Despite being mere hours from what was shaping up to be the universe’s largest battle, the following day was one of the best ones in Eli’s life. It started with waking up next to Vespera’s needy kisses, even after having thoroughly worn each other out the previous night. With the benefit of life magic Eli found the strength for two more rounds before they got out of bed long enough to do something they’d been wanting to find time to do for quite awhile: look though Vespera’s large portfolio of paintings, drawings, and etchings to decide which ones they wanted to frame and hang on their walls.

After that they made their way downstairs, where Vespera graciously handed Eli off to a growling Isla. He mollified the proud dragoness with kisses as he made her breakfast, teaching her about the pure joy that came in a bottle of maple syrup. She devoured the first 6 pancakes with enough of the sticky liquid to float a battleship, after which he joked that she should just pour it on him and lick it off.

So that’s exactly what they did next.

Once they were showered and clean, Aria collected Eli for their date. While any restaurant or attraction likely would have happily opened their doors for the two of them, neither felt like doing anything too extravagant. They ended up holding hands and taking a long walk along the parapets, talking about everything from politics to potential baby names.

After the easy conversation in the sunshine, Eli led Aria back to her room where she laid down for a nap. When he emerged again he was met by Zee, who led him into Talaedra’s dungeon for an intense sparring match. The two of them wrestled in the sand for half an hour before their grappling techniques turned into groping, which inevitably turned into foreplay. They tore each other’s workout clothes off with reckless abandon, making love on the ground without caring who might walk in and disturb them.

Fortunately for them, they both had the opportunity to finish more than once before Lilly eventually came to check on them with a picnic basket secured under one arm. She laughed and smiled as Eli kissed Zee once more before allowing himself to be led away on another date. Her vision for their time together was relatively simple: sharing a meal under the shade of a tree in their private courtyard while talking about their ideas for the future.

Freya joined the two of them just as they were wrapping up, kissing both on the cheek before transforming into her phoenix form. Seeing her wordless invitation Eli climbed onto her back and used his magic to speak directly to her mind in her natural form. A moment later the pair took to the skies, soaring over the city while basking in the afternoon sun.

They landed to find Naz already waiting for them near the castle’s front gate. Eli’s aching muscles braced themselves for another wrestling match when he saw her in workout clothes, but was surprised when she led him to a room of the castle he hadn’t been in before – one that she’d obviously recently cleared out. She pulled shutters over the blinds and started a playlist on her phone before requesting that he dance with her.

For over an hour, Naz demonstrated one of her many hidden talents: her mastery of ballroom dance. Eli had to transform into his orcish form so they were matched in size after finding it difficult to lead in his human one. By the time Aratessa knocked on the door they were both smiling ear-to-ear, even if they were a bit sweaty and sore from having to hold to the strict posture required for that sort of dancing.

Thankfully, the Spider Queen had a perfect remedy for Eli’s aching bones. She led him back to her room in the Irandell castle where they were met by half a dozen of her dark elven attendants and a pair of massage tables. The two of them stripped down, laid next to each other and held hands as they sank into the soft fabric. As soon as the massage concluded the attendants bowed and left, giving Aratessa the opportunity to pull Eli into her bed for a quick, relaxing snuggle.

A soft knock on the door some time later signaled them to get up, but not before Eli doted on his dark elven bond mate with several more kisses. He strode to the door to find a shy-looking Nyxie wearing something other than her armour for the first time. She turned and blushed at his gaze, causing her green sundress to twirl and bounce as she looked up at him with her big brown eyes.

“Lilly made it for me.” She started, smoothing it down. “I’ve never had something like this before. Do you…like it?”

“I do.” Eli nodded, taking her hand and leading her through their wing of the castle. “The bigger question is, do you like it?”

“I do.”

“Then I really like it now.” He smiled.

“I know all the other girls planned dates for you, but I wasn’t sure what you wanted to do.” She said as they reached the door to the rest of the castle. “I don’t know this place as well as they do, and I don’t have the kind of resources they have access to.”

“That’s completely okay.” Eli grinned. “Because I planned something for us instead.”

“You did?” She asked, eyes wide.

“It’s nothing fancy. We’re just going for a walk through the city together. I figured you might want to see how some of the other magical races live.”

