A Few Days Later

"Dammit! Missed again." Illyana cursed under her breath, her arrow landing in the dirt instead of the bandit's head. She had been trying to hit him for the past five minutes, but every shot she took seemed to go astray. It was almost like she was doing it on purpose, which, in a way, she was.

Gaius, who was fighting the bandit leader, had his back turned to her. If she had hit her mark, he would've been in the clear to finish off the enemy. But she didn't want that. She wanted him to struggle, to get hurt, maybe even die. She hated him with a passion, and the thought of him winning this fight without a scratch made her blood boil.

He was just so strong, and so good at what he does! She thought as she knocked another arrow. But wait, why was she gushing about his skill? He's a misogynistic asshole who doesn't deserve any praise.

The arrow flew past him, missing the bandit by an inch.

"What the fuck, Illyana! Are you trying to get us killed? Shoot him already, you useless bitch!" Gaius growled, glaring at her over his shoulder.

She flinched, her heart skipping a beat at his tone. She knew she shouldn't be afraid of him. But she was. She was afraid of what he would do to her if she kept failing, if she kept disobeying him. Her pussy clenched at the thought, and she bit her lip to stifle a moan. What the hell was wrong with her?

"I'm sorry, I'm just... not feeling my best." She lied, lowering her bow. She couldn't keep this up much longer. Her fingers trembled as they touched the string, her palms sweaty and her breath coming out in short gasps. Her mind was a mess, her emotions a tangled web of fear, hatred, guilt, and... lust? No, it couldn't be. She wouldn't admit it. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"Yeah, I bet you're not. You're probably too busy thinking about how much you want my cock inside you. Well, tough luck, slut. You'll have to earn it. And right now, you're doing a piss poor job of it." He grunted, parrying a blow from the bandit leader.

His words hit her like a slap in the face, but they also sent a jolt of heat straight to her core. How did he know? How could he say such things with such confidence? He was right, and she hated that he was right. She did want his cock, and it made her feel filthy and ashamed. But she also craved it like nothing else. She wanted to feel his thick, hard length stretching her, filling her, claiming her. Even so, she would never admit it. She still held onto her loyalty for Cordain, the man who truly loved and respected her. But that loyalty was getting harder to maintain with each passing day, as Gaius's self-assured dominance wore down her defenses.

These first few days with him were filled with Illyana's defiance and Gaius's punishments. He would find excuses to touch her, to grope her, to spank her, to humiliate her in front of his squad. He would make her wear revealing outfits that left little to the imagination, or sometimes no clothes at all when they were out in the open and away from the city where there were no guards to stop him. Each time he made her to something degrading, he pounded her pussy and brought her to the edge before pulling her off of him and finishing off with another woman.

That was his pattern. He masterfully toyed with Illyana's body and mind by giving her all this pleasure just to deny the sweet release. Each time, she would feel a surge of resentment, frustration, but also an undeniable lust growing for him. It was like a drug, and she was addicted to that high.

And now, as she watched him fight, she couldn't help but admire his skill, his power, his raw masculinity. She wanted to remain loyal to Cordain, but her body craved more. She wanted to feel that same power, that same confidence. She wanted to be under him, around him, pleasing him, belonging to him... And it terrified her.

Her breath hitched, a ragged pull of air that did nothing to steady the frantic drumming in her chest. Hidden within the cool embrace of the undergrowth, she felt them. A shift in the air, the subtle weight of unseen eyes. More bandits. Gaius strode ahead oblivious of the danger, his broad back a perfect target for the shadows gathering to strike. A shiver, cold and sharp, traced her spine. His strength was peerless, but even legends fell to a dozen hidden blades.

This was it. A choice. She could stay silent. Let the ambush unfold. The chaos would be her cover, the perfect moment to disappear and find her way back to her boyfriend. That thought was a balm, promising to end this grueling dance of deceit. But then, another sensation bloomed in her gut, hotter and more insidious than the fear. It was a pull, a deep, liquid ache that had nothing to do with safety and everything to do with him. To save him. Not just to spare his life, but to interpose her own body, her own will, between him and the harm he couldn't see. That was a different kind of surrender. It would be an act of devotion that went beyond obligation revealing the raw, unguarded core of her allegiance.

Would he see it? Would he understand that? And if he did… would he grant her that sweet, shattering release she fantasized about in the darkest hours of the night? The uncertainty was a delicious, spiraling ache. In her delirium, her loyalty to her true lover felt like a distant memory now clouded by fog. But here, now, cloaked in shadow and the scent of imminent violence, all she craved was the exquisite oblivion she imagined only Gaius could provide. The thought of it was a fire licking at her edges, a hunger that threatened to consume everything else.

Her hands moved of their own accord, her fingers flying across the bowstring with practiced precision. In a blur, she launched six arrows, each one finding its mark in the shadows of the trees. Six bandits fell from their hiding spots, their ambush foiled. The last bandit Gaius was fighting let his guard down in shock and in that moment, Gaius cut him down. He looked back at Illyana, his eyes wide with surprise and something else. Pride? Respect? She couldn't tell, but it made her heart swell with a mix of triumph and shame.

"You... You saved me." He said, his voice low and gravelly.

"I... I just did what I had to do." She said, lowering her bow. Even if her body was slowly betraying her, Illyana would never admit it to his face. "I didn't want to lose my meal ticket, that's all." It was a poor attempt at sarcasm, and she knew it.

Gaius walked up to her, his sword still in hand. He looked her up and down, his gaze lingering on her chest, her waist, her hips. She felt naked under his scrutiny, her skin burning with self-consciousness and anticipation. "You deserve a reward. Come to the guild halls tonight." He whispered, a smile tugging at his lips. Then he turned around and barked orders at his squad to collect the loot and the bodies.

Illyana stood there, stunned by his words. A reward? Could things finally be looking up for her?