Firestarter

by Jan Stryvant

  Walking up, he pressed into her from behind, bending over her back to look at what she was doing. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he felt himself growing excited; she'd gone from swaying to slowly grinding back into his crotch.

  "What are you looking at?" he asked, wrapping his left arm around her body just below her breasts as his right hand pressed into her hip lightly, then slowly slid down her side, moving under the waistband of her shorts and then her panties.

  "I was looking at the site plan for Minden," she said with a husky purr.

  "Was?" Sean teased as he pushed her shorts and panties down, his fingers moving around to tease between her legs.

  Roxy sighed and spread her legs wider, giving his fingers better access to her sex as she braced her hands on the table, Sean leaning into her a bit more.

  "Somebody seems to have different ideas…"

  Sean laughed. "Oh, no, please tell me what I'm looking at."

  Taking a deep breath, Roxy looked down at the plans below her. "Dae's uncle sent over the site plans. All the stuff printed on it is what's there, the pencil…

  Roxy gasped as Sean slid a thick finger up inside her.

  Grinning, Sean gave her ear a light nip. "You were saying?"

  Roxy squirmed a little back against him and his teasing finger.

  "The pencil marks are where…"

  Sean added a second finger and rubbed the remaining two over her clit, causing her to get distracted again.

  "Bastard," Roxy growled playfully.

  "Where…?" Sean teased again.

  "Where your dick goes into me and nails my ass to the floor every night!" she growled.

  Letting go of her for a moment with his left, Sean grabbed his pants waistband and pushed them down past his hips. While he had the collar now and didn't have to worry about ruining his clothes, he still wore pants with an elastic waistband most of the time, and no belt. He'd gotten to like the looser clothing most lycans wore.

  Roxy immediately reached back between her legs and stroked his shaft with her hand.

  "Somebody want something?" Sean whispered in her ear.

  "Somebody always wants something, and right now, that something is you!"

  Putting his left hand on the table to steady himself, Sean withdrew his fingers and moved in closer as Roxy guided him inside her, his fingers stroking slowly over her sex as he slid into familiar depths. No matter how many times he took his Roxy, it was always exciting for him. To take her and reclaim her, again and again.

  Roxy's head came down onto the desk, turned to the left as Sean's weight pressed into her body, her eyes focusing on the strong hand there as Sean's hips moved back and forth, sliding that wonderful tool of his in and out of her body.

  "Hey, Rox, I…"

  Sean looked up; Jolene was standing in the doorway.

  "Ah! Get naked and get over here, Jo!" Sean growled and gave Roxy's ear a lick, causing her to shiver.

  Jo laughed and came around behind them, trailing pieces of clothing behind her.

  "Like I have to be asked. I could use a little recharging!"

  Sean moved his right hand up Roxy's body to pinch and pull at her nipples as Jolene put her hands on his body and sank down to her knees, then she turned around and moved into the space beneath them, and put her talented tongue and fingers to use on the two of them.

  Sean and Roxy both gave loud sighs of pleasure. Sean noticed that Jolene was using her mind magic; apparently she'd been doing something magical this morning and was tapping the two of them for mana. He'd have to ask later what she'd been up to; his guess was she'd come here for a little recharging, and he'd been lucky enough to be here when she did.

  Sean picked up speed then, as Roxy's movements beneath him became more demanding. She was making little growls of pleasure in time to both his thrusts and Jolene's licks. Panting himself, Sean just drove faster and faster, letting Jolene's fingers and tongue carry him along as Roxy twisted and pushed back against him, squeezing tighter and tighter until suddenly they were both there.

  Sean held Roxy tight as he emptied himself inside her, Roxy moaning and pressing back against him, keeping him deep inside, while Jolene lovingly teased them both.

  When Sean and Roxy had finally settled down, Jolene stroked his balls.

  "My turn!" she whispered.

  "Oh, I like the sound of that!" Sean said with a grin.

  "Ugh, I think I drooled all over the plans," Roxy grumbled.

