“I was thinking of how lucky I was to be with you all,” Alburet said, wiping the tears off his face. “Then the thought of you all being taken away from me hit and I sort of fell into an abyss.”
“We won’t leave you,” Fluff said, her hand coming up to touch his cheek.
“I be tied to ya. Ya will never be free of me, master,” Stacia said, kissing the back of his neck and sending a shiver down his spine.
“If that bitch even tries it, I’ll find her hub and rip it the fuck out of whatever frame it’s in,” Karen snarled. “I didn’t go and find you, and our loving wives, just to have it broken up and scattered. Remember that, in case you get any other idiotic thoughts in your head.”
Alburet reached out to stroke Fluff’s ears with one hand and covered Stacia’s hand with the other. His smile wavered as he looked up at Karen’s frown. “Sometimes, I wonder if I’m dreaming, or if this isn’t another one of my made-up memories. Because the three of you are just too good for me.”
“Damn right we are,” Karen said as she leaned over Fluff, putting her face inches from his. “But we have you now, so deal with it, cupcake.” Her mouth met his with a compassionate kiss; not demanding, but asserting her love.
Once she moved back, Stacia and Fluff collected kisses of their own. Under the onslaught of their love for him, and each other, he finally began to relax. Once they were sure he was stable again, Stacia got out of bed. “I’ll go start on breakfast. It be early, but since we be awake now, we might as well get the day started,” Stacia said, grabbing her clothing from the floor.
“I’ll help with breakfast,” Karen said, collecting a quick kiss from Fluff before she slipped out of bed.
“I’ll—” Alburet began before Stacia covered his lips with a finger.
“Ya be stayin’ right there and cuddlin’ with Fluff until breakfast be ready,” Stacia said. Fluff paused, in the middle of rolling out of bed.
“But—” Fluff began, before Karen kissed her again and cut off her words.
Breaking the kiss, Karen shook her head. “No buts, or at least not right now. He needs a little more love, and we all know you give the best cuddles.”
Cheeks turning the faintest shade of pink, Fluff rolled back over so she could hold Alburet. “Since you put it that way,” Fluff smiled, “I’ll be happy to.”
Putting his arm around Fluff in return, he glanced at his other wives. “I’m never really going to be in charge of my own life again, am I?”
“At times,” Stacia grinned.
“If we allow it,” Karen added with a cheeky grin.
“Somehow, I don’t mind either of those answers,” Alburet said. Gazing at Fluff, he let his eyes drink her in. “Besides, you do give the best cuddles.”
Her cheeks heated a little more and she ducked her head under his chin. “Thank you.”
Fluff began purring as Karen and Stacia left the room, happiness radiating from her like a small sun. After a minute, she asked a question she was a little worried about, “Al? If I can get approval from Vicky, would you be okay with me and Karen seeing you in person?” She continued on, the shock of her question hitting him like a hammer. “I’m pretty sure they won’t pull you from the game for us to talk, but I would like to see the real you, even if you are stuck in a pod, if that’s okay.”
“Why?” Alburet finally managed to ask after a long silence.
“I don’t know why, but I just want to see you. To reassure myself that you’re real, maybe. Now that I know Vicky is an AI, and has been all along, I worry you might be as well, even though I’m sure that isn’t the case.” Her emotions swirled like a tempest. She wanted him to say yes, but also worried he would.
Framing her face with his hands and making sure they had eye contact, his fingers gently rubbed at the base of her ears, calming her mind. “I don’t mind at all, Julia. I’m a little worried about what you might think afterwards, but I won’t deny you that. If anything, I owe you, Karen, and Stacia so much that I’ll never be able to repay you. I wouldn’t have survived my memories without all three of you there for me. Without a doubt, all of you saved my life.”
“But you’ve helped me just as much,” Fluff quickly rebutted. “You’ve accepted me even with all of my trauma and issues. How many men do you think would do for me what you have done and keep doing still? I know you want to do more with me, and what the others are doing to help me feel safe with you is unfair to you, but you never complain about it. The gift that we have, of being able to feel each other, it tells me over and over that even though you want to ravish me like you do them, you hold back because of your love for me.” Tears began leaking from her eyes. “I feel like a selfish little girl every time I deny you. It hurts me to think that I cause you even the slightest amount of pain by doing that.”
Leaning forward, his lips found hers, silencing her, but also accepting her words. It was difficult for him during the moments she was talking about, but he would rather cut off his own arm than willingly hurt her, and that emotion rushed from him and over her. The kiss deepened as the two acknowledged that they were both flawed, but together could maybe be more than they currently were. As the moment of connection faded, the kiss heated up and Fluff leaned into him, pushing him fully onto his back.
Afraid to hurt her, his hands only lightly caressed her back as he let her do what she wanted. The dark part of him, the part that demanded he take Stacia or make Karen earn her right to take him, he muzzled and threw into a cage. Feeling him restrain himself, she slipped her leg over his waist and straddled him. Breaking the kiss, she leaned back, her naked body above his as she looked down at him with trepidation and resolution.
