Chapter 3: The Beast’s Burden - 2
Rin’s door stood ajar, a sliver of candlelight spilling into the hall.
The air inside was thick with the musk of sweat, steel, and the sharp, primal heat of beastkin desire, lingering like embers in a dying fire.
The room was simple but warm: a wide bed draped in furs, a sturdy wooden beam overhead fitted with iron rings, and a small table holding a basin, folded towels, and a leather case.
Rin stood naked in the center, a statue of scars and strength.
Her dark gray hair was pulled back into a rough tail, exposing the taut lines of her neck.
Her fists clenched at her sides, nostrils flaring, breasts rising with each slow, anticipating breath.
Her nipples were hard, her tail twitching in short, impatient arcs, betraying the need she refused to voice.
Her thighs glistened, slick with anticipation, though her hands hadn’t strayed to touch herself.
Kio stepped inside, closing the door with a soft click that echoed like a promise.
He set the leather case on the bed and opened it without a word.
Inside: coils of soft black rope, a long silk blindfold, a polished steel spreader bar, and a thin wooden rod, its tip smoothed to a delicate point for precision.