Volle (9 page)

Above them, a wooden sign creaked gently. On it, a golden-brown canid with an enormous erection was grasping it and leering out of the painting. “The Jackal’s Staff,” said Helfer, and put a paw on the door handle.

“It’s right out in the open,” Volle said. “Is there a password or something?” Helfer looked at him blankly. “The Church…don’t they…I mean, why do they let this operate?”

Helfer’s expression cleared. “Oh, you poor thing. You must have been raised strict Orthodox. No, the Church here is Orthodox Third Council. They don’t care who you love.” He took Volle’s paw and pulled him gently toward the door. “Come on. Really, it’s okay. You won’t get in trouble. Unless you really believe—er, unless you’re strict Orthodox, too. But no, you don’t act like it.”

“No, I’m not.” Volle looked up at the sign again, and at the entrance. “I was just told that Divalia was.” His tail twitched back and forth. All this time he’d been steeling himself for a chaste life, for sneaking around in the shadows not only for information, but for pleasure, and it was just a joke on Reese’s part. No doubt he’d thought it would be funny, to tell the sex-crazed fox he couldn’t indulge in his ‘hobby.’ It just underscored to Volle that Reese and Seir and everyone else didn’t understand what intimacy meant to him. It was more than just a hobby; it was a
need
, and not just for the physical aspect of it. It was a need to be close to another person, to earn their trust and give his in return, and every part of the physical act that he enjoyed stemmed from that. Otherwise he could just stay in his room and make love to his paw.

Helfer laughed. “You wouldn’t catch me here if that were true! Whoever told you that?”

Volle flexed his claws. “A ‘friend’ told me. I’ll have to correct him when I see him again.” He made his paws relax and shook his head. Whatever the motivation for the joke—if it had indeed been intentional—it was over now, and he was on the threshold of what promised to be a very enjoyable close to the evening. “Okay, let’s go in.”

The inside of the Jackal’s Staff looked small for the size of the building. The first thing Volle noticed wasn’t the décor, but the powerful scent of lust that permeated everything. He took a moment to catch his breath, feeling his sheath bulge again at the intoxicating aroma. This wasn’t a natural smell, like the one produced by the crowd at the show, but was no less enjoyable for that.

Helfer grinned at him and inhaled deeply. “Mmm. Hits you hard, doesn’t it? So to speak.” He chuckled and made his way to a small table. There were perhaps a dozen of them arranged on the floor. To the left of the door was a small stage where two raccoons played a violin and a cello. The melody was nice, if not particularly artful. Three other patrons occupied a table each, and a pink-robed cougar wandered between them. Her fur was dyed white, with pink highlights around the muzzle and light blue ears.

Volle sank into the plush chair beside Helfer’s and watched the scene. The cougar was talking animatedly to one of the patrons, a black bear, but broke off her conversation when she saw Helfer. She patted the bear’s shoulder and hurried over, and it was only when he caught her scent that Volle realized she was male.

“Helfer, darling!” he squealed. “So lovely to see you again. Are you just renting a room tonight?” He eyed Volle. “I must say, I wouldn’t blame you.”

“Tally, this is Lord Vinton,” Helfer said, grinning.

Volle half rose and extended a paw, but the cougar swept around the table and engulfed him in a hug. “Lord Vinton! Welcome to the Jackal’s Staff. I’m Tally, and my job is to get you whatever you want.”

Volle laughed and patted Tally back. “You can call me Volle,” he said, and Tally beamed at him.

“Volle it is! What’s your pleasure tonight, darlings?”

Helfer was eying the patrons. “Who’s the rabbit over there?”

“Yefi Whetwood. He’s a paper maker. He hasn’t found anyone he likes yet. I asked him to wait until Mario was available, but…you think?” Tally smiled down at Helfer. “Yes, I think he might like you. And I know you’d like him. Here.” He handed Helfer a piece of paper and a quill. “It’s okay, he can read.”

Helfer scratched a few words in a loose, spidery hand, folded the note, and gave it back to Tally, who tucked it into a pouch in his robe. “And what about you, Lord Volle? What is your fancy tonight?”

Volle spread his paws. “Wolf, or a cat.” He gave Tally a broad smile.

The cougar giggled and batted his nose gently with a velvety paw. “Oh, Helfer, he’s a flirt! I’m not available, sugar. But I’ll send out Jonas and Richy. If you don’t like either of them, then Celann should be free in about twenty minutes. I know you’ll like him.” He gathered his robe and glided back to the rabbit’s table.

