by Mark Albany
Honestly, so had I.
I closed my eyes, taking a moment to focus on the firm thrusts instead of just pounding them forward. I could feel my pleasure starting to surge once more, starting to push toward a peak that I knew Norel was going to be sharing. I gritted my teeth, trying to control myself, holding back to let this delicious session last a little longer. I knew the next time was going to be my last, and if I stopped, I doubted I would be able to keep on going barring any magical help.
And that just felt like cheating.
Norel reached up to me, one hand curling around and grabbing my ass, urging me to pick up the pace once more as her soft, high-pitched moans performed a similar service. Her other hand reached up to run down my chest, not leaving marks with her nails this time, just enjoying the sensation of my body moving under her fingertips.
“Please Grant,” she gasped, her eyes still closed as my fingers slipped from her mouth,” “Please… oh gods… I’m so fucking close… just… fuck me harder… please!”
I was more than happy to oblige, leaning my body over hers, gripping her shoulders and holding her in place as my hips started to hammer forward faster and harder than before, driving both of us toward a long-overdue climax.
I felt the pleasure surging through my body, a sensation she shared as her eyes opened, her fingers gripping me tighter as I pushed deep inside her. I felt her tight, wet pussy wrapping around me and her warm cum coating my cock and mixing with my climax as I pushed deeper, my burning and aching body pushed to the limit as I dragged her closer to me, my fingers digging into her sides.
“Oh… fuck…” I groaned, my eyes closed as my body settled over her. She pulled me closer, her hands lightly running up and down my sides as we both slowly returned to our senses. I finally managed to gather enough mental acuity to pull myself over and lie down on my back next to her, my heart still hammering in my chest as I looked at the ceiling.
In the weeks that had passed since the Battle of the Imperial City, which was what everyone was starting to call it, we had enjoyed more than a few luxuries that had been offered to us as war heroes. We had been moved out from the Lancers’ fortress and set up in one of the few mansions that were still standing. The fact that it was the Emperor’s mansion seemed to have been lost in translation. The ruler’s quarters had been sealed off, of course, but there were more than enough guest rooms to be used, and they were much larger than any I had ever seen. Even Norel’s now-leveled estate paled in comparison.
Living in all the luxuries that were afforded to war heroes came at a price, of course. I couldn’t remember the last time I had a decent training session, something that I felt I desperately needed after nearly coming away from the fight without my life. I had started to feel wildly unprepared for any future battles that we might face.
But our time had been occupied by the lords and ladies of the gentry, who seemed to see the four of us as the bond that kept the alliance in place with the elves we’d brought in for the fight. There was more than enough space left over in the city for the elves that arrived to settle in, and they were assured that if they decided to stay, they were more than welcome to do so.
Despite Aliana’s assessment that I was a naïve idiot, even I couldn’t miss the fact that there were still a great many tensions between the two races that needed addressing, but the way people came together in times of adversity was something to be noted and cherished.
We had been working hard to make sure that all the changes which came about in rebuilding the city did so without any kinds of hitches or problems. It was good work, I mused, and tasks that the sisters were more than up to. I found myself growing more and more interested in the minutiae involved in running and rebuilding of a city of this size.
The only real complaint I had, aside from the lack of training, was the lack of time the four of us had together. We were able to indulge in our needs individually from time to time, but even those were few and far between.
This was the first time the four of us had more than a few hours in the day to ourselves. Some might have said the wiser path would have been to train and prepare for any other conflict that might be coming the way of an Empire that had been so thoroughly weakened.
For myself though, I had no regrets. I had enjoyed every second spent with the three of them and if the bond between us was any measure, they enjoyed it just as much, if not more. Aliana and Braire moved over to join us on our side of the bed.
I looked around, still astounded that these beds were made so massive, like people had been planning to have more than a few join them in it and the beds had been built accordingly. Considering what I knew about the lives some nobles lived, I knew it wasn’t too far from the truth, and yet, not everyone could have a life like this, right?
I peered up as I heard someone knocking at the door of the room, reaching down to pull a blanket over the four of us before calling, “Come in!”
I wasn’t wholly surprised to see Gahar stepping into the room. His eyebrows shot up as he realized what he was stepping into, and he quickly averted his eyes.
“Should I return another time?” he asked, keeping his back to us for the moment.
“There’s no reason for that,” I said with a smile, leaning over to kiss Braire. There was no sense of experimentation or hostility in her anymore, and I appreciated that. She still brought a good deal of heat and challenge when we were fucking, of course, but that was something I never wanted her to change.
“Of…of course,” Gahar said, turning back around to address us face-to-face, although he was very careful to keep his eyes on ours and not on what was being barely covered by the bedsheet I’d hastily pulled over us.
“What do you have to report, Lord Gahar?” Norel asked, pushing herself up on the bed, not caring that her breasts were now exposed as she quickly worked to rearrange her hair. Gahar quickly looked away again, but as he was committed to reporting, he took a deep breath and gathered his courage.
