by Naomi Sparks
I have no idea how long the two of us stay like that, suspended in our mutual pleasure. All I know is it wasn't nearly long enough. Soon, I collapse back onto the bed. I gasp for air, my entire body burning and aching now. It feels like a semi-truck just ran me over, then backed up and did it again. But even with that, I stare up at the ceiling and grin like a fool.
Jerrick rolls over, a sense of loss going through me as his cock slides out of me. But before I can so much as whimper, he pulls me against him again. I sigh and lean against him, feeling his juices between my legs. I giggle and wiggle my butt against him. "Sorry. You might need to change your sheets. I think they're a little wet."
"I don't care," Jerrick says simply, pulling me tighter against his body. I snuggle up against him, closing my eyes and letting myself relax. I know I should go downstairs, back to the couch. But I can't bring myself to move, can't pull myself away from him. I let my eyes close and drift off to sleep.
Jerrick shifts and wakes me at some point. It's still dark, the bed still damp from my juices. I slip out from under his arm, then slide off the bed, doing my best not to wake him. I search around in the dark until I find my clothes, then slip out of the room. I make my way down the hall, hoping no one else is awake yet as I creep through the house nude, clutching my clothing to my chest.
Once I'm back downstairs, I pull my shirt on and dig out a clear pair of underwear and pants from the clothes Hannah and Kyra had gotten me. Then I lay down on the couch again, closing my eyes and trying to drift back to sleep. But before it can overtake me again, a sharp pain shoots through my stomach. It knocks the air from my lungs, and I squeeze my eyes shut.
Oh God, I think to myself as the pain arcs through my body. In the same way pleasure had ripped me apart earlier, now a deep pain is doing the same thing. After a long couple minutes, the pain passes. I go limp on the couch as I struggle to breathe again, then reach up and wipe the sweat from my brow. Part of me wants to go back upstairs, wants to wake Jerrick up and have him comfort me, but I don't dare.
I don't want him to know what's going on.
Eventually, I'm able to fall back asleep, though it's much more fitful this time. The moment the first person comes down the stairs, I'm wide awake again, my entire body feeling like I hadn't slept at all. The pain is back, though not quite as intense this time. I'm able to suffer through it as Galen appears at the bottom of the stairs.
"Sorry, did I wake you?" he asks, looking sheepish.
I shake my head and smile at him. "I've been awake for a few minutes. Are you making breakfast?" He nods, and I add, "Mind if I help you?" I'm not much of a cook, but I figure doing something might help me at least take my mind off the constant ache in my stomach.
When everyone finally fills the small kitchen, I can't help but glance over at Jerrick every so often. The memory of him naked and on top of me is still seared into my mind, and I can't stop thinking about it. But when I glanced over at Hannah, I notice her watching me with an odd expression on her face. I can't get any thoughts from her though, not with my powers having faded from being away from Amasis's venom and the number of people so close.
But once we sit down, I can't focus on my food. Every once in a while, I notice her watching me again. So, I close my eyes and focus on her, filtering out all the stray thoughts crowding my mind. One word comes through loud and clear. "Mates."
It takes a moment for my brain to process what she's thinking. Then, it clicks. She thinks Jerrick and I are mates. Is that possible? I wonder as I glance over at him. My heart beats faster as I think about that possibility, what it would be like to have a mate like Jerrick, to have some semblance of a normal life.
After breakfast, I pull Hannah aside and ask her why she thinks we might be mates. She doesn't even ask how I know what she was thinking. She just shrugs and smiles at me. "I've been with these guys for a little while now, and I've never seen Jerrick smile. At least, not really smile, where you can see he's happy. And today, I've seen him with a dopey, dreamy smile on his face no less than three times. And each time, it's when he was looking at you."
Color rises to my cheeks, and I struggle not to look away in embarrassment. "Really?"
Hannah nods. Then, she leans in and whispers, her voice barely audible. "And it sure sounded like you two were having a good bit of fun together last night!"
