PREDATORS
by Chimera Bloom
Part 7
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Elila stared at the naked gleaming shark wondering what her intentions were. She had no delusions of kindness or even sympathy. She just didn't know why it hadn't attacked yet.
The heron's eyes traveled over the long lengths of Carielle's body. She noticed that the shark seemed smaller then Pedryn, in height and in build. Although Elila realized that her mind may simply be playing tricks on her. Given what she had been through with Pedryn, she tended to remember the alpha shark as larger then life.
But Carielle seemed somehow different. Her legs were long but lean. Her flat stomach rippled with the efforts of long intensive training. Her breasts were small but pert. Her round eyes were the familiar shade of sea blue that nearly all Midali possessed. And her skin was one long expanse of perfect gray silk.
Yet despite Carielle's unabashed nudity, it was her mouth that truly caught Elila's attention. The heron couldn't help but focus on it's tightly sealed lips that seemed so small and even a bit soft. It was misleading. Because Elila knew that beyond the smooth flesh of Carielle's mouth were the strongest most fierce some teeth in all of nature.
"I have to tell you something." Carielle suddenly gasped out looking at the woman before her. Elila was shocked by the sudden anguished tones coming from the warrior. The heron could tell that whatever was bothering the shark was something deep and intense.
"I'm not supposed to. But I have to." Carielle said again wishing that Elila would say something. She struggled to catch her breath and remain calm. But she couldn't do it. And she knew the heron had picked up on her distress.
If only the heron would speak then she would know if she was making the right decision. She could tell from the tones of Elila's voice if she would listen to what Carielle had to say. Because despite their wide-open unblinking stare, the shark had no idea what thoughts rested behind Elila's eyes.
But a small part of her knew that it might be better if Elila never spoke. Then Carielle could say her words. She could tell her everything without knowing how they had affected Elila. She could bravely tell the heron the whole truth leaving nothing out. And if Elila would only continue to grace her with silence, she would never have to know the repercussions of her sheer honesty.
Yet the words that Carielle felt compelled to say never made it from her mouth. Instead, her honest intention died somewhere in the back of her throat. It's not that she had second or even third thoughts about telling the heron. It was the bold intrusion of Pedryn that quickly changed her mind.
Now that the alpha shark had returned, Carielle knew the decision was no longer hers to make. Elila was no longer her responsibility. And the fact that her cousin was here, standing so imperiously in front of the girl, let Carielle know that she was once again in control.
Carielle really didn't know what to expect. She knew that Elila had feared her. When she came up from the chamber, she had heard the heron's heart beat a frantic rhythm.
But Carielle wasn't really important to Elila. She had never even laid a hand on her. So the heron had tolerated her presence through hooded eyes and a folded posture. Carielle knew that there had been some sort of unspoken agreement between them. As long as she stayed far from the girl's tender body, they would have no problems. And the shark had honored her unspoken wish. Carielle had no intention of physically confronting her in anyway.
And now there was Pedryn. Carielle was relieved to see how calm and collected her cousin appeared. Pedryn was the perfect image of authoritative control.
But it wasn't Pedryn's reaction that Carielle was really worried about. It was the heron she was concerned for. She could only imagine how Elila must be feeling. She was alone. Her body was injured and bruised. And she was virtually trapped amongst a tribe of sharks. And just when things couldn't get worse, her rapist walked through the door.
Truthfully Carielle wanted to be anywhere then where she was. Standing between Pedryn and Elila wasn't her idea of a good place to be. She could smell the fear and pain dancing through the air. And just when she thought things couldn't get more awkward, she sensed it. There was a strong undercurrent of desire wafting through the room. And when she glanced at her cousin's focused form, she knew without question that it was coming from Pedryn.
"Perhaps you would like to get dressed Carielle? I think you're frightening our guest." Pedryn said a bit dryly.
Looking down Carielle realized that she was in fact, naked. It wasn't something she was normally aware of. The Midali preferred to spend most of their time in the water. And of course, the hours they spent swimming were done in the nude.
But as she hurriedly pulled her clothes on she realized just how insensitive she had been. Glancing at Elila she briefly wondered if she should apologize for her unintentional offense. But in the grand scheme of things, she supposed her nudity was a minor mistake and one better left uncommented on.
Pedryn was only slightly aware of her cousin's hurried movements. She was far too focused on Elila to give Carielle any concern. But despite her watchful eye and keen senses, the heron wasn't really giving her much to work with. Elila hadn't said one word since she walked through the door. And glancing at Carielle's flushed face and distressed exterior, she wondered if Elila had even spoken to her.
