Forge of the Gods 2

by Simon Archer

“Because of your dad?” Beth ventured the thought we all were thinking.

  “Yeah,” Daniella said with a nod.

  “I have that same doubt,” Jade said, her voice breaking. “And when I saw the three of you up there, each of you, I just thought… wow, maybe I’ll never get drafted and never see them again.”

  “That’s not going to happen,” I said, the words leaving my mouth even though I didn’t fully believe them. I hoped for them, but I didn’t know if they would come true. But that’s not what Jade needed to hear right then. She needed to share in that hope.

  “This year’s going to suck,” Jade said through sniffles, “I just know it.”

  “I can’t be worse than last year,” I said with a shake of my head, not ready to accept that.

  “It can always get worse,” Beth said ominously. She crossed her arms and leaned her back against the closed door.

  “We can’t think like that,” Daniella interjected. “It’s going to be different, yes, but we knew this was coming. We just have to adapt or die. Those are our only options.”

  “Cause that’s a better way of thinking about it,” I joked. “Adapt or die. Real positive there, Daniella.”

  Daniella rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh at having been misunderstood. “I just mean that either we can adjust our friendship or we lose it. And I, for one, don’t want to lose it.”

  “Me neither,” Jade whimpered. Though her voice was weak, her conviction was strong.

  “Absolutely not,” I agreed without hesitation.

  “Hell no,” Beth chimed in. She pushed herself off the wall and approached Jade and Daniella. “We’ll make time, okay? Between classes and work and study times, we’ll make time to hang out.”

  “Promise?” Jade asked for reassurance.

  The three of us gave our various forms of agreement, landing us in a comfortable silence. Soon, though, the silence became stale as none of us knew what to say or do next.

  “So,” Bethany said slowly, “do we need to, like, throw our hands in the middle or something? Say some cheesy catchphrase?”

  I scoffed and released a chuckle, while Jade hiccupped and Daniella shook her head at the joke.

  “I think we’re good,” I concluded. I leaned forward and kissed Jade sweetly, the salt of her tears still on her lips.

  When I pulled back, I knew I hadn’t imagined the flash of desire that crossed Beth’s face before she saw me looking and quickly averted her eyes.

  I nudged Danielle and Jade who were close to me, and when they looked over questioningly, I nodded my head towards Beth standing there with darkened cheeks.

  “Hey Beth,” Daniella said sweetly, immediately understanding my silent communication. The daughter of Demeter’s head shot up like a gunshot, eyes wide and eager. Daniella’s voice held back a chuckle as she continued, “can I kiss you?”

  Beth looked like she was holding her breath as her cheeks darkened even further into a blush and she nodded.

  I knew she was into Isabella, the new leader of the Eda branch. But I was happy I was also right that she was into us as well.

  Daniella closed the gap between Beth and her and held her chin in her hand, staring into her eyes, “Tell me if you want to stop,” she whispered, before capturing Beth’s lips in a searing kiss.

  While that happened, Jade leaned over and began tracing patterns on my legs, slowly inching higher and higher. My breaths were coming out tight and controlled as I struggled to keep my eyes on Beth and Daniella before me, who were now struggling to take off their clothes.

  And then Jade’s hand was fingering the lining of my pants before delving down and cupping me firmly.

  My breath caught as the warmth of her hand pressed against me, and my body reacted involuntarily. I looked down at her and caught the flash in her eyes, and I knew she had felt the twitch against her palm. Beth and Daniella momentarily forgotten, I slid my hand around Jade’s waist and pulled her closer, pressing my lips against hers as I swelled to fill the space within her cupped hand. Her breath quickened and became more shallow as she pressed her body against mine. Nearby, I heard a clatter as something metal hit the floor. I let Jade kiss her way down across my neck as I glanced over at the source of the sound.

  Beth was now dressed only in the lacy black bra and underwear that she had worn beneath her uniform, and Daniella wasn’t wearing much more than that herself. On the floor scattered around them was a sea of black, the newly-acquired sashes tangled among the discarded uniforms, but neither of them seemed to care. They were wrapped around each other, a sensual mess of limbs and hair as they explored each other’s bodies.

