Asher's Futa Fantasy Ch. 25-34

I'm dropping the rest of Book 2 today. There's a reason I'm doing it, as I want to give you a chance to read it. It's not well edited as I wasn't done with it yet. But the story is there.

I don't know what I'm going to be doing with Book 3 yet, I still have to play catch-up with the gestalt Book 5 first. But who knows?

Anywho, enjoy!

***

Chapter 25

ASHER

The trip back was just as uneventful as the one here. Only this time, I knew what was coming. The kiss on the shore of the lake before coming awake in a freezing, dark cave and changing clothes. The black bag over our heads and the running in Shae's arms. This time I did fall asleep as she carried me through the shortcut.

All too soon, The Roadhouse came into view. For the first time, I wasn't overjoyed to see the home where my parents lived. Because that's what it was to me now.

Rhi and Remmi had finally joined in with last night's bed play about the time my second round ended. Their joining was nice. But more importantly, it felt natural again.

Terri, Thomas, and their new magic instructor, Medma, greeted us in the courtyard when we got to The Roadhouse. It seemed that our arrival interrupted their daily practice.

Soon, everyone was in the courtyard saying their hellos as the gestalt excused themselves to check on Tara's forge. I wouldn't see them again until the evening, as Remmi and I were kept too busy trying to catch up on everything that had gone on during the last month.

But what surprised me the most was that we had guests! Honest to God, paying customers who were staying at the inn.

Apparently, The Roadhouse had become something of a curiosity and tourist attraction for the area. We were now getting one or two parties of travelers a night. They'd spend the day being toured around the property by whoever was free that day, spend the night, and take off in the morning, only to be replaced by someone else.

Then there were Dad's new robots! OK, they weren't really robots. They were these little automatons made from wood and metal cogs. Dad called them clockwork servants, as that was their purpose... if he could ever get them working, that is.

Dad had several of them in pieces spread about the big table in the inn's side room. Dad had always been good with his hands and loved to tinker with things. His new dwarven blood was being put to the test with the servants, though.

A merchant who passed through The Roadhouse two weeks before had persuaded Dad to buy the collection of parts he had. Included among the parts was one working model that Dad was studying and trying to reverse engineer.

Apparently, the merchant had traded with some adventurers who'd recovered the lot from a dungeon somewhere and hadn't been able to find a buyer. They were tired of lugging them around, so they sold them to the merchant for cheap, who in turn sold them to Dad with only the "smallest" of markups.

I named the working clockwork servant Buster. He was about two feet high, with arms and legs but no head. Buster only had to be shown how to do something once, and then he could repeat the task exactly. He could cook simple things, clean rooms, and do basic chores around the place.

Dad figured he could probably build about a dozen of them from the parts he had if he could figure out how they worked. Inside them was a heat crystal you had to add water to every day. The crystal would turn the water to steam, and that's how the servant moved.

Buster didn't talk, but he made a chittering sound every now and again. Dad chalked it up to old parts rattling around inside and swore he'd look into it as soon as he found the time.

I offered to help Dad, but he turned me down. The way I saw it, the sooner we had clockwork servants tending to chores, the sooner I didn't have to!

Terri and Thomas had drastically improved their magic in our absence. It turned out Terri was a summoner with an affinity for fire. This was how she'd created the small fire thing she'd shown us before. Only now, the fire thing was about three feet tall and looked more like an actual person.

Thomas's confidence had returned, and he was now regularly casting spells from the magic book Shae had found. Although he still hadn't found a specialization.

Regardless, Terri and Thomas were becoming quite impressive when it came to paranormal physics.

Patty was fully embracing the worship of Cammott now. It seemed she'd been able to heal a broken bone with only a small prayer while we were away. Word was also getting around as she now had people from town coming to see her about various ailments on a regular basis.

Rachel was being seen less and less, and no one knew where she was disappearing off to. Like right now, no one knew where she was. Mom was starting to worry about her sister.

The forge was coming along as well. Larisa had disassembled the old one completely now and was waiting on a new shipment of stone to rebuild it. It seemed the load she'd had brought in previously was the wrong kind of stone.

In the meantime, Larisa was rebuilding the workroom, which doubled as an office and a bedroom. It was coming along nicely now that water didn't pour in every time it rained.

Larisa's demeanor still hadn't changed. She was still quiet, serious, and standoffish, unless she was talking with Tara. Somehow, those two spoke the same language, and anytime they were discussing anything forge-related, Larisa's face would do this strange thing that reminded me of a smile. But that couldn't have been it because Larisa never smiled.

The gestalt was leaving tonight. I thought they'd planned on staying until morning, but apparently, something had changed.

We saw them off in the courtyard while our parents looked on disapprovingly. I gave Tara and Rhi brief hugs as I said my farewells.

But when it came to Shae's turn, by some unspoken agreement, the two of us entered a liplock that left me both lightheaded and breathless.

"Love you," Shae whispered.

"You too," I managed before Shae stepped back to make room for James. But before James could step up to me, while I was still looking into Shae's eyes, I said, "Slán go fóill."

Shae froze, her hand lashing out and landing on James's chest, freezing him in place. She cautiously stepped back up to me.

"Cad a dúirt tú díreach?" Shae asked in a quiet voice.

"I said goodbye for now?" I said again and looked around nervously.

Shae put her hands on my shoulders.

"Asher, you said that in the Irish. Do you know that language?" Shae asked, her eyes boring a hole in my head.

"Are you kidding?" I said, shaking my head. "I can barely ask where the bathroom is in Spanish." I chuckled.

Shae touched my cheek gently. Then James's hand touched Shae's shoulder, and she let me go and stepped back.

"You should see your parents faces right now, they're pissed!" James whispered as he hugged me.

I shook my head and focused on James. "Why?" I asked as I hugged him back.

"I think they wanted us to leave so that wouldn't happen," James said, nodding at Shae.

"Wait, they're making you leave?" I gasped.

"It's alright. We got our supplies, so we can head back--no harm, no foul," James said.

"That's bullshit!" I said a bit louder than a whisper. "I'll take care of this right now!"

James caught my shoulder and stopped me from turning around.

"It's alright, Asher. We'll see you in a month, OK?" James held my gaze and didn't let me go until I'd calmed down.

"Fine," I muttered.

James laughed. "Take care, you," he said as he gently touched the side of my face.

Then they were gone, and I stared out the back gate after them. I don't know how long I stood there, but Remmi's hand snapped me out of whatever I'd been in.

"Ash?" Remmi asked softly, and I jumped at her touch. "You OK?"

"Peachy," I growled, spun on my heel, and made a beeline for my parents. They saw me storming towards them, and the look on my face must have been pretty bad as they both took a step back.

"You made them leave!?" I bellowed.

"Asher!" Mom started. "Lower your voice," Mom hissed.

"I can yell at you inside just as loud as out here; where you want it?" I barked. I wasn't having it, none of their stupid bullshit.

A hand on my back made me freeze.

"Ash," Remmi whispered in my ear. Her touch and words instantly drained my fury.

Seeing me deflating, Dad took advantage of the moment and said, "Let's go inside."

I kept my mouth shut as I followed them to their room and shut the door. I continued my silence, using it as a weapon until they started talking first.

"I'm sorry you're upset," Mom started.

Remmi's hand, squeezing my arm, was the only thing that stopped me from biting her head off right there.

"But we didn't want those... people hanging around here," Mom said.

"THOSE people, Mom, really?" This time, it was Remmi who'd spoken up.

"You know what they are," Mom said. "They said they were going to tell you. They did tell you that they were v--"

"Don't you fucking say it!" This time, I did bite my mom's head off.

This Bio Hab didn't have vampires. So, if someone overheard that word, they'd wonder what it was. Then they'd ask their friends if they'd heard of the word, and so on, until it got back to the wrong ears. Then, the gestalt would leave for good.

"Don't you ever say that word!" The venom in my voice made Dad step in front of Mom protectively.

"See," Mom said to Dad. "I told you we never should have let them go up there."

Remmi got in front of me, looking me in the face.

"I'm sure they wouldn't use that word intentionally," Remmi glanced over her shoulder. "They were told not to use it, right?"

Dad looked from me to Remmi in confusion.

"Yeah, they told us not to use it," Dad said, sensing something else going on.

"Did they tell you why?" Remmi asked, her hand on my chest, calming me down

"They said it would cause trouble," Dad said.

Remmi turned back to face me. "You heard him? It would cause trouble. No one wants trouble here, do they?" Remmi asked back over her shoulder.

"No," Dad said cautiously.

Remmi looked around Dad at Mom, "Do they?"

"No," Mom said in a small voice.

"OK, then," Remmi said and moved to stand beside me, facing our parents.

"I told you they'd go all twilight on us," Mom whispered to Dad.

"Did you just say twilight?" I asked before bursting out laughing, my anger momentarily forgotten. Remmi joined me, followed by Dad.

Mom just looked confused.

"Wait, so they didn't influence you?" Mom asked. "Then what was all that in the courtyard?"

"Influence us?" Remmi asked. "What did you think went on up there? That they used witchcraft on us or something?"

"We went up and trained. We trained our asses off, see?" I said as I flexed my sword arm. For a girl my size, it was impressive. "I can do things with my sword now that would have kept you from getting hurt the day of the Shilak."

"If that's not enough, I could beat both of you into the ground with just my fists right now if I wanted to," Remmi said.

It was my turn to rein Remmi in.

"Not helping, sis," I whispered.

"So, then what was that in the courtyard?" Mom asked.

"You want the safe-for-parents version or the truth?" I asked.

"Truth," Dad responded immediately.

"You've seen the woman, right?" I asked. "You've got eyes? Are you telling me you wouldn't examine her tonsils if she gave you the chance?"

I could see Dad's answer plain on his face. Mom, though, didn't look convinced and looked at Remmi.

"There was only room for two in that kiss, Mom," Remmi said. "Otherwise, I'd have been up in there, too."

Mom didn't like the answer but didn't say anything else.

"Look," I said as I tried a little diplomacy for the first time. "I know they remind you of home. I understand because part of me wants to blame them for what happened to. But, not only did they not blow up our Bio Hab, they saved our family. On that alone, I'd give them my firstborn."

"Bad example," Remmi said.

"You know what I mean!" I snapped. "God, if you'd just give them a chance," I threw my hands up and started to turn away. Then I span back, "No, fuck that. I love Shae. I'm in love with that woman, and that's why I kissed her the way I did. There's no spell or indoctrination that could make me feel this way. But if you still think that little of me, then I don't belong here."

"Asher!" Dad started.

"And no, I don't belong up there either!" I said and pointed towards the mountains. I turned to Remmi, "Is our gear still in our room?"

"Ash," Remmi said, trying to talk me down.

"Rem, I'm not staying with someone who thinks I'm stupid enough to get tricked into caring for someone that--" A pair of arms wrapped around me from behind, causing me to stop mid-rant.

"I'm sorry," Mom said into my back. "Please don't go. They can stay; I don't care; just don't go!"

I looked up into Remmi's eyes and saw they were as surprised as mine.

"OK," I sighed and squeezed my mom's hands.

The sob my mom let out into my back made me start to regret my childish rant. I turned and hugged my mom.

"I said I'd stay, so knock off the waterworks," I said. "You know I'm a sucker for tears."

She still didn't let go of me.

I waited a moment and then looked at Dad.

"Did she do this when I moved out to go live across town with Remmi?" I asked.

"For days," Dad said with a nod.

I sighed and settled in to wait her out.

**Ω**

ASHER

"You didn't have to give Mom a stroke as soon as we got home, you know?" Remmi said as we were stowing our gear in our room later that night.

"She was being unreasonable," I countered.

"She was being a parent," Remmi said. "You weren't exactly being reasonable yourself."

"Whose side are you on anyway?" I asked.

Remmi gathered me up in her arms and planted a wet one on me.

"I'm always on your side," she said. "Even if you're being an unreasonable brat."

"Be glad you're cute," I muttered, kissing the tip of her nose.

"I know you love me more than your luggage," Remmi said.

"I dunno, this new armor's pretty sweet," I said, and Remmi dumped me unceremoniously on our bed.

"Ash," Remmi started quietly. "What was that... earlier, with Shae?"

"Oh, not you too," I said. "I thought you said you'd be up in that kiss too?"

"No, not that," Remmi said carefully. "The words the two of you said to each other."

I looked at my sister like she had a screw lose. "Uh, I said goodbye."

"No, you said something in some other language. Then Shae said something back in the same language," Remmi said.

"Nothing," I said with a shrug. "I said bye, and she asked me what I said, and I said bye again. There was no other language, doofus. Maybe you should get your ears checked."

The knock on the door interrupted us. Remmi and I looked at one another with a grin.

Remmi got to the door before me and opened it, revealing Terri standing in the hallway.

"Damn," Remmi said.

"Yes!" I hissed and pumped my fist.

"What?" Terri said as she came into the room.

"We had a bet on who would be the first at our door," I said. "I won."

"And what did you win?" Terri asked, her eyebrows rising.

"Dealer's choice," I grinned at Remmi, who rolled her eyes in response.

"Like I wouldn't do whatever you asked anyway," Remmi said.

"I dunno, there's still a few--" I started.

"No means no, Ash!" Remmi said and went back to unpacking her gear.

"Wow, what's all this?" Terri said.

"They outfitted us while we were up there," Remmi said.

"Armor? New weapons? These look expensive!" Terri said as she picked up one of my gauntlets. "Holy crap, these are heavy!"

"No, they're not," I frowned, then remembered the first day I put the armor on. "OK, maybe a little. But you get used to it."

"I'll say," Terri said as she slapped Remmi's bare thigh. "Nice gams."

"Gams?" Remmi said. "Really?" she smirked.

"So, what brings you by?" I asked as if I didn't already know.

"Oh, you know, just checking in on my best friends. Finding out what they've been up to for the last month..." Terri started.

"You mean who we've been up to?" Remmi scoffed.

"Well, since you brought it up, what's the skinny?" Terri asked. "Was it nightly orgies, or did they run train on you, Rosh Ambo to see who banged who each night, or what?"

I looked from Terri to Remmi and laughed.

"Is that what I sounded like before we went up there?" Remmi asked.

"Pretty much," I said.

"OMG, I was just teasing. Did they really?" Terri asked, practically drooling. "OK, just start with the best part."

"Well," Remmi started. "I thought the temple was the highlight, but it was nothing compared to--"

Remmi looked at me and I shook my head "no" emphatically.

"Uh," Remmi tried to cover. "The night they all did me on the card table!"

I chuckled slightly at the memory. The memory that happened the same night as the blending I wanted to be kept secret. I told Remmi I didn't want anyone to know about it, and here she went, almost blabbing it the first night back.

Terri listened with rapt attention and then turned to me mid-story.

"And where were you during all this?" Terri asked.

"Oh, she was sound asleep in bed," Remmi laughed.

"Actually, I watched part of it from the stairs," I said.

"You did not!" Remmi protested.

"How many real scratches did Tara end up giving your boobs?" I asked.

"I didn't know you saw that!" Remmi said, biting her lip.

"Wow, so y'all made the rounds," Terri said. "That's hot. I got stuck here with boring ass Medma. I don't even think that guy's had sex."

"Our poor, deprived--" Remmi started.

"Depraved," I interrupted.

"Our poor, deprived, and depraved Terri, so sad!" Remmi said with a giggle.

"I still don't understand why you haven't taken my clothes off yet," I said. I was still lying on the bed, leaning back against the headboard.

Terri glanced my way, and I just gave her a look. That was all it took for her to come over and start stripping me.

"Holy fuck, you guys!" Terri said as she got my shirt off.

"What?" Remmi said, looking over from her gear pile.

"You buffed out!" Terri said as she admired my lean and toned body.

I didn't quite have a six-pack, but you could see the beginnings of one.

"I so want to lick your stomach!" Terri said excitedly.

"Be my guest," I grinned down at my friend as she leaned over and ran her tongue back and forth across my stomach.

"ACK! That tickles!" I squealed, but Terri kept right on licking me.

"That's so hot," Terri said and ran her hand across my stomach.

"Well, don't stop now," I prompted.

Terri returned to stripping me and pulled my pants off, freeing my straining cock.

"There's someone I've missed," Terri said as she curled up next to my cock and popped it into her mouth. Without any warm-up, she slid all the way down my cock to the base, burying it in her throat.

"And there's the throat I've missed!" I groaned.

"I'm so jealous she can do that," Remmi said.

"What are you talking about, you can do that and so much more!" I said and then groaned again as Terri swallowed, massaging my cock with her throat.

Terri pulled off my cock as long spit strings still connected the two of us.

"You cock's big enough, you can probably suck it yourself with how toned your stomach is now," Terri said.

That made the whole room freeze.

I'd considered it back when I first got my cock, but I wasn't bendy back then and in nowhere as good of shape as I was now.

"Do you think she can?" Remmi asked, dropping what she was doing and coming over to the bed.

"Let's find out!" Terri said with a grin that made me cringe.

"Uh, guys?" I started, but they weren't listening.

"How do you want to try?" Remmi asked Terri.

"How about laying her down and throwing her legs over her head?" Terri said.

"Yeah, let's try that!" Remmi said.

Then, my two best friends moved me to the center of the bed, put a pillow under my head, and practically bent me in half.

At first, I couldn't breathe, but the more they talked, the more I relaxed.

"Move her boobs, they're in the way!" Remmi said and pulled one of my breasts aside as Terri grabbed the other.

And then my cock was staring me in the face. Not only that, but it was resting on my lips!

"Holy shit, she's not even bent all the way over yet!" Terri said as she saw my cock resting on my lips.

"Actually, she'd not even fully hard yet," Remmi grinned.

Meanwhile, I opened my mouth and tentatively stuck my tongue out, touching the tip of my cock. It was weird, and I could barely feel it. Then I swirled my tongue around the head and shuddered at the feeling.

My cock was rising to meet me then as that little tongue-lashing had me growing to full size. I didn't need my tongue anymore. I could get the whole head in my mouth!

"Oh shit! Look at that!" Terri said.

"She's got the head in her mouth!" Remmi practically moaned.

I didn't have to look to know Terri was already playing with herself. Her pussy now had a very distinct smell, and it would have my mouth watering if it wasn't already full of my cock.

I tentatively sucked on the head of my cock, and it was amazing! Why hadn't I tried this before? I tried moving my head slightly but couldn't really do much from this angle.

"Get her the rest of the way over!" Terri said eagerly.

Then my friends were helping me get my legs on either side of my head properly and brought my cock another inch or so into my mouth.

"Fuck," Remmi whimpered, and I could hear her playing with herself now. "Look at her!"

I was managing to slide my lips back and forth now. I'd never be able to take it all. I'd break my spine doing that! But as I wet my lips again and took my cock back into my mouth, I started to work myself up as my mouth moved up and down my cock.

"She's really doing it!" Terri said.

"I want to try something," Remmi said, and I felt her hands on my legs. She pressed gently, stretching me out and pushing more of my cock into my mouth.

"Oh damn, let me try!" Terri said and replaced Remmi's hands with her own. She wasted no time in rocking my legs back and forth, practically making me fuck my own face now. At least I didn't have to strain my neck to move.

Then I moved Terri's hands out of the way and was doing it myself, fucking my mouth with my cock by pressing on my legs. This was so hot!

I could feel some tingling starting and knew I could make myself cum from just doing this. The thought made me that much hornier.

Then Terri climbed up behind me on the bed and pulled my hands away, kneeling on them. She pressed herself atop my legs and began to act like she was the one fucking me. She'd bring her pelvis in, pushing my cock deeper and then relaxing and letting my cock out.

"Finally!" Terri said.

"What?" Remmi asked.

"I finally get to fuck her for a change!" Terri laughed and began assaulting my mouth with my own cock. Each thrust brought my cock further in, and she held it, trying to stretch me to take more.

I felt like I was already as stretched as I could go, but Terri repeatedly proved me wrong.

My cock was oozing precum now, and I sucked it off the head of my cock, eagerly enjoying the salty treat.

When my groaning started, both girls looked at one another and grinned like idiots.

"Swallow or facial?" Terri said, thrusting her surrogate cock into my mouth once more.

"Oh, definitely make her eat it!" Remmi said. "For all the times she's held me down and made me swallow!"

"She does that to you too?" Terri asked.

"Yeah, I think she gets a power trip off it," Remmi said.

"No!" I managed, and Terri let off me just enough to get my sentence out. "It just feels better that way!"

"Well then, let me make you feel good," Terri said wickedly as she forced my cock back into my mouth.

The look on Terri's face was enough to make the tingling inside spasm as I felt the first jet on its way to my mouth.

I moaned loudly as the first thick spurt of cum landed on my tongue.

"Oh shit, she's coming!" Terri cried out, and both girls looked down on me, watching as my cum splattered into my open mouth.

The second burst was just as heavy as the first. Now I could feel both shots sliding backward down my tongue towards my throat just as a third hit.

I had to close my mouth to swallow and felt the thick, warm globs of semen sliding down my throat.

"Did you see all that cum?" Remmi asked.

"Oh fuck yeah, I did," Terri said as her body, still on top of me, pushing my cock deeper into my mouth, began to shake.

"Are you cumming from this?" Remmi asked, glancing back at Terri. "You are, you little freak!"

Then Terri was in a full-on orgasm, shaking and moaning on top of me.

Meanwhile, the last of my orgasm was quickly sliding into my mouth. I closed my lips around my cock and sucked hard, feeling a few thicker globs trying to stay inside me.

Remmi, ever the mind reader, saw my predicament and reached down to stroke my cock, milking the last of my cum out of my dick and dribbling into my mouth.

Terri finally rolled off me, allowing me to put my legs down and relieve my aching back.

"Gotta... stretch... next time," I said between breaths. I swear I could feel the large glob of cum sitting in my stomach like a led ball.

"Well," Remmi said as she straddled my hips and mounted my still-hard cock. "First, you're going to get me off," she said and then ran her fingers across my lips. "Then I'm going to paint that lovely face of yours." The way she said it had me eager to please.

Chapter 26

ASHER

"Wake up!"

I was groggy the next morning after having been abused by my two best friends all night. Don't get me wrong, it was fun and all, but I definitely needed more sleep.

"Wake up!" the angry voice came again.

I cracked my eyes open and looked up into Thomas's panicked face.

"What?" I groaned, the look on my brother's face rousing me more than his voice.

Remmi was still asleep next to me, and Terri was nowhere to be seen.

"The Leshy is back!" Thomas said.

I sat up and threw my feet over the side of the bed to keep me upright.

"The what?" I yawned.

"Leshy," Thomas said, shaking me roughly. "The forest spirit thing! It's here and asking for you. Mom and Dad are freaking out!"

My brain was still waking up, but his words were starting to make sense.

"I didn't do anything. Why is it here for me?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"I don't know," Thomas said. "It showed up and asked for you. It hasn't said or done anything else. Now come on!"

"OK, OK," I said and leaned over. "Remmi! Forest spirit thingie is here and wants to talk."

"So? Go talk to it," Remmi grumbled. "Let me sleep."

"Really? You're just going to let me go off by myself with the strange quasi-hot spirit?" I asked.

"Oh, wait!" Remmi sat up in bed. "The one that was like a collection of different animals?"

"Yes," I said.

"The one with the boobs?" Remmi looked at me bleary-eyed.

"Yeah," I said, shaking my head.

"Lemmie get my shoes," Remmi said and rolled out of bed, stumbling as she did.

"OK, Thomas, we're coming," I said as I stood up.

We managed our way downstairs and found the spirit at the back gate. A small group of people had gathered to watch, but they were staying well clear of the Leshy.

I shouldered my way to the front to face the spirit.

It was the same creature we'd spoken to before. Its Barbie body was still the color of shadows, and its golden eyes stared at me as I approached.

"Yes?" I asked, feeling Remmi coming up behind me. We'd both dressed quickly and threw on our new gear, as was our new norm. The one thing Rhi had drilled into us, above all others, was to be ready to move.

"Shilak returns. You follow," The spirit said and walked off into the forest.

Remmi and I glanced at each other and then at Mom and Dad.

"Duty calls?" I said, not sure what else to say.

"Do you want help?" Dad asked.

"I don't think so. Besides, it might not want me to bring anyone else," I said.

"Ash, we gotta go," Remmi said, pointing where we could barely see the Leshy now.

"Be careful," Dad said.

I gave him a tight smile and headed into the forest with Remmi right behind me.

We walked for a good 45 minutes before the Leshy stopped beside the stream

"Step where I step," the Leshy said, and then it stepped out into the water. But instead of sinking into the icy depths, the spirit's foot stopped an inch or so under the water. Then, it took another step and repeated the process as it made its way across the river.

I knew the stream wasn't that deep, a couple of feet at the most. But I really didn't want to be soaking wet and cold.

I swallowed and put my foot out right where I thought the spirit had stepped. I watched my foot approaching the clear water and saw nothing that would stop me from sinking up to my knee with the first step.

Only my foot did stop, one inch under the water.

I picked my foot up and stepped down harder, making sure whatever it was would hold. My foot held firm just below the water's surface.

"What is it?" Remmi asked from behind me.

"I think it's a clear rock," I said and glanced to the opposite shore where the Leshy was waiting.

I stood on the clear rock and tentatively stepped forward. Just as before, another stepping stone was waiting for me. I managed to make my way across the stream with only one misstep. I misjudged the distance, and my foot slipped off the rock. I sank ankle-deep before recovering.

"I think they're crystals," Remmi said once we were safely on the other side of the stream.

I looked around quickly.

"Remember where this crossing is," I said to Remmi. "We'll probably have to find our own way back."

"Right," Remmi said, studying our surroundings with me.

We were closer to the mountains now and could see the land beginning to rise. We walked another 30 minutes or so, following the Leshy into a cut between two hills that looked like it would eventually dead-end into a cliff wall. There was still forest around us, but it was starting to thin the closer we came to the mountains.

The Leshy stopped and pointed further down the cut.

"The Shilak makes its home just down there," the Leshy said. Then it turned and started walking away, back into the forest.

"Wait!" I called out, but the Leshy just kept walking as if it hadn't heard me and was soon out of sight.

"At least it told us where it is," Remmi mumbled and pulled her knives from their sheathes.

I drew my new sword. It was the same style as the one I'd been given initially, but the quality difference was obvious. The new sword was better balanced and never seemed too dull. That didn't stop me from sharpening it every time I used it. Rhi had yelled at me the one time I didn't.