But Pedryn could wait. She could wait for whatever Elila was willing to give. Her ears tried to strain for the tones of a scream that never came. Her eyes were watching for tears that never fell. And her body braced for the impact of an enraged and terrorized woman that in reality, never left the corner of the room.
But it was her mouth that was most intensely focused. Pedryn's felt her tongue swell and her teeth gnash at the mere idea of tasting the heron's skin. The shark tried to swallow her own blood lust but knew it was a battle she could never win.
"You were hunted by a snake?" Pedryn asked. She already knew the answer to her question but she felt it was time to speak directly to Elila. It was time to see how Elila truly felt about her presence.
And it was the moment that Elila had feared. It was the moment where she finally came face to face with her attacker. And just for a second, the entire world seemed to stop.
Pedryn stared at her with focused eyes and an icy exterior. It was strange but at the same time, somehow expected. In some intangible way, Elila had always known that she would see Pedryn again. Somehow she had always sensed that things were far from finished between them. But she had never imagined meeting quite like this.
The circumstance seemed off somehow. Pedryn seemed far too calm and almost distant. And Elila was already too injured and far too tired to confront her former attacker. She had always imagined that when this moment arrived she would look and feel her best. She would be able to say with her image what her lips couldn't. Elila wanted Pedryn to look at her and know that nothing that happened in the water mattered. That despite her vicious bite and snarling attack, she had survived. She needed Pedryn to know that the incident hadn't destroyed her. She wanted the shark to know that she was really okay, despite it all. And more then anything, Elila wanted the shark to know that she wasn't afraid anymore.
But things weren't turning out as she had hoped. Elila knew she portrayed a humbled and battered image. The cobra had nearly done her in. And by now, she supposed the sharks had figured out what had happened. Elila was certain that the snake had left her reptilian scent all over her.
Elila knew she looked like little more then weakened prey. And she was frightened that Pedryn's excitement might be rising in response. The heron did her best to remain perfectly still. She didn't want to make a single move that might accidentally entice the shark.
So, the heron remained frozen in place. She kept her lips sealed not trusting the cadence of her voice. She didn't want to sound frightened. And she didn't want to sound weak.
But somewhere along the way, Elila became conscious of her own body's reaction. She could hear the pounding of heart moving within her chest. She suddenly felt the sweaty pheromones of fear wafting off her skin. As she looked at her near naked flesh, Elila ran her eyes along the bruises and cuts. And the heron knew with a fluttering fear, that to the shark, she must look good enough to eat.
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Elila looked good. And looking at her folded body Pedryn couldn't deny how much she suddenly wanted to lick her. She wanted to taste her skin and nip at her flesh. She closed her eyes trying to push the images from her mind. She knew it was just the frenzy sending her those thoughts. It was the scent of Elila's blood. But she had to control herself. Too much depended on her remaining calm and in control.
"It was a cobra?" Pedryn asked hoping to find that her senses had been right. Elila nodded from her place in the corner. She was holding her legs tightly against her chest as if she was trying to ward off an attack.
Elila couldn't help but stare at Pedryn. She was just like the heron remembered. She towered with a lofty height and a strong solid build. There was just something nearly supernatural about a body comprised of cartilage. It gave the sharks this fluidic movement that no creature with solid bones could ever hope to copy. The shark's eyes were the same icy blue the Elila remembered. Her lips were round and full. Her breasts were large and lavish. And all her limbs looked just as strong and imposing as Elila's recalled.
And despite the fact that Pedryn was wearing a long gray pants and a loose blue shirt, Elila remembered every inch of the shark's naked flesh. The material was shiny and reflective. But the heron knew it didn't compare to the gleam of Pedryn's naked skin. And as she looked the shark over, Elila felt a bit unsettled that the shark was doing the very same to her.
"Well, you seem to be fine. You do feel all right, don't you?" Pedryn asked wondering if Elila would ever grace her with a vocal response. But still the heron remained mute once again falling back on body language.
"We'll leave you to rest. I'll have someone take you back to your tribe when the transport starts." Pedryn said walking towards the door. Carielle's heart was banging in her chest. And Pedryn's was truly no calmer.
The alpha shark had her hand on the door and she was grateful to be leaving. Pedryn knew that any more time with Elila might prove dangerous. And she didn't want to put either of them in an unseemly situation.
And Carielle was relieved to find that they would be leaving without a scene. There had been no screams, no tears, and no terrorized revelations of pain or loathing. There had been nothing. And Carielle wanted to leave before their luck turned against them.
