Fantasmic Tales: Poppy Rider And The Glass Shards

by Adrianna Dane

  Poppy, Will, and the now human Gray set out the next morning to reach the borders of the Ice Queen's realm. The plane ride was long and exhausting. Lou, their guide, met them at the tiny, functional airport. It turned out they were in for another long ride as they headed off for Grisefiord. They were definitely at the very outer fringes of civilization in a no-man's land.

  It was early summer in Canada, the time of the midnight sun, and although the sun descended in the sky it would not completely disappear. Poppy had to admit that the view of the sun resting along the horizon was truly breathtaking.

  Lou's place consisted of one main wooden structure and several smaller ones all lifted off the ground and constructed on platforms. He said it was constructed that way because of the nature of the shifting environment.

  "Where is this place we're supposed to be going to?" Poppy asked and then took another sip of her coffee. "It sure as heck isn't on any map."

  "Don't know, but I expect Lou will guide us to it," Gray said.

  "So what--now you've set your sights on Lou?" Poppy couldn't help asking.

  "He's not bad," Gray said. "I could do him with no problem." Then he swiveled his head to look out the window at Will, who was conversing with Lou. "Fact is, I wouldn't mind having a go at both of them." Out of habit Poppy tried the mindspeak channel to tell Gray to get his mind on business and was surprised to find it didn't work. It had seemed odd that he hadn't tried to communicate with her, but she'd assumed it was simply because he could talk now and didn't need to use that form of communication.

  "Did you realize our neural connection isn't working?"

  "Yeah, I know. Moira said it was a trade-off for me taking human form. We won't be able to communicate as long as I look like this."

  "Darn. Well, I did find it convenient."

  "Why? So you could tell me not to think about what I'm thinking?" he said testily.

  She felt the flush of red embarrassment creep up her neck. "Well if you know, then I guess I don't have to say it."

  "Wouldn't work anyway. There's some things that just won't be ignored. Will you be mad if I take him to bed?"

  "We've got a job to do here. Can't you keep your mind on that?"

  "That didn't answer my question. Will you be pissed or not?"

  Would she? She didn't honestly know how she'd feel. She loved Will in her own way; she'd tolerated Gray in her house. Well, okay, more than tolerated. But trying to wrap her mind around the two of them going at it did funny things to her stomach, especially after the introduction to anal sex that she'd had the other night. She was intrigued by the thought of Will and Gray having sex. She cared for them both, differently, in her own way. She wanted her strange little family content and happy. Gray and Will having sex would change things. But would it be for the better or worse?

  She looked at Gray for a long time, studying the lean, energetic lines of his body. A wild boy, not meant for civilization. Hungry and lean.

  "That's why you stayed behind and didn't go with them. To talk about this?"

  He swung away from the window to look at her. Such a pretty, alert expression. He was beautiful. But it wasn't Poppy that Gray was interested in, was it?

  "I don't want to hurt you, Red. For all my kidding around, I wouldn't do anything behind your back." He walked across the room and cupped her face, staring down at her with those mesmerizing, expressive eyes. He took her by surprise when he leaned forward and kissed her. She couldn't move, and something melted inside her, cream gathering at her pussy, as he deepened the kiss. Then he lifted his head and stared down at her.

  She reached up to brush her thumb over his full lower lip. He nipped her finger, then quickly released it. "Do you think I can actually watch the two of you together and not want to taste you as well?" he asked.

  "I don't know. I guess I never really thought about it before."

  He grinned and his sharp white teeth reminded her of where they were and what he really was. A wolf dressed up to look like a human.

  "God, what are we doing?"

  He stepped away, the grin still on his face. Now it was more cocky and knowing. "You want me, too," he said. "We could do it now. Right here." His hands went to the snap at the front of his pants.

  "No!" Poppy said. "Are you crazy?" But boy was she tempted.

  Gray shrugged. "Not crazy, just an animal. I go after what I want; I don't have the nature to worry about civilized human shit. And I'm not shy."

