Why couldn't I take my eyes off him?
He was stupid and goofy and really, really showy. I had only just met him and I was getting the flutters in my stomach again whenever he came close. Either that or it was the hair doing its rounds after nine of those damn rabbits.
I loved Talio. I didn't love Ransom, did I? It seemed like the guys in this 'family' all had done sort of love for each other that never transcended thier queen. She would always come first because she silently demanded it.
But Ransom ignored the drive the others obeyed. He stayed with me to give me lessons on how to control this multitude of legs just enough so I could hobble my way back towards the direction of the Base.
I was stoked I was able to even do that while being mindful of the broken two tucked under. If anything, it made things easier to remember.
But when we reached the tunnel, Ransom didn't Turn back with the others. He edged around it to the little field so he could focus on me instead.
Noma and Dashiell had obvious concerns with this. They hauled the load of bodies back through the tunnel with a warning look to Ransom who only watched them leave and turned to me.
"You want to walk, don't you?" he spoke now that we were alone "then you can do whatever you want out there."
I did. I was yearning just to be able to keep up with everyone else and really take this body for a run at its full capability. I didn't even know what it could do yet.
I agreed and squared up at a place a few meters away, locking onto Ransom who stood firm at the finish.
"Just like what I told you" he reminded me "take it easy, be mindful of where you are placing your legs! You don't want to get tangled."
Dont get tangled. I hadn't done it yet, but then, I hadn't been going nearly as quick enough to have that issue.
I pictured the holes in the dirt and remembered Talio's instructions to how to navigate them. Slowly, I started to move forwards.
"There you go!" Ransom cheered "you're doing it!"
I smiled and felt the same excitement that had bounced within me when I had accomplished that trek back here.
I was actually kind of doing it!
"You're getting good!" he encouraged from his place "soon, you'll be able to speed things up!"
But I wanted to speed things up now.
I tried to and faltered, realising I just wasnt ready. I still had to control six legs that still tested each step they took nervously.
"It takes everyone a while to get it down" Ransom added "took me a little while too. It takes everyone a bit to get it under control. You aren't just born walking."
Relief washed over me.
"That's good to know."
"Right?" he laughed back "I don't know anyone who could just get up and run laps as soon as they hatched."
But, hang on, didn't Talio's do that? 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRvxdHdbtf
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They had poured from me, ready to flee into the forest the moment they burst from my skin.
Was Ransom really just inexperienced with that side of life, or was he lying to make me feel better?
It wouldn't be the worst lie I've been told. Dying from spider infestation had to be right up there. He said I would be fine...
"A few more steps" Ransom breathed in excitement "you've almost got it!"
I closed the distance between us, grinning wildly when the space between us was only an arms length away.
"Look at you" Ransom smiled to me "you actually made it."
His voice was soft and serious now. The sudden shift made me aware of the crackling energy in the air between us.
His eyes trailed over me and he stepped forward, shaking out his fur.
"What do you want to do now?"
Oh, jeez. What did I want to do?
"We should probably catch up to the others" I pointed "they'll be wondering where we are."
"Especially Talio?" he smirked back.
There was no fear in his voice. He liked dancing with danger and the possibility of being caught making moves.
My body jittered again when Ransom stepped closer, destroying the gap between us.
He was right there. I could see the pupils in his eyes taking in all of me. I could feel his warm breath dragging in nervously being so daring.
I could also see the tip of a stinger protruding from the end of his abdomen that dripped and trembled.
"I'll be gentle" he whispered to me "we could be mates in there and out here. I'll look after your hands and make sure nothing hurts you."
"This is all so sudden" I chuckled back nervously "I've only met you, like, today."
"That's all it can take" he pressed "we can get to know each other better back with the family. I wouldn't mind sharing you with the others, as long as you came back to me."
Sharing me? Talio had mentioned that too. He said he didn't want to share.
"Are all of you this promiscuous?"
