by Eva Brandt
Yes, she was made for this, made to be ours, to be the vessel of our passion. Nothing else mattered—nothing but this.
As August and I started to move in and out of Selene, Brendan and Pollux joined us. The angle made it awkward for them to reach her. Maybe it wasn’t a great idea to overwhelm her like that anyway. We had another method that would be just as good.
Brendan’s tachyons coursed over my body, burning off the remnants of my uniform. The tempered flame licked over my skin and Selene’s, but it didn’t hurt us. Beneath me, Selene sobbed, but the scent of her arousal deepened. August and I slowed down our thrusts just long enough to give Brendan and Pollux time to move in.
Brendan didn’t bother with preparation. He simply spat in his palm and pushed inside me. The entry burned, but that was the way it had always been between us, from the moment we’d met.
It wasn’t the first time Brendan fucked me. Usually, when I lost my temper, it could go both ways. I couldn’t physically hurt him, not in a way that wouldn’t heal, at least, so it didn’t matter to us. August and Pollux had been in a similar relationship since before they’d joined the academy. As members of the Grand Chimera Unit, the four of us had fucked in all possible combinations. I hadn’t thought we could add another element, but Selene just seemed to fit.
In front of me, Pollux slid inside August, his motions somewhat smoother and gentler than Brendan’s. He kissed August’s shoulder and his eyes met mine. There was a secret grief in him, the same shadow and desperation that he’d carried all his life. I wanted to chase it away, to chase away reality altogether.
Maybe Selene felt it too. Her body went still, almost slack, and the luminous particles she emanated swept through us like a fiery tidal wave. My head cleared and the beast that lurked at the back of my mind settled, leaving behind the man. The lines of strain vanished from the corner of August’s eyes. The tension in Pollux’s stance dissipated and Brendan’s grip on me loosened. It was like the touch of a goddess. Was this the Terran magic I’d heard so much about? No, Gaia’s Gift didn’t manifest like this and even if it had, Selene had already said she didn’t have it.
Did it matter? Whatever it was, it felt like a gift too and I embraced it. This time, when we started to move, the pace was gentle, almost kind. It was sex, but not just that. Selene didn’t moan again. She didn’t let out a sound, but I could smell the scent of her tears. There was no grief or pain in them, only acceptance, something so powerful I’d never thought I’d find in any woman, let alone a Terran who’d come out of nowhere to shatter our lives to pieces.
“This is a mistake,” Brendan mouthed against my shoulder. I couldn’t see him speak, but I heard and felt the words anyway.
He didn’t stop it, though. Chimera royalty or not, he couldn’t stop the unavoidable. In Selene, we might have just met our match.
Brendan craved her as much as I did. He might not be able to reach her directly, but he reached her through me. By now, he knew my body as intimately as he did his own, so his every thrust hit my prostate dead on, echoing into Selene. She shook beneath me, but still held on, her flesh as welcoming as it had been when we’d started this crazy thing between us.
August reached down and caressed her temples and bright sparks flared around their bodies. In the light he emanated, Selene’s hair seemed to turn into liquid fire. She looked like a shard of the sun, like a star we’d stolen from the universe. And when she came, she dragged us along with her, like a quasar, a supernova absorbing everything around her, merciless, brutal, and yet so beautiful.
I couldn’t hope to resist it. I was paralyzed with the intensity of her allure and her emotions. I’d been the predator all my life, but this time, I was the prey, and I happily surrendered to it.
As the four of us followed her over the edge, the pleasure consumed us whole, wiping away all traces of who we were, bringing our individual selves together in one single, cohesive entity. I reached out, feeling like I was on the verge of something momentous.
The sensations melted away before I could find that elusive state. I came back into cognizance, shaking and breathless. My body was still vibrating with the aftermath of my explosive climax. I felt more dazed than the time I’d been thrown out of the Cerberus during a botched mission and had suffered a traumatic brain injury.
Brendan wasn’t doing much better. He pulled out of me and slumped against my back. “What just happened?” he muttered.
It was unlike him to display such uncertainty, but these weren’t regular circumstances. I’d have tried to reassure him, to answer him in some way, but nothing that came to mind seemed good enough.
As I collapsed onto the bed, Selene curled against my chest and smiled. Her expression was brighter than the fires of Tartarus my Cerberus emitted. “Thank you.”
I had no idea what she was thanking me for, so I just nodded silently and felt stupid and inadequate. “Oh, dear,” Cerberus said at the back of my mind. “That escalated quickly.”
I ignored him. I didn’t need him to tell me what I already knew. I didn’t need him to point how fucked I was, and not just because of Brendan and the others pounding my ass on a regular basis. As Selene finally fell asleep in my arms, sandwiched between our larger bodies, I wondered what the hell I was supposed to do.
The Bet
Selene
After I had sex with my fellow Grand Chimera tamers, life at the academy became very different for me. The other students and teachers still gave me ugly looks and made disparaging comments, but there were no real incidents of note. Maybe it was because I felt more confident and more secure in my path.
I’d changed, although I only shared the reason for it with my chimera. To make sure it was safe, I waited until my next flight training lesson to explain. Sphinx took the news better than expected.
