Volka’s arm fell away from her shoulders as she moving towards the pavilion.
“It is late, but I would like to greet the new arrivals if they are awake?”
Tiana smiled wide.
“They are. Like the children, they were waiting on your return.”
Volka chuckled and lightly pinched the Amazon’s pert ass through her hide skirt, a hint of her mischievous personality coming to the fore amidst their serious preparations.
“Silly Tiana. I’m eleven hundred years old: you are all children to me.”
Chapter 5:
Trappings of Home
Though most of them thought of the little cottage on Paul Fletcher’s property back in Kettering as their home, after getting booted out of the academy dorms to make room for new recruits Nameless and his family had begun renting in a converted apartment block not far from Divinity Square.
They had been too busy helping Miranda chase down all of the leads from Algrade to spend much time there, but once they’d delivered the prisoners and freed monster girls to the Bastion the task-force was officially disbanded and they were sent home.
They arrived at their building to find that Paul Fletcher had sent along many of their belongings from Kettering, along with his well wishes, so the spacious apartment soon felt homey enough once they got everything settled.
Not that any of them had cause for complaint: with the money they earned from selling Milly’s milk and from their wages from the Aegis their new digs were downright luxurious, just about able to fit the cottage inside twice over.
They were on the top floor of the four storey building, with massive slanted windows all along one side that let in a great deal of natural light.
They also had access to the roof so Volka and Ophelia could thumb their nose at their bond-sisters by avoiding the stairs.
The interior of the apartment was painted in shades of happy yellow and white and had an open floor plan, with a high ceiling and metal stairs for access to the second floor loft where their bedroom was.
Back in Kettering Nameless had to adapt to living in a cottage without interior doors, now he had to adapt to an apartment without interior walls.
Again though, he had no cause for complaint: being able to sit in the main room and look up through the railing to see the girls changing or making love was an unexpected perk of their new living arrangements.
When they arrived home late in the morning the first thing Erica did was have Milly help her peel herself out of her clothing, which was most definitely a spectator event.
Despite Grant Semper’s original objections, the Katje frequently wore her skin tight battle suit nowadays. Though as a concession towards modesty she now wore a light overcoat that went to mid thigh and was split up the back to conceal her perfect ass while still allowing her tail its freedom.
Nina had immediately observed that it made her look like a battle-stripper about to perform a show and she had certainly earned a few nicknames to that effect from their comrades in the task-force.
But she accepted the goodhearted ribbing with aplomb, and any time they sought to tease Nameless about his shameless bond-mate he would simply smile and remind them who it was that she was stripping for.
With her outfit put away, the naked Katje strolled down the stairs with Milly and stretched out her tanned body, her little breasts jiggling slightly as she arched her back and rolled her neck.
“I love that getup but it doesn’t breathe!” She complained with a short yawn, her feline tongue curling; “Now I’m for a shower, who wants to wash my back?”
She gestured at the sole interior door in the apartment, the one that led to the washroom.
“I’ll take care of you dearheart. I’m in desperate need of a wash myself. We all smell like hay.”
Ophelia followed her, shedding her clothes as well, her pale skin standing in sharp contrast to Erica’s rich tan.
Sadly one thing their new apartment didn’t have was the lavish bathroom that Paul had installed in the cottage for his one-time Naiad lover, so they had no tub, only a standing shower.
Nameless watched the two of them disappear into the washroom, debating whether or not he wanted to test if the shower could fit three.
But a tap on the shoulder derailed the thought and he turned to see a blushing Milly holding up one of their milking pails.
She had gotten much better at asserting herself when she needed to be milked or otherwise taken care of, something Nameless was dearly grateful for.
He smiled as he took the pail, looking forwards to the task.
“Guess I found something to do.” He said with an affectionate pat to Milly’s ass and a stroke of her black and white patterned tail.
Nina sidled up to them, openly ogling her Minotaur bond-sister as she shed her button-up shirt.
“Good idea, I’m suddenly feeling peckish.”
The milk that Milly produced was so richly packed with nutrients that it could quite easily replace a regular meal, in fact when they were rushed for time it often did.
The cow giggled and chased away the giant’s tiny hands as they reached up to grope at her tits.
“After we fill the pail.” She chided.
Though Nina sulked, she didn’t push, instead she helped Nameless to milk the Minotaur and store the full bucket in the icebox.
Once done though she barely allowed Milly to sit down before she straddled her lap and began to suckle hungrily at her pink nipples.
Nameless smiled at the memory of her first time doing so in their tent on their way into the wilds. She had been so uncomfortable and hesitant about it, a seeming impossibility given her behaviour now.
Milly wasn’t the only one that had grown.
As he watched the giant’s sexy snacking, Volka came down from the loft where the roof access was, her glowing form drawing his attention.
“You’re back.” He said.
She bit back a grin at the obvious statement, coming over to join him in watching Nina drink her fill.
“Good of you to notice.”
“Kinda hard not to, you glow almost all of the time now.”
