Chapter 19 - Hiding the Evidence

A gentle hand was petting her shoulder. Syra’s eyelids fluttered and she felt the hand pet her shoulder again. She moaned slightly as she enjoyed the sensation. She felt the hand pet her back and she rolled to make it easier, but flinched as the movement caused her pain. She heard a rumbling chuckle.

“Good morning, Syra.” She opened her eyes to see Eclipse laying next to her with his hand on her back. 

She pulled him in for a kiss. She felt herself slowly waking up as Eclipse pulled her closer to him.

“Do I get a good morning kiss?” Syra turned at the voice and saw Icar pouting on her other side and moved her head so they could kiss her.

“How do you feel, Syra?” Eclipse’s hand was on her hip and as she paused to try to see how she did feel, she realized she felt sore, sticky, and in desperate need of a bath.

“Like I need a bath and will never be able to move again.” She shifted slightly and flinched at the pain she felt when she did.

Eclipse rose from the bed and crossed to her bathroom and the other two watched his butt as he walked. Syra heard the tub turn on and turned to Icar.

“So you decided to not leave without a word this time?” She had meant to have more of a joking tone, but it came out more barbed than she had intended.

“I did not mean to hurt your feelings, even if you had another lover here to comfort you.” Icar kissed her, they suddenly pulled her closer and she felt something stiff against her thigh.

“Hey! She is already sore. I am not letting you make it worse. Off with you.” Eclipse pulled Icar off the bed.

“Can I at least dress first? Or did you want me to entertain you instead?” Icar flirted as they stepped closer to Eclipse who raised an eyebrow.

“Thank you for the offer, but you should really get going. We don’t know when someone may try to visit.” Eclipse released Icar and stepped back. 

He watched as they dressed and flew out the window before closing and locking it. He turned towards Syra with a soft expression.

“Would you like a bath?” Eclipse began walking towards the bed.

“I would, but I need some time before I can possibly walk to the bathroom.” Syra replied as she watched her leg shake when she tried to move it.

“Who says you need to walk?” He scooped her up and carried her into the bathroom and lowered her into the water.

“Do you want a bath too?” Syra asked as she felt her muscles begin to relax in the warm salt water.

“Are you offering to let me bathe with you, Syra?” Eclipse chuckled, but stopped when Syra pulled on his hand slightly.

“There is room.” She blushed as she watched his eyes take in her whole body.

“If you insist, then who am I to decline a wonderful offer?” Eclipse climbed into the tub on the other end.

Syra moved through the water towards him. She placed her hands on his thighs as she moved towards him. She was close enough to his face to feel his breathing get faster as she reached for the soap behind him and then sat back in his lap. She began cleaning her arms and enjoyed his eyes following her every movement. His breath caught for a moment as she stretched back slightly to clean her chest. She tried to hide the pain the movement caused, but he noticed her flinch.

“You really shouldn’t try to tease me when you are too sore to move properly.” He chastised, but his eyes were still on her chest.

“But I so enjoy watching how much I affect you with such small movements.” Syra placed a hand on his chest and trailed a finger down and enjoyed watching him shiver at the sensation. 

When she neared close to him, she veered to the side and slid her finger down his inner thigh. She smiled as he shivered in the warm water. She felt excited herself, but that rush of blood only made her more sore.

“You really shouldn’t tease a dragon when you cannot handle the repercussions.” He growled slightly and Syra felt herself shiver at the sound.

“Fine, then I shall not tease you. I shall simply bathe.” She turned her back while sitting in his lap, “Will you help me clean my back?” She held the soap above her shoulder.

He took the soap silently and when he went to clean her back she jumped from the sudden sting.

“Ow! What did you do?!” She felt her back and felt raised scratches.

“Oh… You seemed to enjoy the feeling of my claw…” He felt a pang of guilt as he saw the numerous marks across her back.

“What are you a cat? My back is covered in marks! How am I supposed to hide this from my maids?!” Syra was actually worried, she knew Hestia would never say a word, but other maids might gossip about the marks.

“Have you seen my back, Syra?!” Eclipse turned and Syra saw the deep claw marks she vaguely remembers leaving and blushed deeply.

“Ah, I guess that makes us even then. I still need to try to hide all these marks. I might need to instate a rule about not leaving marks with you two!” She looked down and saw the teeth marks surrounding the previous bruise and glared accusingly at Eclipse.