But something happened to Elila. She realized that she just couldn't let Pedryn walk out the door without speaking to her. For some reason, it made her feel shameful. Like years from now she would always remember this reunion and know that she couldn't even trust the timbre of her own voice.
Elila wanted them to know that she wasn't just some weak bird. Despite the relative strength of her mixed body, Elila knew she was a brave person. And for some reason, she needed them to know it as well.
So, she reached for her voice trying to find the words that would bridge the gap between courage and fear. She knew there was nothing poignant or even important that she could say. None of that mattered; she just needed to say something.
"I saw you…" Elila managed to gasp out. Her compulsion to speak had finally won out. And she spoke. She knew it was only three little words. But it had been enough to halt the exit of the strong shark warriors.
Finally both of the sharks turned around not really sure what she meant. Pedryn was surprised to see the heron suddenly alert and responsive. She was licking her lips in a nervous anticipation. And for the briefest of seconds, Pedryn had the urge to tell her that everything would be okay.
"At the Gallion…I saw you two compete." Elila explained having seen their blank and unsure expressions. And the girl was pleased to find that her voice sounded strong and almost natural. She wasn't afraid and now they knew it too.
But neither shark said anything in response. Neither knew what to say. They nervously glanced at each other wondering where this strange conversation was headed.
"You did well…" Elila said shrugging her shoulder in a slightly nervous manner.
Carielle was at a total loss for words. If the shark didn't know better she would think that the girl was making an attempt to be friendly. And she just couldn't imagine that that was the case.
"Thank you." Pedryn mumbled thinking that someone had to respond.
Both of the sharks looked at each other silently begging the other speak. But neither of them had any words left to exchange. They were both taken aback by the girl's sudden need to dialogue. And all too quickly, Pedryn realized they were just standing there staring at the ground like a couple of frightened children.
Deciding to rectify the situation, Pedryn turned from the room and left the heron far behind. Carielle followed at her heels with a nervous gait that the alpha shark desperately wished that Elila hadn't seen. Once outside the room, she shut the door storming down the hallways in a fury of anger. This wasn't supposed to happen. Pedryn had been determined to stay in complete control. But instead, the mere heron had visibly unsettled them both with a few friendly words.
"What was that?" Carielle gasped out in a fluster of confusion. Pedryn glanced around the dimly lit lobby of the Fluid glad to see that they were alone.
"I mean… What did she mean by that? What was she trying to do?" Carielle screamed unnerved by her encounter with the heron.
If she were honest with herself, Carielle would realize that deep down her anxiety was coming from her near confession. She was distraught by her own volatile reaction to seeing the heron. And she was frightened by her sudden and a desperate need to be honest. More then anything, she was worried that left alone with Elila; she would spill all of her secrets.
"I think she meant that she saw us at the Gallion and she thought we did well." Pedryn snapped wishing that her cousin would calm down.
"NO!!! She wouldn't try to be nice. There is some other reason she said those things. She had some sort of ulterior motive." Carielle yelled wanting to believe that the heron had some sort of dark reason behind her otherwise kind compliment.
But her cousin only laughed. Pedryn knew very well that Elila had no such hidden motives or schemes. It wasn't in the heron's nature. If she spoke to them it was only because she wanted to. And as much as it embarrassed Pedryn to admit it, her friendly gesture had caught them visibly off-guard.
"Carielle, calm yourself. I'm certain that is not case. Elila doesn't have a deceptive bone in her body." Pedryn answered leaning against the nearest wall.
"You saw her in there!" Carielle gasped lowering herself to the floor in defeat. She slumped at her cousin's feet too humiliated to even look Pedryn in the eyes.
"What is it? What's really going on?" Pedryn asked knowing that her cousin was having a rather unprovoked violent reaction.
"I almost told her." Carielle whispered hoping that the alpha shark wasn't too displeased with her near breech of behavior.
"What?" Pedryn asked wanting to make sure that she understood exactly what Carielle was telling her.
"I almost told her the truth Pedryn. I don't know what came over me. I just saw her there. And I wanted to try anything to make it better." Carielle admitted hanging her head in defeat.
"I understand. I had the same response." Pedryn answered in a crisp tone.
"But you didn't say anything?" Pedryn asked.
