Persephone's Wings Read online

  She stroked her hand over her naked belly and imagined it filled with Thorne’s child. In that moment she saw her. A little dark-haired imp demanding black leather boots from her doting father.

  Tears clogged her vision as she wished for that to happen more than anything else in the whole world.

  A sound behind her drew her back from her private meditations and she turned to see Clover quietly watching her.

  “Persephone? The Queen sent me. It’s time.”

  Chapter 14

  A huge moon hung low in the night sky as Persephone and Clover made their way across a smooth lawn to the terrace where a crowd had gathered. Persephone tried to stand tall and proud in the gorgeous pink silk gown that Clover had brought with her.

  She was showered, buffed, powdered and even had a fresh application of wing wax. Her bare feet felt the soft grass and her body seemed extra sensitized to the swish of the silk around her ankles. The gentle night air brushed over her bare back—no surprise to find yet another halter gown. The fastenings at the waist were all that kept her decent, but she felt special all the same.

  A cloud of tiny fireflies approached her and circled around her head. She laughed as they spun and danced in a crazy pattern, and cast little shadows across her arms.

  She knew Thorne would be waiting with the crowd.

  As she neared, she could see him. His robes were black silk. Well, hell, if he’d been wearing crimson she’d have fainted from surprise. As it was, he looked magnificent. She knew that Titania and Oberon were there, smiling from their dais, but she couldn’t keep her eyes off Thorne.

  His wings gleamed in the moonlight, his studs were spotless, and his body beneath his robes called to her. As she neared the flagstone, he moved toward her, holding a sprig of apple blossom in his hand.

  Holding it out, he beckoned her to him.

  She smiled shyly and accepted the blossom, transferring it to her other hand and placing her fingers into his warm grip.

  His eyes told her a thousand things, but most of all that he was hers.

  Persephone knew that this was her destiny. Being with this man, this fairy, this spirit, at this time and in this place, was where she was meant to be. There could be no question about it.

  Thorne led her to a small carpet before the King and Queen.

  Persephone glimpsed Clover moving over to stand at Sal’s side, and realized that Norman and Cobweb were there too. In fact, there was quite a large crowd.

  Her hand trembled for a second, but the reassuring squeeze she immediately felt from Thorne helped her regain her confidence. A little.

  The King rose and held out his hands to the couple.

  “Friends, fairies, enchanted beings. It is our joy to bless the Nuptial Flight of our devoted subject Thorne Leatherfly and his destined wingmate, Persephone Jones. Their love will be sealed by this mating Flight and their lives will be intertwined forever. As will their spirits when their wings fail and they move to their next great adventure.”

  Persephone felt the sting of tears in her eyes. It was sooooo beautiful, and she’d always been a sucker for weddings.

  The King turned to Thorne. “Thorne Leatherfly, will you pledge your magic to this woman for eternity? Will you salute her with your wings, worship her with your body and cherish her with your heart?”

  Thorne turned to Persephone and gently tapped his wingtips together. “In front of our monarchs I do so pledge.”

  Then it was Persephone’s turn. Titania rose and faced her. “Persephone Jones, will you pledge your magic to this man for eternity? Will you worship him with your body, cherish him with your heart and bear his children in your womb?”

  Persephone turned to Thorne and met a gaze that turned her insides to mush. Swallowing, she answered. “In front of our monarchs I do so pledge.” She felt her wings give a little involuntary flutter.

  Oberon and Titania joined hands. Oberon spoke reverently. “You have pledged yourselves to one another. We recognize and honor this pledge on behalf of Fairyland. May your union bring joy and fulfillment. May your mating be fruitful, and may your line continue unbroken for generations to come. In honor of this occasion, Her Majesty and I grant you, Persephone, the right to a new fairy name. From this moment on you shall be known as Persephone Blossom, mate of Thorne Leatherfly.”

  The King grinned wickedly, lightening the somber moment. “You may have one minute to kiss. Any more and I’ll kick your asses.”

  “Well, Persephone Blossom?”

