by Logan Jacobs
“What is this man talking about, Joshua?” Mayor Aldemar pushed his son out from behind his back, and the father gripped his child by the back of the neck as he waited for the answer.
“I-I dared Bella to go up to the old silver mine,” Joshua said after a tense moment of silence. “I didn’t think she really would, but her pa… He--”
“He died in a collapsed tunnel incident,” I interrupted in a hurried tone. “I know. Now, on to the important matter. You heard what the boy said, Bella is trapped in the mines. So, let’s go get your daughter, Darla.”
“How did you know where she was if it wasn’t you who took her?” Darla shook her head like she was dispelling nightmares. “How did you even know she was missing in the first place?”
“Like I said.” I shrugged. “I’m the God of Time. I know things, but I won’t bore you with the details. The important thing here is Bella, and I’d really like to have her reunited with you before her bedtime.”
“So, Bella is safe?” Darla clung to my arm like it was a floatation device and she was drowning. “My daughter is alive?”
“She is,” I confirmed with a nod.
“Praise the gods,” Mayor Aldemar murmured. “Let us hurry to retrieve her.”
“I’ll need the help of my men to move the stones blocking the tunnel,” I explained, and I caught Riondale’s eyes. “In the meantime, take the meat from our horses and have someone start to prepare it to cook.”
“Yes, sir, Great One.” The lieutenant nodded, and then he barked out a command to the guardsmen standing nearby.
Once the meat was removed, I remounted Goliath, and I pointed his head out of town to the southwest. Then I pulled Darla up behind me, and the three women and the other men followed suit with their own steeds. When we were all on horseback, I took the lead, and everyone followed me away from the small village and toward the silver mine.
We rode for a while in total silence, and I could feel the tension in Darla’s body from behind me. Her nails dug into my shoulders, and she held herself stiff and straight. I wanted to comfort her, but I knew she would relax once Bella was in her arms again.
The sun was beginning to set, and the shadows of twilight made the forest eerie, so a few of the guards with us lit some torches. The flames caused the shadows to dance as we passed through the undergrowth, and then they illuminated the entrance to the tunnel.
I grabbed a torch for myself before I hitched Goliath to a nearby tree, and then I walked up to the barricaded entrance. The hole at the top was large enough for us to all crawl through, but since I had the manpower, I intended on making it passable.
“Alright, men,” I said as I turned to address my troops. “I need you to clear a path through those rocks. Be careful around the sides and roof, though, since we don’t want another cave-in to happen on our watch.”
“Yes, sir,” came the unified response, and then Riondale took the lead on directing the men toward the tunnel entrance. The young lieutenant joined the men, and together they maneuvered the small boulders out of the way.
A short while later, there was a path large enough for us all to pass through, but I had to duck my head a little to clear the ceiling. Then I led my crew and Darla down the tunnels to the next cave-in.
“Bella, honey, are you in there?” Darla called through the pile of rock.
“M-M-Mommy, is that you?” came the little girl’s broken response. Her voice sounded hoarse and full of fear, and my heart ached to see her in her mother’s arms.
“Let’s get these rocks out of the way,” I directed, and the men jumped into action. Even Mahini, Elissa, and Eva helped maneuver the small boulders out of the way, and soon we’d managed to make a hole big enough for Bella to crawl through.
“Come on out through the top, sweetheart,” Eva called through the hole we’d made near the ceiling. “Your mother is waiting on the other side.”
A moment later, a mop of auburn hair was visible through the opening at the top of the rock obstacle, and then two little hands appeared and waved around. Eva and I each grabbed one of Bella’s hands, and then the two of us hauled her out of the hole and across to the other side.
“Oh, my baby!” Darla rushed forward and scooped her daughter up into her arms, and I saw the tension leave the mother’s shoulders as she exhaled a sigh of relief.
Suddenly, a rumbling sound echoed through the tunnel, and all of our eyes leaped to the rocks that were now moving downward in every direction.
