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The Seduction of Seleste

From the world of the mating season

The Last Night

Chapter 74

Avi had fallen under the spell. The next morning, Kilyan was unable to wake her, and the reason for her acute absence the night before was suddenly clear to Keme. So shemales were susceptible as well? He glanced at the talisman Zaldon had given him and was doubly grateful for the old wolf's help.

After receiving the grim news, the group gathered downstairs to discuss what could be done. Kilyan remained upstairs with Avi, who was stretched out on the bed, sleeping peacefully on her back. No one could convince Kilyan to leave her side - not even Keeno, who was violently shaken off when he grabbed Kilyan's arm.

No one quite knew what to do. In the sitting room on the ground floor, they sat and paced and stood staring out windows. Nizhoni sat on one of the couches with an indifferent Aayan on her lap, watching sympathetically as the others worried and muttered.

"But no one else can fall asleep, right?" LiAnh demanded of the nursemaid. He stood at her shoulder, his white mane a mess after an anxious paw had gone through it.

Nizhoni nodded. "Her majesty succumbed because the great crystal drained her magic. Her strength."

"Great crystal?" repeated Seleste sharply. She was seated beside Keme on a couch opposite Nizhoni. She peered hard into the girl's face, awaiting an answer.

Nizhoni hesitated, and Keme could tell she didn't want to address a "lowly slave," but her eyes darted to LiAnh, and not wanting to hurt or offend him, she looked at Seleste and answered patiently, "There is a great crystal in the palace. It's the oldest one here. It is connected to the other crystals, so when anything happens to it . . . all the magic is affected."

"And something happened to the great crystal?" Seleste pressed. She frowned. "What? What happened?"

Nizhoni shook her head and her silky white mane flowed around her ears. "No one was certain. Only a frost wolf could heal the crystal. We foxes . . . we don't know how to tend to them. A frost wolf was brought in to look at it. She . . . died when she touched it."

Keme stiffened. "What!"

Nizhoni swallowed hard. "It was terrible," she whispered. "She tried to heal the crystal with her touch. She exploded."

Keme looked at Seleste, and when she gave him a stubborn look, he shook his head. "You're nuts," he told her, "if you think I'm letting you near that thing."

Seleste scowled. "If it will save everyone here --!"

"No."

Seleste's face darkened. "I don't need your permission to --"

"No, you don't," Keme said over her. "I'm simply not going to let you. Hate me all you want."

Seleste folded her arms and regarded him irritably. She was startled when Nizhoni laughed. They looked at her to find she was watching them in amusement, one paw on her breasts.

"He loves you dearly," Nizhoni told Seleste. She nodded at Keme. "Cherish that. It . . . will not last."

Keme's ears flattened. He looked at Seleste, and he could tell she was on the verge of telling Nizhoni to mind her business. LiAnh did it for her, and Nizhoni shoved him away irritably. LiAnh laughed, and Keme couldn't help but smile when his brother leaned down, and he and Nizhoni kissed. It suddenly seemed so natural that the two of them should be together.

"And you," Keme said to Nizhoni. She looked at him, her ears pricking forward. "Take care of my brother." He jerked his head at LiAnh, who rolled his eyes.

Nizhoni smiled. "I promise, your highness."

Keme stared. Highness? Oh right. He was the fox queen's brother . . .

"Alright, here's what we'll do," Keeno said, raising his voice to everyone in the room. He limped to the center of the room, slightly hunching as he used his spear for support. Everyone's ears pricked forward, and they drew close. Keme saw Inden's dark eyes lock on Keeno expectantly, as did Mio's and Zee's.

"Kilyan is not going to leave Avi alone here," Keeno said. "Not if we gag him and bind him and drag him away by the mane. He's going to stay with her, so I'll stay with them --"

"Uncle!" Mio protested at once, and Zee shook his head in disgust.

"Grandfather is being foolish," Zee swore. "We can't think of splitting up in this place!"

"But we can't leave Avi here alone," Inden said gruffly.

Mio offered his paws. "What would happen to her, Inden? The foxes seem to be doing okay on their own!"

