Alburet had followed a few steps behind them, a smile creasing his lips as he watched them. Through his gift to feel emotions, their love felt like a sun, warming his soul as he stepped past their room heading into the master bedroom. Finding Stacia’s clothing littering the floor in a line to the bathroom warmed other parts of his anatomy.
He tidied the dropped clothing, then doffed his own equipment and clothing. As he stepped towards the bathing room, the bedroom door opened, revealing Karen and Fluff. Karen smiled at his naked form, her eyes raking his body. Fluff followed her into the room, also completely nude, with a shy hesitant smile on her face.
He paused as he drank in the sight of the two women. “I think I could die happy now,” he said. “Not many get to see so much beauty in one place.”
“Right?” Karen agreed. “Makes you just want to push her down and savor her, doesn’t it?”
Fluff’s head snapped up at that question to find both of them looking at her with a mixture of honest love and lust. “Umm…”
Alburet knew his body was already responding to her as he took a step towards Fluff. He held out his arm to her, “Might I escort you, m’lady Fluff?”
Licking her lips as her eyes dropped again, only to shoot back up to his face on seeing his obvious arousal, Fluff jerked her head in a silent nod. Tucking her hand through the bend in his elbow, he pushed the bathing room door open.
“Karen, if you would go first?” Alburet motioned her to the door.
“Ladies first,” Karen said, mimicking his favorite saying. She strutted through, letting her hips sway provocatively.
Once she was inside, Alburet led Fluff into the room. Stacia knelt beside the shower heads, as naked as the rest of them. As they entered, her eyes twinkled as she eyed the duo arm in arm.
“Iffin ya will both be seated here,” Stacia motioned to the seats to either side of her. “I will be startin’ with our timid wife first.”
Alburet led Fluff to the indicated seat, getting her settled before taking his own seat. Karen sat on the other side of Fluff, the two of them watching as Stacia began to work her magic to ease Fluff’s nerves while she gently rinsed her.
The tenderness and love with which Stacia treated Fluff was obvious. Alburet felt a contented smile settle on his lips as he watched them.
His eyes flickered to Karen, seeing a mix of complex emotions on her face. Fear, joy, happiness, love, and envy all warred there. Taking the initiative, he moved over to kneel next to Karen, who blinked as she came out of her moment.
“Relax and enjoy,” Alburet told her as he brought a gentle cascade of water over her. She didn’t object, so he continued with the shower. He picked up the soap and worked up a good lather on his hands. Karen was still turned in her seat to watch the other two, so Alburet got behind her so he could watch them as well.
His hands were firm, massaging while washing her. Stacia gave him a small smile when her face turned towards them for a moment. She re-positioned herself and Fluff so the two being washed faced each other.
Fluff’s gaze was distant, but as she turned to face them a smile came to her lips. Alburet’s hands faltered for a moment as he was given an unobstructed view of Fluff’s body, without her trying to hide any of it.
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Karen spoke softly when his hands faltered.
“She is, but so are you,” Alburet whispered into her ear. “I can feel your tension. What are you afraid of?”
She tensed again. Alburet silently worked it loose as he waited for her to reply. After a minute she slowly spoke, “What if she decides that she doesn’t want me after all? Or any of you decide the same? I’m brash, impulsive, aggressive, and hard to handle.”
“I can assure you, that’s nowhere near her mind. If anything, she fears the same as you. She worries that because of her past we’ll all turn away from her. Would you?”
“No,” Karen said loudly.
“But you think she will?” Alburet kissed her ear. “Silly, fierce, passionate woman. You both fear the same thing. You all but declared you would never leave her earlier by calling her your first wife. If you could know the joy that caused in her, your fear would vanish.”
Sighing, Karen hung her head. “I feel a little lost is all. I’ve gotten used to not having people who care for me. Now all three of you seem to and it’s...new.”
He wrapped his arms around her, “If you need anything, we will be here. None of us will leave you.” He tightened his arms around her before adding, “I’m sorry that I won’t be able to join you both when you do leave this world.”
“Master,” Stacia butted in gently. “Ya should be switchin’ with me now.”
“Okay,” Alburet released Karen, getting to his feet. He paused as he stood over her, tilting her head back, he bowed to kiss her gently. When the kiss broke, he met her eyes. “I leave you in the expert hands of our loving wife.”
Stacia waited for him to join her behind Fluff before she moved to Karen. She gave Karen a kiss as well before taking her spot behind her. “Now we be watchin’ Fluff as she watches ya.”
Alburet lathered his hands, taking a deep breath before he began to massage Fluff’s shoulders. She came out of her daze a moment later, her body loose and pliant to his hands. As she came to her senses, she became aware of Stacia and Karen smiling at her as firm hands gently massaged her back. She began to tense up as she realized who was touching her.
“Relax,” Alburet whispered into her ear. “I promise not to hurt you, or touch you in any way you do not want. I just want to show you a small bit of my feelings for you.”
