“Master, forgive me please,” Stacia whispered from her prostrate position.
Looking at her with a frown of disappointment, he stayed silent for a minute. “We talked about this, Stacia. With our two friends here, it wouldn’t be right to—”
“I didn’t mind,” Karen cut in. “I mean, I was all set to enjoy breakfast and a show.”
“I…,” Fluffball hesitated for a moment. “I have already seen you together…,” she took a deep breath before she continued. “I was hoping you would let me draw it.”
His mouth opened and closed as he tried to find words to express himself properly. As his silence dragged on, Stacia lifted her head off the floor and sat up while keeping her gaze on the floor. “You want to draw Stacia and me, during the act?” His words reflected his shock.
“I want to draw the three of you, like I saw before. Them overpowering you, pleasing you and themselves as you give in to them,” Fluff’s voice trembled, as did her hands. “I don’t think you want me to see you, though. All my art has been focused on the woman being the one forced to accept the man. It was… I felt awe watching as they took you, knowing that something Poppa always said was false. He always said that no man would allow a woman to dominate him.”
“He dominates me,” Stacia corrected her gently.
“Normally, but he served you and Karen and no one got upset over it,” she shifted where she sat, her thighs rubbing together. “It was so wonderful to see him give in to you both. That moment with you two when he completely surrendered, it was magical. And he never tries to dominate me, he’s always gentle, caring, kind, and loving.”
“Can you draw it from memory?” Karen asked curiously as she recalled that night.
“Maybe, but I would rather draw from live models. I can quick sketch every position, then go back to fill them in afterwards.”
“I don’t think…” Alburet began but he paused when Stacia touched his thigh.
“Is tha’ the one thin’ ya want over anythin’ else right now?” Stacia asked.
“Yes,” the sure agreement in Fluffball’s voice was clear. “I want to draw that scene, a strong man giving in to two women who take him…” Her breath came a little quicker and she licked her lips.
“Would tha’ be the one thin’ ya would ask of me husband?” Stacia asked.
“Wait…” Alburet began.
“Can I?” Fluff asked, her question cutting off Alburet. “Would that be okay as the reward?”
Covering his face with his hands Alburet rubbed at his face for a moment. “I’ve already gone against my father’s teaching once. Might as well do it again.” He captured Fluff’s eyes, which glowed with a mixture of eagerness and fear. “This will be the completion of my promise to you of a reward.”
Her fear vanished as her eagerness shot forward, “Really? You’ll let me stay and draw?”
“Yes,” Alburet replied as he took his breakfast off the tray. “I’m not positive it’s a good…”
Fluff shifted forward quickly, hugging him tightly, “Thank you.”
He hugged her with his free hand. “You’re welcome, Fluff. I’m not sure it’s the best idea, but your enthusiasm does help temper my reservations.”
“We’ll be skipping doing one of my memories tonight. Instead, we’ll be doing as Fluff has asked,” Alburet told Stacia. “I’m not entirely comfortable with this, and it is entirely your fault.”
“I understand, master,” Stacia murmured. “What be me penance?”
“I’ll think on it,” Alburet gently disengaged Fluff. “I still need to eat. Why don’t you and Karen go mingle while we eat, Fluff. Take your stuff, I’ll be collapsing the tent when I leave it.”
“Got it,” Karen said as she picked up her bag. “Stacia, will you get the tray?”
“Aye,” Stacia was still looking at the ground, staying where she was. She was still there when Karen and Fluff left and Alburet began to eat. “Master?”
“Yes?”
“Ya know I be lovin’ ya, aye?”
“Of course,” Alburet answered without emotion as he ate.
“Ya know tha’ I love Karen and Fluff as well, aye?”
“So I am coming to truly understand,” he sighed. “You keep pushing at me, in unusual ways. Was all of this planned by you from the beginning? The tent, the little acts of defiance, all to lead me to this point?”
“Nay. I had hoped tha’ mayhap ya would start to come along. I did tease ya too much today, tha’ be true, and for tha’ I be sorry. I did nay expect Fluff to ask what she did, even though I had told her to trick ya for a promised reward. I had mayhap thought she would ask for a massage or something more innocent. She has truly been comin’ along fast since ya and Karen accepted her, from when ya saw her first memory that she shared. Ya care for her, tha’ has been a boost tha’ has been propellin’ her along at a speed I had nay expected. Ya and Karen tha’ be, it be both of ya and nay just ya.”
Setting the bread in his lap, Alburet just gazed at the loving Succubus. “You make things so hard for me. You can read my emotions probably better than I can myself. So you know how conflicted I am. Why do you keep pushing at me, even after I’ve asked you not to?”
Lifting her head to meet his eyes, Alburet could see the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. “I just want ya to be as happy as ya can. Me, Karen, and even Fluff all want happiness as well. We can all have tha’ iffin ya will just let go of ya old ways. I try to nay push ya, but every time I see ya yearn for those who yearn back for ya, I can nay stop meself. I be a bad minion, master, flauntin’ ya wishes in tha’ regard.” The tears overflowed, streaming down her face.
