A Lair So Primal by Zoey Ellis

6

“You slept late today,” Marahl said, setting Elora’s breakfast down on the table. “Are you well?”

Elora smiled up at her, hoping Marahl couldn’t somehow see the disarray within her. “I’m just a little tired,” she said, “that’s all.”

But that was a severe understatement.

Zendyor had been particularly gluttonous last night, his needs unquenchable and ravenous. Her time with him didn’t last as long as it usually did, yet she was more exhausted than ever.

Each evening with him was becoming wilder and desperately erotic. He dominated and took control completely when taking her and seemed to anticipate her every need before she even knew what she needed; she could only assume it was because he was familiar with bedding omegas. Still, his ferocious attitude shocked her each time, especially last night. It was as though he was desperate to have his mouth on her, to squeeze her thighs, and use his tongue to send shivers of anticipation prickling along her skin. He spread her wide, bent her over, and folded her in half, pounding her with such force it wrung brutally breathtaking climaxes through her that made her delirious.

But what unsettled her the most was how he had somehow enticed her to take him with her mouth, without saying a word. While it might be part of her debt to please him, it embarrassed her how much she enjoyed it. The experience had been gloriously addicting, having that kind of power over him, hearing every groan and heavy exhale from his chest, drowning in his scent and sucking the fluid oozing from his tip. It wasn’t her—she didn’t recognize herself in the blinding need she had when she was with him. He was turning her into someone else, and it worried her.

Previously, she’d never been happy with the idea of losing her virginity in exchange for shelter and safety in the North Cities. Omegas were treated horribly in those situations and the likelihood of life-threatening pregnancy was high. But in a dragorai lair, the act was different. Exchanging her body for a lifetime of comfort and security away from the war was logical and coveted by many. She’d been happy to do that to survive and still feel content with her situation, making the best of every moment. But now this wickedly sinful omega she was turning into was craving things, enjoying the act of sex, wanting more, being thrilled and satisfied and fulfilled by it. And most disturbingly, reveling in the man who provided it for her.

This was no longer about exchanging herself for a contented and safe life, but enjoying something that wasn’t hers to enjoy and would never be guaranteed. She didn’t know how she was to pull herself back to the woman she’d been when she arrived here. And that scared her.

“Thanks for collecting this for me,” she said to Marahl, gesturing to the plate of fresh bread, speckled eggs, and salted fish before her.

“Boe was worried.” Marahl set down a pot of lemon tea. “He wanted to make sure you got your plate.”

Elora laughed. “I’ll visit him for a late lunch and beg forgiveness for worrying him.”

Marahl actually smiled as she took up the tray. “What is your plan for today?”

Elora shrugged. “Nothing different than any other day.”

“All right. Then I will see you later.”

Elora nodded as she left, fighting the desolation threatening to engulf her. She was losing count of how many days it’d been since she arrived, and nothing much had changed.

She still had nothing to do during the day but watch the servants complete their tasks, and they still didn’t speak to her, mostly ignoring her if she was in the same room. It was frustrating and boring to be in the lair. She tried to remember it was better to be bored than back on the streets of the North Cities, but drifting around the lair each day made her feel alone and like an outsider. This lair was more serious and upheld different values than Master Nyro’s lair. She couldn’t understand how anyone could thrive here without the support of others. She felt exposed and vulnerable. Even when she was out in the realm, she’d had her faction who cared and protected each other.

Watching the staff carrying out their duties did, however, allow her to see how much they cared about their work. They all worked really hard, paying attention to detail and doing all they could to make sure every task was completed to the best of their abilities.

On impulse, she headed back to the candle-making room and peered in.

The same young woman was in there—the one who’d run from her in the corridor—carefully pouring wax into a number of candle molds.

Elora waited until she had put the pitcher down and then stepped in. “Hello, again,” she said gently.

The woman lifted her head, her eyes widening as she saw Elora.

“Don’t be alarmed,” Elora said. “I was just exploring the lair.”

The girl’s brows knitted, but she said nothing.

Instead, she went to the other side of the room where a cauldron was hung, warming over a fire, and she began to ladle more wax into the pitcher. Elora watched her for a moment and when she moved back over to the table, Elora went over to the cauldron and picked up a pitcher from one of the shelves. She carefully ladled wax into it and then went back over to the table.

