A Quanta of Magick (Full Moon Series Book 4)

by P. Mattern

  He smiled around at his wetnurse charges, his mouth reddened with their fine blood.

  “Thank you my dears,” he said, as an errant drop of blood escaped the corner of his mouth. “And now I am giving pony rides. Who would want to get on first I wonder?”

  The blonde wetnurse wordlessly removed her habit and headdress and straddled Argent as he simultaneously fondled a wetnurse breast on one side and deeply kissed a wetnurse mouth on the other. Making love to three female energies at once seemed to heighten his sense of euphoria and cause his awareness of his painfully burning back to recede into the distant background.

  Surrounded by the heat and warmth of his sexual partners Argent felt his formidable strength returning. He realized that he had his father Adrastos’ ability to draw energy from others, and he drew heavily upon the bodies of the female energies around him, and felt his deeply cut lacerations healing in response.

  Afterwards he fell into a deep sleep, and awakened to his father’s voice.

  “Argent,” Adrastos said standing above him. Argent realized that the way his father spoke his name, drawing it out in almost a tone of awe, was an indication of the deep love and connection Adrastos felt for him.

  “I am much improved father,” Argent said, sitting up. He was still shirtless and naked under the warmth of the down coverlet.

  Adrastos made a circular motion with his bejeweled hand.

  “Stand up, my son,” he said, quietly ”And let your father have a look at you.”

  Without hesitation Argent swung his long limbs over the side of the bed and stood, completely naked, his backside turned so that his father could see his marks from the flogging.

  What Adrastos saw on Argent’s back cause a rare flush of pleasure to appear on Adrastos’ unnaturally white face. The double X marks were nearly symmetrical and fading into pronounced white scars. The only aberration was that the ends of the X’s curved slightly inward, and there were lighter lateral scars across Argent’s back in between the lines of the X making their design (to Adrastos’ mind) resemble more the design of the double helix.

  “May I turn around father?” Argent asked.

  “Of course,” Adrastos answered, feeling both elated and pleased at the marks on his only son’s back.

  When Argent turned around he saw a smile playing at the corners of his father’s mouth.

  “Let me first tell you that I am pleased at your comport during your punishment. Any energy that inflicts great harm and pain should be able to withstand it as well. It did not please me that you fainted at the end, but due to the severity of your final wounds, somewhat understandable.

  Now you know how seriously you must take failure in yourself or even those you love. You have won the respect and obedience of every servant of this house. Even the soldiers of Faquier Hall are toasting your strength and bravery. They will be willing to die for you, and if the occasion warrants it, you should permit them to do just that.

  I wanted to let you know from my own mouth that the pregnancy of your mother, and my Declared Woman, Parmitsvia has been confirmed by First Seer Maung. Your brother will be born in the ninth month from this time in the full moon of next year’s August. He will be born under the astrological sign of Leo. Leo’s like to rule. You must keep his ambitions in check and second to your own, Argent, as much as you may grow to love him, for only the Firstborn son of Adrastos will rule Faquier Hall in my stead, should I ever be away.”

  Argent stared at his father, his glacial blue eyes thoughtful. Argent realized what a formidable , almost godlike male energy Adrastos was. With all his being Argent yearned to be like him

  “Thank you father,” he said.”I am grateful to you for taking me out of the abysmal existence I suffered when I lived in Fort Hunt. I feel your blood in my veins now, calling for me to rise to your expectations, and I will do that. There is only one thing I would ask…”

  Adrastos raised one eyebrow.”Yes?” he queried.

  “When my brother comes to stay here…is it possible my mother might come as well?”

  Argent reddened as he recalled his failure to bring his mother to Adrastos. He did retain love for her, though he didn’t understand why. He knew that his mother loved him dearly , but also that he was more his father’s son. Nonetheless he missed her. He understood that she was foolish to prefer to lay with the commoner Castor Noble, that she had a ferocious stubborn streak that would earn her many ‘corrections’ if she came to the castle…but still he longed for her gentle touch, the sound of her voice, the gentle lilt of her laughter. THAT was the family he’d always wanted, not the artificial family that his mother had tried to create. He yearned for his mother and father Adrastos-- and soon his natural brother to be here with him, living at Faquier Hall.