“Oh God,” I think. Can a hole just open up and swallow me now?
At the same time, I can't help but want that to be true. But deep down, I know I'll just end up back with Amasis eventually, probably forced to mate with Leon. Still, I like to imagine my life being simple, normal, even if it's only for a little while.
9
Jerrick
Hannah and Kyra keep Faith busy most of the day while we sit around making plans to get in and out of Amasis's stronghold with as little contact as possible. I don't mind having to fight some people, rip some heads off, and I know Galen won't mind it either. But Lex is right. A stealth mission has the best chance of success, rather than a full-on, very noisy, very bloody assault.
… No matter how badly we all want to kill Amasis and the rest of the council.
We spend most of the day planning, going over the map Lex drew out with Faith's help. Going in just after dark seems to be our best bet, he figures, and none of us disagree. The darkness won't inhibit us, nor any of Amasis's guys, but they'll also be less on guard, with any luck. Most of them should be asleep too, which gives us a better chance of getting in, finding Ida, and getting out before they realize we're even there.
Throughout the strategy meetings, I find myself thinking of Faith, remembering how good it felt to have her in my arms and in my bed. I'd been sad when I woke up and she was gone, but then I heard her downstairs with Galen, cooking, and I knew she was still here at least. And the more time I spend thinking about it, the more I don't want her to leave.
I push those thoughts from my head. This isn't the time to be thinking about that. I need to focus on the mission at hand. Everything else I can deal with afterwards.
We all give Lex the chance to stay behind, to watch after the girls, but he declines. He wants to be there with us, to help make sure we succeed in our mission. And I'm glad to have him there by my side as we approach the stronghold. The goal is to get in and out with minor conflicts, but if everything goes sideways, I'm glad we'll have his strength backing us up.
Plus, his ability to blend in makes it a lot easier to scout ahead for clear pathways. He's not quite undetectable, like Amasis's messenger boy had been, but it's enough for him to slip inside without being spotted. He'll go ahead, scout the way, then come back to guide us through. Thanks to all the information he got from Faith, it's easy enough to figure out where Amasis is most likely keeping Ida.
Just after midnight, we head out.
We park our bikes well off the road, in the woods, and luckily find no resistance in our short flight over the water and onto the island. Situated at the top of the largest hill on the island, I spot a large, three-story building with a tall perimeter fence and lighting all around. The stronghold.
We make our way around to a rear entrance, one which Faith pointed out to us as the easiest way in. There’s only a single guard. I watch as Lex camouflages himself, becoming practically invisible, and walks right over to the man. Seconds later, the guard is unconscious and sprawled out on the ground.
The stronghold is quiet as we sneak through the corridors, but I know it'll only take one wrong move before it's swarming with people. With dragons. And as much as I'm itching for a fight, I'm not about to be reckless and start one for no real reason. There's too much at stake here, and I'm not willing to put Ida's, or Faith's, life at risk just because I'm antsy.
When Lex raises his hand for us to stop, my senses go on high alert. If my memory is right, the room where they're keeping Ida should be around the next corner. I can hear movement though, and breathing, and my entire body goes tense. Everyone stays put, not moving a muscle, as Lex disappea
rs once again behind his magic. I wait, holding my breath, before he comes back holding up two fingers.
Heart pounding, I take a step forward. He looks me over with an odd look on his face, then finally sighs and nods. He holds up both hands, then flashes them twice, telling me to wait twenty seconds. After I nod, he disappears again. I step up to the corner and wait, taking deep breaths as I count down the time in my head.
I can feel everyone's tension behind me, and it puts me at ease. I'm confident I can take out both guys myself if I need to but knowing Lex will take one and I have the guys waiting just in case, makes me happy. Being a warrior doesn't mean having to do everything myself.
Five.... four.... three.... two... one....
I launch myself around the corner, straight at the guy closest to me. Before he can open his mouth and yell out, I'm on him. My left hand clamps over his mouth, my right hand squeezes his throat, and I push him down. At the same moment, Lex appears in front of the second guard, grabbing him the same way. The guard struggles for a few moments, then goes limp, and I let him drop to the floor.
