Chade

by Montana Ash

  The next five minutes were spent trading blow after glancing blow with the larger man. So okay, maybe he had been a little too cocky about the fight, Dex admitted, barely blocking a kick to the face. He had forgotten who this man’s father was and also his previous liege; they had been renowned and respected knights. And when you factored in the man was now the potentate of the only custodian in existence and also that woman’s lover …. Well, no wonder the man had lethal skills. He managed to bring Ryker to his knees but quickly found himself in the same position, as he was dragged down with him. Now they were face to face on the mats.

  Figuring he could incapacitate him and potentially end the battle by a well-landed blow to the neck, he was caught off guard when Ryker moved at the last second. The man really was very spry. Unfortunately, now that Ryker was standing instead of kneeling, his punch landed solidly – and painfully – with the other man’s junk.

  Ryker went down hard, coughing and wheezing as he cupped his offended jewels.

  “Shit, man. I’m sorry. That was a total accident. I –” His bumbling, but heartfelt apology, was interrupted by a large fist to the nose. “Fuck!” He yelled, also falling back on his arse as he cupped his nose, which was now spurting blood. He glared at Ryker.

  Ryker spared him a quick grin before it turned once more into a grimace, “Hey, at least your blood’s red.”

  Dex looked down at his hands; the fresh wetness was indeed a rich, vibrant red. Suddenly his nose didn’t hurt so much anymore. Unlike Ryker’s balls, he thought a little evilly. The man was still cupping them, muttering something about how they had better not be broken.

  Turns out the ‘round’ had been a good idea after all.

  TWENTY-THREE

  Watching Dex and Ry fight had proven to be very stimulating. The bunch and flex of masculine muscles, the glistening flesh from the hint of sweat, even the drops of blood scattered over naked torsos was arousing. Dex may not have been able to formally train for years but it had been clear his skills as a warrior were not forgotten. He was one of the few wardens who had insisted on learning to fight alongside his paladins and she knew he had fought in many a bloody battle no matter if it was warden-related or not. Unfortunately, because of her previous isolated Order she had never had the pleasure of seeing the famous man in battle. Now that she had, she had only one thing on her mind. The same thing as Max if she wasn’t mistaken. Her liege was currently mauling her Captain as they made a hasty exit. Cali hoped Ryker was still up to the task given that final blow.

  “Dex, could I have a word?” She asked levelly.

  He had proven himself to the rest of the Order and although his acceptance was still fragile, it was a start. The men had charged the mats and subjected both combatants with slaps on the back and manly jeers. Darius had been careful to avoid contact with his brother but his shoulders had lost their rigid set as he offered a hand to Ryker, pulling him to his feet. Ryker had then offered a hand to Dex – which had been accepted. And that appeared to be good enough for the Order. Perhaps Axel was right about fists solving some problems – at least where male egos were concerned anyway.

  Diana had dragged Dex’s head down in order to wipe his face free of blood and to check out his nasal appendage. The soft look of gratitude in his eyes had melted Cali. He truly was no longer just a chade. He wasn’t a warden either, she knew, and likely wouldn’t hold that title ever again. But he had more than proven himself to be a man of honour … and prowess. And she wanted another piece of that prowess.

  Dex had looked over at her question, seemingly very surprised by her direct and public approach. After a quick glance at the other occupants – who hadn’t bothered to move or interject – he nodded and began following her as she led them from the gym.

  “Be careful man.” Axel called from behind them. “She said those words to Max not half an hour ago and I walked in on them exposing skin and cupping breasts.”

  Cali stopped where she was and took a few deep breaths so she wouldn’t turn and kill her fellow paladin. She reminded herself that Axel was a damn fine soldier and an even better friend. The house needed the levity he brought and she actually loved his flirty nature. Being on the receiving end of it in front of a new lover was a little different though and not as funny as the others seemed to think it was if their laughter was any indication. So she didn’t even deign to glance back as she kept walking out the door and directly down the beach. There was a little hidden alcove not far from here that would be perfect for her plans.