  Adrastos stepped forward in his heavy black boots, decorated with metal studs and pierced golden coins, and captured Argents face in his hands.

  “Yes, Argent..whatever you please as my son. And if everything goes according to my plans I can continue to breed your mother and you may have more siblings. Even sisters perhaps. It might amuse you to have female siblings around. They are not good for much, but they are pretty and amusing . And when they are at their thirteenth month you may sleep with them, as you do the wetnurse clones. And in our family even marriages between brother and sister are sanctioned, if you like.”

  Argents eyes were wide.”Really father?” he asked rhetorically.

  “Yes ,” Adrastos replied.”It’s a longstanding family tradition. A way to keep the bloodlines pure.”

  Pierre’s handsome forehead was buckled as he attempted to look serious and keep a smile off his face. He was walking with Lux and Cass to the North field where the grass had been newly mowed and there was a fairly flat expanse of meadowland. Cass and Lux were having a severe disagreement concerning their exodus from Fort Hunt with the humans. Cass was convinced that trying to take equipment and/or too many humans through the meadow portal would destabilize it, perhaps even destroy it. Lux was equally convinced that the portal should be used regardless and that they should take their chances since using it would save both time and effort. Their argument over the portal use had gotten so heated that both Fressenda and Mitzi had thrown them out of the underground farmhouse to settle their differences.

  And there was only one way that the first generation of Noble brothers ever settled their extreme differences-

  With their fists.

  Even though Lux was his partner in every sense now Pierre had agreed to act as referee for the combatants. Both Cass and Lux had consented to the ground rules Pierre had laid down before hand: no decapitations, no weapons or hidden weapons and the loser of the fight would forfeit his plan in favor of the plan of the other twin.

  It sounded fairly simple and straightforward but Pierre expected a few glitches and surprises.

  It was the Noble brothers, after all.

  Pierre instructed them to stand a distance of ten feet apart. Though the weather was frigid and the meadows were slicked in patches with the melting frost of the early morning, both removed their boots and shirts before getting in position. Cass’s face looked like a thundercloud and Lux’s angelic countenance was so distorted by anger at his brother’s stubbornness that he looked like an Angel of Wrath.

  “Gentlemen!” Pierre called out into the chilly air,”You may BEGIN!”

  The Nobles flew into each other with such force that the sound of their hard bodies impacting echoed throughout the surrounding farmland. Cass gained an early advantage by landing a blow on Lux’s jaw that turned him around and knocked him off balance. But soon Lux turned the tables and, somersaulting over Cass grabbed him by the hair and started to drag him skyward.

  Too late, Pierre realized that he hadn’t said the vampires couldn’t fly. And of course Lux had picked right up on Pierre’s omission since he WAS, out of the fraternal twins, the superior flyer.

  Before Pierre could interrupt Cass grabbed Lux’s even longer hair, shot up into the atmosph
ere ever higher than Lux had positioned himself and throwing his weight against Lux’s back pinned him back to the ground with a resounding thud. The entire time the twins never stopped shouting insults at each other.

  “Let me go you goat humper!”

  “You still fight like a sissy Lux! Without a sword in your dainty hand you’re nothing!”

  “I’m going to plow this field with your stubborn head, you glutton!”

  “Yeah? Well you can TRY it pretty boy! I’m gonna give you a mudmask!”

  And so it went, for about 15 minutes. Pierre realized at some point that their physical fighting served as an outlet for deeper frustrations, and also allowed them to reconnect on a level that they probably both missed since they had matured and taken spouses. There likely would always be a part of the twins that connected them for eternity in their brotherhood.

  Well, Pierre reflected, he could live with that. Though somewhat juvenile, he thought it was kind of sexy and cute the way they pounded the hell out of each other like frenetic five year olds.

