NOVPUBUnder the guests' respectful cheering, Erik and Naeku walked over to the hall's main exit. Hand in hand, they smiled and waved at the people around them—Naeku perhaps a little more sincere than Erik.
Unlike her new husband, Naeku genuinely cared about her people's support and believed them to be genuine in turn. Erik was a little more sceptical about this, but since they could not yet read minds, it would remain a question.
When the doors closed behind them, they were suddenly alone in an empty hallway. Naeku instantly started fidgeting a little.
"Nervous?" Erik asked, raising an amused eyebrow. They strolled through the dark stone corridors, on their way to Naeku's bedroom.
"Not… exactly," the young werepanther muttered, glancing away. "Or… I guess, yeah. Just, probably not for what you're expecting."
"Hehe, let me guess," Erik chuckled. "For some reason, you're more nervous about showing me all of yourself than about what comes after?"
She snapped her head back towards him. Astonished. "Yeah! Isn't that weird?! And how'd you know?!"
Turning his head to look at her, Erik shrugged with a smug smirk. "I know I get eclipsed by Elora when it comes to reading people, but I have picked up a little from her, you know? Besides, I've gotten to know you pretty well over the past few months…"
His smirk became a little more devious. "Particularly, I know the lustful mind hiding behind your confident kindness. You can't fool me. You're excited about tonight, so you're far more likely to be nervous about something else."
Embarassed, Naeku immediately turned her eyes away again. A heavy blush played underneath the fur on her cheeks. "You're mean…" she pouted.
"Hehe, without a doubt," Erik nodded, not turning his eyes away from her. "And I'll get even meaner before the night is over."
Naeku's eyes widened. "Wha—"
"Oh, here we are," Erik interrupted her. He stopped in front of Naeku's bedroom and opened the door.
"Ah!" Naeku yelped when he pulled her inside after him.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Erik wrapped the werepanther up in his arms and approached her snout with his lips. Naeku panicked. Her previous thoughts halted when she was forced to choose. Either she embarrasses him by letting him kiss her snout, or she instantly falls into his rhythm.
Having no time to think about it, she acted instinctively. Her fur, fangs, and claws disappeared to make way for the beautiful woman underneath. Then, they kissed.
If Erik was relieved, he didn't show it. Rather, he indulged passionately in their embrace as if having expected nothing less. Their hands roamed across each other's bodies as their tongues wrestled. Naeku was instantly lost in the pleasure of his touch and modified fluids.
By now, she'd heard about Elora's efforts to turn Erik's body into an addictive heaven of pleasure for women… and she had mixed feelings. At least, she did most of the time. When he was actually sharing those fluids with her, she suddenly swung heavily to approval.
After a few minutes of standing there, Erik pulled his lips back. Naeku tried to follow them for a moment, but quickly got a grip on herself and did the same.
Both panting slightly from lust, they looked into each other's eyes for a moment—Erik with smug amusement, Naeku with clear blame. "So unfair…" she complained without any real force behind it.
"Yes," Erik simply acknowledged, a smile on his lips.
"Now," he continued, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look into his eyes. His tone became mischievous but commanding. "I'm going to sit in that chair over there, and you'll start undressing for me. Slowly. Make it a show. I want to see what I've waited patiently and worked hard for."
Naeku's eyes widened. "You—! I—! What?!"
"Oh, don't pretend," Erik smirked as his thumb brushed past her lips. "We both know what you want in a man. Kudzai never appealed to you because he's a wimp, and Mbuya because he's an actual asshole. I'm sure the other suitors had similar problems. What you want is a dominant man who'll treat you well and share most of your beliefs."
He gently pressed his thumb against Naeku's full, red lips. "Open up," he ordered.
Her lips parted, although whether to complain or obey was uncertain. Either way, Erik pushed his thumb between her lips. "Now, suck, slowly."
Naeku blinked. Hesitantly, her lips closed around his thumb and did as he said. Her eyes were large and confused, unsure why she was doing it.
"Good girl," Erik praised, and a shiver went down Naeku's spine—a shiver she somewhat resented. "I firmly believe there are no purely vanilla people in existence, Naeku. Everyone, man and woman, is somewhere on the dominant/submissive scale, and you fall heavily on the submissive side."
Naeku's eyes showed resistance to that idea, even as she continued sucking his thumb, and Erik explained. "I don't mean in all aspects of life, just sexually. Some people let it bleed over in their personal lives, but you don't. I promise you, none of your soldiers would believe it."
Naeku relaxed a little again. Slowly, her eyes glazed over a little as her tongue played with his thumb.
"Anyway," he continued with a gentle smile. "I've known you were like this from pretty early on. You're not stupid, after all. I made you taste both my saliva and my cum on our first intimate encounter, and yet you kept responding to my advances."
He shook his head with a hint of lament. "If you hadn't, I would have simply given up." He looked into her eyes again. "I'm dominant, after all, and sexual compatibility is important in a marriage. Equally important to love, even. You can't have a relationship based solely on love or sexual compatibility. Sooner or later, it would end."
He leaned closer, deliberately using his height to slightly tower over Naeku. "So, I think it's best to set the dynamic early. You are my sub, and I am your dom. I've noticed you're also a little slutty when pushed, so what do you think? If I go sit on that chair, will you be a good girl and strip for me?"
Erik's tone was commanding and confident. He wasn't simply telling her what to do; he was telling her that he already knew what she would do.
Naeku trembled a little. Her eyes showed she was nervous more than anything. She sucked his thumb a little harder… which calmed her down a little.
They stood there for a few more seconds in silence. Erik waited patiently, and Naeku gulped.
Finally, slowly, she nodded.
