by Jules River
Once inside, the eight of them stood together for a few minutes; the group had received many admiring looks as they walked into the party. It was safe to say they did not go unnoticed. After scoping out the room and its occupants, they paired up to go in different directions to mingle. Faye and Cenric went in search of Walt Samuels to try to trade their geisha's journal for his book of spells. Lyra dragged Dunstin off, with Olivia Sugarson in her sights. It was payback time, and Lyra couldn’t wait to subject Dunstin to Olivia’s pawing, petting, and overpowering perfume. Not that it wasn’t a lovely perfume, mind you, she just used enough to make your eyes burn. Mira and Warin looked for Teddy Highton, hoping to tempt him with the final piece for his collection. And Steven and Todd kept an eye out for anyone else who might have information they needed. Later they were all going to look for Dr. Campbell, and compare notes on their progress.
After mingling for a few minutes, Faye found Walt Samuels. Faye was happy to locate him so quickly; she did not like the interested looks and attention Cenric was getting from the other women, and wanted to leave the party as soon as possible.
Faye and Walt exchanged greetings, “Walt, it’s so nice to see you. Walt Samuels, this is Cenric Faust.” Cenric gave her a warm look when she said his full name, unaware she even knew it until now, as he shook Walt’s extended hand. Walt smiled as he replied, “Ah, Faust, meaning Fist. I’d say that suits a man with fists as large as yours,” noting Cenric’s hand. “It is a pleasure to see you, my dear Faye, and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance...Cenric was it?” Cenric nodded, “Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you as well.”
They made small talk for a few moments, then Faye brought up her reason for seeking him out. “Walt, my sister recently came across an interesting journal, it’s from a rather well-known geisha, and I was wondering if you might like to make a trade?” She could not help but notice he perked up at the mention of the journal.
Walt took a moment to reply, not wanting to seem too eager. “Well, my dear, what exactly did you have in mind?” Faye leaned in, “I am looking for a particular book of spells,” then waited to see his reaction. Walt thought for a moment. “Send me the details and I will look into it for you. I would not be opposed to an exchange.” With that, they talked about the event they were attending and then they wandered apart.
As Faye and Cenric mingled their way across the room to Dr. Campbell, satisfied with their discussion with Walt Samuels, Cenric wrapped his arm around her waist possessively, and spoke softly, “I did not know you knew my surname; I liked hearing it from your lips. That is not all I will hear from your lips this night, Faye,” his eyes promised. “I will hear you moan, and scream your pleasure. I will leave you breathless.” He had her insides fluttering and bumps rising on her skin. Nervously she reminded him, “I have already told you that I’m not having sex with you unless we know each other better.”
He smiled, “There are other ways to pleasure you without having sex with you.” Relieved, she said, “Oh, yes, I know. I just thought you planned on more than messing around.” He had a frown on his face as he stopped her, and turned her toward him, “What do you mean ‘you know’? You told me you were a virgin.” She lightly laughed, “Of course I am, I wouldn’t lie about that, but I have messed around some before.”
Cenric saw red at the thought of some other man “messing around” with his woman. He growled, “Have you messed around with Steven?” Faye giggled, “No, silly.” “Who, then?” he growled as his hands tightened on her hips. Faye realized how upset he was and tried to soothe him. “It was a long time ago, a guy in college, it was nothing serious. Really, it didn’t mean anything.” Cenric was still seething, but she stroked his arm and tried to soothe him, he realized, and that pleased him. So he calmed himself and vowed to erase any other guys from her mind. He pulled her close and gave her a soft lingering kiss, then continued to walk with her.
Mira and Warin slowly made their way around the perimeter of the party in search of Teddy Highton, her father’s colleague, stopping to chat with people along the way. The women were eager to meet Warin and gain his attention, much to Mira’s annoyance. One extremely aggressive woman attached herself to Warin’s arm and did not seem as if she would let go, even rubbing her nearly exposed breasts against his tuxedo-clad arm. Mira was about to grab her by her overdone hair and rip her and her fake boobs off of Warin, when he smoothly extracted himself and pulled Mira into his arms, giving her a quick, hard kiss on the lips before moving along.