“Oh, gods!” Darla screamed as a basketball sized rock nearly fell on her, and she pushed Bella out of the way and jumped back at the same time.
The rock smashed against the floor, and Bella stumbled, fell, and began to cry on the ground. Darla was still trying to right herself, but before she could, Eva darted forward and scooped up Bella in her arms.
“I’ve got her!” the duke’s daughter shouted. “Let’s go!”
With that, the brave blonde began to sprint down the tunnel, and I lunged forward and grabbed Darla.
“Come on!” I yelled as I wrapped my arms protectively around the distraught mother, and I motioned for my lovers to follow after Eva.
Mahini and Elissa took off at a run down the tunnel, and Riondale and the other men followed in their wake. I took up the rear with Darla still wrapped in my arms, and I moved so fast I practically carried her to the entrance.
Once we were all safely outside the tunnel, Darla ran forward and hugged her daughter tightly before she glanced up at Eva with watery eyes.
“Thank you,” she sniffled.
“Of course, ma’am.” Eva nodded stoically, but I saw a blush spread across her pale cheeks.
“I’ve been so worried about you,” Darla sobbed as she turned back to her daughter and inspected her person for wounds.
“I’m sorry, Mother,” Bella sniffled in an apologetic tone, and she scrubbed at the tear tracks on her dirty cheeks.
“No use worrying anymore,” I observed. “Everyone is back together now.”
“I cannot thank you enough for my daughter’s safe return,” Darla said with tears welling up in her eyes as she glanced between Eva and me. “You saved her life, and now I am in your debt.”
It warmed my heart to see them safely together, and I knew all my hard work had paid off to get me exactly the outcome I’d wanted. It was satisfying to know I could make an impact on people’s lives, even in this small way.
“Let’s get her back home,” I said in a soft voice, “shall we?”
“Yes, of course.” Darla nodded enthusiastically, but then she turned and gave her daughter a stern look. “You, young lady, are in a mountain of trouble.”
“But it wasn’t all my fault!” Bella argued, and she flipped her auburn hair over her shoulders with obvious sass. “That pipsqueak Joshua dared me to go.”
“Oh, we know,” I informed her in an amused voice. “Trust me, he’s in plenty of trouble himself.”
I let Darla and Bella ride Goliath while I walked him with his reins in my hand, so it was slow going to get back to town, and the street was lit up with torchlight when we arrived.
The mayor and several townspeople I recognized were waiting near the inn when we arrived back in town, and a cheer of relief swept through them when they spotted Bella on Goliath’s back. I helped the mother and daughter down from the horse, and the people all rushed over to see the little girl. While the rest of the people swarmed the pair, the Mayor of Northwood Valley came to shake my hand.
“You’ve done a fine job for our little town,” the mayor informed me in a pleased tone. “I wish to reward you in some way. Please, tell me what would make you happy this evening?”
“I’d love to see smiles on the people’s faces while they enjoyed a meal,” I answered with a grin.
“That I can arrange,” the man laughed, and he clapped me on the shoulder. “I will throw together a small feast. It won’t be much in comparison to what they serve at the duke’s castle, but it would please me to feed you and your troops ton
ight.”
“It’s appreciated,” I said, and then my eyes fell on Joshua, who stood clinging onto his father’s coattails. “What are you going to do about your son? He can’t be daring other kids to go into the mine anymore, it’s far too dangerous. We are lucky Bella was uninjured, but luck won’t hold out for long.”
“Joshua will be punished,” the mayor assured me as he shot his son a glare. “This could have all been avoided if it wasn’t for his behavior.”
“I’m sure Bella shares some of the responsibility,” I allowed. “But I’m glad to hear he will be disciplined.”
“I will see to it,” Mayor Aldemar said with a nod. “Now, I am off to scrounge up an impromptu feast.”
“I can’t wait,” I replied, and then I turned back to the crowd gathered around Darla and her daughter. “Everyone in town should be invited.”
“It will be done,” the mayor confirmed before he grabbed his son tightly by the shoulder and led him down the street away from us.
