Akasha and I stood in the grove, wrapped in a warm embrace as we listened to the ATVs pull away from us. Akasha turned her head so that her ear rested against my chest, listening to my heart thump against her. Akasha’s arms tightened around my waist as she turned and looked up at me, her firm breasts pressing against my chest.  

“You were amazing,” she whispered, her eyes softly glowing in the gloom.  

“So were you,” I said, smiling down at her.  

“We make quite the team,” she said quietly.  

I nodded, then leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. My tongue slipped into Akasha's mouth, and she moaned against me as our kiss deepened. She pulled back, laughing and shaking her head.  

“No. Stop, or we will never get back.”   

I pouted but knew the truth of her words. We walked together out of the grove to where the trees were more widely spaced. We turned to each other. Akasha let the cloak fall back off her shoulders. The moonlight caught her chest. My breath caught in my throat as her skin glowed in the soft light. Then her cloak flared out, stretched, lengthened, grew into her wings. I closed my eyes and felt my own wings stretching out of my back. I rolled my shoulders as I felt them stretching and flexing. It felt like standing up after having sat for too long.  

I opened my eyes and saw Akasha watching me, her lips parted and her eyes glowing.  

“You look beautiful like this,” she said, with a twinkle in her eyes. I laughed.  

“So do you.”  

“Tease.”  

“Flirt.”  

We laughed, then crouched and threw ourselves into the sky. Our wings flapped hard, and we circled each other as we broke through the clouds. Then, we turned north and flapped those massive wings hard, shooting across the sky. The wind roared in my ears, my eyes watered for a moment, then I blinked and felt a film slip across my eyes, protecting me from the wind. The tall mountains rushed towards us. Within moments, we were circling Eagle Peak, watching Anton and Sydney look up at us.  

Akasha touched down at the edge of the peak while I dropped behind them on the trail. As my feet touched the ground, I felt a strange sensation in the back of my head—a weight pushing against my mind. I looked at Akasha, and she nodded. I jogged over to her, looked down from the peak. A motorcycle was roaring up the road below us. When I closed my eyes, I could feel that presence moving through my mind.  

“Dragon.”   

Akasha nodded.  

“We need to get back to the house.”  

Anton arched an eyebrow. “That's miles from here.”  

I laughed. “Then we fly.”  

Both of Anton’s eyebrows climbed. He shook his head. “It has been over a hundred years since the last time I used wings.”   

“Really?” I asked. “How could you not?”  

Anton shrugged. “I never needed to. I never lived in a place like this where you could do it without eyes spying on you.”  

I laughed. “You have been missing out, my friend.”  

“My Lord,” Anton laughed, “You have no idea.”  

Anton shrugged off his backpack and set it at his feet. Then he took off his shirt, folded it, and tucked it into his backpack. I cocked an eyebrow at him.  

“What? It’s a nice shirt. I don’t want to rip it.”  

I laughed, looking down at the tattered remains of my shirt that still littered the ground. I walked around picking up the pieces and shoved them into my pack.  

“Fair point.”  

Sydney stepped closer to me, her arms wrapped around herself.  

“Cold?” I asked her as she stepped closer to me. She nodded. I wrapped an arm around her as Akasha stepped up next to her. Sydney blinked at Akasha’s bare chest, then blushed. Akasha glanced once down at her bare chest, then shrugged.  

Anton stood watching us. His chest flexed as he rolled his shoulders. He closed his eyes, and a look of intense concentration passed over his face. I tried not to laugh. He opened one eye and peered at me.  

“What?”  

“Sorry, you look like you are trying to take a shit.”  

Anton’s entire body sagged. The three of us laughed together. Anton blushed. I stepped away from the women and walked over to Anton. I put a hand on his shoulder.  

“My Lord, I’m not sure I can. It’s been so long.”  

“Anton. Breathe. Just breathe.” I leaned my forehead against his. Eye to eye. He closed his eyes, and I closed mine. I could sense his wings, just below the surface. There was a wall, for lack of a better word, in his mind. I pushed it aside, reached into him, and pulled his wings out for him. Anton gasped, staggered back from me, his wings flapping hard, lifting him off his feet.  

“How the fucking hell... I. My Lord. Thanks,” Anton blushed as he hovered three feet above the ground, his wings beating softly, keeping him aloft. He dropped to his feet, his wings curling around him.  

“Fuck me.” He said as he ran a finger down his wingtip. “Apologies, my Lord. Please...”  

“Hush,” I said with a chuckle. “Don’t worry about it.”  

Anton stepped forward, sliding his arms through the straps of all four backpacks.  

“Allow me to carry these as my thanks.”  

I laughed. “If you insist...”  

“I do.”  

“Okay.”  

Akasha stepped back to the cliff, her wings unfolding, and launched herself into the sky. Sydney stared at me.  

“I’ll carry you,” I said to her as I felt my wings unfurl behind me. Sydney just looked at me. I held out a hand. She took it. I swept her off her feet and held her against my chest. She let out a small, startled gasp.  