  Thorne held his arms open and grinned. Persephone shook the tears from her eyes and took full advantage of the minute offered by Oberon.

  “Keeerist. The minute’s long over, you horny overstuffed sofa. Get to the good stuff, will ya?” The groaning tones of Phuque broke the emotional silence and sent a laugh rippling through the crowd.

  Oberon held up his hand again, after giving Phuque a healthy smack upside the head. “It is time to fly, children.”

  Thorne held on to one of Persephone’s hands, and turned to the dais. “If I may be permitted, Your Majesties, I have something I need to say.” He pulled a small blue vial from under one wing and held it up to the moonlight.

  “You all know of our concerns about this Flight. Well, it turns out that this little bottle of calamus might be the answer.”

  The crowd muttered and fidgeted and looked interested. Oberon and Titania waited, as did Persephone, for Thorne to continue.

  “However…” He unstoppered the bottle and held it upside down. “I’m not going to use it.”

  The contents trickled out into a blue sparkling puddle on the ground. Persephone choked back a gasp, wondering if her future had just been poured out of a bottle and into nothingness.

  “You’re not?”

  Thorne heard the agony in the question as Persephone whispered it into the silence.

  “No, I’m not.” He squeezed her hand. “I have a good reason. Bear with me, sweetheart.”

  Turning back to the dais, Thorne took a deep breath and proceeded to rattle a pair of metaphorical dice in his brain. This was going to be the biggest crapshoot of his entire life.

  “Your Majesties. Fellow fairies. Friends. Even you, Phuque.” A slight murmur of amusement sounded from the crowd.

  “I discovered that this herbal preparation might have helped Persephone with her flight problems. But I also found that I could not guarantee its success and that it could have serious or possibly even lethal side effects on her. I could not take that risk.”

  Persephone tensed next to him.

  “I have pledged myself to Persephone, my wingmate. But in the event that our Nuptial Flight fails, I request a boon. I cannot conceive of losing this woman. My life and my soul are hers in so many more ways than I ever imagined possible.”

  Persephone sniffed next to him.

  “If we fail to achieve our Flight together, I ask to be returned with Persephone to her world.”

  Silence fell as the true meaning of Thorne’s words sank in.

  “You realize you cannot return as yourself. It would have to be in your cat manifestation,” warned Oberon with a frown.

  “I understand that, your Majesty. “

  “No Thorne, you can’t,” choked Persephone. “You cannot do that. Give up your life here and become a cat permanently? No. I won’t allow it.”

  Thorne turned to her and pulled her close, feeling the tears on her cheeks through his thin silk robe. “Yes I can. I will not live without you. To be at your side in whatever shape or form destiny decrees is my goal. I cannot do anything else.”

  Titania cleared her throat loudly. “God, Thorne, you’re really something.” She turned to the King. “Why didn’t you ever do something like that, you jerk?” She sniffed again and wiped tears from her eyes as she elbowed Oberon.

  Oberon winced. “Nice going, Leatherfly. Now look what you’ve done.”

  Thorne shrugged. “She’s my woman. That’s all there is.”

  And he meant it with all his h
eart. Standing there with Persephone tight against him made him whole.

  “Very well.” The King and Queen turned to the couple, after a few moments consultation. “We shall agree to grant your boon. Should your Flight not achieve mating, then you and Persephone will awaken in her world. Her memories of this place will be as a dream, and you will be her cat permanently.”

  Thorne bowed his head in agreement. “I understand.”

  Persephone’s hand grabbed his like a vise, but he knew she’d no longer argue now that permission had been granted.

  “If I may, your Majesties.” Her clear voice rang out. What was she going to do now?

  “I’d like to go on record as saying I don’t like this deal particularly, and would have taken that herb if it would have helped, regardless of the risks. Anything for the man I love.” She turned and her heart shone in her eyes as she gazed at Thorne.