They eventually found Teddy Highton, who brightened at their sight. “Mira! It has been too long. How are you and your sisters?” He hugged her and kissed her cheeks warmly. “We are doing just fine, thank you. You are looking well. Teddy, I would like to introduce you to Warin Faust.” Warin extended his hand, “It is a pleasure meeting a friend of Mira's.” “Likewise, young man,” and to Mira, “How is your search coming along? Are you still carrying on your father’s work?”
Mira explained, “Yes, actually I wanted to speak to you about that. We need your help finding a resurrection talisman. I can make it worth your while -- you are missing one piece of your collection, and I am sure we can help each other.” She gave him a meaningful look, letting him know she had the piece he wanted. Teddy gave her a shrewd look in return. “I believe you are serious, Mira. I certainly hope so. I think we can indeed help each other. I will be in touch very soon.” Then he left them alone.
Warin asked Mira, “Do you think he knows anything?” Mira reflected, “If he doesn’t, he will do his best to find out something, just to get his hands on the last piece to his collection. I think this is a good start.” As they started meandering around the room toward Dr. Campbell, Warin caressed her bare lower back with his hand, occasionally slipping his finger slightly below to hook around the strap of her thong, keeping her acutely aware of him. Which was exactly what he meant to do. He wanted Mira to be as aroused as he was, and just maybe she would end their suffering sooner, rather than later; but end it she would, either on her terms or his.
Lyra was almost dragging Dunstin around until she found Olivia Sugarson. Once she spotted Olivia, Lyra stopped and turned toward Dunstin. She stood on her tiptoes and reached up, putting her hands on either side of his face, and pulled him down so her lips could reach his ear. Dunstin immediately grabbed her waist, pulled her closer, then froze, and waited to see what she would do. Lyra paused for a second when his hands possessively grabbed her, then continued with her lips nearly touching him as she whispered in his ear, “Remember, you must be nice to Olivia while I ask her. I mean it, Dunstin, be very nice.” Dunstin’s hands tightened when Lyra’s breath touched his ear; he was aroused instantly. When she began to pull away he stopped her, putting his lips to her ear, “You’re killing me, kona. Soon.” And he nipped her earlobe before he let her go with a gasp.
Lyra composed herself and walked up to Olivia, hugging her as they air-kissed. “Olivia, you are looking as lovely as ever. Olivia Sugarson, have you met Dunstin Faust?” She tugged Dunstin forward in introduction, and he lifted Olivia’s hand, saying, “It is an honor to meet a lady such as you,” before kissing her hand lightly.
Olivia smiled broadly and looked him up and down hungrily. “Oh, what a handsome, virile gentleman,” she cooed to Dunstin as she moved closer to him, putting her hands on his chest, batting her false eyelashes up at him. Dunstin stiffened, and his eyes started to sting from her overwhelming perfume. Lyra took this moment to talk. “Dunstin is searching for information on an ancient Roman sorcerer. I’m sure he would be more than willing to compensate you,” she suggested with a huge smile on her face, “if you could give him substantial help on the matter.” Dunstin gave Lyra a quick glare and looked back at Olivia, who had started rubbing her hands on his chest and was trying to get under his jacket.
Lyra tried hard not to burst out laughing at the panicked look on Dunstin’s face when Olivia purred, “Oh, I will move heaven and earth to get the information you need. I’m sure
you can compensate a woman very well, Dunstin, my darling.” She started to run her hands down his chest and around his waist to his backside and just when she was about to grab his rear, he caught her hands and brought them around to his lips and kissed her hands and said, “Yes, a compensation will be forthcoming,” then he gave Lyra a look that said she would be the one compensating him! Already Olivia had her hands free and was moving them up his forearms to his biceps, squeezing and making light moaning sounds, “Ooh, so manly, you remind me of my third husband.” Then she pulled a business card from the daring neckline of her gown and quickly slipped her fingers inside the front of his pants, leaving the warm card behind. She slowly removed her fingers, walked them up the center of his body to his face, tapped her finger to his bottom lip, and batted her lashes up at him again while she said, “Call me with the details, handsome, you’ve got my card.” She turned around, walked off a few steps, and playing the femme fatale for all she was worth, looked over her shoulder and said, “I’ll be waiting,” leaving a cloud of fumes in her wake.
