Page 40 of A Love of Wrath and Rapture

He groans deeply, his hips moving faster within mine.

I feel his hot seed flowing into me, filling me up and marking me as his own.

Our cries echo through the cave as we climax in unison, our bodies shuddering under the force of our orgasms. Xeros's seed pumps into me once more before he finally releases himself over my stomach and chest, painting us both in a sheen of sweat and pleasure. He collapses on top of me heavily, pinning me down to the ground as we catch our breath together beneath the jagged edges of the cavern above.

18

XEROS

We start our journey to Evangeline’s village early in the morning, the chill of the previous night not yet broken. As we travel, I can’t help but marvel at the sights. We don’t encounter any cities but small houses dot the landscape.

They’re so different from the dark gray buildings I grew up with. The bright, colorful roofs especially bewilder me. While I find human architecture interesting, I still feel bitterness well up inside me—there’s no sign of the Astreldi’s great forts or palaces left.

I think of how glorious our rule once was, only to be eradicated by the damnable dark elves as if we were nothing.

Evangeline’s sigh pulls me out of my reverie. I glance over at her and see tension in her jaw. Confused, I study her face. She doesn’t seem angry and her breathing’s normal, but there’s still a tightness about her.

Humans are complex beings, and their emotions seem to be a complicated mess I’d rather not attempt to decipher. My time and energy are better spent on a battlefield.

An unfamiliar feeling nestles itself in my chest, sinking lower. I suddenly feel sadness and anger dancing together in the pit of my stomach. Taken aback by these emotions, I realize they’re not my own feelings.

My bond with Evangeline allows me to share in her emotional turmoil. How do I react to this? Should I try to comfort her? How do I do that? I’ve never been in a situation where another needed my sympathy.

These vulnerable and weak emotions are soon overshadowed by my own thick, red anger. I would love nothing but to rip apart the humans who are to blame for this emotional storm she’s feeling.

The loud rumble of my empty stomach almost seems to echo through the valley around us. I hear Evangeline snort beside me.

“We should eat.” She theatrically pats her clothes. “Too bad we’re all out of food.”

I ruffle my wings. “Leave it to me.” She gives me a confident smile. “Wait here. I’ll track down something fat and juicy to roast.”

Walking into the nearby forest, I roll my shoulders back, preparing to hunt for the woman I’ve grown to love deeply in a very short time. I sniff the air and almost immediately pick up the scent of a hoofed animal nearby.

The forest is alive with the soft noises of nature, and I use it to conceal the sound of my talons as I swiftly pursue my prey.

It doesn’t take long to track it down and I carefully watch the small animal as it munches on the leaves of a bush.

The poor thing hasn’t even sensed me yet. I grin and lunge at it with lightning speed, slicing its neck open with one quick move. It was dead before realizing it was in danger.

I remove its entrails with practiced movements. It may have been long since I hunted, but muscle memory doesn’t betray me today. After skinning and cleaning the carcass a little bit in a nearby stream, I return to Evangeline.

The sun is just disappearing behind the horizon and I notice a small fire inviting me closer.

My heart skips a beat. Has someone found her? Is she harmed?

As I near the fire, my shoulders relax visibly. I have nothing to fear, it seems.

The beautiful black-haired young woman sits cross-legged in front of the fire, using a stick to push around the burning branches.

I present the meat to her, my chest swelling with pride at the awe in her eyes.

“Amazing hunting! That’s a lot of meat!” She jumps up, a big grin on her face.

My heart beats rapidly and I find it hard to tear my gaze away from her lovely face. She has no idea how much even the simplest words from her soft lips affect me. I can’t even explain what she makes me feel.

“Well? Are you going to stand there like and stare at me all night or are we going to roast the meat?”

I nod, placing the meat on a flat rock. “It’s going to be dull, we don’t have anything to spice the meat with, but it’s nice and fatty.”

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