Carielle only shook her head in response and the alpha shark felt grateful for small favors. After seeing the heron, Pedryn wasn't sure she could tell the girl. On some level it just didn't seem right, despite her wish to be exonerated. And yet, there was another side to the shark that still felt compelled to make sure Elila knew everything. This was something that Pedryn felt the heron's parents had no right to keep from her. But the shark looked down in frustration realizing that she saw no way to compromise between her own differing opinions. And yet sometime before the first transport, Pedryn had to make decision. It was something the shark knew that she just couldn't put off any longer.
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"Mmmh, where are you going?" Zelsi whispered into the warrior's ear. The young girl had absolutely no qualms about thoroughly licking her lover's ear as she pronounced each and every syllable.
"It's late, Zels…" Kellis whispered turning away from the pert concubine sharing her bed.
"So? I'm not tired yet…" She pouted rolling over to straddle the naked jungle cat's body.
Kellis sighed feeling rather badly about the entire situation. But she knew she had no one to blame but herself. Zelsi had a legendary sexual stamina. Kellis had even heard rumors about a few warriors that had actually managed to keep up with her.
But as far as Kellis knew, they were just rumors. Zelsi was a professional and Kellis didn't think there was a hybrid alive that could keep up with her all tricks. And Kellis was certainly no exception.
Yet she had known what she was getting into when she took Zelsi back up to her room. She knew the kind of night that she was in for. And in her drunken state it had felt like such a good idea. But now, in the aftermath of blossoming sobriety, things weren't looking quite as seductive as they had only hours before.
If anything, now they seemed bleak and oppressive. And more then anything the warrior wanted the concubine gone from her bed. But the naked jiggling form of the blonde woman wasn't making such a task easy by any means.
Kellis stared into the classic beauty of Zelsi and was instantly flooded with memories of her youth. Zelsi had been her first. In her tribe, the most honored warriors received only the services of the very best concubine. So when Kellis started defeating records and won battles at an early age, her own alpha took her meet Zelsi.
The warrior could still remember that night. They had been in Zelsi's open and humid quarters. Her bedroom overlooked the moonlit river that runs right through the heart of the village. And the woman's home had been expertly decorated to achieve the perfect scene of seduction and romance. Kellis had literally been stunned by such a florid display of raw sensuality.
And she had loved every single minute of it. Zelsi loved her profession and she took great pleasure in bringing the young hybrid into the land of sexual pleasure. There had been long hours of discovery that first night together.
First, Zelsi had touched her young body. The woman ran her hands over her warm skin and touched her in places that had made Kellis blush. Then she used her mouth doing with her tongue things that Kellis had never even dreamed possible. And just when Kellis thought there was simply nothing more magical that could happen between them, Zelsi allowed her bite. And that single act of predatory submission caused the young warrior to howl in a blood-curdling climax.
The young changeling came back to Zelsi for many more nights. There was at least a week of pure sexual tutelage. But this was one subject that Kellis didn't mind studying.
Zelsi showed her how to touch a woman. The warrior carefully learned to be mindful of her strength. She was showed how to suckle, caress, kiss, and later penetrate the concubine writhing beneath her. Later when all the easier lessons had been mastered, Kellis learned the most difficult act of lovemaking. She mastered the art of sensual predation. When the passion was burning and her loins were wet, her jungle cat blood would allow for no less.
She was shown the best places to give the bite. And Kellis dutifully learned all the parts of the body that she could never pierce with her feline fangs. The hybrid learned to control her inflamed needs and bite only the surface of the skin. And Zelsi was so very patient as she taught her all the best places to let her mouth sink beneath her warm feminine flesh.
Then Kellis learned how to put all her skills together to create a symphony of pleasure. She learned the art of foreplay and the importance of restraint. The hybrid learned how to tease her lover body while whispering words of pleasure to her mind. And when all that was done and mastered, Kellis learned how to take her lover to the brink of pleasure again and again until finally they both fell over the towering edge of a blinding orgasm.
They were lessons of life, love, sex, and sensuality. And Kellis was a gifted student. But when the week was up, Zelsi returned her services to the rest of the tribe. And the young hybrid went home with a broken heart and a wounded ego.
It was a long while before Kellis ever understand the nature of a concubine. It took many shed tears and a few bruised feelings before she realized her supposed rejection wasn't personal. Zelsi was a professional. And while she might have a soft spot where the golden jungle cat was concerned, she could never love her.
Kellis remembered the day she finally confessed all her confused feelings to her alpha. She felt ashamed for being so foolish and misguided. She felt ridiculous for thinking of the concubine in the same terms of romance, love, and marriage.