Part of me yearns to kill him, knowing it's dangerous to leave an enemy alive, but I ignore that urge, not quite ready to kill a guy in cold blood like that.
I stay by the door on high alert, listening for any more signs of other guards, as Lex walks back to let the others know it's clear now. No one comes though and I can only hear a single person inside the room. Ida.
The others are with me in only moments. I nod toward the door and make a thumbs ups. The others smile, and I reach out to touch the doorknob. A slight turn of it tells me it's unlocked. I look up and meet Lex's gaze, and once he nods, I turn it and push the door slightly open. No alarms down, no traps spring, and I inch it farther and farther open until we can peer into the dark room.
There's a bed at the far side. Well, calling it a bed may be stretching it a bit. It's more of a cot, cheaply made and low to the ground. There's a small form on the bed, turned away from us. It's moving slightly, breathing, and we all exchange looks before slipping inside and closing the door behind us. Lex puts a hand on my shoulder, gently urging me forward, and I nod.
I'm the one who decided we needed to rescue Ida, so I should be the one to tell her we're here to get her out. And — it's only fair that if this is a trap, then I am the one who springs it.
Besides, whatever it is, I know we can handle it, with everyone at my side. But as I approach, it becomes obvious this isn't a trap. It really is Ida, at least from how Faith described her.
I gently put my hand on her shoulder, and she jumps awake, scrambling away. "Shhh," I say, keeping my voice low. "I'm not here to hurt you. Faith sent me."
"F...f...faith?" The old woman stammers as she looks up at me, the shock is clear on her face. She's frail looking, and it makes my blood boil to know Amasis is planning on torturing or even killing this poor woman. She doesn't deserve any of this. No one does. "Is she here?" This time, I can hear the fear in her voice. And it's not fear for herself. She's scared for her granddaughter.
I shake my head, though I'm not sure how much she can see in the dark. "She's safe. We came to get you out. But you have to trust us, okay?"
The woman nods, then tries to stand, but her legs are weak and shaky. I let out a sigh as I help her up. There's no way she has the strength to get out of here. If I wait and go at her pace, the whole compound will have time to be alerted. Once she's standing, I move in front of her, squat down, and glance over my shoulder. "Climb on. I'll carry you."
She blinks a few times but doesn't move. I can see her brain working, wondering if she really should do this, then she nods and takes a half step forward, putting her arms around my neck. I help her up onto my back, then stand up and walk over to the rest of the guys. Ida gasps, whether from just noticing the others or from how easy it is to carry her, I'm not sure.
"Let's go," I whisper to Lex, ready to get the heck out of here. The sooner I can get Ida back to the house, the sooner I'll be able to sit down and breathe.
"Stay between us," Lex instructs as he slides the door open and looks outside.
I nod and move so I'm in the middle of the group. I can handle myself in a fight, but not while I'm carrying Ida. If a fight breaks out, my job will get her away from it. She's our goal for this mission, and we can't risk her getting injured in a scuffle.
But with Lex acting as our advanced scout, we're able to get back out of the compound without raising any alarms. Either Amasis is getting lax on his security or he genuinely didn't except anyone to come for Ida. Did his lackeys not tell him we're in town? Did he just expect Faith to come crawling back to him?
Somehow we get out of there with no further contact. We’re back across the water and on our bikes within minutes.
The sky is still almost completely dark by the time we pull up back at the house. Ida is shaky, but she's smiling now, as I help her up the walkway. She may be getting up there in age for a human, but she's strong. She's a fighter. Just like Faith.
The girls are all waiting for us, even though we've been gone for hours. The moment the door opens, Faith runs over and wraps her arms around Ida. I can see tears sliding down her cheeks, but don't feel the need to comment on it. I can imagine just how emotional this reunion must be for her.