“Scouts continue to come in from the forest and the surrounding regions, my ladies, my lord,” Gahar said. “Some stragglers and survivors of the traitor Cyron’s undead army are still being found and put to the torch, but there are concerns as to who commands them, and where they are going.”
“You can put those worries to rest,” Braire said. “The bodies have always been infused with spirits brought up from the underworld, and a few still have a great deal of autonomy. When lacking in a master, they tend to venture off on their own.”
“Should we not be destroying them then?” Gahar asked, tilting his head.
“Oh, no, definitely continue destroying them,” Braire said with a chuckle, leaning in to kiss my chest. “The twisted spirits of the undead are dangerous and difficult to contain. Best to remove the threat entirely.”
Gahar nodded. “Reports from the various kingdoms around the Empire are middling. Some of the kingdoms, particularly those to the west, seem to be trying to hide their amassing of forces at our border while others are insisting that no advantage will be taken of our weakened situation, with some of the kings even offering all their support in rebuilding the city.”
“That’s good news, right?” I asked, looking around.
“Like Gahar said, middling,” Norel said. She was done with her hair and finally took the time to cover herself up for modesty’s sake. “Be sure to be cordial in any responses sent, but tell them that we are more than capable of rebuilding the damages caused on our own.”
Gahar nodded. “One last bit of news. A messenger arrived earlier today bearing a letter with the Emperor’s seal. He has broken from his meditation in the mountains in light of the desolation that his Empire had suffered, and is returning to the capital.” Gahar bowed stiffly at the waist, having come to the end of his report, and clearly wanting to leave the room before he said or did something he would consider dishonorable.
“He’s a good man, Gahar,” Norel said with a soft chuckle. “Deeply in love with his wife, which is why we ma
de him a bit uncomfortable. Interesting news. The Emperor’s return to the capital city could be seen as good or bad news, depending on what he intends to do.”
“Would that maybe be tossing us out of here?” I asked, pulling the sheet away as I started looking around for where my clothes had been tossed.
“Of course not,” Norel said with a chuckle, handing me my shirt. “These are guest quarters, and he will want to be on good terms with the heroes of the hour. At first, at least.”
I smiled, leaning down to kiss Norel as I pulled my trousers on as well. Whatever the Emperor had planned, I didn’t think it could be worse than the horrors we had faced thus far. What worried me most was the threat of Abarat.
Without a doubt, we would soon be tested. Our situation was bound to be a dire one, but I could think of no three people I trusted more to handle it.
About the Author
Mark Albany is fan of epic fantasy and living life to its fullest. He hopes to embrace such story telling as Game of Thrones and Venom in this tale, and add one more spot of fun in your life.
For fans of Mark Lawrence, Will Wight, David Estes, and Brandon Sanderson.
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Read Ice Reavers - Sample
There aren’t many things better than having a nice drink with your friends and getting your dick wet after a long day at work—though the latter bit might have been better without the friends around. Personal opinion, though. I don’t judge if some guys like it.
Well, I try not to, anyway. But it’s the thought that counts.
I leaned back in my seat. The smile on my lips was pretty permanent. I’d gotten away from the guardhouse late, so the boys were ahead of me by more than a couple of ales. Boy, did it show.
There were five of them here. I thought I’d seen eight heading out for some downtime. The other three might have already gotten started. The Wet Maiden doubled as both the local tavern and brothel, providing most of the vices this far out of the city. There weren’t many dice games, my vice of choice, but the drinks were good, the food was passable, and the women…
Well, men of our status weren’t in a position to be overly picky. Even then, there wasn’t a bad selection. The beds were clean and so were the whores, so it was a nice place to spend time and coin when the time wasn’t being spent earning that coin.
Most of the men working at the castle were married, with their wives living within the castle’s walls, so the number of bachelors among us was dwindling. Which meant we had to make up for the slack left by the rest of the weaklings.
“No, wait. I’m serious.” A heavy hand settled on my shoulder. “Braks is the captain of the guard. That means he gets paid twice as much as the rest of us lowly guardsmen do.”
I turned around. The man was sweaty and needed a shave, but he was unmistakably Corvin, a short stout fellow who was three years my senior. He was better with his fists than he was with any weapon, especially when he was drunk.
He was particularly dangerous now, I realized, taking a whiff and then a step back, smiling at the woman the man had in tow.
“That’s right. I do twice the work too, or do you forget the time you were too busy throwing your guts up to help me with the patrols?”
“Psh. Water, bridge, under.” The man affected as serious a face as he could muster before turning back to the woman. “Not lying. One time, we ran into raiders, and he took a spear to the shoulder. He broke the spearhead off and then beat the raider to death with the shaft.”
“Must have been quite the shaft,” the woman said with a coy wink.
I smiled as my hand went up to my shoulder. It still hurt sometimes when it rained. “Well, not to death, just until he was unconscious. The fact that he died while we were escorting him back to the castle dungeon was completely unrelated.”
Corvin shrugged, his mind already on something else. “Now, how much was your hourly rate again, Carla darling?”
I grabbed Corvin by the shoulder and pulled him away from the woman. “Come on, Corvie.”
