I drank way more than I should have and stumbled back to my room. The girls wished me a good night and stumbled back to their rooms. I may have scored a kiss from all three, or that may have just been my imagination. It was impossible to tell.

As my hand went to the handle of my door, the sound of chimes to my left caught my attention.

“Matt?” a soft voice called in the dim light.

I tried to rub the haze from my vision—unsuccessfully, of course—and glanced to my left. A familiar young woman with silver streaks in her brown hair stood clutching a tall staff. Golden rings hung at its point, colliding between gentle sways and causing the sound.

“You’re, er, Cailu’s healer, right?” I asked, the words heavy on my tongue.

“Yes. I’m Yomi,” she nodded. She studied my face, her heterochromatic eyes wide. “Can… can we talk?”

I ran a hand through my hair. I wasn’t sure how much I’d be able to process a talk right now. I needed sleep. But the look on her face was so sad. I sighed. “Sure. Come on in.”

I opened the door to my room and immediately sought out the water pitcher I’d seen earlier. I didn’t bother pouring it into the small glass beside it; I just picked it up and chugged.

Yomi watched me curiously, taking a seat in the chair beside the small table.

I finished half the pitcher and wiped my mouth on the back of my forearm. “Sorry, trying to clear my head.”

“That’s alright.”

With one more quick swig, I took the chair opposite her. The spinning world began to slow, and the blurred images in my vision sharpened. Yomi wore a purple dress that hugged her generous curves, accentuating her chest and hips. A wide keyhole at the throat swept low over her breasts, and the hem of her skirt cut high on the thighs. It reminded me of Ravyn’s [Civilian Mode] dress. At first, I thought Yomi’s eyes were a product of me being drunk, but I’d seen it right—one was green, the other gold.

“So, what’s up?”

“I…” She wrung her hands around the staff.

The rings jingled together, and a sudden calm swept over me. The pulsing in my ears vanished, and the remaining blurs in my vision melted away. “Woah.” I shook my head.

“S-sorry!” she stammered and set her staff aside. “I do that without thinking sometimes.”

“Do what?”

“Well… [Dark Priest] has access to many Enchantments that calm and sedate. Once you become familiar enough with them, they’re like second nature.” She shook her head. “But that’s not why I’m here.”

That’s kind of terrifying, if I’m being honest. “Okay?”

“I need your help, Matt.” Yomi clasped her hands in her lap. “I need to escape Cailu’s Party.”

I’d started to reach for the pitcher, but my hand froze. “I don’t know if I can help you with that.”

She nodded. “You can. You’re the only one who can.”

I blinked, then grabbed the handle. “I can’t kill him.”

“No.”

I furrowed my brow and took another drink of water. Whether it was her Enchantment or the water, I was starting to sober up. “Then…?”

“He’ll let me leave if I’m pregnant,” Yomi whispered. “He wouldn’t force me to keep fighting.”

My fingers and toes went numb. Oh. “Can’t you just tell him you want out?”

Yomi shook her head, her curls bobbing around her shoulders. “It’s not that easy. If a man wants someone to stay in his Party, catgirls aren’t allowed to say no. There are lifelong repercussions for denying a man.”

Jesus Christ. “And he can’t, well, get you pregnant?”

“He won’t.” Yomi rubbed her face in her hands. “I’ve tried everything, Matt. I’ve begged him. I’ve petitioned the queen to let me leave.”

“Why keep someone around that doesn’t want to be there?”

“Because I…” Yomi dropped her hands and stared at her knees. “I conjured a powerful Spell from a controversial Third Class. But I’m just a [Dark Priest]. Letting me go would be a liability, as he put it.”

“But not if you’re pregnant?”

“There’s a system in Nyarlea for pregnant catgirls. I’d be constantly surrounded by Nyannies, and my daughter would need schooling. There would always be eyes on me. Then, once I left, Cailu would need to replace me as soon as possible.”

I drained the last of the water in the pitcher. This isn’t how my first time was supposed to go. “Yomi, maybe this doesn’t mean a lot here in Nyarlea. But I’ve never done,” I gestured from me to her, “this before.”

Yomi blushed deeply, hands balling into fists. “W-what? Really? When did you arrive?”

“A few weeks ago? We just came to San for spices.” I laughed. “Guess I’m falling behind on my duties, huh?”

She was quiet for a time, staring at the burning embers in the fireplace. “You’re from Earth, right?”

That was a surprise. “Yeah. You know it?”

“The man before Cailu, he was, too.” She wrapped her tail over her lap, smoothing the brown and silver fur across her legs. “For what it’s worth, I understand the importance of your first time.”

“I want to say that helps, but I’m not sure,” I admitted.

My heart raced, and my chest felt tight. It wasn’t a problem of attraction; Yomi was gorgeous.

Just… Keke.

It was probably naïve to hope that my first would be Keke. We couldn’t actually have sex if I wanted her to stay in my Party. And I couldn’t keep putting this off.

Yomi looked at me, her full lips twitching into a frown. “I’m sorry, Matt. I shouldn’t have asked—”

“Will Cailu put my head on a spike?” I asked. “I don’t want to lose my life over this.”

Glimmers of hope returned to her gaze. “No. Even with his standing with the queen, men are too important to this world.”

“Okay. I’ll help you.”

She shot to her feet. “You’re certain?”

“Yeah. I’m sure.” I stood and scratched the back of my neck. A nervous laugh escaped my chest. “Don’t be too disappointed.”

Yomi bowed deeply, and when she straightened, her eyes shimmered with tears. “Thank you, Matt. You don’t know what this means to me.”

“You’re welcome.” I wouldn’t want to be in that jackass’s Party, either. Knowing that he wouldn’t let Yomi leave somehow made me more frustrated with Cailu than before.