Her alpha gently laughed as Kellis whispered her pained thoughts and troubled heart. Her parent was so kind as she sat Kellis down and told her the difference between a concubine and a woman. Her alpha told her that one day she would find a woman she could fall in love with. That one day Kellis could have all those mushy romantic notions about a special person in her life.
But that no matter how much wanted it, that special person could never be a concubine. Zelsi was her teacher and nothing more. But she should cherish everything the experienced concubine had showed her. Because one day, Kellis could use all of her learned skills to please the woman that she did love. Her alpha had assured her that one day she would understand the difference between a bit of sexual fun and falling in love.
And even though Kellis had taken all of her alpha's advice to heart, it was a long while before she felt better. She avoided contact with Zelsi at all times shying away from all offers of further sexual education. Yet, somewhere along the line she grew more comfortable with the role of the concubine. And although Kellis knew she was far from being Zelsi's most frequent customer, she did partake of her services from time to time.
But as she looked at the woman shamelessly straddling her form, Kellis couldn't help but wonder if she didn't still have a lot to learn. She knew that when it came to sexuality there was little she hadn't done. But when it came to matters of the heart, the warrior felt that to be a completely different story.
The warrior knew her feelings ran deep for the heron. But here she was sharing her bed with Zelsi. The irony was that she could still smell Elila on the sheets. It had only been last night that they had laid down next to each other and shared the warmth of this very bed.
But now, the sheets were covered in the aftermath of her attempt at sexual pleasure. Kellis knew that the last few hours hadn't been her best effort by any stretch of the imagination. And she suspected that Zelsi was just about two breaths away from telling her as much.
She had just been too drunk to have full use of her body. She knew her hands had been clumsy. Her lips had dripped with an unattractive slobber. And much to her embarrassment, Kellis knew her pleasure had come and gone in a matter of quick seconds.
And unfortunately, she could tell that Zelsi had received nothing from their hours of sexual fumblings. The woman's body was taught with a dire need searching for release. Her mouth was wet and swollen. Her breasts were aching and flushed. And as she rubbed her wet mound up and down the warrior's thigh, Kellis could feel the tension begging for release.
Worst, was what Kellis knew would happen if she disappointed the concubine. Zelsi was merciless with her bedroom gossip. Within a matter of hours it would be all over the tribe that she had failed to please her lover.
"Come on, you know you can't leave me like this…" Zelsi whispered with just the slightest hint of threat in her otherwise husky voice.
The warrior winced trying to move up on the bed. Her head pounded with the agony of rollen juice every time she tried to move. Kellis didn't see how she could possibly meet the concubine's demands when her own head was swimming in a sea of pain. But when Zelsi flashed her a familiar harsh and demanding stare, the warrior knew she had to try. Very slowly she sat up on the bed and mentally vowed to do her absolute best to save her reputation.
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"That's more like it…" Zelsi whispered eagerly wrapping her arms around the warrior's strong back. She was mindful of Kellis' condition. After all, she was a concubine. This wasn't the first time she had seen the effect of rollen juice.
She licked her lips leaning in for a kiss. The warrior's lips gently quivered against her own. And when Kellis opened her mouth Zelsi could still taste the sour essence of intoxication. But she didn't really mind. This certainly wasn't the first time Zelsi had been with someone who had drunk past their limit. And yet all too quickly the warrior pulled away gently pushing her naked body to arms length.
"I know I taught you how to kiss better then that. We should try again. Except this time, use your tongue and try not to drool on me." Zelsi said with just a touch of harshness in her voice.
Kellis stared at her from behind hooded eyes. Normally a concubine would never dare talk to warrior with the demanding tones that Zelsi entertained. But Zelsi was different. She was the best in the entire village. And being the very best gave her certain advantages and liberties that no one else enjoyed.
"I'm sorry… I can't, Zels. I think I'm still drunk." Kellis whispered feeling her warrior's pride slip away with every word she muttered. There was nothing worse then failing a lover in bed, especially if that woman was Zelsi.
But at the moment, there was nothing the hybrid could do about it. She simply wasn't physically capable of managing a satisfying romantic encounter, especially not with Zelsi. Her standards were far too high and difficult to reach. Zelsi was never a quick roll across the bed.
And looking at the blinking chronometer on the nightstand, Kellis knew she just didn't have time to satisfy the concubine. There were only a few hours before dawn. And the warrior had to be at the Gallion awards ceremony bright and early. Kellis knew she had to sober up before she walked onto a stage to receive a trophy for her entire tribe. It simply wouldn't do if she took a headfirst slalom into the audience.
