Ameriahâs eyes opened slowly, her wet red demonic irises struggling to focus as consciousness gradually returned . Heavy lids lifted with effort, as though weighted down by exhaustion so profound it had seeped into her very bones.
She felt utterly tired in ways sheâd never experienced beforeâa bone-deep weariness that seemed to permeate every fiber of her being. Yet paradoxically, simultaneously, it felt as though her body was resting on the softest cushion of cotton, floating in some state between physical exhaustion and ethereal contentment. The contradiction was difficult to articulate even in her own thoughts.
Ameriah shifted her body slightly, attempting to find a more comfortable position, and immediately let out an involuntary soft moan as pain lanced through her lower body.
She felt distinctly sore, a persistent aching sensation coupled with hypersensitive tingling concentrated between her legs. The discomfort was pronounced enough to make movement somewhat difficult, every shift of position sending fresh reminders of the previous nightâs activities.
And then, as expected, the memories of what had transpired last night came flooding back into her consciousness with vivid clarity.
Her first time. Nathan taking her virginity exactly as she had wished and longed for. The initially overwhelming sensations giving way to waves of pleasure she hadnât known were possible. The feeling of complete union, of being desired and cherished, of vulnerability transformed into strength through intimacy.
They had rested briefly in each otherâs arms afterward, catching their breath and basking in the afterglow. But then they had come together again, passion reigniting almost immediately. And again after that. The night had stretched on with repeated coupling, her body learning his rhythms, discovering pleasures sheâd only imagined.
She had wanted all of it, had practically begged for more even when exhaustion threatened to overwhelm her. And Nathan had happily obliged, thoroughly fucking her exactly as sheâd wished, taking his time to ensure her pleasure matched his own.
It had been quite an intense and extraordinary first experience by any measure. But Ameriah was obviously immensely pleased just remembering it now in the morning light. These memories would stay with her foreverâshe would never forget this night, never forget how it felt to finally cross that threshold with someone she genuinely cared for.
A true blissful smile spread slowly across her lips as she lay there replaying moments from the previous night, her heart warming with satisfaction and newfound intimacy.
Turning her body carefully to face the other directionâmoving slowly to minimize the sorenessâAmeriah was genuinely surprised to see Nathan still lying beside her.
His eyes were closed, but his breathing pattern and subtle tension in his posture made it obvious he was actually awake rather than sleeping. He was simply resting quietly, perhaps lost in his own thoughts.
Moving slightly closer despite her bodyâs protests, Ameriah reached out with one delicate hand and placed it gently on Nathanâs pale, toned chest His skin was warm beneath her palm, and she could feel his heartbeatâsteady and strong .
Nathanâs golden eyes opened immediately at her touch, and he turned his head toward Ameriah with a warm, genuine smile .
"You finally woke up," he said softly, his voice carrying notes of affection and amusement. "I was wondering how long youâd sleep ."
"I donât even remember falling asleep," Ameriah admitted with a slightly embarrassed murmur. "One moment I was fully conscious and aware, and then... nothing until just now."
"You fell asleep rather suddenly after I filled you for perhaps the tenth time," Nathan explained matter-of-factly, though his smile widened with the memory. "You cried out quite loudly, your entire body went rigid for several seconds, and then you just collapsed into unconsciousness."
Ameriahâs pale cheeks flushed deep red as vivid memories returned of how shamelessly and loudly she had been moaning throughout the night. She had completely lost control of her volume at multiple points, her voice rising to levels that would have mortified her under normal circumstances.
She was absolutely certain that others in the castle had heard her. The royal quarters werenât isolated enough to completely muffle sounds of that intensity, especially when sustained over hours. Guards, servants, possibly even her sister despite being rooms awayâthey almost certainly all knew exactly what had been happening in here.
"Thatâs because I felt so very good," Ameriah said defensively, though her blush remained prominent. "I couldnât help the sounds I made."
She leaned closer against Nathanâs body and kissed him, wanting to recapture some of that overwhelming intimacy from the night before.