“How do we pay?” Volle asked Helfer, who was watching Tally hand his note to the rabbit, who looked over.

Helfer waved a paw and smiled. The rabbit looked uncertain, then smiled back. “Pay in advance, and you always pay Tally, never anyone else. If you want to give a little extra for a good performance, give it to him afterwards. It varies from three to five silver, depending on who you get and what you want him to do. Don’t worry, I’ll cover you this time.” He turned to Volle and grinned. “Think of it as a welcome-to-Divalia gift. And now, I think I have a rendez-vous.”

He got up from the table just as Volle said, “Will I meet you back here?”

“Oh. Right, we’ll meet here and then go back.” He tipped his beret. “Enjoy! I know I will.” He sauntered over to the table, sat down with the rabbit, and started talking.

Tally, meanwhile, had vanished behind the middle of the three doors in the back wall. He emerged with a young wolf and a young puma and returned to the black bear, while the wolf and puma came over to Volle’s table.

Both wore nothing but a linen loincloth, and that was pulled tightly across their waists to highlight the bulges underneath. The wolf was a standard grey, with a creamy white chest and stomach. Volle could just see the lower edges of the white fur between his legs below the edge of the loincloth. His sheath tightened further at the sight.

The puma’s fur was tawny on his well-muscled arms and legs, and his slender tail lashed behind him. His fur was trimmed shorter than the wolf’s, so his muscles were more visible. There was a line of white fur on his right shoulder that Volle supposed was a scar, not dyed, and for a moment Volle was tempted to choose him just so he could ask about the scar.

Both wore enticing smiles and kept their ears perked forward. They gave him a chance to look them over, and then spoke.

“I’m Jonas,” said the puma with a slight purr.

“And I’m Richy.” The wolf turned slowly in front of the table, showing off his back and rump and letting his fluffy tail swing back and forth. The puma followed suit, and when they were both facing him again, Volle pointed at Richy.

Jonas nodded and walked back without losing his smile. Richy held out a paw to Volle. “Shall we go, sir? Or would you prefer to sit here?”

Volle’s trousers were almost painfully tight. He shook his head and stood up, taking the wolf’s paw. “Lead on.” He noticed as they walked out that Helfer and his paramour had already left.

Richy led him through the rightmost door, down a wood-paneled corridor that bent left and right three times. He stopped in front of a door and opened it, letting Volle precede him into a small room.

The room was decorated sparsely, but tastefully. The main item, of course, was a large bed with white linen sheets. A small chest sat in one corner, and two chairs in the other. There was no window in the room, but Volle did notice a vent in the ceiling above the small table that held two candlesticks. There was red patterned wallpaper that extended from the floor to halfway up the wall.

Richy closed the door behind him and turned the lock. “Would you like the candles lit, sir?”

“No, I can see okay.” Volle walked around to the other side of the bed and then back, examining the room. Richy walked straight to the bed and sat down, looking up at Volle as the fox approached him. When Volle didn’t move to sit down on the bed, Richy smiled.

“What does his lordship wish to do tonight?”

Volle smiled. “Please, just call me Volle.” His paw wandered up to his doublet, slowly unfastening one button.

“I can help with that, if you like, sir.” When Volle nodded, Richy stood up and walked around behind him. His paws were quick, soft, and sure as they undid the fastenings and then tugged the doublet free. Volle unfastened his belt and lifted his tunic off, and set it on the table where he saw Richy had put the doublet. He turned to face the wolf, who smiled and reached for his trousers. Volle placed his paws on Richy’s shoulders as the wolf’s deft paws slid his trousers down his waist, easing them over his erection. The feel of the wolf’s shoulders under his paws, the feel of the wolf’s paws against his fur, and the slow uncovering that left him fully revealed all combined to give him a fur-tingling thrill. It never got old, that feeling. He was opening himself to the wolf and the wolf was accepting his paws. His fingers dug through new fur, and new eyes looked at his body for the first time and wanted him (even if the eyes were being paid to want him).

Richy placed Volle’s trousers with his other clothes. Volle stretched in front of him, his erection throbbing so much it nearly hurt. Richy nodded approvingly and started to unfasten his loincloth, but Volle said. “Let me do that,” and the wolf lifted his paws with a smile. Volle easily undid the knot and pulled the cloth away, slowly, drawing out the moment.

