by Noah Layton
Lara’s mouth was busy, so Ariadne did the talking for her.
‘Join us, master,’ she panted, her breasts rising and falling with each shuddering breath.
I felt like I was in a trance as I pushed up from the couch and crossed to the girls. I pulled off my clothes, and Lara shot me a look up and down as I moved towards them.
Approval and wanton desire was the only thing in her eyes, and the only thing in mine.
I pulled her underwear down over her ass, the only piece of clothing remaining on any of us. Her lips glimmered with soaked wetness in the firelight.
Unable to resist any longer, I guided my throbbing cock to her and pushed into her body, sliding into her tightness effortlessly considering how soaked she was.
Lara let out an uncontrollable moan as I filled her up, but quickly returned to her duties between Ariadne’s legs. I took her hips in my hands, the dragon on her back arching and bucking as she bent her back to take me.
I pushed into a hard, steady rhythm, watching her as she took me again and again while pleasuring Ariadne.
We remained like that for ten minutes, indulging in each other’s bodies in the privacy of that secluded room. The cove outside was still alive with late night citizens, and the thought crossed my mind as to whether they would be able to hear our groans, but the girls didn’t care, and neither did I.
Lara shook her ass against me, her moans driving me crazy until I had to pull out of her and get control of myself. Seeing them both like that and feeling the perfection of Lara’s body surrounding my cock was enough to finish me in a second.
Lara caught her breath and pulled away from Ariadne, both of them laughing breathlessly as they stretched out on their backs.
I stood off the bed admiring the perfect sight before me.
‘How is she, master?’ Ariadne asked.
‘Fucking amazing,’ I breathed.
‘She is, isn’t she? Her tongue is a mighty weapon… But her breasts, I think, are her most magnificent feature…’
I couldn’t believe how freely she was speaking about this stuff, but what was more was I couldn’t believe that Lara was going along with it.
Lara sat up, running her hands up beneath her large chest. They did look pretty damn good, especially compared to the slimness of the rest of her body.
‘I think you should try them,’ Ariadne continued.
Ariadne moved to kneel behind Lara, running her hands around her and taking her breasts in her hands. Lara beckoned me forth with a come hither motion; even if I was the master, I was happy to do as I was told.
Lara wrapped her fingers around my shaft, guiding me between her breasts while Ariadne wrapped them tightly around my length.
My head fell back uncontrollably as I gave myself over to the perfect sensation of Lara’s huge, soft breasts pleasuring my cock. Ariadne shook them up and down as I fucked them, both of them working as hard as they could to finish me.
Lara sensed it as my cock throbbed with an impossible hardness. I thrusted harder than ever, ready to finish, but she was way ahead of me. Just as I was about to finish, she took my cock again in her hand and wrapped her soft lips around my head, taking me deep into her mouth.
I ran my hands into her hair as her lips clamped down around my shaft, cumming hard into her mouth and down her throat.
I groaned out loudly, no longer giving a fuck about who could hear us. Ecstasy washed over me as Lara took my load, refusing to pull away.
When I finally finished, completely emptied, I staggered onto the bed, my body shaking with the adrenaline. A fight may have gotten my blood pumping, but the two sexiest women I had ever met, and the sight of Lara swallowing down everything that I had given her, was more than any man could handle.
The girls fell by my side on the bed and curled up to me, their bodies shaking as much as mine.
‘Is that how you are with all men in your world?’ I asked.
‘Only those that I desire,’ Lara smiled. ‘And only those that taste as good as you.’
The heat of the fire and the gentle breeze through the open windows that gave onto the darkness outside was the last thing I remembered before falling asleep on the back of the best night of my life.
Chapter Eight
A pair of hands wrapped around my neck. My stomach tensed and my eyes went wide, but all I saw was darkness.
The life was being choked out of me.
Suddenly my eyes burst open. I inhaled hard, almost convulsing with the effort of it.
I didn’t know where I was or who I was for a moment. Registering the memory of Lara’s room, I laid back against the bed between the girls.
It was early morning and a little colder than the day before. A pale, almost non-existent light was beginning to cut into the darkness of the room; the fire had burned out hours ago and had now been reduced to a withering, smouldering heap of ashes.
‘Another gloomhunter, master?’ Ariadne said, running a hand over me.
I traced a hand up to my neck and felt for the silver chain around my neck.
‘Yeah… Don’t worry about it. It’s fine.’
‘It is not my place to press. I hope last night did not make you too… Uncomfortable?’
‘Why would it have made me uncomfortable?’
‘You were quiet when I and Lara were…’
‘When you and Lara were what?’
The hunter curled up to my right arm. She leaned over my chest to look at us.
‘We were just talking about last night before you woke up,’ Ariadne replied. ‘I don’t think my master has ever been with more than one woman.’
‘Excuse me,’ I laughed, ‘I’ve definitely been with more than one woman… Just not at the same time.’
‘You haven’t?’ Lara replied. ‘As a tribe master I would have thought that you’ve been with many women.’
‘Like I said, I haven’t been in these parts for long.’
