by B N Miles
She stared at him for a few long seconds as he crouched in front of her, and he felt like they were aligned again, like he could feel her heart beating in his chest.
He put the towel down then reached out and touched her cheek. She tilted her chin up toward him.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“I’m sure,” she said.
He leaned forward and kissed her.
It was tentative at first. Her unfamiliar lips were surprisingly soft. She tasted like jam and hay with the coppery tinge of blood mixed in. She took a sharp breath and pressed herself forward, pushing her lean body against his.
Jared gripped her hips, kissed her slow and deep. He held her like that, getting used to her unfamiliar body, his hands exploring down her chest, cupping her breasts, down to her lower back, her tight ass. She let out a little gasp when he gripped her and pulled her, rolling her over on top of him.
She straddled his hips and rocked back and forth, grinding herself against his half-hard cock. He pulled her closer and kissed her, losing himself in his own own desire for her beautiful skin.
She moved back with a deep breath, her eyes wide with joy, almost shining in the moonlight. Jared smiled back at her, at the simple happiness in her gaze, and leaned forward to kiss her neck.
“I didn’t think it would be like this,” she said. “I thought it would just…”
“Just what?” he asked. “You didn’t think I’d kiss you first?”
She blushed, her tan skin turning burgundy. “No, I mean, I thought you’d just… you know…”
“Fuck you senseless without even kissing you first.” Jared shook his head and laughed, “What kind of man do you take me for?”
“I don’t know,” she said, looking away.
Before Jared could argue, Lumi appeared at her side, pretty little Lumi. She knelt down next to Izzy and kissed her cheek.
“Jared’s not so bad,” Lumi said.
Jessalene appeared on Izzy’s other side. “There’s a reason we like him,” she said.
Izzy looked at the girls, surprise clear in her expression, her mouth slightly parted. “I forgot you girls were here,” she said.
“That’s because I’m just so wonderful,” Jared said, grabbing Izzy’s hips and grinding himself against her.
She took a breath and laughed. “Something like that.”
“Relax a little,” Nikki said, coming up from behind Izzy. “Let us take care of you.”
Izzy turned her face and Nikki leaned down to kiss her. Jared watched as the girls kissed, two beautiful blonde women partially drenched in blood, and felt his cock stiffen. Izzy let out a little laugh as he ground himself against her again, and she turned to kiss Jessalene next as Nikki reached around and cupped her breasts.
“What do you think, Jared?” Nikki asked. “She’s pretty, isn’t she?”
“She’s beautiful,” Jared said.
“And you want her, don’t you?”
“I really, really do.”
“Good.” Nikki beamed at him. “You can have her. She definitely wants you too.”
Izzy pulled away from Jessalene and met Jared’s eyes.
“She’s right,” Izzy said. “I do want you.”
“Good,” he said, sitting forward and kissing her.
She broke away, kissed Lumi last, before the girls pulled her away. They kissed her, kissed her neck, pulled her hair, bit her lips. Lumi dropped to her knees and pulled Izzy’s jeans off, revealing lacy black panties, a trim stomach, a round, muscular ass.
Jared got his own pants off, his cock straining against his boxer briefs. Jessalene, Lumi, and Nikki passed Izzy around between them, kissing her, teasing her, touching her breasts, running their fingers down between her legs. Jared watched, barely able to control himself, before Nikki finally turned Izzy toward him.
“Go ahead,” Nikki whispered. “Go to him.”
Izzy took a few steps forward, dropping to her knees again. She reached out, biting her lip, and tugged his boxer briefs off, revealing his thick cock. She took him in her hand, stroking him up and down, her mouth hanging open.
“Shit,” Jared said.
“Good girl,” Nikki said, holding Izzy’s head back. “Take him in your mouth. Taste him, don’t be shy.”
Izzy leaned forward and sucked Jared deep, sliding him between her lips. He watched her move up and down, aided by Nikki, as Jessalene and Lumi both watched. He groaned with the pleasure of it, but he held himself back, enjoying the moment, the beauty of his girls.
