Ticket to Ride by Omegaxypher

Melony awoke a croak of a groan, immediately regretting coming back to reality from the deep throbbing ache pulsing in her grey matter. She writhed under the sheets while clutching her temples because it felt her hands were the only things keeping her skull from splitting apart.With her eyes squinted tight she glowered, everything seemed just a little too bright for her liking. She was trying to recall why she felt so bad, the night before was an elusive mystery, but it was slowly coming together in tiny fragments.

It was hardly a typical event for her to wake up in such a state after boozing, gambling and flirting with strapping men. This time was different, she had overdone it, she had drunk until all sense had left her and something felt off that morning.

While peering about her bed with her brows squeezed together, she noticed that only she was in it, a rare occurrence for her. She eventually went as far to pull back her sheets, just to make absolutely sure it was indeed empty. It was a telling sign for her by waking up alone, the night had not ended well.

She began to ponder what could have put her in such foul mood that she wanted to be alone, there was nagging suspicion she was missing a very important piece of the puzzle something. Then she was struck by the sudden need to check her things and pushed herself up to sit amidst a tangle of downy covers as the tight ringlets of chestnut brown hair spilled over her bust.

Even as her head spun from the sudden movement she looked about for her things before reaching for the bedside. With a slap of her hand against the stiff dark oak of the nightstand, she snatched up the leather coin purse and pulled it in close.

The absence of any significant weight in her hand or the way not a single had clattered inside had her guts twisting up in worry before even having to reach inside it. There was not even a pair of coppers to rub between her fingers, yet she kept reaching inside the pouch in desperation while cursing under her breath in disbelief, she was completely broke.

With a growl of contempt, she whipped the empty coin purse against the wall as all those the foggy memories had finally begun to settle in of where her money had gone. She had bet it all on a hand of poker, though it was not the first time it has happened to her, this time things were even worse. So overconfident in her odds, she went so far as to bet her horse and left the gambling table with nothing but her clothes and a sour face.

Her mind was racing, no money meant she had no way to pay for this luxurious room, though she was already thinking of paying her tab with a more carnal currency. As she begun to mentally tally her debts, it was becoming painfully clear to her it was going to take a lot more than just a simple romp in the sack. With a groan she buried her face in her palms, she would have to suck innkeeper’s cock until it was smoother than polished marble and maybe then barely settle her drinking tab at best.

The mental image of being turned out like a common whore by the innkeeper had her springing out of bed in a hurry and began to dress. She pushed her arms through a satin undershirt and fastened up the ivory front buttons, closing the frills of her garment over her chest. Her midsection was wrapped in a black leather corset, pulling the strings taut until she felt the leather compressing around her body. An open skirt was pulled up her thighs until it was snug around the waist, the loose pleats of white diaphanous fabric hung to the midpoint of her thigh.

While she dressed, her mind was thinking of the best way to escape this awful mess as she sat back on the bed and pulled her silken black thong up her legs to hitch it under her skirt. She was walking to the window with her tall riding boots and pulled them over her calves until they were on her knees hugging her low under the thigh.

With her foot propped up on the window sill, she was peering out the large glass pane, gauging just how far a drop it was while tugging sharply up the ladder of crisscrossing strings on the outside of the boot. With a sigh, she lamented that it had to be like this as she tied a tight bow in the strings until the supple leather was gripping her toned legs like a second skin.

Then she cracked the window wide open and vaulted from the second story of the inn and onto the hard packed dirt below.

—

The morning was still young, fronts of fog were curling between the tightly stacked buildings, just light enough for her to navigate through the narrow streets. There was a grey cloying mist hanging thick through the streets so early, an unexpected boon in her flight from the sleeping town.

She was weaving fast through the narrow walkways, time was of the essence and her presence was not going to go unnoticed for long, she liked her breakfast in bed and soon someone was going find her missing. All the while as she picked her route through the city she berated herself, a horse could have made this escape trivial. This was not the first time she had ducked out before paying her dues, betting her prized animal away was a new low for her.

