The Consort

"What do you want for dinner?" Heloix asks, glancing up at me from behind his desk.

I shrug, not sure what to say, and sink further into my chair. I've been sitting here all day watching Heloix work, purposefully pretending like I haven't noticed his constant flickering eye color.

For the past couple of hours the urge to pee has set in and grown quite painful, but I'm fearful of leaving Heloix alone to go to the restroom. With the way today is going I wouldn't be surprised to come back to find Heloix gone, prowling the hallways as he stalks down John.

Heloix clears his throat, "I'll make something simple. Do you want anything to drink?"

"No, thank you."

The last thing I want is a repeat of the last time we drank together. My memory of that night is still hazy, but knowing that I vomited on him is enough to keep me away from alcohol for the rest of my life.

"Okay." He murmurs, sounding upset as he reaches up and rubs the back of his neck.

Helois continues to stare at me for a moment longer before bending and reaching into the side drawer to the left of his desk. I can't see what he's doing, but I hear the sound of glass clinking together, and seconds later he is popping back up with a bottle of dark liquor in one hand and a glass in the other.

He sets both objects down roughly, a bang ranging out throughout the quiet of the room as they make contact with the wooden desk. Heloix reaches and grabs onto the top of the bottle, pulling out the cork before pouring himself a large drink.

His eyes dart from his drink to me, lips falling into a frown as he abruptly throws his head back and takes an impressive swig, the dark liquid pouring quickly into his mouth. His throat is on full display as he drinks, and I watch the muscles clenching and cartilage bobbing with each swallow.

He continues until the glass is emptied, taking a deep breath as he returns the bottle to his drawer.

"You don't have to be frightened around me. I'm not going to hurt you." He speaks up, using his index finger and thumb to wipe away the wetness at the corners of his lips.

"Okay." I respond, unsure what else he expects me to say.

While I don't think that Heloix would hurt me, he's clearly not in control of his Beast, who most definitely would.

Heloix sighs before continuing. "I can smell your fear."

"I'm sorry."

"My Beast doesn't want to hurt you either." He tries to assure me.

"It doesn't seem like that." I murmur, knowing that there's no point lying when he can smell all my fear anyways.

Heloix opens his mouth to respond before pausing and running a hand through his hair, pushing back the unruly curls.

"He wanted to hurt me earlier." I add on.

"No, he wanted to hurt the man whose scent was all over you." Heloix clarifies.

"Why?" I ask, not understand why it's such a big deal.

I'm sure that all of the slaves' scents are all over one another. We are in such close proximity to one another that it's impossible to avoid it. Heloix's body visibly tenses at my question, and I can see his grip tighten on his glass.

I shouldn't have asked.

"Well," Heloix starts, shifting slightly in his seat. "To be blunt- my Beast is, uh, emotionally attracted to you. He doesn't like when that boy is around you."

"Oh."

Emotionally attracted? What does that even mean? I want to ask for clarification, but am not sure if I necessarily want the answer.

"He also likes seeing you in my shirt. We both do."

My cheeks redden at his words, and I resist the urge to cover my face with my hands. He's always saying things out of the blue like this, and it never fails to make me embarrassed.

"Oh." I murmur, face hot.

"Do you like wearing it?"

I don't immediately answer, not sure what to say. Do I like wearing it? It's more comfortable than my work dress, and it smells much better too. Plus, deep down, I like how it feels to wear something that belongs to the King. It makes me feel powerful, like I'm different from the other girls.

"I know the answer is yes. I can smell your excitement."

I gasp at his words, unsure if he is bluffing or not. Heloix laughs, a loud sound that brings a small smile to my face.

"Now I can sense your embarrassment." He continues laughing.

I almost laugh along with him, but shame quickly quiets the sound. How can I laugh with him when I was convinced he was going to rape me mere hours ago? And when last night he allowed all the kitchen women to be taken by the guards?

How can I sit here acting like everything is okay when it is so far from. It's my job to make sure that the humans are taken care of, and so far I haven't been doing a very good job of it. Too caught up in the emotional whiplash I continually encounter with the King to get anything productive done.

Heloix seems to sense my change in emotion, his laughter quickly dying as his mirth is overtaken by concern.

"What is it?" He asks.

I shrug slightly, a little worried about bringing up the topic of the women again. I don't want to anger him again, and especially don't want him to think I'm questioning his command.

"Tell me." Heloix urges, voice firm.

