The Fox’s Tale

Fitz was sitting on the edge of the bed when I came in and he held a finger to his lips. Ellery was laying on her stomach, seemingly asleep, covered with a sheet from the waist down, her wings out. She looked almost as pale as the bedding.

“Alexander,” she murmured.

“Oh good, she can sense you.” Fitz heaved a gigantic sigh. “The throwing stars were steel, which is mostly iron. We’ve developed a resistance to it over the centuries, but when it gets in the bloodstream it can wreak havoc.” He kept his voice low.

I stared at her, lying there, and her wings began to change color. The iridescent black receded until they looked similar to how they’d appeared when she’d first shown them to me. The broken lower left wing mended itself and with a sigh Ellery retracted her wings.

Fitz nodded with approval. “Excellent,” he whispered. “I was worried she’d have trouble with that.” He motioned me closer and as I obeyed she stirred in her sleep, running her hands over the sheets seeking me.

“Alexander,” she whimpered and I climbed onto the bed beside her.

“I’m here, Princess.” I picked up her left hand and kissed it.

“I’m sorry, Alexander. Please forgive me.”

I stroked her hair and choked on my words. “Forgive you? For what?”

“For sending you away. I can feel that you’re upset with me.” Ellery’s color returned to her skin as I continued to stroke her hair. Before I could answer, Fitz spoke.

“It’s amazing,” he murmured. “She’s made more progress since you walked through the door than the whole time before.”

I sent him a look of disbelief and he cleared his throat. “Right, since she’s healing nicely, I’ll just be going.” He slipped out of the door and we were alone.

“I’m sorry,” she repeated. “I didn’t know what else to do. It was the only way to get everyone to safety.”

“Ssh… it’s okay. You’re safe, I’m safe, the guys are safe.”

“Coach Hendrix and Billy?”

“They’re safe too. You saved us all.”

She breathed a sigh of relief, but then began to cry. “You’re still upset with me.”

“Because you sent me away, baby. I was out of my mind with worry. Lucas had to bite me to get me to calm down enough to be rational.”

“Lucas bit you?” she asked, sniffling.

“He did. He also picked me up and carried me when I shifted into my fox form at one point which was absolutely humiliating.” She cracked a grin at me, but then her expression turned serious again.

“I didn’t send you away to just keep you safe, Alexander. I didn’t want you to see what I was going to do. What I did. I killed those men. I killed them.” Her voice broke.

I stroked her hair to try and soothe her agitation. “Ssh, Ellery, you did what you had to. They were planning on killing all of us, even the humans, and taking you prisoner.”

“You don’t understand. I know that. I killed them, and I don’t feel guilty at all. I…I enjoyed it. Gods help me, I enjoyed killing them. Why? They were garbage humans, but they were still people. They were hired to do a job, do something they thought of as right, as horrific as it was. And I killed all but one of them. I ripped out their ribs, I ripped out their hearts, I-”

“Decapitated one of them with his own crossbow.”

Ellery’s eyes went wide with shock and she sat up. “How do you know that?”

“Quinn told Nick, Nick told us.”

“Oh gods,” she gasped and turned her face away from me. “They probably think I’m a monster.”

“Not going to lie, Nick is a bit scared of you, but the rest of them? They’re grateful. Proud of you even. That bastard whose head you cut off? He murdered Scott’s father six years ago. And Mary and Elliott were able to get a lot of information out of the one you didn’t kill, and I’m sure Quinn will learn more from the, you know,” I pointed to my head.

I took a breath and went on. “They were responsible for the recent uptick in attacks on Shifters, for the mess at the school in January, for all kinds of shit over the years. The world of the supernatural owes you a massive debt for what you did. Ethan has already sent forces out to find ways to legally stop the rest of the men and women in their network.”

Ellery turned back towards me. “Really? You aren’t just trying to make me feel better?”

“I am trying to make you feel better, Princess, but I’m not lying. I am not afraid of you, Ellery Sinclair. The only thing I am afraid of is losing you.”

“Hold me, Alexander.”

“I thought you’d never ask.” I slid under the sheet, snuggled in close to her, and just held her. I lost track of time; just listening to her breathe, feeling her warmth, and inhaling her scent.

Somehow Fitz, Jones, and all the others had rendered her grime free. I drank in her scent and let it fill all my senses. Ellery rested her forehead on my chest along with her hands. Sooner than I thought possible Ellery’s hands drifted south.

“Whoa! Hey. You are recovering from serious wounds, I’ve been through shit I don’t want to discuss, and been drugged. Not to mention most of the guys, and your grandmother, are on the other side of the wall so I really don’t think we should.”

“Mathair Mhor is here?” Ellery pulled her hands away, shocked.

“Well yeah. You didn’t expect her to stay at home once word reached her about what happened did you?”

“Alexander, you don’t understand, she’s never visited me outside her realm. Not once.”

“Well, she’s here now, and not only did she all but order me to perform oral sex on you, but she’s putting the moves on Ryan.”

Ellery snorted with laughter. “Really?” Her voice grew soft. “Maybe she’s finally found her Other.”

“Oh no.” I groaned. “Please no.”

Ellery pinched me. “I hope she’s found him. She’s over two hundred years old, you know. She’s waited so long.”

“But, Ryan?” I sputtered. “Do you really think it could be him?”

Ellery shrugged. “He’s not my first choice, but I do want her to be happy.” She ran her eyes over me. “As for what she proposed, you do know it is bad form to refuse the order of a queen.”

“Is that so? And you, my beautiful mate, are fine with me using my talented tongue on you as she put it, when so many people are outside our door?”

“Only if I get to use mine on you. That way both of our mouths will be occupied and we’ll make less noise.”

As I considered her request she added “it will help me heal faster,” and then moved so I could smell her arousal.

“Ellery,” I growled and then dove under the sheet. As I delved into her most intimate areas she wiggled to position herself fully beneath me and tugged my pants down. I stopped only once when her mouth closed around me to gasp with pleasure and then I dipped my head back down to taste her again.

Normally when performing oral sex I took my time, enjoying every lick and savoring the scent and taste. Not tonight. Not after everything we’d been through. I wanted to bring her pleasure and release, and help her get the rest she needed by bringing forth a mind blowing orgasm.

Ellery seemed to have the same thought process as she sucked me down. We were locked in a passionate race to get the other off, and I won, by milliseconds. Once she drifted off to sleep I snuck out of the bedroom to give everyone an update.