"I see. You know Kellis, these aren't the bedroom manners that I remember teaching you." Zelsi sniped obviously very annoyed that her star pupil didn't want to play any more.
The warrior visibly winced at the sharp tone and educational reference. Zelsi always liked to remain in control, especially in bed. The concubine was a master at making her partners think that it was their stronger hybrid bodies that were in control of their passion. She had this way of making the warrior's feel strong, animalistic and empowered. While in essence, they were only doing what Zelsi told them too. Her skills laid in the fluid art of silent domination. And Kellis hated every single minute of it.
In recent years, the warrior had taken to staying away from Zelsi on most occasions. She could only count sporadic times that she had even taken the smallest part in the woman's professional services. And it was all because of this. Kellis hated being dominated in bed, silently or otherwise. And she hated trying to please Zelsi. Gifting the concubine with the pleasure she wanted was like fighting an underwater uphill battle on the darkest night of the year.
And Kellis had simply grown sick of it. The warrior preferred to bed women content to let her control the flow of passion. And she preferred the company of soft, gentle women who didn't bark out their unreasonable physical demands for the long spans of tiring hours. And most important, she preferred shy and reticent women. She preferred a woman that still blushed at her touch and kept her bedroom dalliances to herself. There was nothing worse to waking up and finding out that the entire village knew of your sexual shortcomings.
"Zelsi, please… I don't feel well. The ceremony starts in three hours. Elila could come back to the room at any moment. And I have got to sober up before I give my speech." Kellis pleaded with the woman hating the sound of her own meek voice.
"I just need some painkillers, a few glasses of water, and some food in my stomach. Please Zelsi, don't be angry with me. I promise I'll make it up to you later." The warrior added when the concubine remained eerily silent as she lay across the plush bed.
"Fine! But if you ever expect to make this up to me, you'll have to try a lot harder then you ever have before. Because after tonight, I'm not going to be as kind as I usually am. And you don't want to cross me Kellis. You know what happens to warriors who abuse my services!" The concubine snapped walking to the bedroom door in long angry strides. Zelsi stood there yelling with her hands on her hips totally unaware of her nudity.
But Kellis was all too aware of the concubine's words. She knew what Zelsi's thinly veiled threat entailed. She could remember several warriors who had failed to live up to the woman's expectation. Not only had their reputations been nearly ruined, but she had also gone to their wives giving explicit details of their sexual encounters. Kellis was briefly grateful that she had no wife for Zelsi to run too. But things were still not going to be pleasant for her considering the concubine's mood.
"Especially considering how far outside the bounds of normal services you went. You did things to me tonight that I have never allowed before, not with you… But I thought you were special. I care for you and you know that. But now you are taking advantage of me! And I won't tolerate it, not from you, not from anyone!" Zelsi hissed slapping her hand onto the door, preparing to storm away in grand naked exit.
"Wait!" Kellis screamed tentatively hovering on the bed. She had no idea what Zelsi was referring too. The warrior knew that she was generally one of Zelsi's more straight-laced clients. Most hybrids came to the concubine seeking things that the average woman just wouldn't do. But Kellis was generally very demure in her sexual needs and she couldn't even begin to image what Zelsi was referring to.
"What are you talking about?" Kellis asked in a soft voice. She didn't want to anger the woman anymore then she already was. But she felt like she had to know what had happened between them. If she abused Zelsi in any way, Kellis felt that it was something she had to know.
"You don't remember!" Zelsi snapped angrily cocking her head to the side.
"No, Zelsi I was drunk. You know that. Now please, come back to bed and tell me what I did." Kellis asked nicely. Her request stemmed from a dire two-prong need. She wanted the woman to calm down. But she also wanted to look the concubine's body over with a more discerning eye. She wanted to see if her unusual request had left any marks behind.
"It was in the steam room. Do you remember being there with me?" Zelsi asked walking back over the warrior. She refused to sit down but at least the concubine had stayed.
When Kellis negatively shook her head the woman began pacing the bedroom in long furious strides. Zelsi didn't feel that she was a temperamental person. She just knew what she wanted and hated not getting it. But the only thing worse then being disappointed was being forgotten. And she felt that their shared tryst in the steam room deserved at least the foggiest of memories.
"We went in there right after that little bitch Narlene slapped you." Zelsi said storming around the room to face the warrior.
Kellis winced hearing the statement. She couldn't even imagine what she could have done to make Narlene lash out at her. Narlene was normally the perfect picture of social decorum. And Kellis knew just how very much Narlene wanted her romantic company. If Narlene slapped her, the warrior could only assume that her behavior had been completely boorish.