The wolf’s sheath was plump, and though he wasn’t as aroused as Volle was, he was showing a bit. Volle could see he was nicely proportioned, and his white fur was immaculate, from the tip of his sheath down to the bottom of his small sac. In fact, he was very sleekly groomed all over, and he smelled of wolf musk and pine, a pleasant combination.

“Why don’t you sit down, sir?” He knew how to put a soft, caring tone in his voice. Whether it was real or not, Volle didn’t know, but he felt as thought it was, so he let himself enjoy that feeling.

“Volle,” he reminded Richy as he sat down on the bed. He leaned back, and felt himself relax. He hadn’t realized until then how much the day’s events had weighed on him. Had it really been just that morning that he’d woken up outside Divalia in a small pub that smelled of sheep and grass? And since then he’d been accepted into the palace, been taken advantage of by a fat squirrel, attended a sumptuous banquet and a delightful show, and made two friends.

“Volle?” Richy was kneeling in front of him, earnest green eyes looking up into his.

Volle smiled. “I’m sorry. It’s been a very long day.” He caressed the wolf’s ears and let his paw slide down to the grey shoulder. The fur was smooth and warm.

“We needn’t do anything if you’d rather just cuddle.” Richy smiled. “Though it looks like you’re up for more than that.” His paw slid up gently between Volle’s legs.

“Oh, yes,” Volle breathed, closing his eyes. “I want to, very much.”

“Would you prefer top or bottom?” Richy’s soft paw had restored to Volle’s member what little stiffness it might have lost during his reflection on his day, and it continued to brush gently up and down, making Volle shiver.

“Ohhhhh.” Volle opened his eyes and looked at the wolf. “I think I’d like you to sit in my lap.”

Richy’s smile broadened. He leaned over and gave Volle’s member a quick lick, and then rummaged in the small chest. He rubbed something under his tail, then came back over to Volle and curled the same paw around the fox’s shaft. Volle felt the coolness of something slick and the warmth of the paw behind it, and gasped, shivering, as it slid up and down. Richy wiped his paw off on a small towel, which he tossed onto the chest, and then he climbed up onto the bed, straddling Volle on his knees. Slowly, he worked his feet around Volle’s back until he was sitting on the fox’s thighs, their sheaths pressed together.

Volle smiled up at him, and touched noses. He slipped his arms around the wolf’s back and held the lithe body against his chest.

“Ready?” Richy said quietly, nuzzling Volle’s ears. Volle nodded eagerly, his tail thumping the bed. Richy lifted his hips and pressed forward until his tail was just above Volle’s shaft. Slowly, he lowered himself onto it, easing it into himself.

The warmth around his member, the furry body against him, and the musky desire in his muzzle brought a moan from Volle’s muzzle. He licked at the wolf’s chest as he slid further into him, panting. When he was buried deep under Richy’s tail, he looked up again and rubbed his muzzle against Richy’s.

“Okay?” The wolf had a playful smile on his muzzle.

“Wonderful,” Volle replied, and brought his paw between them to rub his pads up the wolf’s growing erection.

Richy breathed into his ear. “Don’t worry too much about me, Volle. Just focus on you.” He started to shift his hips expertly back and forth, sliding the fox’s length in and out, stroking the sensitive skin with his muscles.

“Just…want to feel you…” Volle murmured, already panting hard. He closed his paw around the wolf’s warm shaft.

“That’s fine,” Richy breathed, still moving. “Just don’t worry about me. How are you doing?”

“Oh, that’s so good,” Volle whimpered softly, pressing his muzzle into the wolf’s chest. His legs tightened against the bed and his tail wagged more vigorously. “Just like that…”

Richy’s feet pressed against Volle’s back as he lifted his hips, rubbing at the base of his tail. They relaxed as he let himself slide back down the fox’s shaft, then pressed in again with the next stroke. Volle held the wolf’s member in his paw, enjoying the warm stiff feel of it, but not stroking, and with his other arm he held the wolf against him. The coupling seemed to go on and on, and he thought for a moment that his excitement would keep growing without end. His blood was racing, his fur tingling, and his paws clenched and released with every warm stroke. He let the cares of the day drift away, forgot Ullik and Reese’s joke and everything else, and lost himself in the warm rump of the wolf in his lap.