“Great job today, Great One,” Eva said as she suddenly appeared by my side.
I jumped a little since I hadn’t heard her come up behind me, but I had to remember she prided herself on being stealthy.
“You did a pretty good job yourself,” I informed her with a wide smile. “You didn’t hesitate to grab the girl when the mine started rumbling.”
“I… well…” Eva trailed off as her cheeks flushed. “I only did what was necessary.”
“What you did was brave,” I corrected.
“Does that mean you have decided to let me travel with you?” The duke’s daughter offered me a small smile, and hope glimmered in her gray eyes.
“Perhaps,” I allowed in a vague tone.
I got the sudden urge to kiss her again, so I made a new savepoint before I swept her into my arms and pressed my lips against hers. Eva’s lips parted slightly as she gasped, and she allowed my tongue to slide between them.
The moment froze and lasted a lifetime simultaneously, and I lost myself in the sensation of Evangeline’s slim body pressed against my body. Her curves were in all the right places, and I explored downward until my palms rubbed against the leather covering her ass.
Then I went a little lower with my fingers to where the strip of leather barely covered her pussy. She tilted her hips a bit so I could move my fingers across the area easier, but then her body tensed when she seemed to realize everyone was still standing around us.
“Oh!” Eva gasped again and stepped back. Her face was bright red as she looked at the guards who had obviously seen her enjoy our moment of passion. It was rather obvious Eva was interested in going further with me, but I definitely didn’t want her to feel embarrassed.
Chime.
My cheeks felt hot to the touch, but Eva was unbothered since she didn’t remember the kiss at all. I didn’t envy her ignorance, though, and I tucked away the memory of her soft lips to revisit later.
“Let’s help the townspeople with their feast,” I told her in a casual tone like we hadn’t just been making out, and then I jerked my chin toward the inn. “The deer I hunted is inside cooking, so let’s see what other rations we can share with the people who live here.”
“A wonderful idea, Great One.” Eva inclined her head, and she led the way to the small inn. “I took the initiative to get us three rooms for the evening. Riondale insisted I get my own room, and the men are all sharing one.”
“That’s very helpful, thank you.” I followed behind her, but I walked slow enough to get a good look at her assets as we walked. “Soon, you will be sharing a room with me and the girls.”
“W-W-What?” Eva froze in place, and she shot me a questioning glance over her shoulders. There was an unreadable expression in her smoky-gray eyes, but I saw the warmth of desire in their depths.
Whether she was ready to admit it or not, the duke’s daughter wanted me.
“When you’re ready.” I smirked. “I can be a patient god.”
“Yes, Great One,” Eva murmured, and she ran a hand through her jagged blonde hair. “I will… let you know…”
“Congratulations, Great One.” Mahini stepped up to my side and fell into pace with me. “Another village helped by your power.”
“There’s bigger fish to fry than missing children,” I pointed out. “We still have to figure out this dragon situation.”
“I believe in you,” Mahini said in an earnest tone, and the obsidian-haired beauty twirled her hand in mine as she gave me a sideways smile. “If anyone can save this world from the dragon, it’s you.”
“Thank you for your utter faith in me,” I replied as I squeezed her hand warmly.
“So, Elissa and I were talking while we waited for you to catch up to us,” Mahini began in a cautious tone, and her blue eyes were nervous as they flitted across my face. “She asked for some alone time with you, if that’s okay?”
“That’s fine with me.” I grinned. “You and I will have some alone time soon, too.”
“I would like that.” Mahini returned my smile, and her eyes brightened with joy. “Thank you, Great One.”
“You can start calling me Bash at any time,” I reminded her in a playful voice. I jostled my shoulder against hers, and the desert goddess rewarded me with one of her melodic laughs.
“I think you deserve all the honor I can bestow upon you,” she said in a serious tone.
We arrived at the inn door, so I gave Mahini a quick peck on the cheek, squeezed her hand one more time, and then entered the building. The interior was dark, but it was lit by several candles and a fireplace along one wall. Some comfortable armchairs were scattered around the main room, but an area to the left of the entrance had rows of tables and benches, so there was plenty of room for our little group of guardsmen and women.
