Bonded Spirits: Book Three

by Daniel, Jake

  Fapplejack and the rest of the crew grunted and groaned as they made their way aboard, tossing their gear to the side and taking up their positions across the ship. I gave each of the goblins a pat on the back and a nod as they came aboard the ship. They immediately got to work scrubbing the deck with homemade mops, securing all of the loose items, and checking the sails.

  A particularly grisled goblin stepped up to me and grunted. “Hand me those.” He nodded toward something behind me.

  I turned around and spotted a pile of thick rope pushed up against the side of the ship. “This rope?”

  The goblin gave me another grunt. “They’re called lines.”

  I handed the lines to the goblin, and turned to Fapplejack, who had a wide smile across his face. “Sorry, Logan sir. That is Danec Fapn’smithy, he takes sailing very serious if you haven’t noticed.”

  I chuckled. “Nothing wrong with that. I prefer to have expert sailors on board. Makes my job a hell of a lot easier. Besides, if I don’t have to haul this rope all over the ship, I’m not going to complain.”

  “They’re called lines!” Danec called out from near the mast.

  I gave Fapplejack a smirk and returned to James and the remaining villagers. “James, you and the others are welcome to come with us.” I paused and looked at the remaining villagers, and the majority were children, with only a few who could fight or defend themselves. “I think it may be best if we get everyone back to our manor, though.”

  James shook his head. “I have to make them pay for what they’ve done to us. Striker’s death was only the start.”

  I turned to Mona, and motioned toward the villagers. “Will you please lead them back to the Mystic Vale? They will be safe there.” I paused and turned to James. “I want you to go with her. I know you want revenge, but it will be better served once you ensure the rest of your village is safe behind the barrier at the Vale.”

  I could tell James didn’t agree with me, but I wasn’t going to risk his life. “Fine, but when we take on the Capitol, I’m going with you.”

  “That’s fair. I’ve seen you fight, and I know your father would be proud.” I cupped his shoulder and nodded. “Do me a favor and make sure you help protect those who can’t protect themselves back at the Vale. We can always use another capable defender.”

  James straightened. I knew by giving him some responsibility it could help keep him focused. There were only around twenty villagers remaining out of a city that Gwen once told me had over a thousand residents. I handed his silver sword back to him, but he refused to accept it. “Keep it. You’ll need it. Silver is best against dhampir.”

  I nodded. “Thank you, James. I appreciate it.”

  Mona smiled and interlocked her arm with James’s. “Come on, James. Let’s get going before they can send reinforcements. You can air your grievances with Amos Corlinius, who is at the Vale.”

  James’s face turned serious. “Oh, I definitely have a few words I’d like to share with him.”

  Mona gave me a devious smile and pulled James away from the docks back toward our manor.

  I knew that Mona wanted to get a little payback for everything Amos had put her through, but she would protect him to the death. I called out as they made it a few steps away. “Mona, don’t let him kill Amos, at least until I get back.”

  She smiled and shrugged. “We’ll see.” They led the others to the cart and loaded everyone up. Within seconds they were back on the path and headed toward the manor.

  After a few minutes, Fapplejack joined my side and smiled. "I'm going to miss Ellie, but the sea is where my true calling is."

  "Well, that's perfect," I said with a serious face. "Because I need to ask you something very important."

  The smile on the goblin's face faded as he turned his head toward me slowly. "Of course, anything."

  The girls all stepped forward as if not wanting to miss what I was about to ask.

  I crouched so I was face-to-face with him, staring him in the eyes. "Now, I don't ask this lightly. Will you be my Captain?"

  The goblin gave me a perplexed look. "Forgive me, Logan sir, Captain? Are you sure?"

  "FJ, I know hunting, not sailing. I think it’s better I leave that to you and your clan."

  The goblin cocked his head but hung onto every word I said.

  I continued. "I’ll be your Admiral. So, I’ll be around to help you with anything you need. You need more men, just say so. Ammunition? You got it. Rope?"

  “Lines!” Danec called out from across the deck.

