Ruby Shadows (44 page)

“
Doubtless it was the
HellSpawn working its will on you through the mirror.” Laish shook
his head. “I never should have let you come in here alone with it.
Belial told me that it opened for you but I thought it had only one
picture to show. I never dreamed that the thing which seeks you
would be intelligent enough to track you through it.”

“
Does it know where I am
now?” I looked up at him anxiously, wiping my eyes with my fingers.
“Does it know my exact location?”

“
If not the exact
location, then it will have a very good approximation.” Laish
sighed. “I have taken some precautions to throw it off your trail—I
had four different demons wear the clothing you had on yesterday
and spread your scent in four different directions.”

“
You did?” I
asked.

Laish nodded. “I hoped to buy us an extra
night to spend recuperating here where it is relatively safe before
we pushed on. But now…” He sighed again. “Now I fear we must
continue our journey tomorrow. We must cross the barrier between
Dis and the Sunless Sea as soon as may be.”

“
Cross the barrier…right.”
I bit my lip as I considered the implications. “I…I guess that
means we have to pay the Sin Tax tonight after all,” I
whispered.

Laish looked troubled.

“
It would be best. There
is no privacy by the barrier that leads to the Sunless Sea—it is
right in the middle of Dis by the Great Hoof.”

“
Is that a landmark?” I
asked.

He nodded. “As well as a literal hoof—one of
Beelzebub’s. It has been made into a tavern now.”

“
Of course,” I muttered.
For a moment I pictured a huge hoof so big you could go and have a
beer inside it. But the picture couldn’t hold my attention for
long—not when I knew what we had to do. “The tax,” I said, looking
up at Laish. “Does it…does it have to be paid in lust?”

“
No,” he said calmly. “I
can find you a sentient creature to kill if you wish. Maybe one of
the lesser imps that Belial keeps around the Citadel to run
errands? If you do it correctly, the killing can be quick and
painless.”

I thought of Bobbin with his tiny cloven
hooves…his sharp little horns and shy smile. Though I had been
filled with murderous intent towards Keisha’s pimp just a few
minutes ago, the idea of killing anyone, especially the cute little
imp, left me cold.

“
No,” I said, shaking my
head. “No, I can’t do that. I
won’t.
”

Laish shrugged. “Well, I am uncertain what
else you could do. If we were in a lesser circle of Hell you might
be able to steal something you coveted to pay the tax. But this
close to the center of the Infernal Realm I am afraid a larger sin
is required—a more concrete transgression. Besides, if you steal
from the wrong merchant here, you could wind up losing a hand. That
would not be pleasant.”

“
No, it wouldn’t,” I
agreed fervently.

“
What is it, Gwendolyn?”
He lifted my chin and looked at me intently. “Is it that you still
fear me? Or that you dislike me now?”

“
I wasn’t too happy with
you for a while there. But…no, it’s not that anymore.” Not after
what I’d seen in the mirror. I knew that he felt for me now and I
was beginning to think I felt something for him, too. How or why
was a mystery to us both but I couldn’t be mad at him for not
understanding what was between us when I didn’t understand it
myself.

“
Do you fear that I cannot
help you pay the tax without taking your virginity?” Laish asked
softly.

“
Well…yes, I guess so.” I
imagined him between my legs, entering me and I could feel my heart
pounding in every part of my body—even my fingertips. It seemed to
shake me with its beating and I couldn’t get a deep enough
breath.

“
It may yet come to that,
Gwendolyn,” he murmured, keeping his eyes locked with mine. “But it
need not yet—not here. I do not know what we may have to do in
order to breach the barrier that stands between the Sunless Sea and
the Abyss, but here and now, I am quite certain that I can help you
pay the tax while keeping your innocence—at least a little
longer.”

“
You…you can?” I
whispered, licking my lips nervously. “I mean…how?”

“
Easily.” A slow smile
spread across his sensuous lips. “You need only let me taste
you.”