"Let's take our time and move quietly so we can examine what we're dealing with," I said. "These things are quiet and fast, so be on your toes."

Remmi just nodded in reply.

I took two steps forward and winced as a foul odor assaulted my nose.

"Crap, this thing smells bad!" Remmi said as she covered her nose.

"The last one didn't," I said quietly.

"Maybe its lair smells like this?" Remmi suggested.

"If so, they'll be easy to find from now on," I said. "Try to breathe through your mouth."

Remmi nodded and held her finger to her lips.

I took the hint and continued forward quietly.

Rhi taught us a little bit about moving quietly. Our gear was already tight. Everything that could jangle was either removed or padded. We just had to be careful where we stepped and what we touched.

Trying to be so quiet had another disadvantage: it was slow! It took us another ten minutes just to round the next bend.

The smell had been getting steadily worse. Even breathing through my mouth, it now seemed like I was tasting the smell.

As we rounded the bend, I soon realized where the smell was coming from.

Water pooled at the base of the mountain's cliff. Bare rock had been eroded down to smooth stone as spring water cascaded down from multiple spots about 15 feet off the ground. The water spilling from the mountain was the source of the smell.

Unfortunately, I was so distracted by the spring that I failed to see the Shilak off to my left until it pounced.

I got my sword up in time to block its bite, but both its paws raked my armor as the momentum plowed me into the ground.

Luckily, Remmi was better prepared and moved in, her knives plunging into the beast's hide again and again before she danced away from it.

She drew its attention long enough for me to roll away and get to my feet.

Now facing two enemies and wounded, the Shilak swung its head between us and slowly backed up.

"It's going to jump again!" Remmi called just as the beast leaped at me.

This time, I was ready for it and sidestepped, bringing my sword down heavily on its back. The creature shrieked in pain.

"Watch the stinger!" Remmi yelled just as I felt something bang into my shoulder armor and knock me off balance.

Then Remmi was there and the stinger went flying with a quick slice of her blade.

The beast backed away from us, bleeding heavily and drawing both our attention.

"I'm going to go right," I said as I started to tense, then remembered to relax before my strike.

"OK, I'll--argh!" Remmi screamed as something hit her from behind, and she went down in a heap.

They had perfect timing. The first beast had drawn our attention at the cost of its body, allowing the second Shilak to get behind us. I never even considered there might be two.

I glanced back at the second creature and found it withdrawing its stinger from Remmi's neck, where there was no armor.

Of course, taking my eyes off the first Shilak gave it the opportunity to attack once more.

Only this time, I expected it and snapped my sword up at the last second, driving it up through its jaw and into its head. It was a killing blow, and I was very proud of my cleverness. So proud that I hadn't taken into account the beast's momentum. My blade became lodged in the Shilak's skull, and my sword was ripped from my hand as the now-dying beast passed.

So now Remmi was down, I was unarmed, and I still had a fresh Shilak to deal with. I didn't think there might be more than two because, if there were, we were dead. So, stay positive!

I managed to scoop up one of Remmi's blades just as the second beast pounced. I rolled to the side, barely avoiding its attack.

Instead of turning to attack me, though, the Shilak turned to finish off Remmi!

I didn't think; I just hurled the blade at the creature. It hit, but the blade didn't sink. The knife was heavy enough to get the creature's attention, though, and it rushed me.

"Fuck!" I yelled as I tried to juke the beast and was partially successful. I managed to get out of the way, but one of its claws caught me between my knee and thigh guards.

The padding cloth beneath didn't tear, but the force made my knee buckle out from beneath me just as the Shilak skidded to a stop.

If I lived through this, I needed to start carrying a secondary weapon!

I had a choice. Either go for another of Remmi's knives or go for the sword still stuck in the first beast's head. Well, I wasn't sure if the sword was going to come unstuck, so the knife it was.

I dove for the knife just as the Shilak turned around.

My knee was shot. I might not be cut, but something was messed up as it wouldn't hold my weight.

I managed to grab both knives this time and turned to face the beast just as it was sizing me up.

It must have felt good about its chances because a moment later, it charged.

I feinted first one way, then the other, before bracing myself.

The beast tracked me both times I feinted and seemed to expect me to try and dodge once more.

But I didn't. Instead, I leaped into its charge, driving both knives into its neck behind its head. I'd used enough force that I nearly decapitated it.

Then came the part I'd dreaded.

"Trust the armor," Rhi had drilled into my head. "It can take the hit."

The Shilak's head hitting my chest plate was enough to knock the wind from me. Then I was flying backward as the Shilak's body continued to plow into me.

My backplate took the force of the impact as we hit the ground and gouged a massive rut in the dirt. I slammed into a nearby tree, and the world went black.

**Ω**

ASHER

I don't know how long I was out, but it was night when I finally came to. I had to blink several times before the stars came into focus. Even then, they didn't stay in focus. I started to sit up, but my head screamed at me, and I lay back down.

"Easy," Remmi said, coming into view a moment later.

"Rem?" I managed, her face blurry.

"Yeah, that's me," she said, and I felt something wet on my forehead.

"My eyes aren't working right," I mumbled.

"I should think not. You've got a nasty lump on the back of your head from where you hit that tree." Remmi said. "No, don't try to touch it; just lay still."

I was lying on something warm. My armor was gone, that much I could tell. My clothes were wet, but I was still warm.

"What happened?" I mumbled, my voice not wanting to work right either.

"Well, I got paralyzed by the second Shilak's ambush," Remmi said. "I'm so stupid! I didn't even think there might be a second one. The Leshy never mentioned there were two of them!"

"Both stupid. I didn't think there'd be two either," I muttered.

"Well, looks like you managed to finish both of them off but got your head bashed into a tree in the process and knocked yourself out," Remmi said. "Luckily, the last one was already dead; otherwise, it would have eaten your face off."

"Lucky me... my only redeeming quality," I mumbled.

"Idiot," Remmi shook her blurry face. "When I could move, I dragged you over here. Doing that nearly made me pass out. There was no way I could drag you home. Whatever is in that stinger really packs a punch. I was hoping you'd wake up before nightfall, but that was a while ago. We'll have to wait for morning before trying to head back."

"Any more monsters?" I asked.

"No," Remmi said. "There was a nest, though. Looks like these two were looking to make a bunch of baby Shilak. Had we not come along, there would probably be a whole lot more of them in a couple of months."

"Yeah us," I managed.

"It's obvious you've got a concussion, so try and stay awake, OK?" Remmi said.

"Sure," I said. "Remind me to look into getting helmets, would you? Help me sit up."

After a bit of finagling, Remmi had me sitting up. Once the nausea passed and the world stopped spinning, I realized we were on one of the rock ledges where the spring was.

"The water's hot. It should keep us warm through the night," Remmi said, looking around. "But it's going to get colder, so we'll probably have to get in the water for a bit. The pool down there looks deep enough, but we won't find out till we try."

"Hey," I said and reached for her hand, finding it on the second try. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me until we're back home," Remmi said.

I squeezed her hand, and we enjoyed the quiet for a while.

"I guess maybe we should have brought the others?" Remmi said a little while later. "At least then we could have sent someone for help."

"Coulda, shoulda, woulda," I said.

Remmi laughed. "That's the most coherent thing you've said yet."

I gave her what I hoped was a smile. My everything wasn't working right. My head was killing me; I couldn't see straight, and my hand-eye coordination was gone.

"Wake up!"

My eyes shot open at Remmi's words. I hadn't realized I'd started to doze.

"I told you to stay awake!" Remmi scolded me.

"I'm awake!" I said, only to have the world start to go fuzzy again.

A sharp pain in my chest brought me back to full awakeness this time.

"OWWW!" I yelled and slapped Remmi's hand away from where she was pinching the shit out of my nipple. "You don't have to yank it off!"

"Then stay awake, or I'll start pinching other things," Remmi said.

"OK, OK, geesh," I grumbled. But it didn't last long. I kept shaking my head, biting my tongue, even pinching my own nipple, but I kept fading.

My eyes snapped open to find Remmi's mouth sliding up and down my cock, noisily sucking on me.

"You won't stop if I say I'm awake now, right?" I asked. To my disappointment, Remmi pulled her mouth off me, but her hand took over, slowly stroking me.

"If it keeps you awake, I'll edge you all night," Remmi threatened.

"Oh, you're a horrible, horrible woman!" I said with a heavy pout.

"Who knows, maybe I'll be nice and let you cum once or twice," Remmi said with a shrug.

So, we sat there, Remmi stroking my cock at a steady pace, but not enough to bring me off. If I even thought about nodding off, her mouth was right back to work on my cock, waking me up. I tried to fake nodding off a few times but she always knew and would pinch me in a not-so-nice way that made me stop trying to fake it.

Eventually, the evening got too cold to stay on the warm rock ledge, and we slipped into the pool. The water felt amazing, especially on my throbbing knee, but it made me want to nod off even more.

"Can you touch the bottom?" Remmi asked.

"I'll touch your bottom," I replied, a little more awake than I was a moment before. But I couldn't touch the bottom and had to hang onto the ledge to stay above water.

"I wonder what they're up to," Remmi said.

"Who?" I asked. We'd been talking about anything and everything to try and keep me awake over the last few hours. I was finding it easier to stay awake now that my headache was fading.

"Rhi and crew. The gestalt," Remmi said.

"Dunno. Never asked what they did when they're alone up there," I said. "I'm sure it's not all training." I glanced at Remmi's face. "I'm sure it's not all fucking either."

"You never know," Remmi said.

"I'm starting to think my pheromones really have been messing with you," I said.

"If that were true, it would all be directed at you, wouldn't it?" Remmi asked.

"Yeah, I guess?" I said, not really knowing if that was how it worked or not.

"Come on Ash. We've had some extraordinary times over the last year. First, your change, then falling in love. Followed by banging damned near everyone we knew, family included. Then we start banging people who aren't even from our Bio Hab!"

"Yeah, we should really get checked out at a clinic," I frowned.

Remmi nudged me playfully.

"Are you telling me you haven't enjoyed every minute of it?" Remmi asked, her hand finding my cock under the water.

"The good parts, sure," I said and shuddered slightly. Remmi had been edging me for so long now that my nerves were frayed. "But, there's been some downsides, too."

"Let's not think about that right now, OK?" Remmi said as she moved in and kissed me gently but deeply. She wrapped her body around me, pressing herself against my hardness.

"One of us has to hold on to the ledge," I said as we almost went below the water.

"You hold, I'll do the work," Remmi said.

I grabbed hold of the ledge with both hands as Remmi moved herself into position. Her hand slipped between us and found my cock. It took a few moments, but soon my cock was sinking into her pussy. The water was so hot it was hard to distinguish the two.

Remmi had to work to get me inside her, the water hindering her progress.

"Fucking pool sex," Remmi complained. "I'm about ready to get back on that ledge and--" Just then, I slipped the rest of the way inside her, and she sighed in contentment.

"That's better," she moaned and wrapped her legs around me. "How are you feeling?" Remmi asked as she started moving on me.

"Can't complain," I said with a lopsided grin.

"How's the head?" Remmi asked.

"It's not complaining right now either," I said with a thrust of my hips.

"Why you--" Remmi started.

"Hey, you're the one who started a diagnosis during sex!" I said.

"OK, fair enough," Remmi said and stopped talking with her mouth. Now, her hips were talking for her. Her hands slipped down my body, caressing me as her lips kissed my neck.

"Damn," I sighed. "I should knock myself out more often."

Remmi just shook her head and rolled her eyes.

I felt her hand slip down between us as she started touching herself and slowly rocking her hips into me.

She felt amazing, as usual.

Her wet, auburn hair floated around us and clung to me like tiny tentacles as I enjoyed her show. She was giving me the slowest fuck in the world and getting off right in front of me at the same time. The combination was delightful.

But when her breathing got heavy, and her moans began to escape her lips, it didn't matter if she stopped fucking me now. The sounds she made were enough to get me off.

"Just a little longer," Remmi huffed, her chest rising and falling as her hips continued to buck. "Almost there," she moaned.

I'd never seen her have to work so hard at an orgasm before. She was usually pretty easy to please. I guessed she really wasn't a fan of pool sex.

"Oh yeah, that's it... I'm gonna," Remmi panted as she shook in my arms. Then she was grabbing hold of me tightly, her body shaking as she moaned loudly in my ear, sending me over the edge as well.

I couldn't move as my cock began spurting inside her pussy. I desperately wanted to grind into her as I came, but I couldn't let go of the ledge to...*fuck it* I thought as I let go of the ledge and grabbed her ass with both hands. I ground into her pussy as my cock continued to spill seed inside her even as we sank under the water.

"GET OUT! GET OUT!! GET OUT!!!" a voice screamed in my ears.

I flailed in the water, orgasm forgotten, as I tried to get back to the surface. The entire time, the voice screamed in my ears.

"Argh!" I gasped as we broke the surface of the water, and the voice blessedly stopped.

"What the shit?!" I gasped.

"You heard it too?" Remmi said.

"That wasn't you?" I asked.

"No, and it wasn't you, I'm guessing," Remmi said.

"No," I said, shaking my head.

We both looked down into the water. It was mostly clear, but the deeper it went, the darker it became.

"These are waterproof, right?" Remmi said as she reached up and pulled the small glow rod from the ledge where it had been sitting.

Part of the emergency kit that came with our new gear was a small rod about the size of a candy bar. Inside was a tiny glow stone. You would pull the cover back on the tube, and it would give off light enough to see your immediate surroundings.

"Uh, yeah, I think," I said.

Remmi plunged the rod into the water. The light from the rod reached further down but didn't reveal anything new.

I tentatively put my ear back into the water.

"GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!" the voice continued to scream.

I jerked my head up.

"It still there?" Remmi asked.

"Yeah," I confirmed.

"I think we might want to get out of the water," Remmi said as we both hauled ourselves out of the pool and back onto the warm ledge. We huddled together for warmth as we stared at the screaming water we could, thankfully, no longer hear.

"What do you--" I started and then Remmi was patting my leg and pointing.

"Look!" Remm said in a whisper.

The water rippled before a small pilar of water began to rise. The pillar widened and grew to about five feet before slowly taking the shape of a woman.

The woman watched us suspiciously. Her mouth moved but nothing came out.

"Do you hear anything?" I asked.

"No, you?" Remmi asked.

"Nope," I replied.

The woman continued to talk and gesture at us, becoming more irritated the longer she went on.

I held up my hands to try and get her to stop. I pointed at my ears and shook my head.

"I can't hear you," I said slowly, like one of those idiots who thinks talking slowly and loudly would translate my words.

The woman stopped and seemed to consider what I said.

A new pillar of water rose. This time, a small one approached us and hovered between Remmi and me.

I glanced at Remmi and leaned over until my ear was inside the pilar.

"Do you hear me now?" The once screaming voice now said in a more reasonable tone.

"Yes," Remmi said. "Do you understand us?"

"Of course. Now, I demand you tell me who you are and why you have violated my sanctuary," the water woman said in a miffed tone.

"I'm Remmi, this is Asher. The Leshy brought us here to deal with the Shilak," Remmi said.

"The Leshy brought you?" The woman seemed taken aback. "It hasn't spoken with mortals in over an age. I find it hard to believe your words."

"Well, you can ask her if you can find her," I said. "There's also the fact the two Shilak are now dead." I pointed to the field where the fight had taken place.

"And I destroyed its nest," Remmi added.

The woman considered this a moment before moving out of the water towards the field. She remained connected to the pool through a series of water tentacles. She wandered the field and the destroyed nest.

Remmi and I sat huddled together and shivering on the rock shelf until she finally returned.

"Be that as it may," the water woman began. "That still doesn't give you the right to violate and foul my sanctuary with your bodies."

"We're sorry," Remmi said more diplomatically than I would have. "The night is cold and we were trying to stay warm until morning."

"And that... act, is what you do to stay warm, is it?" the water woman said.

I wasn't sure if she was fucking with us or not, but I decided to try and play it safe.

"I'm hurt," I said, pointing at my head. "I have to stay awake, or else I might fall asleep and not wake up. We did those... acts, to try and keep me awake."

The water woman frowned and began to pace back and forth across the top of the pool.

"We didn't know you were here or that we were trespassing," Remmi offered. "Had we known, we'd have shown the proper respect."

This made the water woman stop.

"Oh? And how would you have done that?" the water woman's voice was curious now.

Remmi began the quick permission ritual the Leshy had taught us to perform whenever we entered a forest. The water woman took a moment to absorb this.

"To honor me as you would the forest," The water woman took a minute to consider this. "This would have been acceptable had you done it."

Remmi nudged me, and I made the same ritual signs she had. This seemed to do the trick.

"As long as you remember for next time," the water woman said.

"May we know what to call you?" Remmi said, perhaps a little over the top, but if buttering up this lady kept us from freezing...

"You may call me..." the woman took a long time to consider her answer. "Danu."

"It's nice to meet you, Danu," Remmi said. "Have you--"

"What is that?" Danu pointed at the glow rod.

"We call it a glow rod," Remmi said. "It helps us see in the darkness."

"Let me see it," Danu demanded.

I handed it over with a shaking hand, not so much because I was scared of Danu but because I was cold.

Danu took it and began to turn it over in her hands.

"Yes! I know this," Danu said, holding the rod to her chest, where it filled her body with light. "These stones used to adorn my temple. Oh, they made the most brilliant light!" Danu seemed lost in memory.

"Danu, you are more than welcome to this stone if it pleases you," Remmi offered. "But, may we remain in the water until morning? Once daylight comes, we will leave your lovely sanctuary in peace."

"You would pay me tribute with this stone?" Danu asked.

"Yes," I snapped, sensing an opening.

"Nothing would make us happier than if you accepted this tribute to add to that which adorns your temple," Remmi added with a bit of stumbling on her speech.

I think Remmi went too far. But Danu seemed more than pleased until the temple was mentioned. With its mention, she seemed to sag.

"What's wrong, great Danu?" I said, feeling like an idiot. "What makes you so sad?"

"It has been a long time since the temple was open," Danu said. "Much too long. The power these stones had to bring light also helped to master my waters. As their power diminished, the wild torrents once again claimed the temple."

I glanced at Remmi, wondering if she had any clue what this chick was talking about. Remmi just shrugged.

"Wait," Danu said suddenly. "If the Leshy conscripted you, then you must be of The Roadhouse, correct?"

"Yes," Remmi said cautiously. "We just moved in a short time ago."

"Of course," Danu nodded, confirming something to herself. "If The Protective Moons have returned to The Roadhouse, then The Wright's Temple must soon reopen as well."

"Uh," I started, but Remmi's hand silenced me with a squeeze.

"If that time has come, then my temple will be needed once again," Danu was talking herself into something, and Remmi wasn't about to stop her. "If that's true, then the pact will need to be reforged."

Danu slapped her fist into her palm, sending a splash of water in all directions.

"The Moons used to make use of my temple for rest and recuperation," Danu said. "I can see you are too young to know this, so I will explain. The Moons would provide tribute to me in the form of the glowing red stones," Danu said, holding up the glow rod. "They would allow me to maintain the temple. In return, I would allow them to use my healing waters for their sick and injured. By you giving me this tribute, you have shown your willingness to maintain your part of the pact. I accept. And as such, I will uphold mine."

I wasn't sure what exactly was going on, but Danu seemed to be getting excited instead of mad... so... yeah!

"Now, you must rest, for the morning comes shortly, and I need the time to do my work," Danu said. With a wave of her hand, the water that had been trickling from the rocks behind us began to gush.

Instead of the water running off the shelf beneath us and into the pool below, the water began to pool around us. It wrapped around the two of us until we were sitting up to our necks in a column of hot water.

"But Asher can't sleep, she's hurt," Remmi protested.

"Nonsense," Danu scoffed. "I will tend to both of you until morning. Now sleep."

Suddenly, I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore, and they slammed shut as sleep reached up and claimed me.

Chapter 27

ASHER

I woke up a few hours later as the sun was rising on the horizon. My head was clear, and my knee was back to normal. In fact, I felt amazing.

"Remmi?" I asked, looking over and seeing her blinking her eyes open as well.

"Yeah," Remmi said. "Are you OK?" she asked quickly, concern filling her voice.

"Yeah, I feel great!" I said.

"Of course you do," Danu said. "I would not shirk my side of our pact."

Remmi and I were still sitting on the rock ledge in a column of warm water. Only now, Danu was sitting beside us instead of pacing the pool below.

"Wait," Remmi said. "I hear you above water."

"Yes," Danu said. "Your tribute has restored some semblance of my power."

"You do amazing work Danu," I said. "Thank you!"

"Naturally," Danu said. "Continue to bring me tribute, and I will continue to restore my temple, as is right. But, for now..."

Danu waved her hand, and the water drained from around Remmi and me, leaving us and our clothes dry as a bone.

Remmi's eyes widened when she realized it and stood up. She helped me to my feet.

"I must thank you again, Danu," Remmi said.

Danu almost seemed embarrassed.

"It is enough; now go. I have much work to do," Danu said, disappearing into the water.

Remmi and I gathered up our gear and made our way out of the cut before Danu changed her mind.

"Why did she think we were part of the Moons?" Remmi asked a short while later.

I tapped my breastplate.

"The symbols," I said.

Remmi glanced down at The Protectorate Moons symbol on her own gear.

"Oh, I forgot about that," Remmi said. "What do you think of what happened back there?"

"I think we'd better find some red glow stones," I said.

"Ash, those things are expensive and damned near impossible to find," Remmi said.

"Well, if all else fails, we still have my spare glow rod. And there's the lanterns at The Roadhouse," I said.

"I doubt Mom and Dad will want to give up one of those," Remmi scoffed. "Plus, they're not red."

"Better than nothing," I said. "Plus, they might change their mind if we run into something Patty can't heal."

"Huh," Remmi said and was quiet for a few minutes. "Remind me to ask the gestalt about this next time we see them. It seems they know more about this Moons stuff than we do."

"Yeah," I said. "At this rate, we might need to dig up a history book or something."

Everyone was frantic when we finally made it back. When we didn't come home yesterday, everyone thought the worst. They only started to calm down when we told them the tale of the fight.

We left out Danu until we were all together alone that night.

"And this water lady expects us to bring her these stones?" Mom asked. "How often?"

"She didn't say," I said, looking at Remmi, who shook her head.

"But, it's probably something we'll want to look into with that guy in town," Remmi said. "Not the Danu part, but the getting more stones part."

"Those were terribly expensive," Patty said.

"Have you dropped off the lantern yet?" I asked. "No? Maybe bring it up when you do. I have a feeling he'll be in a generous mood with one of our lanterns in his hands."

"Maybe," Patty said, but she didn't look hopeful. "I was planning another trip to town tomorrow. I can ask then."

"Mind if we tag along?" I asked.

"Sure, I'd like the company," Patty said.

The next morning, we set off early and made it into town by late afternoon. We ran a few of the supply errands Patty needed and even made a few house calls to some of her previous patients.

There was a healer in town, but they weren't magically inclined to anything more than basic needs. They didn't have the training or ability Patty did. The healer had asked Patty to visit them earlier in the month to exchange notes.

According to Patty, they seemed pleasant enough. There didn't seem to be any animosity from the new 'competition.' Just the opposite, they were relieved there was someone who could handle the heavier lifting.

By the time we reached Tursk, he was just closing up for the night. But when he saw Patty, he welcomed us in happily.

"Ms. Asher!" a voice called from down the street.

When I looked, Ali was running up to us.

"You guys go ahead. I'll see what's up," I said and turned back to Ali, who stopped short of me and leaned against our wagon, panting heavily.

"Don't do a lot of running, I take it?" I teased the boy.

But Ali wasn't looking so much like a boy anymore. In the past few months, he'd grown quite a bit, and in a nice way, to boot.

"What can I do for you, Ali?" I asked and had to reign in my sex kitten as it started to flare in my voice. *Damn, control yourself, woman!* I thought.

"I heard you might be in town but had to wait and find a time to slip away," Ali said, still panting. He glanced around and then nodded to a nearby alleyway that led behind Tursk's place.

"Follow me," Ali said.

"Why?" I asked suspiciously. The last time I was in an alley, I threw up.

"Because I can't be seen talking to you," Ali whispered, making his way to the alley.

I was too intrigued not to follow.

"Maybe you shouldn't have yelled my name then, huh?" I said.

"Oh, yeah," Ali said and blushed furiously.

The sun was already low in the sky, and once we were inside the alley, the shadows of the buildings hid us.

"What's this all about?" I asked.

"Your family is in danger," Ali started in a whisper.

"OK, you have my attention," I said and glanced around to make sure we were alone.

"You may not know it," Ali started, "but there are those in town who are not happy with The Roadhouse reopening. They see it as unneeded competition."

"But we're a day's ride from here. It's not like we're down the street!" I protested.

"They don't care," Ali said. "They're used to having a monopoly on the travelers for days in any direction here. They think once people hear you're open again, they'll start bypassing Laghold to head your way."

"But we're not even really open!" I said. "We've had a few curious folks, but it's not like they're keeping the lights on for us."

Ali looked at me, and I realized he didn't understand.

"We're not making any money, like at all," I said.

"They're not being rational," Ali said. "They are actually trying to get the other businesses in town to turn against you. But y'all are still relying on the town for supplies and such that they haven't turned. But if a trade starts up again and you start getting travelers bringing supplies to you, that might change."

I couldn't believe this. A bunch of greedy businessmen were making trouble for us, and we weren't even doing anything to them.

"I just can't believe that," I said.

"Believe it," Ali said. "You might also want to start traveling to town in groups."

"They'd attack us?" I said, shocked.

"It's a long road between here and The Roadhouse," Ali said. "I wouldn't put it past them."

The longer Ali talked with me, the more nervous he became. I think he truly believed we were in trouble. His willingness to stick his neck out for my family impressed me.

"So, why are you telling me this if it's so dangerous to talk to me?" I asked.

His blush deepened, and he hesitated.

"You were kind to me," Ali mumbled.

"What?" I asked.

"You were nice to me," Ali repeated a little louder. "Not many people are."

Then I thought of something else.

"Ali," I started softly, letting just a bit of my sex kitten lose. "Is your father part of the ones after us?" I remembered seeing him working in one of the inns in town. He'd said his dad was kind of a big guy in town. Of anyone who'd have it out for us, another inn would be at the top of the list.

"Yeah," Ali said, refusing to look up at me. "I can't stop him. He doesn't listen to me. So, I figured I could at least warn you."