  Dex walked silently beside her and her quick peeks in his direction showed him smiling, face raised to the air. He looked a lot like Zombie did when he stuck his head out the car window. They walked in silence for five minutes until they reached the bend where the house disappeared from view. There was an outcropping of rocks and a small cliff that cut their portion of the private beach in half when the tide was full. Cali eyed the ebb and flow of the waves on the sand and figured they had about an hour before they were washed away. Perfect.

  “So,” Dex spoke, “Was Axel right? Is there going to be breast cupping?”

  Cali shivered as the roughness of his voice seemed to rasp over her skin. There was something to be said for not speaking for forty years if that sexy voice was the result. “As a matter of fact …” She answered before launching herself at him in what could only be termed an all-out assault. The last couple of times she had attacked him in such a manner there had been a wall or water behind him to break their fall. The same couldn’t be said this time and she found herself plastered to his front as his back and the sand broke their fall. He let out a breathless chuckle and she found herself entranced by the sound as much as the lightness in his eyes. He was so very handsome. Putting her plans into motion, she began divesting him of his pants. They were the only article of clothing he was wearing anyway.

  Half way through her very important task, a thought struck her; would a good, sound fucking hurt the baby in any way? She wasn’t sure. She didn’t really know anything about babies except that she found them to be darn cute. Besides, she wasn’t even convinced there really was a baby, she reminded herself. Max was crazier than a bed bug and was likely making the whole thing up for her own sick amusement. Of course, she was also a custodian and her best friend and would never lie about something so very serious …

  No, Cali decided. She was going to live in blissful ignorance until she saw those two little lines show up on one of those little plastic sticks. Until then there was no miraculous baby conceived from a drunken one-night stand with a sort-of-chade. There was only a sort-of-chade now quickly divesting himself and her of their clothing like the things were on fire. It took only moments to be standing naked before each other, the crashing waves at her back and a pleasant breeze at Dex’s. Hmm, talking about breezes …

  “That wind thing you did to dry my hair and your clothes before …” She began.

  His brow quirked and she wanted to trace it with her tongue. “What about it?” He asked.

  “Can you do something like that to blow away this loose sand? I’m not after sand in inconvenient places.” She explained, gesturing to the miles of sand around them.

  The slow smile that appeared on Dex’s handsome face alarmed her a little. It was full of cheek and charm; “I can do better than that.” He said, before a small gust blew into their hidden piece of paradise, blowing away the loose sand and appearing to compact it at the same time.

  She knelt down and reached out, prodding the very clean looking sand. It was firm to the touch but not hard and as she drew her hand away she noticed that no small pieces cling to it. Pretty cool. Not that it would have been a deal breaker if he hadn’t have been able to use the wind to his advantage. She fully intended to be on top anyway. Unfortunately, it seemed Dex had other ideas for he picked her up briefly before laying her out flat on the sand like some kind of ancient sacrifice. She saw his lips move but couldn’t make out the words before gasping as a mini tornado seemed to come to life in
the palm of his hand. His eyes met hers as if seeking permission for something. She had no idea what but she was game. She nodded her head and his visage morphed into what could only be described as male satisfaction.

  She kept still as the small whirlwind landed lightly on her bare stomach, tickling and arousing at the same time. The feeling of air rushing over her sensitised skin was amazing. She had been with a few wardens in the past but none who had played with their elements in this way. To say she was intrigued was an understatement. The tornado crept up her torso, swirling over her breasts and making her gasp as her sensitive nipples beaded in the cool air. It was like being caressed without even being touched. Much to her disappointment the boob-play didn’t last long, as the wind moved up her arm. It seemed to grip her wrist somehow before pinning it to the compacted sand above her head.

