"Wait. So it's not like...you know, in MMORPG games where you choose your favorite weapon and class that you already know you excel at?" I asked, using video games as an example.
"Just like in a video game, everyone starts as a beginner. It doesn't matter what weapon a shifter or human receives. Anyone can perfect it. However, some magic essence works better than others, and that's based on an individual's own magic capabilities and strength. When a person is able to use multiple weapons, it brings conflict between magic essences. Whatever weapon is strongest will use its strength to convince their owner to use them more, giving the impression the person is stronger with it compared to the competing weapons. It may sound weird to think of weapons having minds of their own, but anything that involves magic is somewhat alive," Itsuki concluded.
"So you think Storm's essence is trying to undermine my confidence or overall feelings in general? Like to make me feel fragile and weak so I get lost within myself and she can take over?" I summarized.
"That's how Haru and I see it. We've been doing some research on our own and found a story about a woman in a similar predicament," he explained.
"She had borrowed an ancient fan from a cave during her mountain adventure. Her intentions were to return the fan after learning more about it, but its powers flowed inside her. She didn't feel it at first, but as the days went on, her own magic began to try and dominate the magic of the fan inside the woman. It was like she had a bipolar disorder, one minute being happy and kind as she normally had been, and the next wanting to exact revenge against men of the village who had black hair and blue eyes."
"Wow...that's polar opposite," I commented.
"Yup, thus the disorder’s name. It wasn't until she went on a killing spree and murdered ten men that she was captured and taken in for medical attention. They soon discovered the fan belonged to a woman from years ago who'd been raped by a man with black hair and blue eyes. He'd kept her in the cave and raped her continuously until she'd been too weak to move. Once he was finished, he'd closed off the cave so no one else could enter, only to come back the next day to continue the cycle all over again," Itsuki revealed.
I turned my head to gawk at him, and he nodded in understanding. "It was in a time where women weren’t considered as strong and weren’t allowed to fight back. She had power, but it was within her fan which he kept on him or left too far away from the woman to reach in her weakened state."
"She was barely eating and was dehydrated, until one day she died from malnutrition. You'd think her suffering was finally over, but it wasn't."
"What? But she died!" I exclaimed, intrigued by the story.
"Correct, SHE died, but her magic essence still lingered in the fan. So the man used his magic to input half of her lingering magic essence into her body. He'd arrived not too long after she'd died, so the body hadn't lost all function yet."
"Wait, he basically POSSESSED her with her OWN essence?!" I snapped, horrified by the story.
"Yes. That's what the book stated. It's based off a true story, so it definitely happened. He was successful and she woke up, he raped her again and again."
I had no words, unsure of what I could possibly say. Itsuki gave me a sad smile and nodded, tightening his hold around me as he placed a gentle kiss on my forehead.
"It happened for years before her magic finally had enough of the abuse. She sealed her body in the cave and used her remaining magic to seal the rest of her in the fan. She vowed that whoever picked up the fan would exact revenge on the man who raped her for years and didn't allow her to rest in peace. The curse was placed on the fan, and that was what took over the woman and sent her on that murder spree," Itsuki concluded.
"That's…so sad," I whispered.
"I know, Crim." He rubbed his hand up and down my arm comfortingly as I rested against him.
"So you think Storm's essence is threatened by my magic and is essentially trying to manipulate me to get to you guys? Since that wasn't working too well, now she's trying to make me frail enough so she can take over?" I clarified.
"That's what we believe. It would make perfect sense. I know you've been through a lot, but you're very strong. You shouldn't feel like you’re going backward in strength, especially as a shifter. I figure you're not sensing your full potential because it's being blocked by Storm's powers."
"How do we fix that, though?" I questioned, unsure how I'd be able to conqueror Storm's essence. Even if it wasn't necessarily her, I felt awful about the idea. "Do I need to be exorcised?"