  Oh, did she have visions of him taking exactly what he wanted. Outside, fucking, hard and savage, a look of dark ecstasy on his face. And she imagined that's exactly how Will would like it. What was it he said?

  From behind, dog style usually. I like to do it outside--in the woods.

  It had made her so hot when he'd said that as he fucked her.

  Against a wall. Over a table. Anywhere. Everywhere.

  And she knew in that instant that Gray and Will should and would have that moment. They were both of the rugged land and she didn't want to change that about either one of them. The fact that Gray asked said a lot to Poppy. And Poppy also knew that more than anything she wanted to watch when they did it.

  "Let's play it by ear. If you want him and he wants you, then do it. But don't piss him off. We have to work together here."

  "Pissing him off is definitely not what I have in mind."

  "Can we get back to the plan?"

  Gray assumed a wounded look. "That's what I'm here for--to help." He looked out the window and Poppy saw the longing on his face as he watched Lou and Will.

  "Oh, go out, dammit. You don't have to babysit me."

  He turned and grinned at her, then grabbed his coat and rushed outside. Poppy left the table and walked over to the window. She watched as with long strides Gray joined Lou and Will. She couldn't hear them talking, but there was an animation among them, a body language that spoke of sexual attraction. It wasn't just between Gray and Will, but she sensed Lou's interest as well.

  Poppy moved from one window to the next, never tiring of watching the byplay between the men, noting a tension that seemed to mount between them--perhaps an excitement building. They turned away as one, heading off toward the main cabin. Lou in the middle, placed a hand at Will's back, resting low just above his ass. And then with his other hand he did the same to Gray. There seemed an easy sense of possession about the action. Perhaps an indication of what was to come.

  Then suddenly Gray turned his head and looked at the cabin where Poppy was positioned at the window. He grinned and waved. Then Will turned and did the same. They hadn't forgotten her. They might acknowledge this man-thing between them, but they hadn't forgotten her. It spoke to her of the power of the relationship they shared even when apart.

  An hour later the door opened and Will stepped inside the cabin, letting in a cold blast of air that sent the papers on the table flying. Gray trailed behind him. Poppy lunged to retrieve the papers before they ended up in the fire roaring in the fireplace.

  "Jeez, Will. Could you be a little more careful?"

  "Sorry about that. We're ready. I've checked all the equipment and the sled is packed. Lou says there's no need to take along any electronic stuff because they don't work out there. He has dinner ready and then we should get a few hours of sleep.

  "So we're going out there blind?" Poppy said.

  "Instinct, babe, and reading the land. We'll be fine. Or at least as fine as we can be in a climate like this. You sure you're up to this? That's really rugged, treacherous land out there."

  "I'm going. I don't have a choice, do I? You can't use those drops and according to Moira it's going to take all three of us to finish this. You're not leaving me behind."

  He stepped closer. He smelled of cold, clean air and rugged outdoors. He shrugged off his coat and then pulled her to him. "I don't want anything to happen to you, that's all. Gray and I--well, we're used to this."

  She saw the excitement in his eyes. He was eager for the challenge. She looked beyond him t
o where Gray waited by the door. She saw the excited tension in the taut lines of his body. Then she turned back to Will.

  "You sure you don't just want to spend time alone with Gray?"

  Something flickered in his eyes, but then it was gone. "No way," Will said. "I just don't want to put your life in danger." He turned his head and nodded to Gray. "Neither does he. Both of us are worried."

  "It won't be easy," Gray said. "You'll be challenged like you've never been before, Poppy."

  Carefully she pulled from Will's grasp. "I'm going and that's the last I'll say on that. You're not talking me out of it."

  She was worried. No two ways about it. But she was going. She would be with two men who were avid outdoorsmen. She'd kept herself in pretty good shape, working out regularly. Yet, she knew Will and Gray would be in their element and she trusted them. There was absolutely no one she trusted more. Had she only just now come to realize that? She pushed the realization away. Quickly she gathered up her papers. It was hard enough trying to adjust to twenty-four hours of sunlight, and she was feeling decidedly off-kilter. She never had been much of a daytime nap person.