"It's a natural thing between us" Ransom spoke "things are bound to get heated with many males after the same female. We just accept it and let ourselves roam. Makes things less frustrating."
I felt my body twitch at the thought and shied back from it. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBN6Qv00T2
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I couldn't be thinking of that now.
"And you want to be less frustrated with me?"
"Very much" Ransom nodded, quivering in anticipation "I'd like that a lot."
He was straining at the bit for my say so. The guy was shameless as he trembled and rattled each breath waiting for my approval.
"I'd really like for you to accept me" he spoke up and bowed his head before me, still glistening from the protruding stinger. The fan flipped up, flickering it's flame coloured spots toward me.
Would that hurt? It was so large. How would it work like this?
My body pulsed, wanting me to form an answer.
I was so nervous. I'd never done anything like this. Even those times with Solanine hadn't ever been in his fully natural form. He had no control over his face when we fucked, but kept his body hidden behind its Skin.
"You don't knot, do you?" I whispered out.
Ransom lifted his head a little with a snort and giggled.
"God, no" he laughed.
I smiled at his laughter and giggled myself.
It would only be a silly fling. It might prepare me for Talio when he made his move to seal things between us. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMahQ61E0Py
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I didn't want to let him down.
"I think we can make it work" I smiled down to him.
"Really?" he gasped out and lifted himself up "that's a yes?"
"What do you think?" I teased.
Was I doing this right?
Ransom wasted no time in positioning himself behind me so he could wind his legs around mine and really nestle his body down onto me.
I felt the wetness probing for an opening while his own teeth sank into the back on my neck, releasing to get a firmer grip as a wave of heat plunged into my core.
I jumped at the suddenness of it all and gripped the ground when the waves of pulsing pleasure came pouring into me, forcing themselves deeper and further into me.
I couldnt keep the moan out of my mouth. Ransom crushed his weight onto me when I tried to lift myself higher for him, his legs curling and cuffing me in place.
His teeth in the back of my neck were firm but gentle. They nibbled a little path to the side of my throat he latched to while continuing to pulse waves of fire through me.
I could feel my body accepting all of it, bulging outwards with each new load of sensual heat rubbing along my insides. Ransom didn't need to move to give me the pleasure that had me ripping up the grass and pressing against him for more.
I wanted all of him and more. I wanted all the throbbing to fill me and sate my delerius ecstasy screaming at me for more. I couldn't think. All I wanted was him.
"More" I begged him in his repositioning grip tugging back my head towards the sky "fuck me."
Ransom pressed himself into my arched back, really forcing and twisting his own path into me. I could feel myself dripping when he growled out and struck again, tearing through me with his cock.
I could feel it somewhere in my stomach, piercing me; pulsing me. It latched onto my insides that tried to squeeze every last drop from him greedily. I let the wave roll out of my mouth in another panting moan as I lifted and begged for him to take everything from me.
He grunted in desperate desire while his throbbing cock sent waves of electricity through to my fingertips. He panted in my ear, long and wanting, before stiffening and clawing desperately to keep me planted beneath him. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyi1CEL8cz
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His teeth snapped on my skin, feeling like they were going to gouge right through me from the grip he had me in for his climbing climax.
I cried out when Ransom did, letting him spill his heat through me that leaked down my legs. His cock twisted with each groaned thrust he plunged into me to make sure I took every last bit of his burning fire.
He released my neck, licking the dribbling wound tenderly. His cock slid from me, scraping out most of his load around it as he lifted himself from his lock around me and let himself drip onto the ground.
I wanted more. I could still feel the pulsing through me and yearned for the fire to course into places I hadn't felt stimulated like that in my life.
I didn't want it to stop. I just wanted Ransom to keep fucking me until he dripped dry. I wanted to be drilled until my legs couldn't hold me up anymore and shook when I walked.