  Wait … he was restraining her? Kinky, kinky boy. She smiled, licking her lips and was gratified by the catch in his breath. A twirl of his hand had another small whirlwind emerging and she soon found herself tethered to the ground by the softest and most ticklish ropes in existence. She inhaled sharply when he moved, aligning his body with hers and pressing her into the sand at her back. She could feel his pulsing length against her thigh and although she wanted to stroke and caress and drive him wild, she was also revelling in this playful side of Dex.

  He laid his lips against her own and she allowed him access to explore at his pace. He was a damn fine kisser. He then kissed a path down her neck and over her left breast, before locking his lips over her pebbled peak. She cried out, arching her back as tingles of sensations spread throughout her body. She pressed herself against Dex’s talented lips wanting more … and getting it. He laved a rasping trail to her other nipple before paying it equal attention. His smooth palm cupped her now lonely breast, kneading the flesh and plucking at the taut nub there, ensuring it didn’t stay lonely for long. Tugging at her hands, she let out a sound of frustration when she remembered how she was bound.

  Dex raised his head and smiled, blowing out a small breath that somehow managed to caress every inch of her skin, leaving a series of goose bumps in its wake. She writhed against the onslaught, her legs scissoring in agitation, and apparently gaining his attention. He smoothed his palms over her calves and up her thighs, pushing them apart and devouring her with his eyes … before devouring her with his mouth. He managed to wring two orgasms from her before she heard him offer a filthy curse and her tornado restraints fell away. It seems the man’s control had finally snapped.

  As he gathered her hips in his hands, she wound her arms around his neck, getting a good grip. Dex slammed into her, the full force of his body behind him and she didn’t bother holding back her cry of ecstasy. He filled her perfectly and began a swift rhythm with each thrust more forceful than the last, until Cali could feel herself being propelled up the sand. She tightened her legs around his waist and met him thrust for thrust, scraping her nails down his back and biting down on sinewy shoulders. His harsh grunts and deep groans assured her of his approval, and barely ten seconds later, she felt him stiffen up as his release poured from him.

  No, no, no, she chanted internally, feeling very gypped that he was finished first and worried she was going to miss out. She needn’t have worried for it seemed Dex was a considerate lover. Even in the throes of his own ecstasy he had the presence of mind to reach down and rub her swollen clit, sending her into her third orgasm of the afternoon. So she was a little greedy – sue her.

  They lounged in satisfied silence for a few minutes, neither really knowing what to say. She sure didn’t and she just wanted her little bubble of bliss to last a touch longer. Unfortunately, cold water lapped suddenly at her feet and she realised the tide was coming in – as was reality. Watching Dex dress in silence, she really wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do with him. And if there really was a new little soul hitching a ride in her uterus? What was she supposed to do with that? She was a soldier, a knight. Not a mummy. But that was Future-Cali’s problem she assured herself, picking up her sand-free clothes. Too bad Future-Cali seemed to have a lot of problems.

  Poor Future-Cali. She kind of felt bad for her.

  TWENTY-FOUR

  It was two days before Ivy could join them at the house and in that time Cali had taken to going for a nightly ‘swim’. Her ‘swim’ consisted of getting Dex naked against every flat surface available. It was safe to say he was fully back in the land of the living and any doubts she’d had that he was somehow walking a tightrope between chade and warden had been firmly dismissed. In addition to their physical play, they were also talking. And talking. And talking. In fact, Cali didn’t think she had ever enjoyed another man’s company quite as much. Turns out Dex was warm and funny and smart and totally hip. He was up on all the latest lingo and slang and even knew about the latest movies and books. Turns out, he would melt into the shadows and peer into human households.

  Okay, Cali knew that sounded a little creepy out of context but he had explained that humans didn’t tempt his endless hunger and he felt relatively safe being around them. So he had made a concerted effort to remain up to date and also hoped that the contact, even in abstract, would help maintain his own humanity. She had quickly discovered where Darius’s unflinching loyalty came from. It came from the man who had raised him. Dex was loyal and his sense of honour and duty was as deeply entrenched in him as it was in Darius. It was still a little strange to think she was sleeping with Darius’s brother and essentially father figure but … meh. She was choosing to ignore that slight discomfort in favour of Dex’s company … and Dex’s body. Dex had more than filled out nicely and his sleek muscles and tapered waist were exactly to Cali’s taste.