I knew what he meant at once and the very
thought of it made my cheeks hot and my hands shake.

“
I…you…” I looked down at
my fingers which were twisted in my lap. “You really want to do
that, don’t you?”

Laish lifted my chin and looked into my
eyes.

“
To spread your soft
little cunt lips with my tongue and explore your hidden pleasures
with my mouth? To taste your sweet honey right from the source? I
want that more than anything,
mon
ange.
”

“
I…” I found I was
tongue-tied again. I knew he liked my scent and my taste—he’d said
it to me more than once. Yet, I’d never had a man down there,
between my legs, and the very idea seemed so forbidden and wrong
and sensual and hot all at the same time I felt like I was twisted
in knots inside.

“
We can take things
slowly,” Laish murmured, stroking my hot cheek with his long
fingers. “We can start with a simple kiss if you like.”

“
Just…just a kiss?” I
asked, looking up at him.

He nodded. “Just a kiss. I will not even
need to remove your panties—to begin with, anyway.”

I thought about it for a moment. The idea of
having him kiss me down there with my panties still on, not even
touching bare skin, seemed a lot less scary than the idea of taking
everything off and letting him dive right in, as it were.

“
Well…” I hesitated and
Laish was silent, not pressuring me, letting me make up my mind.
“Just a kiss, then,” I said at last, nodding. “Just to let me
know…know what it’s like.”

“
Of course.” I had
expected him to carry me off to the bedroom and go for it right
away. Instead he surprised me by pulling me close and taking my
mouth with his. Softly and gently he parted my lips with his
tongue, stroking my cheek with his fingertips as he tasted my
mouth.

I felt myself melting against him because I
knew what he was doing—he was showing me exactly how gentle he
could be. He was letting me know what I could expect from him and
it was all tenderness and patience.

“
Goddess,” I whispered at
last, panting, when he drew back and looked me in the eyes. “You
really know how to make a girl crazy.”

A little grin touched the corner of his
mouth.

“
I’ve barely begun,
mon ange.
Will you allow
me to kiss you elsewhere now?”

I nibbled my lower lip where I could still
feel the soft press of his mouth.

“
I…I guess so.”

“
Thank you—you honor me
with your trust.”

Slowly, he slid off the couch and settled on
the floor in front of me.

“
What—right here?” I
asked, feeling uncertain all over again. “You don’t want to take me
to the bedroom? Where it’s, uh, nice and dark?”

“
No.” Laish shook his head
firmly. “I wish to see you,
mon
ange
—want to watch your face as I taste
your sweet pussy. And I want you to watch while I do it—that will
make your pleasure even more intense. It should also allay some of
your fear because you will be able to see exactly what I am
doing.”

“
But…but…” I didn’t know
how I felt about this. Didn’t know if I
wanted
to see him do that to me. But
Laish stroked my trembling thighs soothingly with his big
hands.

“
Just a kiss to start
with,” he reminded me. “And you do not even have to take off your
panties.”

“
Oh, that’s right…” I took
a deep breath.
I can do this. I have to do
this.
“All right,” I said at last and
forced my legs to part, though it was one of the hardest things I’d
ever done. “Just a kiss.”

“
Good.” Laish looked up at
me and stroked my inner thighs. “Just a kiss.”

Chapter
Twenty-seven

Laish

How can I explain the rush of emotion I felt when Gwendolyn
finally parted her thighs for me? When she finally trusted me
enough to open up and let me give her pleasure? I felt fiercely
protective of her—wanting to earn the trust she’d shown me. At the
same time I felt admiration for her courage—this was no easy thing
for her to do and I well knew it. And I would be lying if I didn’t
admit that blood surged to my cock at the sight of her lying open
before me at last.

She was wearing the little white panties I’d
laid out for her and the fragile lace barely covered her plump
pussy mound. Already I could see her moisture gathering, making the
thin white material almost transparent. It clung to her outer lips
in a way that was distractingly erotic.

