Forged of Fire (22 page)

Interesting…
Modest Angels. Ash almost wanted to laugh. Almost! “I suppose that is not an unfair request. I imagine our worlds are very different,” Ash said. “However…That life floating out there in the water,” he pointed towards the pool. “Is worth more to me than ten thousand of your kind.” He stepped closer to the guards. “If you don’t have your shit together by tomorrow, I will kill you and save Alaric the efforts of cutting off your wings. Sound fair?” Both males nodded and bowed in perfect rhythm. “You are dismissed.”

Ash turned back towards the water just as Kielyn back flipped under the surface’s glassy façade. She knew he was there. Ash could sense it. “Oh no dear, you can’t get away that easy.” Ash said under his breath as he strolled to the edge. For a moment he stood there just watching her swim. Her long graceful limbs glided with the most natural ease under the crystal blue water. Kielyn’s fiery red hair floated then raced like swirling clouds around her ivory skin with each fluid push across the pool. And… That delicious pink thong that melted between the roundest ass he had ever seen. Each time her legs spread out to kick Ash longed to be that material.

Her head broke the surface on the far side. “Kielyn.” She turned and smiled. Ash crooked his finger. “Come here, dear.”

She pushed off the wall and swam back across the pool to look up at him. “Will you join me?” She asked eagerly. A clever attempt to avoid any lecture he thought. “The water is sublime.”

“Not tonight kitten.” He could not help but smile. “Are you enjoying your new found senses beautiful?” He knelt down.

Kielyn lifted out of the water to place a quick kiss on his lips before sinking back into the pool. “Everything is so…So brilliant! I see with such a keen vision, hear in decibels I never knew existed and my strength is…” She shook her head in disbelief. “And I could live in this space! It’s amazing!” She beamed.

Ash wanted to continue to watch her as he had done for the past two and half days but he knew they had a lot to accomplish in a short amount of time. “I am happy you are not displeased,” he said. “As you know, there are others like us coming tomorrow.”

She nodded. “I look forward to learning from them as well. Are they all Vampires or are some mortals still?”

“I have no idea. I am guessing a little of both which could prove tricky in its own right,” Ash confessed. He only hoped the Vampires were all well behaved. “Anyway, I would like to move ahead with your training some more tonight.” He stood. “We can start in the pool.”

“Are you getting in?” She asked, hopeful.

“Not today.” He chuckled. “Water is not my element. But, I would like to challenge you while you are submerged in yours.” He began to roll up his sleeves. “First I must ask you, have you ever experienced the sensation of drowning?”

Kielyn sunk further into the water as if to seek its comfort. Ash was almost envious of a bender’s connection to water. What a nurturing element to have. So unlike fire that would seduce you first only to kill you a second later. But…Water could kill you too and its death was so much more of a betrayal when it did. Like a mother killing her own child, Ash mused. No, come to think of it, he would stick to being ok with his own element. It was better to be stabbed in the chest by a known enemy he could respect then to have a knife embedded in the back by a trusted friend. “I have,” her answer shocked him. “When I was a child.”

He studied her. “Do you remember how you escaped?”

“No, I blacked out.” She confessed. “It seems to be my instinctual go to place when I am scared.”

“It’s because you did not have anyone to guide you Kielyn. To properly train you. We are going to correct that dangerous instinct.”

“Are you going to try and drown me?” She asked hesitantly.

“I will never hurt you!” Ash locked his eyes on her. “You promised to trust me.”

“I do trust you, I just want to know what I am to expect,” she answered. “I am ready for however you think I need to progress.”

Something with the words and the way she delivered them made his cock push against the confines of his pants, but he managed to push the desire down.
Focus.
“Unfortunately life will not ever announce what it has planned for you,” Ash said. “That’s why it’s important for you to learn the art of sparring. When these benders get here tomorrow it will be a daily occurrence and I cannot show you special treatment.”

“No, I don’t want any.” She said quickly.

“I know you don’t. You are one of the bravest benders I have ever met.” He walked back to the edge and bent down. “Know that however upset I may make you when we are training, however angry, hurt or scared you get that it’s only that, training. I’m not your mate when we spar, I’m your teacher, ok?”

“I understand,” Kielyn said. “And if I hurt you or make you mad? In training.”

“I will expect you to make it up to me in bed afterwards.” He smiled wickedly.

****

Kielyn watched with baited breath as Ash strode around the pool’s perimeter. The shirt he had on was a loosely fitted long sleeve cotton tee that showcased the working of his back muscles marvelously with each step he took. She felt herself bite her bottom lip.
Ouch!
Her fingers lifted to her mouth.
Blood!
Her thumb swiped the edge of her teeth. Sure enough, two sharp little slivers of what felt like cut-glass replaced her once smooth canines.
Fangs!
She had not even noticed them until now.
I wonder why?

Ash chuckled and her eyes snapped up. “First time they have come out? Other than when you were feeding from me?”