Riondale snapped to attention when he noticed my appearance, and he came to stand before me with a salute.
“The meat has been cooking for a couple of hours now, so it should be ready at any moment, and I already took care of the horses, they are pastured outside of town,” the lieutenant reported in a clipped tone, and he nodded with each statement to emphasize his words. “Sleeping arrangements are paid for in advance, but only three rooms remained, so I split them appropriately.”
“We are lucky to encounter real beds at all,” I replied. “This town wasn’t marked on the map, but I’ll mark it down for future reference.”
“Reports from my men say the town is newer,” Riondale said as he furrowed his eyebrows. “Although it is in jeopardy of falling into ruin without the mine in operation.”
“There was a deadly collapse in the mine,” I explained, and I let out a small sigh of sympathy for Darla’s loss. The people of this world had suffered through a lot of hardships before I’d arrived, and it seemed like climbing a mountain trying to help them all. I did my best to be the god they needed me to be, and I was doing a pretty awesome job so far, but I wondered if I would be able to conquer the next challenge ahead of me.
The dragon still needed to be taken care of, after all.
Still, I was confident that with enough attempts, I could handle anything, so I returned my focus to preparing for a small feast with the people of Northwood Valley.
A short while later, we all sat around tables that had been pulled out into the middle of the street and lit with candles. Everyone in town was there. Straya, the innkeeper, had admonished Bella and then hugged her tightly, and the blacksmith again pressed his offer to shoe the family horse. This time, Darla heard, and she was quick to accept his generosity. Nora, the store owner, had brought a jug of wine to share, and we all got tipsy from the fruity beverage. Mayor Aldemar even seemed to relax a little, and his easy smile encouraged everyone to have a good time.
Everyone came up to thank me for finding Bella at some point during the meal, and I got to surprise them with my knowledge of the town and the people who lived there. I already knew everyone’s name, and I got some awed expressions out of my rapt audience befo
re I’d finished eating.
It was the perfect way to end an exhausting day, and I couldn’t be happier.
Elissa sat by my side all night long, and she shot me blatant winks the entire time we ate our dinner. It was obvious what was on her mind, and she licked and bit her lips seductively to confirm my suspicions.
“I’d like to give you a reward myself,” she murmured in my ear as she licked my lobe.
“I’ve been waiting for you to say that all night long,” I informed her with a cocky grin.
“Then let’s not wait any longer,” she purred in my ear.
We snuck away from the table, but I caught Mahini’s piercing blue gaze on my way out. A smile tugged on the desert goddess’ lips, and she winked.
This world was fucking awesome.
I followed the tiny red-haired goddess to our room in the inn, but the second the bedroom door fell shut, I had her dress pulled off, and she stood naked before me. I paused a moment to take in her perfect little body, from her perky breasts with the rosy pink nipples to the gentle sway of her narrow hips, and I finished by admiring the fiery fuzz above her soft mound.
“You’re perfect,” I breathed as I took her in my arms and seized her mouth in a passionate kiss. Our tongues danced together knowingly, and the familiar taste of my wife caused my body to respond immediately. My bulge rubbed against the restriction of my pants and demanded release, but Elissa was already pulling at the straps of my shirt.
“I need you to be naked for your reward,” she teased as she lifted my shirt up over my head, and she discarded it with a flick of her wrist. “I think I’d like to show you what I’ve learned.”
“Oh?” I arched one eyebrow as I unfastened my pants.
Elissa silently gestured to my boots with an expectant expression, so I dutifully kicked them off. My belt with the weapons attached was next, and then I let my breeches fall to my ankles.
I stood erect and throbbing before my wife, and she licked her lips with obvious hunger as she ran her eyes down my body.
“Like what you see?” I asked, and she nodded as she lowered herself to her knees.
“I love it,” she purred, and the vibration of her lips against my throbbing cock was almost more than I could bear.