For almost two hours the two of them walked through Irandell. She marvelled at the diverse construction of buildings, from underground dwarven shops to harpy-homes built directly into towering trees. He made sure to stop at several vendors so that they could sample the plethora of street food, all while Hightower family guards planted in the crowd discreetly kept fans and well-wishers at a respectful distance. A slightly bemused smirk crossed his face when she insisted that they return to the vendor selling fried mozzarella sticks.

I guess the stereotype about mice and cheese is true. He thought to himself as he watched her eyes widen with joy.

“This is such a different world than the one I’m used to seeing.” Nyxie said after scarfing the last of them down. “Do you think that mousekin could live here one day?”

“I don’t see why not.” Eli replied, leading the way back to the castle. “People are pretty welcoming here.”

“Even if we – and I hate admitting this – look somewhat like ratkin?” She pressed.

“First off, you don’t.” He shook his head. “Secondly, remember the man selling those mozzarella sticks? The one with the grey shirt?”

“Yes. Why?

“He’s human, selling a type of food invented on Earth. They accepted him here. And that was after humans attacked the city with guns, killing a bunch of civilians. If people can accept him, they’ll accept you.”

She went silent for a few moments. “This place is incredible.”

“It’s got its problems too, don’t get me wrong.” He cautioned Nyxie. “But yeah. It’s home for me now, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

“What’s that?” She said suddenly, pointing towards a group of street musicians.

“It looks like they’re setting up to play a song.”

“Out here? In the open? For free?” She questioned.

“Yes, yes, and yes.” Eli nodded. “You can tip them if you want – and we should, if we’re going to hang around – but it’s not required.”

She watched, enraptured as the 3-piece band began to play. It was a fairly simple arrangement: a dwarf with a snare drum secured with a belt around his waist, a high elven man playing a stringed, guitar-like instrument and a felinekin woman singing as she shook her tambourine. A circle of onlookers quickly formed around the trio as they played, with several children running and dancing around the edges.

His eyes flicked over to Nyxie as she slowly reached up and removed a discreet pair of earplugs from her sensitive ears, allowing the full force of the city sounds to wash over her. She rocked back and forth on her heels for a moment before placing them back in. A curious look crossed her face as she continued to watch them for several more minutes.

“I didn’t know you had those in.” Eli said.

“I usually do. They protect me in loud places like this.”

“What made you take them out just now then?”

“I wanted the full experience. I wanted to learn to play instruments growing up, you know.” She admitted softly. “The ratkin in my realm banned it because they thought we might use it as a weapon against their sensitive ears. People still made music in secret of course, but the risk of being caught with a real instrument was always too great.”

“They banned music?” Eli asked incredulously, unable to get over that fact.

“Yes.” She turned to him. “Is that fact so surprising?”

“It’s yet another reason to kill them. A big one.”

It was her turn to be surprised. “You’re more angry about this than I thought.”

“I play music, Nyxie.” He reminded her. “Some of my best memories are set to music in one way or another. The idea of having to go without it is…” He brightened considerably as another idea occurred to him. “Wait. You said you wanted to learn to play?”

“Yes, why?” She said, confused.

“Do you still want to learn?”

“Yes.”

“Then come with me.”

A short detour later, the two exited a shop holding a brand new ukelele. Nyxie was almost vibrating with excitement as she cradled the box under her arm – a sight that brought Eli no small measure of joy. He grinned at her as they resumed their journey back to the castle.

“I’ll teach you to play when we get back. Consider it our own personal rebellion against the Titans.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” She said. “That means you’d better come back alive.”

“Plan on it.” He promised, holding out his hand for her to shake as they reached the castle doors.

Instead of shaking it though, Nyxie gently placed the box on the ground before leaping into his arms. He caught her just as she pressed her soft pink lips to his, groaning into their kiss. Amused onlookers hooted and cheered as he returned her affections, his hands trailing up and down her back. By the time they broke apart she was blushing, her eyes half-lidded with lust.

“I want you to bond with me.” She whispered into his ear.

As much as the idea appealed to him, he shook his head and let her down gently. “I’d like that. And it’s not that I’m not interested.” He said, nodding to the angel woman waiting patiently nearby. “I just promised tonight to Minerva. She’s been waiting forever.”