  I smiled. “You need lines? Say the word.”

  Fapplejack's face lit brightly and he stood a little straighter. "Aye, sir!"

  I shifted my attention back on the girls who were exploring the deck. Alysain perched atop the crow’s nest and kept watch. I couldn't wait to explore the ship a bit more. It would open up a ton of opportunities for us, especially once we opened the port south of the manor. We’d already hauled lumber down south to start on the docks which would open up trade with us and the rest of Aurilon without having to go through Necross or Ambirn.

  As I went to join my bonded I heard someone screaming at the top of their lungs as they neared the docks.

  I hurried down the ramp to meet the person yelling below, and as I reached the dock I realized it was Chloe. She was out of breath and her clothes were torn.

  "Chloe, are you okay?! What happened?!" I caught her as she fell into my arms, her chest heaving wildly.

  "I tried to catch you before you left. I had more pastries I wanted you to take with you!”

  I couldn’t help but smile at the holstaur as she stared up at me with wild eyes. I held her tightly and brought her back upright. “You ran all this way to bring us pastries?”

  She took several deep breaths and nodded. “Yes. Well, that, and I just couldn’t stay there any longer. You’ve changed me. I used to be self-sufficient, a real independent gal, you know? But now? I love you too damn much, and I…” She paused and shook her head. “I miss you.”

  “I laughed and pushed her hair back behind her ears. I kissed her for several seconds before the others spotted her.”

  Dahlia grabbed her arm and led her to the captain’s quarters. “You made it! Come, I want to show you something.” The Alraune gave me a smile and raised her eyebrows. “We will show you when you’re ready.” She quickly pulled Chloe away toward a large door toward the stern of the ship. Gwen and Isobel met them there and all of them disappeared inside the great cabin.

  Alysain dropped down from above and landed next to me. “It looks like we are clear.”

  Jun followed a few seconds later and landed on my shoulder. “I did a sweep of the decks below. It is all clear down there as well. Thankfully with all the dhampir and awful men no longer here, the tainted spirit has calmed down.” She looked at me shyly. “I am sorry about how forward I’ve been. I promise you I am not like this when I’m around pure spirit.”

  I smiled and shrugged. “I don’t know, I kind of liked it.”

  Jun blushed and shot into the air. “Well… I… never mind.” She shook her head and hovered higher so I couldn’t see her face.

  I gathered the goblins and had them prepare everything for our journey. Gwen and I were able to see the darkness with our Sight, but the others were not so fortunate. Fapplejack lit several lanterns around the ship’s rail, but it wasn’t going to be enough to light our way through the night. I decided it would be best to try to get some rest for the night.

  I opened the door to the cabin on the stern and saw a large room with tall windows stretching across the width of the ship. The inside of the room held a massive bed adorned with golden and blue pillows and comforters. Several decorative sconces adorned the walls around the room with long-flowing cloth giving the entire area a very warm and welcoming feel. A massive iron stove stood across the room behind a solid wooden table with several chairs.

  We took seats around the table and Alysain pulled a map out of the bag she'd been ca
rrying and spread it out in front of us. "I was worried when I met your brother, that we could potentially have some issues. Anyone with sense in Aurilon knows what you’re capable of, so they’d be smart to leave you alone. Your brother, however? He hasn't had a chance to become as strong as you, and trust me, word travels fast when someone new arrives in Aurilon, especially after what you've accomplished.”

  I looked at the map and scanned the area around our current location. Aurilon was one large continent, with several small islands surrounding it. I immediately recognized what must have been the Northern Isles, but on the south side of Aurilon there were several islands I had not heard anything about. I pushed my finger down on the map on one of the Southern Isles and met Alysain’s eyes. "What is over here?"

  She leaned down and inspected the map closely. "The Southern Isles, and that is Darkholm. If they didn’t take your brother to the Capitol, that is where they will have taken him. "

  "Darkholm? Okay, so what are we expected to find once we get there?"

  Gwen shook her head as she looked down at the map. "I would bet no one from Aurilon has set foot in Darkholm since the Great War."