Dropping my gaze to my lap, I nervously pick at my cuticles. "Why did the guards take those women?"

Heloix hums. "I imagine because they were horny."

"They should find willing women. We serve you, spending our entire lives taking care of you and your castle. At the very least I think we deserve some sort of protection." I murmur, my heart beating out of my chest as I speak out against his rule.

Heloix stands, his chair squeaking loudly as it gets pushed along the floor. I cringe at the noise, but Heloix pays it no mind. I watch as he walks around his desk to the door leading to his suite.

He pauses as he reaches the exit, turning towards me and jerking his head to the door, signaling me to follow.

"This is the way things are done, and we will no longer be discussing it. Come, I will make us dinner now."

I want to argue, push the subject some more, but fear keeps me silent. Heloix is unpredictable at best, his emotions wildly swinging back and forth.

Taking a deep breath, I stand and walk over to him. He grabs the handle as I approach, pulling the door open in one smooth motion and gesturing for me to go ahead. My nerves kick up a notch at being inside his personal space, having not been in here since the incident with the coins.

I slowly make my way down the short hallway into the main living area, attention immediately drawn to Gwen folding laundry near the door. She doesn't look up as we enter, which surprises me slightly, but I figure she's a bit nervous given Heloix's outburst this morning.

For a moment I wonder how much she heard of our argument, curious to know if she stood outside the door with her ear pressed against it, eavesdropping on every word that was spoken. I wouldn't be surprised and, if I'm honest, I probably would have done something similar if I was in her position.

Heloix walks around me and into the kitchen, not so much as sparing a glance at Gwen as he walks past her. Awkwardly I move to stand against the wall near his closet door, feeling uncomfortable moving freely around his space.

I watch as Heloix begins grabbing foods out of the fridge, setting them down on the island before grabbing a pot and pan out from underneath the stove.

"You can come sit down." He says, glancing up at me briefly before focusing once more on his cooking.

The tension in the room is thick, and I'm sure that we are a sight to see at this moment. The King is cooking for himself while one human cleans and another lurks in the corner. Heloix gestures to the barstool in front of the island as I continue to hold my position, his eyebrow lifting until I give in and tiptoe over.

He holds back a smile as I sit, his lips turning upward as he spins and begins searching through the fridge. When he turns back around he is holding a small bowl in his hands, the smile on his face growing as he sets it on the counter in front of me.

"Here, you can snack on these while I cook." He explains, nudging it forward slightly.

I peek into the bowl, surprised to see freshly cut watermelon cubes. I've never had watermelon before, the treat reserved for the Beasts, and I'd be lying if I said that I haven't always wanted to try it.

"Thank you." I respond earnestly, hesitating for a moment before reaching over and grabbing a piece.

I inspect it for a second before popping it into my mouth, humming to myself as the sweetness covers my tongue. It tastes fantastic, better than I ever imagined.

"This is good!" I exclaim, surprised by the flavor.

"I'm glad you like it."

Heloix continues cooking as I snack on the fruit, his attention captured by the task at hand. He's pretty efficient in the kitchen; the skill shocking me. It's a trait that I wouldn't expect a King to have, and I wonder where he learned it. It's hard to imagine him in the kitchens learning from the other humans.

"Sir, I've finished." Gwen speaks up, coming to stand next to me by the island.

I flinch at the sudden noise, having had almost forgotten that she was here. She's so quiet in her movements, her skinny frame allowing her to sneak around unheard.

"Okay." Heloix responds, glancing up at her with a raised brow before getting back to his cooking.

He seems relaxed as he pours the sauce into his pan, hardly paying her any attention as he reaches for the watermelon and pops a piece in his mouth. I expect Gwen to turn and leave, but instead she continues to stand next to me, feet rooted to the spot.

Heloix gives no inclination that he notices but I know that there's no way he hasn't. I remain sitting on the stool, back rigid, uncomfortably waiting for somebody to do something.

After a couple of seconds, Heloix finally glances up at her.

"Yes?" He sighs, annoyance clear in his tone.

Gwen clears her throat, and from the corner of my eye I see her straighten up, bringing her arms behind her body and clasping her hands together.

"The Second told me to stay after cleaning today to please you." She announces, voice loud and innuendo clear.

My head snaps around to face her, mouth open in shock. She pays me no attention, her focus on the King alone. I quickly turn back to Heloix, wanting to see his reaction, but he seems unfazed. I thought that Gwen was lying about being told to stay after today.