  Jade’s hands worked their way up my chest, gently grabbing onto my sash and carefully lifting it over my head with a reverence that didn’t seem to match the current environment. She laid it out neatly on the nearby countertop before turning back to me. I cupped my hands below her face, but the moment for sentimentality was gone as she grabbed a fistful of fabric on my chest and yanked me toward her. I stumbled forward, closing the gap between us, as she began tearing at my clothing, letting it all fall to the floor.

  While I was standing there, shirtless, the slight chill of the cold kitchen hitting my skin, she began to work at my belt buckle. I looked over at Daniella as Jade worked, and saw her kissing her way down Beth’s stomach. I watched for Beth’s reaction as Daniella reached her beltline, and saw her eyes widen slightly as Daniella eased her way beneath the lace waistband that sat low across Beth’s hips. She threw her head backward and closed her eyes, moaning softly as Daniella moved the lace out of the way, her tongue making contact with Beth’s skin.

  Suddenly, my belt was no longer doing its job, and my pants fell to the floor. The belt hit the ground, clattering much like I had heard before. Jade tugged at the waistband of my boxers as she let her other hand tease me against the thin fabric. I slid my hands up across her hips and underneath her shirt until my hands found her bare skin. Her skin was warm and soft and inviting, and I quickly tore at her shirt, getting momentarily tangled up with her single sash before untangling the mess of fabric to remove it all. I locked eyes with her, and the ghost of a smile danced across her lips as she stepped forward again. This time, I felt the warmth of her body pressed directly against mine, and suddenly my boxers felt snug against me as I reacted to her movements. She moved firmly against me, and I knew she felt it too.

  Beth’s voice rang out in the otherwise silent kitchen, a sharp, primal moan that caught the attention of both of us. We paused, turning to look over at the two women, and found Daniella’s face buried between Beth’s legs. Beth’s fingers were woven through Daniella’s hair, her hands clenched and her back arched. Daniella didn’t let up, and Beth seemed as if she was trying, and failing, to stay quiet. The open, metal space that was the kitchen echoed every sound back to us, making each noise that much louder.

  Jade had stilled up against me as she watched her friends. I looked into her eyes and saw a yearning not unlike what I had seen with Beth earlier.

  “Go,” I whispered into her ear. She looked up at me and I nodded to assure her it was okay. Jade took a step back from me, breaking contact before walking over to where Beth was now writhing against the countertop. Beth saw her coming over and didn’t hesitate, reaching her arm out to wrap around her waist and pulling her in close, pressing her lips against Jade’s. Jade melted against Beth, succumbing to her embrace. Suddenly, Beth broke off the kiss and arched her back, choking back a scream of pleasure as Daniella continued her assault. Beth’s arm tightened involuntarily around Jade’s waist until Daniella broke off, sitting back onto her heels and wiping off her face with the palm of her hand. Jade looked back at me and reached an arm out, beckoning me forward. I stepped forward into her embrace, and she pulled me close to both her and Beth. Beth’s breathing slowed as she recovered, and she glanced in my direction with hooded eyes that tantalized and drew me in. She reached a hand around my neck and pulled me closer, intertwining her tongue with mi
ne as Jade’s arm slid down my back and beneath my boxers. Her fingertips trailed along my skin, circling around to the front before forcing the waistband down across my thighs. I let them fall to the ground as Jade’s hands slid gently up my inner thighs. My pulse quickened as her warm fingers wrapped around me, performing slow, deliberate strokes. I stiffened beneath her hand as I ran my own free hand across Beth’s trembling body. Suddenly, Jade’s hand was replaced by something even warmer and wet, and a wave of pleasure crashed through my body as I looked down to find Daniella on her knees, looking up at me through her eyelashes. I groaned with pleasure and caught Beth’s eyes as I did so. She grinned conspiratorially before pushing me back slightly, giving her room to step aside and pull Jade over into her place. Beth then stepped toward me and murmured something into my ear.