My interest in the man shot up a few points, which triggered me. I stepped in closer to him.

"Ali," I whispered his name. "Do you like me?"

Ali continued to stare at the ground but glanced up at me.

"I just don't want to see you get hurt," Ali mumbled.

"Ali, look at me," I said, lifting his chin.

He looked at me hesitantly.

"You know I'm with someone, right?" I asked.

"I'd heard you might be," Ali said.

"I'm with Remmi, the other girl that was in the wagon with me," I said.

"Oh... her," Ali said and seemed to deflate slightly.

"We're together, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy someone else's company occasionally," I said as I touched his chest and let my sex kitten off her leash.

"But... you and her," Ali whispered, his breath coming short.

I could feel his heartbeat hammering away in his chest.

"We'll always be together," I said, letting my hand trail down his chest. "Nothing will change that, Ali. But you're taking a big risk in warning my family and I think that deserves some kind of reward, don't you?"

"I wasn't looking for a rew--" Ali started but stopped as I leaned in close to him.

My hand had made it to his waist.

"Do you want me to stop?" I asked.

Ali couldn't speak. He only shook his head "no."

"Look at me," I told Ali, making him look me in the eye. "I don't want to marry you, Ali. I just want to reward you for helping my family, understand?" I had to ensure this kid knew I didn't want a relationship. I had a feeling I was about to be the first girl ever to touch him.

"Just fun," he whispered and nodded.

I glanced around to ensure we were alone and then let my hand slip inside his pants. I had no trouble in finding his cock. It was a steel rod that was straining against his underclothes. I wrapped my hand around it and listened to the man sigh.

"Put your hands on the wall," I whispered. He was already pressed up against the wall in the shadows. Now, I wanted to make sure he kept his hands to himself.

I loosened his breeches and freed his cock, stroking it gently but firmly. I had a feeling he wouldn't last long, but I wanted to make sure he knew how grateful I was.

Here I was, jerking off a man I barely knew in the shadows of a town's back alley. I was pretty sure I was about to win the slut princess of the month award for what I was planning.

I can't believe how sexy and dirty I felt as I dropped to my knees and took his cock in my mouth.

He groaned loudly as my lips slid down his prick.

"Hush!" I whispered harshly before returning to his cock.

"Sorry!" he whispered back and began moaning softly.

He already had precum leaking from his cock, and it wasn't the usual yummy saltiness I was used to. I couldn't figure out what it tasted like and wondered if the guys here tasted different or if it was just him.

Then I was working him. My mouth gobbled up every inch of his cock and slipped it into my throat. I got carried away.

Without warning, he came and filled my mouth with his seed. It didn't taste like I was used to either, but I couldn't figure out what it reminded me of.

I heard him trying to suppress his groans, but he was having a hard time, the poor guy.

I stroked his cock, making sure to milk all of his orgasm from his balls. By the time I was done, his legs were shaking so badly I thought he was going to collapse on me.

I helped tuck him away and stood up. He was a good boy; he still had his hands on the wall, just like I asked.

"Uh..." was all he could say as he was once again trying to catch his breath.

"Not a word about this to anyone, or it won't happen again," I said. "Understand?"

"Again?" he asked.

"Understand?" I repeated.

"Yes, ma'am!" Ali snapped.

"Good," I said and glanced around again to make sure no one had seen us. I leaned in once more, placing my thigh between his. I was so keyed up right now that I was ready to throw him down on the ground and go at him! But I restrained myself. I didn't want to do that... not yet, at least.

"Did you enjoy that?" I whispered.

"Oh God, yes!" Ali whispered back.

"Good," I said. "Keep our secret, and who knows what might happen."

Ali's eyes grew large.

I couldn't help but grin at the guy.

"Ms. Asher?" Ali finally managed.

I thought about telling him he didn't have to call me Miss but thought better of it.

"Yes, Ali?" I asked.

"Can I..." Ali started but hesitated.

The boy was trying to work up the courage for something, so I waited.

"Can I... touch... your chest?" Ali said, and bless the boy, he held his breath.

I kept myself from laughing, barely.

"Have you touched a woman before?" I asked.

"No, ma'am," he said.

"Well, you did as I asked and kept your hands on the wall. So, this time, I'll allow it," I said.

"Really?" Ali asked, his eyes the size of the moons now.

Remmi and I weren't wearing our armor. It was a violation of what we'd been taught, but we didn't want to look like we were trying to attack the town or anything. Nobody in town ever wore armor. We still had it hidden in the wagon, out of sight, just in case, though.

I reached down and opened my shirt just enough for him to slip his trembling hand in.

"Gently," I said as his hand groped me a bit too roughly. Again, I had to stifle my laugh as I watched the glee on his face as he squeezed my boob.

His fingers blindly slid around my nipple, running over it and eventually pinching gently. It felt nice, but it wasn't what was doing it for me.

The fact I was getting felt up in a back alley was hot!

I let him play for a minute and then closed my blouse.

"Remember, tell no one," I repeated.

"Not a soul," Ali swore.

"I'd best get inside," I said and leaned back.

"I should go as well," Ali said. Then the boy lashed out, quick as lightning, and pecked me on the lips. He surprised me so badly that he'd run off before I could react.

"Cheeky devil," I muttered and shook my head with a chuckle.

Remmi took one look at me as I walked into Tursk's shop and rolled her eyes. As soon as I was close enough, she leaned in and kissed me.

"At least wipe the dirt off your knees, slut!" Remmi whispered in my ear and then got a weird look on her face. "Where did you get tomato soup?" Remmi smacked her lips.

"That's what it tastes like!" I said a little too loud and drew looks from the others. "Sorry." I glanced down, and sure enough, the dirt on my knees showed just what I'd been up to.

Luckily, Patty was finishing up.

Tursk was nothing but ear-to-ear smiles. He was overjoyed with the lantern and even said he would be researching more red glow stones for us.

It turned out that the red stones weren't as in demand as the standard lantern ones were. They were apparently used for some more unusual things, and people didn't buy them that often.

As a result, Tursk only had two with which he was willing to part. It turned out that hiring Medma had been a lot cheaper than he'd planned. He felt guilty he was making out so well on the lantern deal that he gave us the two red stones to ease his conscience.

So, we headed back towards The Roadhouse with Patty's fresh supplies and with two red glow stones in my pocket.

I was all kinds of horny and wanted to destroy Remmi in the back of the wagon but remembered Ali's words.

Once we were out of town, I told Patty and Remmi what Ali had told me. Patty immediately told us to get into our armor and be on the lookout.

"You're taking this awfully seriously, Patty. Do you know something we don't?" Remmi asked as I finished buttoning up her armor.

"There have been a few strangers around The Roadhouse over the last couple of weeks," Patty said. "They weren't acting like tourists. More like they were casing the joint. We'd written it off as just odd folk. But if what Ali says is true, that makes me nervous."

"You don't think they'd attack us, would they?" I asked as Remmi started working on my armor's straps.

"Who knows?" Patty said. "We still don't know a lot about this Bio Hab. All I know is we're going to have to take a serious look at our defenses when we get back."

I looked at Remmi, all the hornyness now drained from my body as we took up positions on either side of the wagon.

"Patty," I started. "You do know we can't see in the dark, right?"

"That's all right, I can," Patty said. "There's two lanterns back there. Pop open one side and use them as flashlights. If you sense something, you let me know."

Each of the four sides of the lanterns had shutters that could be opened or closed as needed. By only opening one side, you effectively had a flashlight.

"So much for sleep," Remmi muttered as we both started the watch on the long trek back.

Chapter 28

ASHER

"I thought you weren't interested in Ali," Remmi said as we were getting out of the shower the next day.

When we finally made it back to The Roadhouse this morning, we were wiped out. Being awake for 24 hours was one thing. Being on alert for an ambush the whole way back was another. Remmi and I crashed as soon as we could get our armor off. When we finally woke up the following afternoon, the room reeked of sweat and not in a good way.

"I mean, he's a nice guy," I said.

"But..." Remmi said as she handed me a towel for my hair.

"He kinda filled out while we were gone," I said, blushing slightly.

"Really?" Remmi said. "Huh, I didn't really notice." Then Remmi turned to me. "But in an alleyway, really?"

"It was hot!" I protested. "You had to be there."

"Whatever," Remmi said. "But no more free shows, OK? Anyone could have seen you, and you don't want the rumor mill to start up over that."

I hadn't thought of the consequences of getting caught. While it wasn't really illegal, Remmi was right. The town gossip would have wrecked my reputation and more than likely fallen back on The Roadhouse.

"You're right, of course you're right," I said and sighed. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"You weren't thinking," Remmi said with a grin.

"It's just... talking with him, being all secretive and sneaky... it kind of... did it for me. You know?" I said.

Remmi sighed.

"I do know," Remmi said. "Cause I know you. Looks like I'm going to need to plan some activities to satiate your wild side."

"Satiate?" I asked.

"Put a leash on your sex kitten and calm you the fuck down," Remmi said with a chuckle.

"Oh!" I said and wondered just what she could be thinking.

"You think they all cum tomato soup?" Remmi asked after a moment.

While we slept, the grownups had held a meeting. We "adventurers" had been excused from all our chores and assigned to security. It appeared they were taking Ali's warning seriously.

Remmi and I were assigned to patrol the forest, while Terri and Thomas were assigned home guard. Just in case, Medma was asked to start focusing them on more offensive magic.

This went on during the day. At night, The Roadhouse was buttoned up tight. All the doors were secured and locked, and at least one person was always on lookout duty.

As the weeks passed, Remmi and I became intimately familiar with the forests around The Roadhouse and soon lost our edge. Trying to always be on alert wore us down. That's why we got snuck up on. At least, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

"For the love of God, tell me this isn't a patrol!"

To our credit, we reacted properly to the voice behind us. I span, my blade flashing into my hand and sidestepping to give a fighting buffer between Remmi and me. She was faster and already had both her knives in hand and was already sidestepping as I finished my turn.

"At least you haven't forgotten that much!" Rhi said with a loud sigh.

Rhi and Tara were standing a short distance away. We were deep in the forest and well away from The Roadhouse.

We hadn't heard them at all.

"Rhi!" Remmi said and sheathed her blades before leaping at the woman.

Rhi caught her in a massive hug and spun her around as they both giggled.

I took a moment to sheath my sword and stepped into Tara's outstretched arms.

"Good to see you," Tara said in my ear.

"You too," I said before we traded partners and greetings once Rhi and Remmi split.

"Has it already been a month?" Remmi asked.

"A little longer, actually," Rhi said. "We got caught up in some things and had to... you don't want to hear about that." Rhi waved off what she was saying.

"Nice duds," Remmi said, commenting on the new armor the pair were wearing.

"Yeah, Margeist kept pestering us to use the armor from the villa, and we finally gave in," Rhi said with a sigh.

"Well, it looks good," Remmi said.

"It's just the two of us," Rhi said with a kind smile when she saw me looking around. "Try not to be too disappointed," she said when she saw my smile falter.

"Oh, I'm not," I lied.

Tara patted me on the shoulder.

"It's their anniversary," Tara said. "We figured they might like some alone time, so we decided to come down for a visit."

"Anniversary?" I asked stupidly.

"It's alright," Rhi said and then glanced between us. "You are on a patrol, aren't you?"

So, we spent the next little while explaining what was going on before heading back to The Roadhouse.

"Fucking people," Rhi muttered and shook her head. "OK. I'll teach you some things that will help with your guard duty, but first, I gotta get this one to the forge."

I glanced over at Tara, who was practically bouncing with excitement.

"Why do you like the forge so much?" I asked.

"It talks to me," Tara said.

"Talks to you?" I asked.

"The metal, it talks to me. It tells me the stories of this place," Tara said with a nod.

I glanced at Rhi.

"It's true," Rhi said. "She can make metal do all sorts of things. Haven't seen anything like it."

In response, two throwing knives slipped from Tara's thigh bandoleers and circled her head lazily before returning to their sheathes. She never touched them.

"Hmmm," Remmi was looking at Tara and holding her chin in her hand.

"What?" Tara said and looked around in confusion.

"Don't mind her," I said. "She's just trying to figure out something perverted to do with your gifts."

"Oh!" Tara said and stopped fidgeting. "I can help you out with that!"

This time, it was Remmi's turn to look uncomfortable.

When we returned to The Roadhouse, Larisa was delighted to see Tara. They greeted each other like long-lost sisters and immediately started babbling.

"There she goes," Rhi said. "I don't understand a damn word they're saying, and I can ride shotgun in Tara's head while they're doing it!"

Tara held her hand up to Larisa and stopped to turn back to us.

"It's mostly done," Tara said in a slow, mock-condescending tone. "Larisa is just waiting on a magic stone to run the automated pumps. She could manually operate it right now if it were needed."

"Oh," Rhi said simply.

"There are some advanced fuel alternatives we could use if we're willing to pay for it," Tara added.

"Well, it's not like we're in it for the money," Rhi said with a shrug.

Larisa and Tara both gave Rhi a look of disgust.

"What?" Rhi asked. "We're not."

"Just give me some money," Tara said, shaking her head. "Sorry about her, she's an ord," she said to Larisa.

Rhi laughed and turned back to us.

"So, what else is going on with you two?" Rhi asked.

We gave her the basic rundown on everything that had been happening over the past several weeks.

"A pair of Shilak, huh? Impressive," Rhi said.

"Not really," Remmi said. "We got the shit kicked out of us. If it wasn't for--"

I kicked her in the shin, which made a loud noise and hurt my toe, but it didn't hurt Remmi through her armor. It did make her stop, though.

"Err, we got lucky," Remmi finished lamely.

"Private talk?" Rhi muttered in the quiet voice she'd used on guard duty.

"Yeah," I said with a nod.

"Got it," Rhi said. "Well, I'm just glad the two of you are safe."

"Training pays off," I said with a grin.

"Ah yes, training," Rhi said.

Remmi and I groaned in unison.

"Cheer up," Rhi said. "This will be OJT out in the forest." Rhi glanced over her shoulder at Tara, who was still yammering away. "Which we'll get to EVENTUALLY..."

Without turning from Larisa or even pausing her conversation, Tara held up her middle and index fingers at Rhi.

Rhi just laughed.

"I should probably check in with Patty since it looks like it's going to be a while," Rhi said.

"I should probably let the others know y'all are here. Are you staying long this time?" Remmi asked hopefully.

"A day, maybe two," Rhi said.

Remmi frowned in disappointment.

Rhi stopped and leaned down to look into Remmi's eyes.

"Are you really that interested?" Rhi asked with a seriousness I hadn't heard from her before.

"I am," Remmi said immediately.

"Ah, ah, ah," Rhi said and waggled a finger at her. "You didn't think about it. You just answered."

"I don't have to think about it," Remmi protested.

"Maybe I want you to stop and give me the consideration of thinking about it!" Rhi's tone was unreadable.

Remmi's face clouded in confusion.

Rhi caressed Remmi's cheek before she leaned in and kissed her forehead affectionately.

"A little forethought goes a long way when it comes to feelings," Rhi said. "Now, I gotta check on Patty. I'll meet up with y'all after." Rhi walked away from us, leaving Remmi staring after her.

"I don't--" Remmi started but stopped herself, still confused.

"She wants you to think about why," I said, and it felt more like something Shae would say, not me.

"Why what?" Remmi said, not taking her eyes off Rhi's retreating form.

"Why you feel the way you do," I said.

"I--" Remmi stopped again and got a thoughtful look on her face. "OK."

"Well then, let's go break the happy news to our folks about their new guests," I said and led Remmi by the hand to the inn.

Mom and Dad shocked me by being delighted that Rhi and Tara were here. I almost asked for an explanation but decided better and ran with it.

Rhi and Tara took us out in the woods and began showing us how to look for signs of trespassers. There were all sorts of things I never would have considered.

In the few hours we spent out there, we found signs of several different people loitering around the area. They seemed to prefer a few choice spots, and I made note of them.

When we finally told them about Danu, Rhi and Tara got really quiet. They weren't forthcoming when I tried to press them for details and dodged our questions.

After dinner, Rhi sat down that night and began laying out defensive plans with everyone. She pulled out a sketch she'd done of the place and pointed out various pros and cons of The Roadhouse. After an hour of this, Rhi made an announcement.

"OK, now we're going to take Asher and Remmi out for night training," Rhi said.

Remmi and I looked at one another.

"There's looking for signs of people during the day, and then there's doing it at night," Rhi said. "They're very different animals, as I'll show you tonight."

But once we were out of The Roadhouse and into the forest, Rhi said something very different.

"OK, take us to Danu," Rhi said.

"What?" I asked.

"We need to talk to Danu," Rhi said.

"Why?" Remmi asked.

"I'll explain when we get there," Rhi said, still tightlipped.

I frowned.

"Remmi, you still got the stones?" I asked.

Remmi had been keeping the red glow stones wrapped up in cloth and on her person since I passed them to her a week ago.

"Of course," Remmi said, patting her waist.

"OK," I started. "But fair warning, it was daylight when we went last time. It's going to be harder to find at night."

"It's not a problem," Rhi said, and we headed off into the night.

"Should I give her both stones or just one for now?" Remmi asked me a little while later.

"I'd say both," I said. "That way, we don't have to worry about losing them or them disappearing on us."

"Sounds good," Remmi said.

"What's this about stones?" Tara asked.

"Supposedly, The Protectorate Moons had a deal with Danu," I said. "They would bring her red glow stones, and, in turn, she would maintain a healing temple the Moons could use."

"Did she show you this temple?" Rhi asked.

"No," I replied. "She said it was underwater or something."

"The stones give her the power to control the water," Remmi filled in. "The ones she had faded, and the temple was flooded."

"Huh," was all Rhi said, and she glanced at Tara.

"Really, guys, secrets?" I finally blurted out.

"Can't be helped this time," Rhi said. "Sorry."

I only frowned in reply.

Finding the place took us twice as long in the dark, but we eventually made it.

"Wow," Tara said as we stood before the water trickling from the wall of stone and down into the pool.

"Is it me, or does it not smell as bad?" Remmi asked.

Until then, I hadn't even noticed the odor. I took a sniff.

"You're right," I told Remmi.

"I'll handle this," Remmi said and stepped in front of the group. "Danu, we come with more tribute." Remmi made the gesture of respect the forest spirit had taught us.

I followed her example and made the sign.

Rhi and Tara didn't miss a beat and copied us.

The clearing was silent, save the trickle of water.

I wasn't sure, but I could have sworn I saw a pair of eyes rise out of the water to look at us before disappearing.

With a massive burst of water, Danu appeared standing atop the pool as a rainbow of mist fell about her.

"It is I, Danu!" Danu said dramatically.

I wasn't sure if she was being over the top on purpose or if she was actually leaning into the part. Regardless, I bit my lip to keep from laughing.

"Welcome, guardians. It is truly wonderful to see The Protectorate Moons' ranks swell again," Danu said.

I glanced over, and Rhi's face was one of shocked disbelief, while Tara's was one of wonder. I wished I could have read their minds right then.

"Oh, great, Danu," Remmi said as she pulled the small cloth from her waist and approached the pool. "We have brought tribute, as is right by our side of the bargain."

At the sight of the tiny red stones, Danu abandoned all pretense of being high and mighty. "Oh, so pretty!" Danu said and practically ran at Remmi.

Remmi, bless her, stood her ground as the water woman practically flew into her face.

This time, I couldn't help but giggle.

Danu ignored me, her sole focus on the glow stones.

"May I?" Danu said, looking up at Remmi.

"Of course, they're yours for your temple," Remmi said, holding the stones out.

Tiny tendrils of water reached out from Danu and lifted the stones from the cloth.

"The first stone you gave me, while not the proper type, still returned a portion of my strength," Danu said. "With these, I shall once more open the temple, at least partially."

Rhi cleared her throat.

"Oh!" Remmi said. "Danu, this is Rhi and Tara."

Rhi and Tara both bowed slightly as Danu looked at them and nodded.

"All of The Protectorate Moons are welcome here," Danu said. "Are you also of The Roadhouse?"

"No," Rhi started. "We are from the outpost in the Fellbacks."

"Oh?" Danu turned to face them fully now. "The outpost still stands?"

"It does," Rhi said.

"How fair it's, guardian?" Danu asked.

The question caught Rhi off-guard, and she hesitated.

"Margeist is quite well," Tara filled in.

"Oh," Danu sighed. "Margeist... how I've missed him. It gladdens my heart to know he still stalks the halls." Danu turned to face Remmi then.

"And Miranda?" Danu asked. "How fair The Roadhouse's guardian?"

Remmi glanced back at me.

"I'm sorry Danu," I said. "I don't know Miranda. If she's our guardian, she hasn't spoken with us or shown herself."

Danu frowned.

"Miranda must have passed on," Danu said with sorrow in her voice. "She's not one to keep to herself." Then Danu shook herself and pasted a smile on her face. "But, now is not for mourning. This is a time of renewal. Give me a few moments." Danu sank back into the pool, taking the glow stones with her.

"We have a guardian at The Roadhouse?" I asked and turned to Tara.

"Margeist believes they're gone but doesn't know for sure," Tara said.

"Does he know how we can find out? We could really use a guardian right now!" Remmi asked.

There was a rumble from inside the mountain, and the water stopped leaking from the cliff.

"Anyone know if that's good or bad?" I asked. Nobody said anything.

The water began flowing once more, and Danu rose from the pool.

"I've managed to restore one chamber," Danu said. "Please." Danu motioned us toward the pool.

"Well, at least this one's warm," I said and made to jump into the water.

"Wait!" Danu cried, stopping me. "Just step, please."

I put my foot out, and the surface of the water was solid. I looked but didn't see one of the clear stones like in the stream. A moment later, I was standing fully on the surface of the water.

"All aboard?" I said and watched as the others joined me.

The entire pool drained as soon as everyone was in place, bringing us lower.

I looked up and could see water above us once we dropped below the lip of the pool. A section of air surrounded us as we moved through the water. The deeper we went, the darker it became until I could only see a dim red glow from somewhere below us.

We emerged from the ceiling of a room and settled to the floor. Pools of water were above and below this section of the room, which looked like an elevator shaft.

The room held various stone lounge chairs and a pool at the far end. The pool disappeared into the darkness of a cave the deeper you went. The high ceiling gave the room the feeling it was bigger than it was.

There were shades of red light streaming through the room, giving it a surreal feel.

"This is your temple?" I asked in wonder.

"Well, this is the entrance to my temple," Danu said. "I will need to gather more stones before I can reclaim the rest. I apologize for its state. It has been a long time since I had possession of the place. I promise it will be in a much better state on your next visit," Danu said by way of an apology.

"There's no need to apologize, Danu," Rhi said. "I'm impressed with what we've seen of your temple so far."

"You do not need to honey your words with me," Danu said.

I was pretty sure the opposite was true, but wasn't about to say it out loud.

"Now, are any of you injured? Do you require healing?" Danu asked.

We all looked at one another.

"No, Danu, we're all fine," I said.

"Well, healing is not the only purpose of my temple," Danu said. "Please rest, relax, and enjoy my hospitality."

I glanced at the stone lounge chair hesitantly.

"Oh, I assure you, it's much more comfortable than it looks," Danu said, motioning me to the chair.

I shrugged and went to sit down. As I did, something reached up and cupped my backside as I sat. I stood up and spun around to see what had just copped a feel. All I saw was what looked like water slowly draining away from the chair.

"It uses water and a cushion?" I asked and sat back down again. This time, I let the warm cushion hold me. It was comfortable. I moved about, and the cushioning moved with me.

I leaned back and kicked my feet out. The same layer of water embraced my entire body. It even made a small pillow so my head would be up enough to look around at the others.

"It's like a waterbed!" Rhi said in surprise as she tried another chair.

Everyone tried the chairs, and we all agreed they were the most comfortable we'd ever tried.

"I want to swim. Can I swim, Danu?" Tara asked.

"Of course!" Danu said, guiding Tara to the far end of the room. "The pool goes further out, but I've placed a barrier to ensure you don't go out past my influence.

Tara wasted no time and stripping out of her armor and clothes before plunging into the water.

I could only stand a minute of listening to her splashing around before I had to join her. Remmi and Rhi followed suit and we all helped one another out of our armor.

"How did you get out of your armor by yourself, Tara?" Remmi asked.

"I can control metal, remember?" Tara said as she slowly swam across the pool on her back. "Most buckles or straps have metal fittings."

I watched those dark nipples cutting through the water as Tara went by and had to get in the water to hide my growing interest.

"It's hot!" I hissed as I stepped into the water quickly.

"Of course," Danu said. "It is hot water that soothes the aches of bone and muscle. While cold has its place, it's not here."

I sank into the blessedly hot water and felt it penetrating deep into my bones.

"This feels amazing," I said with a long sigh.

"Oh wow," Remmi said as she came in behind me, followed by Rhi.

We spent several minutes lounging in the hot water. The floor sloped down, allowing for deeper water the further out you went. The room's red lights also appeared from below the water, giving it an eerie feel.

"I take it you approve?" Danu asked from where she sat beside me. She made herself appear as if she were sitting at the same depth of water as I was up to my chin.

"Yes, thank you," I said.

"You are most welcome. You are welcome here anytime you wish," Danu said.

"You've made your willing hospitality known, Danu," I said, covering my mouth as I yawned.

"Are you fatigued?" Danu asked.

"It's been a long day," I said, stifling another yawn.

"Would you like me to help?" Danu asked.

"Sure," I said and shrugged. I figured she'd use whatever healing magic she had to pep me back up. Instead, I felt something probing at my pussy and gasped.

I looked down, but there was nothing there. I glanced at Danu, who smiled at me just as the tentacle of water slipped inside my pussy, and I jerked in shock.

"Are you OK?" Danu asked, the tentacle pausing its journey.

"Yes," I managed. The tentacle felt amazing. It was warm and seemed to pulse within me. It put every dildo I'd ever tried to shame.

Danu began moving inside me again, filling me even more.

"I just," I said, biting my lip. "I wasn't expecting this. I thought you'd use magic or something."

"Well," Danu started. "Normally, yes. But this is what you and Guardian Remmi were doing to stay awake the last time you were here. I figured that was what you'd like. Do you wish me to stop?" Danu's tentacle paused again.

"No, please don't stop," I panted. Danu wasn't stretching me out so much as she was filling every inch of me at the same time.

I glanced at the others, but they hadn't noticed anything yet.

