Serenity

"Mmm yeah, baby, you like that don'tcha?"

"Oh yes, harder, please!" I wasn't at all surprised to hear the lust and desire thick in my voice. I'd put it there, after all. I'd been trained too well and had too much practice to let my disgust leak out into my voice.

John Stone – the seventh John Stone this week – was actually Lord Doland Carston. The Gaelin kingdom had its share of gross men, but Lord Carston was a prize pig. He was fat, hairy, sweaty, and obnoxious. His hot, short breaths smelled like moth balls that had been soaked in diarrhea for a week. His grunts were shallow as he thrust his tiny prick into me, and there was a frog in his throat that he apparently hadn't noticed. I could hear it with every grunt, groan, and moan, and it made me want to clear my own throat or scrape his out with a rusty spoon. It was driving me nuts. My abs had been flexed the entire time he mounted me, just to keep his fat, heavy gut from crushing me. The stained velvet jerkin he wore hung open, trying to hug me, to pull me into that mass of jiggling, swaying fat. I suddenly had to keep myself from laughing out loud; I realized that his tits were bigger than mine.

But despite all this crazy shit pissing me off, I kept writhing and moaning beneath him like I really was enjoying it. And he bought it. They always bought it. That's why I was Madre's most profitable whore.

Lord Car-- I mean Mr. Stone's breaths grew shorter as his weak little thrusts grew faster. I urged him on. "Come on, mmm yes, cum inside me! Fuck me like the whore I am!" I moaned beneath him, nearly suffocating under all that... gross. The plead to cum inside me always set them off. I don't know what it was about being able to fill a whore's womb with their seed that men enjoyed so much, but whatever got them off faster, I was all for it.

I could feel him tightening his body above me, and I exploded into a fake orgasm just before he spewed into me. I bucked underneath him, clenching around him as he released, until he finally fell exhausted beside me. Thank the Gods he didn't collapse on top of me. I think I might have vomited if he did.

He tried to wrap me in his big, flabby arms, but I slipped off the bed with smooth alacrity. I could feel his slimy eyes caressing my ass, so I slipped on a pair of panties and wrapped a thick robe around my slender body. I looked back at him and fought to hide a shudder. I smiled instead.

"You better get back to your Lady wife, don't you think?" My voice, when not shouting in false ecstasy, was smooth and slow, a little raspy. His body was coated in a sheet of sweat, making him look like a beached whale.

A look of shock at my knowing he was married made his face even uglier, but then realized he was still wearing his wedding ring. "Fuck my wife," he spat as he sat up, his stomach bulging all the more.

I could wear a fake smile like a comfortable glove, but I was quickly growing tired of this slob. "Maybe you should start taking your own advice before she comes looking to remove unfaithful portions of your anatomy." I sat down at the small table across the room from the bed and started going through my appointment book. I looked back over my shoulder, all warmth and welcome now gone from my gaze. "Maybe you should start now."

He must have heard the dismissal in my voice, because he rose from the bed. His fat jiggled as he stood, and I had to turn away. He was grumbling something under his breath as he dressed, but I didn't want to hear it. As far as I was concerned, this John Stone was already out the door. A few seconds later, I heard the muted clink of gold coins as they landed on the bed. "Flaming bloody whore," he cursed as he left. He undoubtedly would have liked to punctuate his anger with a backhand across my pretty, slutty face, but Madre would hear about it. And then Lord Carston would be in a lot of trouble. When the door slammed shut, I slumped down in the chair, sighing heavily.

Why the hell do I put myself through this? I know enough dirty little secrets to turn this joke of a kingdom on its head in a matter of days, and my bank account is more than big enough to buy myself a safe exile for the rest of my days. So why do I keep putting myself through this? Just as the questions formed in my mind, a sharp knock on my door drove it out.

Who the hells could that be? My next appointment wasn't for another hour. Without thought, my hand reached under the desk and slipped the small stiletto from its hidden sheath. With my palm facing behind me, I hid the sharp blade against my wrist as I stood. It was probably just Madre checking to see whether any of her daughters needed anything. But you could never be too careful. The glint of gold on the bed caught my eye. I reached over, snagged the coins, and stuffed them into the enchanted pocket inside my panties before straightening again.

"Who's there?"