Looking over at Mio and Zee, Keme knew why they didn't want Kilyan and Keeno staying behind: they were the adults. Kilyan and Keeno were their leaders and guides, the older experienced males who made the younger ones feel safe. Even Zee looked frightened to be left without them - Zee, who was so independent, hard, and unwavering.

"Don't get your balls in a twist," LiAnh told Mio and Zee and waved his paw carelessly. "It's not the end of the world if Dad and Keeno stay behind. And I agree with Inden: Avi shouldn't be left alone. What if the house collapsed or something?"

"I'm no use to you pups anyway," Keeno told Mio and Zee, and he gave them a half-smile as he thumped his injured leg. "I'm better off here, where I can look after your drama queen Grandfather. He's distraught and he needs Uncle Kee. It's kinda my forte."

Mio blinked and nodded reluctantly, though Zee still looked ready to spit.

"I don't want anything to happen to Avi either, but . . ." Zee broke off uncertainly.

"You made a promise to protect your chief and chieftess," Inden said to Zee and nodded at LiAnh and Seleste. He stood with his paw on his spear, his huge wings closed tight behind his broad shoulders. He was muscular and grim and had a tough aura about him that made Keme think back to his tears out on the ice: he still couldn't believe such a creature as Inden . . . had cried.

"You will honor it until you can no longer stand," Inden told the younger male.

Reminded of his oath, Zee drew himself up and nodded at Inden. Inden nodded in turn.

"Go on then," Keeno told them. He limped over to Inden and clapped him on the shoulder. "We'll be here when you get back. I almost want to suggest . . ." His eyes went to Aayan.

Aayan at once buried his face in Nizhoni's neck.

Keeno sighed. "He'll never stay here with us, will he?"

Nizhoni shook her head and smiled apologetically. "I'm afraid he will not, master wolf. His father and I are the only ones he will allow to touch him. Anyone else and he screams and foams at the mouth."

"Heh," Keeno said sadly. "And when this spell is lifted, will he . . .?"

Nizhoni shook her head uncertainly. "Perhaps. I suppose we will see."

After filling their traveling packs with provisions from the pantry, they set out again, their company three wolves less. Nizhoni led them on through the winding white streets of Miras Eii, little white Aayan clinging hard to her neck. LiAnh walked at her side, and behind her, Keme and Seleste moved paw-in-paw. Behind them, Mio, Zee, and Inden brought up the rear.

It was as long a journey as Nizhoni had claimed. She led them down back alleys and cut through little orchards, explaining over her shoulder that these off-road paths were shortcuts. They passed through exquisite gardens with towering flowers, passed beneath the stares of looming statues, and passed over bridges linking the banks of little rivers. All the while, the great white palace loomed nearer and nearer on the hill. Before long, Keme could see a bridge reaching down from it, across a river much larger than any of the branches they had so far crossed. The river sparkled as blue as the water that had been in the drinking basin. Looking at it from where they'd made camp, he had to wonder if the river water was poisonous to him as well. Probably.

The great bridge was not far in the distance. It reached up and up, sliding away into a stair that niched in the looming hill. The white stair would lead to the palace gates, behind which, Wynn lay in her endless slumber. Tomorrow, they would enter the palace. And find what? Keme glanced at Seleste, who was sitting at his side, holding herself in the cold. He wrapped his arm around her, and she smiled.

"Do you feel it?" Nizhoni whispered.

They had set up in camp in the yard of a magnificent house. Keme could only assume the mansion had belonged to some fox high-ranking in society. Like many of the houses, the door was overgrown with thick vines and flowers, and trees had encroached upon the windows, leaning against them as if to peek inside. There was no getting in the mansion for the night - or any of the others, which were likewise enclosed. Outside, slumbering foxes were cradled gently by vines. It was almost as if the flora was trying to protect the foxes by holding them up, as well as their houses and windowpanes.

Keme glanced around as he sat near the fire. The trees in the yard seemed to watch them, the vines to whisper. The flora was wary of the fire. Keme piled more rocks around the flames, as if to assure the trees that the fire would not spread. As he sat down again, it occurred to him that the foxes never used open fires. There was no evidence of a fire pit outside . . . anywhere.

