss you and taste you,” he seethes. “Both sets of lips too.”

    I grimace. “There you go again with that mouth!”

    Valery wags his finger in the air. “Unh-uh.” He swirls his finger in the flames. “No mouth, that’s my whole point.”

    “I hope your blood is tainted forever!” I snap at him. “The way you talk, you deserve it!” I storm away from him and head back into the temple.

    Behind me, I hear Valery chuckle.

    Out of pure curiosity, I send a letter to my sister, Garla, asking what became of the heads of our father’s four knights.

    “I am pretty sure they are buried with him in his crypt,” Garla replies quickly through one of her doves. “Why so curious, little love?”

    “Valery is here at my temple,” I confess.

    Garla snorts and tries to cover up her laugh. “I’m sorry. Do you want me to do anything?”

    “No. He’s fine. Just annoying,” I grumble.

    “So that’s why you’re curious about the heads. Valery was always a good looking sort. Terrible personality, unfortunately. As long as he keeps his mouth shut, he’s very nice to look at. Or was anyway,” Garla sighs.

    I frown. “So, they’re in the crypt?” I ask.

    “If you want Valery’s noggin, just ask. I can get it to you. But I am mighty curious as to know why,” Garla laughs. The dove bounces up onto my shoulder. “Tell your big sister why you want the knight of war to have his head back?”

    “Does it change anything if he has it? After all, he only lost his head because our father was a vindictive asshole,” I sigh, flopping back onto my bed.

    The dove perches on my forehead. “I just wonder why you would show such kindness to him. Have you caught an attraction?”

    I grimace and huff.

    “It isn’t wrong to want the touch of someone big, strong, and a little scary,” Garla replies with a happy lilt to her voice. “You’ve never taken a real lover, have you?”

    “That’s not the point!” I scoff.

    “Hmm,” she hums. “I can fetch the head. But you’ll owe me an explanation someday,” she fusses at me.

    I swat at the dove. “Get lost!”

    The dove flies away, and I lay there, sighing heavily. Why do I care? Why do I want to help this asshole?

    “Oh, so this is how you live?”

    I jump up from my bed to see Valery parting the curtains of my chambers. He steps inside and chuckles. “How luxurious.”

    I throw a pillow at him, and he catches it. “Get out!” I shout.

    Valery chuckles. “I was just a little curious, lovey.” He walks in. “I didn’t interrupt anything, did I?”

    “Get out! This is my space! Go on back to yours,” I glare at him.

    Valery is quiet and moans softly. “Just looking.”

    I throw another pillow at him, and he turns to leave. I snarl, fuming and thrashing for a while at my frustration with him. 

    “I can’t stand this.” I get up with a plan in mind. I’m going to tell him he has one more week and then he has to go. If he doesn’t leave, then I am going to force him to go or use the sword against him.

    I go to his room, walking inside. It’s dark, even his flame is barely a glow. I hear his breathing is pitched. A soft moan echoes from him and I freeze in place. I peek through the slats of the room divider and see he’s sitting against the wall. He’s naked, and I can see his entire body on display. My jaw hangs open as I watch him stroke his cock. I lose my breath for a moment as I stare. Valery is breathing and moaning, his body shuddering as he touches himself.

    My throat goes dry, and I swallow it down. I shouldn’t be watching this. I should be greatly offended, yet I can’t pull my eyes away.

    “Touching is better,” Valery growls.

    I squeak and step away from the divider. 

    “I know you’re there, lovey,” he purrs. “Why just watch when I am so willing to let you join in?”

    I step around and glare at him. “I came in here to yell at you.”

    Valery chuckles, and he lets his cock fall against his belly. “I wasn’t expecting you. Forgive me and my horrible behavior.” He lays a blanket over his lap. 

    I turn my head away and rub at my arm. “You should be.”

    “I’ve been trying to hold it back,” he murmurs. “But every time I see you, it gets harder and harder.”

    I frown. “Is that another joke?”

    “Hardly,” he moans. “I love you, all I want is you.” He presses his palm to his chest. “This heart only beats for you. It has since the moment I saw your face.”

    “Why?” I ask.

    He gasps softly.

    “Why would you...why would you even put so much thought into me?” I ask as my voice cracks. “I don’t know what you see.”

    Valery growls. “Did he tell you that?” He rises up and leans towards me. “Did that sperm donor burn that so deep into you?”

    I close my eyes.

    “Just because you weren’t his version of perfect?” He snarls. “You’re perfect without anyone’s approval.”