“Al?” The word was breathless as she chewed her lip.
“Anything you need, Fluff,” Alburet said without asking what she wanted.
“Will you be gentle with me?” The words slipped out in a whisper as her own desire climbed.
Bringing his hands around from her back, he let them rest on her hips. Breathing fast as he fought down his own wants, he nodded. “As gentle as you need me to be.”
Leaning down, her lips met his with desire tempered by shyness, still unsure. Mastering his own nature, his lips met her softly, but surely, letting her know through the kiss that he would do only what she wanted of him.
They didn’t know how much time went by as they each gently kissed, caressed, and explored each other. Fluff went much further than Alburet would ever have expected of her. He was able to withstand her mouth for a time before he was forced to beg her to stop, so he didn’t repeat the other night, then she even let him return the favor. In the end, she ground her sex against his without letting him slip inside her, as she couldn’t yet bring herself to go that far. It was still enough for them both to find release in the end. Holding each other as they caught their breath, they exchanged small kisses, both of them thrilled to have progressed further in their relationship.
“Ya be a bit of a mess, but ya happiness is clear enough,” Stacia said from the doorway, where she and Karen were standing. “Why do ya nay go clean up, and we will be makin’ sure breakfast be ready for ya.”
Fluff startled at her words, but settled back against Alburet as he stroked her back. “I didn’t mean—”
“Fluff,” Karen cut her off, her voice full of happiness. “What do you feel from us?” Pausing, she waited for Fluff to realize there was only happiness around her. “While we didn’t expect it to happen this morning, we’re all ecstatic that you’ve managed to take another step together. Don’t apologize for something we wanted to happen finally becoming a reality.”
Resting her head against Alburet, a couple of happy tears fell from her eyes. “Maybe I’m the one dreaming about what is real?”
“Iffin tha’ be the case, I be glad to be here,” Stacia said, walking over to the bed to claim a kiss from them both. “Come on now, go get our husband and ya self clean.”
Nodding, she got out of bed, only to be grabbed by Karen and thoroughl
y kissed. A deep purr came from Fluff as she wrapped her arms around Karen and returned the kiss.
Stacia tsked, “Now ya all need to get clean.”
Alburet pulled Stacia down atop him, kissing her hungrily and smashing her body to his. Rolling over, he pinned her beneath him. “Now we all need to get clean,” he told her after finally ending the kiss.
Lips twitching, her slight annoyance faded. “As me master wishes,” Stacia said, her voice husky with desire.
“We’ll go get started,” Karen said with a laugh as she danced Fluff into the bathroom. “Don’t take too long, Al.”
Stacia blinked, looking up to find the darker side of Alburet staring down at her. “I think maybe I need to work off a little something that has been building up.”
“Oh, aye,” Stacia breathed out and surrendered to him, reveling in his demands and begging for more.
Thoroughly sated, they finally made it into the bathroom as Fluff and Karen were drying off. “Took you long enough,” Karen snickered. “Did Fluff work you up that much?”
“I enjoyed every moment, so shh,” Stacia said with a languid smile. “Ya can work him up as much as ya like Fluff. It was glorious.”
A small spike of jealousy flared in Fluff, and she almost dropped her towel as all eyes went to her. “Umm…”
“Oh, maybe Fluff isn’t far away from asking for even more,” Karen said, wrapping her towel around Fluff and herself. “I want to be there to watch again, next time. Okay?”
“Oka… again?” Fluff asked, her eyes going wide.
“Aye, we watched ya two from the doorway,” Stacia said, kneeling behind Alburet and beginning to lather him up. “So timid, so gentle. It took me breath away.”
“We share everything,” Karen said softly, leaning her forehead against Fluff’s. “Equals in all ways, right?”
“I…” Fluff stopped before tears fell from her eyes again. “Yes.”
“Oh, come on,” Karen said, leading her from the bathroom. “Let me kiss it better.”
“Do nay make a mess,” Stacia said as Fluff and Karen left the room, “again.”
“So much for an early start,” Alburet snickered as Stacia scrubbed his head.
“Tha’ be true, but it be well worth the delay iffin ya and Fluff can finally move forward.” Hands moving over him with sureness, she whispered into his ear, “After all, me own dream be tha’ we all be equal, too.”
“I don’t deserve you, or them, but gods be damned if I’m not going to try to be worthy,” Alburet said.
“As we all be feelin’,” Stacia said as water cascaded down over him. “Now ya get to clean me, and I be dirty all over.”
Laughing, Alburet let the water wash away his worry about what the day would bring, just happy to be with his wives for as long as he could.
Chapter Eleven
Breakfast turned out to be cold cut sandwiches, since Stacia and Karen had gone back to the room to watch the other two. Alburet locked up and reclaimed his food from Stacia, silently summoning Tiny, Bob, and all the Copies. “Everyone ready for a fun day?” he asked as they set out.