"Feel what?" LiAnh asked. He sat beside Nizhoni, rubbing his paws over the flames. It was growing steadily colder, the wind harder.

Zee stood on the edge of the camp, peering resolute into the distance, spear in paw. "She means the earthquakes," he said without turning. "They've been trembling through the ground all day. Get stronger the closer we come to the palace."

"Oh," Keme said, "that sounds wonderful."

"Actually," laughed Nizhoni, "I meant the rain. I was pretty certain you'd felt the earthquakes on your own."

As if on cue, the rain pattered down, and the fire extinguished in a hiss. Cursing and scowling, Zee ran for the cover of the nearby trees, Mio on his heels. The others soon followed.

As if in sympathy, the trees slowly leaned over to shield them, their great trunks groaning with effort. Keme watched in amazement as a canopy of green slowly closed over their heads. The wind whipped and rain lashed in from the sides, but for the most part, they remained dry. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and Inden shook his wings of rainwater.

"We should get some sleep," LiAnh said. He glanced over at Nizhoni to see Aayan had dozed off in her arms. He laughed. "Looks like the little prince has the right idea."

They rolled out their bedrolls in the grass, and Keme wanted to laugh: everyone seemed so miserable about having to sleep outside, in the rain and wind. He found it refreshing. How many times had he lain with Aiyana under the trees as the rain tapped down? As mist rose in the jungle and the dark, rich soil drank its fill? And as creatures chirruped and howled and scurried, he knew her in his arms, and the tingling sensation of the rain slicking down his fur . . . it had only intensified that pleasure.

Everyone tucked into their bedrolls. Keme saw Nizhoni climb in LiAnh's bedroll with him, and with little Aayan sleeping gently between them, they went to sleep. Seleste was left alone, with no bedroll: she'd spent the entire trip sharing with LiAnh. Keme took her paw and they smiled at each other.

"All aboard," he said playfully.

Seleste laughed and climbed under the sheets with him. They lay together in happy silence as the distant thunder roared, as the wind and rain sent icy kisses through their fur. Already, Seleste's mane was plastered around her flattened ears. She moved to pull her hood up, but Keme stopped her.

"Keme . . .?"

"I want to see you," he whispered.

Seleste turned over and looked at him. Her heart was beating hard; he could tell by the heaving of her breasts, the fluttering of her lashes. He unbuttoned her shawl and pushed it aside. He stopped at her dress. It was one piece, a white garment Nahimana had given her with a beaded collar and open back. Little did she know he had studied the trick of that stupid collar's clasp as she slept! He undid her collar now with a careless flick that startled her. Down came the dress. He smoothed his paw against her curves as he pushed it away, and he was surprised when she didn't protest. After all - she was naked! Anyone could wake and see her like this with him. But she didn't seem to care. Her large gray eyes looked at him, and they echoed with sadness and longing. She kissed him on the lips and whispered, "Make love to me, Keme." And he did. After all . . . this might be the last night.

Lightning flashed, and their bodies were cast in silhouette as they moved together, gasping and sighing, kissing, clinging, and whispering of love. Seleste received Keme, moist and warm, the swollen lips of her sex clinging to him so hard, he could feel the fear trembling through her. He kissed her tenderly to calm her, her eyes, her lips, her breasts. He saw her tear and licked it away, but his own tear blinded him as it filled one eye. Saddened by his tears, she cupped his face and slid her tongue in his mouth. Their tongues twisted, and as the kiss deepened, he felt her sex moistening and lengthening. Her juices rushed around him, hot and wet as she cried out. He hunched as he pressed himself inside, and he felt her trembling thighs clenching him hard.

He slid with ease through her juices, and he pressed so deeply, she arched her back and moaned. Her sharp breasts crushed against him. His choked cry came muffled behind her kisses and his cock flinched inside. Her head fell back and her lashes fluttered. He knew what was happening. She was feeling him, his hot seed, rushing up and in. She trembled, then melted happily in his arms. He showered her with lazy kisses, and he smiled when her fingers stroked his mane. He had come inside her _hard._And it didn't matter. It didn't matter at all.