  “Oh barf. Get to the fucking before I vomit.” Phuque farted loudly and ruined what was turning into a three-hankie soap opera. Thorne was profoundly grateful. He’d had his little moment, bared his soul, and now he wanted nothing more than to fly away from their Majesties and the assembled crowd. He wanted his wife to himself.

  The King sighed. “Very well. Our flatulent friend has reminded us that midnight approaches. Persephone, come here please—Thorne, to the Queen.”

  Thorne took a deep breath and tried to quell the shaking in his gut.

  This, as they say, was it.

  * * * * *

  Persephone neared the King’s outstretched hands with a puzzled frown on her brow. She had thought they’d simply take off after the ceremony, but apparently there were some final pre-Flight instructions.

  The King reached for her gown and unfastened it, allowing it to slide to the floor and leaving her naked before them. She noticed the Queen doing the same to Thorne.

  “Our blessings on you, Persephone,” boomed the King’s voice. He leaned closer and whispered, “Give him a good fuck, babe. You can do it, I know.”

  Oberon then winked at her. “I give you the royal kiss of favor to send you aloft with our token of joy.” The ritual words fell from the lips that neared hers. A certain glint in his eye told her that this wasn’t going to be a polite air kiss to each cheek.

  She was right.

  Oberon grabbed her in a lip lock to end all lip locks, sliding his tongue past her barriers and encouraging her to open her mouth to him. She felt something pass onto her tongue and her eyes opened wide with shock.

  Oberon pulled back with a grin, and placed his fingers on her lips, shutting her mouth firmly. “A little something from us, sweetheart. You don’t think we’re gonna let these lovelies go back to your world, do you?” He casually flicked her nipple, and probably would have gone further, if his attention had not been recalled by a very strong clearing of his wife’s throat.

  Thorne glowered at him, but Titania looked at Persephone. Blushing, Persephone returned her gaze.

  The Queen winked.

  Thorne took her hand and turned her away from them all. “Let’s get the hell out of here, babe.”

  Only too ready to agree she followed him, slowly at first, then faster until they were running, then touching the ground in spots, then, without her realizing it, they were aloft.

  Cheers followed behind them, but in seconds they were too far away to hear them.

  The night claimed them and hid them from view as Persephone swallowed the refreshing peppermint-tasting whatever-it-was that Oberon had slid into her mouth.

  She felt a wonderful tingle. The air whooshed past her naked body, stimulating every single cell. Thorne’s hand held hers in a firm grip and they seemed to be getting really high, as the trees below dwindled to dark amorphous patches.

  “Thorne…” she cried, loving the feeling of flying free next to him. Her breasts tingled.

  With a neat bit of fancy flying, he swooped around and under her, flying faster than ever but with his body plastered to hers.

  She felt his warmth and the breeze from his wings as his lips touched hers.

  She exploded. Stars sparkled in her vision and her whole being seemed to come alive.

  “Oh god,” she sighed, as his head dropped down to her breasts and his rapidly expanding cock brushed her thighs. The total lack of any kind of fear led her to experiment with her own flying maneuvers and she allowed her speed to fall off slightly. This put her on a level with his cock.

  She grinned and reached out, pulling herself to within centimeters of the rich ruby head. Her tongue flicked out and licked a path around it, then paused, waiting for the rush of air to chill the moisture.

  She heard Thorne groan and smiled to herself, repeating her actions and adding a little swipe of her tongue to his balls, too.

  No slouch, Thorne spread his legs and slipped his feet around her. This put his toes next to her wings and as they moved they brushed Thorne’s feet. The feeling was sensuous and arousing, and she responded by taking him deeper into her mouth.

  His response was gratifying. She felt the pulses in his cock as it hardened even more, and his hands ran through her hair. His moan told her that she had probably got this part of the Nuptial Flight right. She licked and sucked and cradled his sac in the softness of her palm as they flew through the night sky.

  Finally, Thorne gasped. “No more, wait. Give me a minute…” He slowly allowed his body to slither beneath hers, suckling her breasts and tracing a line down her stomach with his tongue as he went.

  Reaching her pussy he paused, loving the moist folds with a hungry touch and teasing her clit out into the cool air.