"Danu, do you know what you're doing right now?" I asked. "I mean more than keeping me awake?"

Danu gave me a mischievous smile.

"You mean, do I know what mortal sex is? Yes. Yes, I do," Danu said, and I felt something begin to work over my clit.

I shuddered in delight.

"M... more," I whispered.

"Oh really?" Danu seemed delighted to accommodate me.

Suddenly, it felt as if arms wrapped around me from behind, under my own. Something cupped my chest and began to suck hungrily on my nipples.

I glanced down but still couldn't see what was giving me the sensations.

"More?" Danu teased.

I nodded and felt another tentacle sliding across my ass.

"Oh God," I moaned as suddenly my rear was being invaded. Just as she'd filled my pussy, she now filled my ass as well, overloading my senses. Just when I thought I was going to go out of my mind, Danu spoke again.

"Might as well finish it," Danu said, and something wrapped itself around my cock and began to move.

Between my nipples, cock, pussy, and ass, I couldn't take it.

My body began convulsing as the orgasm that racked me threatened to pull me under the water. But I didn't have to worry, Danu had me. She was having all of me.

When I opened my eyes, Remmi was looking down at me with a goofy smile.

"Are you being naughty?" Remmi asked.

It was then that I still felt Danu attached to me in every way. She hadn't stopped, only paused.

I grabbed Remmi and pulled her down on top of me, kissing her deeply.

"Danu, please," I said as I continued kissing Remmi.

Remmi's body went ridged, and I knew Danu was invading her body just as she was still occupying mine.

"Holy fuck!" Remmi cried out, not bothering to try and hide it as a slew of water tentacles attacked her body.

"Now, who's being naughty?" I asked Remmi.

Remmi's eyes were bulging, and her head was thrown back in ecstasy.

"What's all this now?" Rhi said as she and Tara waded over to where Remmi and I were entwined, being fucked in every sense of the word by Danu.

I managed to focus through the sweet pleasure to look at Rhi's face.

"Do you want to find out?" I asked, my voice almost sounding drunk.

"Well, you two seem to be enjoying yourselves," Tara said.

"Danu, can you do all of us?" I asked.

"Of course," Danu said and grinned at me.

Then Rhi and Tara were crying out in pleasure and sinking into the water to where only their head was still visible. They managed to cling to one another as Danu's watery fingers ravished their bodies.

This orgy of water went on for a while. Somewhere in there, I managed to regain enough sense to ask Danu a question.

"Danu, do you get pleasure from this?" I asked as my body continued to quiver.

"Yes," Danu said. "But not in the same way as you. Do not worry yourself with me. I'm more than enjoying myself."

"More?" I asked Danu once again.

"More?" Danu asked. "My, but you are a greedy thing, aren't you? What more could you... oh, I see."

I watched the water tentacle lift out of the water and slowly make its way towards me. I didn't open my mouth for it, but I made it slip past my lips and force its way into my mouth.

I knew I was a slut. I loved every filthy, dirty thing I imagined. Feeling like I had a group of people all fucking me, using me, at the same time triggered another orgasm.

I'm sure someone would say I had a problem. Or that I was addicted to sex. But at the moment, as at least half a dozen tentacles ravished my body, I didn't care. I could only imagine more ways to take advantage of this situation.

Chapter 29

ASHER

"Danu," Rhi said, pulling me from the doze I'd been enjoying.

The four of us were lounging in chairs now. Each of us had been ridden as hard or as soft as we'd wished for as long as we wished. When we couldn't take anymore, the water gently carried us and planted us on one of the lounge chairs before covering us in a blanket of warm water.

Remmi and I dozed off immediately, but Rhi and Tara didn't seem to be sleepy.

I was still in the warmest afterglow of having my brains fucked out that I'd ever experienced.

"Yes, Guardian Rhi?" Danu said.

"Do you remember the Alok?" Rhi asked.

Danu appeared to think about it a moment.

"The miners, yes?" Danu said.

"Yes, that's them. Do you remember the deal you had with them?" Rhi asked.

"Deal... a deal with the Alok?" Danu appeared to rack her memory.

"They would trade you red glow stone in exchange for your--" Rhi started.

"To tame the waters!" Danu snapped loudly, rousing Remmi. "Yes! I remember. Are the Alok still around? I've yet to hear from them since I woke."

"Since you woke?" Tara asked.

"Yes," Danu said. "Up until not that long ago, I've been asleep. I don't know how I was made to sleep or for how long. I know it was long enough to drain the glow stones that protected this temple, though."

"Are you still willing to deal with the Alok?" Rhi asked.

"Of course," Danu said. "As far as I'm concerned, our accord still stands. I just don't have the power to reach them now. Are you empowered to speak for the Alok?"

Rhi looked over at Tara before answering.

"I am aware of their situation and am capable of carrying a message to them if you wish," Rhi said.

"Situation?" Danu asked.

"Part of their..." Rhi looked at me before she continued. "Part of their mine has collapsed and flooded on the Fellbacks side."

"Oh!" Danu sounded concerned. "I had no idea. But the Fellbacks have always been at the extreme of my limit, even when I was at full power. It would take a great deal for me to reach waters that far away."

"Would you treat with them if I brought them here?" Rhi asked.

"Of course," Danu said. "As I said, I wish to honor my agreements, regardless of how old."

"OK," Rhi said and turned to us. All right, you two layabouts. We need to get back before your parents think we kidnapped you again."

Remmi and I groaned but reluctantly got to our feet and stumbled over to put our armor back on.

By the time we got back to The Roadhouse, it was daybreak. Once again, Remmi and my body clocks were off, and we slept most of the day away. We managed to get up in the early afternoon, just as Rhi and Tara were heading out. We said our goodbyes; they were short and sweet, but we said them.

We returned to our patrolling in the following weeks. But as time went on, signs that anyone was watching The Roadhouse faded. When there were no new signs of anyone watching us in nearly a month, Mom and Dad stopped the patrols and the guarding. They figured whatever was going on was over now.

A caravan arrived at our gates the day after we stopped our heightened security. They had come from the other side of the mountains and were en route to the capital city for trade. The same smelly capital city we'd first arrived in.

We were the first civilized spot they'd hit in over a month. They were desperate for creature comforts and all the amenities they'd been without. Plus, they had the coin to spend on it.

The Roadhouse had never been this full before. The trader caravan was filled with nearly two dozen wagons full of every type of good, from animal skins to spices to rare ores.

Larisa took a special interest in the ores and made several purchases. Her forge had been doing a trickle of trade over the last month. We still had workmen around who were making changes, repairing buildings, and making furniture. All of these usually required bits of metal in the form of nails or plates.

With the caravan, Larisa became busy! She repaired this or replaced that. It seemed nearly every wagon had something they needed her to fix before they moved on. Several had been limping along just to get here.

Larisa never looked as happy as when she was busy.

Patty also had her share of business. Several of the drivers had injuries or illnesses that needed proper tending. She patched them up quickly and got them on their way.

The caravan stayed for three days and nearly ate us out of house and home. Remmi and I had been hunting just to keep meat stocks full.

Remmi had joined Dad in the kitchen with food prep. She'd introduced several "healthy" food options to the kitchen, but they didn't go over well with our patrons. After the second day of her food being either returned or ignored, she stopped "helping."

When the caravan finally departed, my family breathed a collective sigh of relief. We watched them depart, heading towards Laghold to repair and restock anything we couldn't provide them.

Mom said if that was the kind of business this place could expect, we would have to hire help.

Thankfully, Dad had gotten his clockwork servants up and running. They'd tended to the rooms and helped out in the kitchen. Without them, none of us would have slept during those three days.

I was at the forge a week later when Dad caught up to me. Larisa was touching up the edge of my blade. I sharpened the thing myself, but it never seemed to be as good as when Larisa did it.

"Have you seen your mother?" Dad asked, startling me from my staring at the blade in Larisa's hand scraping along the sharpening stone.

"Huh?" I said and turned around.

"Your mom. Have you seen her?" Dad repeated.

"Uh, no. Haven't seen her since last night," I said.

"Well, if you see her, let her know I'm looking for her, OK?" Dad said with a frown.

"Sure, Dad. Everything OK?" I asked.

"Yeah," Dad said. "Just haven't seen her this morning. I'll keep looking."

I watched Dad walk away towards the surgery.

"Well, that's strange," I mumbled.

Mom usually stuck to the inn. She was always finding something that needed tending to.

"Here you go!" Larisa said.

I turned around and took the sword from her.

"Try not to bang it into any more trees, would you?" Larisa said. "It's a sword, not an axe."

"It was an accident," I said with a smirk. I'd been practicing in the forest and stumbled, resulting in my sword cutting a deep gouge in a tree.

"Uh huh," Larisa said. She'd been practically beaming since the caravan left. Apparently, being overworked made her happy. She'd been smiling most of the week.

"What do I owe you?" I asked, testing the sharpness of my blade with my thumb.

"A kiss," Larisa said out of nowhere.

"A wha--argh!" I cried as I pulled my now-bleeding thumb from the blade. I glanced at the cut before pinching it shut until it stopped bleeding. "What?" I managed.

"You heard me," Larisa said. "I want you to kiss me. And I don't mean no peck on the cheek. I want something as deep and as warm as I've seen you with Remmi. Oh, and never check your blade with your thumb."

I stared at the woman. She'd never shown the slightest interest in anything other than the forge until now. Actually, I think this was the longest conversation I'd had with her.

I glanced around, but no one was around.

"Why?" I asked. I wasn't against it per se. It was just so out of character for her.

"Because you'll cut yourself, obviously!" Larisa said in the most "duh" voice you could imagine.

"No, why do you want me to kiss you?" I asked.

"Does it matter?" Larisa sounded like she was getting annoyed.

"It might," I said cautiously. I cut off Larisa before she could protest. "Listen, I don't mind kissing you. Not at all." I'd seen Larisa once as she was coming from the showers. She was actually cute underneath all the grime. She just seemed a little too attached to her grime for my tastes.

"Good," Larisa said, motioning me to follow her into the blacksmith shop.

I stepped inside the small building and found it sparkling clean. The last time I'd been in here, it was a rotting hole. Now, all the old wood had been replaced and polished. The ceiling, walls, and floors had been cleaned, and the windows had been washed. It was a nice-looking little shop now.

"Wow," I said as I looked around. "The place looks great."

"Yeah, sure," Larisa said and closed the door. "Now, kiss me," she said abruptly.

I still wasn't sure what her game was but I obliged. I pulled her in close, surprising her. She stared at me as I leaned in and kissed her. It was immediately apparent she'd never kissed someone before as she just, sorta stood there. It was like trying to kiss a dead fish.

*Maybe she's just shy,* I thought and shifted how I was approaching her. Nope, still a dead fish.

I broke off and looked at her.

"What?" Larisa said.

"You've never done this before, have you?" I asked, trying to be gentle about it.

"What?" Larisa gasped. "Of course I have! Don't be silly!"

"I think she doth protest too much," I mumbled.

"What?" Larisa asked.

"Larisa," I started. "You know blacksmithing. If I went in there and started swinging a hammer around, you'd know right away if I was a newbie, wouldn't you?"

"I'd never let you get that far," Larisa said. "It's obvious you don't know what you're doing, and I wouldn't even let you touch one of my hammers."

"Well, this," I motioned to our kissing, "is what I know. I may not be a master, but I'm definitely an experienced journeyman. Know what I mean?"

"Oh," Larisa said. "Was it really that bad?"

I smiled at the woman. She was technically older than I was, but not by more than a few years.

"You've never shown me the slightest interest before," I said. "You want to tell me what's going on?"

Larisa made a face like she was in pain and heavily sat down in the only chair. She buried her face in her hands, her elbows on her knees, and groaned.

I couldn't help it. I let out a little chuckle.

"OK, who is it?" I asked.

Larisa stopped and peeked out at me from between her fingers.

"Tara," Larisa mumbled quietly.

"Oh, she's amazing!" I gushed.

"I know!" Larisa exclaimed and stood up. "She knows so much about metal, more than I ever could!" Larisa started pacing the room. "And she's funny and so kind and--"

"And she's hot," I added.

"So hot!" Larisa snapped, throwing her hands up. Then she caught herself and started blushing madly.

"Don't get embarrassed!" I said. "Tara's all those things you said."

"Yes, but she's also so classy. And she's married to Rhi, who's so elegant. How could I ever... why would she ever... with me?" Larisa's ramble seemed to wind itself down.

"So," I started. "You want to learn to kiss so you can kiss Tara?" I asked.

"Well, yeah," Larisa said.

I sighed and walked over to Larisa, putting both my hands on her shoulders.

"I can guarantee you that if you asked her, Tara would teach you how to kiss. She'd probably really enjoy it," I said.

"No, I could never..." Larisa started.

"Larisa, I'm a horndog," I said.

"Horn... dog?" Larisa asked.

"I like sleeping... I like having sex... a lot!" I corrected myself. I wasn't sure exactly what Larisa's education was and didn't want there to be any confusion. "If you asked me, I'd teach you how to kiss and a whole lot more. You're cute, and I'm horny! It would be fun!" I said, then reigned in my whoremones.

"But, if you're really interested in Tara, then just ask her the next time she's here," I said. "Hell, I'll help you if you're too shy."

Larisa seemed to think about it.

"You'd do that?" Larisa asked.

"Of course," I said. "We may not know one another very well, but we live together. I'll take care of you, whatever you decide."

"Thanks, Ms. Asher," Larisa said.

Just then, I heard someone yelling outside.

"I'd better check on what that is," I said. "You, OK?"

Larisa nodded.

I found Dad out back, calling out for Mom.

"Dad?" I asked as I walked up to him.

"Your mom's not here," Dad said nervously.

"OK," I said slowly. "You've checked everywhere?"

"I've checked every building and asked every person here. She's gone!" Dad said, panic in his voice.

I placed my hand on his arm.

"OK then," I started and made him turn to look at me. "Let's gather everyone up and do a quick search together. Alright?"

"Sure," Dad said after a moment.

It took about an hour to gather everyone and systematically search The Roadhouse. Mom was nowhere to be found. The last person to see her was Dad, and that was last night. He'd been exhausted from restocking, and Mom told him to go to bed while she finished the inventory.

With everywhere inside the walls being exhausted, we began a sweep outside the walls. While everyone else searched the areas right outside the walls, Remmi and I bounded out further, searching the surrounding areas.

Winter was coming on now, and a light dusting of snow had fallen overnight and was still on the ground. We were careful and searched for any fresh tracks, but aside from some animals, we didn't find anything.

When we rejoined the others back at the inn, they hadn't found any sign of her either.

Patty was consoling Dad, trying to calm his rapidly worried mind until we could figure out what to do.

"Come with me," Remmi said and tugged on my arm. She pulled me from the common room and out to the stables.

"Remmi, what's going on?" I asked as she closed the stable doors behind us. "I don't think a quick roll in the hay is a good idea right now!"

"I know where Angela is," a gruff voice said from behind me.

I turned and found Rachel lying in one of the stalls, breathing heavily. She wore dark clothes I'd never seen before. They were torn and stained. And she had several cuts and bruises on her body.

"Rachel!" I said and knelt beside her.

"Angela was taken," Rachel said and coughed.

"Go get Patty, now!" I ordered Remmi.

"No!" Rachel demanded. "Later. I can wait until later. Patty's with Sinjin right now, and she needs to stay there; otherwise, he's going to hear about this and go get himself killed."

I hadn't seen Rachel in weeks. No one had. She's been disappearing on and off for a while now, and no one knew where she'd run off to.

"Rachel..." I started.

"I've been trying to track down who's been after us. I've been working since you brought news from that Ali kid. I suspected his father was the ringleader but couldn't confirm it until this morning."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"They hadn't done anything yet, nothing illegal at least," Rachel rambled. "They'd just been watching, gathering info. I was watching the father when someone new came to him this morning."

"Who?" I asked, trying to follow her story.

"Not local," Rachel said. "A thug from somewhere not here. He told the father, 'It was done.' I followed the thug to a shack on the outskirts. There were three other men, all outsiders. They had Angela bound and gagged."

"But why? Ransom?" I asked.

"Scare tactic," Rachel coughed again. "Kidnap her, hold her, and eventually release her with another warning to get out."

"Another warning?" I looked at Remmi, who shrugged.

"Not the first time someone tried to scare us off," Rachel coughed. "They don't want us here. We're bad for their business. They've slipped notes into goods we've bought. Someone yelled at Patty when she was in town. Been getting worse." Rachel winced.

"But why not tell the rest of us?" I asked.

"Your parents didn't want to worry you," Rachel said.

"That again," I said and frowned. "Who beat you up?"

Rachel laughed and then winced at the pain.

"Nobody. Fell off the damned roof while watching the bad guys. Some spy, huh?" Rachel said.

"A regular 007," Remmi chimed in.

"Rem, go get Terri and Thomas quietly," I said.

This time, Remmi went.

"Asher," Rachel said. "They'll probably let your mom go unharmed in a day or so. But there's no telling what they'll do to her until then."

"They won't get the chance," I said, looking around. There was a horse/goat thing in the next stall. It was covered in a lather and didn't look too good.

"Had to steal a horse to get back here," Rachel coughed. "I think I may have killed the thing."

"Don't mind that right now. Where is this building?" I asked.

Terri, Thomas, and Remmi arrived shortly after Rachel gave me the rundown of the situation. I sent Remmi for our gear and told Thomas to go buddy up to Dad so he could take over for Patty. Meanwhile, Terri and I moved Rachel to the surgery.

"Just the two of you?" Terri said once we had Rachel on the surgery table. "Against four guys? That's nuts. Just call the sheriff or guard or whatever."

"I don't think they have one," I said. I'd heard Cr'eon mention that the old man who stood by the gate mentioned the town guard had been disbanded by the merchant guild some time ago.

"But you're right," I agreed. "It is nuts."

Patty came in then, took one look at Rachel, and started spouting orders. I passed mine off to Terri and left the surgery just as Remmi was coming out of the inn with our gear.

"We leaving now?" Remmi asked as she handed me my kit.

"One stop first," I said.

**Ω**

ASHER

To say I was pissed was an understatement. The entire way to town, I was stewing about how my parents had, once again, left me in the dark. How these assholes in town thought they could get away with anything just because they had money. That there was no one to keep this sort of thing from happening.

Kidnapping. They'd abducted my mom and were holding her prisoner. Even if we get through this, what's to stop them from doing it again? What if they step it up and try to burn The Roadhouse down next? Or sneak in during the night and slit everyone's throats?

There's no one to stop them.

Mom and Dad didn't understand this. They still thought this was a civilized place, like back home. That people just "wouldn't do something like that." Well, now they knew. The question was what they were going to do about it.

I knew what I was going to do.

"23-cent solution," I'd said aloud on the way here. Remmi had given me a hard look. She knew what James's saying meant and agreed this had to happen.

Now, we sat hidden and watched the small shack where Mom was being held. Our expressions were hard, reflecting the grim determination of what we were about to do.

"They still in there?" I asked.

Remmi glanced about, "Four baddies and Mom."

"How does she look?" I asked.

Remmi had transformed her eyes. I don't know what race or animal she was now imitating, but it let her see through the shack's window across the street.

"OK. Tied to a chair, I think," Remmi said.

"At least it's not a bed," I muttered.

"Not funny," Remmi said, looking at me sharply.

"I'm not laughing," I replied. "We ready?"

"Looks like it," Remmi said after scanning the area again.

"Remember our training. We move fast. We strike hard and clean," I said.

"And we don't stop until it's done," Remmi said darkly.

"Until it's done," I echoed. "Let's get these sombitches," I said and rose from where we'd been crouching around the corner of a house.

We'd arrived in the city in darkness, but the sun was rising and getting bright quickly.

I crossed the open area between the house and shack with Remmi right next to me. I was terrified of what I was about to do, but my determination to protect my family at all costs beat my terror into submission.

I didn't stop, I couldn't. I was afraid that if I slowed down, I'd change my mind and stop. But not even the crappy door to the shack could stop me. One solid kick and it flew inward, half off its hinges.

My sword was already in my hand and in midstroke. The blade sank into the neck of the man whose back was to me with surprising ease.

Remmi literally leaped onto the chest of the man to my left and brought her knives down repeatedly. She didn't stop and rode the man all the way to the floor.

The four men had been playing cards at a table while our mother sat tied up in the far corner.

With how easy my sword bit into the man's neck, you think it would have just kept on going through, decapitating the man like in the movies. But no. This was real life. Instead, my blade lodged in the man's spine and refused to move.

Luckily, Rhi had given me some remedial training on this. After I told her what happened with the two Shilak, she told me what to do when my sword got stuck the next time.

I released the sword and was already drawing the new long knife strapped horizontally to my belt. It wasn't as high-quality as my sword, but it was sturdy and sharp.

I didn't stop.

When I'd kicked open the door, the four men had frozen in surprise.

When I swung my sword, nearly cutting a man's head off, the remaining three men pushed back from the table.

When Remmi leaped on her man and started stabbing the shit out of him, screaming like a banshee the whole time, the remaining two men stood up.

The man on my right held up his hands in self-defense as my blade came at his unarmored torso. None of the men wore armor, but they were all armed.

My blade sliced through the man's hands just as easily as it sliced into his body, biting deeply. I felt the rib shatter, just as Rhi said it might. I continued my thrust, pushing the blade sideways and ripping it from the man's chest in a fountain of gore.

The final man clawed at his belt for his knife just as a crossbow bolt as big around as my fist came crashing through the window and pinned him unceremoniously to the wall.

The third man was already dying but wasn't dead yet, so I pressed my attack. I span with my knife and used the momentum to drive the point through the back of his skull and twisted. Now, he was dead.

As I yanked my knife from the man's skull, Cr'eon appeared in the doorway, reloading her massive crossbow.

"Mom!" I called as I absentmindedly wiped the blood off my knife and sheathed it.

Mom didn't respond as I started to examine her. She was breathing, but her eyes were dilated, and she wouldn't wake up.

"Probably drugged," Cr'eon said. "Probably for the best, she didn't see this."

"I think she needed to see this," I said. "I think the whole damn family needs to see this!" My anger was still simmering. But the sound of squishing flesh drew my attention.

"Remmi, you can stop. He's dead," I said as I came up behind her carefully.

"But he moved," Remmi said, her voice hollow and distant.

Remmi was still stabbing the man. We'd been trained to fight until our opponent stopped moving. Unfortunately, every time she stabbed him, the body moved and triggered a repeat attack.

"It's OK," I said, putting my hands on her shoulders.

She stopped and looked down at the mess she'd created.

"It was so easy," Remmi said in a small voice as she stood and turned to me. She was covered in gore. "I thought it would be harder."

"This parts over," I said. "Mom's safe."

"Mom!" Remmi suddenly snapped out of the stooper she'd sunk into and rushed to Mom's side. "She won't wake up!"

I glanced at Cr'eon, who nodded.

"She's probably drugged," Cr'eon repeated herself.

"Can you bring the wagon up, please," I asked Cr'eon.

"Are we leaving?" Cr'eon asked.

"Not quite yet," I said.

Moving to the next part of my grizzly plan only took me a few minutes. By the time Mom was gathered in the wagon, and we were ready to move, a small crowd had gathered. They pointed, stared, and murmured but didn't do anything to stop us.

A few minutes later, we pulled up in front of The Bright Moons Inn, dragging our bloody cargo.

"Mr. Lanner!" I bellowed at the top of my lungs. It didn't come out exactly as I wanted, but it got the job done.

I glanced down at Remmi, who'd been quiet this entire time. All she did was stare down at her blood-stained hands. I felt there was going to be a problem there, but I didn't have time to think about it now.

A window upstairs opened, and Mr. Lanner stuck his head out.

"Who is bellowing at--what in the?!" Mr. Lanner cried out when he saw the four dead and bloody men I'd dragged behind us all the way from the shack.

"I have something of yours. Please come downstairs and retrieve it," I said, standing in the wagon where everyone could see me.

"I will do no such thing!" Mr. Lanner started.

"If you don't, I'll be forced to come up and deliver them myself!" I bellowed.

"Who do--" Mr. Lanner started, but one of Cr'eon's crossbow bolts embedded itself in the wall beside his head. He looked at the quivering bolt and then down at the large Daemon who was in the process of reloading.

"Just a moment," he said, disappearing back inside his window.

I turned to find Cr'eon finishing her reload with a pleased expression on her face.

"Proud of yourself, are you?" I asked.

"This so beats observation duty," Cr'eon muttered.

I had no clue what that was, but by the time Mr. Lanner appeared at the door, a large crowd had gathered to watch.

"I've brought back your men to you, Mr. Lanner," I said loudly. "I apologize for their condition, but they were holding my mother prisoner. Men who kidnap unarmed women for coin tend to be a bit unstable."

"You're the one who's unstable if you think that I would hire--" Mr. Lanner started but stopped and took a step back as I leaped from the wagon, drew my sword and leveled it at him all in one swift motion.

"Don't you dare lie to me in front of all these people!" I bellowed. "The truth is known. You and the people of your so-called merchant's league have been attempting to turn the town against my family at The Roadhouse." I lowered my sword and turned to the crowd.

"I'm sure many of you have heard or even been approached to take action against us," I started. "But you were smart enough not to be swayed by this man's greed. We take nothing from this town. As a matter of fact, we frequent the town, supporting many of its businesses with our coin!

"But you!" I span back to face Mr. Lanner. "When they would not support you, you hired these men to spy on us and eventually kidnap my mother!

"You seem to think my family is out to ruin yours when there's nothing further from the truth. Even now, when I have the right to strike you down where you stand, I still stay my sword. Now, lie to me again about how you didn't hire these men."

"I never hired--" Mr. Lanner started, triggering a rage I'd been holding in check until now.

I brought my sword up, about to strike.

"Don't!" Ali was suddenly standing in front of his cowering father. "Please don't kill him!"

I froze, locking eyes with Ali, who pleaded with me.

Slowly, I lowered my sword.

"I give your life to your son," I said. "He seems to be the smarter one of your family." I turned and started walking back to the wagon.

"Constable!" Mr. Lanner called out from behind me. "It's about time! Where have you been?" Lanner pushed his son aside and dashed into the street where an old man I'd never seen before was approaching.

The crowd parted and let him pass.

"These people murdered these men and then drug them through our streets!" Mr. Lanner said.

The constable looked to be about 100 years old. There was nothing but lines on his face and a long, white Yosemite Sam mustache hanging from his lip.

