Chapter 15: A Dangerous Gift
The heavy oak door creaked shut behind Auntie Lorelei, her sturdy footsteps fading down the stone corridor until silence wrapped the chamber once more. Certain she had gone, I crossed the room in quick strides toward the bed where Lirian lay sprawled across the silk sheets. Even in sleep he looked heartbreakingly lovely, white hair fanned out like spilled moonlight across the pillow, his petite frame relaxed in complete defenselessness. The sight sent a fresh wave of heat curling low through my belly, the same possessive ache that had refused to fade since our morning together.
"Lirian…" I murmured, voice soft so as not to startle him.
He did not stir. I reached out and pressed a fingertip to his cheek, then the other, gently prodding the smooth skin. Still nothing. His breathing stayed deep and even, chest rising and falling in the slow rhythm of true exhaustion. I sighed. No helping it. I would finish the rest of the day's obligations quickly and return to him later.
A thought struck me then. Of course. I lifted my hand and traced a golden circle of magic into the air above him. The sigil flared to life with a resonant hum, warm light pouring down over his body like liquid sunlight. I fed just enough restorative power into the spell to ease the fatigue I had drawn from him earlier, watching the faint lines of strain smooth from his brow.
"May you have the sweetest dreams," I whispered, and leaned down to press another kiss to his cheek. The warmth of his skin lingered on my lips as I straightened.
My heart refused to settle. A pleasant tremor kept fluttering in my chest, the kind of bright anticipation I had not felt in years. Today truly did feel like everything would go right.
Having raced through my morning duties faster than usual, I stepped through the golden portal and arrived once more at Countess Evergreen's estate. Thalia noticed something the moment I entered her private sitting room. She simply watched me, head tilted, eyes sharp with curiosity.
I could not keep the smile from my face no matter how hard I tried. A soft, pleased hum rose in my throat before I could stop it.
"Vespera… something wonderful must have happened, hasn't it?" she asked, voice light and teasing.
"Does it show that much?" I replied, cheeks already warming.
"Oh my." Her lips curved wider. "Your mouth is practically reaching your ears."
"It is… a little embarrassing, but yes, it is," I admitted, the words tumbling out despite the heat climbing my neck.
"Oh my, goodness," she exclaimed, delight sparkling in her eyes. She reached out and caught my hands in hers, squeezing with genuine warmth. The simple gesture made something tight in my chest loosen. Having a friend who could share in my joy as if it were her own felt like an unexpected blessing.
I drew in a steadying breath. "Thalia, the reason I came today is a little different from usual."
"Anything at all," she said at once. "I will support you with everything I have."
I hesitated, then forced the words out. "I… I want to learn how to captivate a man. You understand them so well."
Her eyes rounded like a startled rabbit's. For a moment she simply stared, as if she could not believe those words had come from me.
"When did you grow up so much, Vespera?" she teased, the corner of her mouth lifting.
I winced. "Please do not mock me."
She laughed, the sound warm and fond. "Only joking." With a decisive tap she set a small bottle on the table between us. The vessel was unusual, shaped like a heart with delicate engravings catching the light.
"What do you think this is?" she asked, eyes dancing.
"Hmm… perfume… is it not?"
"Close."
"Surely it is not some kind of illegal aphrodisiac?"
She chuckled. "As if I would break the law."
I studied the bottle again, utterly puzzled. "I truly cannot tell."
"This," she said, voice dropping to a conspiratorial murmur, "is pheromone perfume."
I repeated the words slowly. "Pheromone perfume?"
She nodded. "Compounds like those released when the body becomes sexually aroused—sweat, scent, that sort of thing. It is exactly what you need right now, Vespera."
I thought of the perfume she had given me before. "The last one smelled wonderful…"
"That was for everyday wear. This is for battle time."
I blinked. "Battle?"
Her smile turned knowing. "You understand perfectly what I mean."
Heat flooded my face, but the bottle called to me like a promise. "Give it to me. Right now."
"Wait, Vespera, you are being too hasty."
"I will pay double—please—"
"No charge, as always," she said, waving the offer away. "But you must hear how to use it."
I realized I had nearly reached for her skirt like an impatient child. I drew back, relieved I had not lost all dignity in front of my friend.
"This is not the sort of scent you spray on your wrist or the back of your neck," she explained. "Apply it to your armpits, your groin—any intimate place where your own body scent is strongest."