"I have need of your services," came the reply from the hall. It was a man's deep, cultured voice. I was perplexed by this; Madre never let anyone past the front desk without an appointment. And even if by some unheard of change of Madre's policy he was able to make an immediate appointment, I had not been told.

"Sorry, I don't do walk-ins." I was a bit surprised at the rigidity of my spine as I stood staring at the plain door. There was only one thing you came to a Red Moon house for, and it wasn't tea and crumpets. But something in the inflection of his voice said he wasn't after sex. I can't say how I knew, though. All I knew was that something was not right.

"May I come in please? I have important matters to discuss with you."

"Who the hell are you?"

"I am just a man who walks beneath the lonesome light of the moon."

My skin felt like it was trying to crawl away. That was Madre's password. Not so much the words, but the very precise inflection of those words. She only taught this exact cadence to the few people she trusted with her life. I was one of those people. And apparently this man was another. I found myself reaching out to the doorknob and turning it slowly. When the door swung inward, the breath was torn from my lungs as the most amazing set of eyes fell on mine, eyes of the bluest summer sky. I wanted to float in his gaze, to feel it on me, to wrap it around me like a warm comforter. But the sound of his rich voice brought me out of the trance. I felt embarassed and ashamed for having been so beguiled by a stranger. I had to search my mind quickly for what he'd said.

"Yes, come in." I hoped the pause wasn't too long. As I stepped aside to let him in, I just had time to notice how handsome he was before his scent filled my nose. It wasn't a smell that I could put a name to, except maybe strong, confident, soft. It was intoxicating.

"Thank you. You have a nice place." He stood a few feet inside the door, looking around at my sparse apartments with a soft smile. It made him even more handsome.

My apartment was just one large room with an oversized bed, two chairs, small desk, and a wardrobe to furnish it, all crafted of expensive black oak. The polished hardwood floor was covered with a huge Katsuin rug that cost more than a small farmstead. The molding around the one window was carved into vines, leaves and flowers; attractive enough to leave it without treatments. The walls were painted a warm rose. Not what you might expect in a whore's room.

"You flatter me," I said as I stepped around him. I tried to ignore his scent this time. "Come, sit down." I gestured to one of the two comfortable chairs facing each other on the far wall, flanking the window. He nodded his thanks and followed me across the room. Everything about this man was throwing me off. He was very courteous and polite, not doing anything without being invited. Such etiquette was very rare in a whorehouse patron. He waited for me to sit down before lowering himself nimbly into his chair. I met his eyes again, but the previous intensity was gone. I sighed in relief.

He was wearing black, wide-legged pants and a matching jacket that reached nearly to his knees. The mandarin collar was high and square. The front was fastened with plain black frog closures. He was a very handsome man, regardless of his expensive wardrobe. His face was lean and angular, almost elvish, though his ears weren't pointed. His short hair was a dark charcoal color, stylishly messy. I wanted to run my fingers through it.

This was a man who clearly didn't have to go searching for a woman to share his bed; so what was he doing in a whorehouse? His eyes held mine for a silent moment, and I suddenly felt extremely underdressed in my bathrobe.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jaden." He leaned forward and offered his hand. His handshake was perfectly polite. I could feel a hint of the strength in his body, like a brisk wind before a vicious storm.

"A pleasure, Jaden. I'm Serenity. What brings you here?"

"Well, as I mentioned, I have need of your services." He leaned back in the chair, legs crossed casually, hands draped over the ends of the armrests. He looked as though he belonged in that chair. His eyes were serious, but still comfortable to look at. They weren't pawing at my body as most men did. He knew I was a whore - the best and most expensive in town - but he apparently didn't care. The respect he'd shown me almost made me ashamed of my profession. Almost. I nodded and he went on.

"I am from a small kingdom called Aeryx near the-- You've heard of it?" He was looking at me questioningly, one sculpted eyebrow arched. I realized that I'd been smiling, but not because I recognized the name of his home. I had been watching his lips move. The way they formed that name invoked images of a sun-bathed meadow with a soaring castle sparkling in the distance. I lay beneath a hot, cloudless sky, long green grass tickling my naked body, looking up at those blue eyes above me. I could almost feel the pressure of his manhood against my thigh as Jaden's moist, bow-shaped lips parted slightly and drew closer....

