Empath Rising

by Archibald Bradford

  Ophelia was crying now, tears quietly streaming down her face.

  “I-I’ll come peacefully-”

  “FUCK that!” Erica lashed out, ears flat and tail puffy; “This is your home now! I wouldn’t let anyone take Milly away, and I won’t let them take you!”

  Miranda held one hand up placatingly.

  “Calm down! Nobody is taking anybody anywhere! Yeah this is a serious infraction, but we don’t lock up monsters for accidently bonding with children! Or for exercising poor judgment, for that matter!”

  Erica remained puffed up, not trusting Miranda’s words.

  “Yeah she screwed up and yeah she could have dealt with it better, but don’t think I don’t appreciate the gravity of a damned Trog begging her to keep you a secret! Clearly, the situation is unprecedented.” She sighed.

  “So what happens now?” Milly asked quietly.

  “Now? Now I get to make just about the most difficult report of my career! I expect that there will be an inquest into your conduct.” She waved her hand vaguely at Ophelia; “Not to mention an investigation into just who the hell wanted a baby dead bad enough to take on a Trog in full battle raiment! Most likely a shaman will be brought in to verify the truth of your words. In short, what happens now is a huge pain in my ass!”

  Ophelia was trembling now.

  “So… I get to stay with him?”

  “If he wants you to, this is the third time he’s bonded to a girl without intending to. And the third time I can’t fault him for it. He isn’t a three year old anymore. He can make his own decisions.” Miranda quirked an eyebrow at him, questioning, but already knowing the answer.

  “I want her to stay. I love her.”

  Ophelia sobbed again, he knelt beside her chair and held her as Erica leaned back to give him access.

  Milly sniffled.

  “Great, one big happy family. You know kid; you are the biggest pain in the ass I’ve ever met…”

  “Yeah, he even dethrones Kala and that takes some doing!” Jan remarked, the tension of the situation defusing.

  Chapter 19:

  The New Normal

  “Well the kid works fast I’ll give him that!” Suspended in the column of water, Commander Dawn Morrow let loose a chuckle.

  Miranda snorted in agreement.

  “You don’t know the half of it ma’am; he’s got this whole sensitive-and-vulnerable-yet-ballsy-as-fuck-when-it-counts thing going on and the girls are just lapping it up.”

  “No shit, but it’s the Trog that really has me concerned. Those girls would sooner cut their own leg off rather than bend a knee to anyone but their bond-mates.”

  “Any idea who she was? One of ours maybe?”

  “I will have people look into it. I don’t think she was one of ours, though. If she was she was certainly out of uniform, a red sash is hardly standard issue.”

  “Will there be an inquiry into the Flutterby? A shaman?”

  “No need.” She paused and gave a serious frown; “What’s the Undine’s name again?”

  “Nalia ma’am.” Miranda answered, her eyes twitching to the Undine holding the column of water together.

  “Right, Nalia, the secrecy of what I am about to say is paramount, if you reveal it to anyone, monster or human, you will be stripped of your rank and thrown out of the Aegis before the words even leave your lips. Am I clear?”

  The Undine, eyes wide, licked her lips and nodded.

  “Miranda, Lady Essig is coming to you, she wants to meet the kid and she has asked to be the one to debrief the butterfly.”

  Miranda’s jaw dropped.

  “Ma’am! Is she well enough to travel?”

  “She seems to think so. Her bond-mate is all worked up about her leaving the Bastion of course. She keeps threatening to eat anyone who comes within fifty feet of her.”

  “How soon before she arrives?”

  “She leaves tomorrow morning. I expect they’ll be there the day after. Your girls set out from Garland as soon as they heard where you were, so expect them even sooner.”

  “Copy. Any word on Greyhaven?”

  Her commanding officer gave a cold smile.

  “Our spotters found them right where you said. Booker ordered three teams deployed. Yana and her girls are all over it. I expect them to make contact tonight.”