“You betcha,” Karen mumbled around a full mouth.
“Swallow first,” Alburet said.
“That’s what you always say,” Karen grinned.
Facepalming for a second, Alburet acknowledged that he’d walked into that one. “Brat,” Alburet told her, taking a bite of his own food.
“When do you think we’ll be attacked?” Fluff asked between bites.
“It nay be easy to tell who be an officer of a Guild,” Stacia said. “We mayhap have to drop a clue.”
“Hmmm,” Alburet mumbled, quickly swallowing. “We can always go let the Assassin Guild know.”
Karen snorted, “Just stroll in and announce we’re fair game?”
“If we don’t get attacked in a few hours, yeah,” Alburet said.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Fluff added, sounding dubious.
“We’ll give it a bit, first,” Alburet said, taking another bite.
“I bet we get attacked after we get back from turning in the quests,” Karen said, then popped the last bite of her sandwich into her mouth.
“Why’s that?” Fluff asked.
“Gerald just finished telling the Guild about the new officers, and us stepping down,” Karen snorted, “for ‘personnel reasons.’”
“Personal reasons, you mean?” Alburet asked.
“Nope, personnel,” Karen snickered. “Maybe he’s trying to see if there’s a mole in the Guild. If the Assassin Guild finds out in an hour, then there’s likely at least one person spilling the beans.”
“Aye,” Stacia nodded. “Tha’ makes sense. I just be thankful he included me sis and Chris as officers. Ah, and me sis wants to talk with me.” Stacia pulled out her Mindstone to talk with Deirdre.
“That takes a little worry off my plate,” Alburet breathed out. “I kept waiting for her or Chris to get hit and not come back.”
“I notice he didn’t include the new Paladin, Ivonna, though,” Karen said.
“Guess we’ll find out if she wants to stay in the Guild or not,” Alburet added.
“Al,” Fluff began, then briefly paused, “do we have a plan?”
“Jump them when they jump us,” Alburet told her. “Tiny will help, won’t you, Tiny?”
“I will protect you and your wives, master,” Tiny rumbled from the front of the group.
“I’ve got the skies,” Bob added from the rooftops on either side of the road.
“I will muddle their minds so ya can take ya time with them,” Kitten added, strutting along behind them with her eye-catching sway.
“I’ll likely be the target of the attacks, since taking me out makes them vanish,” Alburet said. “Attacking any of you before me is just stupid.”
“They won’t have healers either,” Karen grinned evilly. “PvP inside the city is frowned upon by the guards, and they will intervene. Defense of one’s self, group, or Guild is perfectly fine, though I’m sure even that has its limits. Otherwise, you might wind up with full on war in the streets, like Capone and his rival, whatever his name was, back in old-time Chicago.”
“That would be ugly,” Fluff said, finishing off her breakfast as they got to the Portal Guild.
“Turn in, sell at the Keep, then back here to meet up with Gerald and Marysue,” Alburet said as the group entered the building.
A few minutes later, they were entering the Keep to turn in their quests. The group from Delvers was just saying goodbye to the Gunso when Alburet greeted them.
“How’s it going?”
Blaze chuckled, “We got the dungeon done. It was a bit of a pain.”
“Understatement much?” Sato said.
“Using the Brutes?” Alburet asked.
“Yep. We don’t have a Necro either, so it took a bit to lure them all in and get them to do what we wanted,” Blaze said. “As repetitive as the regular quests are, some of the big ones are interesting. I can’t think of another game where you lure mobs to the dungeon and they destroy it for you.”
“Yeah, it took a us a bit to figure it out,” Alburet agreed.
“It also explains the need for five Brutes,” Booth said.
“Where you all off to next?” Alburet asked.
“We’re thinking of hitting up the Lunari continent,” Blaze grinned.
“He’s got a fetish for cats,” Sato stage whispered.
“I do not,” Blaze snapped, “I just want to see what it’s like.”
“We’re going to visit that soon too, but we’re going to check out the Dwarven continent today,” Alburet said. “You guys been to Glacial Lake yet?”
“Not yet,” Blaze said. “Langistors are a pain for us; the high defensive value on their armor is annoying.”
“Asthore, we need to be goin’, iffin we be meetin’ up with Gerald,” Stacia interrupted with an apologetic smile.
“Gerald is your Guild leader now, we’ve heard,
” Blaze said, his head tilting a little. “Why’d you give it up?”
“I took a big hit to my reps when I became a Half-blood Infernal, and it takes me longer to earn rep. It seemed like a good idea for the leader to be able to get rep easier. Besides that, Gerald is much more inclined to lead people than I am. I just brought some people together and made a Guild on a whim—lucky for me, those people are now friends.” He glanced at Karen and Fluff, “Close friends.”
“We’ve heard that about you,” Booth frowned. “Married a native and hooking up with two players as well. You got game or something.”
The Path to Peace Page 8
