Page 50 of A Foster Fling

I’ve touched myself, of course, but it’s never like this. The pulsing quickens through my body, the rhythm in tune with her song, and when she pinches my nipple between her thumb and forefinger, my body explodes in a tidal wave of euphoria.

“Yes,” I hear her inhale deeply. “Finally, this is what I’ve been missing.”

The feelings she’s stirring inside of me have been a constant struggle for me, but right now, in this very moment? She’s obliterated all forms of thought and guilt. I can onlyfeel.I want more. I want her hand to continue downward, to touch the most aching part of me, and send me soaring again.

The brushing stops, and her hands withdraw from my body, making me whimper with the loss. I tip my head back farther and look up into her mismatched eyes to find her looking down at me, a golden aura glowing around her body.

“Mother?” I sit up straight, fearful something is wrong with her.

I turn on the floor to fully face her, my body moving slowly with fatigue. But Pearl is absolutely glowing, and when I rub my eyes, it does nothing to change what’s in front of me.

“Are you okay?” I reach for her just as the room spins and my stomach flips.

“Oh, dear.” Her hands grab my arm and with a strength I never knew she possessed, she hauls me to my feet. “I think I took too much,” she says it quietly as she guides me to the bed.

“Mother.” My voice cracks and my breath is stolen by a yawn.

“Sleep, Zel. I will leave the apples and pie on the table for you.” Then I’m surrounded by the warmth and comfort of my bed, my body drifting somewhere far away from the tower.

——

The sound of turbulent growls pulls me from my deep slumber, and when the next one sounds, I gasp and grab my stomach. I’m absolutely famished.

The scent of apple pie fills my mouth with saliva as I roll out of bed. I’ve never been this hungry before, and the way I slept, I can’t tell what time or day it even is.

What I do remember is slightly terrifying.

I sit at the table and pull the pie tray closer to me, yanking off the clear film with a flourish. I sink a fork into the flaking crust and moan when the scent escapes. Apples and cinnamon.

Just as the tantalizing concoction hits my tongue, I remember the vision of Pearl glowing before I passed out.

I think I took too much.

Her words swim around in my sleep-addled brain, and as I continue to eat the pie, I try to wipe what we did from my mind.

It was immoral, depraved, and sinfully erotic.

No.

I shake my head, my hair swinging around my shoulders, and stab into the pie again.

What came over us?

My body trembles with the memory of what exactly did come over me as I moan around another bite of apple pie. I dip the fork back into the tray, the sound of metal clanging drawing me out of my reverie. The pie is all gone.

I gasp as my hand drops to my stomach. How did I do that? If I’m being honest, I could eat more. My eyes continue to stare into the tray until I hear the unmistakable sound of hooves clopping.

Would Mother be back so soon?

Pearl.I need to start calling her Pearl. The things we did today should never be associated with mothers and daughters.

The chair scrapes across the stone floor as I stand, making my way over to the window. It looks like Pearl left it open a bit for me when she left, probably knowing I would need the chill air to cool off my burning skin.

My hands rest on the sill as I look out at the dense forest surrounding the tower. The echo of hooves grows louder until a beautiful black horse appears through the trees. It’s large and majestic, it’s silky mane blowing in the breeze. Its rider is definitely not Mother, but instead, an older man.

This is the first person to stumble upon my tower in all the sixteen years I’ve been kept here. The sight of him has my heart galloping through my chest as I stand frozen in place. He shouldn’t be here.

Pearl said she set wards around this area, and no one but she could pass through its spell. She was wrong.

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