  "Blame it on Sean." Jolene chuckled as Sean slowly withdrew.

  "Then they'll all know what we were doing…"

  "They already know!"

  "I'd rather they just suspected," Roxy growled.

  Snickering, Sean picked up Jolene and put her on her back next to Roxy as he moved between Jolene's legs. Bending over, he gave Roxy a kiss as she pushed her body up off of the desk. Then he turned and smiled at Jolene and kissed her.

  "Oh! Break time!" Daelyn crowed from the doorway.

  "Get naked, you're next," Sean growled as he wondered who else would be wandering in…

  Big Time

  Sean was sitting at his desk with Cali in his lap, his fingers making inroads on removing her top, when someone tapped on the door.

  "Sean?" Peg's voice asked.

  "Not a good time," Sean growled, and Cali frowned.

  "I know, but you've got a visitor, so if you haven't gotten too carried away?"

  Sean sighed and removed his hands from underneath Cali's top, which she then straightened while climbing out of his lap.

  "Send them in," Sean grumbled as Cali leaned over to give him a kiss before moving to stand behind his chair.

  The door opened then, and Sean saw someone he hadn't seen in well over a year.

  "Vincent?" he said, standing up as Vincent Powers, the Sapientia council head for Los Angeles, was shown in by Peg.

  "Sean! Cali!" Vincent said with a smile. "Sorry to interrupt," he said, winking at Cali, who grinned back at him. "Nice to see you both again."

  Sean reached across the table and shook hands with Vincent when he reached the desk.

  "Have a seat," Sean said, motioning towards one of the chairs. "What brings you to Reno?"

  "Well," Vincent said taking the offered seat, "Arthur Troy told us you'd asked for a liaison between the magic users and your forces, someone to sit in on your meetings, someone with enough power with the councils to guarantee anything we agreed to."

  "And they picked you?" Sean sat down, a bit surprised by that.

  "Actually, I volunteered," Vincent said with a smile.

  "Really?"

  "Well, you did me a big favor when you protected us against that attack, allies or not. Plus I have a lot of pull in Sapientia, and even the Ascendance listen to me now when I talk. So I figured, why not? I think you'll agree, this isn't the time for half measures, am I right?"

  Sean laughed. "No, you're right. I'm happy to have you, to be honest. I've been a little worried about who they'd send us. Now that the war has truly begun, I expect things to get hectic and confusing, and even a little desperate at times.

  "We don't just need the help of the magic users, we also need to make sure the ones working with us are protected and kept safe. You're going to be one of our most valuable resources, and you're limited, very limited. We can't afford to lose a single one."

  Vincent nodded. "Arthur conveyed your concerns to the rest of the councils when this was being discussed. Everyone has come to realize that the lions, and especially you, are men of your word." Vincent grinned then. "They've also realized you're a lot better at kicking ass and taking names then we ever were."

  "My husband is a winner," Cali said with a smirk, "and everyone loves a winner."

  "All too true, Cali dear. All too true. They sent me up here with a small staff, so I was hoping you could find us a place to stay here with everyone else?"

  "It won't be anything like you're used to," Peg warned from the doorway where she was still standing, watching the convers
ation.

  Vincent laughed. "After forty years of living in LA, nothing can be like what I'm used to. But don't worry, we'll survive."

  Smiling, Sean stood back up. "Well, let's get you settled then. You can introduce me to your team, and I'll introduce you to who you need to know."

  "Oh, you don't have to do that. I already feel bad for interrupting."

  Sean shook his head, still smiling. "The next meeting is less than an hour away. I'm sure we can pick up where we left off afterwards," Sean said as he turned and smiled at Cali.

  The daily briefing started almost on time. Chad was a little late, and they definitely needed to wait for him.

  The first thing Sean did was introduce Vincent, noticing there were more than a few pleased looks on the faces of the others. Interacting with the different magic user councils had become something of an issue for several of the people here lately because there was no central point of contact. Vincent would have his work cut out for him, but at least they now had someone to do the work.

  "So, Chad," Sean said, starting things off, "how goes our first week?"