He looked at Lanner, then the bodies, then at me.

"That true?" The constable's voice crackled like an old gravel road.

"Mr. Lanner hired these four men to kidnap my mother," I started, my voice unusually calm. "We retrieved her from bondage, killing these four men in the process. I was just returning what belonged to Mr. Lanner and advising him to leave us be."

The constable stared at me for a long time before looking at Remmi, Mom, and finally, Cr'eon.

"Seems about right," The constable finally said and started to turn.

"Where are you going? Why aren't you arresting them?" Mr. Lanner said.

"The word of a guardian of The Protectorate Moons isn't to be questioned," the constable said as if that explained everything.

The crowd erupted in murmurs.

"Protectorate Moons? That old legend? Them?" Mr. Lanner said and laughed. "You seriously believe these people are sacred guardians? You're joking, you old fool."

The constable turned back to face us.

"I may be old, but my eyes are working just fine," The constable pointed at the symbols on Remmi and my armor. Both symbols suddenly blazed brightly and warmth radiated from them as if they'd caught fire.

The murmuring in the crowd increased, and now people were pointing.

"Nonsense. I could pay the blacksmith to do that very same thing," Mr. Lanner said.

"And if you posed at a guardian, I'd put you in jail until a true guardian came to fetch you," The constable said. "It is forbidden to claim to be a guardian when you are not." The constable turned back to us. "You are guardians, yes?"

Before I could even think of answering, Cr'eon ended the discussion.

"The Moons rise," Cr'eon said, standing up from the driver's seat of the wagon. "As do these new guardians."

I had no idea what was going on. But when Cr'eon spoke, the crowd stepped away from us. Some even offered small bows.

What the fuck?

In the face of Cr'eon and the newly converted crowd, Mr. Lanner quietly backed down.

The constable offered us a final nod before turning and heading back to where he came from.

"Asher," Cr'eon muttered, "Come."

I quickly untied the bodies and climbed into the wagon. I watched Mr. Lanner as we pulled away from the scene. From the look on his face, this wasn't the last of it. Before I could change my mind and go back for him, Cr'eon got us out of the city.

Chapter 30

ASHER

The first hour on the road was spent in silence. I don't know if everyone was lost in their own thoughts or just didn't know what to say, but it was a quiet ride.

Then Mom woke up.

Mom jerked awake and smacked her head into the wagon.

"You're safe, Mom, just rest," I said as I checked on her.

Mom was groggy and fell back asleep almost immediately, only to wake up a short time later.

"What is going on?" Mom asked slowly.

"We rescued you from the kidnappers," I said. "We're heading home."

"Kidnappers?" Mom asked. She didn't remember anything. The last thing she remembered was being in the cool room, taking inventory, and then waking up in the wagon here.

I filled her in on what had happened.

Mom couldn't believe Remmi and I had pulled it off. Then she saw Remmi's state and went into full mom mode, tending to her.

I moved up front with Cr'eon to give Mom and Remmi some privacy.

"What was all that back there?" I asked.

"Which?" Cr'eon asked.

"The guardians rising and magic symbols on our armor," I said.

"I'll be honest, I don't really know," Cr'eon said. "I sensed things were getting even more out of hand and stepped in. It seemed best to let them continue to believe you were guardians, so that's what I did. A Daemon's word here is still a powerful thing."

"You think we'll get in trouble?" I asked.

"Can't see how," Cr'eon said. "As the constable said, the only people who could judge you were other guardians, and I don't see any of those around." She glanced at my worried expression. "Try not to worry."

Luckily, the rest of the trip back to The Roadhouse was uneventful.

Everyone was up and in various states of consciousness in the inn's common room. Sleep had not been something to come easily to anyone at The Roadhouse lately.

Rachel looked much better. She wasn't having trouble breathing or moving anymore, and the dark bruising she'd had was now just dull red blotches. It looked like Patty came through again and patched her up.

Dad had asked one of the workers heading back to town to return the stolen horse. He included a note apologizing for the need due to the emergency and added a payment for the trouble.

Remmi and I stumbled upstairs and fell asleep after a quick shower. This seemed to be becoming our new norm.

In the morning, Remmi was sitting up in bed, staring at her hands.

"You still here?" I asked.

"Huh?" Remmi looked at me, her eyes a little dazed.

"Are you here in this room right now?" I asked with a grin.

"Yeah, I guess so," Remmi said.

"You guess so?" I asked.

"I just can't stop thinking about yesterday, about that man I... stabbed," Remmi said, her voice sounding haunted.

I suddenly wished Rhi was here. She was a shrink; she knew how to handle this sort of thing. She could probably handle Mom, too. I didn't know how to deal with any of this, and I needed help.

"It was the only way to save Mom," I said. "If we hesitated, if we gave those assholes a chance, they would have done worse to us."

"I know," Remmi said. "It... just... seems like it should be harder to take someone's life."

"We're fragile creatures," I said and took her hands. "It doesn't take much to damage us. I mean, a simple cold can kill someone."

"Yeah," Remmi said with a sigh. "I'll work through this. How are you doing?"

"Me?" I said and thought about it for a minute. "I'm OK, I guess. Still worried about Lanner, though."

"I don't think he'll be trying that or anything else against us for a while," Remmi said.

"How so?" I asked.

"The town now thinks we're these magical guardian things," Remmi said. "If he were to do something to us, the whole town would rise up against him."

"Magical guardians? I don't have a Japanese sailor suit or a tiara, do you?" I teased.

Remmi showed some of her old self as she rolled her eyes.

Dad chewed us a good one for leaving without saying anything yesterday. But he thanked us as well. I think, deep down, he knew it was for the best. I don't know if Dad could have done what needed doing in that shack.

Mom continued with the whole amnesia thing. I wasn't sure if she really didn't remember or if she was just trying to block it out. It didn't really matter as she had latched onto Remmi and was being a complete mother hen over her.

I laughed as Mom hugged Remmi, and Remmi's eyes begged me for help. I simply waved and slipped out the door. I needed to see Larisa.

When I walked up, Larisa was finishing a set of nails she was hammering out.

"Hey, Larisa," I said. "Can I get you to take a look at my sword again?"

"What did you do now?" she said as she put down her tools and wiped her face with a rag.

"Got it lodged in a guy's neck?" I offered.

Larisa paused as she'd been reaching for my sword.

"Long story," I said, holding the sword still in the scabbard.

"This thing is filthy!" Larisa scolded me as she pulled the sword from its sheath and found crusted blood all over it.

"Yeah, I haven't had a chance yet," I said, grimacing.

"Go clean this," Larisa demanded. "The scabbard, too. Then bring it back to me."

"OK," I sighed and sculked away like a kicked puppy. I came back an hour or so later.

"Better," Larisa said as she examined the freshly cleaned sword. She spent a few minutes looking the sword over before declaring it was fine. It just needed a touchup of sharpening.

She had me follow her inside where she pulled a whetstone from behind the counter and spat on it before starting to work on the edge.

I listened to the sound of the stone and sword singing their duet for a few minutes.

"Asher?" Larisa started.

"What's up?" I asked. Perhaps she'd seen something I hadn't on my sword?

"It's not about the sword," Larisa said. "It's about... that other thing."

My eyebrows shot up, not that she could see as she had her back to me.

"Oh?" I asked.

"I was wondering... if you're not busy sometime... maybe... we could... practice? Together?" Larisa said carefully.

I had to bite my lip from giggling at the shy girl's technique. But I had to give her props for being brave enough to ask.

"That was hard to ask, wasn't it?" I said quietly.

"Yes!" Larisa burst out and sighed. "Why is this so hard?!"

"Don't feel bad," I said and came up behind her, resting my hands on her shoulders. "It's that way for everybody. Some just hide it better than others."

I squeezed her shoulders, kneading them gently and forcing a moan from her.

"Why don't you put the sharp pointy thing down, and we practice a little right now?" I asked, continuing to massage her shoulders.

"I'll do whatever you want as long as you don't stop doing whatever that is!" Larisa said.

"What, giving you a massage?" I asked.

"Is that what it's called?" Larisa asked. "It's wonderful!"

"With all your heavy lifting, you don't have someone rub your back for you?" I asked.

"Why would they?" Larisa asked.

"A massage parlor would make a fortune here... legally even," I muttered.

"What?" Larisa asked.

"Don't worry about it... you know what?" I started. "Change of plans," I said and stopped rubbing her shoulders.

"Awww, why'd you stop?" Larisa complained.

"Because we're going to do this the right way," I replied. "Come with me."

"I can't leave the forge!" Larisa protested.

"Then turn it off!" I said.

"It's not that simple," Larisa said. "It takes time, and I still have work to do."

"Fine, do you know where my room is?" I asked, and she nodded. "Good, come find me tonight when you're done."

Larisa swallowed, "In your room? At night?" her voice practically squeaked.

"Trust me," I said and kissed her forehead.

That night, I had to boot Remmi out.

"But why can't I waaaaatch?" Remmi whined overdramatically as she headed for the door.

"You do know this is Larisa, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, and you're seducing another one. There's nothing new here, Ash," Remmi complained.

"You know how shy Larisa is. If you were here, she'd just leave. The only reason I'm even doing this is--"

"Yeah, Ash, you're doing it to bang the new girl. I know," Remmi said.

"Wait," I said and moved to the door, blocking Remmi from leaving. "You're not... jealous of this, are you?"

"No," Remmi said. "I'm just tired, and if I want to share a room with someone, I'll have to sleep with them first. I'm just not up for that tonight."

"Are you OK?" I asked, tucking her hair behind her ear. She normally kept it pulled back, but this piece had escaped.

"Tired," Remmi repeated.

"Then you sleep here. This is your room," I said, changing my mind. "I'll tell Larisa we'll do it another night."

"This is OUR room, stupid," Remmi said. "You do know this is an inn, right? We have spare rooms, even in the family wing. You don't even have to leave our hall."

"Oh yeah," I said. "I guess you're not the only one who's tired. You sure you're just tired?" I asked, concerned.

"Well, when was the last time you gave me a massage?" Remmi asked.

"The heart of the matter!" I said and hugged her. "Let me go postpone with Larisa, then I'll come back and take care of you."

"You don't have to do that, Ash," Remmi said, her voice weary. "I don't want to get in the way of--" she stopped speaking when I put my finger on her lips.

"You never get in the way, silly," I said. "And you're more important than any little tart out there."

"I'm telling Larisa you called her a tart," Remmi teased.

"You do, and I won't rub your back," I countered.

"You're a big meanie," Remmi pouted.

"Get in the shower, I'll only be a minute," I said and gave her a gentle push.

Larisa seemed relieved at me postponing our rendezvous until tomorrow. But I made sure she promised to come.

Remmi was out of the shower and lying in bed half-asleep when I got back.

"You still want that massage?" I asked softly.

"Hmmm? Oh, sure," Remmi said, but I knew she was almost asleep.

Remmi had slept a good part of the day and was now sleeping again. It was too much and not like her. She liked to be out doing things, especially physical things. Today, she acted almost like she was sick, which worried me.

I kissed the top of her head gently as she started snoring. I climbed into bed, careful not to wake her, and curled up beside her, staring at her face.

Even in sleep, Remmi had worry lines showing. My stomach started hurting as I eventually fell asleep, only to be woken in the middle of the night by Remmi's screams.

"Nightmare!" I yelled, grabbing Remmi's flailing arms. "You're having a nightmare!"

It took a moment, but Remmi calmed down, her eyes looking everywhere at once.

"You OK?" I asked, now terrified I'd broken my sister by taking her along on that rescue. I could probably have handled three of them by myself... probably. I could have left Remmi as a lookout and went in alone with Cr'eon as backup. Then maybe...

"Yeah," Remmi said, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "Just bad dreams."

"Want to talk about it?" I asked.

"No," Remmi said quietly.

I pulled her into my arms, spoon style, and held her until she fell back to sleep.

The morning brought a welcome sight. Walking down to breakfast, I found Rhi and James sitting with Cr'eon at a table in the corner. They were well away from everyone else and talking quietly.

"Look who's here," I nudged Remmi, who looked up, but her reaction was not what I expected.

"Oh," Remmi said, and that was it!

I frowned and led her over to the table where the trio sat.

"Well, look who finally decided to get out of bed!" James said as he and Rhi stood up.

"I was starting to think we didn't need to rush here after all," Rhi added.

I hugged James, who was warm from the sun and smelled wonderful. But I was paying attention to the half-hearted embrace Remmi gave Rhi.

As she was holding Remmi, Rhi glanced at James with an expression I didn't understand.

Remmi didn't move. She just stood there, hanging onto Rhi like she was the only thing keeping her standing.

"Why don't we go for a walk," Rhi said softly and took the unresisting Remmi outside.

James sighed.

"What is it?" I asked as we sat down.

"Something I've seen way too many times," James said, shaking his head. "Cr'eon was telling us about the trouble you had. Can you tell me what happened?"

So, I started telling the tale of our rescue of Mom. I kept it simple, sticking to the facts as I remembered them. They were still fresh memories, but Cr'eon corrected me on a few things. By the end, I found I had a slight catch in my voice and needed water to finish the tale.

"Wow," James said when I finished. "That was a lot."

I shrugged and looked around.

"Shae had to stay home," James said. "She's in the middle of something and couldn't break away." James took my hand and squeezed it. "She really wanted to be here. She's the one who sent us."

"Sent you?" I asked.

"Shae had a feeling you were in some real trouble," James started. "So, she sent us because she couldn't come herself."

"Is she psychic or something?" I asked.

James started to answer but stopped himself. "Or something," he finally said after a long moment. "She gets hunches. I've learned never to bet against her." James smiled.

"James... did I do something?" I started.

Cr'eon stood up and, without a word, left the room.

James and I stared after her.

"She's a lady of few words," James said.

"You have no idea," I replied. "But seriously, did I make Shae mad at me?"

"What?" James looked genuinely surprised. "No, Asher, not at all."

"Then why is she avoiding me?" I burst out. I guess with everything going on, I had more feelings going on than I realized.

James took both my hands in his.

"I swear to you, if there were any way Shae could be here, she would. I'll bloodtouch with you if you want just to prove it."

I shook my head and leaned back in my chair.

"You don't have to do that, I believe you," I said with a sigh. "It's just... since we blended, I get the feeling she's not comfortable around me anymore."

James studied me for a minute.

"What makes you say that?" He said slowly.

"I don't know!" I said in frustration and slammed my fist into the table. "More feelings I don't understand, I guess."

When James didn't say anything, I looked over at him, and he stared at me with a weird expression.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" I asked and touched my cheek.

James burst out laughing.

"No," James said. "Come on outside, let's spar."

I rubbed both my cheeks just in case he wasn't telling the truth and followed him outside.

We spent the day training, the whole day! We sparred in the courtyard, fought in the forest, and even crossed swords while up to our knees in the river.

When the evening finally came, I was dragging myself upstairs to my room when James stopped me.

"Remmi's staying with Rhi tonight, just so you know," James said.

"With how Remmi was acting before, I wasn't sure if she--" I started.

"Not in that way," James interrupted. "Rhi is still worried about her and doesn't want to leave her."

"Well," I began. "She is the professional."

"Yes, she is," James said, then leaned in closer. "I'm not as worried about you..." James let the sentence hang.

"You wear my ass out all day, and then you expect me to be up for more?" I asked.

"It doesn't have to be your ass," James teased.

Oh, I liked the man. There was no doubt about it. His mind ran in the same circles as mine. Maybe a quick shower might pep me up enough to... then I remembered.

"Crap, I can't," I grumbled.

"Oh?" James said.

"I promised to help out a friend tonight," I said. "I already canceled on her last night, so I can't do it two nights in a row! Raincheck?"

"We're not leaving tomorrow," James said with a wry grin. "I don't mind getting in line."

"You're a horrible, horrible man, you know that?" I said, shaking my head.

"It's a gift," James said with a shrug. He waved at me and turned back to the bar.

I trudged the rest of the way to my room and stripped down before jumping in the shower. It helped, and I felt a little better when I got out.

I was just putting on my small clothes when there was a knock at the door so soft I barely heard it.

Larisa was outside in the hallway.

"Hey," I said cheerfully. "Come on in."

Larisa came in and looked around as I closed the door.

"Where's Remmi?" Larisa asked.

"She's staying with Rhi tonight," I said. "They've got some stuff to talk about."

"Oh," was all Larisa said.

I looked at the girl. She was filthy from working all day, and her clothes were stained with sweat. Right now, she looked like a nervous rabbit, ready to bolt.

I made a snap decision.

"You know what?" I started. "We're not going to fool around tonight at all."

"We're not?" Larisa gave me a look. "I'm confused."

"You wanted some kissing practice," I said. "I'll still help you with that, but we will not go past that, even if you ask me to. So, relax."

"Even if I ask?" Larisa made it sound like the idea of her asking for more was ludicrous.

"But first, I'm going to give you the massage I promised," I said.

"Massage?" Larisa questioned.

"The rubbing your shoulders and back deal," I said.

"Oh, that I would love!" Larisa said with a sigh. "Then the kissing?"

"Yes, massage, then the kissing," I said, smiling.

"And nothing else," Larisa asked.

"I promise," as I said it, I placed my hand on my heart.

"OK," Larisa said with a sigh. "What do I do?"

"Well, first, go take a shower," I said. "It needs to be nice and hot. The hotter the better, trust me."

Larisa nodded and headed to the bathroom.

"There's fresh towels when you're done," I said. "Just wrap up in one once you're dried off."

I rearranged the room slightly and turned the lantern down. I didn't have any candles or incense, but I made the room as comfortable as I could. It would never pass as a spa or anything, but it was still nice.

Larisa wasn't in the shower long, but I could see some steam, so it was hot, at least. A few minutes later, she appeared wrapped in a towel and blushed furiously.

"A massage is supposed to be relaxing. So, try to relax!" I said brightly.

"I'm too nervous to relax," Larisa said.

"OK, to put your mind at ease, let me tell you what's going to happen," I said. "You are going to lay down on the bed, face down. I will use some oil to rub the muscles in your arms, neck, back, and legs. If you like what I do, I'll have you turn over and do the front. If at any time you don't like what I'm doing, tell me. Tell me if you want me to use more pressure or spend longer on a spot. If you want to stop, tell me."

I sighed deeply.

"Larisa, you're a beautiful woman, and yes, I'd love to be with you," I said, trying to be honest. "But that's not what this is about. This is about making your body feel good after all that work."

"Isn't that what being together is all about?" Larisa asked, and for the first time ever, I saw a twinkle of mischief in her eye.

I glanced at her towel.

"You've been lying to me," I said.

"What?" Larisa said.

"Why do you bind your chest?" I asked, nodding to her now very feminine chest.

"They can get in the way," Larisa said and frowned. "Plus, most don't take a woman seriously as a smith."

"I understand," I said, realizing her short hair wasn't just to avoid embers from the forge. "Go ahead and lay down."

Larisa climbed onto the bed and lay face down.

"OK, I need the towel, Larisa," I said.

Larisa still had the towel wrapped around her firmly. Reluctantly, she pulled it off, careful to avoid looking at me.

I took the towel and folded it up before laying it on her butt.

"Is this OK?" I asked.

"Sure," Larisa said hesitantly.

I started with her back. Her shoulders were just solid knots. I could have spent days on them and never made a dent, so I focused on what I could do. I worked my way up and down one arm and then the other before going to her neck and working my way down her back.

Larisa moaned and groaned nearly the entire time, praising me and my hands.

"You should have my father do this sometime. He's actually had some training," I said.

When I got to her lower back, I started working on the top of her butt, but she made me stop because it hurt too much. I made a note of it and moved on to her legs. By the time I was done with her legs and worked my way back up her back, she was snoring lightly.

Larisa had a nice body. She kept it hidden, though, so I understood how she might not be asked out on many dates.

When I tried to wake her up, she wouldn't wake up! She was truly down for the count. I tucked her into the covers and let her be. If she was that tired, nothing else we did tonight would matter.

I threw some casual clothes on and slipped outside, closing my door carefully so as not to wake her. My intention was to grab a quick snack and go to bed. Those intentions changed when I saw James still at the bar.

James was good. He took one look at me and saw how I was looking at him. He put his drink down and practically ran up the stairs to me.

We went to his room, which was one of our high-end rooms. It seemed my parents really were treating the gestalt better.

I helped him out of the armor he was wearing and pulled him into the shower.

All the pent-up frustrations that had been growing in me as I touched Larisa tonight came flaring to life as we kissed. I ran my hands across his body, enjoying the feeling of the man beneath my fingers. I loved the feel of a woman, but sometimes, there was something about a man's body.

His rough hands returned the favor, sliding across my skin and reminding me of my need.

We wasted no more time in the shower and made our way to the bed, not bothering with towels.

I climbed up on the bed as he sank to his knees and brought his mouth to my sex. He ran his mouth down my cock, but it was obvious what he wanted. Soon, his tongue was sliding between my folds and teasing me until I was dripping for him.

I pulled him up and further onto the bed as he climbed between my thighs.

We didn't say anything this whole time. As a matter of fact, the first sounds made were of us both groaning as his cock slid into my pussy.

I ran my hands down his well-toned chest as he began with a slow pace, his cock slipping in and out of me with long strokes. I pulled my legs back, giving him better access to me and immediately felt him touching me deeper.

He was good. That's all there was to it. He could sense when I wanted something faster or harder, and he'd respond without having to be told. I didn't know how he did it. If it was vampire magic crap, I didn't care. He was fucking good.

I pulled him down to me, wanting his mouth again. He responded to my need with the same intensity. I could feel my body tingling deep inside, and I knew he was drawing it out of me.

Like a relentless machine, he thrust into me, not slowing, not speeding up. He just maintained the same steady pace that brought my orgasm out with sudden explosive force.

I gasped loudly, not expecting something so powerful and clawed at his back as the waves of my orgasm flooded my body. My hips bucked involuntarily as I felt him slowing but not stopping.

I took a shuddering breath, not having realized I'd been holding my breath, and made a sound I wasn't proud of. It was one of those heat of the moment, animal sounds that you never ever spoke about afterward.

I looked up at James and knew he wouldn't say anything. I relaxed, the intensity wavering just as James slammed into me hard. The orgasm I thought was gone reminded me it hadn't quite left yet. It was almost as if James was grabbing onto the very end of it and was trying to tease it back.

Then his pelvis hit me again, and the feeling seemed to wake something in me.

I looked up at him and saw he knew exactly what he was doing to me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and began to buck my hips into him, meeting his thrusts now. I wasn't a bystander being pleasured. Now, I was an active participant.

James quickened his pace, starting to pant now with the effort as I rose to meet him each time. I was trying to pound back into him as hard as he was into me.

I don't know why, but we were both smiling now, grinning like idiots at one another. I felt a giggle bubble up from somewhere deep in me, and I let it out.

James responded in kind, chuckling along with me.

We were having fun, and it was great. That's when I saw it in his face. He was so close now. All it would have taken was a single word from me to send him over, but I didn't want to break our wordless truce.

Instead, I leaned into him, letting my body and the moans I was making push him over instead.

He didn't stop. I could feel him spilling inside me, but he wasn't stopping. I guess he was also having too much fun, and I wasn't about to interrupt him.

Sometime later, I tried to walk a straight line back to my room, but my legs felt like rubber. I slipped back into my room, where Larisa was still snoring away. I couldn't help but chuckle at the woman as I tiptoed to the bathroom to clean up before climbing into bed beside her.

Chapter 31

ASHER

"I fell asleep?"

Larisa's words woke me the next morning from a very peaceful sleep I'd been enjoying. I yawned and stretched. The sparing the day before had worn me out. The sex though, it seemed to have scratched a whole other itch I hadn't realized I had.

"I tried to wake you, but you're a deep sleeper!" I said. "Don't worry about it. It happens a lot if you're doing it right."

"But we didn't get to the kissing part!" Larisa complained.

"Well, we can do it right now if you'd like," I offered.

Larisa looked like she was going to give in until she saw the daylight streaming into the room.

"I gotta get back to work!" She bellowed and scrambled out of bed, heading for the door.

"Larisa," I said calmly.

"What?" she said, turning back to face me at the door.

"Your clothes," I said, pointing at where she'd left them in the bathroom.

"Oh!" Larisa said, her cheeks coloring. She quickly dressed and gave me a little wave before fleeing the room.

"Oh, I'm gonna have so much fun with her," I said as I rolled out of bed and found my own clothes.

I found Remmi downstairs eating breakfast with James.

"Heya you," I said and kissed Remmi on the top of her head. I ran my hand down her hair and gently tugged at one of her braids.

"Morning!" Remmi said brightly, sounding more like her normal self.

I gave her a double take before turning and smacking James in the back of the head.

"Hey!" James said as I sat down. "What was that for?"

"I dunno, but you don't have pigtails to tug, so..." I said, grinning at him. "Where's Rhi?"

"With Mom," Remmi said.

That caused my eyebrows to raise, but not for long.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Better," Remmi said as she continued to eat. "Rhi talked to me about some stuff. It's not a cure-all or anything, but I feel better. And if I start to feel not so great, I know what to do."

"That's good!" I said, grinning at her. "I'm so glad Rhi stopped by when she did!"

"Hey!" James said. "What am I, chopped liver?"

"Oh, it wasn't a coincidence," Remmi said.

James slapped the table drawing my attention as he stared incredulously at Remmi.

"What? You told her that Shae sent y'all, right?" Remmi said through a mouthful of breakfast.

"Yes," James said with a frown.

"So, what's the big deal?" Remmi asked. "Shae had a dream, and y'all came running."

"A dream? I thought you said it was a hunch," I said, looking at James.

"A dream hunch?" James offered lamely. "Saying someone had a feeling sounds better than some prophetic dream."

"Prophetic?" I asked.

"Yeah, ignore I said that," James said.

"Oh no," I started. "You can't say something like that and just leave it. Was there more to this prophecy dream?"

"No," James sighed. "Shae dreamt you got into some trouble," James looked at me. "And that you asked for help. That's all I know."

"A dream was enough to send y'all running?" Remmi asked.

"We've learned to play it on the safe side when it comes to weird stuff," James said.

I frowned at him and turned to Remmi.

"So, what's up with Mom?" I asked.

"Nothing," Remmi said. "Rhi's just checking to make sure she's not repressing trauma or anything."

"Repressing... what?" I asked.

"She's checking out Mom to make sure she's not nuts," Remmi said. "Don't worry, you're next."