On a shelf behind the table, various-sized empty candle molds were lined up. She selected the same selection in size and number that the woman had in front of her and set them down on the table. She lifted the coated wicks that were hanging on an overhead rack and settled them inside the molds, then carefully poured the wax into the molds.

When she was finished, the young woman was staring at her puzzled, but again she said nothing.

Elora smiled as she shrugged. “I’m just helping you. I don’t have anything else to do.”

The girl hesitated and for a moment Elora thought she would say something, but she didn’t. She simply headed back over to the cauldron and filled her pitcher with wax again.

They worked like this for a little while, filling the candle molds with wax until all of them were filled. When they were finished, the woman stood staring at all the molds that were cooling on the bench by the window.

“That took a lot less time than it usually takes,” she said softly.

Elora started, surprised that the girl had finally spoken. “I hope you don’t mind I helped you,” she said. “It seems like a big job for one person to do.”

The woman shrugged. “I don’t mind doing it. It’s part of my duties.”

“What’s next?” Elora asked.

“Umm…” The woman looked at her, her brows wrinkled. “Well, I’m ahead of schedule now. There’s no more wax until tomorrow, so I suppose I can start cleaning up.”

Elora put out the fire while the girl washed the cauldron and set it down to dry. Then they both gathered back at the table.

“What happens now?” Elora asked.

“Usually it takes me all day,” the woman said. “And by then most of the molds are cool and I can store them.”

Elora nodded, unable to stop smiling. Relief spread through her that someone was finally speaking to her. “What would you normally do now?”

“I’m early now,” the girl explained, glancing at the window.

“Do you mind if we talk?” Elora asked tentatively.

The woman looked at the molds. “You helped me out, so I can talk to you at least,” she said, smiling nervously.

“Thank you,” Elora said, excitement lifting her mood. “It’s been a little bit unnerving to be completely ignored.”

“It’s not intentional,” the woman said sighing. “Everyone is just… focused on their work.”

“But why?” Elora asked. “Why are they so obsessed with their work that they would be rude?”

“Because of our lord,” the woman said, her voice quiet. “If the lair is not maintained, it will anger him, and when he is angry… that’s not good for us.”

Elora’s brows raised, though she shouldn’t be surprised by her admission. Zendyor had a vicious temper. He’d shredded her arm simply because she didn’t answer a question. Why hadn’t she seen it before? “You work so hard because you’re scared of him?”

“No… not exactly.” She struggled to find the words. “We’re not exactly scared of him. We’re glad to be here. He is the reason we are safe and able to be fed, and to be part of the culture and history of the Vattoro dragorai clan. But, he has specific needs and to honor him, the lair must be kept to a certain standard. It requires all of our time and attention, we cannot be distracted. If he is angry, it affects us all. And if we cannot keep up with the work, the stewards may decide we’re not suitable.”

Elora lifted her head in understanding. “Oh, I didn’t realize I was potentially causing such significant problems for you all.”

“You wouldn’t have known,” she said. “But you should know now that it’s best that you not distract us—you could be causing problems for us later on.”

Elora nodded. “I understand.” She thought for a moment. “But what about you, as servants? When do you get time to talk to each other and… enjoy your time here?”

“We don’t usually get time to check in with each other,” she admitted. “But we do enjoy our work.”

Elora tried not to let the horror show on her face. So Marahl had been frank with her—there was no fun in this lair for the servants. They were expected to work hard and that was it. How could they survive like that? “What’s your name?”

“Sarai,” she said.

“I’m Elora.”

“I know. We’ve been told about you.”

Elora made a face. “You have?”

Sarai nodded. “The stewards told us you may be around.”

“Oh.” Most likely the stewards told them to ignore her. “Marahl said you were ignoring me because I wasn’t a member of staff. Is that true?”

“At first, yes,” the girl said sheepishly. “No one wishes to anger our lord. It is easier if we don’t involve ourselves with people he dislikes. But now that you are staying, that’s not a concern anymore. We just want to get on with our duties.”

Elora nodded. “I am not trying to get in anyone’s way. I just want to be helpful.”

Sarai glanced at the molds. “You have been.”

“So what now?” Elora asked.

“We have to wait for the wax to cool.” Sarai looked around the room and then back at Elora. “Do you want to have an early lunch?”