“So, they want to seduce you and break your heart.” Sphinx hummed thoughtfully. “That’s disappointing, but unsurprising.”
“Yes, but I’m not going to let them do it. My heart isn’t so easily broken.”
Something had happened between me and my lovers when we’d all been together in bed. Leaving aside the amazing sex, I’d caught a glimpse of their minds. It had only been for a moment, but I’d seen some of their scattered thoughts. The clusters of incoherent images and the bombardment of disjointed messages had been too powerful for me to distinguish too much, but I’d pieced together a few things anyway.
They didn’t think I belonged at the academy. They were afraid I’d get hurt. They wanted to turn me away, using a method that wouldn’t physically harm me. But they also needed my help.
“It’s not your job to save every single person in the world, my Selene,” Sphinx chastised me.
“I’m a chimera tamer. That’s precisely my job.”
“Don’t be cheeky,” she replied, unimpressed. “You know what I mean. This isn’t like fighting alien entities. Didn’t I tell you? Your soul isn’t prepared for what you need to become to survive this place.”
“Maybe you’re right, but that doesn’t mean I’ll give up. I’ll never give up.”
I would become a true chimera tamer and show everyone here I deserved the position. That included my lovers, even if they hated the idea. They’d been on their own for too long. They were all so busy thinking they knew better they didn’t realize what they were throwing away in their fear. I wouldn’t let them do it, not if I could help it.
“It’s not completely up to you, young Selene,” Sphinx warned me. “A relationship is complicated even when it involves two people. You can’t force four headstrong men into it if they don’t want it.”
“I’m not forcing anything, Sphinx. If it’s not what they want, so be it. I won’t be a sore loser. But I’ll still make the attempt to convince them. And even if it doesn’t work out, even if I’m giving myself too much credit, I’ll still stay here with you.”
That reassured my friend, just like I’d known it would. I understood and appreciated her concern, but I truly had to fi
ght this battle. If I didn’t, I’d always regret it.
Of course, it was a difficult, tricky game to play, since I had no intention of telling my lovers I’d figured out their plan. I’d decided to wait it out instead of confronting them since that would give me more time to get under their skin. But that was a double-edged blade, since I found it just as difficult to not crave them.
On the bright side, my tough schedule proved to be a blessing in disguise. We only had Chimera Flight Training together, so when I was in class, I wasn’t distracted by their presence. I’d also found another class I liked, which was Introduction to Chimera Technology.
Professor Wesley Trevor, the man who taught the class, was the former pilot of a previous model of a Harpy unit. He’d lost an arm and a leg in a past battle, but he hadn’t let that deter him. Half of his body was now part-drone and he took pride in pointing it out. “The metal is a remnant from my harpy,” he’d often say. “This way, she’ll always be with me, even if she’s gone dormant.”
The tamers in my class were all younger than me, so they had hope that they’d be picked by the other, dormant Grand Chimeras. None of them asked me how I’d done it, though. If they were jealous or curious, Tiny Typhon kept them from showing it.
Then again, that might have been because Professor Trevor tended to have a lot of demonstrations in class and didn’t like it when people ignored him. “As you know, chimeras are created using a mix of steel, tungsten, and a third alloy which is kept a secret by The Grand Judiciary,” he said during our first lesson. “Their cores are fueled by Tartarus Diamonds and emanate the tachyons you use in combat. But while in theory, this is easy to understand, in practice, it’s a little more complex. First and foremost, they are not drones. They are living beings and must be treated as such. They have brains, which is why you need to be very careful whenever you connect to one, lest you be overwhelmed by their power. Suffice to say, if you don’t pay attention here, you don’t have a chance to become a tamer. I’ll personally make sure The Grand Judiciary will pick an apsid over you.”
Professor Trevor also pulled me aside after our first lesson. At first, I was wary of him, but as it turned out, he only intended to give me some extra school work. “I’ll be honest with you and say I was surprised when I learned a Terran woman was the new pilot of the Sphinx. But it’s not my place to judge and in these things, chimeras know best.
“I do have to warn you that in your current condition, you’re not prepared for fighting as an integral part of the Grand Chimera Unit. I know you’ve been handling it, but if I were your field commander, I wouldn’t deem you suited for battle. As interim commander of Chimera Academy, I don’t have the authority to challenge what others have already decided. But I can make some arrangements. Ms. Renard, you need some extra military training. Fortunately, that can be fixed easily enough, and your dorm mates had volunteered to assist you.”
Of course they had. I wondered if this was part of their plan to chase me away or if they genuinely wanted to help me. “And what does this training involve?”
“I’ve set up an extra schedule for you so you can tone up a little more.” Professor—or rather, Commander—Trevor smiled and shot me a compassionate look. “Don’t worry. It’s not too cruel. I’ve never been the type to hurt a lady.”
I would’ve deemed that comment condescending, but in future weeks, it became obvious that he meant it. I was lucky he was trying to make things easier for me, because otherwise, I might have been forced to drop out because of sheer exhaustion.