The image vanished and I found myself lost in his eyes again. I fought to clear my mind and smiled politely. "No, I'm sorry. Please continue." His smile looked polite at first, but was there a hint of a smirk? He settled back in the chair.

Just as his sensuous mouth opened to form the next word, a huge thud shuddered my door. Jaden was on his feet in an instant, mumbling something that sounded like "Shit, already?" As I rose, he stepped in front of me. There were now two black sticks in his hands, each less than a yard long, and I had exactly a heartbeat to wonder where they came from before the door of my apartment exploded.

"Out the window," he hissed over his shoulder. "Now!" I risked a glance around him and was seized by terror.

In the doorway stood a creature roughly the shape of a man. It must have been eight feet tall; it had to crouch through the doorway. Gangrenous flesh seemed to bubble and boil all over its thick, muscular body. The fingers of its huge hands ended in sharp claws. The head was little more than a huge, gaping maw filled with jagged yellow teeth that looked like wickedly curved daggers. The eyes of the monster were red and haunting, but intelligent.

"Go!" Jaden commanded again before stepping up to the beast. The sickening gurgle of the creatures throat coupled with the urgency in Jaden's voice left me with little choice. My panic-induced paralysis broke and I threw myself at the window. Luckily the rusted latch gave before the glass. The casements flew open and I tumbled out just as I heard a dull thudding crack that I hoped was Jaden's sticks connecting with that atrocity.

My apartment was on the second floor, but the building was set into a hill. As it happened, the ground came up almost to my window and sloped gently down toward the left as you looked - or in my case, jumped - out. Had I not known this, I never would have flung myself out of the window so carelessly.

I hit the sloping ground a little akwardly on my shoulder and scrambled quickly down the hill. Before I even had a chance to run, I felt a strong hand clamp down on my upper arm. A scream burst unbidden from my lips, but was silenced by another warm, calm hand. I looked behind me with wide eyes and saw Jaden's cold blue gaze scanning the area. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest.

"This way, quietly." He pulled me along behind the Red Moon house toward the busiest part of the city. I felt a cold breeze caress my breasts and stomach and realized that my robe had blown open as we ran. I tried to close it as best I could, but my nipples had already turned into hard pebbles. My long blond hair was billowing out behind me as I cursed the gods for letting me be evicted from my apartments with such poor clothing. I held the robe closed while we fled. I'd left my apartments barefooted as well, and after a short sprint down a cobblestone alley, I had to pull Jaden to a stop.

"Why are you stopping? We must get away from here," he said harshly, turning on me with agility a cat would envy.

"I'm not going anywhere without shoes," I snapped back at him. I leaned against a grimy brick wall, rubbing a sore foot, panting heavily. Without so much as a word, he swept me up into his arms and continued down the alley. I was immediately aware of the gentle power of his arms. I could feel his muscles tight and hard beneath my back and legs, carrying me with no apparent effort. At the same time, he cradled me like a newborn baby, wrapping me in comfort and security. I felt safe in his arms and the horrific image of that... thing began to fade from my mind.

From where I was, I couldn't help staring at this strange man's face. He was beautiful, exotic. I'd never heard of - what was it called? Aeryx? Well whatever, I'd never heard of it. Were all the men in his kingdom this handsome? Or was he the exception? His eyes had taken on that fierce intensity again, but since they weren't focused on me, I didn't feel so exposed. They were scanning the city around us, but he didn't show any fear or anxiety. He seemed annoyed. I placed a hand on his chest, partly to balance myself a little better, and partly to just touch him. His heartbeat was strong but slow.

I was brought out of this study of my abductor when he set me gently on my feet. We were in the Merchant's Square in front of a small shop. Shoes of all kinds lay about. Jaden walked away quickly and spoke with the slender, wrinkled shopkeeper. They both nodded, he pressed a coin into her hand, and she handed him a pair of brown, hard-soled leather shoes.

"Here, put these on," he said when he returned to me.

"Why? Where are you taking me?" Despite his good looks and gentle courtesy, I was becoming a little annoyed. I had appointments this evening, afterall, and one of them was with a man I actually enjoyed.

"We have to leave the city," he answered before turning away.

"Wait just a minute," I said, grabbing his upper arm. Gods, he was strong. "What makes you think you can just whisk me away? I have appointments to keep and people who will wonder why I'm gone. I can't just leave with some strange man."