"Me?" I asked. "I feel fine."

"Yeah, that's part of the problem," Remmi said forebodingly.

The three of us were sparing later that afternoon when Rhi finally caught up with me.

"Looks like you've been keeping up with your training," Rhi said as she watched us spar a moment.

"Yeah," I said as I dodged another of James's attacks.

"And the calisthenics?" Rhi asked.

"Unfortunately," I groaned, drawing a laugh from Remmi. We'd been doing our running and strength training every day we could. Some people had even joined in and we had a small morning class going.

"Don't let her fool you, Rhi," Remmi started. "She loves those new abs you gave her."

"I didn't give her anything. She earned those." Rhi smiled.

"And Terri thanks you," Remmi added.

All joking aside, my six-pack had filled in after so many months of hard work. I thought it was hot, Terri thought it was hot... it was just hot.

I stepped back from James, holding up my hands as I turned to Rhi. "How's Mom?"

"Exactly as she said," Rhi said. "Your mom was out for the whole ordeal. Don't tell your mom, but I did a bloodtouch just to be on the safe side. She's a little shaken, but nothing serious. She'll probably be weary of the cold room for a while, but she should be back to normal in a few days."

"Thank goodness," Remmi said as she and James paused.

Rhi turned to me, and I sighed.

"My turn?" I asked.

"Yep," Rhi said with a grin.

"Is there a couch or anything I gotta lie on?" I asked.

"I mean, we could find a couch if you want," Rhi said. "That's usually how I do it with James." She grinned.

"Hey!" James snapped. "Client privilege, or whatever!"

"Oh, shut up," Rhi said. "Everybody knows I have to fuck you before you'll talk to me."

"Is he blushing?" I asked, pointing at James. "Holy shit, he is!"

"It's so cute!" Remmi teased.

James brought up his sword and attacked Remmi, cutting her teasing off.

"Let's walk," Rhi said and pulled me away from the pair and the ringing of metal as they clashed.

"And," Rhi whispered. "I know how similar you and James are. It's actually kinda scary in some ways. But if you need to sleep with me to relax enough to open up, I guess I could make that sacrifice... for the team."

"For the team, huh?" I frowned and shook my head. "Wait," I stopped and looked back. "Did you have to... with Remmi?"

Rhi laughed.

"Only James," Rhi said. "He's a special kind of head case. Most people don't sleep with their therapist. It's kinda frowned upon, actually."

We headed out the back gate and into the forest.

"Is that what you are? My therapist now?" I asked.

"If you need it, I can be," Rhi said. "I can also just be a friend who's good at listening."

"OK," I nodded.

We walked on in silence for a while.

"Have you been having any problems?" Rhi asked me. "Anything out of the ordinary?"

"That's funny," I said. "Everything's out of the ordinary here. But no, I feel fine. And that's sorta scary."

"How so?" Rhi asked.

"I mean, shouldn't I be messed up?" I asked. "I mean, I murdered two guys with a sword! That's not exactly normal for me."

"It's not normal for anyone," Rhi said. "Tell me what happened."

So, I spent the next little while retelling the tale. We reached the river and Rhi sat down on a rock listening while I tossed rocks into the water.

"I'll be honest, the scariest part of the whole deal was when Remmi freaked out afterward," I told her.

"It's scary watching friends or family go through that sort of trauma," Rhi said. "Especially when you don't know how to handle it." Rhi paused for a long moment. "Tell me more about the shack."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "I told you everything already."

"You told me you went into the shack and killed two men," Rhi said.

"Yeah," I agreed.

"How did you kill them? Tell me," Rhi said.

"Uh... well, the first guy," I started. "I swung my sword trying to take his head off, but that only partially worked cause my sword got stuck."

"Got stuck on what?" Rhi asked.

"His... you know, neck," I said and cleared my throat. It was getting itchy.

"Just in his neck?" Rhi asked.

"In his fucking spine, OK?" I snapped. "I fucked up the swing, and my sword lodged in his spine!" I threw a rock in frustration.

"It happens," Rhi said soothingly. "You don't get it right the first time. You never do."

"That's why we practice, right?" I asked sarcastically.

"Exactly," Rhi said and smiled. "Then what happened?"

"Well, I let go of my sword, like you taught me..." My voice trailed off as my brain went blank.

Rhi waited quietly until I started talking again.

I shook my head, "I let go of my sword and drew my... knife." I touched the back of my belt, where my long knife was strapped down. Something wasn't right.

"Are you doing something to me?" I asked, turning back to Rhi.

"No," Rhi said, holding up her hands. "I have to touch your blood, remember?" She cocked her head at me. "What about your knife?"

"I had to go to my knife since my sword was stuck," I started again. "I hit him in the side, between the ribs like you taught me."

"Show me," Rhi said and stood up.

I shrugged and unstrapped the long knife. It wouldn't come out of the sheath.

"What the--" I said as I had to yank on the blade so hard it twisted my belt. The knife in my hand was crusted black and stank of death.

"I... I never cleaned it," I said, staring at the blade. "How could I forget something like this? Why didn't I smell it?"

"You had a lot of things going on at the time," Rhi said. "And from what I heard, you were on guard all the way back here. That made for a long day."

"But I cleaned the sword," I said. "Why wouldn't I have cleaned this too?"

"Larisa made you clean the sword," Rhi said quietly.

"Oh yeah... she did," I said, my mind disjointed.

"We'll take care of this when we get back, OK?" Rhi said as she took the blade from my hand that I was still staring at. "I want you to go back to when you let go of the sword."

"OK," I said.

"What happened when you let go of the sword?" Rhi asked.

"I side-stepped and pulled my knife, like I said." I frowned at her.

"Before you pulled your knife, something happened," Rhi said.

"Yeah, Remmi leaped at her guy," I said.

"No... you felt or smelled or saw something," Rhi said.

"Saw something?" I said. "I let go of the sword, took a step to the side and reached for my knife. Then--"

"Right there," Rhi said sternly. "What did you see right there?"

"I..." I started, trying to remember. Did I see something? "The table," I said suddenly.

"What about the table?" Rhi asked.

"They started to push themselves back, the last two," I said.

"And what happened?" Rhi asked quietly now.

The flash appeared in my head.

"They dropped their cards... on the table," I said as I saw the moment frozen in time. "They were playing cards," I whispered.

"What about the cards?" Rhi prodded.

"He would have won," I whispered, seeing all the hands on the table.

"Who would have won?" Rhi asked.

"The man I killed. The first one," I said. "He would have won the game."

"But he didn't win, did he?" Rhi asked.

"No," I said. "He lost... cause I cheated."

"You cheated?" Rhi asked.

"I just came in and killed... murdered him," I said slowly. "I didn't warn him, give him a chance to surrender, nothing. I kicked the door in and cut his head off."

"And that's cheating?" Rhi asked.

"I'm the good guy, right?" I asked. "The good guy doesn't straight-up murder people."

"When they need to, they do," Rhi said calmly. "Let me ask you this. How good a fighter are you?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"How good are you?" Rhi asked. "Could you best four armed, experienced, and motivated opponents?"

"Uh..." I started.

"I mean, you've had a few months of training, that's true," Rhi said. "But you haven't been in a real fight, have you?"

"I fought the Shilak," I countered. "Twice!"

"Oh!" Rhi said. "You fought a couple of pigs. That's obviously the same as fighting blooded, armed soldiers."

"Obviously not," I said with a smirk.

"So, I'll ask again," Rhi said. "Could you have beat those four men in a fair fight?"

"No," I said simply.

"I should fucking hope not," Rhi said. "Any dumbass who goes into a 'fair fight' has already lost." Rhi looked at me. "Didn't I teach you to be a dirty fighter?"

"There's no such thing as a dirty fighter," I remembered her lesson. "There's only tactical advantages."

"So," Rhi started. "You took the only advantage you had, a surprised dynamic entry, and used it to save your mother. Where's the problem in that?"

I didn't say anything.

"Asher," Rhi said softly. "It's only cheating if you lose."

I touched my cheek, and it came away wet. "Why am I crying?"

"Because you're still human, and monsters don't cry," Rhi said.

"I'm not a monster," I said, but the tears weren't stopping.

"I know that," Rhi said and was suddenly standing beside me. "Do you?"

I kind of broke down at that point. I didn't realize I'd had anything pent up inside me. I had been worried that I wasn't freaked out... that the reason I wasn't freaked out was because I wasn't normal anymore. Normal people don't murder other people. Normal people lose their shit if they have to. But I hadn't... so I wasn't normal.

It turns out that I was a normal person, after all. I'd just locked all my freak out and filed it under "do not disturb." It took remembering those stupid cards to break that box open.

Somehow, Rhi had figured all that out from a single pause in my story.

We talked for a long time, and not just about the shack. We ended up going all the way back to before I made my deal, to the night I found Dad tied to the bed.

Needless to say, it was well after dark before we got back to The Roadhouse. The first thing I did was clean that damned knife. Rhi helped, so it didn't take that long. She did chew me a bit for not taking care of my gear, but not too much. I'd have to take it to Larisa tomorrow to get her to look at it.

"You mind if I stay with you tonight?" Rhi asked me as we headed to the inn.

"You want to keep an eye on me too?" I asked.

"You? No," Rhi said. "I'm not worried about you. But Remmi's with James right now, so..."

"Really?" I looked at her. "Remmi and James?" I asked.

"It's not the first time," Rhi shrugged.

"I know," I said and grinned. "The little minx," I muttered. Then I looked at Rhi. "You sure you don't want to join them?"

Rhi grinned at me.

"Tempting," Rhi said. "But no. I'd like to be with you if you'll have me tonight. We don't have to do anything. Just being together is nice."

"Sleeping alone does suck," I agree. I searched my feelings, though, and found I wasn't really up for doing anything tonight. "Just sleeping, I think."

"Just sleeping is all I had in mind," Rhi said with a grin.

When we got back to the room, we took turns showering. Then, true to the big woman's word, she cuddled up behind me in bed and simply held me.

Later that night, I woke up and found myself crying for no reason. Rhi just held me tighter until I fell back asleep.

In the morning, I woke up still in Rhi's arms. When I cracked my eyes open, I found Remmi sitting on the bed beside me, just watching.

"Y'all are cute together," Remmi whispered.

"How cute were you and James last night?" I whispered back.

"Oh, what we did wasn't cute," Remmi's grin was predatory.

"And let me guess," I started. "And she was still hungry..."

"Well, now that you mention it, I haven't had breakfast yet," Remmi licked her lips as she looked down at me.

"While you two go at it," Rhi said. "I'm gonna go pee."

"Sorry," I said. "Didn't mean to wake you."

Rhi rolled out of bed and to her feet in an effortless motion and pointed at her ear. "Super hearing, remember?" Rhi said and disappeared into the bathroom.

Remmi pulled my covers back and impaled her mouth on my cock.

"Jesus, woman!" I shouted as she wasted no time in bringing me to attention.

"James wants to know if he can watch," Rhi said from the bathroom. "He's such a slut."

I looked down at Remmi, who looked up at me with my cock still in her mouth.

"You had enough of him yet?" I asked.

Remmi grinned around my cock and shook her head.

"Now who's the slut?" I said to my sister. "Let him in," I said and groaned at Remmi's lips.

Rhi let James in a minute later, and he practically froze in the doorway.

"Get in here!" Rhi hissed and pulled him in before shutting the door. "Really, James! Acting like a schoolboy seeing his first boob. You're embarrassing me!"

James didn't say anything; he just moved closer to the bed.

I eyeballed him as he came nearer. His eyes never left Remmi's mouth as it slid up and down my cock.

"What's wrong?" I teased. "Never seen a girl sucking her sister's cock before?"

Remmi chose that moment to start making slurping sounds, which made me grin. It seemed like she wanted to show off.

"Rhi," I said. "Why is James the only one with clothes still on?"

"Good point," Rhi said and started peeling James out of his clothes. Soon enough, she was standing behind him next to the bed and gently stroking his cock as they watched us.

This was hot. Remmi was really going to town, showing off for our audience. Meanwhile, I watched Rhi stroking Jame's cock near me while they watched.

I couldn't help it, I leaned over, and Rhi obliged me by bringing James's cock to my mouth. She only gave me the head as she kept stroking the shaft.

I swirled my tongue around his head as I sucked hard. My other hand went to the back of Remmi's head, guiding her as to what I wanted. She played at resisting but soon gave in.

"Get behind me already!" Remmi ordered James.

Rhi chuckled and released James, who, after getting one final suck from me, positioned himself behind my sister.

I barely had time to watch as he grabbed Remmi's hips and guided himself inside her. Rhi slipped into bed beside me and started kissing me. Her hands went to my breasts and began to tease them.

Remmi's sucking became erratic as James's thrusts were messing up her rhythm. But it was fun watching her face every time he bottomed out in her. Obviously, their time together last night hadn't satiated her. But James seemed determined to make up for it.

Rhi moaned into my mouth as I glanced down to find Remmi's fingers expertly teasing the woman's pussy.

I pulled Remmi off my cock and pushed her face between Rhi's thighs. The big woman thanked me profusely before wrapping her hand around my cock.

"Screw that!" I said and moved up to straddle Rhi's ample chest before guiding my cock into her mouth.

Rhi didn't hesitate, happily taking me. She wrapped her hands around my ass and pulled me deeper into her mouth. I felt it when the head of my cock popped into her throat, and she just kept pulling me deeper until I was resting on her lips.

"That's incredible!" I said as I looked down at the woman staring up at me with my cock buried in her throat.

Rhi made no move to pull me from her throat. She just kept staring at me, occasionally swallowing to massage my cock.

After a minute, I made as to pull out, but she stopped me.

"You gotta breathe!" I said.

"No, she doesn't," James said from behind me, and I remembered Shae telling us something about vampires not needing to breathe.

"You don't?" I gasped down at her.

When she shook her head slightly, I grabbed her head roughly and began to grind my cock into her. I'd never been able to do this with someone before, and it felt amazing. I started small thrusts, banging my pelvis against her lips repeatedly as I throated her. It didn't take long for me to get close.

"I'm gonna cum," I managed to warn Rhi. I meant to ask if I could do it in her throat, but she read my mind and pushed me deep and held me there.

When she started teasing my asshole, I lost it.

I grabbed big handfuls of her raven hair and held on as I began spurting straight down her throat, groaning madly.

"Oh God, Rhi!" I cried, staring up at the ceiling as I unloaded in the gorgeous woman.

She didn't miss a beat and took every drop I offered.

When I finally pulled back, my cock was an absolute mess of thick throat spit.

Rhi wasted no time pushed me down on the bed before moving to straddle me cowgirl style. She plunged my cock inside her as she took Remmi's head in her arms. James was still plowing her pussy, and she was moaning in appreciation now that her mouth was free.

Watching Rhi's tight, muscled ass as it rode my cock was a sight to see. I couldn't keep my hands off it and began teasing her relentlessly.

I heard the sound of kissing and looked up to see Rhi having pulled Remmi up to her mouth. Remmi's back was arched sharply, but she didn't look to be complaining as her moans suddenly turned to the cute squeaky sounds she sometimes made when she was really cumming hard.

I watched my sister shaking as James continued thrusting, and Rhi held her tightly. Her face was adorable. Then she was sprawled on the bed, spent, and James was standing there with a raging hard-on.

I crooked my finger at him, and he climbed onto the bed. Now it was him straddling my chest as his cock bobbed in front of my face again.

Just like Rhi, I pulled him into my mouth, the tangy taste of my sister mixed with the pre-cum he was leaking, coating my mouth. I still had to breathe, so I couldn't perform like Rhi had. But James was also already close, and I knew it wouldn't take much to bring him off.

I let him thrust into my mouth, feeling the head of his cock slamming against the back of my mouth over and over.

I hated being a copycat, but if it works, it works. So, I found his asshole and gave it the same treatment Rhi had given me. As soon as my finger slid inside him, he started gasping and jerking.

Then James's cock was flooding my mouth with his semen. I sucked it down hungrily but made sure just a touch leaked from the corner of my mouth. I knew I loved that sight. If James and I were as alike as Rhi said, he would, too.

With a final shudder, James slowly pulled his cock from my mouth. I kissed the head as it passed. James smiled and moved to the side so he could lean down and kiss me. He made sure and get the small dribble I'd made.

Yeah, we were alike, all right.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Rhi was groaning, her voice strained.

I hate to say I'd forgotten the woman who was currently bouncing on my cock, but I'd been really distracted with James. Now I could feel her tightening around me, preparing to cum.

In a display of abs I didn't know I had, I sat up and wrapped my arms around her from behind, grabbing her tits and pinching the hell out of her nipples just as she came.

Her body shook so violently I thought she was going to rip off my cock! But everything stayed connected as we both rode her orgasm out. Feeling the muscle-bound beauty shuddering against my body turned me on so badly.

Finally, Rhi relaxed and carefully pulled herself off my still-hard prick.

Now, I was surrounded by three bodies who were recovering from their orgasms, and I was still sprouting wood hard enough that it hurt.

But, then, she was there. Remmi's body was lying atop mine, and she was slowly lowering herself onto my cock. She leaned forward and kissed me gently, slowly. There was no hurry here.

"Just enjoy me," Remmi whispered as she continued kissing me and moving on my cock. She was so slow that it was almost painful.

"A little faster, sis," I whispered, and she smiled down at me.

"Of course, sis,' Remmi whispered back.

She felt so good. With everything lately, just wrapping my arms around her and being inside her... it seemed so simple... so... normal.

I grabbed one of her braids and tugged her head back, exposing her throat to my mouth, where I kissed it hungrily.

Remmi moaned with my attention and began grinding against me. The feeling was making me lightheaded. If I didn't cum soon, I was going to pass out.

"How does your sister feel?" James's voice whispered in my ear excitedly.

"Amazing!" I groaned.

"What about you, Remmi? Do you like how your sister's fucking you?" James continued his dirty questions.

I knew why he was doing it. He was pushing my buttons. He knew what I liked... maybe he was my opposite twin from his Bio Hab?

"Her cock is wonderful!" Remmi cried, her head still pulled back by me.

"You're close now, aren't you?" James asked.

I glanced at James. Rhi was back, rubbing his cock as it was pointed right at Remmi and me. This guy was as dirty as I was.

"Yes!" I hissed, feeling Remmi's pussy pulsing around my cock.

"Then do it," James whispered. "Fill your sister with your cum. Fucking fill her!"

I did see him cum, but I felt it splash across my face as he began spurting on both Remmi and me. James was the one cumming, but Rhi was aiming.

I released Remmi, her face coming down just in time to catch a thick glob on her cheek as we started kissing hungrily.

Just as I felt the third spurt smearing our joined faces, my own cock began to blow inside my sister, causing us both to cry out.

Rhi's aim was perfect, and managed to get me in the mouth with James's last shot. Fucking bitch.

When I finally stopped shaking and came down, I got hit with the worst case of the giggles.

Remmi joined me because she could never resist.

We looked at the mess we were and just kept laughing. It was all too much, too surreal. There was no way this was real life.

But that didn't mean I wanted to stop.

Chapter 32

ASHER

With the apparent mental health crisis moving to a more manageable level, James and Rhi left in the morning. They mentioned they needed to check in on Danu. It was sad to see them go, but it just made the future reunions all the more sweet.

I didn't wait for anyone else's approval; I put Remmi and me back on patrol duty. I still wasn't very confident about what happened in Laghold and didn't want to get caught short again. When they found out about it, Mom and Dad didn't object.

Rachel was back to her normal self a few days later. It was the longest anyone had seen her around in months. Of course, once she was healed up, she disappeared again. Hopefully, she'd stay off rooftops this time.

Medma asked Remmi and me to start training with Terri and Thomas in actual combat. Apparently, Medma had already been working with them for the past few months and felt they needed non-magical opponents. I was weary, even when Medma said he'd be able to control the magic to ensure no one got hurt. Remmi, on the other hand, was all for it.

The first bout was between Terri and me, and it went about as you'd expect. Medma had asked me to hold back here at the beginning so Terri could get used to the melee fighting. He didn't tell Terri this, of course.

I was holding my old practice sword as I faced Terri across a small clearing. I'd forgotten how clunky and clumsy the weapon was and frowned at it.

"Begin," Medma said.

I began to sprint at Terri, my instincts forcing me to my full speed before I caught myself and slowed down.

Terri had a look of concentration on her face like nothing I'd seen before. It was a little scary.

I cleared about half the distance when Terri finally unleashed a wave of fire that rolled across the ground at me.

Instinctually, I leaped over it, my arm covering my face to protect it. True to the gestalt's word, my armor's undersuit protected me. I never even felt the heat except on my head.

As I hit the ground, I rolled, and as I came up, it felt like a hammer smashed into my chest and stopped me cold. Caught off guard, I stumbled before the hammer came again and knocked me on my butt.

"Hold," Medma said.

I picked myself up off the ground and looked around for what had hit me.

"Flame hammer," Terri said with smug satisfaction.

Apparently, she'd conjured a hammer made of fire that she could direct around the battlefield. She'd hit me with it twice, and while my armor had protected me, if she'd have kept that up, she'd have pounded me into the ground. As it was, she'd knocked me nearly back to where I'd started.

"You OK?" Medma asked and he came up to check on me.

"Yes," I said and dusted myself off. I glanced at Terri, and she was sweating and panting heavily. Apparently, combat spells took a lot out of the caster.

"How much of that did you hold back?" I asked.

"The majority of it, to be honest," Medma said. "Until I get an idea of how this is going to work, I'm playing it safe."

"I appreciate it," I said. He was holding her mostly back? That hammer rattled my teeth when it hit. I couldn't imagine what would happen if I'd caught it full force.

"How many more of those could you have done?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Enough to pound your ass," Terri said flippantly.

"Terri..." Medma said slowly.

"Sorry," Terri said and relaxed.

Medma took a moment to examine my armor.

"Amazing," Medma said after a moment. "Even with me blunting the attacks, there should still be signs of the assault. There's not even a scorch mark. Guardian armor lives up to the legends."

"How do you mean?" I asked.

"Legend had it, a guardian in their armor could withstand elemental attacks with ease," Medma said.

"You mean I could have just walked through her fire?" I asked.

"Well, no. The hammer attack alone proves that," Medma said. "While you can still be affected, you don't appear to take any damage. Even your hair was protected."

I had my hair in a high-braided ponytail. This kept it out of the way during a fight, but it was still vulnerable to attack. I wasn't about to change my hairstyle; I'd spent too much time on it. Apparently, my armor was better than I thought, though.

"Thomas, you and Remmi are up," Medma said.

Terri and I moved off to the side as we were replaced.

"That was awesome how you leaped over the flame wave," Terri whispered. "It looked super cool!"

I chuckled and turned to watch the new pair. I had no clue what Thomas could do with magic. All of Terri's attacks were fire-based, as that was her affinity. I held my breath as Medma started their match.

Remmi crouched low and moved towards Thomas, who flinched.

"Focus Thomas," Medma said.

Thomas took a breath and seemed to settle as Remmi closed. A blinding light burst from Thomas's hands forced me to look away and shield my eyes.

I managed to refocus and saw there were two large discs of light that blocked Thomas from view.

Remmi hadn't stopped. She'd flinched and was squinting her eyes, trying to track Thomas, but she didn't stop.

That's when I saw the shadow move beside Remmi and her being knocked sideways.

"Hold!" Medma said.

Instantly, the light discs winked out and revealed Thomas standing over Remmi, who was sprawled on the ground looking up at him.

"What the fuck was that?" Remmi asked as she took Thomas's hand and stood up.

"I use light to blind my enemy and move fast while they can't see me," Thomas said. He wasn't cocky about it like Terri had been.

"That's handy," Remmi said.

Thomas scratched his head and started to blush.

"Thomas can crank his speed up," Terri whispered to me.

"Really?" I said.

"Yeah, it has something to do with his ability to manipulate light," Terri said. "Don't ask me how it works, though."

"Yes, Thomas, that was a good start," Medma said. "But remember, I'm looking for you to use your magic. You actually physically kicked her instead. This brings you too close to your target where their melee weapons can reach you."

"Got it," Thomas said, nodding. He didn't look nearly as winded as Terri did.

"Go again, you two," Medma said, and Thomas and Terri faced off again. "Begin!"

Remmi stood there a moment, not moving. I don't know what she was doing. Standing still ensured you were dead. She took her time and slowly pulled one of her knives from its sheath and flipped it in her hand.

I glanced at Thomas, who appeared to flicker. I blinked, but he was still there.

Remmi drew back and threw her knife. She drew slowly, but once the knife left her hand, it raced at Thomas in a blur.

Thomas didn't move as the knife embedded itself in the ground between his feet.

Then Remmi was there and span to kick him.

Thomas didn't move.

I watched in slow motion as Remmi's boot made its way towards Thomas's midsection. I cringed. I'd been on the receiving end of that kick. Even if she pulled it, Thomas was going to be feeling it in the morning.

Remmi was suddenly airborne, flying sideways as she was pelted by streaks of light. As each streak touched her, it flung her faster and farther to the side.

"Hold!" Medma said, and a green light surrounded Remmi, catching her and carrying her back towards us. The streaks of light vanished, revealing Thomas standing twenty feet away from where he'd been.

"Ghost image," Terri whispered. "He's gotten really good at it."

Medma lowered Remmi to her feet.

Remmi walked over, retrieved her knife, and started cleaning it off.

"That was very good, Thomas, but you're still leaving your ghost static," Medma said. "You must give it movement, a reaction, something. Otherwise, your opponent won't buy into the illusion."

"Yes, Medma," Thomas said.

"You OK?" Medma asked Remmi, who was walking over. She gave him a thumbs up.

"What's that?" Medma asked at Remmi's gesture.

"It means I'm OK," Remmi said as she reached Terri and me. "Your turn to get your ass kicked," Remmi grinned at me.

"Oh, goodie," I said as I made my way to my starting point.

Medma walked with me long enough to mutter, "Don't hold back." Before he returned to his observation spot off to the side.

I drew my sword and turned to face Terri, who was just reaching her spot.

"I'll try and take it easy on you this time," Terri said with the confidence of an 80's movie villain.

Apparently, Medma hadn't instilled any sort of discipline with Terri. Rhi would eat her alive.

"Begin!" Medma said.

I broke into a sprint, straight at Terri.

Closing distance on your opponent was vital when it came to melee attacks. If you couldn't reach them, you couldn't hurt them. As a result, sprints had been a big part of our morning routines.