“I will try to behave myself. I cannot make promises for anyone else though.” He kissed the mark and then turned her around.

He began kissing the marks on her back. His fingers trailing lazy circles across her hips. The mix of pain and pleasure made her arch her back and reminded her of how sore she was. She shifted to try to make it better which just made it worse.

Eclipse stopped and moved her to lean her back against his chest. He began to wash her in earnest and was gentle, but she still flinched with some movements. When she was clean, he lifted her out of the tub and carried her to her couch. He set her down and carefully began to dry her. He turned and saw the mess they had made of the bed and the area around it. He realized someone would know what occurred in this room no matter what he did.

“Is there a maid you trust to not gossip?” He looked down and saw her blushing at the disaster of a room.

“Yes. Hestia should be the one to come if you pull the cord… I hope.” Eclipse looked at her naked body and his and went to her closet first. 

He found many gowns, but none that were simple dressing gowns or even nightgowns. After a lot of searching, he found a night gown and a dressing gown. He returned and helped Syra into the nightgown, which proved difficult to put on properly as she could not stand.

Once she was no longer naked, he covered himself in her dressing gown which did not fit him and could barely close. The moment he took a step he heard a snort and looked down to see himself exposed to the world. He shrugged and pulled the cord before he dashed into the bathroom and closed the door.

A knock was heard a moment later.

“Is that you, Hestia?” Syra called out and realized her voice was slightly hoarse.

“Yes, your Highness.”

“Come in.”

As Hestia entered she paused and then quickly closed the door and blushed. She looked around the room and then at Syra. Her gaze took in the tangled hair and visible marks and then looked back at the bed.

“Your Highness, it is not my place to give you commands nor advice, but this is going to be difficult to hide. Other maids will talk. The laundry maids will gossip, they might not know whose sheets these are if I sneak them in, but there is no way to avoid the gossip. Goodness, I don’t know if you have gowns with high enough collars to hide all those marks!” Hestia looked so distressed.

“I am sorry to put you through so much Hestia, but I trust you to keep my secrets.” Syra blushed and glanced at the closed bathroom door.

“Of course I will, your Highness. Now I shall start by getting you in the bath!” Hestia rushed towards the closed bathroom doors.

“Hestia! Wait!” The doors were already open and Hestia frozen in place as she saw the dragon Duke sitting in the bathtub.

“M-my apologies, your Grace!” Hestia stammered as she slammed the door shut.

“Sorry again, Hestia.” Syra grimaced, “I also already took a bath as I was trying to tell you.”

“I see.” Hestia removed the sheets and made a pile of them. She then picked up the tossed food from all over the floor.

Syra watched and blushed as Hestia silently cleaned up from the activities. She wanted to move and run away, but she was stuck on the couch. When Hestia left the room with the sheets, Syra called out to the Duke.

“Hestia just left for a moment, are you okay in there?”

“Yeah, this tub is fantastic. I should bathe in here more often with you.” His voice was tempting and promising.

Syra felt her face turn hot. When Hestia returned, she had a large tray with a cloche covering it. She set it on the table in front of Syra and opened it to reveal enough breakfast for two people. She pulled out a set of sheets and another dressing gown from beneath the platter. She placed the dressing gown on the chair and placed the sheets on the table and opened the windows.

“I will be back in a little while, your Highness. I will procure some clothes for his Grace, but give you time to enjoy your breakfast.” Hestia stepped out as Syra blushed.

“You can come out now.” Syra called as she grabbed a fork and took a bite.

“Is your maid gone?” The bathroom door opened, Syra turned and almost choked as the Duke stood there completely naked.

“You are so lucky she is. She left you a dressing gown until she can get you some clothes and brought us both breakfast.” She laughed an actual laugh.

“Well then I would have had to charge her for the show.” He put on the dressing gown and sat next to her and began to dig in.

“Oh, do I owe you money now?” 

“Yes, lots. You also owe me for the strip tease last night.” Syra blushed deeply at the memory and shoved another bite into her mouth.

“I don’t have any money in dragon currency.” Her eyes watch his mouth as he devours his breakfast.

“Well then you can pay me another way.” His voice was laced with lust as he spoke.

“If you are demanding that I pay using my body, then did I not already do so?” She leaned against him enjoying his scent and the rumble she felt as he laughed.