  Miranda nodded.

  “Good, Yana would have been my first choice as well.”

  “No kidding. Anyways, stay sharp, I doubt there will be anything exciting coming your way but you never know.”

  “Yes ma’am.” They exchanged a brief salute then the water dissipated back into the tub.

  Miranda gave the Undine a good long glare until she was satisfied the wide eyed elemental knew not to spread any gossip, and then sighed as she rubbed her shoulder.

  Minotaur milk was great for healing broken bones but it itched like mad.

  __________

  After Miranda had left, Nameless spent the rest of the morning helping Joe with the roof while Milly watched from a comfortable seat in the grass, as before Joe’s wife sat in the shade of the porch, waspish and uncommunicative as she guarded her husband. Nameless got the impression she didn’t care much for monster girls.

  Wanting to pitch in Ophelia helped Erica bring the milk to Paul and then the pair planned to go shopping again. In Ophelia’s fragile state she either threw out or gave away all of her own things; all she had to her name was his teddy bear and one of Erica’s long shirts, which really didn’t work with her wings so she desperately needed new clothes.

  Paul showed up at the cottage just as Nameless and Joe were ready to break for lunch.

  “Moon-Pie, your man keeping you off your feet I see.” He greeted Milly.

  “Yes, he takes such good care of me and my sisters.”

  “Ha, yeah ‘sisters’! I’ve known Ophelia since she first took over the orphanage. So imagine my shock when she shows up this morning with that feisty kitten of yours, wearing a borrowed shirt and nursing a hangover!” Paul let out a chuckle and gave Milly a speculative look; “Having yet another bond-sister sittin’ well with you hun?”

  Milly blushed for a moment, but then answered honestly.

  “We were surprised, but Ophelia was so nice to me when we first met and I know that she will be easy to love. Erica is ecstatic actually, though that might be because she likes to chase butterflies…”

  Paul laughed again. That Katje was a hoot and a half!

  “Hello Paul! Your knees still giving you trouble?” Joe asked as he and Nameless came down off the roof.

  “Not a stitch! Moon-Pie took care of that with one glass!”

  Milly blushed with pride.

  Together they sat on the porch and had a lunch of sandwiches and a glass each of Milly’s milk from the icebox.

  Nameless discovered that he greatly enjoyed it chilled.

  Joe’s wife remained as stern as always right up until she took the first sip, her sour expression switched to wonder as she gazed wide eyed at Milly who smiled back.

  “Th-this stuff is incredible!” She blurted out.

  It was the first time Nameless ever heard her speak; her voice was soft and bell-like, much to his surprise.

  “Of course it is! It’s made from love, and everyone needs that in their life!”

  Her cheeks turned pink at Paul’s words and her gaze shifted to Joe, longing in her eyes.

  Her husband gave her a nervous smile, surprised at her sudden friendly demeanor.

  “Er… anyways, we should be another few hours or so, so this will definitely keep us going, thank you.”

  After Paul took his leave they worked another couple hours until Erica and Ophelia got back, the cart laden with new clothes and a few sundries.

  A brief round of goodbyes later and the Thatcher and his wife took their leave; as they walked off Nameless saw Joe put his arm around her and she leaned into his side.

  The afternoon soon faded into evening and Nameless and Ophelia sat togeth
er on the porch.

  Milly and Erica were inside and given the naughty noises and frequent giggles coming from the bedroom, the couple outside had a good idea what they were up to.

  Nameless and his Flutterby had decided to have a private talk and so the other girls left them to it.

  “Ophelia?” He wasn’t sure how to start.

  “Yes?”

  “Is that something… that you really want?” He vaguely gestured into the house and at the intimate girls inside; “It can’t be easy for you.”

  Ophelia turned pink; she got to her feet and gracefully shifted behind him in his chair.

  “Nameless. No, Master.” She corrected herself; “I must get that straight in my head. You have been my greatest love for almost two decades; I have yearned for you, dreamt of you, and pined after you for so long.” She settled her hands on to his shoulders and began to massage him.