“Hold on,” I said softly. Sydney wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her face in my chest. I crouched and leapt into the sky. My wings beat hard, catching the wind. We dipped for a moment as I fought to get control of the extra weight. Then I found my rhythm. Akasha circled me once, a soft laugh on her lips. I looked over my shoulder and watched as Anton leapt into the air, his wings unfurling and carrying him north and east towards the house. I beat my wings, shooting forward. I stretched out those long wings and glided down towards the river. Then beat hard once or twice to stay above the tree line. The river curved, and then I saw the small beach before the house. I flapped those wings hard, breaking my descent, and landed hard on the beach. I furled my wings back into my back. I rolled my shoulders as I felt them collapse into my body. I walked quickly to the tree line, carrying Sydney clear from the landing zone as Akasha came in fast behind me, followed by Anton.  

I walked through the tree line, holding Sydney’s hand in mine. I noticed a motorcycle parked next to the fence. The engine was still warm. I could hear it ticking as it cooled. Akasha came up beside me, her cloak pulled about her shoulders, hiding her body. One hand snaked out to grasp my other hand. I heard Anton stagger a bit behind us, and a soft gasp as his wings curled back into his body.  

I stepped through the gate onto the walkway up to the house. A young woman stood at the bottom of the steps. She looked at the four of us, then dropped to one knee, her forehead pressed to that knee.  

“I am Amika. Come to offer my services to your Court. If you will have me.” Her voice was soft, husky, with a slight accent. Her syllables clipped just enough to sound foreign. I took a step forward and looked at her more closely. She was of slight frame but had an athletic look to her. Amika’s hair was long and black with streaks of bronze in it, cornrowed from her scalp to her ass. Her skin was the color of milk chocolate.  

I stepped forward, put my hand on her head, and closed my eyes. I went to that place in my mind. Saw the stones. Found hers—large, full potential power, crushed under the weight of past deeds. I could sense her pain, longing, and need to belong. My heart ached for her. I hugged that stone in my mind. Welcomed it.  

“Rise, Amika. Rise and join our Court. Be welcome in our house and home.”  

I lifted my hand from her head. She looked up at me, shock clear on her face. She stood, staggered backward, and fell against the stairs. Her back arched, a groan torn from her throat. Then she curled over, dropped to all fours, gasping. Her hair shook of its own accord. The tight cornrows were coming undone. The moonlight broke through the clouds, and her hair glowed like spun gold before another cloud drifted over.  

“What,” Amika gasped for breath like she had been running hard, “What have you done to me?”  

She shook her head, that golden hair dancing around her in sheets. Her eyes were wide and wild as she looked at me. I held out a hand to her. She sat back on her heels, breathing hard. Slowly, like she was afraid I would bite her, she took my hand. I helped her back to her feet. Her head rose to the center of my chest as she looked up at me. Amika’s eyes were almond-shaped, a piercing green in the moonlight. She was wearing a leather jacket over a crop top that hugged her body. Her stomach was ribbed with muscles. Her breasts were round and perky. Her pants were skintight leather that accentuated her curves, showing off the strong muscles of her legs. A pair of leather boots completed the look, tapering up her calves.  

“I did nothing but welcome you. The land has chosen you. Granted you this boon.” I said softly. Amika shook her head in disbelief.  

“A knight?” She said it softly, almost a curse. Disbelief. Shock. “Why? I am not worthy of this.”  

I shrugged. “Then prove yourself worthy.”  

Amika gulped and nodded. “Start the ritual.”  

I raised an eyebrow, watching her fidget as she looked around the yard.  

“Do you want to go somewhere more comfortable?”  

“No,” She shook her head as she met my eyes, “Beneath the gaze of our ancestors carved in wood and stone. This feels right.”  

“As you wish,” I said as I started to unbuckle my shorts. Amika stared. Then blinked hard and took off her jacket. She unzipped her boots and slipped them off, followed by her socks, then unzipped her pants and peeled them down her shapely legs. Amika turned her back to us and pulled her top over her head, setting it with the rest of her clothes. She stood there for a minute, taking slow, deep breaths.  

I unzipped my shorts and pulled them off, along with my boxers. I heard a soft sigh and looked over my shoulder. Anton, Akasha, and Sydney were all looking at me with remarkably similar looks on their faces. I rolled my eyes. Sydney and Anton blushed while Akasha laughed. Akasha pulled her pants off and walked to me, her hips gently swaying as the moonlight made her skin glow. Anton blinked at Akasha, then started undressing. Sydney backed up, leaned against the fence, and watched.  

Akasha walked over to me and ran a finger down the length of my manhood. She wrapped her hand around the base and gently squeezed. A shiver ran down my back at her soft touch. My cock throbbed to its full size in her hands.  

“No,” Amika said. She had turned to look at us. Her eyes were wide, her jaw trembling. She was staring at my erection. “That... That won’t fit in me. I can’t do this. No.”  