Crawling back to Ransom, I wedged myself under his legs and lifted up my arse just for him. I rubbed my body against his, begging in croons for him to satisfy me again in the ways I knew he could.
He didn't need to speak. Just fuck.
When his legs locked around mine again, I felt the spike in my stomach of satisfied anticipation hitting my every nerve just waiting for that warmth to dig through me again.
His teeth snapped around the torn flesh and sent me straight back into rolling waves of mind-numbing bliss I cried out for as it pumped through me.
Ransom was as desperate as I was to make sure every moment was spent in ecstasy. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGrIdnp27K
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He fucked me load after load, tearing up a halo around my throat and back mere seconds after I forced myself up into position for him with each wave. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMugHCJa3F
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Our feral, yearning bodies were unbreakable from each other until we physically couldn't continue anymore. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPeL4N2hDKT
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My legs trembled when I tried to slide Ransom back inside me, buckling to leave me laying in the trampled grass. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiTMBp2y3U
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Ransom collapsed beside me, groaning out while the aftermath of his last climax inside me still tore through him. He gripped the grass as he rode the fine line of pleasurable pain beneath the night's sky and its cool air.
I didn't know what I had been missing with Ransom. He made me exhausted and wanting just to huddle beside him and be wrapped in his arms.
Once I could feel my body that had turned into a pool on the ground, there would be nothing to stop me trying again.
I had a taste and I was hooked. I loved this side of my life.
"Should we head inside?" Ransom frowned to the sky "the others would be getting worried by now. Your Talio would be so mad."
He giggled and I joined him.
He'd be furious. Ransom had fucked me before him and he had been amazing. He didn't baby me, he just gave me what I wanted when I wanted it. We had both been reduced to primal, clawing needs during our time together. Ransom made me feel like a man rather than a boy.
"He's going to smell you all over me" I replied and rubbed up against Ransom whose cock protruded again "its kind of obvious what we have been doing."
Our fur was slick from sweat and the aroma was certaintly a distinguishable musk that reeked over both of us. The fact that both our cocks were trembling messes that our bodies couldn't respond to didn't help mask the fact.
"Turn back and try to cover it that way" he suggested "for sure Noma or Dashiell have let the others know already. Talio will be waiting for us."
"And he has no say in who I want to fuck" I replied as I focused on bringing myself back under control "I wanted you to. He's just going to have to learn to share."
I peeked through my closed eyes to see Ransom smirking at me. He was already back in his gleaming Skin with every inch of him on show. I didn't even know his arse had dimples in it or that the inside of his leg had a scar spread across it like that.
I drank it in, watching him bend over to retrieve some clothes he had stashed behind a tree. By the way he batted them out and grumbled at the moisture collected in them, they had been there a while.
He tossed a pair of pants to me, unable to find a shirt he was also missing. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0XyxJs1AKE
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Ransom came over to pull them on an tug the strings tight. I felt them slide off immediately. The river that was both my legs didn't help with my slipping issue.
"Just hold them up" he patted my shoulder with a cheeky smile and led the way back to the tunnel.
We both darted through the darkness to avoid the sound of scuttling legs throughout the Base. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPqz9DvQWr
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Reaching the door, Ransom hesitated at the light glowing beneath it before opening it.
I saw heads lift from around the kitchen table. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwoQIakqri
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Noma sat there, shoveling food into his mouth, while another two I didn't recognize were seated around him.
Both their yellow eyes caught me by surprise. I don't think I'd seen them around before. They must have been two of the three Sparrow had mentioned that I hadn't glimpsed yet.
Talio was waiting on the stairs, his hands bought up to his head in anguish.
The moment he saw Ransom, all hell broke loose.
"You fucker!" he snarled and charged for him "I told you not to go near him and you fucking did!"
Ransom smirked, baring his teeth back at Talio as he ushered me inside and reached around to close the door.
"What are you going to do about it?"
I ducked out of the way when Talio charged for Ransom, slamming him into the door and throwing a fist at him that missed.