His heart clenched at the sight of her crying. He shifted forward, letting the food fall to the ground as he took her in his arms, pulling her into his lap. Cuddling her to his chest, Alburet spoke again. “Damn it, dear heart. I know, gods I know, but it feels like I’m disrespecting the only man I really looked up to. At the same time, I want what you ask of me. I was happy when we all came together before our marriage. The idea of Fluff also being with us makes me shiver. I don’t deserve all of this. It feels like the universe is just waiting to pull the rug out from under me.”
“I will always be here for ya, as long as ya will have me. I know I be a willful Succubus, as me mother and her mother. For tha’, I be sorry tha’ I be this way.” Her words were a little broken as she wrapped her arms around him sobbing.
“I will never turn you away. You truly do own my heart at this point, even being a willful, bad, disobedient minion. I knew your personality would come forward again, I still recall you pushing at me before. When we married you seemed to pull back, becoming an obedient wife that wouldn’t test me in any way, and I felt a small sadness at that. This might be a bit more than I had anticipated, but you are loved, even with your willful ways. I will try to accept what you want, what Karen wants, and surprisingly what even Fluff seems to want.”
Sniffling, she raised her tear streaked face to him, “Promise?”
For a moment, his gaze drilled into her, as he wondered if she was playing with him again. Not seeing anything but hope in her gaze, he nodded. “I promise. You will still take your punishment later, though.”
“Aye, anythin’ ya deem necessary,” Stacia whispered as she kissed his chest. “Thank ya.”
“Eat your breakfast while I get the tent in order. We will deal with your punishment later. It might be a day or two, considering everything.”
Stacia squeezed him tightly before she left his lap, picking up the meal set aside for her. Alburet used Copy on Stacia, bringing Kitten into being. As Kitten appeared, Alburet grabbed her, spinning her around and down to her knees. Pushing her face down, he began to lay into her backside with hard, fast slaps, growling the entire time. His hand began to burn but he ignored it as best he could. Kitten let out a continuous stream of yelps with each spank. Stacia was frozen in place with her eyes wide, food forgotten as she felt each blow. Bowing her head, she knelt
into the same position as her Copy, to accept her punishment even if it was her doubled body that was currently taking the blows.
When his hand began to cramp, Alburet let her go as he got to his feet. “There, the punishment has been given. Finish eating, gather both of our things and meet me outside with the tent.” Wincing at the pain in his hand, he walked out of the tent. The pain faded as the sun washed over him.
“We have a new plan,” Roberto called out to him as Alburet walked over to where the group waited.
“I hope it’s better than the last plan I’ve heard today,” Alburet replied with a wry smile. “Please enlighten me.”
“The Sand Worms attack groups, unlike the Immature Sand Worms. We are going to put the less experienced members in between the two groups with thirty feet between the groups. They’ll still need to be wary of the Immature Sand Worms, but at least they won’t be targeted by the larger ones.”
“Have you already spread news of the plan?” Alburet asked, not having any better ideas.
“Aye,” Banthor answered as he came over to them. “Just got done with me boys, his boys and yer guildies.”
“Well, then, we’re ready to go,” Alburet added as he watched Stacia and Kitten come out of the tent carrying his bags. Taking them with a kiss on Stacia’s cheek, he gave her a smile, “Thank you, dear heart.”
“It be the least me can do, husband,” Stacia bowed her head. “Be ya summonin’ ya other minions?”
Alburet summoned both Bob and Tiny to his side. “Guys, more of the same today. Probably Worms right off the bat again.”
“I will protect you, master,” Tiny rumbled as he tapped his shield with his mace.
“I’ll light them up,” Bob grinned as a ball of fire appeared in his hand.
“We shall have to see what the first fight brings,” Alburet informed his minions. “I always feel a bit better when you two are here, though.”
Bob’s chest inflated as he swelled with pride, Tiny gave a firm nod, accepting the praise. “Wha’ of me?” Kitten purred from behind Alburet.
“You are a devious, sex crazed Infernal, but yes, I feel better having you here as well,” Alburet replied. He looked at the rest of the group, “We ready for the day?”
A chorus of agreement came back to him. A moment later Banthor called for everyone to move into the positions they had been assigned. Once everyone was in place, the Campstones were removed. Eleven seconds after they were removed, the sands erupted as they had every morning.
Five Sand Worms, two full groups of Forgotten Elementalists, and two Immature Sand Worms made up the morning attack. Alburet only got a brief glimpse of the full chaos before he turned to attack the Immature Sand Worm that had swallowed Deirdre, before anyone could react to save her.
Fluff went red as her Rage ability triggered, launching herself onto the top of that same Worm. One claw sank deeply into the beast to hold her aloft while she used the others to dig bloody chunks out of it. Karen was beside her after a moment, having used her blades to climb the beast. Gerald, Tiny, Chris, and a few others surrounded the base of the Worm, hacking into it with fervor. Alburet, Bob and a couple of other nearby casters began to lay into it with spells.