Nathan reached up with one hand, threading his fingers gently through her long golden blonde hair, and kissed her back with tender passion. His lips moved against hers with confident familiarity now, knowing exactly how she liked to be kissed.
"Hmmm~~" Ameriah moaned softly into the kiss as Nathan deepened it, his tongue exploring her mouth thoroughly while his hand cradled the back of her head.
Even as they kissed, Ameriahâs own hand began wandering lower across Nathanâs body with clear intent. Her fingers traced down his chest and abdomen before reaching his currently resting member and beginning to stroke him with gentle, exploratory touches.
Despite having been so thoroughly satisfied the previous night, despite the soreness still making itself known with every movement, she already wanted him again. Her body craved more of that overwhelming pleasure and connection theyâd shared.
At precisely that moment, the bedroom door suddenly swung open without warning or preliminary knock.
Both Ameriah and Nathan immediately turned their heads toward the unexpected intrusion, breaking their kiss to see who had entered.
Azariah stood framed in the doorway, her expression carrying complex layers of exasperation, concern, and resignation.
The Queen took in the scene before her with a single comprehensive glanceâher naked younger sister sprawled partially on top of Nathanâs equally unclothed form, Ameriahâs hand positioned exactly where it obviously was, both of them clearly preparing for another round of lovemaking right here in the morning light.
Azariah sighed deeply, the sound heavy with the long-suffering patience of an older sister who had known exactly what to expect but had hoped to be proven wrong.
"I think thatâs quite enough for today, Ameriah," she said firmly, her tone brooking no argument despite the gentle underlying concern. "Iâm fairly certain that everyone in this entire wing of the castle has heard more than enough of your voice carrying on all night long."
Ameriahâs face immediately flushed an even deeper shade of crimson, mortification washing over her as her sisterâs words confirmed her worst fears about being overheard. She quickly withdrew her wandering hand and shifted away from Nathan slightly, pulling the rumpled sheets up to cover herself.
Azariah couldnât help but smile with wry amusement as she observed her younger sisterâs obvious embarrassment and disheveled state. Despite her initial concern and the mild exasperation coloring her expression, there was genuine affection underlying her demeanor.
"Are you happy now, finally?" Azariah asked, her tone mixing teasing with sincere curiosity . "Youâve been waiting for this moment for quite a long time, havenât you? Practically counting down the days until you felt ready."
"I am extremely happy," Ameriah replied with complete honesty, her embarrassment fading as genuine satisfaction took its place. "Though Iâm perhaps a bit regretful that I didnât gather the courage to do this sooner. I wasted time being nervous when I could have experienced this months ago."
Azariah rolled her eyes at that response, though her smile remained. Trust her impulsive younger sister to immediately wish sheâd been even more impulsive .
"Well, youâve gotten exactly what you wished for now," Azariah said with the particular firmness of an older sister reasserting authority. "So perhaps you can redirect some of that focus back toward your actual responsibilities? Your kingdom could use some attention from its princess, you know."
"Yes, sister," Ameriah nodded obediently, though she added a slight pout that somewhat undermined the dutiful acceptance. She looked like a child being reminded about neglected homework rather than a demon princess being told to attend to matters of state.
At that moment, Nathan moved with supernatural speed, vanishing from the bed and materializing directly in front of Azariahâstill completely nakedâstartling the Queen despite her considerable composure.
"How about we spend some time together right now?" Nathan suggested in a low, suggestive whisper, his lips barely brushing against Azariahâs as he spoke. "You and your sister, both with me? It could be quite memorable."
He kissed her gently, the touch brief but laden with implication.
Azariahâs pale cheeks immediately flushed pink at the boldness of his proposition, though she quickly looked away to compose herself. Her demonic heritage meant she was hardly a prude, but Nathanâs shameless directness could still catch her off-guard.
"Itâs barely morning and youâre still seeking more physical pleasure," she said, trying to inject stern disapproval into her tone despite the blush betraying her actual reaction. "Donât you ever get tired? You were active all night ."