I was in no way unfit, but a military academy had certain standards. The hand-to-hand combat lessons my father had taught me were nothing compared to what I actually needed to know. And even if I wasn’t about to fight an apsid with my bare hands, the lessons were necessary to perfect my neural connection to Sphinx and make our bond less strenuous on me.
It was brutal. We spent hours every morning jogging, doing anti-gravitational training, and sparring. Most of the time, I fought with one of my lovers and at first, I’d expected it to turn sexual. It never did. Even when they unavoidably pinned me down, they always remained focused on their task. I could do no less.
The end result of this situation was that I didn’t advance too much in my quest to ‘seduce’ my lovers. Half the time, I was too tired to even have sex with them. On days I attended the Tachyon Manipulation class too, they had to drag me into the shower and hold me upright.
I was making progress, but it was slow and I felt increasingly like a fish out of water.
As my second month at the academy started, the dean, Prince Archibald Chimera, finally arrived. He was King Philip’s younger brother, and he wasn’t always present at Tartarus Base, since he had other responsibilities toward the crown. That was about to change.
For the first time since my arrival, every single student gathered in the massive courtyard of the academy. There hadn’t been such a huge celebration when we’d first started the year, which had surprised me at the time.
“Uncle Archibald likes all the glitz and glam,” Brendan explained as we joined the other students. “The school always holds off festivities until he’s present. Still, this time, it seems a little different.”
“Have you heard anything from your father?” August asked. “Any apsid attacks?”
Brendan shook his head. “Nothing of note. We would’ve been officially called in if that had happened, but without this unnecessary pomp.”
“I guess we’ll find out what this is all about soon,” I answered.
Confirming my words, a group of teachers manifested on the stage in front of us, surrounded by a miniature storm of tachyons. Commander Trevor, Professor Strange, Professor Moore, and Dr. Achebe were all there, but also a handful of others I didn’t know. Silence fell over the area and my heart started to race for no real reason.
The dean looked a little like Brendan, although the distance made it difficult for me to identify each individual detail that suggested the family connection. Maybe it went beyond the similarity in hair color and bulk. The Chimera family had always had a special connection to Tartarus’s Gift and in that respect, Archibald and Brendan were similar.
“Greetings, students,” Prince Archibald said, extending his arms in warm welcome. “It’s reassuring to see so many brave young men joining our ranks this year.”
I didn’t flinch, even if his words excluded me. I’d have liked to think it was just something he did naturally and had nothing to do with a deliberate slight on me, but I knew better. It wasn’t paranoia if they really were out to get you.
“While I’m sure you’ve already making excellent progress in your quest to become assets to Terra and talented chimera tamers, The Grand Judiciary has decided to take things a step further. A new edition of The Grand Tartarus Tournament will be held this year.”
Prince Archibald paused for effect and on cue, the crowd exploded into raucous cheers and applause. I didn’t join them.
I hadn’t known too much about Chimera Academy before my arrival here, but I’d always gotten some facts straight. It was an all-male school. It was intended to train students to fight aliens. And it held a tournament once per decade, to honor those students and every graduate who’d fallen in battle.
Normally, I would’ve been excited at the prospect at having the chance to see it in person. But there was something that bothered me a lot. The Grand Tartarus Tournament had already taken place, when I’d been twelve. It was part of the reason why I was so fascinated with chimeras. The Tournament was always transmitted to Earth and it had been the first time I’d truly gotten to see chimeras in action.
Knox, Brendan, August, and Pollux hadn’t been tamers then, although the Typhon had been on the scene. I also remembered some smaller chimeras, the Hydra and the Pegasus, machines that now appeared to be dormant.
Taking all that into account, it shouldn’t have been organized again until I was at least in my twenties. It was strange in the extreme and I had the terrible suspicio
n that this change, too, was intended to target me.
“This is of course, a great honor, but one that doesn’t come without risks,” Prince Archibald said. “You are not required to attend, but be advised that if you do not do so, you will forfeit your chance at becoming Grand Chimera tamers.”
So that was his game. If I didn’t join the tournament or failed abysmally, they could separate me and the Sphinx by claiming I was incompetent. I clenched my fists in anger and frustration. Over my dead body. I’d already made my decision—to stay here, for her, for me, for my lovers, and for every woman who needed to be rescued from her misery. I wouldn’t let anyone get in my way.
“The tournament will start in a week’s time and will have three stages. The qualifiers will take place here, at the academy. You will receive more details on it that day. I advise you to be prepared for anything. The school will not be held accountable for any damage you might receive.” He smiled again and the expression clashed with the warning he’d just given us. “In the name of King Philip Chimera and The Grand Judiciary, I wish you all the best of luck. May we all have a most successful tournament.”
“Successful,” I muttered under my breath as the teachers left the stage. “Is that a euphemism for deadly?”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Brendan answered with a sigh. “Tournaments are really harsh. The qualifiers are usually brutal beyond all levels of expectations, although no one has died in three decades. It’s considered a bit of a record.”
That didn’t sound all that reassuring, since three editions of the tournament were hardly a reliable method to gauge the amount of trouble we were in. “I guess we’ll have to make sure that record moves up to four.”
“Don’t tell me you plan on participating,” Pollux protested as soon as he heard my words.