Itsuki coughed and gave me a look. "You're not an evil spirit, Crim. I think once the remaining two crystals are claimed, her essence will have no choice but to leave your body. Your power at that point will be too much for her magic, and it will either be overcome by you or pushed out to be one with the earth. The pocket watch will become yours once the remaining crystals are inserted, just as you claimed three familiars so far."
"Urufu, Mizuko, and Chiryoshi," I whispered their names as I looked down to where I knew the pocket watch rested on my chest.
"Hai. When you have all five claimed, the pocket watch will have a new owner, and all previous essence from the past owner should be eliminated. I don't think we should worry about it, but that doesn't mean I want us ignoring how you feel or the reoccurrence of Storm taking over."
"So...I'm not weak and pathetic. I'm just dealing with my powers conflicting with Storm's essence," I concluded.
"Yes. That's what we believe is happening. Either way, I need you to do us a favor,” he revealed.
"Nani?" I asked. He smirked at my usage of Japanese but continued. "I need you to not hesitate in telling us how you feel. I understand you don't like relying on others, but that's the only way we can help you efficiently. We're your guards, but we're also your lovers and want the best for you. We love and cherish you and don't ever want you thinking you're a burden," Itsuki lectured.
"But-"
"No," Itsuki countered with his stern voice, which made me pout. He grinned before his lips pressed against mine in a quick peck. I blinked a few times and blushed, totally taken aback by it.
"Mean," I mumbled.
"Promise me, Crimson,” he whispered insistently. I looked up at him, and his lips were just barely touching mine.
"I promise. I'll try to vent to you guys more," I vowed. He looked satisfied with my answer and closed the distance, giving me a long kiss as a reward.
"Am I interrupting?"
We pulled back to see Haru leaning against the door of the private hospital room, a broad smile on his lips.
"Haru?!" I exclaimed, smiling widely at seeing him standing there.
"The doctor let you out?" Itsuki questioned.
Haru glanced away. "No..."
Itsuki sighed and I giggled, loving how Haru couldn't even lie about misbehaving. He'd been sneaking out of his room for the last three days in a row, even though he was supposed to be on strict bedrest. His wound was completely healed, but the doctors were taking serious precautions, stating that Haru could experience after effects and needed monitoring.
I personally thought it was a bunch of bull, but seeing as Yomato had instructed we get the best care possible, the medical team wasn't going to take any chances, not wanting to get in trouble with the Emperor.
Haru locked the door and dimmed the lights before coming over to the bed. I immediately scooted over, and Itsuki shifted closer to the edge to give enough space for Haru to lay down on my other side.
For the entire three days I’d been in the private medical ward, Itsuki and Haru had been my sleeping buddies. Quil and Malachi were out tracking down all the suspicious individuals in smaller towns and villages. Both of them were fed up with what was going on and decided to get special orders from the Emperor to bring them in. Aki and Yoshi were working on setting up a peace conference while also trying to track down more information on N.R.O.
That left me with my two quiet guys, which I thought was ironic because I’d been desperatel
y wanting to have time with them, and here was my chance.
"What were you two talking about?" Haru asked.
"I explained what we found during our research, and I think it's pretty accurate," Itsuki explained.
Haru nodded and turned to lay on his side, staring at me. "Makes sense. It would explain why Crimson cried over Malachi eating the last scoop of green tea ice cream."
I blushed before biting my lip. "He took the LAST scoop! He knew I wanted it. That was evil. Diabolical even!" I exclaimed.
Itsuki snickered, shaking his head. "We'll get you more when we go back to the palace,” he assured me.
"Did you tell Crim she should try and rely on us more?" Haru asked.
"Yes, and she promised to. Right, Crimson?" Itsuki stressed.
"Yes..." I mumbled.
Haru grinned and lifted his left arm that rested above my head on the stack of pillows to move a few strands of my hair. I turned my head to meet his soft smile. "Good. Don't hesitate to talk to us. Okay, Crim?"