  "One down, one hundred and three to go. Right now they're still trying to build their fort. I haven't seen any magic users joining the fight, and that worries me."

  "Why?" Adam asked.

  "This is it; this is what everyone has been waiting for. So why hold back? Why not just go full out, balls to the wall, and send everything?"

  "Maybe they're waiting for the portal to grow to a specific size?" Jack suggested.

  "Maybe they're hoping to lull us into a false sense of security before they change their tactics in the hope of catching us off guard," Maitland suggested.

  "Maybe it's politics," Estrella said.

  "How so?" Chad asked as everyone turned to look at her.

  "Everyone you kill is going to be out of it for a week. Whoever's leading this attack, they're going to be sent to the back of the line after they've sent everything they have at you. So why waste their best? They're not going to get anything for it, and they know it."

  Chad nodded slowly. "I remember you telling me Sladd has six princes, and they'll be what he sends up against us first. Do you think any of the princes will come through?"

  "Not unless they're sure of a win. If they get killed, their people won't have a leader for almost a week, and the others will prey on their people."

  "I thought there was a rule about no infighting during a pass?" Sean asked.

  Estrella snorted. "Only if you get caught. Trust isn't something you want to give a demon…"

  "Djevel," Cali interjected with a grin.

  Estrella grinned back. "Djevel, excuse me. But they only keep their word and follow the rules when it suits them, or when there's someone bigger and badder enforcing it. These are princes; only the king has that kind of power, and he can't be everywhere."

  "Too bad we don't have any spies embedded in their forces." Chad sighed.

  Sean agreed. "Yes, but it is what it is, and we have to deal with it."

  "Maybe we can interrogate one?" Cali suggested.

  "You mean torture, right?" Estrella said. "'Cause that's about the only thing that'll get one to talk."

  Cali grinned. "Of course!"

  "They can be tortured?" Chad said, looking surprised.

  Estrella nodded, and Cali shrugged.

  "No harm in trying, right?" Cali said.

  "You two figure something out," Sean said. "Now, let's get back on track."

  Chad went back to talking about what they'd used in resources so far today, then engaged the logistics people, Majors Randy Harper and Joyce Vanderberg, as well as Jack, Maitland, Roloff, and even Vincent, as he discussed supply issues and troop on- and off-duty schedules.

  Sean listened carefully and was thinking about the first week's fighting, all the munitions that had been consumed, as Chad went over the current numbers and his projections. Yeah, they'd killed hundreds, probably thousands. But a week from now they'd all be back. The weapons, however, would not. Only if a lion killed them would they not reincarnate.

  If only there was a weapon…

  If only…

  Suddenly it hit him.

  "FUCK!" Sean said, jumping to his feet and looking around the table. "We gotta go back!"

  Everyone froze and stared at him.

  "What?" Roxy asked after a moment.

  "We gotta go back! Fuck fuck fuck! I can't believe I missed it!" Sean said as he started to pace back and forth, his tail lashing behind him. "How the hell did that happen!"

  "What are you talking about? Go back where?"

  "To the Onderwereld! Damn, I'm gonna have to talk to the First about this. Chad, you're going to have to work out a strategy for me to lead a team in there. We can use one of the small gates," Sean said as he started to think about what it would take, still pacing, eyes down in thought.

  "Whoa! Slow down there just a minute, Sean!" Roxy growled, and everyone was staring at him now like he'd lost all sense.

  "It's obvious! And I completely missed it!" Sean growled loudly.

  "Yeah, well, maybe you'll share with the rest of us then, Lion-boy? 'Cause we got no idea what in the hell you're talking about," Daelyn grumbled and smacked him on the ass, hard.

  Sean laughed and dropped back into his seat, taking a moment to kiss Daelyn and then Roxy.

  "Okay, some of you know we found an alien living in the Onderwereld. His people are the ones who accidentally let the djevels in countless millennia ago. Remember?"

  Sean noticed a few of the heads around the table were nodding, cautiously. The rest were looking surprised by the little piece of knowledge Sean had been careful not to share before now.