"Not today. Leave." Heloix finally says.

My eyes narrow at his words, lips pursing as anger flashes throughout my body. The fact that he said not today, suggesting that he will take her up on her offer another day, has not gone unnoticed by me. My mind flashes back to when he told me he wasn't sleeping with Gwen or Jade, and I wonder if he was lying to me then.

I watch as Gwen nods her head at Heloix's command before turning and walking to the door, shoes tapping quietly along the wood floor. She struggles with the front door again, but I find no enjoyment from it as I did earlier. Instead, anger pools within my body at the knowledge that she will serve the King someday.

"Here. Eat."

Heloix's voice brings me from my jealous thoughts, and I turn to look at the plate he has set in front of me. I recognize the meal as Chicken Parmesan, and a small smile spreads across my face in excitement.

We eat in relative silence, the only sounds being my labored breaths as I shovel the food down my throat. It's gone quicker than I would like, and as I glance at the King's plate I notice that he has only gotten through half of his food.

"Did you like it?" He asks as I wipe my face, eyes wide in question.

If I didn't know any better I'd say he almost looks anxious as he waits for my answer, his eyes boring holes into mine.

I nod. "Yes, it's delicious."

Delicious is an understatement, but I don't want to sound too excited.

"Good." He pushes his plate away and stands up. "Come with me while I shower."

My eyes widen in panic as I take in what he's just said, my body stiffening as once more I begin to fear what he has planned for me. Heloix's nostrils flare as he turns to look at me, his eyebrows furrowing as he no doubt tries to understand why I'm not following him.

He shakes his head as he takes in my terrified expression, his hands raising in a gesture of peace. "My Beast needs you to be in the same room to stay calm. I'm just looking for you to stand in the bathroom, not enter the shower with me."

I gulp, nodding my head. Why his Beast needs me around is beyond me, but I'll be damned if I sit here and question him on it.

Standing, I swallow my fear and follow him, waiting patiently as he grabs clothing out of the closet before heading into the bathroom. The room is quite spacious, and I eagerly make my way to the corner farthest from the shower before turning to face the wall.

I listen to Heloix walk around, his bare feet padding over to the shower and pausing before the loud spray of water begins. It dampens his noise, but I'm able to make out the sound of him walking in my direction. I tense up as he approaches, freezing as he pauses just behind me. Each passing second feels like hours as he reaches above my head and grabs a towel for himself.

Beasts are stealthy creatures, and I wonder if the King is purposely loud as not to startle me. I don't doubt that he could move around in complete silence, able to come up right behind me while I am none the wiser.

"You can take one when I am finished if you'd like. I have lots of washes you may enjoy." Heloix comments.

He doesn't wait for my response before opening the shower door, the glass panel squeaking slightly before the sound of the spray shifts as Heloix moves underneath it.

"What kind of soaps do you like?" He speaks up once more, voice muffled as he speaks through the water and door.

I shrug before realizing that he probably can't see me.

"Not sure. I haven't ever used anything beyond the plain bar we are given." I answer truthfully.

Heloix hums in response before falling silent. Fog slowly overtakes the room as he cleans himself, my skin growing dewy as moisture collects on it.

I shift my weight between my legs as I try to think about anything other than the fact that Heloix is showering mere feet behind me. I wonder if he would notice if I spun around and laid my eyes on his bare flesh.

I've never seen a naked man before, and Heloix is quite a specimen.

My cheeks flush and I internally struggle to think of something other than his naked body. The knowledge that he will be able to smell my arousal is humiliating, enforcing my need to keep my wayward thoughts at bay.

"Can you grab me a bottle of shampoo from underneath the sink?" Heloix asks, breaking the silence.

I jump slightly at the sound, once again nodding my head before realizing that he can't see me.

"Yes." I respond.

Making sure to keep my back turned away from the shower, I shuffle sideways until I'm at the sink. There are large drawers underneath, and I waste no time ducking down and ripping them open. Eyeing all of the bottles inside, I search for his shampoo before spotting it near the back and snatching it up.

Instinctively I bring my eyes up from the ground as I stand, catching my reflection in the sink mirror. My gaze lands on my face for a second before hesitantly sliding to the foggy figure in the shower behind me.

Heloix stands facing me, his head turned upwards into the stream as he washes his face. Knowing that he's unable to see me looking at him at this moment, I take advantage of the situation and lower my gaze, eyes taking in every inch of his skin.