Nyxie looked back at Minerva before turning to him. “I see.” She replied, her voice low with disappointment. “It’s just… we might not get another chance.”

He tilted her chin upwards and kissed her once more. “Have a little faith. I keep my promises to my bond mates. Just like I’m going to keep my promise to you – that all of us are coming back from this. And when we do, if you’re still interested I’m going to bond with you. Understand?”

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “I understand.”

“Good.” He kissed her one more time for good measure. “Now go. Tomorrow’s a big day and I can’t have you being sleep-deprived on the battlefield.”

When she turned around he smacked her on the ass, causing her to yelp in surprise. The move seemed to make her forget her disappointment for a moment, evidenced by the way she bit her lip and grinned at him coquettishly before walking away. As she moved her hips began to sway back and forth more than they did before, her mouselike tail swishing back and forth across the ground.

“I see things went well with Nyxie.” Minerva said as she laid one wing across his shoulder. “I’m surprised you didn’t bond with her yet. You know she’s approved by the golden hand society.” She finished, referring to the name that his bond mates used to describe themselves.

“I know.” He nodded. “But there’ll be lots of time for that after.”

She smiled at what he was implying. “You think she’ll fit in well here?”

“In Irandell? Yes. In our family? I think it’ll take her awhile to get used to sharing me, but…I think she’ll get there.” He said before turning to her. “But that’s not what we’re here to talk about. This is your night, and I want to use it the way that you want.”

“In that case, read this.” She said, blushing as she handed him a slip of paper. “And meet me in the library in 10 minutes.”

He glanced down at the note, read it three times to make sure he’d understood it properly, then grinned. When he looked up there was no trace of the angelic woman save for a singular white feather that had fallen on the ground. Whistling a merry tune he walked over, picked it up, then stuffed it in his pocket as he slowly made his way through the castle.

Exactly 10 minutes later he strode through the library doors to find Minerva hunched over a tome of a book. She played her part in the fantasy she’d requested perfectly, not even looking up from her studies as she traced her finger down the page. He took a moment to ensure they were alone before closing the door behind him, causing her to shiver with anticipation.

Before approaching, he took a moment to appreciate her outfit. Gone was the formless grey dress she usually wore, replaced by a white dress shirt that was unbuttoned enough to reveal mountains of cleavage and a tight black skirt that ended just above the garter of her thigh-high stockings. Somehow, between the time he met her at the castle gate and the time that he reached the library she’d found time to apply makeup and lipstick, accentuating her soft-looking pink lips and bright blue eyes.

As he took her in she started to nervously play with the gold ring on her finger, twirling it in a circle as her high heels bounced against the stone floor. He slowly moved towards the table, causing her feathered wings to twitch and strain against the slits she’d cut in the back of her shirt. When he reached her he wordlessly got to his knees and crawled underneath the table, careful to make as little noise as possible.

He settled between her legs before gently running one hand up either calf, revelling in the smoothness of her black stockings. She shuddered and slowly parted her legs in response, revealing that she wasn’t wearing any panties. With a grin he moved closer, his lips dragging slowly up her knee towards her pale, uncovered thighs.

She let out a soft gasp when his fingers trailed up the other side, reaching their target in the middle. Her quim was already soaking wet and ready for him, allowing him to easily slip one digit inside to the second knuckle. In response she scooted forward in her chair, causing her pencil skirt to ride up enough that he had full access to her clit.

Resuming his attack with his lips, he trailed soft kisses up her leg while beginning to gently slide his finger in and out. On the table above him he heard her flip the page as if nothing was happening, but the slight shake in her legs betrayed how much she was enjoying the feelings. She let out another muffled gasp through gritted teeth as he began to lap away at her clit, circling her button with the tip of his tongue teasingly.

As gently as possible, he worked a second finger inside next to the first. It was soon followed by him changing techniques with his tongue, switching to long, flat strokes across her hood. His head bumped against the top of the table and his own excitement began to throb but he ignored both sensations, instead focusing on his mission.

I want you to make me lose my composure in the library. The note had read. Don’t stop until I can’t hold back anymore.