  He swiveled and rose behind her, dropping a light love bite on her buttock as he arranged himself over her.

  This was where her wing strength was crucial, she realized. With Thorne in that position, she would not have full throttle, as it were. She would have to hold steady on minimum power.

  She gritted her teeth. She could do this. Oberon’s magical candy was still sending shivers through her gut, and her wings felt invincible. The juices from her cunt felt cool against her flesh as the wind blew them to dryness.

  It was the most sensual experience she could ever have imagined.

  She could not have imagined, however, what would happen when Thorne slid up her back and touched his cock to her thrusterbud.

  Sensitized by her Flight and aroused by Thorne, her thrusterbud was ready for action.

  At the touch of his hot hardness, it went into overdrive. Sizzling tingles scurried through her muscles to her clit and her cunt. Her ass clenched. Her nipples jumped and marbled in seconds.

  Again Thorne brushed her with his cock and she felt a drop of moisture on its tip. Again, her body responded wildly.

  She sobbed out a gasp of pleasure. “Thorne—” she shouted, “my god, Thorne.”

  She couldn’t have heard if he’d answered, because at that moment, Thorne pressed his cock deep into her wing opening and rubbed it against her thrusterbud.

  If she’d had brakes, they would have locked and left a trail of rubber a mile long.

  As it was, she screamed. Her body arched into an impossible bow, thrusting her breasts into Thorne’s hands. Her wings were locked, her body shuddering, and she could feel her wings clamping around Thorne’s cock.

  His guttural cry echoed across the star filled sky.

  His hips pounded against her as her body spasmed. Her cunt contracted violently, sending her into another series of orgasms.

  “Persephoneeeeee…” Thorne’s wild shout topped off her ecstasy. She knew she was coming with a ferocity and depth she couldn’t begin to imagine.

  She closed her eyes and rode it out.

  She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, could only feel. Feel her own body as it responded to this new stimulus, and feel Thorne’s body as he emptied his body and his soul into her keeping.

  Finally, he withdrew, and a totally new kind of feeling filled Persephone.

  She turned, flapped her wings and s
tared at Thorne.

  He was grinning from ear to ear. “I love you, wingwoman.”

  “We did it, didn’t we?”

  “Yep. We didn’t need any herbs, thank god. Just ourselves.”

  “And maybe a little magic from your fairy friends,” laughed Persephone. “I think we owe the King and Queen a private thank you for some very special candy.”

  Thorne grinned. “Titania told me that Oberon was going to slip you a little something extra. I guess they use it now and again to crank up the volume. Did it work?”

  Persephone just smiled. “What do you think?”

  Thorne slowed their descent by taking her in his arms. “I think I’m nuts about you. I know I’m glad we succeeded, and I can now honestly tell you that I’m really happy I don’t have to go back to eating cat food and licking your bra. I’m even gladder knowing you’ll be here with me for the next five hundred years or so.”

  “Only five hundred? Well, I guess we’ll just have to make every minute count.” Persephone kissed him back and sighed as they resumed their flight.

  “One last thing, sort of a verification. Just hold my hand and you’ll see…”

  Thorne pulled her alongside him and together they flew as high as they could, shivering slightly as the air chilled around them.

  Then Thorne stopped her with a tug. He leaned over and kissed her. “Hello, Mrs. Persephone Blossom Leatherfly.”

  Persephone felt herself returning his grin. Thank god she didn’t have to embroider towels with her married name. “Hello, Mr. Leatherfly.”

  “We’re going to descend now, and as we do, your wings will settle into place and your thrusterbud will close up considerably. As it closes it leaves a trail…well, you’ll see.”

  Persephone was puzzled, but figured Thorne probably knew what he was talking about. She simply placed her hand in his, content that it would be there for the rest of her life.

  They turned, and began a gentle downward glide.

  Sure enough, Persephone felt a new sensation in her wings. More assured and stronger, they carried her smoothly and a couple of twinges in her back told her that Thorne had been right.