‘Many tribe masters take several wives to keep by their side.’
‘Seriously? Do they have ceremonies?’
‘Not generally. The cleric of the tribe sometimes carries them out, if that’s what a master wishes.’
‘Like a healer? We don’t have one of those yet.’
‘You don’t have a cleric? What do you have?’
‘Give me a break. My tribe was only founded a few days ago.’
‘We are small,’ Ariadne added, ‘but we are steadily growing, and our lands are prosperous.’
‘Have you ever been a part of a tribe?’ I asked Lara.
‘Once, a long time ago. I did not get on well with the master. He was a disgusting creature who wished to… Well, I won’t go into it. All I’ll say is that he was nothing like you, Jack.’
‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’
‘You should.’
‘So… What does this make us?’
Lara asked it – as steadfast and witty as she was, there was a sudden element of curiosity in her voice, a lack of surety.
This hadn’t just been a one-night stand. She had enjoyed herself on another level.
‘I like her, master,’ Ariadne said, running a hand teasingly over my chest. ‘Can she stay?’
‘That’s up to her,’ I replied. ‘What do you think, huntress?’
‘About what? Not about joining your tribe…’
‘Why not? You can fight, you can handle yourself, and I’m pretty sure Ariadne’s taken a liking to you, not to mention myself.’
Lara propped herself up on one arm and ran a hand through her hair.
‘And you would want me to join you?’
‘Of course, why wouldn’t I?’
‘I am just… Not used to being treated with such kindness.’
‘How many friends do you have?’
‘Not many… Okay, none. I do not tend to associate with people. Living in the cove is enjoyable, but you see the real side of people every day. Everyone is out to benefit themselves. This may be different, though.’ She pau
sed, smiling between us. ‘I will come to stay with you for a few days, if that is an appropriate compromise.’
‘And then you’ll head back?’
‘And then I will make my decision as to whether I wish to stay for good.’
‘That’s good with me.’
I relaxed between the girls as they snuggled up to me, indulging in the soft firmness of their sexy bodies.
It had been a while since I felt this relaxed, but over the years I had gotten used to the fact that the feeling never lasted long.
There was always something else to worry about. Always. And as I shut my eyes to settle back into sleep between these two unbelievably hot girls, my eyes exploded open once again.
I tore from their touch and sat bolt upright.
‘Alorion.’
In minutes I was dressed with my sword and scabbard equipped at my waist. I dashed out the door, down the stairs and into the bar.
The place was a dump. Smashed glasses, overturned tables, puddles of ale and liquor all over the floor – and the bartender, Rook, soaking a mop in a bucket in a corner.
‘Oh, god…’ I said. ‘I’m so sorry, Rook. Listen, whatever the damage is, I’ll pay for it.’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ he replied casually, yawning and patting the thought off with a brush of his hand on the air. ‘That little imp of yours brought the house down last night. Busiest night I’ve ever seen. I made a fortune!’
I wasn’t going to question success.
‘Do you know where he is?’
‘Not a clue. Left a few hours ago. I thought he was with you.’
Shit.
Ten minutes later the girls had dressed, grabbed their things and joined me outside as we scoured the cove in the rising sunlight in search of Alorion.
Only a few early morning traders were making their way along passages and causeways as we searched for him.
In the end we found him in the place where I had planned on sleeping last night; spread eagle in the back of the cart while the horse gorged itself on hay and water.
I filled up a toppled rusty bucket nearby and dumped the water onto my imp.
‘ARRGHHH!!!’
The screech echoed through the cove as Alorion flailed madly. I clasped my palm over his mouth, holding his body down with my other hand.
‘Keep quiet!’ I said in a hushed whisper. ‘Do you really want to draw any more attention to us?’
Alorion calmed himself and I pulled away from him.
‘Gods,’ he moaned. ‘My head…’
‘I’d feel sorry for you, but you deserve it. What the hell happened last night?’
‘Morinthian’s. I said I would only go back for one, but I got a bit carried away.’
‘And apparently threw the greatest party Ichabod’s Cove has ever seen.’
‘I did?’
‘Great,’ I smiled. ‘An amnesiac alcoholic imp as an assistant. And don’t blame it on Marlo this time.’
‘I apologise sincerely, Master Jack. I do hope that I have not disappointed you.’
‘I’m kidding,’ I said. ‘No, I’m not disappointed. Not yet, anyway. Sober up, bud, I’ve got one last thing to attend to.’
***
Ariadne took Alorion to fill his canteen and get a decent meal while Lara led me back into the depths of the cove.
‘A lot of people are afraid of magic, but they need not be. It is a weapon like any other. If the user is not skilled enough to wield it, they will likely do more damage to themselves than others, as I mentioned yesterday.’
‘What can you tell me about this necromancer? What’s he like?’
‘What’s she like.’ Lara smiled over her shoulder at me. ‘She’s… Quiet, and has very loose morals. Coin is the only thing that she cares about. Make sure to give her some respect, though. Being able to teach spell scrolls also means being able to cast them. She has built up an impressive repertoire of abilities in her life. Only she and the gods know what she could do to you.’