  “Do to Jade what Daniella did to me,” she crooned, stepping back so that the only thing standing between Jade and myself was about two feet of space.

  I looked down at Daniella, who broke off and sat back, once more wiping the corners of her mouth with one hand. I took the cue and stepped forward, closing the distance between Jade and myself and pressing my lips against hers. I then began to kiss my way down her slender neck, then across her clavicle, before beginning my descent, but Jade stopped me, cupping her hand below my chin and pulling me back up. She locked eyes with me, keeping me in place with just her gaze as she reached down and took hold of me, bringing me closer to her until I felt the warmth between her legs drawing me in. She wanted this, I could feel her body aching for me, and I gave her what she wanted, sliding in smoothly until I had no more to give. She gasped loudly, grabbing haphazardly at my bare skin as she welcomed me. I felt her back arch as she pulled me closer, and the rest of the room fell away as we moved together. In that moment, I didn’t know or care what Beth and Daniella were doing, although the moans in the background indicated that they were getting along just fine. As Jade writhed up against me, the pressure built more and more, and I continued to fight against it, prolonging the pleasure. Again and again, I stamped it down, but the moans coming from the three women, together with Jade’s nails running down my back proved to be too much, and the pressure reached a crescendo. I reached up and grabbed onto the nearby shelf overhead as Jade’s nails dug into my skin and a guttural scream escaped her lips. A few metal bowls tumbled over in the process, and kitchen supplies rained down over us as the shelf shook and the pressure released. I groaned into Jade’s neck as her body convulsed beneath mine, and I stayed with her until the wave crested over and settled, my heart rate slowing as I caught my breath. I pulled back slightly to lock eyes with her, our hips still pressed together. Her smile was warm and peaceful, and the contented look in her eyes assured me that she was feeling a lot better now than she had been when we first found her. I heard a gasp from behind me, and we both looked over to find Daniella twitching in pleasure as Beth returned her favor. Jade’s hands came to rest gently on my chest, and I turned to look at her, leaning in to kiss her once more before pulling my hips away from hers, breaking free. She slowly stood upright, and was immediately tackled by Beth, the two of them giggling in each other's arms in postcoital bliss.

  I felt Daniella come up beside me and I looked over at her.

  “Do you think Jade feels better?” she teased, and I had to laugh. It hadn’t been my intention when we set off to find her, but it got the job done.

  After we finished finding our clothes and getting dressed again, the three of us finished cleaning the kitchen with Jade, who had volunteered after the feast for a chance at solitude. Thankfully, we were more productive than we were silly because there were several moments when we flung bubbles at each other from the dish soap or broke out into dance and terrible songs.

  The sun had long since set after dinner and our cleaning spree. We ventured out of the kitchen to a warm summer evening. Crickets chirped from somewhere nearby, and stars blinked up in the bright sky. The campus remained illuminated despite the dark hour, thanks to the Eternal Flame lanterns. We reached the middle of the quad when the four of us realized we were all going in different directions.

  “I’m not scheduled to work breakfast tomorrow, so I’ll see you all then?” Jade asked.

  “Definitely,” I agreed.

  “Oh yeah,” Bethany added.

  We bid each other goodnight before we took off along different paths. I opened the folder Hailey had given me, with my new schedule and my dorm information. According to the sheet, I was on the third floor of the Enka dorm in Suite 303.

  The minute I walked into the building, I could instantly tell it was nicer than the general student dorms. The carpet was clean and crisp, with new furniture placed in the communal areas. There was also a pool table, ping-pong table, pinball machine, and foosball table, all of which baffled me. The main color scheme was grey and black, with accents of orange and yellow. There were a few Enka members in that area, playing cards, but I didn’t say anything to them as I made my way over to the elevators.

  I ascended to the third floor and quickly found my room, the second door on the right side of the hall. I tapped the key card against the handle, and the click permitted me entry. When I opened the door, I was met with a cry and one of the most shocking sights of my life.