Once past the open gates, she broke into a sprint and veered off into the wild of the woods over the better-traveled paths, they would easily run her down on foot, the forest could make it harder for them to navigate through. The air was cold as it washed over her, curling fingers of fog parting around her, the choice of dress was not suited for the crisp morning air, her body too pampered by her high living standards and breaking out with gooseflesh.

Navigating the uneven terrain while hungover and on an empty stomach was quick to take its toll on Melony. Her strides were slowing to a crawl, chest heaving from hungry gasps for air and every stick and rock was keenly felt through the soft leather of her boots. By the time she had found a roughly cut path in the woods, she gladly had taken the meandering trail, heedless to where it was going to take her.

It was not long before she faintly made out the sound of heavy hooves thumping at the soft ground in front of her. She froze in place with her eyes wide in alarm and desperately trying to gaze beyond the veil of mist, trying in vain to discern if it was a highwayman.

The lack of baying of hounds was a clear indication whoever approaching was not a pursuer but a traveling bystander, this was an opportunity presented to her that she had to take.She just needed to persuade him to her get her that much further away from the city, all she needed was to give him the right motivation to do so.

Acting quickly, she employed her weapons of seduction by unfastening the buttons of her blouse to push forward her generous cleavage through the gap in her shirt. She had perched herself against a tree and thrust the swell of her hip to further extenuate the curve of it, putting on a sensual display no man could pass up.

It was then she noticed the silhouette of a man on a very large horse had begun to show through the fog. Or at least that was what she had first assumed, only to quickly notice the torso of the man was too far forward, so far forward it was where the horse’s head should have been.

Her heart skipped a beat with worry, this was not what she was expecting, even though it was her first time seeing such a creature, she definitely knew the name people called them in the common tongue, a centaur. She didn’t know much about the rare race, she had never cared much for learning about the fey lore, it seemed like something she never needed, but at that moment desperately wished she had a sliver of information about them.

“Hello there!” The beast man called to her with a hand held high in a wave.

Melony was elated by his friendly greeting and she happily returned it with a welcoming gesture of her own. When he approached, the fog seemed to peel away from him and the dusky features of his figure came in clearer view.

His human half was ruggedly handsome, a sharply pointed chin with his high cheekbones, those tanned kissable lips framed with a dark goatee. The upper torso was hard looking and exposed under the loose fitting vest of homespun cloth, each ab clearly defined with large pecs mounted atop them.

He was getting closer to her, his height making him so much more imposing, her head was just under his human chest. Her head tilted to gaze into his piercing blue eyes, her nethers tensing up with desire on reflex, but then her eyes wandered to the animal half of him.

The equine features of his body she found equally impressive to an equestrian like herself. His furred chest was broad, standing tall, his charcoal fur glossy and well brushed the midsection wide and showing good health. Yet she had forgotten that she was looking a sentient creature while inspecting him like a draft animal.

Her eyes were wandering lower and she even went so far as to tilt to the side to look beyond his front legs to check out his endowment. It was his chuckle that had her realize what she was doing and her cheeks flushed with hot with an unbearable embarrassment.

“Oh… oh, my… I am so sorry.” She recoiled from him in mortified shame, barely holding back the desire to run from after having done such a thing.

“I-It’s… just… I have never met a centaur before.” she stammered, trying desperately to salvage some dignity.

“So… you always look to the penis of the other kind you encounter?” His accent was thick, his voice deep, but smooth and pleasing to her ears.

He was grinning mischievously at her as he teased with his words, finding the awkward discomfort she expressed amusing. “By all means, look, you are welcome to touch too if you wish it.”

Her mouth parted from his brazen invitation, unsure of how she should respond, but there was an irresistible tension between her legs and it had gotten the best of her. Before she could even think to resist, those green orbs of hers swiveled right back between his legs when he shifted his long body to the side.