Noma flew into action when Ransom beat Talio's side and kicked out at him to try and give distance between them.
Noma struggled with Talio while the two others held back Ransom who snapped and growled at the man opposite him. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEiszXrMOwM
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One braced his arms by the pits and the other held him back around the torso. It was a tangle of limbs and hair.
I heard more feet thunder down and saw Plague wrap his arms around Talio, Blight pushing back Ransom who was trying to swipe for Talio.
"You have no control over these things" Blight warned Talio and pushed him back roughly "the guy can make his own decisions."
"And he chose me, you limp-dicked fuckwit!" Ransom snapped to Talio, causing both men to try and tear at each other again.
I stayed silent, just standing there holding onto the pants.
Maybe I should just get out of sight? It was obviously riling them both up.
Where was the shower around here?
"Philly" Talio jerked his arms from the grip of the men to stand there, fuming "come on."
"Like he's going to go with you" Ransom bit back, straining against his restricters "Philly's sleeping in my room tonight."
"With what bed?" one of the strangers spoke up, his face creasing while he tried not to let his silver fringe fall into his eyes "you share with Rush. You always have."
"Yeah" the green eyed guy complained from somewhere upstairs before poking his head down "what the fuck, Ransom?"
"So, we have to throw out our order because Ransom wants to bunk with Philly?" the other yellow eyed man muttered, his shaven head turning to look at everyone present.
"No" Talio grumbled "no-one is changing anything. Philly is still staying with me and Rush is staying put."
"Yeah, because I'm not being tossed out for some new guy whose barely been here" Rush continued as he walked down the stairs and paused near the bottom "where would I go?"
Voices murmered over each other, devolving into another scuffle between Talio and Ransom who had to be restrained again.
There was a loud whistle that shrieked through the rising noise that halted it. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3AgF1U01Q
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Sparrow stood at the top of the stairs, glaring at everyone.
"Some people are trying to sleep" he snapped as loud as he dared, descending to the mass "if you are worried about throwing shit out of order, Phillius will stay with me while you two get your priorities straight."
Talio opened his mouth to retaliate but Sparrow's cold eyes snapped up to him.
"Not another word from you" he hissed up to him and pointed to Ransom "or you. Tor needs rest and you two are just creating a damn fight down here over nothing! You want to keep Shie up all night? There are other people who live here other than you two!"
I was amazed at how serious Sparrow was being after seeing his usual antics earlier. He looked like a whole new person as he strutted between both men and gave each one the coldest of shoulders.
"Phillius will stay with both of us tonight" Sparrow decided "and then you can sort it out in the morning when everyone has had rest, OK?"
Neither men said anything. The others didn't dare to speak against the spiteful Sparrow coming over to grab my hand.
"Goodnight" he growled over his shoulder to the room as he led me down to the next set of stairs where a door was concealed on the other side "shower. Don't be long."
I was pushed towards it and quickly slid through the door Sparrow took up residence beside, glaring at the crowd still gathered on the other side of the room.
All four bath and shower combos from the bathrooms normally located upstairs to each room had been pressed into thier own segments in here. Each one was rested against the back wall and had a sink and cabinet wedged on the left wall. The door opened against the right, only a few inches from a towel rack.
The toilets had been set in cubicles down from the shower rooms. For a room of fifteen men and one woman, this really wasn't enough to keep everyone happy without driving out the neighboring Souls and expanding further.
Four rooms was really pushing it already. I doubt Eagle would even approve of further expansions that would shuffle around everyone else unnecessarily.
All I could do was take my shower and leave the messy details to whoever made those calls around here.
Sparrow guided me to his door, two down from Talio's when I was clean again and slipped back into the borrowed pants. He narrowed his eyes to Talio hovering around his own door to try and find a chance to talk to me, blocking me from his sight.