  “Ophelia…”

  “If you asked me to, I would go to bed with you in a heartbeat, and I would love you with all of the considerable passion that I have in me. But I can sense that you have… reservations. May I ask you about them?”

  “You can ask me anything Ophelia.” His eyes were closed now, enjoying her touch on his shoulders, he was sore from hauling bundles of thatch.

  “Okay, then I won’t beat around the bush. When you were fourteen, you masturbated for the first time-” His eyes popped back open at her words; “What were you thinking about?”

  “O-Ophelia!”

  “I felt it as it happened, you were in the bathroom. It was really late.” Her voice dropped to a whisper.

  He swallowed, heart pounding at the memory, he felt more than a little guilty. He also felt that she already knew the answer but wanted him to say it.

  “You…” He mumbled, ears red as she continued to massage him; “I was thinking about you.”

  Ophelia nodded, heat blooming inside her at the thought.

  “Thank you for telling me, Master.”

  “Wh-why did you ask?”

  “Because I needed you to know that I knew, and I needed you to admit that what I feel for you, that is, the attraction I feel for you, is a mutual one.”

  He swallowed nervously.

  “You aren’t… mad?”

  She chuckled throatily.

  “Dearheart, you would not be the first boy in my charge to entertain such fantasies about me. I am fully aware of what I look like and of how boys at that age behave. I don’t have it in me to be mad at you, not now, not when you have accepted me into your life like this. But there was more to the question.”

  “G-go on.”

  “You said before, that you wanted us to be together. What was it you said, more than enough? I want that too, so very much, but you aren’t ready for it. We need to be open with each other, about our sexuality I think, before we can be physical together.”

  “You’re probably right.” He relaxed again as her fingers worked deeply into his shoulders.

  “Milly and Erica, they are such sweet girls; I am so happy that you all found each other.” She whispered, longing in her voice.

  “You… want what they have? Not just with me, but with each other?”

  Her hands paused in their work as she considered his words.

  “You know, for a boy who did so very poorly in school, you can be remarkably perceptive when it comes to the heart.” She resumed her handiwork; “Yes, I think I would like that very much. It is in our nature to yearn for physical contact, and I will admit that is something that has been missing from my life for a very long time.”

  “When was the last time you…” He couldn’t bring himself to say the words, not comfortable with the thought of her with someone else.

  She chuckled, detecting the source of his discomfort.

  “Not since a few years before I bonded with you. I had a dalliance with a couple of Lambdas out in one of Wayne Charlton’s pastures. They were such sweet girls, not unlike your Milly.”

  “Our Milly, she is as much yours as mine, I hope you know that. We are all in this together.”

  As he said the words he could detect the heat from Milly’s heartstone; she and Erica were really getting into it, but both could sense the nature of the conversation that they were having.

  And both approved.

  Ophelia was surprised at his words, and then she leaned down, her breasts pushing into his back as she turned his head to one side and placed a lingering kiss on his cheek.

  “Thank you dear, I always knew you would be a good man. But even I couldn’t have predicted how good.” She wrapped her arms around him, caressing his chest as she held him, her wings fully outstretched behind her.

  She smelled of lilacs, he had always loved her smell.

  “M-maybe, if you want, instead of being physical with me, you could be with them. I know that they want that too and I think that you need it, I imagine anyone would if they had been waiting for twenty years!”

  She laughed into his neck.

  “That sounds lovely dearheart, but… there is something I want first.”

  She released him, and then walked around him, one hand on his neck, until she stood in front of him. Slowly she pulled up her dress and spread her legs, until she was able to settle into his lap, straddling him.

  He could feel the heat of her groin with his, nothing but cloth separated her most intimate place from his hardened need, as her eyes looked into his.

  “Ophelia, whatever you want. It’s yours.” He whispered, his throat closing with emotion.

  She smiled at him, her face full of love.