“Dun call me that.”
“Corvin,” I corrected quickly. “You’re not in any shape to handle a woman. Give it about half an hour, some cold water, and you’ll be good to go.” I winked at the woman, and she smiled back. Nobody liked handling Corvin when he was this deep in his cups.
“Thanks, love,” she purred as I put Corvin down on a chair. “Should I get you another ale? You look a bit light.”
“Appreciate it, Carla,” I answered with a smile. “If you could get a cup of cold water from the well for him, too, I’d appreciate that. Tell the boys I’ll be paying for the first hour with your gals.”
She winked and moved away. I sat back down and finished the last dregs of my drink in anticipation of the next one. Corvin, for his part, had forgotten about Carla and was looking straight ahead at the wall in front of him. I snapped my fingers.
“You all right there, bub?” I asked as he turned his attention to me. “Or are you done for the night?”
“I’m right as rain, Braks,” he answered, slurring every syllable. “Right as rain. Say, why didn’t you join up with the king’s army? With your skills, you’re more fit for the king’s knights. Get to ride around in fancy armor, getting into proper fights instead of picking up poachers and robbers like us lot. So why are you slumming it with us ‘Deplorables’?”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“What?” he asked defensively.
I shook my head. “Nothing. I’m just wondering if you know what deplorable means.”
“’Course I do, ya dimwit. It means too successful.”
“That’s what I thought,” I grumbled under my breath.
“What’s that?” he asked, leaning forward.
“Nailed it right on the head, Corvin.” I smiled as Carla returned with a drink for me and a water for my friend. “Either way, I’m fine right here, thanks. But let’s not talk about work anymore, eh?”
He tasted his drink and made a face. “Beer’s tasting more and more like water,” he complained.
I tried to keep a straight face as I sampled my ale. “We’d best bring it up with the barkeep. He may be stretching his drinks with water and charging normal prices.”
“That’s what I’ll do.” Corvin stood and started toward the barkeep.
I chuckled, taking another sip from my ale as one of the village elders sat down to join me. He had a goblet instead of a mug, and it was full of red wine. He was an older man with thinning gray hair that he swept over his head to hide a balding spot at the top. He’d been a merchant, but with his sons taking over the business, he spent most of his time making the town a nicer place to live in.
“Was that really necessary, Braks?” he asked in an annoyed tone.
“What?” I looked up. “Oh, no. Corvin won’t make it to the barkeep. He doesn’t have the attention span for it.”
I looked over and confirmed that the man had gotten distracted by the rest of the guards chanting a marching ditty. I grinned.
“No, not that,” the elder said with a shake of his head, flapping his combover. “The man has clearly had enough to drink. Don’t you think he should be sent home to sleep it off?”
I gave the older man a confused look. “You clearly haven’t seen Corvin drink before, Elder Hammon. He may look drunk now, but in about half an hour, he’ll be sober as a priest with only a bit of a hangover to show for it.”
The man harrumphed, but my attention was already elsewhere. I was drawn back to the men who were singing, except they weren’t singing anymore.
Leena was one of my oldest friends. We’d grown up only a stone’s throw away from each other, and while our career paths had diverged spectacularly, it still wasn’t hard to run into her. She liked getting drunk and was seen by the rest of the lads as on
e of them rather than as a woman.
Case in point, they were now cheering since she’d reached into one of the men’s pants and pulled his cock out, showing it off.
“Come on, ladies,” she roared, addressing the women Carla had sent to take care of them at my expense. “You’d best give this man a discount. Look at this work of art!”
I chuckled. It was rather impressive.
The men roared in approval, some starting to whip their own out to get a similar discount, but Leena moved away from them. She’d clearly had more than enough to drink. She was having a hard time walking in a straight line as she came over to me.
“What’re you doing all by your lonesome?” she asked, plopping down on a seat beside me.
“What do you mean alone?” I asked, tilting my head to the right. “I’m having a fun chat with our friend Elder Hammon.”
She looked at the older man and then back at me. “He don’t count.”
The elder was clearly insulted by this. “Fucking bounty hunters,” he growled, standing up and moving away.
Leena laughed and put a hand on my shoulder. “Come on. Your boys are having fun at some unknown entity’s expense while you’re sitting here looking sad. As I said, all by your lonesome.”
I turned to her, keeping my face as straight as possible as I offered her my hand. “Hello. Nice to meet you. The name’s Unknown Entity. Yes, I’ve heard all the jokes, believe me. My parents must have hated me.”
She laughed. “Oh, that’s so sad! You’re paying for your boys to get some pussy while you’re left drinking this shitty ale.”
“Oi!” came the protest from the barkeep across the room. He had a massive beard and was bald by choice, taller than me by a head and with broader shoulders too.
“I mean… fine, fantastic ale. Is that a hint of fruitiness I detect?” she corrected and leaned toward me, narrowing her eyes. “You’re not on the sly, are you?”
“I…” I leaned back. “What? No, of course not. I’m just not in the mood for it right now.”