  Lou's carb-loaded dinner consisted of spaghetti with some kind of meat sauce and loaves of home-baked bread. Poppy wasn't about to ask what kind of meat he'd used, but it did taste pretty good for a bachelor guy.

  "You make this herb bread?" she asked Lou.

  "Chief cook and bottle washer--that's me," he said and then grinned. "Every now and then a friend of mine who's a chef comes up and shares a few recipes with me. Now there's a boy who knows his way around a stove. Damned good teacher."

  Poppy had to wonder if that wasn't all he did for Lou, but she sure wasn't going to ask.

  "You ever get away from here to have a little fun?"

  "I get relief once every couple of months. Not much of a city person myself. Watching the borders is a serious business--can't be left to just anyone."

  Will nodded. "Yeah, I can understand that. I like the mountains myself."

  "I like the forest," Gray inserted into the conversation. "Not much on crowds." He slid a glance toward Poppy and then lingered on Will. "I like to keep it intimate."

  She felt the comradeship that threaded between the three men. It felt even stronger in this small, functional kitchen than when she had watched them from the window of her cabin earlier in the day.

  She observed the look that passed between them, a connection at the most basic level. It left her feeling just the slightest bit out of place. The energy between them seemed more primal awareness. Territorial even. And in this, she was not a part of it. The raw tension between the three men intrigued her. The looks that passed between them excited her. And for the moment she enjoyed watching the byplay and the mounting sexual tension and awareness that seemed to be a part of the very atmosphere of the small kitchen.

  It was Lou who severed the moment of male bonding and turned to look at her. "It's a good thing Moira let me know ahead of time you'd be coming. I had a chance to get a supply plane in with everything you'll need for the trip. Those moose hide mukluks fit you, okay?" he asked.

  Lou had dropped by a set of outerwear and boots for her. "Yes, they fit great. I'm glad you were able to get all this stuff because we sure didn't have a chance to prepare for this."

  Lou laughed. "Moira's like that. She sets her mind on a thing, it gets done."

  "Yeah, I've figured that out," Poppy said wryly.

  "Those red insulated polar suits are made of new material, so I'm told. A bit more lightweight, but should hold up real good."

  "I'm sure we'll be fine, Lou. I expect you've thought of everything, certainly better than we could."

  "I'm not fond of sending novices out across that country, but talking with Will and Gray here, seems they can handle themselves pretty well." He looked at Will and Poppy felt that same sexual tension spark between the two men.

  Finally, Will looked at Poppy. "We're not taking a dog team through the portal. Lou's not too keen on losing any of his dogs to the Ice Queen."

  "But I thought we were taking a sled?" Poppy asked.

  Lou nodded. "You'll need supplies. I don't know how long before your guide will reach you on the other side. Got you a small, lightweight sled. It'll hold up to a hundred pounds and more if need be. Comes with a good, strong harness."

  "Gray and I will take turns hauling it," Will said.

  "I need to carry my own weight," Poppy said. She wasn't fool enough to think she would have a chance in hauling a hundred-pound sled. "Guess I'm doing the cooking and clean-up, huh?"

  All three of the men laughed. "Guess that's right," Will said.

  "I sure can't cook," Gray responded.

  Well, at least Poppy had done enough camping that she could handle herself well enough around a cook stove, knew how to set up a tent, and pack equipment. With luck she wouldn't embarrass herself too much.

  It was much later after the washing up and the goodnights were said and she was in her room that she heard a lone howl break free in the half-light of a sun brightened night. It seemed odd to look outside and still be able to see so clearly. Her attention turned to the kennel located at the back of the cabins where Lou's dogs were housed. They were gorgeous, well-fed, muscular animals and she understood Lou's desire to be assured of their safety. And since Lou would not be going along on this trek, the pull sled was their best recourse.