  As for Dex, he was soaking up the companionship like a sponge given his forced sexual sabbatical and lack of voice. Cali couldn’t fathom that such a kind, jovial man with so much history as a warrior had been forced to live in hiding, feeling nothing but shame and pain. It really pissed her off in fact and she couldn’t believe how short-sighted she had been, as well as everyone else in their society. All it had taken was one short, out-spoken female to turn history on its head. And she had never been more grateful for that woman than she had been just minutes ago when she had finally plucked up the courage to pee on a stick.

  Two lines. There had been two lines on the home pregnancy test. Which meant she was most definitely pregnant. The past two days of sexed-up haze had helped keep her mind firmly away from Max’s assertion that Cali was housing a whole extra soul in her body. But the more she found herself liking Dex, the more she found the thought of a baby creeping in. She also hadn’t been able to ignore the fact that her breasts were indeed fuller, she could no longer tolerate her much-loved morning coffee at all, and she had an unusual smattering of hair sprouting on her stomach like a fine pelt of fur. Max had somehow procured a box of five pregnancy tests and left them subtly underneath her pillow.

  So now she was waiting on pins and needles for Max to come downstairs, hoping she had time alone with her liege before Ivy showed up. What she was going to say, she had no idea. She also had no idea what she was going to do with a baby. A baby had never really been something she had considered given her profession. Other than knowing one hundred percent she would never have a child only to ignore it or place it in one of the warden/paladin group homes because it turned out to be affiliated with the wrong domain. That was about the extent of her previous contemplation. She also had no idea what Ryker would say. He had made it very clear that everyone’s priority was Max’s safety and welfare. Although she had never dreamt of having a baby, she knew it was going to be a priority for her. She was clueless and scared absolutely shitless but she was going to make sure her child felt wanted and loved.

  So as it turned out, she wasn’t freaking out about growing another human being inside of her, but she was terrified to tell her Order. And the thought of telling Dex was yet another matter entirely. She had no idea what his intentions were now that he
was essentially back to his old self. She also had no idea what Max’s intentions were in relation to Dex but it made sense that they needed proof to provide to the IDC that chades were treatable and curable. Dex was that proof. The thought made her stomach churn. What would the IDC do to a redeemed chade? Very likely the same thing they wanted to do to Max; test her. Cali was positive they wouldn’t be so polite about it with a warden turned chade as they had been with a possible daughter of Mother Nature.

  She placed her hands on her stomach and sighed. She had caught herself doing that many times over the past couple of days. Why did pregnant women feel the need to do that?

  “Oh good. You’re here.” Lark’s voice preceded his body, quickly followed by Axel, Beyden, Diana and a reluctant looking Darius.

  “That I am. Is Ivy here?” She asked.

  Bey shook his head. “No. Not for another hour at least.”

  “Okay. So what’s up?” They were all looking shifty. She glanced at Diana and received an eye roll. Ah, so this was a man-idea. “What’s going on?” She asked again.

  “It’s an intervention.” Axel informed her cheerily.

  “A what?” She was shocked.

  “A Dex-sex intervention.” Lark informed her. “I thought of the name.” He added proudly.

  “It’s snappy.” She told him through clenched teeth and Lark grinned and nodded.

  “We are concerned because you are clearly banging our prisoner. It’s a conflict of interest to say the least.” Axel informed her.

  Cali gritted her teeth. It really wasn’t surprising they had noticed her ‘banging the prisoner’ and although she hadn’t advertised it, she hadn’t really been hiding it either. She wasn’t ashamed of her relationship, as strange as it was to call it that, and refused to regret her choices. When she made a decision she stuck by it and backed herself.