The door he opened was smothered in webs that pulled like fine fairy floss. There was nothing ahead but a hole in the massive ball of webs smothering everything in sight.
Sparrow gently guided me towards the hole I glanced to hesitantly. The enterance hovered in the middle and I was afraid I'd sink straight through and break all the hard work.
"He's not going to bite" Sparrow whispered with an encouraging smile "go on."
I braced myself and pressed a knee into the webbing, feeling myself sink a little when I crawled my way up to the opening shakily.
Sparrow climbed up behind me, yanking on the webs plastered to the door to snap us into darkness.
I saw light ahead and followed it, only pausing again when a large white arm and black claws reached past to stick a string of webs onto the already woven room.
"He's nice. Don't be afraid" Sparrow reassured me and squeezed past to drop down onto a nest of crushed blankets, helping me dosn beside him.
The spider dominating the room was nestled against the left wall of its massive nest it had created. There was nothing else in this room, only the blankets Sparrow had padded the bottom with that he snuggled into amongst the arms curled around behind him.
The large grey eyes of Tor glinted through the fairylights woven into the roof. The mass of them created enough light to cast a soft glow on the surroundings, but not enough to comfortably light the area.
The place felt warm and smelled like rosemary. Tor himself had an aroma of dry hay and the old fur from the rabbits stained into his skin that encased the room.
I laid down next to Sparrow, staring up at the wall of eyes opposite me glinting back.
The sharpened teeth revealed themselves and made me freeze beside Sparrow who only giggled when they hovered over me as Tor took in my scent and wrapped his black hands around us both to draw us close into his warm body.
I felt the teeth pinch thier way along my body, gently nipping along the skin and focusing on my hair to tease it upwards into his tongue.
"He likes you" Sparrow giggled again when I groaned out at the wetness peeling away the fresh water I had bathed in.
Tor's body rumbled in response while his hands gripped me and lifted me from the sheets to hold me in place above Sparrow.
I felt like a kitten being bathed by its mother. Tor's teeth and tongue found every groove on my back to pull and lick at the damaged skin there.
"How come you were so set on Ransom anyway?" Sparrow folded a blanket over himself and stared up at me "today when we were hunting, it was just you two having eyes for each other. You were like a lover accepting food from him and getting all cozy."
"I really have no idea" I sighed back, flinching when Tor found a strip of flesh to chew up "he was just there and being so kind to me. He was making me feel seen, you know?"
"I don't, but I think I get it" Sparrow shrugged "so you'd mate anyone around here then if they were nice to you?"
"Obviously not" I scoffed back, squirming when the tongue returned along my back "I just figured that I could have that moment. Talio got to fuck some other spider and I had the eggs sliced under my skin; why can't I have that to with Ransom? Everyone around here fucks around anyway. It shouldn't be some big deal to him."
"I doubt he'd see it like you do" Sparrow replied, shifting out of the way when I was placed down into the blankets and he was raised up to be babied "the guy came here with you and had all intentions of pairing even while searching for us and made it super clear from the moment he stepped foot through that door that you were not to be passed around by the others; not even to make a move on you. He searched every day for you when you went missing and was super upset about the whole thing. Then, you return and go on a hunting party with the guys he specifically warned, only to fuck one of them behind his back. I can see why he'd be upset about the situation."
I grumbled, seeing now why Talio was so enraged to risk it all for me. I just wanted to have a bit of fun, like he had. I wanted to be better for him and only messed it up in the process.
"You guys are mated?"
"Not yet" I replied with the guilt now squirming in my gut "I wanted to a while back but he had other priorities."
The whole hunt for his female had killed anything between us. I had let my feelings die off after his denial of the dance and my own death caused by his children I carried. After that, we were in the Base and couldn't show that sort of thing to each other out in the open. Then, Solanine had ruined it all again by tearing me from Talio at a time where we really could have acted in those feelings.
I wanted him, but I was afraid he didn't want me anymore.