  What Pierre was observing was a fist fight/wrestling match on steroids. Shoves and punches were powerful enough to propel the twin receiving the blow backwards several feet. Lux managed to grab Cass’s feet out from under him and swing him around before letting go with enough force to make the half frozen faded grass of the meadow shear off and fly upward into the air. This made Cass so angry that the next lucky punch he landed, on Lux’s cheek, propelled Lux backwards against Pierre who was standing some distance away. A grappling match lasting 20 minutes took place when the twins got ahold of each other like wrestlers, each attempting to throw the other off balance.

  Finally after a prolonged tussle that left both men panting, Cass, the heavier of the two, managed to pin Lux face down on the ground in a hold that he was unable to break.

  After witnessing the desperate Lux struggling to break Cass’s hold for a few minutes, Pierre walked over to the wrestling twins, saying,”Lux, I’m sorry but I think Cass has got you! I am calling the match in Cass’s favor!”

  Cass immediately jumped up, a gleam of triumph in his eye.

  “HAH!” he said, turning his head momentarily to spit on the ground behind him.”Consider yourself bested Lux! We are going with Plan A after all. And don’t be a sore loser. I lost to YOU in the last World of Azglen Tournament. Take it like a man!”

  Lux got up slowly, spitting dried grass out of his mouth, and held his hand out to Cass. Pierre darted a warning look at Lux. Lux’s face was pleasantly composed enough, but there was a strange gleam in Lux’s eye he didn’t quite trust.

  Before Pierre could say anything Lux, using a Krav Maga technique, threw the off balance and heavier Cass down again by holding Cass’s wrist and hooking one of Cass’s feet with his own. As soon as Cass hit the ground Lux smiled genuinely and held out a hand to help Cass up.

  “Sore loser,” Cass commented, as he took Lux’s hand and then brushed meadow debris from his body.”Feel better now?”

  “Tons!” Lux said, coming back to his more peaceful persona.”Sorry about that. Well, not really. But I’m sorry I’m not sorry at least.”

  “Just don’t forget who’s in charge of the exodus-Yours truly! Cass replied.“ But with that said, I think you will make a splendid wing man!”

  With that the brother gave each other a hug and Pierre relaxed. In spite, or maybe because of their pugilistic tendencies, the Noble brothers shared a deep affection for each other that was obvious and enduring.

  Absolam pulled back from kissing Natalie just to look into her beautiful brown eyes again. Being next to her was like boarding a runaway high speed sexual locomotive. And the noises that she had been making in her throat as they kissed let him know that she thought he was a good kisser.

  He’d been worried about that. Natalie was his first love, and everything that they did together was a first for both of them.

  He felt conflicted because he didn’t want to rush his experience with Natalie. But at the same time he knew that Jaxon and Rosalie had started “doing it” and that made him anxious to make love to Natalie. It wasn’t a competition thing at all…but after Jaxon’s rave reviews of having sex for the first time he was dying to experience what the French termed ”le petit mort”.

  After Cory had run away Absolam had had the large combination young man cave/bedroom all to himself. Natalie was in his same homeschool grade and came over to study. Usually the couple was left alone. They did study. And each afternoon rewarded themselves by making out and pushing the sexual envelope a bit further.

  Natalie’s face was so beautiful as she lay under him on his bed that he reached up to play with a strand of her hair, smiling at her. Her young breasts were heaving under her fuzzy pink sweater and she smiled back.

  “Don’t stop Ab, please don’t stop,” she said, still breathing heavily. In Absolam’s arms her body felt wonderfully soft and languid.

  Absolam felt sexually courageous at that point.

  “Natalie, I want to make love to you. You know that. But it has to be something you want and that you are sure of. And there are other things we can do while you’re deciding.

  And I want to do one of them today.” He finished, hoping for a positive response.

  In answer she lifted her head again and gave him a long , lingering kiss.

  “Yes,” she breathed against his neck, ”Just give me a minute.”

  Ab rolled to the side while Natalie reached under her school girl skirt and then kicked a pair of pink lacy thong style panties off from around her ankles and over the edge of the bed.