The signs of her coming undone started to arrive quickly after that. Her legs started to shake more violently, and the hand she was using to trace the page slowly came down until it rested on Eli’s head. Her pussy became progressively wetter with the combination of his saliva and her natural wetness, and her groans of pleasure became less and less inhibited.

“Eli! I’m going to cum!” She finally said, gripping his hair tightly.

That was all the warning he had before she finally let loose and gushed all over his face. He continued to tongue and finger her while her legs shook and her entire body tensed and relaxed every muscle in quick succession, over and over again. It was only when she begged him to let up that he did, the cheshire-cat-like grin spreading across his face as he climbed out from under the table.

“How was that?” He asked, already knowing the answer from the way the normally prim-postured angel was slumped backwards on the chair.

“Oh my… yes.” She managed to croak out.

“Ready for more?”

She took a breath, looked down at the bulge in his linen pants, then smiled. “Absolutely.”

The fact that he was able to reenact one of her fantasies for her removed any need for more foreplay. He pushed the book she was reading to the side before reaching forward and picking her up, placing her down on the table. She blushed as he began to take off his belt before hiking up her miniskirt even higher, fully exposing her puffy pink pussy for him.

With a quick gesture he unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, letting them fall to the floor. The sight of her waiting sex in front of him proved too tempting for him to wait another moment though, causing him to quickly move forward so the head of his cock pressed against her slit. With a gentle push of his hips the head of his rod slipped inside her, causing fireworks of pleasure to explode in his mind.

She was hot, tight, and wet. Her inner walls squeezed and massaged his cock as he plunged deeper into her, inch by agonizing inch. The only thing that held him back from ramming all the way into her was his fear of hurting her – a fear that was allayed when she hooked her heels and wings around his back and began whispering to him.

“Fill me. Don’t stop until you’re all the way inside me.”

With that encouragement he leaned forward and claimed her lips in a searing kiss. At the same time he began a long, slow push that only ended when his balls were touching her bare ass. She let out a soft moan into their mouths when he held it there for a moment.

Breaking their kiss, she looked at him in the eyes before cupping one hand behind his neck and whispering. “Let me do this for you.”

Achingly slowly at first, she started to rotate her hips on him. In a show of immense dexterity she timed each movement with a squeeze of her Kegel muscles, working his cock in a way he’d never experienced before. The fact that she never lost eye contact with him through the whole thing added an entirely new dimension of intimacy to their act, bringing them closer than they’d ever been.

“Holy shit Minerva.” He managed to say as he brought one hand forward onto her waist and another onto the table to support them. “You’re so fucking good at that.”

“I’ve been taking advice from Vespera.” She admitted. “I wanted this to be perfect for you.”

For the next 20 minutes, the only sound in the library was the gentle rustle of clothes, the rhythmic creaking of the wood table, and the instinctive groans escaping their mouths. Minerva kept her slow pace the entire time, gradually working Eli to greater heights of pleasure while ensuring they remained as close and intimately tied as possible. Eventually though Eli couldn’t hold back any longer and had to whisper a warning.

“Minerva, I’m close.”

“Do it inside me.” She whispered back.

“You could get pregnant.” He reminded her in a warning tone.

She blushed even further crimson then whispered, barely audibly. “Breed me.”

That was all it took.

The primal, instinctive part of his brain took over as he began to thrust in time with her gyrating hips. He made it all of three strokes in her before roaring and unloading the enormous load of cum that had been building in his balls. Her eyes went wide with surprise at the volume of jizz currently painting her womb white – something that caused her to tumble over the edge into another orgasm of her own.

For the next several minutes, the two of them were lost in the pink ocean of pleasure. Even as Eli’s own orgasm subsided a minute later, he collapsed onto her shaking body and held her tightly as they recovered. As their senses came back to them they began to flutter kisses onto each others necks and faces, neither of them willing to move too much for fear of banishing the soft post-climax bliss they were both feeling.

“That was…incredible.” Eli finally said as he pulled back.

“Shh. Remember, we’re in a library.” She teased him with a smile.

“Oh, so we shouldn’t go for round two then?” He replied instantly.

Her eyebrows shot up. “Back up. I want you to bend me over the table this time.”