  9

  I dropped everything in my hands and quickly covered my eyes. The image of Karen and another girl naked on the couch burned into my mind. I quickly backed out of the room and shut the door with a loud slam.

  I lowered my hands down from my eyes and stood in shocked silence. If I thought I had my quota for the evening of surprises, I was completely wrong. Despite all of the drafting drama, the sight of Karen and that girl was the ultimate surprise. Now after the initial surprise wore off, I realized how hot it was to see my nemesis naked and having sex with another girl.

  Just to make sure, I looked at the room number on the door and checked that, yep, it was indeed Suite 303. I released a puff of air and looked up at the ceiling.

  “Why me?” I begged of any god that was listening.

  I groaned and went to open the door again, debating whether I was hoping that they were dressed or remained naked. However, it was locked. I looked down on the floor and realized that I didn’t have my key. I had dropped it inside the room, which I consequently locked myself out of.

  “Shit,” I muttered to myself.

  Without another choice, I knocked on the door. “Karen?” I called out, putting my mouth as close to the crack in the door as I dared.

  I could hear their frantic whispers on the other side as they tried to shush each other. Fueled by annoyance, I knocked again.

  “Karen?” I called once more. “Open the door, Karen.”

  “I’m busy, Cameron,” Karen responded.

  At least that was something.

  “This is my room, Karen,” I reasoned.

  “You must have the wrong room,” Karen called back. “Because this is my room.”

  I put my forehead on the door, but the cool wood did nothing to comfort me. Curse the gods. Of course, I got Karen as a roommate. It looked like I would be sharing a room this time unlike with the general student dorms. And I guess they were not making any exceptions for the only male demigod drafted member.

  “It’s my room too,” I said, pushing my voice through the door.

  “The paper said nothing about a roommate,” Karen squealed, her voice rising an octave in surprise.

  “Mine didn’t either, but you can check it,” I pointed out. “It’s just right in there. By the door.”

  I waited as I heard her whisper something to her female companion. Then there was a patter of feet as Karen maneuvered over to the door. A rustle of papers. I lifted my head from the door and crossed my arms, expectantly.

  “Oh fuck,” Karen growled from beyond the door.

  “I’m still here, Karen,” I reminded her.

  After another round of whispers and low voices, Karen pulled open the door. She was wrapped in a blanket, t
hough her shoulders and legs were still exposed. Her dark hair, thick and wavy, was a stylish mess, looking as if she’d just stepped out of bed. Her lipstick was smudged, and a hickey was forming on the side of her neck. Despite all of the embarrassing signs, Karen’s face was one of complete confidence as she opened the door and let me in.

  I had a moment’s hesitation. Part of me just wanted to say I would come back later, but I really didn’t want to get kicked out of my new dorm on the first night. So I crossed the threshold and ventured in.

  Immediately after I entered, Karen shut the door. She slammed my papers into my chest and ventured down the hall into the suite. I followed behind her wordlessly.

  Unlike my first dorm, which had only been one room total, this one had a communal living area with a couch and table and various counter spaces with a sink. It wasn’t a full kitchen, more like something out of a hotel room, but the extra areas were nice. There was also a balcony with sliding glass doors across from the entrance. However, the curtains were pulled shut at the moment, surprising no one.

  There were two doors on opposite walls, one with each of our names on it. I made a quick dash for the one that had my name until I nearly tripped on something on my way over. I looked down to see the thing that caught on my shoes.

  It was an orange sash, and at first, I thought it was Karen’s new one. I made a mental note that she was going to be a messy roommate until I noticed something. It was the insignia that declared their sash to belong to a graduated soldier.

  I didn’t recognize the soldier. She was one of the new campus guards, that much was certain. She had caramel-colored skin and an admirable physique, as most of the female soldiers did. She had brown hair, buzzed along the edges, but the top was flushed with curls. Her rectangular face turned in my direction, and our eyes met.

  In those emerald eyes I saw the haze of lust and desire stirring within them.

  I looked back over at Karen, and saw her eyes flashing between the soldier and I.