He listened to my little tirade stoically. I was surprised and a little impressed. Any other man would have backhanded such a mouthy little whore. He just stood calmly, those blue eyes of his locked on me. When he was sure I was finished, his voice was smooth and patient. "That thing that was after you? It's called a machyr. If it got to your door, that means anyone that may have stood in its way is dead."

"Madre!" I gasped in a sudden cry. I automatically turned to run back, but that strong hand held me where I was. "Let go of me!" Anger and sorrow flooded through me, giving me a burst of strength. He held me easily, even through my frenzied grief.

"It's too late," he said softly. Tears burst from my eyes and he pulled me into the warmth of his chest. Those strong, gentle arms enveloped me and I couldn't stop the overflow of grief. "I'm sorry," he whispered into my hair as I cried and I knew he was sincere.

Madre had been the only person that had cared about me. Sure, she sold my body to the highest paying men and women in Gaelin, but she treated me like her own daughter. She treated all of us with respect. She was the closest thing to a family I had. The closest thing to a family any of us had. And now she was gone. I'm not normally one to let tears show my weakness, but I let them flow for Madre.

"Why don't you sit down," he said softly and led me to a nearby bench. He offered me a kerchief but I declined. "I'm going to find you some more appropriate clothes. I'll be back shortly."

I sat there sobbing in the middle of the market as people milled about, not caring who saw me. Madre was the only thing on my mind. Suddenly the answer to my questions occurred to me. I whored out my body because I loved Madre. I did it for her. She'd given me so much when I was just a teenaged brat, and never asked for anything in return. It had been my decision to open my legs for gold because it was the only thing I was good at. But no matter how much money I made, I never felt like I'd repaid my debt to her.

Fresh sobs wracked my body. I cried into my hands for what seemed an hour before Jaden came back. He touched my shoulder lightly and spoke my name in barely more than a whisper. When I looked up, I'm sure my eyes were red and swollen. He had a bundle in one arm.

"I got you these," he said, handing me the clothes. He didn't mention my crying or my grief, and I was thankful. "I didn't know your exact measurements, obviously, so I had to guess. I erred on the side of snug." He was smiling at me. There didn't seem to be any mischief in his eyes, but it was hard to tell through my own tears. Not that I was complaining about having to wear tight leather, mind you.

"Thank you," I managed in a level voice. "How much do I owe you?"

"Don't worry about it," he replied with a broad smile. "Get your shoes on so we can go. You can change when we're outside the gates."

I thought about pulling my robe off and changing right in the middle of the market. But when I looked a little more at his gorgeous face, I decided I'd wait afterall. He'd probably already seen most of my naked body when my robe blew open during our chase, but that didn't necessarily mean he wouldn't like another show.

"Let me at least put the shoes on," I said with a smile. I bent forward on the bench to slip the shoes on. Without my hands to hold it closed, my robe fell open. My breasts hung freely, perfectly visible from his vantage point. The weather was warm and pleasant, with barely a cloud in the sky. So it wasn't because I was cold that my nipples were tightened into pebbles. With an inward chuckle, I finished lacing the soft shoes and rose, pulling the robe closed again. "Shall we?" With a grin, he led me off toward the front gates.

Somewhere deep in the back of my mind, I was still worried about the creature that had broken into my room. But it felt far away and inconsequential while I was near this man. Jaden seemed to radiate confidence and security the way a campfire gives off comfortable heat. Even the grief over Madre's death felt unimportant. I know I should have been grieving for her, there should have been tears in my eyes. But I just couldn't feel sad walking alongside this graceful man as he led me through the gates.

Gaelin City was built at the foot of the very steep and very secure Firesteel Mountains. They protected the city on the west and south. To the north and east stood the mysterious Blackwood. I won't say much about it now, except that it can be a very dangerous place to travel in small numbers. I should have felt worried about this, but I didn't. I couldn't as long as Jaden was with me.

The forest was cut back a mile from the city walls to eliminate any cover it might provide to an attacking force. The North Road traveled due east from the main gates of Gaelin City, and for that first uncovered mile, one couldn't help but feel terribly exposed and vulnerable. But after a short time, we made it into dense cover of trees. Immediately, Jaden led me off the path. I should have been afraid and wary at leaving the path, but I couldn't. Jaden would make sure everything was alright.