He gestured at her torso and she looked down to see that she was indeed awash in golden light.
She sighed and closed her eyes and a few seconds later the glow faded.
“Apologies. The power I now bear is not a small thing. Nor is the responsibility that comes with it.”
He stepped up to her and embraced her, savouring the warmth of her wings wrapping around him as she returned it.
“Don’t ever apologize for being what you are. And I wasn’t complaining about the glowing, just pointing it out.”
He felt her lips press against his forehead and his arms tightened around her, his face tilting back to meet her lips with his.
There was a degree of selfishness in the move: ever since she embraced her role as Dominar he could feel her being pulled away from him and it stung far more than he was willing to admit.
Sensing his discontent, she shook her head from side to side, breaking the kiss.
“Ah my beloved! My duty to the world supercedes everything else, even you. But I swear to you, it will not always be thus! When peace returns-”
“I know.” He answered quickly; “Sorry, I wasn’t trying to put any pressure on you. I just… miss you.”
“We miss you, blondie.” Nina corrected as she crawled out of Milly’s lap, her meal finished; “But you do what you gotta do. I’ll keep the little guy safe.”
“And I’ll help!” Milly agreed as she came over to them, Volka’s wings spreading to allow her to wriggle in beside Nameless.
Once the embrace ended they settled onto the plush furniture in the living room, waiting on the other two girls to finish bathing.
Given the waves of arousal that were coming from their heartstones, not to mention the frequent giggles and breathless cries coming from the shower, Nameless knew they were busy.
“How are Tiana and the others gett
ing along?” He asked to distract himself.
Volka was looking to the bathroom door, biting her lip, but she turned to him at the question.
“The girls that have come in so far have more or less settled and are now making preparations for more arrivals. I’m afraid there is little left for me to do but wait on more monster girls to answer my call.”
She was understating things a bit; even with Escrya and the others out spreading the word, Volka was far from being complacent.
Everyone was still holding their breath, waiting for and dreading the next tragedy.
Nina patted the Valkyrie on the thigh and gave a decisive nod.
“Good, then you can come out with us. Ophelia says we need to hit the market this afternoon, unless we all want to just feed off of Milly.”
Volka chuckled and twisted in her seat to kiss the Minotaur soundly.
“I certainly do not object to that! But I believe I can spare an afternoon to be with my loves.”
“I wasn’t really asking.” Nina muttered but let it go.
One thing had become clear to her when Volka had embraced her role as Dominar: there were things higher than the mountain’s peak, so for the first time in her life it felt a bit uncomfortable for the Gigas to tell someone else what they ought to be doing.
Ophelia and Erica came out of the shower, both flushed from the heat of the water and from their own passions, and the others all had a quick wash before the family set out to buy groceries.
When she was in Kettering Volka tried to keep a low profile, but that was impossible now.
And more than that: the opposite was necessary.
Because Garland was a changed city.
The first time Nameless walked into the crowded streets he was in awe of the hustle and bustle of the place, of the variety of people and monsters going to and fro amidst the numerous old world spires surrounding the massive tower that served as the headquarters for the Aegis.
Now the streets were tense and quiet.
It was early afternoon when they set out for the market, but still people spoke in muted voices, as if to avoid drawing attention to themselves.
Countless monsters had disappeared since Jonathan woke from his coma, with nearly as many human lives lost.
And after Lipton Falls the truth came out about the cause of it.
In the wake of the slaughter, fearful refugees had begun to flood the city seeking the protection of the Aegis from the Chimera and her human pet.
As a result much of the Aegis’s job of late had been working within the city limits to assist the lawkeepers in maintaining public order.
Nameless was almost grateful to Miranda for pushing for his continued involvement in the task-force as it kept him out of the pressure cooker that the city had become.
The hardest part for him was seeing the anxious looks on the faces of otherwise ordinary monster.
Girls who had lived their entire lives in peace were now moving about in groups, their eyes darting from one unknown face to another, full of suspicion and fear.
Nameless could read the helpless relief whenever one of them met his gaze, their faces inevitably dipping down to take in his uniform.
It was little consolation to him that monsters knew they could still trust the Aegis.
“One life at a time Husband.” Volka said as she felt his frustration.
She strode alongside him, showing friendly smiles that projected security and comfort to the frightened citizens.
“What?”
“We save one life at a time. It is all we can do. Yesterday it was Neru, tomorrow it will be someone else. You cannot save this world alone, but you can save their world. Don’t give up hope, because only then will we have truly lost.”
“Big words.” He mumbled.
He looked into the face of his bond-mate: she was glowing again, her aura soothing the fears of those nearby and bolstering their spirits.
Though he didn’t say it, in that moment he missed the old Volka; the Volka who quite happily pantsed him, underwear and all, in front of a group of young women who were admiring his uniform back during their days at the academy.
A wave of guilt washed over him when he saw her mouth twist downwards in displeasure.
Being able to read each other’s emotions wasn’t always a gift.
“Volka, I’m sorry.” He said mournfully.
