Again, that pandering, plaintive tone of voice. I wondered what Zephyr had on the others of his inner circle. But, more importantly, Zephyr’s reference to Theo told me they were close to his attack. Maybe one of them even perpetrated it. He had been unconscious when I had seen him. That thought made me feel sick again. What did Theo have on Zephyr that they would try to kill him?
I knew what I had to do. I had to talk to Theo. But how?
I stood up and brushed lightly at the seat of my pants to be sure there was no clinging grass. When I did, I realized Zephyr had moved off the wall and was standing at the outer edge of the rock cropping. He’d unzipped his pants and was peeing, clearly a master of his environment. As he finished and turned, I saw his hand holding his cock, giving it a shake. A curious shiver of desire shot down my spine. Without meaning to, the tip of my tongue shot outward to lick my top lip.
That was when Zephyr looked down to his right and glanced at me. There was not a hint of surprise in his expression. He knew I was there, which, in turn, meant that he knew I’d listened in to his conversation. Had he spoken for my benefit?
Zephyr continued to hold his cock—a slow, knowing smile slid above his jaw. His hand rubbed himself with a rhythmic, base-to-tip motion, and I saw him growing hard almost immediately. Something touched my nipple, and in a daze, I realized it was my own hand, stimulating myself through the cloth.
He was fully erect now, a proud upward-pointing staff with a royal-purple head. One tight squeeze and a stream of crystalline pre-cum dribbled out. It twinkled in the midday sun before dropping away into the chasm below.
Our eyes locked, unblinking. Zephyr’s dark irises seemed inky black the longer we looked at each other. He was covetous. He wanted my body again.
What shocked me—frightened me, really—was a warm, swirling ache inside me. I was woozy, but not because of my hangover. I could almost feel Zephyr’s domineering hand between my legs. Without even deciding to do so, I slipped my fingers down the front of my jeans and firmly massaged my dewy lips.
My breath escaped in a deep groan all at once. I could feel Zephyr’s arms around me, taste his lips, smell his seed on my face.
My eyes rolled back, lost in the fantasy of mutual masturbation between my enemy and the sensual woman hiding inside me. It was a moment, a glimpse of something greater than my mind clinging fearfully to the present.
Zephyr clenched his jaw and sucked air, never breaking eye contact with me. His hand remained steady though, never speeding, never breaking his rhythm of long, full, loving strokes.
I, however, was racing. My fingers danced excitedly over my clit. My breath was ragged, coming in gasps. My cheeks burned, flush with arousal against the crisp buffeting breeze.
Zephyr’s gaze was more than raw lust, though. It was a command. You come first, bitch, it told me. I won’t spurt until you get off.
I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. Denial prolonged the reward, so I withdrew my hand from my wet, pulsing pussy, stood, turned, and slowly walked away.
Behind me, I heard Zephyr laugh, acid in his joy.
Chapter 15
Biba
A week later, things seemed normal, which at Stormcloud felt somehow abnormal. The fact that students appeared mostly focused on their studies made for a strange state of affairs in this hotbox of a school.
I still kept my head down around campus, though there wasn’t so much of the brutal, degrading treatment Zephyr doled out in my first month on campus. Perhaps he didn’t want his sexual conquest doused in bodily fluids anymore. Unless they came from him directly.
Zephyr Williams seemed to be always keeping one eye on me. When I entered the dining hall, his eyes caught mine right as mine caught his. I steered clear of the wall these days, but now and then, the Kings and their courtiers relocated to the stairs that led from my dorm wing to the classrooms.
No one touched me. Poppy and Erin sneered, and some of the younger guys snickered and leered, but they didn’t dare make a comment. I had been marked, it seemed. Zephyr might not have liked details of our sexual assignation getting out, but if anyone were going to molest me in the halls, apparently, it would be him and him alone.
I grew accustomed to Zephyr’s icy, proprietary glares. At first, they were unnerving. Then, they were just part of the environment. Despite myself, I developed a weird thrill from his eyes boring down to my fearful soul. I felt them even when I was alone.
You’re mine, his eyes told me. Don’t get comfortable. Don’t get complacent. Any moment I can decide, I want you back, and you will not have a choice in the matter.