Valhalla Cupcakes by Cassidy Cayman

last longer. We can go again in a minute.” He kissed her, and dropped his head back onto the pillow, breathing hard but holding onto her so she didn’t roll off the narrow bed.
    She would have laughed if she weren’t so spent. She only managed to tip her chin back to look at him incredulously, trying to gather a thought.
    “Are you kidding? I think you gave me four, no, five orgasms. That was awesome.”
    She thought about what she was saying, essentially turning down his offer to go again in a few minutes. She didn’t know if she could survive, being so out of practice for this sort of thing. She didn’t have her phone with her, all her clothes still strewn downstairs, and didn’t know what time it was. Her exhaustion crept back in as her satisfied languor wore off and she knew they’d have to be back at work before dawn, still so much left undone due to their distracting activities.
    She knew she had to finish cleaning downstairs, but she wanted more of what he offered so eagerly. Her body and her brain started an epic battle, and before she could decide what to do, fell asleep in his arms.

    ***

    Erik held onto Audrey as she slept, looking down at her pretty face and glorious body. She shivered and he sadly pulled the blanket over her, tucking her closer to his chest.
    From the moment he had to put that ridiculous, insulting hat on his head, he knew he had to find the nearest opportunity to escape this new prison he was in. But then, he’d rather enjoyed working behind the counter, taking money and giving over cupcakes. Those small cakes of Audrey’s made people happy. Once he got the hang of it, it was as simple as she promised, and he’d enjoyed all the attention the customers gave him. He flirted shamelessly, once he saw it made them buy more, and it had all been worth it when Audrey ran excitedly into the kitchen waving the green bills about as if she’d been given the rule of a country.
    He supposed the shop she had made downstairs was like her own little country. She was fiercely protective and loyal to it, that was certain. Once again, he couldn’t begrudge her using him the way she did, and he was certainly getting well compensated.
    He’d expected it to be enjoyable, as he hadn’t had sex in centuries, but it had been beyond enjoyable. It had been almost frighteningly incredible, like nothing he’d ever experienced, and before he’d been cursed, he’d had more than his fair share of women. He really didn’t want to stop exploring new ways to make her sigh with pleasure, and was sorely disappointed when she fell asleep.
    Well, there was always tomorrow. He’d find ways to help her out more in the kitchen so she wasn’t so tired. He could learn to measure, that mysterious thing she seemed to think was of extreme importance and way over his head. He was so sated, the thought of wreaking his vengeance on the witch who locked him in the painting seemed far away and insignificant.
    He stroked the hair off her face, trying to cling to that good feeling for as long as he could, but every moment that passed made it recede, replaced with his age old anger. If it was only his life she’d messed with he might have been able to lose himself in Audrey’s touch, but what of his grandmother who needed him, his comrades who would think that he’d cowardly betrayed them just hours before a campaign? He couldn’t allow that to stand. Slowly, the recollection of Audrey’s passionately thoughtless words came back to him.
    ‘Do whatever you want.’
    At the time, there would have been no power in heaven or hell that could have dragged him from her body, but now? He eased closer to her, so warm and soft. And trusting. Really, she shouldn’t be so trusting. It bothered him. If he were the bad sort, he could have killed her in a second the moment she’d returned his free will to him. He didn’t want to imagine what might happen when the money lenders came back and he wasn’t around.
    You should take your