“I guess so.” Her hand dropped back into the pool, her eyes following it to watch the crimson fade to pink in the water. “Honestly, I don’t even remember feeling them when I was taking your blood. I guess my senses were more, preoccupied...”
On your cock driving into
me, your cum dripping down my thighs, your tongue in my mouth, sweat on my body, blood down
my throat…
She felt a blush coming on.
Blast it!
Of all things, Kielyn would have hoped becoming immortal might have ceased her ability to become embarrassed. She looked up to meet his grin.
And how did he just seem to know? Everything!

“I like being your first. I want all your firsts, Kielyn.”

“I would like that as well.” She confessed on a whisper.

He continued to study her. "I fear you are making me a very selfish male.”

That made her giggle. “I can’t imagine you ever not being selfish,” she teased. “I half expected to see it imprinted in ink on your body when your shirt came off the first time.”

“Fine.” Ash smirked. “More selfish.” He squared his feet. “Now, if you’re ready I would like to run a test.”

Kielyn nodded and watched as Ash rolled his wrist and held out his palm to expose a tiny bright blue flame. With a blink of his eyes the flame shot up to the ceiling collided with the glass roof’s reflection and came streaking back down towards the center of the pool.
Lightning!
Kielyn folded her arms to her sides before thrusting them up. The water collected under her feet and before she could think she was propelled out of the liquid conductor. She snagged the branch of a palm tree midair, just as the electrical current lit up the pool. “Fuck!”

“So water is your first go to.” Ash looked up from the ground.

“I did not think you would try and kill me right off the bat!” Kielyn hooked her leg over the branch, her breathing making it almost impossible to hear his chuckle.

“You can let go you know.” He tilted his much too handsome face, clearly amused.

“I know that,” she lied. Of course she could let go, she had just circus shot herself out of a damn pool for the love of everything… She released the death grip she had on the rough bark and landed as soft as a cat’s dismount beside Ash. “I’m beginning to see why you stayed single.”

“Cute.” He smacked her ass. “Back in the pool, kitten.”

“I am rather enjoying being dry.” She said but did as told and walked back to the water.
What now?

“Water comes naturally to you which would make sense since you were born from it and as a mortal have dealt with it in enjoyment, more than fire of course.” He winked. “Unless you had an obsession with s’mores growing up?”

Kielyn stepped back into the water. “Campfires were always fascinating but no, I never had a fascination with pain so I avoided getting burned.” She sunk back into the cool liquid.

“You just showed me how good you are at defense. Now we need to see about offense.” He squared his feet the same as before. She began to tingle with what could only be a split combination of excitement and fear and Kielyn reminded herself that he would surely not throw more at her than she could take. “I want you to use fire now.” The thin blue flame lit in his palm again.

“Wait…” Same as before, Ash sent it sailing up to the ceiling and down it came.
Fire. Don’t fail me now…
She stared into the ball of flames spiraling towards her and looked into its center.
There.
She focused all her energy as the heat drew closer, fanning across her cheeks in seemingly slow motion.
Now!
She forced her own fire into the blazing inferno’s thin veins, tracking their path and leading her straight to its middle, just as she had done with the log and her palm. With one final exhale, Kielyn mentally shoved her energy into the heart of the electrical current.

The blast sent stinging shards of embers across the surface of the pool and the lights flickered. Kielyn slowly opened the eyes she had not realized were shut. Ashdon was in the water and heading purposefully towards her, a look of genuine concern on his face. Everything sounded muted and then the fog between her ears began to lessen. “Are you ok?” He asked as his arms reached out and dragged her to him, looking over Kielyn carefully.

Kielyn felt her head nod and she melted into his embrace as he scooped her up and carried her to the edge. “Ash?” He looked down at her and she smiled. “I killed your fire.”

He smiled back and chuckled low in his throat. “Yes kitten, you destroyed it.” He kissed her forehead then whispered into her ear. “Now, let me take you to bed and reward you.” He playfully nipped her earlobe. “And next time,” he warned. “Don’t close your eyes!”

****

Stefen was ushered right up the stairs and into Jacklyn’s office. “Madame will be right in.” The pretty blonde that had shown him in said before exiting and closing the doors. Stefen walked over to the large window. Correction, he noted. Not a window but an observation deck. The glass overlooked a lavish room which was currently occupied by about twenty naked men and woman. One woman was positioned on all fours atop an elevated circular platform. The stage had been constructed to be at the perfect height for a man to not have to work too hard to bend over and provided the best views for all those sitting to witness.

Stefen felt his cock twitch in his pants as he studied what was beginning to take place on the table. The woman on all fours hungrily worked one man’s engorged erection, her lips sliding up and down along his slick shaft. Another man moved behind and in one thrust rammed into her from the other end. The force of his movement pushed the woman’s mouth forward until she had the other man’s cock completely down her throat. Both men grunted and pawed at her, the one fucking her kneaded her ass cheeks before slipping one finger into her ass. The man fucking her mouth fisted her hair as another woman kneeled between his spread thighs from behind and fitted both of his bouncing balls into her mouth. Around the room the spectators nodded, their hands stroking themselves in anticipation of their turns.

The doors opened behind him and in walked a lovely creature with light brunette hair and smiling hazel eyes. “You are more than welcome to join.”

Stefen smiled. “You do have a very tempting vantage point from up here, but I’m afraid I must pass. I am here on business only tonight.”