But she extended her arms and pulled him into a warm embrace, her translucent golden wings wrapping around him protectively as he felt the firm ridge of her breastplate pressing against his jaw.
“I knew what I was doing when I heeded the call. I know that you love me, that you worry for me and that you want nothing but for me and my bond-sisters to live in peace. But that is simply not an option right now. We had our time of peace. Now we must all do our part if we are ever to have it again.”
Her thoughts focused again on the fearful inhabitants of Garland, while they in turn looked to the last Valkyrie for hope in the face of such dark times.
After their hug ended she moved away from him to a group of humans and monsters who were eager to share in her reassuring presence.
It pained Nameless to feel her pulling away again, but he understood why when he saw desperate hope take root in the faces of the frightened populace.
He stepped back to let them have her, taking in her profile as she wiggled her fingers at a young boy, too shy to give her the flowers that he had picked. He watched as her aura spread to him, filling his tiny chest with courage enough to blushingly present her with the token of his youthful affection.
After accepting his gift the smiling Valkyrie tickled him under his chin to make him giggle, then kissed him on the forehead before gently shooing him back to the waiting arms of his grateful parents.
He had to swallow the lump in his throat at the sight of her.
Even while indulging a child, her bearing was as proud and magnificent as the morning dawn.
Nameless drew in a breath and gathered his strength once more, focusing all of his mental fortitude on supporting her, on loving her.
It was plain to see the moment that she picked up on his mindset: her wings flexed and her lips parted slightly as his heady emotions flooded her.
Because even though she was a Valkyrie, even though she possessed the unfathomable will unique to her people, she appreciated his support nonetheless.
“It’s hard.” Erica said suddenly; “Hard to see so much weight on her like this.”
Milly let out a plaintive moo as she agreed with her sister, but didn’t say anything.
She and the others watched beside him as Volka stepped firmly into her role of Dominar.
To shake off the sudden bout of melancholy Nameless casually cupped the Katje’s perfect ass, giving it a shameless squeeze before wrapping her in his arms.
“You’re asking for trouble mister.” She purred as she nuzzled her nose against his cheek.
“Always.”
But before Nameless and his kitty could get up to anything, Ophelia coughed delicately to remind them they were in public.
“Come along dearhearts, we still have shopping to do. I’m sure Volka will follow when she’s done here.”
“She better.” Nina grumbled.
They parted reluctantly and resumed their trek through the streets, though Nameless paused and looked over his shoulder as they left; he couldn’t see Volka at all amidst the throng that had gathered, but he could still make out her golden aura.
Hope in its purest form.
Chapter 6:
Stolen Moments
The following day Nameless and his bond-mates showered in twos, with minimal shenanigans, and enjoyed a hearty breakfast together, preparing themselves for whatever their next challenge might be.
Nameless was meant to report to one of the Aegis commanders in the Bastion in the late morning, in the meantime he was soaking up as much time with his girls as he could.
After Volka flew off, Milly was sitting on the sof
a with Erica kneeling behind her, the Katje’s arms wrapped around her neck as they both watched their bond-mate.
He had one of the Minotaur’s hooves in hand and was delicately filed her nails.
“I wish I had always known that your feet needed this!” Erica enthused before licking the side of her sister’s head.
“How could you?” Milly said before lowing in pleasure from the attention of her two lovers: “How could you know when I didn’t? Paul showed us.”
“Man, I love that old guy.”
Milly giggled.
“Me too.”
“Me three.” Nameless remarked as he set down the file; “But don’t tell him, it would be weird.”
Erica rolled her eyes at him.
“Boys are silly.”
With his work on Milly’s feet done, Nameless kissed each of her four nails before letting her ankles go.
“All done.”
“Thank you Master!” She gushed, her eyes shining with absolute devotion.
In the face of her appreciation it was impossible for him not to smile.
“You are so welcome baby.”
He stood up and straddled her lap before giving her a hearty kiss.
“Wow, someone’s randy! Never knew you had a thing for feet, lover.” Erica teased as she began to massage her bond-sister’s shoulders.
“I have a thing for Milly. From her perfect hooves to her sexy horns, and every single thing in between.”
The Minotaur beamed and let out a happy moo before pulling him close for another kiss.
To Nameless and his family moments like these felt stolen.
After the slaughter at Lipton Falls the Aegis had become downright militant in their hunt for Evadne and the pitiable monsters that her bond-mate had turned into murderers.
In a bid to make their daunting task easier emergency resolutions had been passed in most of the city-states so that anyone dealing in prohibited weaponry was immediately sentenced to life in a dig-site.
Any public outcry at the lack of due process was smothered by the nightmarish stories that came from the small mining town that Evadne’s forces had eradicated.
And after they shut down the massive lost-tech smuggling ring in Algrade, the Aegis found public opinion had shifted in favour of harsher punishments for those that broke the laws regarding lost-tech anyways, so the rate of such infractions had plummeted.
The Heartstone Saga Page 5