Terri was visibly shaken, not used to seeing me move so fast. She seemed to fumble as she launched the same attacks at me as before.

As soon as I saw the flame wave, I pivoted and moved sideways.

Seeing her wave was going to miss me, Terri summoned her hammer and tossed it at me.

This time, I saw her to it and could track its movement. Terri's control didn't seem to be as good as it had been. The hammer shook in the air as it came at me.

I slid under the flaming weapon just as it reached me and popped back to my feet. Before Terri could bring the hammer back, I was on her.

"Hold!" Medma said just as my sword came to rest against Terri's throat.

"H... how?!" Terri stammered as I stood up and sheathed my sword.

I didn't gloat. I'd been taught better.

"I didn't hold back this time," I said simply.

"What happened?" Medma asked.

"She was way too fast!" Terri said. "I wasn't ready for it and panicked."

"Exactly!" Medma said. "That's exactly what happened. Very good!"

"Good?" Terri looked at Medma like he'd gone mad.

"Being able to figure out what went wrong is the first step to fixing it," Medma said. "You panicked and fell back on what was familiar. You used the same attacks that your opponent had seen, in the same order. It made it easy for Asher to evade them. So, what can you do to keep this from happening again?"

"Well, for one, nuke her from the beginning," Terri said. "Don't give her time to close the distance."

"OK, not hesitating to attack, good. What else?" Medma asked.

"Practicing more go to attacks," Terri said. "Not just relying on the ones I'm really good at."

"Excellent!" Medma said and patted Terri on the back.

"Also," Thomas added. "Fighting a melee specialist is very different than fighting another mage."

"The very reason I brought these two here today," Medma said. "With another mage, you're searching for the type of magic they're using and its trigger so you can counter."

"Plus," Thomas started. "Most mages sit still. Fighters are all over the place!"

"Good, this is good!" Medma said excitedly. "Remember, there aren't that many battle-ready mages out there. But there are a lot of people who have knives and swords. Who's ready to go again?"

We spent another hour practicing various physical and magical attacks and how to defend against them. It was good training for Remmi and I as we'd never faced magic before. I was going to have to bring Rhi into this so she could weaponize this training.

We were heading back to The Roadhouse when I asked my question.

"Have any of you heard of Miranda?" I asked but got a bunch of blank stares.

"Who's that?" Thomas asked.

"The Roadhouse once had a guardian spirit called Miranda," I said. "I don't know if she's still around, but I haven't seen anything."

"Guardian spirits are extremely powerful," Medma said. "And very resilient. Unless someone excised the spirit, it should still be here."

"How would you find out?" I asked.

"I'm not sure," Medma said. "I don't know much about urban spirits. I live mostly in the wilds. But I can look into it."

"Please," I said. "Anything you need, you just ask."

Dinner that night was strange. The fact that Remmi and I were calling ourselves Guardians had made its way to the workers still here at The Roadhouse. Add to this, several of them had watched the training we'd done this afternoon.

Now, Remmi and I were the object of whispers and various finger pointing until one brave soul approached us.

"Pardon the intrusion Ms. Asher, Ms. Remmi," The young man said from beside our table. He was wringing his hat in his hands out of nervousness and constantly throwing looks back at the table of men he'd come from. It was obvious he was the low man and had been voluntold to come over.

"Yes?" I asked in as kind a voice as I could muster. These men were still working to restore The Roadhouse. I wasn't about to endanger that by being rude.

"It just," the man started. "There's a rumor going around that the two of you are claiming to be... Guardians. Is that true?" The man looked like he was ready to bolt from the room if I coughed too loud.

"That's true," I said simply and left it at that.

"If the guardians are returning, does that mean The Wright's Temple has reopened?" the man asked.

I glanced at Remmi. We'd trained at the ruins of the temple a few months back and I couldn't see how that place could ever reopen. It was a wreck.

"I'm not aware of the temple having reopened," I said.

"Yet," Remmi added.

I glanced at her with a questioning look.

"Oh," the man said. "Well, will you let us know if it does?"

"Of course," Remmi said, giving me a small shrug.

"It will be a wonderful thing when the temple reopened," the man added, having taken our comments as foreshadowing apparently.

"How so?" I asked.

"It would mean the return of The Hero Army," the man said excitedly.

I guessed he meant The Chosen Army, but I wasn't about to correct him in case I was wrong. We were walking a tightrope with this whole guardian business to begin with.

"The rise of mighty heroes, epic adventures, the return of the adventurer's guild. I can't wait!" The man said and began bowing to us as he backed up. "Thank you!" he said and practically ran back to his table, where the other men crowded around him.

I watched their excited faces for a moment before turning to Remmi.

"Why do I have the feeling we just created prophecy?" I asked.

"Cool," Remmi said, taking a bite of her dinner. "Always wanted to be part of one of those!"

"You do know everyone involved usually dies, right?" I asked.

"Not always!" Remmi protested.

"Remind me to ask the gestalt about this temple," I said and glanced back at the men at the other table. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

A week or so later, Larisa announced that the forge was complete. She'd rebuilt everything and upgraded it just the way Tara had asked her.

I'll be honest. I didn't know what I was looking at. It still looked like a big brick fireplace, only it wasn't crumbling anymore, and the machines attached to it weren't filthy and falling apart. As a matter of fact, everything practically gleamed. I didn't think a forge was supposed to look like that.

"Of course, it's clean!" Larisa protested. "It's brand new and hasn't been used!" she said in disgust. "You just stick with your specialty and leave me to mine."

"OK, sorry," I said, holding up my hands.

Everyone else had left already. It was just Larisa and I who were left at the forge now.

"Speaking of your specialty," Larisa said conspiratorially and glanced around.

My senses had sharpened to the point I knew no one was around without having to look. It seemed the more I practiced my fighting, the better my senses got. Remmi said something similar.

"Kissing practice," Larisa whispered.

We still hadn't found a time when I could help Larisa out with her education.

"What about it?" I asked.

"Right now," she said.

"Now?" I asked. "But, it's the middle of the day. Don't you have to tend to the forge?"

Larisa looked at me like I was a special kind of stupid.

"Clean forge," she held her hands out to it. "It means it's not lit. Duh!"

I should have figured that out myself, but I wasn't thinking. The thought of Larisa had kick-started my whoremones.

"OK," I said a bit more eagerly than I'd meant to.

"Really?" Larisa seemed surprised I'd agreed. Maybe she thought I'd been dodging her?

She wasted no time and grabbed my hand before pulling me into the small shop attached to the forge and locking the door.

"Here?" I asked as she pulled me into the tiny back room where her small bed sat. "Wouldn't you be more comfortable in the inn?" I asked.

"Not taking the chance something else gets in the way," Larisa said. It seemed she was eager to get started on her education.

"OK, then," I started and looked at her as my mind went blank.

*What do I do? How do I start?* My mind began yammering at me. I usually had an active participant and blood-boiling lust pushing me. Right now, I was just looking at this woman who was staring back at me... waiting.

"Uh," I stammered before shaking my head and getting a hold of myself. "OK, come here," I said as I brought her closer to me. She jumped as I touched her waist and brought her closer.

She stood there just staring at me, arms at her side.

I reached up and gently ran my hand across her cheek as she just stared at me with wide eyes.

I gave a little sigh and changed tactics.

"Do you like me Larisa?" I asked softly.

"Well, sure," Larisa said with a little shrug.

"Do you think I'm pretty?" I asked, loosening the leash of my sex kitten.

"You're very pretty!" Larisa said eagerly.

"Well, I think you're lovely," I said as my hand moved to the side of her head, my thumb lightly outlining her ear.

"Me?" Larisa scoffed and tried to pull away from me. "Don't tease me. I know how plain I am."

"Are you calling me a liar?" I asked and pulled on her waist hard enough she stopped struggling when our pelvises came together.

"No, never!" Larisa said, suddenly nervous she'd offended me.

"Ever since I first saw you, I've been staring at your lips," I said, which was true.

"My lips?" Larisa asked.

"I think you have a very sexy mouth," I said and ran my thumb across her bottom lip.

"You do?" Larisa said, her voice finally showing the barest hint of fire I'd been looking for.

"Oh yeah," I said as my thumb continued to lightly trace her lips now. "I've been wanting to kiss these lips since the day you first arrived," I said as I leaned forward slightly.

I felt Larisa's hands touch my sides then. It was lite, she wasn't groping at me. I think it was just a natural reaction, one I'd been counting on.

"You have?" Larisa's voice was now breathy and I could feel her body starting to tremble beneath me.

"Desperatly," I whispered and moved forward again, bringing my breasts to press against her still-bound chest.

I had been staring into her eyes this whole time. She'd kept the same wide-eyed stare since we'd started. Now, I glanced down at her lips.

"I want your mouth," I said, my voice in full-on sex kitten mode now. "Can I have your mouth?" I asked as I felt her hands pulling on my sides now. Pulling me into her.

"Yes," Larisa whispered.

I leaned down and brought my lips to hers. I lingered there a moment, our lips just barely touching as I felt sudden need coming off of her and she pressed her mouth to mine.

This was not the same dead fish kiss from before. This was warm and eager, too eager as she was crushing my lips now.

I pulled back slightly. "Easy," I said. "Start gently."

"But..." Larisa started.

"But?" I asked, our lips still touching.

"I want more," Larisa said.

I chuckled, but not in a rude way.

"Try this, then," I said and turned my head slightly, letting my tongue reach out to touch her lips.

Larisa pulled back from me sharply.

"What was that?" Larisa asked, a shocked look on her face.

"That was my tongue," I said simply.

"But, why were you licking my face?" she asked.

I smiled. "I wasn't licking your face Larisa. I was touching your lips. When you get excited and want more, try using your tongue."

"How?" she asked.

"Well, touching the lips is usually the starting tease," I said as I lightly ran my fingers up the back of her neck to cradle her head. "But sometimes you're just too worked up and you dive straight in to dance with their tongue."

"Worked up?" Larisa asked.

If I didn't know better, I'd say she was joining the club of people who liked to fuck with me. But Larisa really was an innocent. She didn't know any of this having spent her entire life focused on the forge.

"Excited," I said. "When your body gets excited and longs for someone else."

"I..." Larisa said, obviously at a loss.

"Would you like me to show you?" I asked.

Larisa took a minute before answering. "I'm not sure."

"How about I start and you tell me if you want me to stop," I suggested.

Larisa looked up, her face flushed, and stared at me. "OK," she said hesitantly.

Now I was going to have to be careful.

I leaned back down and kissed her again, softly, keeping my tongue to myself.

She kissed back tentatively, unsure.

I ran my hand across her back while I still had a firm hold of her neck.

I took my time, still only kissing and touching her back, until I could feel her pulse quickening. Her breath coming a little faster. Her hands now squeezing my sides.

I broke the kiss off as she gasped. I kissed down her jaw to her ear. The tiny gasp she gave as I took her earlobe into my mouth sent a zing through my body.

I kissed behind her ear and started my way down to her neck. As my lips lowered to her neck, my hand lowered to her ass. As my lips began kissing down her neck, my hand gently cupped her ass and pulled her tighter against me. I made sure my thigh was there as I pulled her onto it.

It only took a moment before she gasped loudly and I kissed back up her neck to her mouth.

Her tongue forced its way into my mouth as her hands began to claw against my back. I touched my tongue to hers as they twisted their slick dance. Meanwhile, my hand continued to help grind her into my thigh as she started to pant.

Soon, she was having a hard time kissing me as she tried to draw breath.

"Wait, wait!" Larisa cried, her body shuddering beneath me.

"What's wrong?" I asked and held her trembling body. "Are you OK?"

"I don't know. Something... there's... something with my... body," Larisa managed.

I smiled kindly at the poor girl. "It's OK, that's normal, and a good thing," I said.

"A good thing?" she asked.

"Will you trust me?" I asked.

Larisa looked like a scared mouse.

"Yes?" she said after a moment, sweat starting on her brow.

"I've got you," I said and brought our mouths back together. This time, when I pulled her into my thigh, she began grinding me on her own.

I couldn't help but smile into her mouth as she continued to try and get her tongue down my throat.

I could feel her body steadily tensing, the longer we went on. Her urgency showed as she started to moan into my mouth.

Both my hands now cupped her ass as she continued to grind, bringing herself closer and closer to what was probably her first orgasm.

"OH!" Larisa cried out as her body began to shake uncontrollably. "What?!" was the last intelligible word Larisa let out as the waves of pleasure coursed through her.

"Yes, Larisa. Enjoy it. It's OK." I continued to give her words of encouragement as she rode out her orgasm having no idea if she was hearing me or not.

Eventually, she collapsed into my arms, spent. We stood there ackwardly for a moment before I pulled her down to her small bed where she lay panting heavily.

"What," Larisa started, "was that?"

"That," I replied, "was an orgasm." I smiled at her but couldn't hide the small chuckle I let out. "Your first, I take it?"

Larisa nodded. "That was amazing!"

"It's supposed to be," I said.

"To think," Larisa started. "All that just from kissing!"

"Well..." I said and gave her a very quick class about her body.

"You mean it can be better than that?" Larisa asked when I was done.

"Well, there are other ways you can have an orgasm," I said. "Some are a lot more fun than others."

"Show me," Larisa said. "Show me all of them!"

"I think I've created a monster," I said with another chuckle.

Chapter 33

ASHER

Another week passed. Remmi began to mercilessly tease me as Larisa was now pestering me for attention like a new puppy. I'd spent the past few days basically explaining and sometimes demonstrating different aspects of sex with Larisa.

We'd gone as far as touching one another and oral, but that was it. Larisa wasn't ready to go farther than that, and neither was I for some reason.

Larisa was now fascinated with exploring her body and her newfound sexuality, whether we were together or not. When we did get together, she was addicted to oral sex, both giving and getting. She didn't see how anything could be better than that.

I made sure and explained other sexual things to her just so she had a well-rounded education. I also explained the consequences of certain sexual acts, mainly disease and children. It seemed her mother never talked to her about anything. I'm not sure how the poor girl managed to make it this far.

I told Larisa if she wanted to explore anything else, all she had to do was ask. But so far, she'd been content with just going down on one another.

Meanwhile, Remmi was laughing her ass off at what I'd gotten myself into. When she told Terri about it, the pair of them were merciless on me.

Luckily, I was saved as Shae and Tara chose that moment to show up. Tara was here for the forge, Shae was here for me.

I made sure to pull Tara aside before she got to the forge and explained what had been going on with Larisa.

Tara wasn't surprised, but she was delighted. Tara liked Larisa. She'd been trying to keep her claws out of her for fear of scaring off the shy, innocent girl.

So, I turned Larisa over to Tara and washed my hands of the whole situation. Oh sure, I liked Larisa. But I always knew I was just a poor substitute for Tara. It was OK, we'd had some fun.

Meeting up with Shae was surprisingly awkward. We were both hesitant to hug one another for some reason, but we finally did.

Remmi took one look at the two of us and told us to take a walk and wouldn't take no for an answer.

I found myself with Shae, walking down near the river.

"So," Shae said.

"So," I said back. "I heard you've been having dreams about me?"

"Uh," Shae started, "Yeah."

"Anything good?" I teased.

Shae glanced at me and grinned. "There have been a few bright spots. What about you? You been thinking about me?"

I looked at her a moment before saying, "Constantly."

"And how's Remmi taking that?" Shae asked.

"She always wants me to describe it in detail," I said with a laugh.

"Sounds about right," Shae said. "You two are quite a pair."

"Speaking of pairs," I began. "How are..." I stopped. "Why are you avoiding me?" I couldn't take all the dancing around the subject anymore.

"It's not that I'm avoiding you," Shae said.

"Shae, we were about to start chatting about the weather rather than talk about it," I said.

Shae sighed. "You're right."

"So, what's the deal?" I asked.

"Sit down," Shae said and pointed at some rocks by the water.

"Oh crap," I said and I plopped down on the offered rock. "We've already had 'the talk'... the only thing left is the 'I just want to be friends' talk."

Shae looked at me a moment and then laughed.

"I'm afraid that won't be happening," Shae said, and then the humor left her face, "probably ever."

"Huh?" I said intelligently.

"I've been hearing your voice in my head, Asher," Shae said.

"How do you mean?" I asked.

"I haven't been having dreams about you," Shae said.

"Well, that's disappointing," I said with a chuckle.

"This is serious, Asher," Shae said.

"So, you've been hearing my voice in your head," I said. "So what? I've heard several of you guys in my head and I haven't gone crazy or anything."

"This is different," Shae said.

"Wait, what exactly have you been hearing?" I asked.

"I heard when you were asking for help with your mom and Remmi, after the attack," Shae said.

"OK," I said. "What else?"

"That was the first time I actually heard you. It was clear as a bell. Obviously, you didn't hear me as I tried to answer," Shae said.

"OK, what else?" I asked.

"No other voices," Shae said. "Some vague feelings, but that could have just been my imagination."

"Then it sounds like the normal weirdness that comes with the gestalt," I said. "I don't see a reason to stay away from me, though."

"I'm worried this might be more than that," Shae said.

"Well, I can still see my reflection and I don't burn up in the sun, so I'm not turning into a vampire," I said with a smirk.

Shae laughed at that one.

"I wasn't worried about that. That would be easier to take care of," Shae said.

This comment sobered me.

"I'm worried you might be attached to our gestalt now," Shae said.

"Are you kidding?" I said. "I love you guys! I am attached to you, Remmi, too."

"That's not what I mean," Shae said and frowned to herself. "When our gestalt was first formed, we were told the longer we were in contact with one another's minds, the more we'd blend together. We'd start to be able to hear one another from farther away and even be able to experience what the other was experiencing."

"What's the problem with that?" I asked. "That sounds pretty cool to me."

"It is pretty cool," Shae admitted, "if we were together."

I looked at her sharply.

"So, this is a breakup talk after all?" I asked.

"No!" Shae stood up angrily. "Cén fáth go bhfuil sé seo chomh crua?"

"Níl sé deacair. Just a labhair liom!" I said back.

"There, right there!" Shae said, turning and pointing at me. "You shouldn't be speaking my language!"

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"You understood me and replied back in my own language," Shae said.

"No, I didn't," I said.

Shae knelt next to me and took my hands.

"You did, Asher," Shae said seriously. "And the only way you can do this is because you brought back a piece of me from our blend."

"I spoke another language?" I asked. I honestly couldn't remember doing it.

"Yes," Shae said. "And if I'm hearing you in my head, then we're connected a lot deeper than either of us believes."

I thought about what she said for a minute.

"And you're afraid the longer we're together, the more I'll be pulled into your gestalt?" I said. "That's the reason you've been staying away?"

"Yes," Shae said softly.

I smiled at her and squeezed her hands.

"I don't care," I said.

"Asher..." Shae started.

"No, I really don't care," I said. "If I am pulled into your gestalt, great! Cool. Whatever. It just means I'm part of some amazing people. There's nothing wrong with that in my book."

"But if we had to leave," Shae said.

"Then you'd leave. I might come, I might not. Who knows?" I said.

"We don't know what would happen if we left and you didn't," Shae said slowly. "We already know what happens if one or more of us dies."

"You do?" I looked at her sharply.

"It's not good," Shae said. "Let's just leave it at that."

"But," I started, racking my brain for the memory. "Yeah, James once mentioned you died, but I didn't question the crazy, gun-toting guy at the time."

Shae laughed.

"Sounds about right," Shae said and then was silent.

"You're really not going to tell me about it?" I asked.

"No," Shae said quietly. She then shook her head, "Not unless it becomes pertinent. And I don't see that happening."

"I don't understand," I said.

"That's a good thing," Shae said and patted my hand. She stood up and turned from me before walking a few steps away.

"What happens if you start hearing the four of us in your head?" Shae asked. "Constantly. 24/7. No breaks. What would you do?"

"Go crazy?" I offered.

Shae chuckled and then looked at me, waiting.

"If you're asking if I'd move in with you or not, the answer is I don't know," I said. "Like I told my parents, I don't know where I belong anymore. I don't know if it's at The Roadhouse, or if it's up at the Villa, or if it's somewhere else entirely. I won't make that call until I need to."

I stood up and wrapped my arms around Shae from behind.

"All I know is I won't let fear stop me anymore," I said.

Shae patted my arms and sighed.

"So be it," Shae said. "You're definitely foolish enough to be a part of us."

I gently slapped her upside the head.

"Be nice," I said and let her go. "Now I just gotta figure out how to pull Remmi in as well."

Shae span on me.

"Hey!" Shae pointed a finger at me.

I held my hands up in defense.

"Hey back," I said. "Besides, Rhi's probably already blended her brains out so hard there's no coming back." I chuckled.

Shae didn't laugh.

"I was just teasing," I said.

Shae shook her head.

"She's only 18, she's only 18, she's only 18," Shae muttered under her breath.

"Actually, we're pretty sure I'm 20 by now," I said and grinned. "We haven't really been trying to keep up with calendars."

Shae looked at me a moment, making the face all the gestalt made when they were talking to someone else mentally.

"Who are you talking to?" I asked.

"Did you hear that?" Shae asked, a surprised expression on her face.

"No," I said. "You were just making the 'telepathy face.'"

"Telepathy face?" Shae asked.

"Yeah. You all get the same look on your face when you're trying to talk to someone in your mind. Kind of a cross between the '1,000 yard stare' and being constipated.

Shae burst out laughing.

"I was trying to talk to you," Shae finally said.

"Oh," was all I said.

"Try talking to me," Shae said.

I thought back to when I'd been in rapport with her back at the villa. I tried to remember what it felt like when I did it. But when I tried, nothing seemed to happen.

"Nothing?" I asked.

"Nothing," Shae said and nodded. "Let's head back to The Roadhouse. I'm sure Tara will be overly excited about her new forge."

"You have no idea," I said and began to explain Larisa to her on the way back.

**Ω**

SHAE

*So, how did it go?* Tara asked me mentally as I entered the room.

We'd made it a habit to only speak to one another in our heads while we were down here. It was our norm everywhere else as well, but down here, it was a necessity. We had to ensure no one overheard something they weren't supposed to.

*Surprisingly well,* I said as I closed the door and flopped unceremoniously down onto my bed. Angela had finally stopped giving us separate rooms. Every time we'd come to visit, they'd insisted on giving each of us a room even though we told them we only needed one. I guess they finally figured out we were all only using one room, regardless of how many they gave us.

*I explained the whole she might be becoming part of our gestalt thing,* I started.

*And how'd she take it?* Tara asked as she closed her journal to focus on me.

*She didn't care,* I said.

*Really?* Tara said. *Now, was it simply teenage flippancy?*

*She's not a teenager anymore,* I replied. *But no. She said she'd deal with it when or if it ever happened.*

*Well, I guess pushing it off till tomorrow is one way of dealing with it,* Tara said. *But it still sounds a bit teenagery to me.*

I flung a pillow at the Daemon. Tara caught it and tossed it back.

*And how are you doing?* Tara asked.

*Still dealing with the fact I've got yet another person in my already full relationship,* I said with a sigh. *At least she's not one of James's for once.*

Tara laughed. *OK there, harem Mom,* she said.

I hauled off and launched the pillow at Tara this time. She couldn't react in time and took it to the face.

*I said not to call me that!* I grumbled.

Tara pulled the pillow from her face and looked at me. *Sure thing, Mom,* she said, sticking her tongue out at me.

I was not only the oldest of our group, but also the one who tended to take care of things. I couldn't help it; it was my nature. As a result, they had started calling me Mom. This would have been OK, if it wasn't for the fact that it reminded me of what was left of my extended family in... that had been in Houston when our Bio Hab ended. Now, the only person who could call me Mom was Viola, and I still wasn't sure how I felt about that.

*Speaking of family,* Tara began. *Are you sure the entire family is sleeping with each other?*

I nodded. *Why, does that shock you?*

*No, not really,* Tara said. *The village I grew up in was pretty isolated up in the mountains. That and there weren't any other giant villages that we knew of. As a result, the gene pool stayed pretty small. Luckily, they were magic creatures.*

*What would have happened if you hadn't met Rhi?* I asked. *Was there someone in your village you had your eye on?*

*Oh, no,* Tara said. *Remember, my scent was damn near fatal to them. It would have been a really short wedding night.* Tara smiled.

*So, what, you would have just gone without someone?* I asked.

*I don't know,* Tara started. *I mean, I'd already lived there over 100 years, and I never had the urges you love talking about so much. I guess I was still in Daemon mode until I met Rhi.*

*Lucky her.* I smiled.

*Oh yeah.* Tara returned the smile.

*Speaking of, how did your meeting with Larisa go?* I asked. I knew there was more than just the forge that Tara looked forward to every time she came here.

*Wonderful!* Tara said. *That forge is stunning! Everything I could ask for. Plus, she kept the bits I asked for and worked them into the new setup. So now, the voices of the past are still here and ready for new stories.*

*That's not what I meant, and you know it,* I said.

*We're meeting up tonight for dinner. So, we'll see what happens,* Tara said with a predatory grin.

*With a grin like that, I won't be staying up for you tonight,* I said.

*Oh, you'll be staying up alright, but it won't be because of me,* Tara said. *Has that lovesick girl already claimed your evening?*

*You know she has,* I said. I would be meeting up with Asher for dinner. We hadn't made plans for after, but I could already feel her hunger through the link we now shared. It was still different from the others in the gestalt. It was different from anything I'd ever felt before.

*What did she say about Viola?* Tara asked.

I didn't purposely try to conceal the fact that I hadn't mentioned it to Asher at all. But I guess Tara sensed my hesitation.

*Shae! That's more important than all the rest!* Tara scolded me.

*No, it's not,* I said sternly. *You remember how you felt when you found out? Do you think, on top of everything else, she needs to be questioning her own existence right now? I'll tell her when... IF she ever needs to know.*

Tara shook her head and frowned at me.

*It's not like you to hold back like this, Shae,* Tara said.

*Fine.* I said. *If it turns out she becomes full gestalt, I'll tell her then. Is that good enough for you?*

*Hey, on your head, be it. But how do you know she didn't already pick it up from your blend?* Tara asked.

*If she had, do you think she'd be this carefree? This innocent?* I asked.

*Innocent?* Tara chuckled. *Asher? Is this the same girl who--*

*You know what I mean!* I snapped. Then I bounced up off the bed. *I'm going to grab a shower.*

*You want company?* Tara asked.

*You'll spoil your dinner,* I countered as I entered the bathroom.