    I open my eyes and look at Valery. I step towards him, more flowers spilling everywhere I go. I lay my cheek on his chest and listen to his heart beating. He puts his hands on me, one on my back and the other on my hip. 

    “Your father wouldn’t know anything worthwhile even if it pissed in his eye,” he snarls.

    I giggle and touch his chest. “I know.”

    “What I wouldn’t give to kiss you now,” he whines. “It is so perfect now!”

    I smile and press a soft kiss to his neck. Valery moans loudly, and his hands grip me tighter. I kiss again, and his fire sputters and spits. The flames die down, turning into smoke.

    “I’m sorry,” I purr and stand up. “I should uhm...let you finish.”

    Valery growls and strokes up my thigh, pushing away my skirt. “I’d prefer if you stayed. I don’t need to finish.” 

    “You need to rest and get better. So you can move on and get out of my hair.” As I say this, blossoms cascade down from my locks.

    “Ah,” Valery marvels. “I can see that.”

    “Goodnight!” I quickly make my escape. I take a deep breath and return to my chambers. I try to fall asleep, but I am haunted by the memory of his naked body. Garla may have had a point.

    The next morning, I wake and find a box sitting at the foot of my bed. Half asleep and not thinking, I open it up and peer inside. I scream and nearly throw the box across the room.

    “Lovey!” Valery bursts into my chambers with his sword ready. “What’s wrong?” Outside, all the oracles are screaming in frantic, quite possibly from Valery running half-naked through the temple to find me.

    I shake my head as I try to recover from the shock. “Put that away! You idiot!”

    “Why did you scream?” He approaches my bed.

    I scoff, still very much exhausted and aggravated. I thrust the box towards him. “Here! It’s for you, anyway.”

    Valery falls to his knees and, from the box, he pulls out his own head. It’s ghastly and stone like. The face is blank and gawking. Eyes wide open and milky, while the tongue hangs from the slacked mouth. 

    “How did you get this?” Valery whispers.

    I sigh and shake my head. “Don’t worry about the details. Just put it back on.”

    “Fair warning,” he offers the head back to me. “If I place this back on, I will never stop kissing you.”

    My throat grows dry again.

    “I will kiss your lips until you beg for breath. I will make love to you until we both faint. Giving me back my head will be both a blessing and a curse for you.” He holds his head out to me. “Your choice.”

    I take his head, his long hair fills my palms as I look at his face. I scowl and slam it down onto his neck. “Fine!”

    His head plops off and rolls around on the floor like an errant marble. 

    “You’ll have to do more than just set the book on the shelf,” Valery laughs.

    “Oh, shut up!” I stand up and pick up his head. I then take my sewing kit from under the bed and have him kneel before me. I sew his head back into place, watching as smoke billows from between the stitches. As I cut the thread, color starts rising up through his neck. His mouth closes then opens back up as thick, white smoke billows from it. His eyes close and tears start streaming down his cheeks. Fire hisses out from the seams of his neck, sealing it shut and burning away the stitches, leaving only a very fine scar behind.

    His hair flows around his head, a beautiful golden sort of mist. He turns to me, and I barely have a chance to admire his beautiful face before he’s kissing me. His kisses are rough and hungry, but he tastes like cardamom and spices.

    He pulls back, gasping for breath. He gives me that smug smile I used to hate, and he brushes my hair from my face. Flowers have filled the room, spilling off the edge of the bed and rising to his ankles.

    “Tell me to stop,” he whispers into my ear as his lips drag down my neck. “I dare you.”

    “Valery,” I push against his chest. 

    He takes my hand and bites each fingertip. He then kneels down into the flowers. He kisses my chest and belly and rubs his cheek to my thighs. 

    “You smell like honey,” he moans softly. “I wonder if you taste that sweet too.”

    I kick him and push my foot against his face. “That’s enough!”

    He grabs my ankle and snarls. “You want me to stop?”

    I sit up and take hold of his face. I kiss him softly and run my fingers through his hair. “Take a breath,” I whisper. “Slow down.”

    He moans, greedily chasing my lips with each soft kiss I give. “You’re driving me crazy, lovey.”

    “Good,” I stand up off the bed and wade through the flowers. I take hold of his hand and squeeze. “Come with me, there is someone who I must ask a blessing from first.”

    Valery furrows his brow in confusion but follows me. We go out the back of the temple where there is a berry garden. I kneel down before a stone jutting from the ground and place my hands on the moss at its base.