  Alysain traced a finger from Necross down to the large island of Darkholm. "I’ve never been able to fly there, the clouds and mist are much too thick. I’ve heard rumors of some of the most terrifying creatures you've ever seen living there."

  "Worse than Striker?" I asked, keeping my focus on the map.

  "Much worse," Dahlia replied.

  I took in a long breath and let it out slowly. "I wonder why they would want to lure us to Darkholm. It seems that if Aether wanted to get revenge, he’d be trying to get me to come to the Capitol.”

  Alysain shook her head. “I think either Aether wants you out of his way, or is not ready to take you on. Either way, I’m concerned.”

  I nodded and stepped back from the map. “I suppose this is probably as good of a time as any to let you all know what I found out from my brother.”

  They all looked up at me expectantly. “Chloe, will you ask the others to come here, please?”

  Within a couple of minutes, Fapplejack, the rest of the goblins, my bonded, Alysain, and Jun were gathered inside the great cabin. I took a deep breath and stood in front of the stove.

  Everyone eyed me curiously, except for Gwen, who was already standing with her mouth agape after reading my thoughts. She shook her head and mouthed two words. “Holy Shit.”

  I gave her a smile and returned my focus on the others. “As many of you may know, I am the first human in the past one hundred years to have a pure core. I originally thought it was because I came from the Otherworld. Truth is, I was born here in Aurilon. The curse that was put on humans after the Great War, was reversed when my mother and father had me.” I paused and paced in front of them, trying to choose my next words carefully. “My mother, Liliana, was a Sali. She was looked down upon because she refused to condemn humans. Much like many of you here now. My father is Henry Whitehall.”

  I swore I could hear every one of their jaws hit the floor.

  Chloe was the first to speak. “THE Henry Whitehall?! As in, Prince Henry Whitehall?!”

  I nodded and pulled off my shirt. I pointed to my scar and continued. “Teng told me that they used a strong protection spell which allowed me to escape to the Otherworld with my mother and who I believed my entire life to be my grandfather.” I paused and threw my shirt over my shoulder. “Regardless, the Corlinius family does not hold the rightful claim to the throne in Ambirn. I, as far as I know, am the last remaining heir to the Whitehalls.”

  Fapplejack stepped forward and bowed before I could continue. “That makes you the rightful King of Aurilon.”

  The others all joined Fapplejack one by one until they were all down on one knee and bowing to me.

  I was struck by their loyalty and reverence. After a few seconds, I motioned for them to rise. “Please, remember, no matter if I am Logan the Huntsman, or King Logan, I consider you all my equals. I will rely heavily on all of you in the days to come, but I wanted you all to know, the longer you fight at my side, the more danger you will be in.”

  Isobel stepped forward and held a hand to the slightly glowing scar on my chest. “King Logan. I like how that sounds.”

  She was joined by my other bonded. I felt their spirit intertwining with mine.

  Dahlia looked up into my eyes and rested her head on my chest. “I knew there was something even more special about you than I realized.”

  Gwen ran her fingernails down along my back. “Oh, I knew from the first time I met you, just how special you are. Now you’ve just confirmed it.” She kissed my shoulder blade and let her warm breath wash over my back. “Although, you’ve always been my king.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Fapplejack rose and from the look on his face, I knew he was ready to get back to work out on the deck. He tried not to look at the girls as they began stripping down. “Uh, Logan sir, I am going to take the others and ready for departure.”

  I nodded. “Thank you, FJ. I will be out to check on our progress soon.”

  Chloe plunged her hand inside my pants as the goblins headed toward the door. “Hopefully not too soon…” She trailed off and pulled me by my now hardened length toward the bed. Alysain and Jun exchanged glances and reluctantly left before I could stop them.

  Each of my bonded were naked within seconds and all were on their knees, taking turns licking up and down the length of my member.

