The Consort
Chapter 40: Bath

"What are you doing?" I shriek as Heloix bends over, causing my body to tip backward and hair to brush against the ground.

"Getting dressed."

Heloix stands once more, hiking me up so I'm sitting up on his stomach, and starts pulling up his pants. Quiet grunts fall from his lips as he tries to maneuver around both me and the clothing, the sight making me chuckle.

"You can put me down?" I offer, unsure why he is insisting on holding me.

He frowns, shaking his head.

"No."

Heloix continues to pull on his pants, a triumphant shout emerging from him as he gets them around his waist and zips them up. I want to ask about my rocks and make sure that none have fallen out but I resist the temptation, not wanting to offend him.

I laugh as he bends over again and grabs his shirt, his movements quick enough to give me whiplash as he straightens back up and drops the fabric between our bodies. His eyes narrow as he digs around and shoves his arm through the neck hole down to the waist opening.

My head tilts to the side as I watch him move, unsure how exactly he plans to get his shirt on this way. I feel my cheeks redden as he brings his arm to the top of my head. He's trying to put it on me.

The material is dropped on the crown of my head, and seconds later Heloix begins tugging it down over my neck and shoulders. He struggles to do it with one hand, his arm constantly switching positions to pull on the fabric from another angle.

"A little help would be nice." He laughs out, deepening my blush as I scramble to stick my arms into their respective holes.

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking." I mumble, feeling embarrassed for having just sat there watching him struggle.

Heloix grins down at me before beginning his march back to the castle. I open my mouth to ask about my dress but change my mind last minute and lean into his chest. It's not every day I get carried around by a King and I'll be damned if I waste the opportunity now.

The walk back to the castle is much quicker than the one to the pond. Heloix's long legs are better able to navigate the rough terrain despite the added weight of my body. Nerves begin to filter through me the closer we become, knowing that the castle hallways will be filled with humans and Beasts at this time of the day.

I do not doubt that each and every one of them is going to notice and spread the word that Heloix carried me back to his wing half-clothed. Pulling back to ask Heloix to let me walk, I take one look at his darkened eyes and drop the subject.

There's no way he's going to put me down, and I highly doubt that he would agree to walk all the way back to the pond just so that I can change into my dress.

The castle doors are opened before we even arrive, the guards pushing them open from the inside for us to enter through. I hide my face as we cross the threshold, fully anticipating keeping hidden until we are back in the safety of our wing.

Loud footsteps, quiet murmuring, and the occasional chuckle make their way to my ears as Heloix leads us upstairs. He places his hand against the bottom of his shirt to keep it flat against my body and protect me from any prying eyes, the action much appreciated on my end.

"We're almost there." He murmurs before pressing a small kiss to my head.

I can't help but feel a little embarrassed when he carries me like this, my body slotted tightly against his like a small child, but tell myself that it's natural for Beasts to do things like this. King Richard used to carry his mate around like this all the time before she died.

At the sound of our door opening, I pop my head back up with a sigh. My cheeks heat as I spot the decorated dinner table.

He truly did have a whole plan for the news.

The food sits beneath large metal covers, and between them is a handful of candles and a bottle of wine. I expect Heloix to walk us over to it, but he ignores the table altogether and leads us to my bedroom.

"What are you doing?" I ask, furrowing my brow as the food disappears from my line of sight.

"Told you exactly what the plan was." Heloix grunts, pushing open the door to my ensuite bathroom.

Once more I'm tipped backward as Heloix bends over and turns on the bath faucet, the water sputtering to life with a dulled squeal. Despite the quiet noise, Heloix grimaces, head turning to the side away from it.

"Sensitive hearing." He explains, answering my unspoken question.

I nod, wondering if I actually have any privacy in this place or if Heloix can hear every noise I make. I'd like to believe that he can't hear what happens in my bathroom or bedroom, so I choose not to ask.

"You can set me down now." I state, flattered that he carried me all the way here but more than ready to be on my own two feet again.

Heloix shakes his head in response, eyes flashing. "I can't do that just yet."

I let out an abrupt laugh at his unspoken admission, replaceing it funny that his Beast is forcing him to hold onto me.

"Aren't I getting heavy?" I tease.

Heloix rolls his eyes, flashing me a devilish smile. "Oh, yes. My arms are seconds away from giving out."