Dunstin gave a full-body shudder as he came out of his shock, then turned to Lyra as anger glinted in his eyes. Lyra, quick on the uptake, had already turned in the opposite direction and was weaving her way through the crowd, laughing as she tried to lose Dunstin. Just when she thought it was safe to turn around and see how much distance she had put between them, she was slammed into from behind by a large hard body, arms snaking around her waist and propelling her out of the crowd, stopping behind a large statue in a dimly lit alcove. Then she was spun around, a hand fisted in the hair at her nape, as Dunstin tilted her head far back. He pushed her up against the wall, pinned her with his body, shielded from view by his bulk.
They stared at each other and as his lips touched hers, he breathed, “You have been begging for this all evening, Lyra,” then he kissed her deeply and a little roughly. He was wound so tight, he was trying not to break. Dunstin was ravishing her mouth, but she was right there with him, kissing him back and whimpering at the effect he was having on her. The sounds she made, the way she moved her hands along his chest inside his jacket, had him filling his hands with her tight, little ass. He squeezed, lifted her up to him, and ground against her. He was just moving his hand further down her body to her thigh, lifting the short hem of her dress to get her panties off, when he was roughly cuffed on the shoulder. Warin quietly said, “Dun, not here, brother. Calm yourself and your woman, then come find us.” Dunstin only growled while he continued kissing Lyra. He heard Mira telling Warin to get him off her sister, before their steps receded. Dunstin did move his hand from Lyra’s rear to her waist; he slowed and lightened the kiss, sipping from her lips, loosening his hand from her hair, stroking her head and face. “Lyra, you’re killing me, kona. We must meet the others.”
That was like pouring ice water over her. Lyra jerked her head away, with huge passion-glazed eyes and a look of embarrassed panic on her beautiful face. “Calm yourself, Lyra, we have done nothing wrong.” He gently took hold of her chin, forcing her to look at him, “No one has seen us, if that is what worries you. We can go find the others when you are ready.” Looking at her swollen lips, thinking how beautiful she was after her loss of control with him, Dunstin clenched his teeth as he tried not to give in and kiss her again. He ran his thumb over her bottom lip, “Are you ready to find the others?” Lyra nodded her head. Dunstin slowly leaned back, sliding his hands down her arms to hold her hands. She pulled one of her hands out of his and smoothed her hair and dress, before lightly running shaking fingers over her trembling lips, a look of wonder on her delicate features. It took all his willpower to resist her appeal and lead her out of the alcove and back into the party.
Dunstin and Lyra were the last to meet up with the group. Dr. Campbell saw her and immediately stopped talking to the others and stepped up to give Lyra a huge hug. “Young lady, you are a sight for sore eyes! I have not seen you in two years.” She smiled at him when he released her from the hug and said, “As are you, Dr. Campbell. I have missed you so much; emails are just not same!” She kissed both his cheeks fondly. Dunstin cleared his throat, and Lyra blushed. “Dr. Campbell, I'd like you to meet Dunstin Faust. Dunstin, this is Dr. Herbert Campbell, a dear family friend.” Dunstin reached for Lyra, pulled her close, and reached out to shake hands with Dr. Campbell. The move was not missed, but he just smiled and shook Dunstin's hand, “You had better take good care of my girl here, she is like a granddaughter to me, young man. They all are.” He gave Warin and Cenric meaningful looks as well.