"You don't even remember that do you?" Zelsi scoffed bravely stalking up to the warrior with a strangled stare.
"You and she were having some sort of romantic moment when Malaryn called you down to the hot tubs. I was there with some other warriors. I was eagerly congratulating them on their victory." The concubine explained crossing her arms over her exposed chest. Kellis rolled her eyes easily imagining just how Zelsi was congratulating her teammates.
"I was very happy and content. But you wanted a personal celebration. And because of my special feelings for you, I agreed. I abandoned the rest of the team and went off alone with you." Zelsi answered.
Finally, Kellis fully understood where most of Zelsi's anger was coming from. She had probably abandoned a small group of warrior's in mid passion. She walked out on them without finishing her job. And that alone would earn her some hard feelings and fences to mend.
But she had left them for Kellis. So on top of her slightly tarnished professional reputation she was getting nothing out of her choice. And Kellis knew she had to do something fast if she was ever going to get out of this with a single shred of dignity.
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"What about Narlene? Why did she slap me?" Kellis asked totally confused by that bit of information.
In a normal circumstance of sobriety Kellis knew that she would have gently taken Narlene aside to bid the girl goodnight for the evening. The warrior liked to think that she was adept at being conscious of the feelings of the woman around her. She would never intentionally want to hurt any of them.
"Is that all you care about?" Zelsi sneered thinking that she might like the satisfaction of hitting the warrior once herself.
"No, please just tell me everything." The warrior begged knowing that it would be better to hear everything now before she saw the girl tomorrow at the ceremony.
"I came to greet you. Narlene was appalled." Zelsi answered with a familiar smugness in her voice. Kellis winced envisioning the scene in her mind. She could just imagine how shocked Narlene was to see Zelsi wrap her naked body around her own.
" You shouldn't take little girls down into the hot tubs. You know the kinds of things that go on down there. Truthfully, that little gossiping twit should have known better. It was her own fault for coming down there." Zelsi explained. The concubine couldn't help how she felt. There were just certain naked places that she felt very territorial over.
"I'm sure you loved explaining that little fact to her." Kellis snapped.
Even though Zelsi professed to love her profession. And even though she sung the praises of freedom and independence, the warrior couldn't help but think that there was a small part of her that envied the other women in the tribe. Zelsi hated every single one of them. And Kellis was beginning to see it was because of jealousy over all the things the concubine knew she couldn't have. Maybe the hybrid was romanticizing the woman a bit but Kellis couldn't help but think that beneath it all, there was a small part of Zelsi that thought of things like marriage and children.
"Oh, I didn't say a word. You were the one who enlightened young Narlene about a warrior's needs." Zelsi mocked recalling the horrified expression on Narlene's face when the warrior had told her just what she wanted to spend the evening doing.
And at the moment, the look on Kellis' face was almost priceless as well. She was horrified and shocked at the thought that Zelsi had put into her mind. And the curiosity was killing her. She just had to know what she could have possibly said to Narlene to make her so angry.
"What did I say?" Kellis asked with a white face and a small voice.
"Oh, something about she was just a little girl. And how at the moment you needed a woman's touch." Zelsi answered running her expertly manicured hand down the warrior's arm.
Zelsi watched the emotions play across the hybrid's face and truthfully she couldn't be angrier. She had intended this little walk down memory lane to be about her own disappointment and disservice. She wanted Kellis to plead an apology and offer up her strong body as sexual forgiveness.
"Oh god, I'm sorry… I can't believe I did that. I have to apologize." Kellis stammered knowing that at the moment it was far too late of an hour to waken Narlene.
"I can't believe you!" Zelsi hissed deciding that it was officially time to storm out of the warrior's bedroom. But Kellis stopped her with a firm grasp on her smaller wrist.
"Let go of me!" Zelsi screamed. She didn't care if the neighbors heard.
In fact, she didn't care if she woke the entire Lodge. She hated it when the warriors wanted to play rough. If they wanted to hold a woman helpless beneath them, let them get married. Those weren't games that she was willing to play.
"Wait a minute… You didn't let me finish. I can't apologize to you if I don't know what I did wrong. You still haven't told me what we did in the steam room." Kellis whispered willing to try anything to stop the woman's screams.
But Zelsi's lips remained tightly sealed as she struggled to break the hybrid's hold on her wrist. Kellis didn't know why Zelsi was even trying to fight her off. There was no one who knew more about a warrior's body then this concubine. There was no one who knew her strength and abilities better then Zelsi.