She pulled back and gasped, stroking him faster.
“Come here,” he said, reaching down. He pulled her up and let her crawl on top of him. Together, they managed to get her panties off, with some help from Nikki and Lumi.
Finally, she pressed her wet sex against his stiff shaft and moved her hips in a slow circle, teasing his tip as she kissed him. Jared ran his fingers through her hair, kissed her neck, bit her lip, then slid himself forward and deep between her legs.
She gasped at first and he felt her tense. He filled her to the brim, so tight and warm, heaven between her legs. She began to ride him, moving her hips in fast circles, as she stared into his eyes.
It was bliss, pure ecstasy. She rode him faster, her face beautiful in the moonlight. Nikki whispered encouragements while Jessalene and Lumi watched, and Jared loved having all his girls around him, all of them watching as his cock slid in and out of Izzy’s gorgeous body.
They fucked in the desert, partially covered in blood. Izzy moved faster, grinding herself against him. He saw a drop of sweat roll down her body and kissed her again, tongue against her tongue, unable to help himself. He wanted to taste her, wanted to bring her close to him.
This was how it started, he realized, as she threw back her hair with a moan and kissed Lumi. This was how she’d come to them, she’d join their little group. Beautiful Izzy, gorgeous and smart Izzy, she was going to be his.
The thought made him thrust deep inside of her. She gasped, eyes wide, as Jessalene kissed her neck. Nikki grabbed her hair and Jared took control. He fucked Izzy faster, grinding himself inside her, moving with her hips. They worked together, fucking and groaning, and he felt her getting closer, closer, heard her whisper moans of pleasure, heard her say his name, his name rolling off the tip of her tongue like a prayer.
He kept going, pushing her, bringing her to the edge. Her muscles tensed, stiffened, and she cursed, throwing back her head. He knew she was close, and he knew he couldn’t hold back any longer.
The burst shocked him with its intensity. She began first, coming in heavy, intense waves, the priori dumping from her body like a flood. He felt it lift him up as her own orgasm released deep between her legs, and the world disappeared, Lumi and Jessalene and Nikki disappeared, and there was only Izzy, only his Izzy.
They came as one, floating, rising high. He saw Izzy as a three-year-old girl, laughing with her mother, running through a measure. He saw Izzy, maybe ten years old, standing in a forest with her father, learning the names of all the trees, all the animals. He saw Izzy standing in front of a burning building, screaming her father’s name as her mother pulled her away, the flames so hot that they made her skin crawl. Jared saw more flashes from her life, saw her dedicate herself to healing, to fixing the mistakes her father had made, and as the orgasm slowly began to fade and the magic that flooded between them began to seep away into the universe, he felt like he understood her better than he ever could have before.
When it was over, Izzy stayed on top of him, her body pressed against his. He held her close as she breathed hard, her warm spot still wrapped around his cock. She moved a little, pulled back, stared into his eyes and touched his cheek.
“Not so different,” she said.
He smiled a little, sad for her lost family, and sad that she was right. They really weren’t so different.
“Not at all,” he said.
She leaned forward and kissed his lips. A gentle touch, but Jared felt a shiv
er of joy and desire run along his skin.
“And how are we doing?” Nikki asked, crouching down next to them.
“Good.” Izzy’s skin was flushed as she leaned back, still straddling Jared. “Really, really good.”
“Looked pretty good to me,” Nikki said.
“You’re gorgeous when you come,” Jessalene said.
“Definitely agree with that,” Jared said.
“Stop,” Izzy said, her face turning even redder.
“As much as I’d love to watch you two fuck all night, we have a job to do,” Nikki said. “And we have until sunrise to pull it off. At least, that’s when I won’t be of much use.”
Jared grunted and let out a breath. Izzy pulled herself up, sliding her off him, and stepped back. She dressed, tossing him a strange look as she pulled her jeans on and buttoned them up.