Backing up his words, Heloix drops me for just a moment, forcing a nervous shout from my lips as I scramble to wrap my arms around his neck. He catches me right as I pass his hips, each hand placed firmly on my butt as he hoists me back up.

"That wasn't funny!" I laugh, pulling back and pushing at his chest.

Heloix only shrugs, shifting me to sit more to the side as he bends down and feels the water. His hand remains under the faucet for a moment before he stands back up and reaches for his shirt, lifting it over my head in one smooth motion.

"I will set you down now." He mumbles to himself, dropping the clothing to the ground and setting me carefully on my feet.

The floor is cool as I step on it and I wiggle my toes as I adjust, happy to be standing on my own again. Heloix's hands don't remain gone for long, quickly moving to my underwear and tugging it down my legs. The material drops to the floor with a quiet rustle, dulled by the sound of my heavy breathing.

Are we really going to do this? Am I ready? As I look up at Heloix, taking in the adoration in his eyes, I make my decision.

I've wanted him for a long while now, and it's unfair of me to continue to push him away. My requirement was that he make human lives better, and he's proven to be making genuine attempts to do that.

My body heats up as Heloix stares at my bare form, his eyes black as they look me over from head to toe.

"You're a beautiful creature."

Large hands grip my hips and pull me forward, my heart skipping a beat as I make contact with his jeans. I expect him to rub himself against me, but instead Heloix drops to his knees. Slowly, he leans forward and presses a kiss to my skin, lips meeting the area directly below my belly button.

I let out a shaky breath at the contact and move my hands on his head, fingers digging into the still-damp curls.

Heloix pulls back slightly, looking up at me with half closed eyes. "We need to clean you."

I'm unsure if the 'we' he is talking about is him and I or him and his Beast, but don't ask for clarification. The hands on my hips tighten as Heloix stands back up, gently guiding me towards the tub.

Steam rises from the clean water, enticing me, and I let out a quiet sigh as I sink down into it, muscles relaxing as they make contact with the hot liquid. My eyes remain on Heloix the entire time, watching him watching me with a small smile.

His gaze never wavers as I settle into the tub. Patiently, he idly traces small designs into the side of the tub. We continue our staring match as my skin slowly turns pink, the water heating me to the core.

Eventually I let out a satisfied sigh and sit up, arm reaching for the soap so I can begin cleaning myself. I took a shower this morning and only need a quick wash to get the lake water off of me.

"No," Heloix speaks up, voice hard.

I freeze in my movements and look at him with wide eyes, shocked by the intensity of his voice. Quickly he snaps forward and grabs my arm, startling me.

I move to pull back, but he holds me firmly in his grasp as his other hand grabs the soap and a washcloth. My throat runs dry as I watch him lather up the cloth.

"I want to do it."

Slowly he begins to wash me, carefully running the cloth along my skin before rubbing in the soap with his other hand. I know that this isn't how he typically washes himself and is only doing this so he can touch my skin, but I don't mind.

Grabbing my wrist, he lifts my arm and begins washing underneath it, a slight blush coming to my skin as he scrubs at my armpits. The action is repeated on the other side, and before I know it he is washing down my belly, his hand moving between my thighs to spread my legs.

I fight against the action for a moment, but when Heloix shoots me an angry, dark glare, I let my knees fall open. A shaky breath falls from my lips as he begins washing my privates, a mixture of embarrassment and arousal running rampant inside of me.

Thankfully Heloix doesn't linger, swiping the soap quickly through my folds before using his other hand to wipe away the remnants.

"Squeaky clean." I joke, trying to break some of the tension.

Heloix offers a small laugh at my attempt, his eyes shining as he looks up at me.

"Squeaky clean." He repeats.

He holds out his hand to help me out of the tub as he finishes, and I grab onto it as I stand, shivering when the cold air makes contact with my wet skin. A large towel is wrapped around me as I step out onto the floor, Heloix continuing his pampering and drying me off with the same care he used to wash me.

Once I'm sufficiently dry, he wraps the towel tightly around my body and tucks the edge under my armpit.

"Go wait in the bedroom. I'll be there in a minute." Heloix orders, bending down to press a small kiss to my temple.

I step back and frown, not understanding why he needs to stay behind.

"What are you going to do?" I pry.

Heloix laughs at my question, hands gesturing to his body. "I need to clean myself too."

I shake my head at his words, moving towards him once more and gesturing to the tub.