*You know that's not true, Mom,* Tara said as she closed the bathroom door behind us.

**Ω**

ASHER

"You're telling me," I started as I leaned back in my chair, "That you were 300 something and cruising high schools for a guy?"

"Talk about robbing the cradle," Remmi snorted.

Shae, Remmi, and I were sitting around one of the downstairs tables. I'd ensured to pick a table in a secluded corner to give us some privacy. We'd just finished dinner and were simply chatting.

"My friend dared me to do it," Shae said with one of her characteristic sighs. "She only did it to tease me because she knew I was too shy to go through with it."

"Wait, you?" I started. "Too shy?"

"I was quite a bit different back then," Shae said simply. "Not as blended."

I nodded knowingly. Shae shared minds with three other people, two of which were very outgoing. Any shyness she had would be cancelled out with the blend.

"But, then I found James and everything changed--" Shae started.

"When the fire nation attacked?" Remmi said and giggled.

Shae and I both looked at her, not getting her reference. Remmi just waved us off and picked up her wine glass. We'd been drinking, but not so much you'd notice.

I'd been staring at Shae's blue eyes all night. Well, that and her jawline... and her lips, to be honest. I'd been fantasizing about her for the last hour and was about ready to pop.

I think Shae either realized it or felt it because she asked if we could go somewhere a bit quieter to talk.

When I suggested our room, Remmi spoke up.

"Well, I've got a few things to take care of," Remmi said as she started to stand from the table.

"No," Shae said. "I'd like to talk with you as well."

Remmi stared at Shae for a long moment before saying, "OK."

As the three of us headed up the stairs to our room, I realized I'd never seen Remmi and Shae together. Supposedly they had during Remmi's little gangbang that I'd missed, but I don't know.

During the aftermath of our little four person mindmeld, Remmi had stuck to Rhi, not really straying to our side of the bed.

Aside from the occasional comment about Shae's ass, Remmi hadn't really talked about her. I was curious how this would play out.

Once we were locked away in our room, I tossed my coat onto a hook on the wall and sat down on the bed.

Shae took a seat in a chair, and Remmi just leaned against the wall by the door.

"Did Asher tell you what we talked about earlier?" Shae asked.

"For the most part," Remmi nodded.

"And what did you think about it?" Shae asked.

"About Ash's mind merging with the four of you?" Remmi started. "I mean, if it happens, it happens. There's nothing we can really do about it now, right?"

I looked from Remmi to Shae.

Shae stared at Remmi for a long moment, waiting. When it was obvious Remmi wasn't going to answer, she continued.

"And how do you feel about that?" Shae asked.

Remmi started to say something and stopped herself. Frowning, it looked like Remmi was going to say something else but stopped again. Finally, Remmi said, "I don't know."

This was news to me. There was obviously more going on with Remmi than she'd admitted to me. I was going to have to dig into this later.

"That's an honest answer, and a smart one," Shae said. "I know the two of you have a complicated relationship already--"

This caused me to snort and Shae gave me the side eye.

"And..." Shae continued. "Adding four people to it is... well, it's absurd, to be honest."

"Yeah," Remmi said quietly after a moment.

"Contrary to appearances, this isn't something that happens to us," Shae added.

This made all three of us chuckle.

Shae sighed again and stood up before approaching Remmi.

"What I'm trying to say, badly I might add, is that no matter what happens, we're not taking Asher from you," Shae said.

"As if she'd let that happen," Remmi said, shaking her head. "She can be so hardheaded sometimes."

The two of them glanced at me and it made me feel like I was under a magnifying glass.

"Hey, now," I started.

"You're not on the outside here," Shae said, turning back to Remmi. "If one of us likes you--"

"All of you like me," Remmi finished Shae's sentence. "Yeah, she told me how it works. I just don't want to be some... I dunno, a side dish in this little group thing?"

"A side dish?" I tried to be serious because Remmi was being honest. But when she grinned at me I could help but laugh.

"I could say something, but it would come off corny," Shae said.

I groaned, "That's terrible."

Shae shrugged her shoulders.

"You know what I mean," Remmi said.

"I do," Shae said. "Besides, you certainly weren't a side dish on that card table now, were you?"

Remmi actually blushed! My Remmi!

Shae leaned in close to Remmi. "Were you?"

"No," Remmi whispered.

Shae touched Remmi's arms.

"You're always free to be as involved as you want," Shae said. "If you asked me, I'd hope you would--"

"Oh, just fucking kiss me!" Remmi said, her eyes closed and she was shaking her head in disgust.

"I don't know," Shae started. "It doesn't sound like you really want--"

Remmi never let her finish. She reached up and pulled Shae's face to hers and kissed her deeply. A moment later, Remmi's hands slid down Shae's back and pulled her into a tight embrace.

I sat there on the bed, my chin in my hand and my elbow on my knee as I watched my two girlfriends start to make out. Like I said, I'd missed the card table night and I wasn't about to miss this.

I was polite, I sat quietly, giving them a few minutes as my hard cock strained at my pants and my pussy tingled in anticipation. Then I couldn't take it anymore and I stood up.

Slipping behind Shae, I carefully reached around her and started to unlace her top. While I didn't interrupt their kissing, Remmi's hand brushed my chest and she paused, before starting to run her hand softly down my chest.

It didn't take long for me to get Shae's shirt lose and hanging open. I took my time sliding it back off her shoulders and down her arms until it was lying on the floor.

I then moved behind Remmi and repeated the process with her top. Soon enough, both my girlfriends were topless and making out like they were afraid their parents were on the way home and needed to hurry.

I grinned at the pair as they slowly made their way to the bed, both trying to get the pants off the other in the process. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing each time they stumbled and nearly fell. By the time they were both naked and on the bed, we were all giggling.

I began my critiquing as they moved into a classic 69. I kept up my running commentary until Remmi told me to knock it off. One look at her flushed face and I fell silent. She was getting into it.

A few minutes later I heard Shae's moaning shift and moved to see her face. Her eyes were screwed shut in intense concentration and her body had frozen in place as my sister continued to bring her to the edge of orgasm.

With an explosive gasp Shae started shaking, grabbing hold of Remmi's thighs as the waves of bliss rippled through her body. She continued to shake until she collapsed back on the bed, one arm across her eyes as she recovered.

Remmi crawled off the top of Shae and gave me a look of pure hunger as she moved between Shae's legs.

I watched as the solid cock slowly grew from Remmi's crotch. I glanced at her face and the same hunger was still in Remmi's eyes as she dipped her hips and started to slide her cock into Shae's pussy.

Shae's arms came down and she groaned in pleasure. Glancing down, she watched Remmi's cock slowly disappearing between her thighs.

Shae's hands came up and started to stroke Remmi's chest just as she bottomed out.

Then Remmi shocked the hell out of me.

Remmi had closed her eyes as she penetrated Shae. When she opened them now, they weren't her normal lovely brown eyes. They were blue.

Then, as I watched, spreading from her eyes outward, her entire appearance changed. Her hair went from auburn to blonde, her bust increased as did her hips. But most importantly, I was now staring an an exact copy of myself.

"How is it? Is it good?" Remmi asked me. She seemed to be out of breath from the effort of changing so much, not the sex.

"Remmi..." I started, but that was all that would come out. I was in too much shock to say anything else. She'd managed a full body change before, but never into someone we knew, let alone me!

"I've been practicing when you weren't around," Remmi said then looked down at Shae who was staring at her with eyes the size of saucers. "What do you think?"

"That's amazing," Shae said, her voice small. Then her eyes fluttered and she snapped out of her shock. "But, Remmi," Shae said as she reached up and delicately touched Remmi's face. "That's not what I want from you."

"But, now you have two Ashers," Remmi said, her face... my face frowning.

"Please, Remmi," Shae pleaded.

With as much as I wanted to explore Remmi's latest feat, I breathed a sigh of relief when my image faded and her own returned.

"There she is," Shae said and pulled Remmi down to kiss her again. Shae wrapped her arms and legs around Remmi as Remmi began to thrust.

Remmi was tentative at first. She seemed shaken but I couldn't tell from what.

"Come on Remmi," Shae said. "You don't have to be gentle with me."

This was like a green light for Remmi as she picked up the pace until Shae was panting along with her. Sooner than I expected though, Remmi slowed once more.

"You OK?" Shae asked.

"The change... it kinda wiped me out," Remmi said.

Shae smiled up and her and quickly swapped places, climbing atop the panting girl before settling down on her still hard cock.

"Well, it seems not all of you is tired," Shae said and grinned down at her.

"Can you blame her?" I asked, speaking for the first time in quite a while.

"Oh, Asher," Shae said in mock-surprise. "You're still here?"

"Shut up," I said and scowled at her.

Shae winked at me slyly as she started to rise my sister's cock.

"You OK?" I asked Remmi as I lay down next to her.

"I am now," Remmi cooed as she ran her hands up Shae's sides.

"That'll teach you to be something you're not!" Shae scolded her.

"Oh really?" Remmi said as Shae squealed as Remmi's cock suddenly vanished.

"You know what I mean!" Shae said before gasping as Remmi's cock reappeared, thrusting up into her.

"You don't mind me fucking your girlfriend, do you?" Remmi asked, looking over at me with a sly grin.

"Which one?" I asked with my own grin.

"Point." Remmi said as gasped as Shae came down hard on her.

"Besides," I started, "have I ever minded before?" From the drunk lust I saw in Remmi's eyes, I didn't know if she heard me or not.

I pinched Remmi's nipple and she jerked as if I'd slapped her.

"So, why didn't you try that whole transformation thing with me, huh?" I asked when Remmi's eyes finally focused on me.

"I was..." Remmi groaned as Shae began to grind atop her. "Saving it for a special occasion."

"And you gave it to this bimbo instead?" I said, winking at Shae.

"Hey!" Shae said with indignation.

"Seemed like the thing to do at the time," Remmi managed even as her body shuddered in pleasure.

"Well, maybe we can play around with it next time," I offered. "If you're interested."

"I know I am," Shae offered.

Remmi looked up at Shae and gave her an annoyed look to which Shae leaned down and kissed her until the look vanished.

"That's something for when we're playing around," Shae said.

"And just what do you call this?" Remmi asked.

"This is getting serious," Shae said as she put her hands on Remmi's chest and began to pound into her.

"Oh fuck!" Remmi cried out in ecstasy.

Chapter 34

ASHER

"What did you find out about the guardian spirit known as Miranda?" Shae asked our group. Almost everyone was gathered up near the far side of the inn, well away from prying eyes.

"All I could find out," Medma started, "was that there was a guardian spirit, and that it kept everyone out of this place until the Sinclairs arrived."

Remmi, Shae, and I had stayed up far too late last night. While it was all kinds of enjoyable, I was dead tired now. Waking up between two of my girlfriends had been amazing and all, but I'd been too sore to do anything more than smooch until we had to get going for the day.

Remmi was especially wiped as copying me really took it out of her. Between that and the thorough screwing Shae gave her, she'd passed out early into the activities leaving Shae and I to finish off alone. Not that I'm complaining.

I told Remmi we'd work on her stamina later.

Shae looked around at everyone else, but no one spoke up.

"Well, Margeist said since The Roadhouse remained intact this long, some semblance of Miranda must still be here. She's the reason the buildings are still standing."

"They weren't in that great of shape when we arrived," Dad said.

"But they were still standing?" Shae asked.

"Yes," Dad said.

"Were there any animals or vermin in residence?" Shae asked.

Everyone looked at one another and shook their heads.

"That's another sign she's still here," Shae said.

"If they're still here," Mom started, "then where are they?"

"That's what we need to find out," Shae said. "More than likely, Miranda is still here, in one of the structures, only she's dormant."

"What's that mean?" Terri asked.

"She's asleep," Shae said.

"Well, how do we wake her up?" I asked.

"Do we want to?" Mom asked.

Everyone looked at Mom.

"What?" Mom asked. "How do we know what this Miranda person is going to do if she wakes up? What if she declares we can't be here and kicks us all out? James said these spirits aren't like us."

I hadn't thought of that. Danu had said Miranda had a strong personality, not necessarily a friendly one.

"The administrator of this Bio Hab has assigned this place to your family," Shae said. "They have the final say. Miranda would have no choice but to accept this."

"Yeah," Thomas said suddenly. "But what if she does a Kreacher?"

"A what?" Tara asked.

"Enough," Shae cut off the discussion before it started. "The guardian will protect your family and your property. From the sound of recent events, this appears to be something you need."

That brought everyone to silence.

"How do we wake her up?" Remmi asked.

"It's all based on magical power," Shae said. "Miranda will need an infusion of magical energy to revive."

"Uh..." Thomas started. "Is that like trying to charge one of those lanterns?" His voice was shaky.

"All I know is that magic must be channeled into the location where Miranda is," Shae said. "But first, you must find her. Once you've done that, you'll have to find out what type of magic will sustain her and provide it."

"How much power?" Medma asked. "Do we need to get a CE Mage?"

"I don't know," Shae said. "It will be up to Miranda."

"Why didn't Mateo do this while he was here?" Terri asked.

"Who?" Shae asked.

"Mateo is the CE Mage from Laghold," Cr'eon said from the back of the group. "And I don't think Miranda likes him."

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"Remember when he first touched the inn?" Cr'eon asked. "Remember how he got a nasty shock? I'm thinking that was her."

"Patty said the kitchen was going nuts when he was messing with the inn as well," I said. "She must not have liked something about the guy."

"Can you really blame her?" Remmi asked.

This brought a chuckle from the group.

"Well, did Mateo get shocked anywhere else?" Shae asked. "No? Then she's probably somewhere in the inn. If nothing else, I'd start there."

"How big of an area are we talking?" Medma asked.

"How big is Miranda? I don't know," Shae said.

"This is going to take a while," Dad muttered.

Since only Medma, Terri, and Thomas had magic, they were the only ones who could find Medma. The problem, aside from it being a big ass house, was that Medma would only react to her type of energy. If it weren't one of the five types that our mages had (Medma had three), we wouldn't find her.

Our mages spent the day crawling over every inch of the inn with Shae and Tara watching on, but never found anything. By the evening, they were exhausted and called off the search until tomorrow.

We were all just sitting down to dinner when it hit.

It started with a low vibration in the ground that steadily grew until cups were vibrating. We all had just enough time to look around at each other in the dining room when the ground suddenly jerked to the left.

Dishes clattered to the ground, and a few people fell out of their chairs.

"Earthquake?" Dad asked.

But as soon as he said it, it was over.

"Did that really just happen?" Remmi asked as we were all staring at one another in shock.

I'd never been in an earthquake before, so I wasn't sure if that was what that had been or not.

*...* I felt something in my head. It almost felt like when you caught one of those high-pitched radio waves in your head. Only I didn't hear anything, I just felt pressure. That's when I saw Shae and Tara with their telepathy faces on.

*... temple...* I made out one word in my head, but had no idea who or what had said it.

"Shae," Tara started, looking at her in shock.

"We have to go," Shae announced as she and Tara stood from the table and made for the door.

"What is it?" I called out to them as they reached the door.

"Not sure yet," Shae said, pausing at the door. Then the pair was gone.

Nothing else happened that night except for the beginning of crazy rumors and speculation. By the end of the week, the speculation had ramped up. We had things as simple as an earthquake or a massive storm, all the way up to a demon attack. Apparently, earthquakes were not a common occurrence here.

I was waiting on Shae, or one of the others, to fill us in. But after nearly a month passed with no information, I'd just about given up on the gestalt.

Remmi had sprained her wrist while sparring and instead of visiting Patty, had the bright idea to go see Danu. We hadn't been to visit her since the last time with Rhi and Tara. Remmi figured the injury was a good excuse for the trip.

Personally, I think Remmi was just bored and looking for a spa day. But she was hurt... and a spa day did sound good.

So, she and I set out in the early morning to visit Danu. We made it our morning workout and raced each other there. Even if we did wear each other out, Danu could easily take care of a little exhaustion.

When we arrived, the clearing that held the small grotto was pristine. The trees and bushes in the area were neatly trimmed. There were flowers scattered about the area that hadn't been there before, and there was no more foul odor.

Danu greeted us before we could even call out to her and welcomed us down to her temple. She'd apparently been trading services with someone who was providing her the red glow stones. She now had enough to make a second room available.

The new room was less a room and more of a small labyrinth of water-filled grottos.

You entered the room and immediately stepped into waist-high water that deepened as you went. Several small passages twisted off the room in various directions.

The one we followed opened into a small room with rock ledges that sat just below the water. Gentle waterfalls fell over the top of each ledge and down into the water. This created a semi-privacy curtain for whoever was on the ledge. The red glow stones filled the room with their eerie brilliance.

Danu had healed Remmi's wrist on the spot and said that by the time we left, we'd both be refreshed from our long run. Then she left us, saying she had things to attend to but that we were more than welcome to explore the temple as long as we wished.

Remmi and I, upon finding the secluded room, looked at one another with our usual appetites.

A short time later, I was desperately trying not to grab Remmi's new ears.

The small rock shelf beneath the waterfall was barely big enough for two, but we were making it work.

I was leaning back against the smooth, warm rock and enjoying Remmi's lips on my cock. The heat from the hot spring kept this small space warm enough to make you sweat. Of course, Remmi's amazing mouth was already doing that.

Remmi paused, her hand taking over for her mouth as she looked up at me.

"No, you can't grab my ears," Remmi told me for the second time since she started.

"I wasn't even--" I started innocently.

"Oh yes, you were," she said as she ran her new tongue around the head of my cock, making me shudder. She'd been testing out various types of tongues and had discovered that different people liked different things. The one she'd settled on with me was long and thick, but incredibly versatile. Terri liked the forked one.

"The bruises still haven't completely healed from the last time!" Remmi said.

Before I could defend myself, she started swirling the head of my cock in and out of her mouth.

As I watched, Remmi's lips, shiny with spit, began teasing the shit out of my cock's head. It was insanely hot how she knew all my buttons and pushed them mercilessly.

Remmi had recently mastered her new elf ears and made them a permanent part of her look. They were beautifully long and pointed and just begged to be used as handlebars. The problem was that I got carried away a lot. The last time, I'd tugged a little too hard.

It wasn't permanent damage, just a little bruising. As much as Remmi loved a bit of rough and tumble sometimes, she also loved to bring up her bruises as an excuse to get sympathy from me.

Lately, Remmi had been focusing on morphing new and smaller parts of her body and seeing how long she could keep the change. She said it took more concentration and helped her to practice. I didn't mind after she'd changed her talented tongue practically into a small snake. A nice, thick snake. If it weren't so sexy the way she used it, it would have freaked me out.

What did freak me out was the first time I'd discovered she'd changed her nipples into the pierced ones she'd had before her change. She even recreated the metal nipple shields. The fact that she could replicate metal was not only new, but it also opened a whole new world of possibilities.

Remmi slid her lips down the belly of my cock and used that very same snake tongue to probe the folds of my pussy. Before I knew it, she was pressing it inside me.

"Fuck, Remmi," I groaned as her tongue reached into me well beyond any regular tongue could. I reached down and cupped her head, making sure to stay clear of her ears.

I didn't notice when she'd dipped her hand into the hot water, but when it took hold of my cock and started to stroke, it made me jump.

"I'm getting close," I whispered, my breath coming out as a pant.

"Close?" She grinned up at me.

"Yes," I panted, feeling my body tensing.

Remmi started being evil to me and carefully used her lips to keep me edging.

"Don't tease me!" I cried and tried to thrust myself up into her mouth, but she was ready for it and moved with me. "Dammit, woman!"

Remmi took pity on me and began to slowly stuff me into her mouth. As she was lowering her lips, she did it with meticulous slowness.

My body was shaking with need now.

There wasn't any resistance in her throat as her lips came to rest around my base. Remmi began to pull off my cock just as slowly.

My head was spinning when my orgasm finally broke. I was halfway in her mouth, her tongue swirling all about me as I started to spurt thickly.

Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn't move. She used her tongue to lightly stroke the cum from my cock before swallowing loudly.

For my part, I grabbed onto the rock shelf for dear life as it felt like I was pouring my soul into her eager mouth.

When I finally calmed down and started to settle, Remmi gave the tip of my cock one last kiss and moved up to embrace me.

Her skin was cool compared to the warm rock around us. It felt nice as she slid herself up my body until she was pressing her breasts into mine and her tongue was exploring my mouth.

"I love you woman," I said breathlessly.

"You always say that after I go down on you," Remmi said with a grin.

"Yeah, but still," I said. "With everything we've been through... all the changes, I still want you to know how much I love you."

"I love you too, now shut up and kiss me!" Remmi growled.

We kissed passionately for several minutes, not taking it any further than lip-locking. Remmi still enjoyed sliding her tongue down my throat. I'm not sure what it did for her, but thankfully, she always warned me beforehand.

"Asher? Remmi?" Danu's voice called out from the next room.

I knew Danu knew exactly where we were. She always did in her temple. She was showing us a courtesy I hadn't expected. Usually, she'd just appear beside us and be watching with an unreadable expression.

"Duty calls," Remmi grinned and sat back. She slipped into the water and turned towards the main chamber.

We'd yet to find swimwear in this world, so we were constantly swimming naked anytime the need arose. Not that we wanted swimsuits or anything. I mean, where's the fun in that?

"Coming!" I answered, causing Remmi to give me a smirk. "Shut up," I muttered and slipped into the water, following Remmi.

Back in the main chamber, we found Danu waiting for us with a curious expression.

"Did you enjoy your... swim?" Danu asked.

"Naturally," Remmi grinned.

"What's up Danu?" I asked.

"Funny you should mention that," Danu said and ushered us outside.

We'd quickly dressed as Danu brought us back to the surface.

The first thing I noticed was a deep thrumming in the air.

"What is that?" Remmi asked, looking around as she straightened her braid.

"I don't know," I said, as the sound seemed to bounce off the surrounding mountains, growing louder.

"There," Danu said, pointing skyward.

The nose of a massive dirigible appeared over the edge of the mountain. As we watched, more and more of the airship appeared as the noise from it began to shake my bones.

"The Goodyear blimp?" Remmi asked as she shaded her eyes from the sun and stared upward.

I couldn't tell how big the ship was as it passed overhead. A mesh of crisscrossed ropes held a massive gondola attached beneath the dark surface of the football-shaped balloon.

"It appears to be heading towards The Roadhouse," Danu said matter-of-factly.

"Of course it is," I frowned and started pulling on my armor. "Come on, Remmi, we need to get."

"Right," Remmi said, as she started strapping on her own armor.

"Well, good luck!" Danu said as she began to sink back into her temple.

I still couldn't believe we'd been on Kresch eight months or so by my count. It seemed like just yesterday we were getting the brief from Cr'eon about our new lives after escaping the destruction of our home Bio Hab.

"Come on, slow poke!" Remmi said, having finished her armor and starting to jog back towards the river.

So many things had changed. One minute I'm a college girl trying to figure out how I'm going to pass algebra. The next I'm a armor wearing, sword wielding adventurer in a fatasy world I'd never understand.

"Shut up!" I called out as I started to jog after her while still fascining my armor's straps.

Even though my family had changed a lot, and not just in appearance, we all still cared for one another... a bit more than a normal family should. Everyone had new roles, new jobs, and even new gods. But we still all had each other.

We didn't run back to The Roadhouse as we had here. We didn't have any magical healing to refresh us at the end of this trip. So we jogged, trying to keep the airship in view as it crept onwards.

I'd even picked up what was coming to be a second family. I mean, a normal relationship has the partner's family, the in-laws if you will. Since Remmi and I shared our family, I guess the gestalt was filling in for my in-laws. Again, I was more friendly with that family that normal people would be as well. At least I never dreaded my in-laws coming over.

We lost sight of the airship once we crossed the river and entered the forest proper. But the sound remained, getting slightly quieter as it began to pull away from us.

Of course it hadn't all been roses. We'd made a few... I guess you could call them enemies, along the way. But who doesn't have problems with their neighbors, right? Granted I'd had to settle our last problem by slaughtering four guys with a sword... but there hadn't been any issues since.

I'd even heard Ali was now managing his father's inn. Mr. Crenston was still there, but in the background as his little abduction plot had cost him business. When the townsfolk heard what Mr. Crenston had done to my mom, they weren't very forgiving. Business didn't pick back up until it became known Ali was running things now.

By the time we reached the outer wall of The Roadhouse, the sound had died away.

"You think it kept going?" Remmi asked.

"No," I said. "Probably just shut its engines off."

Even Larisa, Tara's new personal smith, was doing well. After Tara paid off Ezra for rebuilding the forge, she offered Larisa the job of resident smith. Mom and Dad didn't complain as the forge hadn't cost them a dime. Plus, having a smith in residence brought in even more business. It didn't hurt that she gave The Roadhouse a hefty discount on anything we needed either. Even Ezra was happy with how things turned out as his daughter was on her own, but still close to home... but not too close. I don't think she'd be coming home to do laundry or anything.

As we made our way down the wall to the back entrance, I still marveled at the massive wall that protected The Roadhouse. The previous tenants had to have been worried about something major to make such strong fortifications for what was just a glorified inn. But then again, we were out in the middle of nowhere. If something happened here, nobody would know about it.

We were approaching the back gate when something caught my eye. It was lying in the dirt next to the wall about thirty feet from the gate. I stopped to pick up whatever it was as Remmi reached the gate.

"You coming?" Remmi asked, her voice filled with excitement.

"I'll catch up in a minute," I said.

"Suit yourself," Remmi said and disappeared inside.

I picked up the small golden coin and turned it over in my hand. I didn't recognize it from any of the embedded training we'd received on Behemoth. But from how shiny it was, it had to be practically brand new.

I pocketed it and turned to head to the door when I saw the footprints. There were several small footprints all along the wall. They looked... child sized. But we didn't have any children living here at The Roadhouse.

Trying to remember as much of Rhi's training as I could, I started examinging the tracks. I managed to distinguish at least five different sets of tracks, but my skills weren't that great, so I could be totally off. They led back into the forest towards the river. But once I got a few feet into the forest, they vanished. Again, they might be right there in front of me but my tracking skills sucked.

A sudden feeling of vulnerability filled me as I searched my surroundings. The thought of five creatures being out here with me in the wood had me quickly retreating back inside the gate. I bolted the gate shut and double-checked it to make sure it was secure. I even gave the door a shake for good measure.

Whatever was out there had spooked me.

End of Book 2: Asher's Futa Fantasy -- A New World to Handle