Fluff nodded her head, closing her eyes briefly, “Okay.” When she opened them again, she found the other two watching her with love in their eyes.
Alburet was methodical in his ministrations. He felt her body relax under his hands as he rubbed her hips. He kept his hands on her back above a certain line to keep her relaxed.
As his hands returned to her shoulders and neck he kissed her ears. “That’s all I can do for now.”
“You can wash my belly a little, if you want,” Fluff whispered.
Hands tingling, he pressed his chest to her back as his arms wrapped around her, giving her a gentle hug. “As you wish,” he whispered, his hands gently stroking across her flat stomach. He could feel her muscles bunching under his gentle caresses. He made sure his hands stayed well clear of any of the rest of her as he stroked her.
After a minute he kissed her ear and sat back, his own breathing a little ragged. “Okay, I need to stop.”
“My turn,” Karen said as she stood up. Her body was covered with soap suds, hiding most of her enticing form.
Alburet slid out of her way, going to the seat Stacia beckoned him to. He sat facing Fluff, who stared openly at him. He turned a bit pink, knowing he was clearly aroused from seeing and doing all he had.
Coughing gently, he looked away, trying to calm himself as Stacia began to rub his back. Just as he started to feel a bit calmer he looked back at Fluff, to see her leaning back into Karen. Her mouth was opened a little as she moaned softly due to Karen’s hands roaming her body at will.
Stacia whispered into his ear as her hands found his problem. “They be amazin’ together. It be wonderful to see Fluff open herself up like she does for Karen.”
His mind began to fuzz as Stacia handled him while his eyes tracked Karen’s hands. He became briefly aware of Karen meeting his gaze just as her hands dipped below Fluff’s waist. The soft, mewling cry from Fluff made Alburet shiver as he pictured that same sound coming from her again in a different situation.
A few minutes later both Alburet and Fluff panted in spent release, warm water cascading softly over them. Karen and Stacia rinsed themselves and the one they had just washed. By the time Fluff and Alburet gathered their wits they were being led to the large tub by their partners.
Alburet looked away from Fluff as she looked away from him. Both of them felt embarrassed by what had transpired a few minu
tes ago. After another moment they exchanged a nervous glance, smiling shyly at each other. That moment caused Fluff to feel better, seeing that he was in the same place she was.
She leaned over, pressing her side into his. “Thank you.”
He put his arm around her, “I just want to see you happy.”
“We all want each other to be happy,” Stacia added as she took up Alburet’s other side.
“Yes,” Karen added as she snuggled to the other side of Fluff. “Did you see the way he couldn’t take his eyes from you, Fluff?”
“Yes,” the word was soft as she closed her eyes. She felt only contentment now, no anxiousness or fear. “You deliberately taunted him with my body.”
“While Stacia worked me into a frenzy, knowing what I was thinking,” Alburet agreed with her.
“What were you thinking?” Fluff asked.
He replied honestly, “How I wish I could have done what Karen was doing. Frankly, I was jealous of her, even as I loved that she was able to bring you the pleasure she did.”
“I’m not ready for that yet,” Fluff sighed sadly.
“I know,” he told her, kissing her ear. “I will wait until the end of the world if need be. Just having you here with us is more blessing than I think I deserve.”
“Aye, he will nay touch ya unless ya wish it,” Stacia cut in. “He abhors the idea of hurtin’ ya in any way, much less in tha’ way.”
Fluff nodded, giving Alburet a kiss on his cheek. “It helps. It helps me break down the walls of lies that Paval conditioned me to believe. That I’m ugly, unwanted and not worth anybody’s attention. I know it’s a lie, because of you three, but I’m still afraid of being touched by others. Karen is helping ease me into it.”
“We’ll break down all those walls,” Karen told her. “I’ll be there with you, Stacia will be there with you. We’ll even tie Al down again so you have complete control over him, when you’re ready.”
“And I won’t argue about that, either,” Alburet added, addressing Fluff directly. “I would have difficulty controlling myself. I just want to wrap you up and keep you safe, which means I would be trying to control you, and what you need is the feeling of empowerment.”
“It be another reason we love ya,” Stacia told him. “Even though ya nature be one of control, ya will still set it aside for those ya love.”
Alburet closed his eyes as he drank in the pure love in the room. “We are going to help Fluff see how beautiful she is to us, right?”
“Tomorrow,” Stacia agreed, “after the banquet. It be best to let the one who is the focus sleep after. Tha’ be when the sub-mind helps process the event. It be why we always do it at night iffin it be possible.”
“That makes sense,” Karen mused as she nuzzled Fluff’s neck. “I’d been wondering why it was always at night.”
Fluff smiled as she gently batted at Karen’s head, “Stop it.”
“For you, okay,” Karen replied, resting her head on Fluff’s shoulder.
Chapter Six
Alburet had been a little surprised by his lack of reaction when the bath had come to an end. He did enjoy the sight of the women all leaving him in the tub, but none of them had done so in any provocative way.