Elora wasn’t particularly hungry since she had her breakfast late, but she was pleased at the invitation and grinned at Sarai. “I’d love to.”

After collecting their plates from Boe, they made their way to the next corridor to a small hall that had a number of large tables and benches. Sarai led Elora to the nearest one and sat down, then gestured to the other bench. They were the only ones there.

During lunch, she learned that Sarai had been in the lair for over fifteen years and had come from the North Cities as well. The stewards had recruited her and her brother when they were children to be runners when they needed supplies to get up to the top of the mountain quickly. She loved serving Zendyor and didn’t see him as anything but a dragorai, but she’d hardly spoken to him.

They spent a few hours talking before returning to the candle-making room where the wax had cooled in the molds. Elora helped Sarai press them out and cut the wicks to the correct length. They filled the tables with the candles and Elora helped her carry them over to the nearby storage room and place them on the empty shelves. As they placed the last set of candles on the shelf, a sense of pride bloomed in Elora that she had helped.

Sarai glanced at the window. “I can’t believe it’s still light out. I have the rest of the day free, and I’m not sure what to do with myself.”

“Why don’t you go and visit your brother?” Elora suggested.

“I don’t want to distract him from his work,” she said, shaking her head. “Just because I have some spare time, doesn’t mean I should interrupt him. And his work is too difficult for us to help.”

Elora nodded. “How about a game of Dao?”

“Dao?”

“Have you never played it before?”

Sarai shook her head.

“Then you’ve got some fun heading your way for the rest of the day,” Elora grinned. She beckoned Sarai to follow and led her out of the room toward her private quarters. “It’s a very addictive game, you’ll love it.”

* * *

It wasn’t until Sarai hurried out of the room to head to her own quarters late in the evening, that Elora realized that she hadn’t been summoned by Zendyor.

Hours had flown by while she played Dao with Sarai and it had been so much fun, but the skies were already dark. Normally, Zendyor would have summoned her by now.

She went to the washroom, a strange feeling kindling in her stomach, but she wasn’t sure what it was. She got herself ready for bed keeping her eye on the door in case Marahl entered, but as time wore on, it didn’t look like she was going to be summoned for the evening.

Elora lay in bed trying to determine how she felt about Zendyor not summoning her. There was no doubt she had gotten used to her evenings with him—maybe it would be good to be separated for a while. But did that mean her debt was paid? She’d have to ask tomorrow.

It had been at least a week of waking up in bed with her pillows propped up around her, creating a nest of sorts. She sighed and began the process herself so she could sleep comfortably.

Unfortunately falling asleep in her own bed was proving more difficult than she thought. After a few hours of tossing and turning and craving a solid, heated weight on top of her, she got up, cursing in frustration. Wrapping robes around her, she headed to the only place she knew she’d be welcome.

“Elora,” Boe greeted in surprise. “What are you doing here? It’s the middle of the night.”

Elora rubbed her eyes and stared at the bubbling pots on the stove. “I thought the kitchen would be closed.”

“I want to make sure that if our lord needs a meal, especially now, it is ready and prepared for him,” Boe explained.

“What do you mean ‘especially now’?” Elora asked.

Boe shrugged. “You know what the dragorai are like. They can be unpredictable and want what they want. I’ve learned that our lord doesn’t always like standard meal times. What can I get you?”

“Nothing really.” Elora sighed. “I just came down to have something to do. I can’t sleep.”

“I know the perfect thing.” Boe grinned. He got busy preparing something on the stove.

“Is Marahl around?” Elora asked.

“She can be up late, too, but she’ll probably be sleeping by now,” Boe said. “But one of the other stewards should be available.” He glanced at her. “Do you want me to get one of them for you?”

Elora shook her head. “No need. I just have questions.”

“For difficult questions, Marahl is the one to ask.” Boe handed her a mug. “Here.”

The mug was filled with a warm frothy drink, creamy with an earthy spice and a hint of sweetness.

“This is delicious.” Elora moaned.

Boe winked. “I know. Take it back to your room and it will get you right asleep.”

The next morning, Elora woke early, rested but a little disturbed. She sat up in bed wondering if something had happened. Boe suggested that Zendyor was changeable. Did that mean he changed his mind about having her pay off her debt too?

A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts. “Come in.”

