Page 55 of Aria's Ascension

Was she upset about that?

Her smirk widened into a grin.

Not in the least.

Now, she was floating in the river while Tirox gently bathed her. Kix was under the water somewhere, exploring where the river led and if it would serve as a way out of the dungeon.

It was a delay tactic to keep her in the cave a while longer, but she was fine with that. It needed to be checked, he was armed in case he ran into river monsters, and she was content, for the moment, to just breathe.

Right up until something touched her foot.

Gurgling on a scream, Aria was up and out of the water like a shot. She climbed Tirox like a tree until she was wrapped around him like a wet, naked monkey.

“Jesus fucking Christ! Go, go, go! Get out of the damn water!”

In response to her panic, he chuckled.

Appalled at his reaction, but more concerned with becoming something’s meal, she twisted around, frantically searching the water for whatever human-eating monstrous creature had just touched her. She almost had a damn heart attack when she spotted something big and shiny streaming toward them from the dark depths of the middle of the river.

It surfaced less than two feet away.

It was a… It was…

“Kix!”

He rose like a shimmery, grey leviathan until his laughing blue eyes were visible, his pupils sparkling and flashing with mirth, then higher until she could see his wide, devilish smile.

“Oh, you sonofa… ”

She was working up to a really good rant when he stood and began prowling closer, his grin never fading.

Her words slowly trailed off to nothing as her eyes fell to follow the water droplets streaming over his deliciously muscular chest and abs. His skin, usually pearlescent, was shimmering so intensely it looked like he was carved from dark grey opal, and he had that predatory sharpness to his features that never seemed to fail to make her breathless.

Just before he could grab her, she glanced up and caught the scheming look he sent to Tirox.

“Oh, no you don’t!” she growled.

Hooking her feet on Tirox’s hips, she used him to push herself into a backflip. She landed in a crouch on the bank, then stood and gave them both a droll look.

“Did you find a way out?” At his reluctant head shake, she sighed, “Then no more distracting me with orgasms. It’s time to track down the other slaves.”

Turning, she headed for her pile of weapons and began strapping them on, ignoring the splash as they followed her out of the water. She gathered up a few each of their remaining food and water pouches as well, tucking them into her various harnesses, in case they needed to bribe someone into talking with them.

“Come back to the nest, my heart,” Tirox rumbled coaxingly. “Let us taste your sweet cunt but one more time before we leave.”

She went still as an image of his swirling golden eyes watching her from between her legs flashed through her mind.

“Tempting… ” she breathed.

Damned tempting.

“But no. Strap on your weapons and join me or stay here and keep the… nest warm. Either way, I’m going,” she declared, throwing an amused look back at them.

She started up the shaft leading out. The moment she was out of sight, she heard them scrambling to dress and stopped to lean against the tunnel wall.

She heard her barbarian grumble, “Should have made her clench until she dropped to slumber.”

Smirking, she shook her head and answered back, “I look forward to seeing you try.”

---