“I intend to,” and he gave Lyra a squeeze. She was blushing furiously by this point, so to change the subject, she blurted, “Dunstin made contact with Olivia...or rather, Olivia made contact with him.” She smiled deviously, and Dunstin glowered at her, then reached into the front of his pants and pulled out a business card. Cedric asked, “Did you not realize you have pockets in your pants?”
Dunstin gave him a dirty look, “I did not put it there.” Lyra burst out laughing and told them what happened with Olivia. They were all laughing so hard as she described his first encounter with Olivia, that even Dunstin began laughing. By the time she finished telling the story, the people around them were giving them odd looks. After they calmed their laughter, Todd and Steven told them about the contacts they had made and the people they had talked to as well. Mira beamed, “Well, I think this was a promising night. We should be hearing something back from everyone in the next few days, I would imagine, since everyone was so...motivated.” At that they all looked at Dunstin and started chuckling again.
Dr. Campbell told them, “I will look into all of the issues we talked about and get back to you if I come up with anything. It was lovely to see you ladies, and gentlemen, it was nice meeting you, but I must be going. It is too late for an old man like myself. Good evening.” The three sisters gave him hugs goodbye.
After he left, Warin pulled Mira closer to his side and said, “It is time for us to take our leave as well.” She moved her head in silent agreement as she stifled a yawn. They all agreed it was time to go, and headed for the exit.
The brothers were eager to return to the castle, thinking this was definitely going to be a promising night.
Chapter 12
When the sisters got into the stretch limo, they moved to the front, to the far corner of the semi-circular seating area, sitting closely together with arms linked. When the brothers got in they were forced to sit away from them or make a scene, so they chose to sit together in the very back and talk as well. Todd and Steven were the last to get in so they sat together between the sisters and the brothers. In the darkness, the three groups spoke quietly among themselves.
Mira looked to Lyra, and in hushed tones asked, “Are you OK? Are you able to handle Dunstin?” She gave her hand a little squeeze of support, referring to the make-out scene she had interrupted earlier.
“Yes, but he has this effect on me that...I don’t know, he just makes me lose control. Mostly I don’t like it, but it is thrilling, if you know what I mean. I have never felt like this before,” Lyra grumbled.
Faye agreed, “I know what you mean, they are infuriating, sexy, cocky, demanding, possessive, and so damn in-your-face male! It just throws all your senses out of whack. I feel like my body sparks, then I short-circuit in such a delicious way when Cenric touches me.”
“Well, I’m certainly not alone then,” Mira said, continuing, “I was just worried about you, Lyra, since you can be somewhat of a touch-me-not at times, and with them being so demanding, I hoped you were not freaking out. If you need help, you know we are always here for you. If he gets to be too much, we will figure out some other arrangement. With the shock of them coming to life, we have kinda been letting them get away with doing what they want, but we do not have to let that continue if we don’t want it to.”
Lyra nodded her head in agreement, “Yes, they were a shock, and you’re right, we have let them get away with things that we would never let anyone else
get away with, ever, but I’m doing all right. I will let you know if we need to do something different.”
Faye agreed, “I think we are all doing fine with them, but I do think tonight might be very difficult to keep them at bay, if we even want to…” she trailed off in contemplation of her own desires. “Hey, we should really think about protection. I mean, I doubt they know about protection yet.” They all quickly peeked at the brothers. Mira questioned, “Aren’t we all on the pill already to regulate our periods and cut down on the bitchiness?”
“Do you take yours faithfully, every day? I know I miss some sometimes. It would be safer to use condoms for a while until we are regularly taking the pill,” Faye stated matter-of-factly. Mira and Lyra both agreed. Lyra said, “I will take care of condoms tomorrow as well as phones and a few other necessities they will need very soon.”
Faye worried, “But what about tonight?” Mira said, “Well, we must all hold out again. There is simply no other option.” Silently, each of the sisters wondered how she was going to manage that feat.
***
Todd asked Steven, “How long do you think it will be before we all need to go in different directions to follow up on any leads we will get from tonight?”