Faith helps her over to the couch and the two sit and talk. Hannah and Kyra stay with them, but the rest of us give them some space. Most of the guys head upstairs to get some sleep, but Lex and I both stay up, heading to the kitchen and sitting at the table. My entire body is still wound up, like I'm still waiting for the other shoe to fall.
"It feels like it was too easy, doesn't it?" Lex says, breaking the silence between us.
I smirk at him. "I thought Faith was the one who could read minds." But then, I nod. "I'll feel better once we get Ida away from here, where Amasis can't find her. Did Hannah clear it with her friend?"
Hannah still had friends back in her hometown, and she'd talked with one about sending Ida out there to stay. I have no idea what she told her friend, but at the end of the day I didn't really care just so long as Faith's grandmother is safe.
Lex nods, his eyes going toward the living room. "Yeah. We just have to get her on a bus."
"I don't want to leave you!" comes a shout from the living room.
Both Lex and I peek out to see Ida shaking her head as Faith holds her hands, pleading with her. "Please, Grandma. You have to go. It's the only way you'll be safe. If you go home, they'll just come back for you. Hannah's friend will take care of you until things die down."
"I saw what those guys can do. They've got magic or something. I don't want you to face that alone." She squeezes Faith's hands, looking her straight in the eyes. She's not freaked out, not panicking. She's worried about her granddaughter and wants to protect her. "I should be here with you, to help you."
"She won't be alone," I say, making the girls jump as they look over to where Lex and I are standing. "We'll be here with her. We won't let anyone hurt her anymore."
Ida looks over at me and the two of us lock gazes. I can see her studying me, thinking over what I've just said, what I offered. Finally, she lets out a sigh and nods before turning back to Faith. "I'm sorry, I've just been so worried about you. I always knew there was more to your 'intuition' than you let on."
Faith winces, then seems to grit her teeth as she nods. "I'm sorry for not telling you." Her words sound tense to me, but if anyone else notices, they don't say anything.
"It's okay, dear. I know how scared you must've been." She pats Faith's hands, smiling at her in a way only a grandmother can.
"We should let Ida get some sleep," Lex says, using the voice that doesn't leave room for argument. "She needs some rest before she heads out tomorrow.
Faith opens her mouth like she wants to argue, but then she closes it and nods. Something flashes across her face for the briefest moment, but I can't figure out what it is. "Lex is right. You need to rest, Grandma."
After a
bit of discussion and argument, Ida takes the couch and Faith follows me upstairs to my room. Both of us tried to suggest Ida take over my bed, but she wouldn't hear of it, insisting she's only old, not dead, and doesn't need to be handled with kid gloves. So I escort Faith upstairs to my room, my heart racing as I do so.
"I can sleep in the chair," I say, trying to be the gentleman. I want to sleep with her in my arms, but I don't want to presume, either.
Thankfully, Faith shakes her head. "We can share the bed." She smiles at me, then she averts her face. "I mean, if you want to...."
"I want to," I reply simply, and that's that. I take Faith hand, then lead her over to the bed, pulling her in with me. She giggles and crawls up next to me, then lays her head on my chest while I wrap my arms around her.
"Thank you," she says after a few moments of silence. "For taking care of me. For getting Ida out of there. For everything."
"Any time," I say, tightening my grip around her, and I mean it.
I must've drifted off to sleep after that, since the next thing I remember is light shining in through the window. It's still early, and the sun is barely peeking over the horizon, and I so desperately want to close my eyes and get some more sleep. But I know I need to get up and wake Faith so she can say goodbye to her grandmother.
She's still in my arms though, and I really don't want to wake her. She looks so peaceful, so sweet, and so innocent. It should be a crime to disturb someone like that. But I know I need to. She won't want to miss seeing her grandmother off.
"Faith," I whisper softly, gently nudging her.
It takes a moment for her to come back to reality, but when she does, she looks over at me and smiles. That simple action makes my heart rate quicken. It's that moment that I know this is something I can very easily get used to. She's not the first woman I've woken up with in my bed, but she's the first one in a very long time that's made me this happy with just a smile.