“How much time until sunrise?” Jared asked as he got to his feet and pulled his own clothes on.
“Four hours,” Nikki said. “And we still have a hike ahead of us.”
Jared stared out toward the plateau mountain. The group was silent for a moment as they stared at it.
“I see lights,” Jared said. “Look at the right side of the base.”
“I see them,” Jessalene said. “Think that’s some kind of entrance?”
“Who knows,” Jared said. “Could be anything, really.”
“But it’s proof that we have the right place,” Jessalene said.
“As if that barrier wasn’t proof enough.” Lumi waved her hand at the thing.
“Are we trapped in here?” Izzy asked, her voice suddenly getting higher. “We aren’t going to have to do that again, are we?”
“No,” Lumi said. “I’m pretty sure it’s a one-way block. We can get back through again without issue.”
Izzy let out a breath. “Okay, good. I just had a little panic attack.”
Jared smiled and put an arm around her shoulder. She looked at him, slightly surprised, but she smiled back, relief tugging at her lips.
“Come on,” he said, dropping his arm from Izzy. “Let’s get moving. Cassie’s waiting for us.”
He grabbed one of the bags and slung it back on. Nikki took the other one, and together they began to walk through the desert, the plateau mountain acting as their north star, their guiding light.
39
The mountain grew larger as they marched through the moonlit desert.
Jared felt lightheaded more than once, but he pushed himself to go on. He sipped a bottle of water, breathed through the discomfort, and reminded himself that Cassie was somewhere inside of that mountain, stolen by the Medlar for their own unknown, nefarious purposes.
They walked for an hour before Nikki called a halt. “You all look like shit,” she said.
“We lost a bunch of blood,” Jessalene said, sitting down on a rock. She leaned her hands on her knees and took deep breaths. “You did too, you know.”
“I know,” Nikki said. “But it’s night time and I’m a Vampire. Plus, I got a little taste of blood from Jared here, and I wrung that towel out into my mouth, so now I’m feeling quite good.” She licked her lips and put a hand on her hip.
“You’re so creepy,” Lumi said as she sat on the ground.
“Suck it up,” Nikki said. “We’re here for a reason. Don’t forget.”
“We haven’t forgotten,” Jared said then turned his attention to Izzy. “Is there anything you can do for them?”
“I can help a little,” she said. “But I can’t regenerate all the blood we’ve lost.”
“I’m fine,” Jared said. “Do what you can for Jessalene.”
Jessalene opened her mouth to argue, but Izzy walked over and pressed her hands against Jessalene’s chest. Jared felt Izzy’s power flare and her hands began to glow. Jessalene let out a little sigh as the magic flowed into her body. Izzy kept her hands there for about ten seconds, then pulled them away.
“Better?” Izzy asked.
“A little bit, actually,” Jessalene said, and Jared noticed that her cheeks had a little more color to them.
Izzy walked to Lumi and repeated the procedure. Lumi didn’t argue, just closed her eyes and let Izzy’s magic flow. Jared watched carefully, trying to figure out what Izzy was doing, but the magic was beyond him. Very few Magi became healers, mostly because body modifications were so dangerous and difficult to manage. Izzy was clearly quite skilled, but even she’d made a mistake when it came to trying to alter multiple people at the same time, a trick Jared had never seen done, let alone heard of before.
When Izzy finished with Lumi, Jared shifted the pack on his back and marched forward again. Nikki joined him, and the others brought up the rear. He was determined to reach the mountain soon, well before sunrise. They’d need Nikki’s strength inside there, and if they didn’t hurry, she’d lose her powers before they had a chance to break inside.
The mountain continued to loom larger and the lights at its base got brighter and more distinct. Jared could make out some kind of enormous double doors, heavy and green with thick round rivets. They were likely some kind of steel or iron, and they were big enough for two trucks to drive straight through side by side.
