The gargoyles landed with a jaw-rattling thump. It was amazing they didn't crack the slate tile beneath them. The powerful arm released me and I almost staggered, relieved to not be pressed against him. My body had chilled where my skin touched the grey flesh and I shivered, rubbing my hands over my arms as I looked around.

The courtyard was bordered by high grey walls with hints of pink and gold embedded within the rock. A long building ran the length of one side, taking up half the depth of the courtyard. Opposite the building, the wall held the half-circular pebbled areas that I suspected contained wash areas as I'd already experienced. A barred gate with thick iron stood in the open stretch of wall on the third side between the building and the wash areas. The fourth wall, opposite the gate, appeared empty.

The rust-coloured wveryn carrying Claw landed and he dismounted with considerably more grace than that of the gargoyles.

"This way," instructed Claw, waving a talon at Bloudwedd and me.

Our eyes met. She seemed no worse for wear after the flight and I shrugged at her questioning expression. It's not like we had much of a choice at this point. Together, we turned and followed Claw into the building.

It was a two-storey dormitory-style residence. Claw stopped and gestured up the set of wide stairs that rose across from the entrance.

"My office and residence is upstairs. If you have issues or get injured, you come to see me. The infirmary is upstairs for temporary ailments, but if you go a week without working, your contract is considered invalid and will be sold in one of the other two auctions or you will be freed to fend for yourself. Frankly, that's a death sentence so don't do it. You must accommodate at least one patron per day, two if you want a day off. You can accumulate a maximum of two days off in a row. If you choose to accept more patrons, you acquire credit you can use to get personal items to buy in the market. Your patron options for the day will be presented every morning at breakfast for you to make your choices. The temple opens after the mid-day meal and closes at moonset."

Claw turned and toured us through the lower floor, pointing out two bathrooms on either side of the stairs with multiple toilet stalls. To the left of the main entrance, a large room held at least twenty bunk beds in two rows along each wall. Between each set of bunkbeds were small narrow dressers. Claw walked three-quarters of the way down the room and pointed at a bunk bed and dresser with four drawers.

"This is yours. Decide between you who gets top and bottom. In the drawers, you'll find sanitary and hygiene supplies and several different coloured shifts. When you need more, you'll find them in the store room upstairs. Pick one now and follow me."

Not waiting, Claw began walking back towards the entrance.

I tugged open the top drawer and pulled out three satiny shifts in red, white, and black.

"Do you have a preference?" I asked, holding them out to Bloudwedd.

She took the white and slipped it over her head. Thin white straps held up the garment that fell almost to her knees. I took the black and pulled it on. With my curves, it barely came to mid-thigh, caught on my breasts and hips, both pressing against the seams. Still, it was better than nothing.

We hurried to catch up with Claw, who tapped his talons impatiently, then walked to the other side of the building to show us a large kitchen and massive dining area with a series of tables, and another room with numerous bunk beds, laid out like the first one we'd seen. Turning around, he took us back to the main entrance, then stepped out and closed the door behind us. He spoke as he walked towards the gate. "The gargoyles and harpies are here for your protection. Which reminds me..."

He pulled two short delicate silver chains from the pocket of his black trousers, then crouched in front of us and snapped one around her left ankle, then shifted to put the other around mine.

"Those chains mark your contract as in the service of the Prince of the Aerial Kingdoms, the Demon Lord who rules this sky island, Pazunia. I manage Pazunia's fertility temples in his name, but this is the Dragon's Tail Temple, the top of the line with carefully screened patrons, and the safest place in all of Muspelheim for temple acolytes like yourselves. If you decide to abandon your contract and run, well... no one challenges him and lives." The menace in Claw's expression was unmistakable, despite his bird-like features. He turned and continued to the gate, pressing a talon to it and it opened on its own.

"As I was saying, the gargoyles and harpies are here for your protection in case any patron gets out of hand. You've only to signal them and they will step in to remove a patron who exceeds any agreed-upon boundaries. For this reason, they will check on you, even when a patron requests a private room in the maze. It is always your choice as to whether you agree to a private room or not. Otherwise, you will service them here in the main Temple playground."

