Velmira Avarelle was a woman used to power. Used to whispers. Used to servants who dared not meet her eyes, and nobles who stammered when she walked by in red.
But Zephyr?
Zephyr didn't look away.
He met her gaze even as her hand glided down the slit of her crimson gown, exposing one leg wrapped in silk and sin.
"I was told you'd be taller," she said with a smirk.
"I was told you only hunted married men."
She let the insult hang in the air, eyes glittering.
"Perhaps," she said coolly, "because only married men have anything worth losing."
Then, in a flash of motion, she pushed Zephyr back onto the couch, straddling him, her perfume intoxicating — jasmine, rosewater, and the metallic bite of ambition.
Velmira leaned down, brushing her lips against his.
"I'm not here to play," she whispered. "I'm here to own you. Just once. Just tonight. So I can say I tasted the legend."
Zephyr's hands slid around her waist, pulling her tighter. "Then let's give the bards a new verse."
They kissed — hard.
Her mouth claimed him like royalty marking territory. Her hands gripped his hair, her hips already grinding. She wasn't gentle. She wasn't sweet.
She was a woman who knew what she wanted — and what she wanted was control.
She unfastened his shirt with practiced ease, nails grazing his skin
He tugged the straps of her gown, revealing her chest — full, heavy, and barely held in by her corset
She rode him like a throne, every movement sharp, rhythm perfect
Her moans were measured — not because she didn't feel, but because she refused to give him the satisfaction
Zephyr changed tactics, rolled her over, slammed her into the cushions and forced her to lose control
She climaxed with a cry, clinging to him, biting his shoulder, her dignity melting with every thrust
When they collapsed, both panting, she whispered, "Don't think this means you've won."
Zephyr lay beneath silk sheets, his arm wrapped around her waist.
Velmira stared at the ceiling, her cheeks still flushed.
"You could ruin a kingdom with that tongue," she murmured.
"Tempting," he said.
"Then come to Valdara with me. There's a gala. You'll be my escort."
He raised a brow. "Your pet?"
She looked over, lips curling. "My weapon."
Then she sat up, completely bare, stretching with deliberate grace.
> "Let's see if you can survive nobility… or if I'm just your peak."
---
System Update
> You've conquered: Velmira Avarelle, The Ruby Duchess
EXP Gained: +3800
Skill Gained: [Court Seducer] – Bonus Persuasion in noble zones
Title Earned: [Duchessbreaker] – Increases influence over dominant, high-status women
Special Invitation: Attend the Gala of Flesh & Flame (opens Chapter 12)
Rivalry Shift: Clarissa -5 Affection (she's getting tired of sharing…)
The morning after his royal ruin with the Ruby Duchess, Zephyr awoke in the upper floor of the Gored Boar tavern.
His muscles ached deliciously.
His lips still carried the ghost of Velmira's biting kisses. Her perfume lingered on his skin like ink.
But he wasn't alone.
Clarissa sat at the foot of the bed, fully dressed in black leather, her arms crossed beneath her chest.
Elandra stood by the window, her silver hair pinned up, wearing a sheer forest wrap that hugged her curves tightly.
They said nothing at first.
Only watched.
And Zephyr… he finally felt it.
---
The Tension Breaks
Clarissa was the first to speak.
"You've f*cked the duchess. The serpent queen. The bard. The entire western gossip vine sings your name." Her voice was flat, but her jaw was tight.
"And what are we?" she asked. "Your opening act?"
Zephyr sat up. "It's not like that—"
"It's exactly like that," Elandra interrupted, turning toward him slowly. "You warmed my bed like a wildfire, then danced into another's arms the moment her hips swayed."
Her voice was calm.
But her magic vibrated in the air.
Clarissa stepped closer. "Do you even know how many nights I lay awake, touching myself to the sound of your name?"
Elandra whispered, "How many years I went untouched before you?"
Zephyr rose from the bed, shirtless, heart hammering. "I didn't mean to make you feel—"
Clarissa slapped him. Not hard, but enough to make his face turn.
Then she grabbed his hair and kissed him.
Hard. Angry. Desperate.
When she pulled away, her eyes were wet. "You made me fall, Zephyr."
The manor where Zephyr stayed was quiet — too quiet.
After his encounter with Duchess Velmira, he'd returned to the guest wing only to find the wine gone, the fire dim, and two women waiting in the shadows.
Clarissa.
Elandra.
Not lounging. Not smiling.
Standing. Arms crossed. Eyes sharp.
"You've been busy," Clarissa said coldly, stepping from the wall. Her body was wrapped in crimson silk, but the jealous fire in her eyes burned hotter than any outfit she wore.
Elandra remained silent, but her hand was on the hilt of a silver dagger. She looked calm — but dangerous.
Zephyr sighed. "You knew what this was."
"I knew what it started as," Clarissa said. "I didn't know I'd be competing with snakes and nobles."
Elandra finally spoke. "You're losing yourself. You're not… the same man who made me feel alive again under moonlight."
Zephyr stepped forward. "I haven't changed."
Clarissa laughed bitterly. "You've become a wildfire, Zephyr. Everyone wants your warmth… but some of us are getting burned."
"You think I just came to f**k my way through the continent?" Zephyr snapped. "I didn't choose to be hunted by queens and monsters."
"But you didn't resist," Elandra said softly.
Clarissa added, "You liked being their toy. You liked being praised, worshipped—"
"Don't act like you didn't," Zephyr growled. "You begged me to ruin you."
Silence.
Then Clarissa strode forward and slapped him. Not hard. But enough.
"You want to fix this?" she said, chest rising and falling. "Prove it."
Clarissa pushed him back against the bed, her kiss rough and desperate
Elandra joined slowly, slipping in beside them — not for Zephyr, but for balance
They each took a side — lips on his neck, hands on his chest — as they poured their pain into heat
Clarissa rode him fiercely, whispering don't you ever forget who broke you first
Elandra held his hand, kissing him gently — her pain was softer, but deeper
Zephyr let go — body and soul — allowing both women to claim him again, this time with tears and fire
They climaxed together in a tangle of sweat and emotion — not just pleasure, but release
All three lay breathless, tangled in sheets and each other.
Clarissa's voice cracked. "I hate how much I need you."
Elandra stared at the ceiling. "You're going to destroy all of us, Zephyr."
He sat up slowly. "Then I'll rebuild every one of you."
System Update
> Emotional Bond Strengthened
Clarissa Affection: 96% [Loyal but Jealous]
Elandra Affection: 94% [Loving but Watchful]
Skill Gained: [Heartbreaker's Burden] — You gain bonuses when calming rivalries between lovers
New Threat: Harem Conflict Level: 1 (If neglected, affection may drop drastically)