The moonlight illuminated her small, perky breasts as her chest heaved. Tears trickled down her face. Her wide eyes kept flicking from my throbbing length up to my face. She was shaking her head. I reached out a hand to Amika, and she cowered back from me. Akasha stepped over to her and draped an arm around her shoulders.  

“Lord Edgar will not hurt you, Amika,” Akasha said softly.  

Amika shook her head, her voice breaking as tears trickled down her face, “You don’t understand. I was banished from my home for being too human and deformed by Dragon standards. My vagina is too shallow. It just hurts. Every dragon for a thousand miles came to Court me. They fucked me. It never felt good. It just hurt. All I felt was pain, never pleasure. They... they never brought me. I was cast out. I’ve been wandering these lands for four hundred and fifty years.”  

Anton stepped forward. “Four hundred and fifty years? Amika? Last daughter of the Court of the Red Sun?”  

Amika blinked at Anton, seeing him for the first time. Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. She nodded.  

“I was there when your father announced his surrogate was pregnant. He was so proud,” Anton’s voice was low, quiet, sad. “I’m sorry this happened to you. Your father is a proud man.”  

“Proud?” Amika spat the word with vehemence, “Proud!? He was going to have me put to death. My mother begged for my life. Begged. She is the only reason I’m still alive.”  

Anton blinked, jerked back, and shook his head. Then sighed. “I hear the truth in your words, Amika. I am sorry.”  

Akasha kissed Amika on the cheek. Amika started to pull back, but Akasha held her fast.  

“Have you ever witnessed the Ritual of Consummation?” Akasha asked her softly. Amika shook her head.  

Her eyes widened. Her laugh was bitter, broken. “That is not going in my ass. No way.”  

“Amika,” I said softly. “I saw the bronze in your hair. You may have been banished from your home, but you still tried to be the protector. Look at your hair now—Spun gold. The land has chosen you for this. Will you not try? I promise to be gentle.”  

Another tear trickled down her cheek. She pointed at my throbbing length. “That... That does not look gentle.”  

I stepped closer to Amika. She cowered, but Akasha didn’t let her pull away. I took her hand in mine and kissed her knuckles softly. A shiver ran through her—a tremble in her legs and arms.   

“Will you try?” I asked, my voice low, soft, and gentle. She blinked up at me with those piercing green eyes. Tears slipped down her cheeks. She looked down at that hard length, then back up at my face. She bit her lip and nodded once.  

“I don’t know how to do this,” she confessed, her voice broken and small. I leaned into her, pressed my lips to hers. Amika hesitated for a moment, then closed her eyes and melted into me. Her arms wrapped around my waist as she pulled her body as flush with mine as she could. Her lips parted as my tongue slipped into her mouth. She moaned into the kiss, surrendering to it completely. Her body trembled against mine.  

I gently pulled back. Amika blinked up at me, her pupils blown wide. She licked her lips, raised one hand, and ran it across her lips. Then giggled. “Nobody’s ever just... kissed me like that.”  

“I won’t hurt you, Amika,” I said softly as I took a step back. She started to follow, but Akasha held her. Amika’s legs buckled, but Akasha’s hands slipped to her waist, holding her steady. Amika reached down and slid her panties off, dropping them to her pile of clothes.  

I turned and gestured to Anton. His eyes widened as I took his hand and guided him to my side.  

“My Lord?” he said questioningly. I guided him between us and knelt, pulling him to the ground. Akasha and Amika knelt next to us.  

“Lie down,” I said to Anton. He lay on his back, hands behind his head. His length was stiff and throbbing. I turned to Amika and took her hand. She trembled as I pulled her forward. She looked at Anton and bit her lip. I guided her over him, straddling his waist. She looked at me questioningly, and I smiled reassuringly.  

I reached down and gripped Anton’s length and guided the tip of him through Amika’s folds. They both gasped. Then I gently gripped Amika’s waist and pulled her back onto him. Her hands flew to his chest to brace herself. I knelt between their legs, watching as Amika slowly sank onto his length. Her back bowed a low moan slipping from her throat. Anton gasped softly as she sat fully on him.  

“Oh fuck,” Anton gasped.  

Amika moaned loudly. Her voice, a broken whisper, “You... fit me. I feel you, at the back of me. Oh God.”  

Amika started to roll her hips slowly. Small, tentative movements. Experimenting. Exploring. Her body shuddered, another broken moan slipping from her throat.  

“Fuck, you feel so good.” Amika gasped as she started to ride Anton.  

Anton reached out to me. I took his hand, and he pulled me closer. His eyes met mine. I could see the question, the desire in them. Amike stopped, looked at him, then at me. She laughed.  

“Are you asking him to fuck your ass while I ride you?” She asked as she drew a finger down Anton’s cheek. Anton blushed, then nodded. “Do you enjoy that monstrous cock that much?”  

Anton’s blush darkened, and he nodded again. Amika laughed then. The first joyous sound that I had heard from her. Like the tinkling of small musical bells.  I felt warmth in my chest at that sound and Akasha...