I kept that in mind as we headed up to the second level of the cove and down an alleyway that led into the depths of the structures. The cove had good and bad places, but this was beyond scraping the bottom of the barrel.
The smell of fish and mead filled the air, and I began to wonder how much I really trusted Lara.
True, I had been apprehensive about Ariadne to begin with and she had turned out to be unfathomably loyal. This was a different test, though.
The passage continued on until we reached the rockface of the cliff, accessible across a rickety gangplank around three yards long. Below it gave onto a descent of at least fifteen yards, ending in gently lapping water and jagged rocks.
‘Come on,’ Lara beckoned me on, stepping across the plank.
‘But there’s nothing there.’
‘Isn’t there?’
She arrived on the cliff ledge and pushed forward. What I had thought was part of the rockface was in fact a hidden door that gave with a sharp shove from her hands.
I kept a calm face on, but this was without a doubt one of the coolest things I had ever seen in my life.
Checking my sword at my side, I followed Lara into the darkness of this newly revealed passage.
Things were dark for a few steps in the damp, quiet cave, before a myriad torches flickering with firelight appeared as we turned a corner.
There was a large space carved into the cliff. It was held up the occasional carved rock column. Amongst the columns were makeshift beds composed of hay and bags of sand.
Atop half of the beds were various people of different species. All had their heads lolled back against their beds so comfortably it looked as if they would struggle to get up even if a blade was held to their throats.
The only thing they had in common was the pipe that sat by each of their beds. I had been to Egypt once before in the old world and seen shisha bars – this was the closest thing to it, although what they were smoking seemed much more potent.
A cloud of smoke gripped the ceiling, attempting to claw its way out but finding no exit in the stuffy chamber.
‘What is it they’re smoking?’
‘Moonseed laced with various flavourings.’
My ears perked up in an instant. I thought back to the patch that Eri had begun to grow back at our land.
‘Is it addictive?’
‘Not really, but the visions it gives can be. It changes the way the world looks. Makes it feel far better than this one. I mean, that’s the only reason a lot of people take strange things in the first place isn’t it?’
‘So they can escape reality,’ I agreed. ‘What are we doing here?’
‘Seeing the necromancer. She’s back here.’
We moved halfway across the room and turned left. Not a single moonseed user turned our way as we did; they barely registered our presence, remaining lost in their own internal worlds.
Lara stopped at another door and knocked lightly.
‘What do you want?’ The voice was distorted but graceful.
‘A chance to broaden my powers with the help of a different kind of master.’
A pause, then-
‘Enter.’
Lara raised her eyebrows at me and stepped aside, nodding to the door.
‘I’ll see you outside,’ she said.
I turned the handle and stepped into the room, still ready to grab my sword if I had to make an exit fast.
The room was small and circular. A few torches lit the space, although they weren’t necessarily needed; a tall vertical passage led up through the ceiling and out onto the cliff edge high above, affording some natural light.
Desks piled with papers and books arced around the room before arriving on both sides at a large chair, atop which sat the person I was looking for.
‘You wish to command the power of a spell scroll?’
‘I do, and I’ve been told that you can train me.’
She was a quaint woman, young but frail, as if her body might snap in two if she
tried to lift even the slightest weight.
‘The first thing you must know is that I cannot teach you. I can only imbue the power of the scroll into your spirit. Learning how to use the spell is something that only you can teach yourself.’
‘Fair enough… So how does this work?’
‘First payment must be made.’
The necromancer pushed up from her chair, carrying her many shawls in her hands and taking only the steps necessary to reach me. She held out a hand and we initiated the deal.
I examined the trading box.
Service: Imbue Arcane Blast
Cost: 200GP + Power Stone
Jesus. I had paid almost that to buy Ariadne’s freedom.
That would bring my total down to a little over 300GP, just to learn a spell. Either I was being stiffed or it was worth it.
But I was here, and I didn’t know the next time that I would be back here in the future. Tormus and Eri were continuing the harvest back at our land, which would bring in some coin for the near future.
I hit accept, and the window disappeared. I winced at the sight of my GP count dropping.
The necromancer smiled and nodded.
‘Stand upon the symbol of the underworld.’
‘I’m guessing that that’s the marking on the ground.’
‘You would be correct.’
I did as I was told.
‘The symbol of the underworld?’ I repeated back to her. ‘Why is it called that?’
‘Why is anything called anything at all? Because it is a part of its history. Nobody knows where magic first appeared in the land, but many necromancers choose to believe that it was brought from the underworld by a rogue spirit. To our ancestors, possessing such powers would have been seen as nothing less than supernatural.
‘But what is the supernatural? That which the natural laws of the world cannot explain? Magic can be explained easily; it is simply the transference and the condensing of energy in its many forms.’
The necromancer picked a book from a nearby shelf and tipped it open. She raised a hand in my direction and began reading in a language that I couldn’t even begin to understand.
At first there were no changes beyond the sound of her voice. Steadily the symbol beneath began to glow with a luminescent purple.