“
Gods,
mon ange,”
I murmured, running one
finger down the clearly delineated cleft of her pussy. “Look how
wet you’re already getting. Look how eager your pussy is to be
kissed.”

“
Laish…” she protested in
a breathless voice. Looking up, I saw that her cheeks were flushed
and her green eyes were bright in the firelight. Clearly she was
still a little uncertain about letting me do this. That was all
right—I was determined to win her trust completely. And to that
end, I would take things slowly—as slowly as she needed me
to.

“
It’s all right,
mon ange,”
I assured
her, kissing her inner thigh and making her jump.

“
No, it’s not. I didn’t
know…I mean, I don’t know why I’m so, uh…”

“
Wet? Aroused?” I
suggested in a low voice. “Maybe because your body is ready for
things your mind is still coming to terms with.”

“
Maybe,” she whispered,
biting her lip. “But it’s still embarrassing.”

“
It’s
beautiful
,” I corrected her gently.
“I knew those panties would look perfect on you, especially once
your pussy got wet. I love how transparent they are…how I can see
your cunt lips parting and your little clit swelling with
need.”

“
Goddess!” Her cheeks got
even darker but I could tell by her breathing and the way her
sweet, feminine scent intensified that my words were arousing her.
Though she didn’t like to admit it, my dirty talk affected her
greatly. For myself, I enjoyed it as well. I loved to tell her in
no uncertain terms how beautiful I found her lush body and exactly
what I wanted to do to it.

“
May I kiss you now?” I
asked, looking up at her. “May I pleasure you with my mouth,
Gwendolyn?”

“
I…I guess so. Yes.” She
nodded, the look in her eyes both fearful and eager.

“
Thank you,” I murmured. I
knew what she expected me to do—knew she thought I would kiss her
pussy through the thin, transparent panties at once. But such
directness would not have stimulated her. Besides, I loved
violating her expectations.

Starting just by her left knee, I began to
lick a long, slow trail up her inner thigh. It was the way I had
licked her clean after I brought her to orgasm the night before and
I wanted to remind her of it—to remind her that I would be gentle
and tender in all things.

She moaned softly and I felt a little of the
tension leave her thighs as she opened wider to me.

“
That’s right,” I
murmured, placing a soft, open mouthed kiss just where her thigh
met her body. “Open for me, Gwendolyn. Let yourself relax—I will
never hurt you.”

“
Laish…” she whispered and
reached out to stroke my cheek as I started on her other thigh. I
nuzzled against her hand, kissing her palm tenderly. Gods, she was
so lovely—so delicate. I could think of no place in any realm I
would rather be than here on my knees before her, servicing her
with my tongue.

Finally, after kissing and licking her inner
thighs for some time, I felt she was ready. She was shifting around
on the couch impatiently and her pussy was so wet I could see the
ripe berry of her clit clearly begging for attention. I knew how
sensitive she was there—too sensitive for direct contact with
something as crude and rough as a hand or finger. But lips and
tongue are always softer—I thought she could bear my oral
attentions to her more delicate areas quite well.

“
I’m going to kiss you
now, Gwendolyn—really kiss you,” I told her softly. “Look at me.
Watch me kiss your sweet little clit.”

“
Laish…” I loved the way
she breathed my name…the way her eyes followed me as I leaned in
again and laid a hot, open-mouthed kiss on her throbbing clit
through the thin panties.

I prolonged the kiss as long as I could, not
really licking—just pressing the flat of my tongue to her sensitive
little nub.

Gwendolyn gasped and her
eyes widened. I knew she was feeling the heat of my mouth, knew
that every nerve in her body was alight as I kissed her so gently.
And Gods, she tasted so damn
good
. Salty and sweet and completely
feminine. How I longed to push the little scrap of fabric to one
side and really lick her—to lap her sweet cunt until her honey
flowed for me, until she moaned and gasped and called my name and
came all over my face.