The words landed like a spark on dry tinder. My mind filled instantly with images: skin sliding against skin, the slick harmony of bodies moving together, the air thick with shared moans and breathless cries. With this, Lirian would be utterly mine. I swallowed hard, throat suddenly tight with want.
"Please… give it to me."
"With this, he will become your prisoner," she promised, sliding the bottle across the table.
My fingers trembled as I took it, the glass cool against my palm. My heart hammered the way it had the day the papal crown was placed on my head. How far the world had come—that something as simple as scent could bind another without a single spell or incantation. Thalia might well become a name remembered in the annals of alchemy for this creation alone. Gratitude swelled in my chest until I could barely speak.
"Stop thanking me so much," she said gently. "You are my precious friend."
"Love really does make business impossible," I murmured, voice thick.
She laughed again, soft and fond, then shifted the conversation. "So, Vespera?"
"Yes?"
"How is he?"
I assumed she meant his character or appearance and began to answer, but she cut me off with a small gesture.
"Not that. I mean—" She shaped the air with her hands, demonstrating something small and cute that, when gripped and stroked, grew considerably larger. She mimed taking it into a mouth, then lower, even hinting at the rear.
I felt my face burn hotter. "Ah… that."
"Yes. His cock. Tell me, how is his cock?"
The question caught me off guard. I had only felt its shape through fabric earlier, so I held up my hands and spaced them apart to show the rough size. "About… this?"
Her eyebrows rose. I adjusted my hands farther apart. "Or perhaps a little more."
"Bigger?"
"Yes… probably this much," I said, demonstrating again.
She stared. "You are joking, right?"
"It felt that way to me."
"Have you seen it directly?"
"No… not yet."
She exhaled, clearly setting the topic aside. "Let us save that conversation for another day."
Then her expression turned thoughtful. "But Vespera… this would be your first time, would it not?"
I nodded, suddenly self-conscious. "It would."
"If the size is truly that large…" She frowned, tapping her fingers on the table before setting a second small jar beside the perfume. "Take this as well."
"What is it?"
"Sexual lubricant," she said with a sigh, as if my ignorance on the subject exhausted her slightly. "Spread it on his cock. Or on your pussy—either works."
"Thalia!" The words left my mouth in a startled squeak.
She gave another tired sigh, then launched into a thorough, experienced lecture on the fundamentals of intercourse and the techniques that would let me hold a man's full attention and pleasure him completely. She spoke with easy confidence, gesturing to illustrate pressure, rhythm, and the ways a body could be coaxed into helpless surrender. I listened with rapt focus, asking small clarifying questions when needed, absorbing every detail while the minutes slipped away unnoticed. The lesson felt intimate and thrilling, like being handed a map to a hidden treasury.
At last she leaned back. "Did you understand everything?"
"Yes," I answered, voice a little breathless.
"Men are simple creatures once you have them inside you—they cannot move an inch."
I nodded again, cheeks still warm but determination settling deep in my bones. Her sly, knowing smile came from real experience, and it reassured me more than I could say.
"Thalia… is there anything you need from me?"
"Oh?" She tilted her head. "Why the sudden offer?"
"I feel guilty always being the one who receives."
She waved a hand. "Tell me when the time comes."
I closed my fist tightly beneath the table, silently vowing that any request she ever made would be granted without hesitation.
"Shall we stop here for today?" I asked.
"Goodness, you are leaving already?"
"I still have several stops to make."
She sighed in understanding. "It cannot be helped."
We rose together. She walked me to the entrance, the grand halls of her estate echoing softly around us. At the threshold the golden dimensional gate waited, its frame shimmering with contained power.
"Thank you for seeing me off, Countess," I said formally, mindful of the servants standing at a respectful distance.
She smiled. "Until next time, Your Holiness."
"Of course. And I will bring more good news when I return."
"Please do." Her eyes sparkled with mischief.
I wished I could pull her into a proper hug, but with eyes upon us we kept the exchange proper and measured. I stepped into the gate. A brilliant flash of light swallowed me, followed by a brief wave of dizziness as the world folded and unfolded. I emerged into the busy streets of the city, the afternoon light slanting across the stone buildings.
My schedule pressed close. I still needed to collect the items ordered from the tailor and purchase fresh food to bring back. Any further delay would make it impossible to return in time for evening. I touched the small bottle of pheromone perfume tucked safely in my robes, the weight of it a secret promise against my skin. I hoped Lirian would be pleased with everything I had prepared for him.