"Is there anything better to do with the early morning?" Nathan asked reasonably, wrapping his arms around Azariahâs slender waist and pulling her slightly closer despite her protests. His body pressed against hers through the fabric of her gown, making his interest quite obvious.
"Yes, actually! Many better things!" Azariah insisted, placing both hands firmly on Nathanâs chest and pushing him back with genuine determination. "You have responsibilities as well, in case youâve forgotten. Helen and Clytemnestra should be arriving back from Sparta very soonâpossibly within the hour. You should be getting yourself properly prepared to greet them rather than trying to seduce your way into your loverâs sisterâs bed for a repeat performance."
Nathanâs golden eyes widened slightly as that information registered .
They were finally returning from Sparta. Heâd been anticipating their arrival for days now, growing increasingly concerned as their trip extended beyond the originally planned duration. Helen had been heavily pregnant when she departed.
Sighing with resignation and acknowledging Azariahâs point, Nathan pulled back from her and began gathering his scattered clothing from where various pieces had been hastily discarded the previous night. He dressed quickly with efficient movements, already mentally shifting focus toward the reunion ahead.
"Iâll go bathe," he said.
After Nathan departed from the room, closing the door behind him and leaving the two sisters alone, Azariah immediately turned her full attention to Ameriah. Her expression shifted from exasperated amusement to genuine sisterly concern.
"Do you need any help getting cleaned up and dressed?" Azariah asked gently, approaching the bed where Ameriah still lay partially covered by rumpled sheets. "I can call servants if you prefer, but I thought you might want privacy given... well, given your current state."
"No, Iâm perfectly fine," Ameriah insisted with perhaps more confidence than was warranted. "I donât need assistance for something as simple as bathing and dressing."
She pushed aside the sheets and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, preparing to stand. But the moment she actually tried putting weight on her legs and taking a step forward, her knees buckled alarmingly and she nearly collapsed to the floor.
Azariah moved with impressive speed, catching her younger sister before she could fall and steadying her with strong hands gripping Ameriahâs arms.
"For goodnessâ sake, Ameriah," Azariah said with a mixture of concern and exasperation as she took in her sisterâs condition more fully. "This was your first time being intimate with anyoneâyour body isnât accustomed to that kind of... extensive activity. I want to blame Nathan for being too rough or inconsiderate, but honestly, I donât think he was the one insisting on going all night without rest."
Ameriah couldnât walk more than a step or two without feeling sharp pain radiating from between her legs, her inner thighs trembling with a combination of soreness and exhaustion. She was clearly in no condition to move around independently .
"Itâs genuinely difficult not to keep wanting more when it feels that incredible," Ameriah defended herself, leaning heavily on Azariahâs supporting arm as she spoke "You should understand that perfectly well, big sister. Iâve heard you on more than one occasion ."
"Of course I understand," Azariah admitted, her own face coloring slightly at the memories her sisterâs words evoked. "That doesnât mean I didnât learn to pace myself eventually ."
"Now weâre truly the same, sister," Ameriah said then, her expression brightening into a genuinely joyful smile despite her physical discomfort. "We share this experience, this connection with the same man. It brings us even closer together."
Azariah sighed with fond exasperation at her sisterâs romantic perspective . Trust Ameriah to focus on the emotional bonding rather than the practical complications.
"Weâre just missing one thing to make us completely the same," Ameriah added thoughtfully after a brief pause.
"Whatâs that?" Azariah asked, though she suspected she already knew where this was heading .
"A child," Ameriah said brightly, as though discussing something as simple as acquiring a new dress . "Once I have Nathanâs baby like you do, then weâll truly be in identical positions."
Azariah immediately fixed her younger sister with a stern, uncompromising gaze that would have made lesser demons take several steps backward.
"Not anytime soon," she said firmly, her tone brooking absolutely no argument . "You are nowhere near ready for motherhood, Ameriah. You can barely manage your current responsibilities without getting distracted. A child requires constant attention, endless patience, and maturity youâre still developing. So that particular milestone will wait several years minimum ."
Ameriah opened her mouth as though to protest, then apparently thought better of arguing with Azariah when she was using that particular tone.