Marahl stepped in and closed the door behind her. “You’re awake.” She approached Elora’s bed “Boe said you were looking for me. Is everything all right?”

“I just wanted to ask why… I wasn’t summoned yesterday,” Elora said. “I wondered, um, if something was wrong, or if… if my debt has been paid now.”

Marahl shook her head. “Our lord’s schedule has changed. He will be here different times over the next few weeks, and it will be unpredictable.”

“What does that mean for me?” Elora asked. “Did he give you a role for me to do?”

“No,” Marahl said. “Unfortunately he did not. I assume he will continue to have you pay off your debt whenever he is here.”

Elora exhaled annoyance. “Can you not give me duties anyway?”

“No,” she said. “I do not do things without the permission of our lord.”

Elora thought for a moment. “Does he have any kon’aya here?”

“Of course.”

Elora’s breath caught in her throat. She’d asked before, but didn’t remember Marahl’s answer. If he had other women whom he bedded, or even others to draw his attention, then it might take her longer to pay off her debt, but that wasn’t her only concern.… A strange feeling twisted in her stomach. “How many?”

“One.”

Elora frowned. “One?”

Marahl smiled. “It’s very different from what I saw of Nyro’s lair at the ordination of his mate.”

Elora nodded glumly. “There were lots of us.” She thought for a moment. “Surely the brothers would have the same… appetite? Why would our lord not have more than one kon’aya?”

“They do all have similar appetites,” Marahl said. “But it manifests in different ways.” She headed to the door. “You should get up before it gets too late.”

The next few days followed a similar pattern. Elora went to the candle room to help Sarai make the candles. Once they’d used up all the allocated wax for that day and filled the shelves in the storage room, they headed for lunch. Elora spent her evenings playing Dao with Sarai and reading her book until one morning, as she and Sarai turned a corner on the way to her quarters, they saw a man dragging a huge barrel into one of the rooms.

Heaving and pushing, Elora and Sarai, helped him to push the barrel into the room, then he gestured to them to help him put it in the corner.

Afterward, he stood back and observed them. Elora couldn’t guess his age, but his toned arms suggested his work was mostly physical. “Sarai,” he said nodding at her in thanks and then gave Elora a similar nod of thanks.

“Pelles,” Sarai replied.

Pelles moved over to the other side of the room and began busying himself with his duties. Elora watched him for a long moment, trying to figure out what his task was. It didn’t take her long. Before him were racks, paddles, a barrel of water, soaps and a huge pile of clothing and fabrics.

Elora and Sarai looked at each other and then both went over to join him.

They worked steadily for a few hours until the pile of clothing had diminished. Then they carried the wet clothing to an adjoining room that was warmed with dry heat. Squeezing as much water out of the fabric as they could, they laid them out to dry on the various racks and shelves in the room.

“Pelles,” the man said to Elora, as they headed back to the first room.

“Elora,” Elora said, dipping her head.

“I know,” he said. “Thank you for helping. That would have taken me all day.”

Elora smiled at him. “Is there anything else we can do?”

Pelles glanced at the remaining clothes. “I’d need to get fresh water to continue, so normally I would have had to do these tomorrow.”

“Let’s see if there’s anyone else we can help instead,” Sarai suggested.

They traveled to the other station rooms, as Pelles and Sarai referred to them, where other servants were carrying out their duties and they found new people to assist. By lunchtime, eight of the servants had finished their work for the day, and they all sat down in the hall to have their lunch together.

A hum of contentment nestled in Elora’s stomach as she watched the servants socializing, talking, laughing, and teasing each other as they shared their meal. Excitement sparkled in their eyes, something she hadn’t seen when she was walking around the lair before. For the first time, true hope filled her that a special community could develop here which she could be part of.

Sarai caught her eye and grinned. “This is really nice,” she said smiling. “Thank you.”

“Yes,” another woman called Cyndra added. “I didn’t think I’d ever have the chance to have a meal with everyone anytime soon. It’s so nice to finish my duties early.”

“It is a relief,” Pelles admitted. “Usually I’m so worried about not finishing my work on time.”

The others nodded.

“You all have such significant duties,” Elora said. “And you work so hard. Is there no time when you can just relax and have fun?”

“We don’t see it like that,” an older man named Askel said to her. “We came here with the expectation that we were going to work for the dragorai, and that we would be kept safe and well fed, and he and the stewards have upheld their promises. We were never promised fun or time to relax.”