Briefly she wondered if Zelsi was just playing another one of her games. Kellis knew it wouldn't be the first time a woman had struggled in her arms only to seek a passionate submission. It wasn't something uncommon by any means.
The warrior was well aware that her status in the tribe had earned her the affection of many beautiful women. She knew that her strength was often seen as an aphrodisiac. Kellis knew how much her past lover's had enjoyed feeling a gentle touch with one hand while she held them firmly to the bed with the other.
But these acts of strenuous restraint weren't things that Zelsi had taught her. Kellis had learned these techniques on her own. If anything the concubine hated physical restraint of any kind. She simply wouldn't tolerate it, abruptly stopping a lesson if a young hybrid tried to flip her beneath their stronger body.
Kellis knew all too well that with Zelsi there was no compromise on the issue. She never really thought much about it at the time. The traumatic scene had happened during the end of one of her very first lessons.
In the heat of passion, she had taken Zelsi beneath her firmly holding the woman down to the bed. Instantly Zelsi started screaming at the very top of her lungs until Kellis backed away from the bed in a cloak of shame. The warrior easily remembered how embarrassed she had been for her lack of control. Zelsi had thoroughly chastised her into a trembling state of humiliation. The concubine had told her that despite her desires, she could never ever use her strength to restrain a woman. And as punishment, Kellis hadn't been allowed to touch her for days.
But all that changed the first time the warrior bedded a woman whose profession wasn't sex. Kellis found that most females in and out of her tribe liked to feel controlled, restrained and even a little dominated. And normally the golden cat had no reserves when it came to meeting these sensual requests.
Occasionally however, she would run into a woman whose tastes ran far more dangerous then her own. They wanted a rougher touch. They needed a firmer embrace. And they craved a deeper bite. But Kellis wasn't comfortable with any of that. She always put the safety of her lover's first.
Bringing her attention back to the present, Kellis quickly released Zelsi's wrist. The woman stalked across the room rubbing her wrist in pained exaggerated motions. Kellis knew she hadn't come anywhere close to hurting the woman. But she sat back ready to watch the show of emotions unfold before her.
"I've warned you about this." Zelsi hissed thinking that now might be the perfect moment to slap the warrior. And giving into her perceived justifiable impulse, she slapped the warrior hard across the face.
Kellis winced knowing that she had just been given the rather shameful accomplishment of angering two different women to the brink of physical violence all in the mere span of hours. And truthfully, the warrior felt her head lurch in unbridled pain. Zelsi certainly knew how to put strength into her hits. And with her hangover already causing massive head pain the slap had nearly made things intolerable.
She felt her eyes well in reactionary tears. But she refused to give into the need to cry. She hadn't cried since she was 10 yrs. old. And she wasn't about to start now, not in front of Zelsi of all people. She was her tribe's premier warrior and it wouldn't do for people to know that she had cried after getting soundly slapped by a woman.
"You're on a roll tonight. You angered Narlene. You made me furious. And I hear you sent another girl running in tears from your very presence." Zelsi mocked recalling the gossip she heard when leaving the steam room.
"What? Who?" Kellis asked desperately ashamed of her own behavior.
"I don't know who it was. I heard some of your teammates talking. They said some girl came downstairs and went back into the steam room. She must have seen us because moments later she ran away in tears." Zelsi explained with an amused gleam in her eye. She couldn't help it. She absolutely loved the idea of some innocent girl walking in on their explicit display of sex.
"Maybe it was Narlene." Kellis mumbled. She found herself actually hoping that it was Narlene who walked in on them. She couldn't stand the thought of having yet another woman to apologize too.
"I'm really not caring Kellis!" Zelsi screamed thoroughly unimpressed with the warrior's attitude towards her.
"I'm sorry…" Kellis said reaching for the concubine's clenched little hands. She tried soothing them with her own. But it didn't work. Zelsi only stared at her in raw anger.
"Tell me what we did. Please? I want to know…" Kellis begged hoping that the concubine would take pity on her.
Finally her efforts paid off and Zelsi let go of her anger. She leaned forward on the bed pressing her lips against the warrior's ear. It took only seconds for her to tell Kellis what illicit act she had allowed. In fact the whole sentence was only five words.
But those five little bitty words were enough to make the warrior's eyes roll back in her head. And when Zelsi pulled away to look at her reaction, Kellis could only silently beg for forgiveness. Quickly, the warrior took the concubine's hand and gently pulled the woman against her firm body. She sought Zelsi's mouth with her own determined to make up for her earlier crude behavior.
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CONTINUED...