My jaw dropped as we moved into the area on the other side of the gate, and beside me, Bloudwedd gasped. The same high grey walls enclosed most of the enormous space, with another gate in one wall, and opposite to it, a series of lattice walls with a glimpse of the maze beyond.

But it wasn't the surrounding walls or maze that had my attention.

Along the wall to our right, a set of open shelves held whips, floggers, paddles, ropes, gags, strap-ons with attachments of various sizes, plugs, dildos in more shapes than I knew existed, clamps, handcuffs, oils, lubes, and items I didn't yet have a name for, let alone know their purpose. In the extensive open space, there were St. Andrew's Crosses, benches, barrel horses, suspension frames, stockades, couches, chairs, padded platforms, and cages.

And at least a third of them were in use with bodies of all shapes, sizes, and descriptions fucking, moaning, pleading, screaming, and orgasming. Mostly it was male demons fucking smaller female forms, but there were some males being taken by male demons. A few demons begged to be whipped, strapped in place as the lashes landed on their writhing bodies.

Even at my parents' parties, I'd never seen such an incredible diversity of sex and kink all at once. It didn't register for a few minutes that Claw had ceased speaking, simply letting us take it all in.

Once my heartbeat settled from the surprise, I found myself shifting and rubbing my thighs together. It was impossible to be unmoved by the erotic display.

Claw cackled. "Yes, you are going to fit right in. Come this way. I have more to show you." He waved a talon and we followed as he moved towards the lattice walls, walking past a red-haired woman bent over a padded platform as a wolf demon howled, a knot swelling at the base of his cock. She groaned as he shoved it into her and I couldn't help my quick inhale and clenching of my body.

I'd been taunting Basmu that I'd have a diversity of cocks to choose from, but I hadn't realized how true the statement was. Midgardian males, Asgardians, and even elves didn't have that kind of diversity. I'd never been with a shapeshifter. It was... impressive, and by her keening as we left the pair behind, it sounded like she was well on the way to orgasm.

Bloudwedd's eyes were wide when she met my gaze, so perhaps she hadn't seen such diversity before, either. Actually, that surprised me a little. The elves were extremely liberal in their sexual pursuits and there were numerous intelligent less-humanoid species that lived in the Summer Realm. At least, I assumed she was Seelie, but perhaps that wasn't a safe assumption. Not that there weren't intelligent creatures in the Winter Realm as well, but they tended to be more brutal. Bloudwedd struck me as too fragile for that, yet I'd be wise not to underestimate her. I needed to survive here to escape. Not end up with a knife in my back because I'd trusted the wrong person.

Claw moved around to the back side of the lattice wall and led us to a small forge that held fiery embers and an odd black smoke swirling within it when he opened the door. With tongs, he removed a glowing brand. I started to back away, a churning in my stomach.

Fast as a striking eagle, he wrapped a talon around my left forearm and turned my wrist, touching the brand to the inner surface. Searing pain bit into my nerve endings.

"Fuck!" I shook my arm, trying to dislodge the fiery metal.

Claw snatched it off again and released me, only to do the same to Bloudwedd.

My entire arm throbbed, agony pulsing up from my wrist and tears pricking my eyes. I cradled my arm with my right hand, but as I watched, the glowing red brand faded to a black metallic sheen on my skin. The pain disappeared. I shook my arm, the nerves still spasming.

Claw waved a talon over the symbol and a small projection appeared.

"This is your database. It will respond to your touch or mine and shows your current patron options, your schedule, and your credits." As he spoke, he scrolled through the options and showed us how to access them. "You have until your schedule chimes to explore the temple, including the maze. About two hours. We will be having the evening meal in the kitchen and you can choose a patron for the evening. If you have questions, you know where to find me."

With that, he strode away, leaving Bloudwedd and me staring open-mouthed at each other.