“I’m sure your other lair was different,” Pelles commented, “but it is not surprising that the lair reflects the dragorai to whom it belongs. Our lord is very serious, dedicated, and hard-working. I admire that about him.”

The others nodded in agreement. “I never fear that we will be in danger here,” one of the other women said. “And even if we ever were, I know our lord would do everything he could to protect us.”

The others nodded as Elora reflected on what they said. “So do you think that Master Nyro is less serious?”

Cyndra twisted her mouth to one side as she thought. “I’m not sure that is completely accurate,” she said. “But when I look at Zendyor’s history, and the things that he tried to do for his clan and his kind, there isn’t any other dragorai brother who was as impactful or as passionate as he was. That’s not to say they didn’t all contribute in their own way, but our lord would have died for what he believed in. And I think I prefer being in his lair, no matter how much hard work it involves.”

The other servants nodded and murmured their agreement.

Elora spooned her soup into her mouth, falling into deep thought as the conversation moved on. The book she’d been reading about Zendyor’s history contained different kinds of stories. Some of them were humorous, others framed to teach a lesson, while others were more serious. But now that she thought about it, there was a lot of focus about his attempts to uphold the status of his clan. She sat back in her chair and recalled the stories she’d read so far. In fact, every single one was about him trying to hold to account anyone who interfered with the rules of his clan and protecting his kind. There were no accounts of deeds that were solely about his desires or needs, like some of the other dragorai brothers. All of his stories were based upon upholding or protecting the Vattoro clan and the dragorai race.

“How are you finding the differences between the lairs,” Cyndra asked, interrupting her thoughts.

Elora lifted a shoulder. “It is different,” she admitted. “It was hard here at first. I didn’t realize how strict our lord was. And I was very upset to learn that I wouldn’t be treated like a member of the lair by the rest of you unless I was given a role. It felt cold and unfriendly.” She glanced at Sarai. “But I’ve since realized that the culture is just different here and the way in which you work is different as are the things you believe. I now realize that your response to me wasn’t intentional.”

Pelles leaned forward. “It absolutely wasn’t intentional,” he insisted. “But it does help that you are still here. The longer you are here, the more likely it is that you will get a role, and the fact that you’ve helped us with our duties means you’re already part of the staff, really.”

“I’m definitely grateful that you are here,” Askel chimed in.

Elora smiled at them both.

“What do you mean that we believe in different things?” Askel asked her.

Elora shrugged. “You all focus exclusively on work here. It is more important to you than anything else. And that’s perfectly fine. But… it’s lonely.”

The table fell silent.

“In the other lair we spent more time together,” she continued. “And we learned about each other the more we did. We created close friendships, and that made it special, that’s all.”

A quieter woman whose name Elora couldn’t remember, spoke up. “Where are you from, Elora?”

“The North Cities.”

“And you were with a faction you could trust?”

Elora nodded.

“Many of us weren’t,” the woman pointed out. “It’s not natural for us to lean toward a community. If nothing, the factions of the North have taught me that a mix of the wrong people can be worse than isolation. It’s the stewards in each lair who would decide what is best for the staff in it, and this has been best for us.” She paused. “I’m sure Nyro’s lair had a method of getting rid of people who upset your community?”

“Yes,” Elora admitted. Though she didn’t add that the method wasn’t particularly nice.

“That is more frightful to me,” the woman said. “That if I don’t fit in, they will get rid of me.”

Elora chewed her lip in thought. She hadn’t thought about it like that.

“But we can create a community of sorts, on our own terms,” Sarai pointed out. “Like helping each other the way we did today.”

“Yes, but when Elora does get a role, she won’t be free to assist us with our duties,” Cyndra said.

“No,” Sarai agreed. “But until then we can all benefit, can’t we?”

Everyone around the table smiled at each other in silent agreement, and relief and gratitude beamed through Elora.

“We have to play Dao this afternoon,” Sarai said excitedly. “Elora will teach you how. It’s so good! I’ve only managed to come close to beating her once.”

Pelles’s face lit up. “I’ve heard of it. Let’s play. I’ll bring those chairs over and we can make a space.”

Elora grinned and got up to fetch her Dao table and set.

They were in the middle of a game when the thuds and trembles started again. The mountain shook, pounding thumps echoing throughout the entire lair.