When he finally got out, the women were all dressed and in the main room, sipping tea and chatting. Stacia motioned him over to take her spot as she went to get him a cup. Sitting between Karen and Fluff, he gave each a peck on the cheek.
When Stacia came back with his cup, she took his lap as her own spot. “So, what are our plans before dinner?”
“We’ve been thinking,” Karen began before she paused. “You’re under an NDA for a reason that can’t normally be talked about. However, Alpha Company has been making a name for itself. That will bring attention and questions to the guild and about the guild leader. Have you thought about maybe handing it off to Gerald at this point?”
Alburet chewed his lower lip in thought. He was still considering it a few minutes later. “I can see your point. However, I kind of need to be leader to keep pressing for advantage with my contacts, don’t I?”
Fluff shook her head. “Not really. You’ve already made it clear to them that the guild is foremost in your thoughts. Anything they try to reward you with can always be turned into a reward for the guild instead. Jones and Theron wouldn’t even blink. Dracon might want to haggle, as dealing with you as an individual would be easier for him.”
Sipping his tea, he could see her points. “I guess I hadn’t really considered it like that. Gerald said he didn’t want it, though.”
“Do ya think tha’ be the absolute truth?” Stacia questioned him as she leaned her head against his chest. “He does nay want to upset ya, and with the others makin’ a fuss he was nay about to say anythin’ tha’ could be seen as agreement with them.”
Frowning, Alburet sighed, “So he does want it?”
“Nay,” Stacia replied. “Marysue though, she be interested in him takin’ on more. Now tha’ she sees him as her man, and nay just a friend, she be wantin’ him to do more. She wants to be able to point at what he does and crow about it.”
“How do you even know this?” Alburet asked as he sipped his tea.
“She was a bit talkative when I drew her,” Fluff admitted. “She wants to be able to show her father that he is worthy. She also wants to stay in the game, so she’s trying to do both things at once. She doesn’t want to leave the guild, but she knows that Gerald can’t achieve all that she wants him to if he’s second to you.”
“Besides, you really don’t want to be the head of a large guild anyway, and we’re only going to get larger,” Karen added. “Success brings people in. We might have been second at taking a Keep, but I would bet no one else went as far into one of the zones for their Keep.”
“Ioaniss did joke about turning the leader of the guild into a Duke,” Alburet mused as he considered what they were telling him. “I think it was a joke. Marysue would be really happy about that, I’m sure.”
Stacia kissed his neck, “Ya agree with us, then?”
“Make him the leader, fall back to officer and let him become a noble?” Alburet asked, twitching at the neck kiss. “Sure, we can tell him over dinner. It should be fun to see his face.”
Fluff giggled, “Marysue will be more fun to watch. Gerald will probably try to turn it down.”
Karen agreed, “Yup. I wonder what she’ll do to let him know her opinion.”
“It seems both of us are being controlled by the women we love,” Alburet muttered.
“We do wha’ we must to make ya happy and keep ya here,” Stacia murmured. “Besides, ya be nay mad at us. I can feel ya relief at settin’ down the burden.”
He shook his head slightly, knowing she was right, it already felt like a weight had come off his shoulders. “Where would I be without you? I don’t rightfully know who I should thank for this chance, much less meeting each of you. I don’t deserve any of it.”
Karen slapped the back of his head, “Idiot. The crime you committed is not something you should keep holding against yourself. You would have killed Paval, if you’d been able to, for what he did to Fluff. Would you have felt bad about doing that?”
“Well, no, but-” Alburet tried to explain but was steamrolled over.
“Ya did wha’ ya did for family,” Stacia added as soon as he said no. “She mayhap nay been ya blood, but she was family. I would kill, iffin someone hurt me sisters like tha’.”
“I would do the same, if someone hurt Fluff,” Karen said in all seriousness. “Family is more than just blood.”
Resting his chin on Stacia’s head, he sighed. “Thank you. I’ll try to keep that in mind. It won’t be easy, though.”
“We will be here with you, as you are with us,” Fluff told him as she leaned into him.
“What she said,” Karen agreed as she leaned in on his other side.
They sat there for a while, just relaxing in silence. Alburet let his thoughts wander, replayin
g their words, trying to burn them into his mind. He could feel their love, their happiness, and their worry for him. It made his heart ache that Kaylee wasn’t here with him. She would have been just as happy for him, having found a woman, or women in this case, that loved him.
He felt a couple of tears slip free from his eyes at the thought. Stacia soothed his emotions as she snuggled on his lap. His thoughts turned again to the odds that he would have hooked up with Stacia. Slim. It had been a lark to take a room at the inn, much less agree to her plea to be his maid.
He considered his clumsy attempts at being interested in Fluff when he had first met her. He mused over the sheer lust he’d felt for Karen when he’d met her. How had he even gotten to be with one of them, much less all three? Which God had taken such an interest in him to bring him this joy? It was almost enough to make him want to find the one responsible to worship in thanks.
Fractured Spirit (Alpha World Book 5) Page 5