"I want to do it." I insist.

Heloix's eyes widen at my statement, and I'm sure mine match, surprised myself at my bold words. Nonetheless, Heloix nods, hands dropping to his pants to undo them.

I watch as his fingers pop off the button before pulling down the fly, my rocks weighing down his pants enough that they quickly fall to the floor with a quiet thud. Heloix's soft cock hangs between his thighs, and I can't help but frown slightly at it, having expected him to be aroused after washing me.

I try not to take the lack of erection as a slight, bringing my gaze back up to Heloix's face with a small smile. He's watching me intently, eyebrows furrowed as he no doubt tries to decipher my emotions. Slowly a soft smile spreads across his face, and he bends down until he's eye level with me.

"My actions weren't backed up by lust." He explains, seemingly having found out where my disappointment was stemming from.

I look away, cheeks reddening. "Then what were they backed up by?"

"Care for my mate."

Bewildered, I snap my attention back to Heloix, but he has already turned towards the tub, his long legs sinking into my draining water. The liquid splashes up the sides as he plops himself down, looking awfully funny being so big in such a small tub.

I hold back a smirk as I approach, a quick laugh bursting out of me as Heloix glares in my direction.

"I'm sorry," I mumble, dropping to my knees and grabbing the soap off the ledge.

I wait patiently for the water to completely drain before pulling the plug and filling a new bath for him. He looks cold as he waits for the water to fill, making me wonder why he got in before it was even completely drained.

My lips purse as I debate asking him, but as I take in his reddened cheeks I'm hit with the understanding that he didn't realize until it was too late. I snort, amused.

His eyes flash in response to my chuckle, his Beast seemingly not happy at being laughed at, but he says nothing. My hands shake slightly as I bring the cloth to his chest, the realization that this is the first time I'm so openly touching a man making me nervous.

Heloix remains still as I copy his actions, running the rag along his chest then rubbing it in with my other hand. His skin is soft under my fingers, the muscle tensing underneath my hands as I run them over his body. Biting onto my lower lip, I lift his arm and begin washing his biceps, shifting my position as the large limb flexes.

Shame rushes through me at my increasing arousal, feeling guilty that my body is not behaving the way his did while he washed me. Thankfully Heloix doesn't comment on it, saving me from further embarrassment, but I know that he can both feel and smell it as he begins to harden.

I pretend not to notice it as I continue washing his upper body, but when I reach his stomach I freeze, unsure how to proceed. Heloix seems to sense my hesitation, his hand reaching out to grab my wrist, stopping me.

"It's okay. I can finish it up."

He moves to take the cloth out of my hand but I jerk away, refusing to let him have it.

"I want to do it." I assure him.

Heloix's hand drops back into the water, his eyes darkening as he watches me. I take a deep, calming breath before bringing the rag back to his body, carefully lowering it to his pubic hair. I'm careful to avoid his floating cock as I run it through the short curls, my other hand quickly washing the suds away.

Glancing up at Heloix, I look him in the eye as I slowly slide it up the underside of his cock, satisfied as his mouth falls open and he lets out a quiet gasp. My breaths are heavy as I follow up the motion with my other hand, gently gripping the muscle and rubbing the soap away.

He twitches in my hand, the reaction urging me to drop my gaze back down to the tub. I watch in a trance as my fingers wrap around and slowly stroke him. There's a large vein that runs along the underside, and I pull away slightly to trace it, gasping as Heloix lets out a quiet grunt, his hips jerking up slightly.

A surge of confidence rushes through me at his reaction, and I wrap my hand around him once more, my grip firm as I massage his cock with long strokes. Dropping the soap in the water, I reach down and gently cup his balls, having heard from John that men like that.

"Adeline." Heloix moans my name, his hand moving to cover mine.

I glance up at him, frowning, confused as to why he'd stopped me. "It's been a while."

"Okay?" I question, not sure what he's getting at.

Heloix gives me a sheepish smile, releasing my hand. "Meaning the teasing will make me cum- and I'd much rather wait until inside you to do that."

Without waiting for my response he stands from the tub, letting the water pour down his long limbs for a minute before stepping out. I watch as he grabs another towel and dries himself off, his attention on me the entire time.

A large smile spreads across his face as he finally approaches and pulls me back up on my feet.

"Come on, let me take you to bed."

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They bouta bang 🍆