The figurines on the Dao board toppled and rolled off. Several servants walking through the hall staggered and gripped onto the nearest table. A couple of the servants, who were standing around the Dao board table, fell—Askel cried out as his knee struck the hard floor. Elora tried to find anything she could hold onto so she could remain as stable as possible.

After a long moment, the shuddering stopped and Elora exhaled heavily as she surveyed the hall. Plates had been broken, tables had shifted, and some people were still on the floor, but there didn’t seem to be any serious injuries.

The servants around her began picking up the pieces of the Dao board and Sarai came to ask if she was all right.

“Yes,” Elora breathed. “I don’t know how you manage with that. It’s so dangerous. What if you were pouring wax when something like that happened? Someone could be injured!”

Sarai nodded. “It is a hazard sometimes, and it does make things more difficult. But that is the nature of where we are.”

“How can it be?” Elora said. “It was never like this in the other lair.”

Sarai said nothing, but Elora didn’t miss the look Sarai exchanged with Pelles.

Once the Dao board was upright again, and everyone was settled, Pelles, who was intrigued with the rules and determined to win, challenged Elora to a game.

They played slowly at first, laughing with each other and the other servants as Pelles learned the rules, but then he became more serious once he was more familiar with it.

Elora was contemplating her next move when the servants around her gasped, and the mood in the room changed. Looking up, surprise, alarm, and awe unified their expressions as they stared toward the door, and when she twisted around she was shocked to see Zendyor crowding the entrance, his eyes filled with that familiar intensity as they met hers.

Elora had almost forgotten just how huge he was, considering it had been quite a few days since she’d seen him. And seeing him in the lair among other people, highlighted his unique distinctness. He carried a turbulence within him, not only in the strength of his gaze, but in the air that surrounded him. It was intensely powerful, somewhat imposing, and for Elora, highly attractive.

He strode in slowly and everything fell silent.

Elora glanced around for Marahl, but she wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Zendyor circled them, his eyes flicking between Elora and the Dao board. The servants around her all got to their feet, keeping their eyes on him.

“M-my lord,” Pelles said, the stutter in his voice betraying his nervousness. “I assure you we have finished our duties for the day.”

“So I hear,” Zendyor said, his eyes Elora. “Very interesting how you have managed to interfere with my servants’ duties.”

“I simply helped when I saw they needed help.” Elora smiled brightly. “You should be proud of them; they work very hard.”

Zendyor said nothing, his eyes flicking back to the Dao board.

“If there is something else you wish us to do…” This time uncertainty dominated Pelles’s tone. “We’d be happy to do anything more that you need.”

“I think that should be up to Elora,” Zendyor said, his voice measured.

Elora tried to keep her smile as he came toward her, standing by the chair Pelles had just vacated. “What do you mean?”

Zendyor sat down opposite her. “If you win, they have the rest of the week to do as they wish. If I win, they are punished.”

“Why would they be punished?” Elora said sharply, her smile dropping. “They have finished their duties for the day. I doubt they’d prefer a week’s grace, so all you are offering is punishment.”

“I am the lord of this lair,” Zendyor said. “I can create any punishment or reward I wish.”

Elora glanced at the servants and most of them gazed at Zendyor in awe, but Sarai was looking at her with a smile, dipping her head in an nod of encouragement.

“All right,” Elora said tersely. She reset the board. “Provided we don’t get any mountain quakes we should be able to have a fair game.”

For some reason, a couple of the servants gasped at her words. She peered at them in confusion, but again their eyes were solely on Zendyor, as if she may have offended him.

Zendyor didn’t seem to notice them at all. His gaze was solely focused on her.

The game was extremely intense. It began in a series of furiously fast moves and Elora was immediately aware that she was playing with someone who had extensive experience. Every move she made forced her to rethink her strategy.

Once the preliminary moves were out of the way, she paused, contemplating her next move

“You have obviously practiced this game,” Zendyor said. “I am surprised.”

“Why?”

He gestured to the figurines. “I am surprised you’d be spending so much time around the Goddesses.”

Elora’s stomach dropped. She stared at him, her face slowly going cold. How could he possibly know? She cleared her throat. “They’re just figurines.”