    “Hello, mother,” I say with a gentle voice.

    Valery stands behind me, a dour expression on his face.

    “This is Valery, I may have complained about him before,” I laugh. “I’m afraid he’s done something unthinkable. He’s captured my heart, mother.”

    Valery kneels beside me and places his palm on the stone. “It’s warm,” he whispers.

    “I cannot say this is the most appropriate decision,” I continue. “I know he is war, but I feel so much when I am around him.” I look up into Valery’s eyes and smile. “My heart beats for him.”

    Valery tilts his head down, kissing me and pulling me close. “I have loved her forever, mother,” he says. “And I will love her beyond it.”

    I look to the stone and see a berry has fallen from the bush. I take it and place it on Valery’s tongue.

    “It’s delicious,” he licks my finger.

    I kiss him, tasting the berry still on his tongue. 

    “Does your mother approve of me, then?” Valery grins and bites my cheek.

    I smirk and nod. “She does.”

    “But do you?” Valery arches his brows. “Is this what you want?” He brushes his fingers through my hair, and more blossoms fall out. “If you are afraid of what I was,” he whispers, “just know that is not the creature I am anymore. He died the day your father betrayed us.”

    I clutch Valery’s wrist as his palm cups my cheek. “I feel connected to you. It’s such a strange feeling.” I look into his eyes, and my heart skips a beat. “I want you with me,” I reply. “Always and forever.”

    “Am I the first to awaken such desire in you?” He smirks. 

    I nod and scowl. “Unfortunately you are.”

    “Don’t make that face.” He nibbles my bottom lip. “I feel blessed that such a creature as you can be moved by a creature like me.”

“Valery,” I moan softly as I look into his eyes.

He chuckles and rubs his thumb to my lips. “You shouldn’t have given me my head back. I warned you.”

“I would have wanted you even if we never found your head.” I crawl into his lap. “That changes nothing except the way you kiss.”

Valery grins. “Are you talking about my cock?” He teases.

I shove him back. “And you ruined it!”

    Valery chuckles, looking extremely proud of himself. “Your face is red, lovey.” He touches my cheek. “And you’re spilling more flowers.” He gathers a bunch in his hand and brings them to his face. He inhales their aroma, then lets out a deep sigh.

“You can confess to me anything that is in your heart,” he says. His eyes gaze deep into me, beyond my eyes and deep into my heart. “It is mine, after all.”

I pout and look away. I then inch in closer, stroking his bare chest above the bandages. “You do have a beautiful body,” I answer. “I’ll admit that.”

“So do you,” Valery inches back in close and steals another long, heavy kiss. “Let’s put them together and make something truly spectacular.”

Flowers explode from my hair and Valery bursts with laughter. He doubles over, clutching his wounded stomach as the laughs barrel from him.

“This is mortifying!” I snarl, and I push my hair away from my face.

Valery takes my hand. “Well, we obviously can’t do it in the temple, unless you want to put on a show, that is.”

“Please stop,” I snarl.

Valery kisses me. “I know somewhere we can go. Somewhere private and quiet. Just the two of us.”

My cheeks burn, and I nod. “Ok.”

Valery grins with excitement, and we go to fetch his steed. He sets me on his back and then sits behind me, his big arms wrapped around me.

“Let’s go home,” he says, and the horse takes off.

Flowers fall from my hair and cascade down to earth. I lean into Valery’s chest and enjoy the closeness of him. I touch the metal bars in his nipples, and he shivers.

“Save that for when we get to my home,” he purrs to me.

“They’re just interesting,” I say. “Why do you have them like this?”

“For cute love goddesses to play with.” He licks his lips and enjoys the shift in my reaction. He kisses my cheek and growls into my ear. “Not much longer now, lovey.”

We land on the roof of a stone house where it is flat and covered by moss. Valery leads me down a door and onto a ladder that falls down into a large room. The room is dark and cold, but as Valery enters, the fireplace roars to life and the candles flicker. I look around, seeing war trophies hung on the walls. Swords, shields, and canons litter the floor. Then there is his bed resting on a tall iron frame.

Valery picks me up and carries me to the bed where he lays me down on furs. He closes the curtains around us, so it is barely a dim glow inside. He kisses me, his hot tongue seers down my skin and he rips open my gown.

“Wait-” I then moan as his hunger leads him down my body. He nuzzles between my breasts, biting them and then suckling my teat.