  My need for them grew as they worked feverishly at my groin, and eventually I couldn’t wait any longer. I started with Gwen, and bent her over a chair that had been pushed out slightly from the table. She reached between her legs and parted her wet folds, inviting me inside. I grabbed her hips and slid the entirety of my girth inside her.

  Her small tail whipped back and forth excitedly as I moved in and out. I lifted the satyress while keeping my length inside of her and carried her over to the bed. Once there, I slammed myself inside of her several times before pulling out and grabbing Isobel. I threw her onto the bed, taking her off guard. I leaned over her and kissed her nipples, concentrating on each one until she let out a small growl and thrust her hip up to meet my girth. As I slid inside the wolf-woman I bit down on her neck. She responded with a fiery scream and rocked her hips faster.

  While Isobel pulsed below me, I reached out and pulled Chloe and Dahlia closer. I brought small vines out from my wrists and immediately used them on both women, like two small snakes, concentrating on their pearls, and sending both of them over the edge within seconds.

  I alternated between Isobel and Gwen, bringing each of them close to the edge before switching to the other, back and forth until both women were dizzy from pleasure. I pulled back and Chloe immediately dove to her knees, accepting my length halfway down her throat by the time I plunged my head between Isobel’s strong thighs. I plunged my tongue between her wet folds and savored her juices, her wild scent filled my nose and increased my intensity.

  After bringing Isobel to climax, I switched to Gwen, taking my time as Dahlia joined Chloe, taking turns as if competing to see who could take more of my rock-hard length down their throats.

  Gwen wrapped her legs around my head and screamed. “My king, fuck yes, my king!” She forced her mound up into my face, sending my tongue deeper into her cave. I moved my tongue with precision, calculating each movement until her body convulsed and shook. Her wet juices flowed out onto my face and covered the inside of her legs. I lifted and my manhood pulled out of Chloe’s mouth. She cupped my balls and massaged them as she guided me back inside Gwen’s tight channel.

  I lifted Gwen in my arms and she rocked her hips down onto my girth as her legs remained wrapped around my hips. I lifted her up and slammed her back down onto my length, forcing as much inside her as I could. My desire was insatiable. I lifted her several more times as the other girls moved their naked bodies against mine. I felt Gwen’s channel clamp down around my girth as she came a
gain, this time taking me with her. I placed her back down onto the bed and kissed each of my bonded. I held onto Isobel’s fluffy tail and pleasured her slowly as she came down off of her high seconds earlier.

  We spent the next several minutes washing each other with the clean barrels that were pushed to one side of the room, next to a huge wash bin. After we were clean I left the girls to the large bed. They curled up together, all still naked, as they shivered from the cold water. The bed looked as if it had not been slept in for years. Which, according to Isobel would make sense, since dhampir did not need to sleep, and apparently they weren’t getting any either.

  I exited the room to get a little fresh air and to check on the others. I was surprised to see that the smoldering remains of Necross were already far off in the distance.

  Alysain landed from above, a slight look of concern on her face. “Is everything okay? I thought I heard screaming.”

  Before I could respond, Jun fluttered down and landed on my shoulder. She laughed and shook her head. “Oh, from those screams, sweet griffon, I can promise you, everything is much more than all right.”

  I smiled and nodded toward the queen who I could tell had been around Aurilon a lot longer than Alysain had. “Yes, Jun is right. Everything is just fine.” I walked across the dock and watched the goblins scurry about. They were much more adept than I could ever imagine. Their clan worked so well together that it was as if they’d been sailing their entire lives.

  Alysain stopped under the largest of the masts as the goblin clan unfurled the sails. She turned and motioned toward a set of stairs that led down. “If this ship is anything like the ones that are normally at the castle, you can imagine that there is probably some useful gear down below. The goblins already swept the lower levels of any stragglers that might have been down there.”

  I reached the edge of the stairs and turned to face the griffon. Jun was still riding along on my shoulder, although at some point she had put her flowing dress back on. “I couldn’t sense any signs of life when I used my Sight.” I pulled out James’s sword and nodded. “Although, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. Do you two want to check it out with me? Maybe we will be able to find something we can all use.”