"Understood," I whispered, looking at his lips. He noticed the direction of my gaze and didn't hesitate, shifting his body so his face hovered above mine. He brushed my lips with his before giving me a deep kiss, making me moan quietly against his lips.
"It's nice to kiss you when I'm not on my deathbed," Haru whispered.
"Totally," I replied, before looking at Itsuki who had a proud smile on his face as he stared at us.
“When we get some downtime, let's go somewhere. Just us three," he suggested.
"Just us three," I repeated and looked back at Haru, who grinned.
"I'd like that. Crimson all to ourselves,” he whispered, his finger running along my bottom lip.
I thought he'd kiss me again, but it was Itsuki's face that hovered over me before he lowered his lips onto mine. I slowly closed my eyes, enjoying the heated kiss.
When we pulled back, Itsuki had a satisfied grin on his face. "Guess it's a future date."
"Hey, I didn't agree," I pointed out.
"Hmm true," Haru replied, moving my head to meet his gaze before claiming my lips again. This kiss was fiercer and controlling, something I didn't expect from Haru due to his cautious and quiet nature.
It wasn't long before his tongue slipped into my mouth and we were deep into the kiss, making me forget what I was debating about. When we pulled back, both of us were breathless.
"Was that a goodnight kiss or the pre-goodnight kiss?" Itsuki teased. I blushed, looking at his seductive smirk. I opened my mouth to reply, but he didn't let me. Instead, he slammed his lips against mine. Within seconds his tongue dominated, making me moan in bliss.
"Pre-goodnight kisses," Haru suggested, and I felt his lips press against my neck, which made me gasp before I let out a weak moan.
"I think this is going against the doctor's orders," Itsuki whispered, but then went on to kiss the other side of my neck, both of them sucking on my flesh before biting it slightly. Their actions made me whimper, but also ignited a wave of desire through me.
"Maybe," Haru mumbled, sounding unconcerned. They kept alternating their kisses between my lips and my neck, leaving a few hickeys on both sides of my neck and shoulders. My lips were swollen from the ongoing kisses.
"I think we're making Crim dizzy," Itsuki commented.
"No..." I mumbled, even though the room was spinning, probably due to the lack of oxygen. Haru sighed.
"The others will kill us if we don't ensure she rests," Haru pointed out, giving me a kiss on the forehead.
"Ya, I don't want to deal with Hotaka, either. He gave us a lecture today."
"Lecture?" I asked as I closed my eyes, the spinning sensation slowly subsiding.
"If we get you pregnant, he's killing us. If we make you cry, he'll skin us before he kills us. If we stress you out, he'll get Urufu to rip our balls off. If we-"
"What kind of a lecture is this?" I wondered.
"The 'if you are all going to date my daughter, better follow my rules or else I'll kill you and feed your body to the wolves' lecture," Haru summarized.
I groaned. "Sorry. Father's...well...he's overprotective, it seems."
"Good. You need a father like that," Itsuki praised.
"Yup, so no one else messes with our Crim," Haru declared.
"You guys are the best," I complimented, allowing my eyes to close once more as I relaxed. Itsuki and Haru wrapped their arms around me, pressing themselves into each side as they both got comfortable.
"I still feel like a sandwich," I mumbled, having stated the same thing for the last three days.
"The Haru Itsuki deluxe sandwich," Itsuki hummed.
"Filled with a delicious sweet Crimson filling," Haru teased.
"Hmm. That sounds rather tasty though," I mumbled as I began to fall asleep.
"Night, Crimson. We love you," Haru whispered.
"Yes. We love you, Crim. Sleep well and recover for us," Itsuki added.
"Hm...love...you too," I replied. "Both of you."
With that, I fell asleep with the reassurance that this was nothing but another trial I’d have to face. If Storm's essence was trying to dominate me, I’d just have to put my foot down and stop her.