He moans loudly, pulling back as milk dribbles down his chin. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

“I sometimes feed babies,” I murmur. “It just happens.”

Valery smirks, lowering back down. He sups from both breasts, tasting my milk as his large hands paw at me. He groans and shivers, finally pulling back and gulping down a breath. 

“I’m going to devour you in more ways than one,” he strips away my clothes until I’m laying bare beneath him. “I’ve had the milk, now where’s my honey?”

I gasp as he lifts my hips and places himself between my thighs. A shocked cry escapes my throat as his tongue finds my folds. I reach down, gripping his hair as he slurps at me. His hot tongue pushes through, finding my warm center and my ready clit.

I lounge back in the bed, grunting and sighing as Valery takes his honey. I am unused to the sensation, but Valery is attentive. He responds to my body better than I ever have. He knows instantly when something bothers me and is even quicker to learn the things I enjoy. He eventually rises from my thighs, his mouth slick and his eyes fiery. 

“Lovey,” he growls, and his fingers rub to my folds. “You’re better than fresh blood spilling on the ground.” His fingers sink inside me, and I cry out. “You’re better than fire and brimstone.”

“Oh, please-” I moan as his fingers move inside me.

“You’re better than battle and fortune,” he growls. 

I squeak and throw my head back. “Oh, please...Oh, Valery!”

He smirks, looking down to see that I have gushed into his palm. He pulls his fingers back, licking his hand clean. “Do I have permission to continue?”

I’m dazed and barely breathing. My mind is swirling and chaotic, and yet, somehow, I feel so good. I feel light and wonderful. I gaze up at him in my dreamy state.

“Your cock?” I purr.

Valery laughs, kissing me as he wraps my legs around his waist. “Yes, my love, only thing is-” I feel him rubbing to my slit. He’s thick and heavy and so very warm. “It’s your cock now.”

I lick his lips and squeeze my legs tight around him. “Will you fit?”

“I sure hope so,” he growls. He moves, and I feel him at my folds. He pushes in, and I cling to him nervously. He feels so big, and he stretches me right away. He slips in slowly, and I can feel every bump and ridge on his shaft.

“Mm,” he moans into my ear. “I’m buried inside you, lovey. How does it feel?”

“Full,” I moan and touch his face. 

Valery kisses me and then rises up. He kisses my leg and ankle as he lays them on his chest. “Watch me now, lovey.” He dips deeper inside me before pulling out. His expression is heated and relaxed at the same time. His long, black tongue is captured between his sharp teeth. He watches as he disappears inside me, pulling out and marveling at my wetness coating him.

I mewl and sigh, keeping a watch on him. I gaze into his eyes, then sigh as he buries deep within me. I can feel him in my deepest parts, hitting something inside me that makes my whole body quiver.

Valery bends back down, kissing me and rutting inside me. He’s harder and faster now, snarling with an animal-like hunger. I dig my fingers into his strong back as a deep ache grows inside me. It’s powerful and suffocating, and it goes down to the tips of my toes. The sound that comes from my throat is a primal one. The fireplace overflows and fills the room, the candles spit, and spurt fire and magma. Valery’s body twitches and, deep inside me, I feel a heat so strong, it makes me so weak. I squeeze around him, not wanting a single drop of that pure heat to spill.

“Lovey,” Valery moans into my ear.

“You feel so wonderful,” I purr to him. “Don’t leave me yet.”

His heavy body lays on top of mine. I comb my fingers through his hair until we both have fallen asleep.

I wake up, seeing flowers everywhere. They crawl up the bedposts and spill out through the curtains. Valery is nuzzled to my breast and licking the milk that spills out. His fiery eyes meet mine, and he rises from the bed.

“I was worried you’d sleep forever.”

I yawn and stretch, enjoying the luxurious feeling of the furs on my skin. “I could. Just ask Maya.”

Valery smirks and dips down to kiss me. “How do you feel?”

I close my eyes as I inspect my body. I feel a bit sore between my thighs, but the pain is good. I look back up at him, realizing he’s worried.

“I want more,” I purr.

Valery grins, pushing me down into the bed and kissing me hungrily. “I’m glad. I was worried I had gone too far.”

“Not at all,” I wrap him up in my arms. “You were wonderful.”

Valery brushes flowers away and grins. “You were better.” He takes my hand and kisses my palm. “You’re more than I deserve.”

He lays back down with me, snuggling to my body and peppering kisses where his lips can reach. His heat is still warm inside me. I can’t help but wonder, what will love and war create?