As far as he could tell, there were no other defenses. He didn’t sense anything magical nearby, and Lumi didn’t mention anything, either. There was no fence, no guard towers, no spotlights. As far as he could tell, that outer barrier was its only real protection.
Which didn’t surprise him too much. That barrier was something else, and there weren’t many Magi in the world that could pull off what they just did. Magi tended to believe in their magic, almost to a fault. Some called it arrogance, but Jared knew it was bred into them, reinforced from years and years of power and privilege, day after day of proof that they were better, that their magic was stronger, that nothing could break them.
But Jared could break them, and he would.
After another hour of hiking, they began to get within shouting distance. Jared steered the girls toward a small group of boulders perched about a mile from the mountain itself. They pressed themselves flat against the warm stone, heat still retained from the baking sunlight of the desert afternoon.
The lights were bright and white, and they illuminated a flat, cleared expanse in front of the mountain. Several trucks were parked out front, along with excavation equipment, plastic-wrapped boxes of pallets, and several white portable trailers. Aside from the enormous green doors, Jared could see smaller side doors, several of them placed on either side of the main iron entrance.
Nothing moved. As far as Jared could see, there were no people. The lights in the trailers were off, and there was no light coming from the mountain itself, only the white lights that shined down on the construction equipment out front.
“What’s the plan?” Izzy asked.
“I can see a few doors,” Jared said. “At least, I’m pretty sure.”
“We aren’t going right through the main gate,” Lumi said. “They’ll have some kind of defenses.”
“Think your blood will work again?” Jared asked.
“I don’t know,” Lumi said. “There are certain passcodes the Medlar use, but they change sometimes, so I’m not sure if they’ll work here.”
“There has to be a way inside,” Nikki said. “If you can get me close to one of those entrances, I bet I can rip it open.”
“That’ll be a last resort,” Jared said. “We don’t want to make much noise if we can avoid it.”
He squinted at the mountain, staring at its long rocky face, at the crags above the iron door, at the thousands of tons of stone that jutted up toward the night sky.
“If we cloak ourselves, I think we can get right up against it,” Lumi said. “Doesn’t feel like they have any other defenses out here.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Jared said.
“A little mist, nothing too crazy. Just enough to make us hard to see.”
“I’m sure they have cameras.”
>
“Won’t matter. It’s late, anyway. I bet whoever’s supposed to be watching is half asleep.”
Jared let out a breath and ran his fingers along the rock. “Would the Medlar hire someone that would fall asleep at their post?”
Lumi was quiet for a second. “Good point.”
“Still, we don’t have a better option,” he said and pushed up off the rock. He turned to look at the girls. “Last chance to turn back.”
Jessalene snorted. “Hell no,” she said. “And I’m almost insulted you’d suggest it.”
“If we go in there and we get caught, the Medlar will kill us,” Jared said. “And I think we have a pretty good chance of getting caught.”
“Let them try,” Nikki said, flashing her fangs. “I’m well fed tonight, but I could use another snack.”
“I’m coming,” Izzy said. “I know the risk.”
Jared nodded and looked at Lumi. She just shrugged.
“You know me,” she said. “Always looking for something to do.”
“Okay then,” Jared said. “Let’s get moving.”
He reached for the priori and let it flow into him. He felt the mist memgram snap into his mind, and he let it flow out from his splayed fingers like a fire extinguisher blasting at the rocky ground. The mist flowed out and spread around their group, a light gray patch of fog, cloaking them in the darkness.
“Stay close,” he said. “I don’t want to make this too large.”
He turned and moved around the boulders. The mist moved with him. He had to feed it a small bit of priori to keep it going, but the circumstances were simple, and the strain was minor.
The girls moved with him. He felt Lumi’s arm against his, felt Jessalene and Nikki and Izzy in a tight cluster just behind.
He picked up his pace until they were moving at a slow jog, the mountain growing with every stride.
