Page 90 of Ahelno
CHAPTER 61
I practiced the piano, a bit maudlin after Leo had left. I didn’t know when I’d see him again, and I’d already missed his cheerful presence.
The alarm panel on the door chimed, and I perked up when I saw Dakleth enter. “I love to hear you play, mate,” he said, kissing the top of my head. “You are so talented.”
“I think I’m done for today,” I said. “I’m not really in the mood.”
“That is why I have planned an outing for us,” Dakleth said.
“Really? Where are we going?” I asked.
“Come, it is a surprise. You will like it, I promise,” he laughed.
We walked out into the city. If it were just Dakleth, I know he would have flown, but I appreciated that he walked with me. I enjoyed flying with him, but conversation was easier for both of us when we were on the ground. We talked about our day, about the trade agreement with the Charonu, and the new products that Dakleth thought would be of interest to the Ptexari. He spoke with admiration for his sister’s negotiation skills. He and Kashtinela had both been part of talks in diplomatic meetings for years, but this was her first time as the lead, and both he and his father had beenimpressed. We made our way to a small building in the arts district. I loved the colorful vibe of this part of the city. We walked into a large open space, and Malvinok came out from the back room to greet us. “Your Highnesses! Blessings upon your house, and welcome to my studio!” he exclaimed. “I’m delighted you made the time to come out.”
I greeted Malvinok and asked Dakleth what was going on.
“You showed great aptitude for dancing, so I asked Malvinok to teach you more of our court dances so we can dance together,” he said.
I clapped my hands. “That would be wonderful! Thank you both! I love to learn new dances.” Malvinok returned my beaming smile. “But you must also teach me your dances, Lumanela,” he said. “The court is abuzz after your performance. Many have reached out to ask me how to learn this human art form.”
“Oh, I’d be happy to!” I said. “I can also sit in on a class while you instruct, if that’s helpful.”
In charity, we agreed to help one another. For the next forty-five minutes, Malvinok taught me Ptexari dances and chivvied Dakleth into serving as my partner so he could stand back and observe. “You’re out of practice,” he chided Dakleth.
“I was never a very motivated student,” Dakleth confessed. “But with my mate, I find I am more willing to participate.”
“Males will do anything to impress a female,” Malvinok snorted.
After a while, we switched, and I showed both Malvinok and Dakleth the basics of merengue, which, as a simple two-step, was the easiest of the Latin dances. Fortunately, I was able to pull up some of the music Leo and I recorded for us to practice with. Malvinok and Dakleth took turns withme and sometimes, each other. The Ptexari didn’t ascribe gender roles to dancing. It made sense since their males and females were about the same size. I wondered how they would handle lifts. Who did the lifting and who got lifted? That was a conundrum for another day. For the moment, they were having a good time.
We left Malvinok with promises to return in a week, then Dakleth took me to a nearby restaurant. Inside, it looked like a forest, and there were bowers in the fake trees where one could eat in privacy. I’d never seen anything like it. It made sense for a species that could fly and didn’t need ladders. The bowers were all different heights, giving the illusion that you were alone in the forest. It was magical. We sat on mats in our bower and shared roasted kovka and the ubiquitous Ptexari flatbread. We drank wine made from fermented zana fruit, and I watched Dakleth over my glass as I took another sip. He was perfectly relaxed. His crest was lowered, his eyes dark and animated. His wings were folded as he reclined on his side. Ptexari never lay on their backs, so this was as close as he would get - in public at least. We laughed and chatted, and he fed me berries when I lay down on my side facing him. He snuck in quick kisses between berries.
The Ptexari called it courting. I called it the best date I’d ever been on.
He flew me home afterward, and I asked him if he wanted to come in. He did, and as soon as he crossed the threshold, we were pulling at each other’s clothes. He lifted me and carried me to my small bedroom. He laid me down on the bedcushions and slowly slid my panties down my legs. He stroked my side and dipped his head for a slow, lazy kiss.
“I love kissing you, mate,” he said. “I cannot believe thePtexari have not discovered this.”
I laughed. “Maybe you should teach it to them.”
“I do not intend to demonstrate on anyone but you. Let them figure it out for themselves,” he said in a gravelly voice.
I felt something low in my belly tighten at his words. I tilted my head so he could deepen the kiss. He groaned into my mouth and flexed his wings, then moved his head lower to nibble on my breasts. As he laved and sucked my nipples with his tongue, his hand crept down to circle my clit. I whimpered.
“Yes, mate, let me hear how my touch turns your skin aflame.”
He wasn’t wrong. I was shamelessly lifting my hips, seeking relief from his fingers. He kept me just out of reach, slowing down and easing off the pressure anytime I seemed close. “Can we try something?” I asked.
“This is a human thing you wish to try?” he asked, raising his head from my breast to look at me.
“Yes. I’d like to ride you. That means you’d have to lie on your back and let me on top of you,” I said nervously. I’d gathered that the Ptexari didn’t like to be in such a vulnerable position. I was asking a lot of him.
He eyed me a moment, then closed his wings and rolled onto his back, taking me with him. “Show me,” he demanded.
I sat up and straddled him, rubbing my pussy along his length. He was wet, and so was I. The friction felt delicious on my clit. He groaned. “That feels incredible,” he admitted.
I lifted myself and grabbed his cock, then eased him into my entrance. I threw my head back, it felt so good. I started to move slowly, up and down, back and forth, even a little circle with a swivel of my hips so he could get used to it.