He stared straight back at her, his gaze a blend of curiosity, desire, and determination. “They are not just figurines.” He leaned forward. “Did you know they say the Goddesses can see through the eyes of any effigy made in their image?”

Elora dropped the figurine she held, her fingers shaking, a numb dread spreading through her. Suddenly it was hard to breathe.

Zendyor watched her closely, a smile spreading on his face. “Do you forfeit?”

Elora lowered her head and took a breath.

“You can do it, Elora,” Sarai said.

Elora blinked up at Sarai, who was grinning and shaking her fist excitedly, cheering her on. A warmth spread through Elora at her cheerfulness among the sober, dramatic mood Zendyor had created. The other servants were staring at her like she was insane.

“What?” Sarai said to them. “It’s a game. Our lord is playing a game with us in our hall.” She looked so excited Elora thought she was going to faint.

But she broke the tense mood. The other servants relaxed, some also calling out words of encouragement.

Elora picked up her piece again and examined it. Then she picked up the others and examined those. She glanced at him, annoyance burning through her. He was lying about the Goddesses. She returned the pieces and made her move.

Zendyor’s expression was still sober. It was as though the servants didn’t exist for him. “You will tell me why you avoid them.”

Elora glanced at the servants, but most of them were watching the board, still staring at Zendyor or smiling at her. “I don’t know what you mean,” she said. “I do not avoid paying Dao.”

Zendyor growled, the deep rumble echoing in the hall. The servants quietened. “If you will not tell me, you will forfeit. Now. And they will suffer.”

Elora’s annoyance turned into outrage. After everything she had done to try to create a place for herself among the servants, just as she was finally making headway, he was threatening them all, just because she wouldn’t share something that was deeply personal and private. She ground her teeth, trying to control the anger spiraling in her chest.

“If you don’t,” he said, “I will never allow you to leave your room again.”

Fury encased her, seizing her in a hot rush and pushing her beyond her limit. “Then how will you fuck me?” she muttered.

In one swift, fierce move, Zendyor rose and upended the Dao table with one hand, throwing it clear across the hall until it cracked against the far wall. The servants gasped, everyone jumped back a few steps as Zendyor charged forward and dragged Elora out of her seat.

“I will fuck you anywhere I please,” he thundered, his face contorted in fury a mere inch from hers. The familiar scent of him grabbed hold of her, transmuting her anger into seething need. She wanted to be in his room again, on his bed, on his cock—sweaty, sticky, sore. A single thought dominated her mind; she’d missed him. She breathed him in, relishing just how delicious he smelt, and her desire peaked beyond her control.

“You will tell me everything I want to know, Elora,” he growled. “Or I will not only—”

She leaned forward and captured his full bottom lip in her mouth, sucking on it with a moan.

He responded immediately, opening his mouth and claiming her kiss—hot, rough, and bold, with a groan of his own.

He kissed her like he was starved for her, locking his mouth over hers, brushing his tongue on her, sucking her lips… there was something about it that was sensual, it made her nipples ache and her stomach flutter.

When her back hit the wall, Zendyor held her against it while he reached up under her tunic and ripped off her panties. He unbuckled himself, their kiss becoming messier and wilder as their desperation grew.

Elora hooked her toes onto the waistband of his pants and dragged them down, then opened her legs as he settled in between them, tilting her hips and offering herself to him.

He thrust in hard and pounded her aching channel, his body slapping against hers as she widened her knees and groaning for more. Clawing his back, she was held in the grip of the exalted pleasure she sought. Nothing else mattered but this feeling. Nestling her face into his neck, she breathed him in as he grunted into her ear. He gripped her tighter, pummeling her faster, the succulent slams of their coupling echoing back to her.

Her climax was as savage as him. It tore through her, rupturing all coherent thought and bathing her in a euphoria that was almost too intense.

When the alpha came, he slammed her body into the wall until she was plugged with his fleshy knot, roaring so loud she shivered at the tickle in her ear.

Elora wound her arms around his neck, panting and sweaty, her head resting on his chest as she hummed in delight at the feel of him locked to her.

When she finally opened her eyes, partial awareness retuning, the hall was empty. She groaned, wondering what the servants now thought of her. But she would have to deal with that another time. Exhaustion was creeping over her and she needed to be flush against the alpha not the wall. She whined softly, and he must have understood, because he carefully lifted her from the wall and carried her to his chambers.