Chapter 188: Take More (18+)

Levi stopped the group at the edge of the solid ground, just short of the first floating platform. Gold light from the Sovereign Domain spread across the water in a wide, shimmering circle that made the surface hiss and steam where it touched.

'The last free court. They will try to buy time with words and then with water. Both will fail.'

He glanced at the five women, then at the watching figures on the distant platforms.

"Hold here," he said. "I need a moment."

Lucy's snake eyes flicked to him, already reading the tone. "A moment alone?"

"With you."

The others exchanged brief looks but said nothing. Vespera gave a small nod. Isha smiled knowingly. Serakel returned her attention to the Market. The Reverend Mother Superior simply turned her back and began examining the nearest sulfur vent with deliberate interest. The pit-wyrm hybrid settled onto the stone with a low rumble, copper-and-gold eyes fixed on the floating platforms.

Levi led Lucy a short distance along the shoreline to a cluster of jagged black rocks that blocked the Market's line of sight. The gold light followed them in a private curtain, shutting out the worst of the smell and the watching eyes.

The moment they were alone Lucy turned into him. There was no teasing this time. She reached up, framed his face with both hands, and kissed him deeply.

The kiss was slow and hungry. Lucy's mouth opened under his. Her tongue met his without hesitation, sliding against it in long, deliberate strokes. Levi kissed her back with equal intensity, one hand at the back of her neck, the other at her waist, pulling her flush against him. The gold marks on both of their bodies pulsed in quiet rhythm.

Lucy made a low sound in her throat and pressed closer. Her full breasts crushed against his chest. The kiss deepened until breathing became secondary. When they finally broke apart both of them were breathing harder.

"I have been wanting that since the ridge," Lucy murmured against his mouth. "The fight at the Spires was entertaining, but this is better."

Levi brushed his thumb across her lower lip. "Then take more."

She kissed him again, slower this time, savoring it. Her hands slid down his chest, opened the front of his robe, and pushed the fabric aside. When her fingers wrapped around his already hardening cock she exhaled softly into the kiss.

"Still ready for me," she said, voice low and pleased. "Good."

Lucy kissed a path down his throat, across his chest, and lower. She sank to her knees on the warm black stone without breaking eye contact until the last moment. Then she leaned in and dragged the flat of her tongue up the underside of his cock in one long, wet stroke from base to head.

Levi's hand settled in her gray-white hair. 'She takes her time when she wants to. I will let her.'

Lucy licked him again, slower, savoring the taste and the weight of him. She kissed the head, parted her lips, and took him into her mouth in a gradual, deliberate slide. Warm, wet heat surrounded him inch by inch until her nose pressed against his stomach. She held him there, throat working around the thick length, eyes closed in concentration.

Then she began to move.

Lucy sucked him with deep, rhythmic pulls, cheeks hollowing, tongue pressing firmly along the underside on every withdrawal. Saliva gathered at the corners of her mouth and ran down his shaft in clear lines. She took him all the way to the base on every few strokes, holding him deep while her throat fluttered around him, then drew back until only the head remained between her lips so she could suck hard on the sensitive tip.

Levi watched her with dark focus. The gold mark at her throat glowed brighter with every bob of her head. Soft, wet sounds filled the small space between the rocks. Lucy's full breasts rose and fell with her breathing as she worked him. One of her hands stroked what her mouth could not constantly reach. The other rested on his thigh, fingers digging in whenever she took him especially deep.

She pulled off for a moment, breathing hard, lips already swollen and shiny. A thin strand of saliva still connected her lower lip to the head of his cock.

"You taste better when we are about to do something reckless," she said, voice rough. Then she leaned back in and swallowed him again.

The second round was deeper, hungrier. Lucy set a steady, intense pace, taking him into her throat on nearly every stroke. Wet, filthy sounds rose between them. Her eyes watered, but she did not pull back. She sucked him like she intended to memorize the shape and weight of him with her mouth alone.

Levi's fingers tightened in her hair. The pleasure built in thick, heavy waves. Lucy felt it and only sucked harder, one hand now cupping and gently squeezing his balls while her mouth and throat worked him without mercy.

When he was close she took him all the way to the root and held him there, swallowing repeatedly around the head. Levi came with a low, rough sound, pulsing deep into her throat in long, heavy spurts. Lucy stayed locked in place and took every drop, throat working until he finished.

Only then did she slowly pull back, lips dragging along his length, and release him with a soft, wet pop. She swallowed once more, then licked her lips clean while looking up at him with dark, satisfied snake eyes.

Levi drew her to her feet and kissed her again, deep and thorough, tasting himself on her tongue. Lucy melted into the kiss, arms wrapping around his neck, body pressing fully against his.

When they finally separated she rested her forehead against his for a moment.

"The Market is still waiting," she said quietly. "But I needed that first."

"So did I."

They straightened their clothing in comfortable silence. The gold light around them pulsed once, stronger than before. Lucy's mark glowed in answer.

When they stepped back into view of the others, Isha gave them a knowing, cheerful look. Vespera's living eyes flicked over both of them once and then returned to the Market. Serakel said nothing, but the corner of her mouth moved a fraction. The Reverend Mother Superior simply sighed as if resigning herself to the reality of traveling with them.

Lucy took her place on Levi's right without a word, still carrying a residual heat in her expression.

Levi looked out across the sulfuric lake toward the floating platforms of the Drowned Market. The watching figures had not moved. Gold light continued to spread across the water in a wide, unmistakable claim of presence.

'The last free court. They have seen everything that came before. Now they will learn it in person.'

He started forward onto the first low bridge. The five women fell in around him. The pit-wyrm hybrid followed, claws carefully testing each section of resin-sealed wood before trusting it with its full weight.

The Drowned Market waited in silence, pale lights burning, water lapping against the platforms.

The Sovereign of Neverland walked toward it with the taste of Lucy still on his tongue and the final free court of the underground world directly ahead.