  She knew that particular building was also where Lou's workshop was located. He was also apparently a master carver, working both in wood and clay. As she studied the building she saw a man bundled in a blue hooded parka walking toward the structure. She watched him enter and figured it was probably Lou checking on the dogs one last time before turning in, or maybe he was headed there to his sculptures. Then she saw another figure lope across the clearing. She couldn't be certain if it was Will or Gray, but her curiosity was certainly peaked now.

  A knock sounded at her door and Will entered. Frigid wind followed him inside and Poppy shivered, but looking at Will quickly cranked up her thermostat. A shadowy bristle darkened his jaw. Deeply tanned, the edginess of rugged maturity rested powerfully on his athletic frame. He was the type of man who experienced life with keen gusto and that's part of what she loved about him. He faced things head on and made no apologies for his way of life.

  "I love you, Red. You know that," he started without preamble. "I love being with you. I'd do anything for you."

  "Yes, I know that, Will. The same goes for me." Poppy had a feeling she already knew what he was going to say. But she'd let him take the lead in this.

  "I'm going to be with them tonight. It's a man thing I can't explain. It doesn't mean I don't love you or don't want you." He seemed unsure of himself, shuffling his feet, but his gaze was direct, if not solemn.

  "You didn't have to tell me. You don't owe me an explanation." The fact that he was here said so much about the character of the man. It confirmed everything she felt for him. And she appreciated his consideration.

  "I'm telling you because you're important to me. I don't want to lose you. Maybe it's something about being out here like this--the rawness of the land, feeling like we're at the edge of the world--it shoots this primal need that drives me to want to be with men. It's this tribal thing. Maybe it's not right, but it's there anyway. And I don't want to pretend with you. Not anymore."

  Poppy walked over to him. "I'm not going to ask you not to go. I'm never going to try to tame you--to pen you in, Will. I love you just the way you are. Truth be told, I've kind of known all day this was going to happen. Come back to me when you're...finished. I'll be waiting."

  He leaned down and kissed her with a hunger that left her breathless. Maybe what she felt was his relief in the fact that she at least tried to understand.

  "I just know after years spent in those mountains, I have to do this. It's just a part of my nature."

  "It's a part of you that you've kept hidden from me."

  "Not intentionally. I just didn't
think--"

  "That I'd understand?"

  "Yeah, I guess so. Sometimes I don't understand it myself. But when I try to ignore it--well, let's just say it's not so pretty," he finished gruffly.

  Poppy smiled. "I'm not like other women. I don't want you to be something you're not. And I don't want you to pretend with me."

  Will grinned. "Yeah, I know that, too. You're one of a kind and you always have been."

  He turned and left her, quietly closing the door behind him. Poppy walked over to the window. She saw Will make his way to the kennel. A stirring in her loins, a hot arousal that came from the thought of watching these men make love had the lust inside her banked high. Now, maybe she was going to get her chance.

  She dressed and pulled on a warm hooded parka, then headed down the stairs and outside. It wasn't her intention to intrude, so rather than heading to the main door, she peered in through a window. She wanted to watch them--to see them interact together, to witness the man relationship at its deepest core. One part of her was shocked, another was not as she saw the three men highlighted by the yellow illumination of kerosene lanterns hanging from thick cement beams. They were inside a rather rustic-looking room with shadowy, half-finished wood sculptures, chisels and other odd implements scattered around the floor near a long table.

  An electric lamp overturned, driftwood and small rocks and pebbles were strewn everywhere. Poppy saw a cast iron woodstove in the corner, a stove pipe climbing up the side of the unfinished wall, and she could smell the wood smoke. The men had obviously wasted no time as they were all stripped naked. Gray's body covered in short dark hairs, the medallion necklace swinging from around his neck, he was pumping his cock into Will's rectum with a verve that matched the look of ecstatic lust on his face. Will's cock was buried inside Lou's hole, while he sucked at Lou's tits, Lou blanketed across the top of the worktable; condom wrappers were strewn over the surface next to him.

  The table shimmied and shuddered with the force of the fucking; she could hear the rhythmic scrape and screech as the table rocked back and forth. Gray bared his teeth and then clamped onto Will's shoulder as he drove deeply into Will's ass.