"Do you think I messed things up?"
Sparrow huffed down to me and nodded.
"Fucking Ransom instead of him was a real dick move. At least properly connect with the guy who risked it all for you before you go experimenting with anyone else here. Now they are all going to think that Ransom is your priority, Talio included. Once you two get your lovers quarrel out of your system, then you can dip your toes in the pool."
"I don't think he'd like that" I mumbled mainly to myself.
"It comes with belonging to a family like this" Sparrow shrugged "if he doesn't want you to contribute to the horde, maybe you two aren't suited for this sort of thing. It's kind of a given with the queen and everyone else here. Eyes are going to wander to something fresh."
Of course. I was something new and obtainable in the horde. Talio had made it clear he was off limits, but my actions had spoken volumes over his threatening words. To them, I was as available as the queen herself.
"I should probably go and apologize to him."
"Maybe nip it all in the bud while you are at it" Sparrow's finger swirled at me "of you really want to be his, you should just let him know. The Base doesn't have eyes or ears behind our door. You can be as true to yourself as you want to be."
I smiled, feeling the glimmer of hope surface under the filth stewing in my stomach.
I really didn't want to lose him. Not after everything we had been through together. He was the one I wanted.
"You going to tell him?" Sparrow smiled.
"Yes" I lifted myself from the blankets and got to my feet "I will. I've got nothing to lose, right?"
Except maybe him. I had crushed him quite badly.
"Go on, then" Sparrow flicked a hand to the hole in the nest leading to the door "but don't touch the pool until you've sorted it out!" he warned me cheekily.
I snorted back and bid both of them goodbye so I could scramble up the webs and crawl my way to freedom once more.
I was shaking with excitement and nervousness when I opened Talio's door and slipped around it carefully, closing it quietly behind me.
I could hear his sniffling from inside the nest when I snuck to the opening and peered in to see Talio on the bed, crying.
He wiped his eyes when he saw me, sniffling again as he tried to hide his emotions.
I crawled towards him, deciding to plant myself on his hips rather than lay beside him.
This should help show him I meant what I was going to say.
"What are you doing?" he frowned up at me.
"I did it because I wanted to be good for you" I blurted to him "I didn't want to disappoint you after all this time you spent into getting me to like you and then change my life for you. I wanted it to be good and for you not to be disappointed that it wouldn't be how you wanted it to be."
My own tears ran and dripped onto his face. I remained firm on his lap, even when he sat up to wrap his arms around me and smother his head against my shoulder.
"You'd never dissapoint me for being yourself" he spoke against my skin "I just wanted to share my feelings between us, not with anyone else. I didnt want you to see what else you could have and think that I wasn't enough for you."
Why was I so lucky to have someone like him? He was giving me way too much forgiveness than I deserved. He was insecure about all of these new options unfolding before us and worried I'd destroy everything we had been through for some superficial qualities. Ransom was practise for the real thing. I wouldnt let myself be tempted like that again.
"I'm really sorry" I cringed to Talio's glistening eyes pulled back to stare up at me "I got tempted; I fucked up. I took kindness as a opening to something that I thought would make me better. I don't want to lose you because of a dumb mistake. You've helped me through so much and I..."
Talio's face hardened and his finger lifted from me so it could press to my lips with a gentle shush.
"Oh, you'd never lose me, Little Cheese."
I chuckled down at him and held his hand in mine, pressing it to my face so I could kiss the back of it.
"Thank you" I smiled and felt my body shake from my sobs "you are being too nice to me."
"Loving you is the least I could do" he pulled me close again, resting his chin on my chest "and you only deserve the best from me. I'm not going to hurt you, ever."
I was flooded with happiness that tumbled from me. With Talio, I really did feel protected from the darkness of the Base. He always stood by his word and would put himself between me and anything coming to harm me.
I didn't deserve him. I really was a love-struck fool desperately trying to be half the man he was. I wanted to make him happy that I was by his side.