  "Well, he told us—Estrella and me, that is—that they had a big war with the djevels and killed all of them. But they missed a few who reproduced out of sight, and when they came back in greater numbers than before, Mahkiyoc said they'd let the weapons fall into disrepair and they weren't able to fix them in time."

  Sean noticed that Maitland suddenly facepalmed, and Chad was starting to look embarrassed.

  "Yeah, they were stupid and they lost, so what?" Daelyn asked.

  "He told us that their weapons killed them. Dead. They didn't come back."

  Sean noticed more shocked expressions on the faces of the people around the table.

  "Shit!" Estrella growled and smacked herself on the side of the head. "You're right! He did say that! And I missed it!"

  "So why would that mean you have to go back?" Vincent asked.

  Sean smiled lopsidedly. "Because right now only a lion can kill a djevel and not have it respawn a week later to come back again."

  "But if we had those weapons, weapons that could actually kill them…" Maitland said.

  "Well, I hate to be the one to throw ice water all over this hot idea," Chad said, speaking up, "but right now there's no way we're going through any of those small gateways. They're using them very effectively to launch harassing attacks against us to try and take pressure off the main gateway."

  Sean nodded and slowly looked around the room. "I know, and that's why we need to gather supplies, weapons, explosives, and any other items we're going to need. Those attacks aren't going to last forever. The moment they slack off, we need to go through."

  "We? What's this 'we' stuff?" Roxy growled.

  Sean looked down at her; she did not look happy or very friendly at the moment.

  "I'm going, Estrella's going."

  "What!" Estrella said, looking surprised.

  "Sorry, Hon. But you're the only person who knows more than I do about that place. As for who else is going…" Sean fixed Roxy with a stare that made her wilt a little, but only a little. She wasn't going to be easy to deal with on this. "That is open to negotiation. I want to take as many people as we reasonably can."

  "And what happens if you get stuck in there?" Roxy growled.

  Estrella nodded. "Yes, Sean. What happens? I just spent a thousand years over there; I'm not loo
king to do it again!"

  Sean thought about that a moment.

  "The sad truth is, we have to do this. There's way too many of them, and we're not cutting them down to size at all." Sean held his hand up as he saw all of his wives getting ready to argue with him. "But! But I think I may know a way to prevent getting stuck there again."

  "Oh? And how would that be?" Daelyn asked, kicking him in the shin.

  "Secret mystical lion shit. That's how. So I can't tell you."

  Estrella gave him a look then that made it clear she had no idea what he was talking about. "It must be pretty secret if I've never heard of it."

  Sean nodded. "I suspect only the First and perhaps his original pride know about it."

  "And you."

  Sean grinned toothily. "That's because I know magic better than any of you, so I get to figure out all sorts of mystical crap."

  "You will talk to the First about it before you make any decisions, right?" Roxy growled.

  Sean nodded. "Definitely. I also need to make sure my little backup plan works first. Last thing I want is to get stuck there either."

  "Keep him honest, Estrella."

  "If it's really secret stuff, the First might not want me around for it," Estrella warned.

  "Tell him I said he doesn't have a choice."

  "And he'll listen to that?" Estrella said with a surprised smile on her face.

  Sean laughed. "Actually, he will. Roxy's already delivered on more than one threat. He knows one way or another, she'll make him pay."

  Estrella sighed. "And to think I missed that."

  Sean turned to their logistical heads. "Joyce? Randy? How long until we can get those lever guns?"

  Randy spoke first. "They're standard rifles, so I think we could have them within a few days at most. It's the black powder ammunition that's going to be the hard part."

  "I'll talk to me uncle," Daelyn said.

  "I'll put together three groups," Maitland said.

  "Why three?" Sean asked.

  "You'll go in there with one; the other two will serve as decoys. If we can send a second group with you, we will, but we'll definitely want to send one through another gateway when it opens." Maitland smiled a little craftily then. "After all, one is suspicious. Three means we're trying to invade."