His chest is large and wide, muscles flexing as he lifts his arms and runs his hands over his face. I glance up once more to ensure that he isn't looking before dropping my eyes to his hips.

Despite the thickness of his chest, his waist tapers down into a tight V, deep grooves accompanied by a thick trail of hair leading down his pelvis.

Biting my lip, my eyes finally settle in on his cock. It's long and thick, with dark hairs around the base. The appendage hangs freely between his legs, swinging slightly as he shifts to the left, and I can't help but to wish that I wasn't viewing it through a glass door in the reflection of a foggy mirror.

I clench my legs together as I stare, heat pooling between my thighs. I know I should look away, drop my gaze and bring him the bottle, but I can't tear my eyes away from him.

Heloix continues letting the water run over his face, and I watch in shock as his cock begins to expand. Slight pulses that leave the muscle longer and thicker than the one prior.

The size of him shocks me, and my cheeks heat up as I imagine what it would feel like to have him inside me. Honestly I am unsure that it would even fit.

"Adeline." Heloix calls out, making me jump.

Panicked, I tear my eyes away from his pelvis and look up to see him staring at me through the reflection in the mirror. Shame fills me at having been caught, and I immediately drop my face to the floor.

"Look at me." Heloix commands, voice deeper than normal.

Tentatively, I look back in the mirror, eyes locking on his once more through the foggy glass. Neither of us make any movement, but desire continues to swirl throughout my body. I'm sure he can smell it, my want for him probably overwhelming within the steamy room. My cheeks flush at the thought, hoping that he won't comment on it.

Despite my attention on his face, I continue to watch his body through my peripheral vision.

Slowly, so so slowly, he lowers his hand currently nestled within his hair down to his cock, curling his fingers loosely around the thick appendage.

"Watch me." He grunts, following up the statement with a long stroke.

I gasp at the motion, breaths coming out in deep pants as Heloix begins to touch himself with languid, rhythmic strokes. His eyes remain locked onto my face the entire time, not once straying as he speeds up his hand with a quiet grunt.

Heloix lets out a deep moan, his free hand smacking against the glass door as his hips begin to thrust forward and he massages his cockhead.

"Do you like this?" He asks, beginning to stroke his cock at a frantic pace.

I resist the urge to look down, to see in detail how he is pleasuring himself, but my desire wins out and I drop my eyes to his hips.

His large hand is wrapped entirely around his cock, his hips thrusting forward in tandem with his strokes. The tip disappears behind his closed fist before re-emerging as he strokes backward, the sight making my thighs clench as need pools within my core.

"Yes, watch me." Heloix repeats, voice echoing throughout the room. "I'm imagining it's your hand on me. You are stroking me, your long fingers struggling to fit around my cock as you make me feel so good."

The sounds of his balls smacking against his fist ring out as he jerks forward and begins to fuck his hand.

"Do you want that?" He asks.

I nod slightly, completely entranced and so, so aroused.

"Yes." I whisper, voice so quiet I can barely hear the word over the sound of the running water.

Heloix lets out his loudest moan yet at my words, hips pumping faster into his hand. His breaths are labored, his hand moving so fast it becomes a blur to my eyes before he abruptly stops. His hand freezes at the base of his cock as his hips jerk forward one last time, thick liquid shooting out of his tip and coating the glass door before running down his fist.

We both remain frozen as the cum drips onto the shower floor, my breath still coming out in uneven pants as if I had just gone for a run. The silence stretches between us, neither one of us looking away or moving.

"Nice." Heloix murmurs, easing some of the tension in the room.

He releases his penis, which doesn't appear to be softening, and swipes the cum off the shower door.

"The shampoo?" He asks, breaking me out of my trance.

I jump slightly, attention shifting to the bottle I hold in my hand. The wash has leaked out of the tip, my unintentional squeezing of it having popped the top open. I rush to wipe the soap away before turning and making my way over to the shower.

I don't meet Heloix's eyes as I hold out the bottle for him, feeling nervous to look directly at him without the safety of the mirror.

"Thanks." He murmurs, opening the door slightly and grabbing the bottle out of my hand.

A small gasp leaves my lips as his fingers make contact with mine, the knowledge of what they were just doing warming my body. Heloix chuckles at my reaction, clearly amused.

"My Beast is momentarily settled. I will leave the room so you can shower too."