"I love you" I gasped out and crushed my lips to his.
The tears between us made the kiss salty. My lips pulled from his so his eyes could search mine and his mouth could dive into another kiss that was more demanding than the first.
It pushed against me when he did, his arms pressing me into him while his lips numbed my own. Our mouths parted from our wet embrace so Talio could lower me onto the bed and be the one who lifted his leg over me so he was hovering.
Instantly, I was giddy at having him so close. His shirt hung from his body and his tight pants were only inches from my own growing bulge. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVk2J9kpv9b
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He was so handsome with his tight muscles my fingers traced over and the scars forming thier own patterns in his serious face.
His face leant into my hand when it slipped from his scar before his lips trailed down my hand to my arm and onto my neck.
I felt my stomach drop at the carnage Ransom had left there in our feral moments together. My fingers lifted to it in shame but were only met my Talio's lips gently kissing them away.
"You aren't going to have much of a throat left" he teased.
With Solanine biting into it and Ransom digging his way through me in the same fashion, I was surprised I even had skin left there.
Was Talio planning on making his mark there too to cover up the carnage? He wanted me to be known as his and I wasn't going to stop him whatever way he did it.
"What are you thinking of?" he smiled down to me.
"That if I could breathe, I probably wouldn't be" I joked back to see Talio giggle.
His head pressed to mine and he lowered himself down so he could hug me.
"I missed this" he breathed against me.
"I did too" I smiled up at the roof and wrapped an arm around Talio's back.
"I don't want to hurt you after everything you've been through" he looked up at my face "I doubt Solanine was kind to you."
Solanine hadn't touched me during my time as his hostage. He stripped me down for nothing, only to leer at me whenever he wanted. 101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2R48bmSP2V
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Maybe that was his tactic? To break me mentally so he could shatter me physically.
"You've got all sorts of marks on you" Talio traced the one from the cord Solanine had struck me with before moving to my hands that he held between his "you've been through hell, my Philly."
"I knew I'd find you again, so I wasn't too scared" I admitted with a shiver as Talio ran his fingers along mine "but I did think for a moment there that I'd never see you again."
I'd be stuck at that door, staring at the knob I could never turn; crying silently while begging to be freed from the dark room.
"I'm here" he smoothed over my hair and slid onto the bed beside me "and I'll look after you."
I watched Talio leave the nest to rummage through his draws so he could pull out a length of bandage and a long tube of cream. There was a kit he slapped on his thigh before crawling back up to me and motioning for me to roll over.
"When you get better, I'd like to have sex with you. But until then, I want you to relax and focus on mending yourself."
With an incentive like that, I couldn't even think. I pushed down the excitement and nodded, trying to keep cool.
Talio sat beside me so he could peel the skin from my back with tweezers he pulled from his kit he balanced on my arse. The cream and bandage went there too so his fingers could tease me each time he moved for something else.
He knew what he was doing. I heard the laugh under his breath when I jolted at the unexpected contact and groaned out in embarrassment.
"I thought you'd be more upset about... you know..."
"Ransom?" Talio answered as he peeled up more skin and laid it across his leg to dispose of later "I'm still pissed at him, but I can't hold it against him."
"Because of the whole harem thing?" I asked and peered over my shoulder "what is up with that anyway?"
Talio pushed my shoulder back down so he could continue plucking at the skin.
"Our species are grouping creatures. They naturally form a large horde to keep thier numbers strong. It's kind of like bees in a hive with thier own queen they protect."
That was a good way to put it. The place was certaintly buzzing with the same energetic anger of a hive of bees.
"I told you about my mother and father when we first met" Talio continued "she was the queen of her horde. My father was one of fifty who guarded her."
"Fifty?" I squeaked out and resisted the urge to turn again "fuck."
"I think fifteen is doable" he noted "a lot less fighting with smaller numbers."