  “Please,” she said, breathing even more rapidly, ”Please Absolam.”

  As she pulled her legs up and apart Absolam placed his face between them, into what seemed to be a verdant and golden valley of pleasure. He was so delighted in his task and thrilled with the responsive gasps and moans he was eliciting from Natalie that he didn’t hear his mother knock twice, and then slowly push open his bedroom door.

  Natalie had heard the knocking, however, and sat up against the bank of pillows at the top of the bed, smoothing her skirt quickly over her knees. Finally realizing that they had a visitor to the room, Ab belatedly sat up on the edge of the bed facing Natalie.

  The flurry of high speed commotion that had greeted Mitzi’s eyes as she entered Ab’s room was not lost on Absolam’s mother.

  “I’m sorry,” Mitzi said, standing several feet from the foot of Ab’s bed.

  “I did knock. Twice….. Absolam?” Mitzi added, gesturing with her dainty finger into the hallway beyond the open door. “May I speak with you please?”

  Absolam glanced at Natalie and saw that her cheeks were blazing scarlet. His face felt as if it were on fire, making him certain that he looked the same way. Wordlessly he got up and followed his mother into the hallway.

  It was hard to meet Mitzi’s eyes, but Alsolam stubbornly did just that. He was looking down from nearly 5’11” these days, but even though he towered over his mother he still found her presence fearsome, especially when she was perturbed at him.

  “My son.” Mitzi said, her teal colored irises seeming to flash with blue green sparks.” I am not going to ask what you and Natalie were doing. I think it’s very obvious that you two are getting to ‘know’ each other better, in the biblical sense. But you must be cautious. You are both very young. And please think of her parents!”

  Absolam wished to fall through the poured flooring of the hallway and disappear but he was equally determined to make a point with his mother.

  “Mom you can calm yourself. Please. I know it’s weird for you but I’m pretty much grown now. And I promise you that I am considerate of Natalie to the extreme. And this isn’t exactly the Dark Ages. And dad already said getting physical is permissible after we’re grown..”

  Mitzi seemed to flinch.

  “Permissible but not always desirable! Absolam please be gentlemanly-that is all that I can ask. You are correct..you and Jaxon are ‘of an age’ as
they say. But please don’t rush into anything. That’s the point I am trying to make..that’s all.”

  As she finished speaking Mitzi’s face softened as she remembered her conflicted emotions concerning Charley’s rapid maturity after he was bitten. She realized that she was old fashioned, and just wanted her sons to think before they acted.

  Of course, being the offspring of herself and Castor Noble, the likelihood that Absolam would have inherited both his parent’s passionate and reckless natures was probably a given.

  Inwardly Mitzi sighed.

  At the same time that Mitzi was admonishing Absolam, Jaxon and Rosalie were together ‘studying’ in his girlfriend,( and Natalie’s sister), Rosalie’s room. Rosalie’s parents were not home, and technically Jaxon knew that he was not supposed to be there.

  But he was there, because the after school activities that he and Rosalie were sharing lately were the most enjoyable he could remember having in his entire existence.

  Rosalie was feisty and imaginative. Jaxon knew that she was by far the more experienced of the two of them, but he was catching up fast.

  Each time they were together something larger than both of them took over their sensibilities. Theirs had been an instant attraction, without hesitation, and they seemed to share a connection that went beyond tender young love and mutual admiration. Their first clandestine lovemaking had occurred in the forest halfway between both their houses during a full moon, and had been unplanned, though both of them somehow “knew” the other would be there. Rosalie was a mature girl with a woman’s body and Jaxon had grown into the most handsome male energy she had ever come into contact with.

  “You know you’re beautiful, Rosie,” Jaxon said, smoothing Rosie’s long dark hair away from her lovely face as he rolled away from being on top of her.”The most beautiful girl in town. Bar none.”

  “Prettier than my sister?”Rosalie asked. Though she loved her sister dearly there had always been a competitive aspect to their relationship.