Her men were hers when she was alive, but now it was my turn to love them, and I wouldn't let her essence continue to torture them. I'd have to fight back somehow.
I'd fight even harder now to find the remaining crystals, so we can finally move forward, together.
I looked up from where I stood, a sweet smile upon my face as my tongue ran along my lower lip. Quil eyed me with desire, and excitement thrummed through me when he came closer.
"Storm...we have to go. You can't be late for this," Quil stated.
I met him halfway, letting my hand run up his bare chest. "One more time?"
"We can have sex when we come back," Quil suggested, but I could see his struggle to ignore my request. I grinned even wider, hooking my arms around his neck and letting my body press firmly against his.
He swallowed, and I knew he wouldn't win this battle, especially when I removed one of my hands from his neck to slide down and wrap around his cock, which was hard and ready. He inhaled sharply, closing his eyes as I moved my hand up and down his length.
"Storm...we have to go..." he said, but his reminder held no weight.
I leaned up to brush my lips against his. "Quil, one more time? Hmm."
"Storm...it's not like we'll never get to be intimate again."
"I know...but just this once? We still have time," I suggested.
"Malachi's gonna complain the entire ride."
I giggled. "He could join too."
"Hmm, that would take too much time, though,” he pointed out.
"You're wasting time arguing," I countered.
"I think you're addicted to sex."
I laughed and returned to stroking his cock, which made him moan quietly. "We never get alone time. Once every week? It's even harder to get you and the others. Aki, Malachi, and Itsuki make sure my needs are met, but it doesn't mean I don't miss your cock inside me," I whispered, positioning his length between my legs, his tip right at my entrance.
I moved his cock up and down along my wet folds, gathering my slick fluids to help ease him into me. I looked up to meet his eyes that were now a dark magenta with hints of gold.
"Stop delaying, Quillian. I know you want me too. Your eyes always change to darker colors when you’re aroused."
"I could be angry."
"You look nothing close to angry." I hummed.
He grinned, moving his hand down and grabbing hold of his cock. He didn't wait for me to try another round of convincing, instead he slid into me without delay.
"Ah!" I gasped in satisfaction and lifted my gaze back up to stare up at him.
"You’re lucky it's hard for me to say no to you, Storm,” he whispered.
"I know. You'll never deny me," I whispered back.
* * *
"Crimson?"
I opene
d my eyes, letting out a weak moan as I rolled over, feeling my tails move from side to side as I tried to return to the fond memory. My Quillian...yes, he'll never betray me. He won't reject me like the others.
"Crimson." I heard Quil's firm voice and reluctantly opened my eyes to see his pink orbs staring down at me. I slowly lowered my gaze to his bare chest and down to his boxers, the sight making me lick my lips in anticipation. He's mine. Crimson can't have Quil. The others may have moved on, but he'll always be loyal to me.
I reached out to his crotch, wanting to feel his length just like in the dream, but Quillian held my wrist, stopping me. My eyes met his, and I noticed they had shifted to a bright blue with little hints of pink within them. Why is he sad?
"Crimstorm?" Quil asked cautiously, waiting for my response, but I couldn't answer. Crimson wasn't present. She was asleep, which made this the perfect opportunity for me to take control. For me to get the love I so desperately wanted.
These dreams were killing me, and they left me wanting Quil the most. I'd already tried having my way with the others, and observed how they responded to Crimson's questions and conflicting emotions. Conflict I was creating so that she would push them away.
If she gave up on them, then I could claim them again. I wouldn't disappear when Crimson got stronger, because they would want me, not her.
Although my plans seemed to have gone off course, I had hope in Quil. Out of all of them, Quillian always had a soft spot for me. He'd never deny my request. Never.
"Storm..." He trailed off and his face became guarded, hiding all emotion.
"Quillian, why aren't you letting me touch you?" I whispered.
Calming the Storm (Crimson Storm Chronicles Book 2) Page 13