"You think so?" I frowned to the wall "they seem pretty charged up out there over nothing."
"That's because you are here" Talio leant forward to murmer towards me "everyone wants a piece of you for themselves. I've already made it clear I'm harder to win over."
I had to turn around to scoff at Talio's serious face.
"Honestly" he pressed me back down to the bed "as Carrion put it quite bluntly 'it's like living off stew your whole life and being given the chance at a proper meal. You can eat the stew, knowing its the same boring shit, or you can have the meal and actually be satisfied'."
"He did not!" I laughed out.
"The others heard it, ask them if you don't believe me" Talio smiled back "I certainly wasn't expecting it. Ransom sure was eager for a meal."
I felt Talio stop plucking at my skin so he could undo the tube of cream and slather on the first cold layer that made me flinch.
"I really didn't do it to make you think I'd forgotten you" I gripped the blanket, expecting the soft massaging to be scraped through my skin at any moment "honestly, Talio."
"I wasn't getting at that" he just replied softly, rubbing his thumbs either side of my spine "I'm just saying that I'd like to keep you all for myself so others don't get greedy, but I know I can't control your choices. I just don't like the fact that he thinks he has this claim on you because he had you first."
I stayed silent, choosing to focus on Talio's rubbing fingers instead.
"You can mess around if you like, but I want you to remember that I intend to be more than some casual fling."
I was in shock of what I just heard. Talio was here trying to beat up anyone trying to fuck me but he was all for me trying to persue that as long as that wasn't him?
"As long as it's still within these walls" he warned me "you'll be expected to be sleeping with the queen like everyone else here, and venturing further is OK. But the moment you take what is here outside these walls and into the Base, that's when it turns from strengthening the family to just fucking to be spiteful and cruel."
"Wait, so, let me get this straight" I laughed a little "I can sleep with any of the guys here as long as we are more than a fling, like a couple? And I can't fuck outside the family because they aren't the same as us and it's not nessesary."
"Yeah, that's about it. That means I can do the same to you if you choose to do that. I'm not going to be pouring all my effort into something you won't want to make serious."
The thought of Talio flirting with the others rubbed me the wrong way. I didn't want him to be leading someone else into this bed while I was pushed to the side and expected to wait until he was finished.
I could see what he meant. He didn't want that either. If I made the choice to venture outside his love, he would do the same. It was only fair.
His rage towards Ransom was justifable. Talio was my partner, not him. Ransom didn't get the same privilege that Talio did. Talio was only protecting his status with me.
I swear I felt my heart flop at the stupidly cliche 'overbearing boyfriend'. I didn't know I even wanted that until it started happening.
It made me feel... seen.
"How about we work on your walking then we can go from there?" Talio offered while massaging down the bottom of my back "I'm sure we can find some sort of compromise with the broken two for now. Once they heal, I'll teach you to dance. Unfortunately, you can't just wing it with them the way they are; you need every leg to make it right."
"Because it's a matter of life or death?" I smirked at the memory of his display and how nervous he had been to get it right.
"Well, I'll kill you if you don't get it right" he joked back as his hands left my back and he picked up the bandage "sit up."
I did as I was told, turning to face Talio this time.
"You know, you have a funny way of saying you care about me."
Talio smiled while wrapping the bandage around me.
He was honestly everything and so much more.
"Did you want to be my boyfriend?"
Talio chuckled as he leant forward to keep wrapping me, only stopping another rotation.
"Honestly, I thought you'd never ask" he grinned "i'd love that."
I grinned back as everything inside me siezed with the excitement flooding me.
This was really happening. I actually had someone who I cared about more than myself and who made me happier and angrier than anyone else.
The only thing that scared me was if the Base found out about our new relationship and decided to act on it. I think I'd be as inconsolable as Oxalis was when his love had been hung for all to see.
All I had to do was keep it secret and we'd be OK.
I could do that for him.
ns 15.158.61.48da2