  “A kiss?” She murmured, hope in her eyes.

  He looked at her for a moment, then nodded and leaned into her, his hands reaching up her back while her breasts pushed into his chest. He felt a slight breeze as her wings fluttered a bit, belying her excitement.

  She couldn’t help but moan as their lips touched again. Their first kiss had been hungry, full of passion and his desire to acknowledge her bond.

  This kiss was sweet and lingering, he gently ran his tongue over her lips, but didn’t force it inside. Her tongue touched his and they timidly swirled them together with their lips still pressed gently against one another; neither of them taking anything from the other, instead sharing in the intimacy of the moment.

  After several sweet moments their kiss deepened, both of them growing more aroused by the second, their bodies pressing tighter to each other.

  Until at last Ophelia leaned back, she pecked him a few more times, but the kiss was over.

  “Ophelia, that was perfect.”

  “Mmmm, I can tell.”

  She could plainly feel his erection pressed into her groin. She writhed against him a little to draw his attention to it.

  “Oh! Um… sorry.” He stammered, face red again.

  She shook her head slightly.

  “Dearheart, there is nothing to be sorry for. The feel of you against me… well, it is quite satisfying to have the physical proof of your attraction to me.”

  One hand was on his cheek, her thumb tracing his lips. The other dipped low between them.

  “I know you aren’t ready for us to be totally physical, although I think you might be getting close…” She smiled wryly as her hand came to rest on his bulge; “But, if you would like, I could help you relieve some of this tension…” She gave his hardened cock a squeeze through his jeans.

  He moaned involuntarily.

  “Oh god… Ophelia… please…”

  “You want me to stop, Master?” Her head tilted to one side as her hand slowly kneaded his manhood.

  He moaned again, this was a dream come true, but it was the dream of a boy many years ago. The question was: what did the man want now?

  It took him only a moment to find the answer.

  “Never… please never stop doing that.” He shuddered as he buried his face into her cleavage, breathing her heady smell deep as she continued to massage him.

  “If you don’t want me
to stop, then you surly won’t mind if I took it… just a teensy bit further?”

  Wordlessly he nodded into her breasts, the flimsy fabric shifting, revealing more of her pearly skin to him. The hand on his cheek had shifted to hold his face into her cleavage as her other hand found his zipper and slowly drew it down.

  “Wh-what are you going to do?”

  “Shhhh… dear, let me take care of you this one time?” Her hand worked its way into his pants, he had to shift himself forwards slightly to give her access.

  Soon, her hand was all the way passed his fly and deftly snaking its way into his briefs.

  He gasped when her questing fingers made direct contact with his hardness and she clutched him to her palm, then stopped and pulled his face out of the valley of her breasts.

  “Are you ready?” Her violet eyes smoldered.

  He nodded, his own eyes glazed from the pleasure of her touch. She smiled at him and with her free hand she slowly pulled her new gown off of one shoulder, revealing one breast to him, its dark nipple hard in the open air.

  “All that I am is yours. I know that you spend a great deal of time doing this with Milly, but please consider this-”

  She didn’t finish, he leaned forward again and took her nipple between his teeth, sucking at her breast greedily.

  “Ah! Master! So bold… well then, allow me to take care of you.” She began to stroke him inside his jeans.

  They weren’t in the best position, constrained as they were she couldn’t get much motion but neither wanted to move. She ran her fingers through his hair as he suckled at her teat while she slowly worked her hand up and down, up and down, her grip tightening and relaxing.

  With every motion she rocked her hips forwards, gentle waves on the shore of his lap, adding to the sensation and greatly increasing both of their pleasure.

  They were breathing heavily at this point. Their motion slow, but insistent, their pleasure building. One of his hands was on her naked breast holding it to his mouth, while the other had taken a firm grip on her ass, encouraging her rocking motion.

  She continued to stroke him within his pants, her grip not slackening anymore as she brought him to the inevitable.