The Immature Sand Worm withered under the assault on it. As it died, Tiny shoved it, angling it away from the rest of the raid. Deirdre came out of its mouth just before it died, covered in acidic fluid. Marysue and Greenbeard started healing her as fast as they could, as she had the barest sliver of life left.
The other Immature Sand Worm had died under a similar assault from those near it, so the melee and casters shifted their attention to the closest Sand Worm. Renful had bound a trio of the undead mages to his will and was wreaking havoc on the other ones. Some of the raid tanks had taunted the other skeletal mages to mitigate the area damage to the raid. The mercenaries and guards had all jumped on the Sand Worms.
The Sand Worms managed to submerge and reappear a couple of times before they were finally laid to rest. After nearly five minutes the last of the beasts finally died. A ragged cheer rose from the raid as healers began to resurrect the fallen. Two guards, three mercenaries and Violet were amongst the tally.
All but one of the mercenaries stood back up. Even with the resurrection spell, one of the mercenaries didn’t rise. A pall settled over the raid, as it became apparent that a Final Death had taken place.
Banthor stood next to the corpse, sadness etching deep furrows in his face. “Gremin, ye always was one to cause us issues, ye damn bastard.”
Alburet went to the Dwarf’s side to gaze down on the black furred Lunari that lay dead on the sand. “This is my first time seeing a Final Death. Probably the first for my entire guild as well. What should we do, Banthor?”
Banthor wiped at his face once, “We be on a quest, so there be only one thin’ to do. We loot his remains and carry on. Iffin ya will hand his keepsake to me, I will be givin’ it to his family when we return to Stormguard.”
Alburet knelt down to touch the corpse, and the body vanished just like a monster body did. In his hand was a single ring, with a quest tag on it. Standing up, he handed it to Banthor who put it into a pouch. “Is it customary to say anything?”
“Nay a custom, but it has been done before,” Banthor coughed as his voice tightened up.
“Alpha Company,” Alburet called out loudly. “We take a moment to mourn the passing of one of our guards. Bow your heads in respect to Gremin. This Lunari traveled beside us into these sands knowing this might come, but he still came. Gremin, may Bastet welcome you home to rest after your journey here on Alpha World. From Bastet’s bosom he came and to her bosom he now returns.” He bowed his own head in silence as his eyes watered, his mind flashing to the loved ones that had passed on, like his father.
After a minute he lifted his head to speak again. “We started this journey as an epic quest, with the guild name on the line. Now we have another reason to carry out the rest of this mission. We cannot fail, for the sake of Gremin’s legacy, and our own.”
A murmur of agreement from over a hundred throats was heard as he finished speaking. Alburet turned to Banthor and Roberto. “Gentlemen, lead us on. We have a mission to complete.”
Banthor slammed his axe into his shield, “Form up, men! We move for our honor and Gremin’s!”
The mercenaries fell into position, followed in short order by the rest of the raid. Banthor called out once more to get them moving. Beyond that, everyone walked in silence as they processed what had just occurred.
Chapter Fourteen
The raid was still in a somber mood when they camped that night, even with another three levels gained. No more Sand Worms had attacked them during the day. A handful of Immature Sand Worms and the standard Forgotten Guards and Elementalists made up the rest of the day’s attacks. The Campstones were placed and tents set out amid near silence. The few words being said were in hushed tones, as if no one had the energy to speak up.
Alburet dismissed Tiny and Bob, “You did well today, guys. Hopefully tomorrow we can push past the pall that hangs over us right now.”
“I will have a drink in his name. He was one of your protectors, he deserves it,” Tiny rumbled before he vanished.
Bob gave a simple nod, “I’ll head over to Tiny’s tonight and drink with him.”
As Bob vanished Alburet took a moment to consider the words of his minions. He went into the tent, quickly dropped his gear without speaking, then went to find Banthor. He found the mercenary Captain off to one side speaking to his normal group of Dwarves. “Banthor, can I have a moment?”
Dismissing his group, Banthor turned to Alburet, “What can I be doin’ for ye?”
“I was thinking we could hold a wake for Gremin. Everyone needs something to buoy them back up some. A night of drinking and tales of Gremin’s accomplishments might help. I’m hoping you and your guild would share stories, since he was one of your men. I brought along a number of drinks that can be shared. They were going to be fo
r the victory celebration, but this seems like a better use.”
A hint of life came back to Banthor’s eyes as he nodded, “Tha’ be a good idea. Nay many who hire us care iffin we suffer losses. Some have, but they be small in number. I will spread the word durin’ dinner. Where be ye settin’ up the libations?”
“Over by the fire I take my meals at. I’ll get it ready for after dinner. I look forward to your tales of his bravery,” Alburet traded a nod with Banthor before he turned back to his tent.
Playing For Keeps (Alpha World Book 4) Page 14
