A Wolf's Howl, A Fairy's Wing

A mysterious and playful smile hung on Elora's lips after Emily's question. "Indeed. While I normally really would act that way when Erik wants to help someone, I did it for a different reason in your case. So, do you dare to hazard a guess as to why that was?"

Emily frowned thoughtfully. "You changed your mind? Or perhaps this plan is new?"

But Elora shook her head. "No, I've always planned this. Although, I must admit, you and your sister are the first two women I've actually been interested in adding to our little family."

She didn't wait for Emily to guess again and provided a few hints instead. "Let me ask you this. What is the main thing required for my long-term goals regarding you and your sister?"

Emily sank into thought again, not really thinking about why she was even playing Elora's game. 'What does she need…? She wants us as his wives, so… she needs us to love him?'

Suddenly, her realization from just before jumped back into her mind, and she widened her eyes before accusingly pointing her finger at Elora. "You manipulated us!"

Mischief twinkled in Elora's eyes as a sly grin hung on her lips. "Did I? Erik never knew about it, so his actions and reactions were genuine. And, as I said, I usually really would have reacted that way. My thoughts may have been a little different this time, but… well I decided to simply do what I usually would.

After all, what is more romantic than a guy who goes against the advice of his closest confidant in order to help out a girl?"

Erik, who was listening to their conversation despite his current activities, immediately sent Elora a mental message. "You little minx! What happened to never lying to each other?!"

His tone wasn't exactly angry, but he was surprised. This had never happened before, at least not since their relationship had really taken off. His surprise caused him to slow down in his actions with Nora, leading to the blond woman releasing a whining noise and begging him to continue.

Elora actually sounded a little apologetic as she answered Erik in his mind. "I know it wasn't exactly in the spirit of never lying to each other, but you must admit I never actually did! I've only ever said that you're a bleeding heart for helping them and that I could enslave them instead. Both of which were true!"

Erik grumbled a little but had to admit she was right. "Fine… but you better believe I'll punish you later!"

Elora had told him about her intention to bring him more wives who could help them in the future, but since nothing had ever come of it back on Söl, he figured it never would. So, despite his own interest in the Ashcroft sisters, he thought Elora had abandoned her plan.

Elora giggled lustfully and answered via their connection, "You know you can punish me anytime, Master~~."

Naturally, her words sounded much more suggestive while she still had to address him as Master.

Erik rolled his eyes at her answer, wondering whether he should turn this into a real problem. How much did he honestly mind what she did? He sighed and decided to think about it later before focusing back on Nora, who loudly moaned out her approval.

Since their mental conversation lasted no more than a second, Emily still looked at Elora with annoyance. "No matter what you say, it was still manipulation!" Then her voice softened. "Though I guess it's good to know Erik wasn't part of it."

She shook her head. "But that's beside the point! Why are you telling me all this now? I'm not his wife yet, nor have I even hinted at the possibility that I might accept!"

Elora shrugged nonchalantly, "Because it doesn't matter anymore." She thumbed towards the dazed Emma, "Your little sister is already a lost cause." And then pointed to Emily, "And you, too, have already sunk deeper than you care to admit, even to yourself."

She grinned. "In fact, revealing all this to you now will only help you come to terms with your feelings and push you in the right direction. Now that the foundation has been laid, it's only a matter of time."

Emily could only blink. She tried to deny the truth inside her, but as she looked at Erik, carefully ignoring the blond woman, she couldn't deny that her feelings about him had changed a lot in a mere two weeks. The chances she would fall in love in the nine years and eleven months they had left together were significant.

That said, she still had plenty of her own feelings to explore before that happened.

She turned back to Elora with a sigh. "You are one manipulative bitch, you know that?"

Her words caused Elora to chuckle menacingly as a sadistic glint passed through her eyes. "I'll let that slide this one time, but you better not forget you aren't his wife yet. Our time in that cabin was child's play compared to what I could do to you."

Elora knew perfectly well what she was, but she still wouldn't simply allow someone who was technically still in the non-family bracket to call her that.

Her threat caused a shiver to pass through Emily's spine as she remembered who she was talking to. So, instead of the other colorful words she had in mind for Elora, she decided to clear up some of her other thoughts.

Still grumbling a little, she said, "Fine. But…" she indicated towards Nora and Erik, "Is he always going to fuck random sluts like this? I'm not sure how I feel about that."

To which Elora shrugged. "The pleasure he can provide is a great motivator for tools like Nora; plus, he enjoys it, so you'll have to learn to live with it." And then wiggled her eyebrows playfully, "Or find a way to enjoy it yourself."

She continued with another shrug, "Either way when you get old enough, you'll realize that sex is just sex, and emotional connections are far more important. Or at least, so my mother always told me, and frankly, I've yet to find a reason to disagree with her."

Emily raised an eyebrow at that response. "So if sex is just sex, why aren't you fucking some guys on the side?"

As soon as the words left her lips, a cold shiver ran across Emily's back.

She felt like a dangerous, wild animal had locked onto her and was about to shred her to pieces.