I looked at her, watched her approach, and adrenaline pounded in my ears.

How the hell do I start this?

She reached up and touched my cheek, her gaze piercing mine. “Do you want me to lead?”

Man up, Kelmer. But I didn’t know what to do—I didn’t know her at all. Where should I put my hands? When should I take off her dress? “If you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” she murmured. Turning her back to me, she brushed her hair over one shoulder. “Can you unzip my dress?”

“Sure.” My hands were trembling as I found the tab and tugged it down.

The fabric fell to the side, revealing smooth, ivory skin, pronounced shoulder blades, and a lithe back. The lace of her black panties rested just beneath her tail, and she shrugged the dress free once it reached the end.

Yomi reached around my neck and pulled me down into a gentle kiss, molding her mouth to mine. I found myself initiating a deeper embrace, tracing her lower lip with my tongue and curling my arms around her bare waist. She let me explore her mouth and skin—she tasted like cinnamon and smelled like blooming flowers. Only once my thumbs hooked around the hem of her underwear did she pull my jacket back over my arms.

I had to break my touch momentarily to toss my jacket aside and tear my shirt over my head. My nervousness dissolved into something far more basic as my eyes drifted down her body. The tips of her breasts brushed against my chest, and I shivered.

I raised my hand to touch her, then hesitated. “Can I…?”

“Of course.” She took my wrist and guided my palm to her chest.

She parted her lips in a soft moan, hitting me with another shot of adrenaline. Heat rushed to my neck and between my legs. I massaged her breast, toying at her nipple with my thumb. The goosebumps that covered her skin called me closer; I kissed her throat, the dip at her collarbone, then nibbled her shoulder. Her hands splayed flat on my chest, and she dragged her nails down my flesh.

I groaned and sunk my teeth deeper. Her touches grew desperate, and her trembling hands dropped to my belt, working quickly at the strap.

“Glad I’m not the only nervous one,” I muttered, kissing the red mark I’d created on her shoulder.

Yomi giggled. A sound just as enticing as her chimes. “It’s my first time, too.”

As soon as she’d undone my belt and fly, I shoved my pants and boxers to the floor, snatching her panties from her hips in the process. I paused, noticing the tattoo just above her abdomen. I traced the foreign symbols with my thumb; partially curious about what they meant, moreso caught up in how unbelievably sexy womb tattoos were.

“O-oh. That’s nothing.” Yomi shivered.

I kissed the center ring and rose to my feet. “It’s beautiful.”

“Thank you.” She smiled and pressed on my shoulders. “Now lie down.”

I guess I did ask her to lead. I’d nearly forgotten. The need to feel her against me was overpowering, the desire to map every inch of her skin overwhelming. I did as she asked and laid flat on the bed.

She hopped up after me, straddling my thighs. Her hair framed her flushed face, and her gaze wandered to my erection.

That’s a nice look.

Wrapping her fingers around my shaft, she stroked from tip to base with ease. Her fingers were just as soft and supple as the rest of her body, and the effect was immediate.

“Feel good?”

“Yes,” I groaned. My hips took on a mind of their own, rocking against her intermittent strokes.

She raised her hips over mine, positioning me between her searing slit. The heat emanating between her legs felt insane. I could barely breathe.

“Are you sure you want me, Matt?” she teased, wriggling her hips in a way that made me gasp. “I can’t tell.”

I laughed and grabbed her thighs, holding her still and plunging inside of her. A breathy yelp echoed from her lips, and she covered her mouth.

I grabbed her wrist and pulled it away. “Make all the noise you want.”

She rocked her hips, and we both gasped. I could feel every curve and bump of her against my shaft, and her pleasure dripped between our thighs. She was tight and wet and dragging me closer to the edge with every twitch of her body.

“Not yet,” she breathed. “Don’t—ah—don’t climax yet.”

Icebergs. Freezer burns. I tried to think of anything that would slow it down.

“I’ll try not to move,” I said.

She nodded and raised her hips, then slowly descended again. Her hands went to my chest, and she pressed her fingertips in deep, repeating the motion. I watched her, memorizing her expression, the graceful arch of her back, her intricate tattoo.

“Keep going,” I said, moving one hand between her thighs and sliding my fingers between her folds. I found her clit and teased at the yielding curves.

Her eyes widened, and her breathing hitched, but her rhythm continued. “You’ll make me come this way,” she said like a warning.

“Good.”

Yomi’s gyrations sped, and her head rolled forward. “Ngh, Matt… I…!” She tightened around me, forcing carnal sounds from my throat. I was already on edge, and this was torture.

I kneaded her slick skin and drank in her desperate sounds. Her fingers balled into fists, and sweat trickled down her chest.

“Come with me! Fuck me hard!” she begged.

I grabbed her thighs and held her still, bucking relentlessly against her. She gripped my shoulders, fingernails digging into my skin as her eyes rolled back. Her cries echoed against the walls, and powerful convulsions enveloped my shaft.

Lights exploded in my vision as I climaxed, and my legs trembled with the release. My lips and toes felt numb and cold sweat dripped down my spine.

Her mouth and tongue found mine, and I pulled her close, rolling her to the side. Our embrace was a breathless descension from the high, and my skin pulsed in time with my heart.

We stayed like that for a long time. When she broke our kiss, she snuggled in close, her tail winding around my calf. I wrapped my arms around her back and held her tight.

“Matt?”

“Yeah?”

“I… I’m sure it wasn’t the first time that you imagined,” Yomi whispered against my chest. “I’m sorry.”

I laughed. “Hey, you certainly made it a memorable one.”

She blinked up at me. “I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”

“So long as my head stays attached, we’re even.” I kissed her forehead.

Yomi squeezed me tight. “Thank you.”

“Yeah. You’re welcome.”