“Aw, fuck me,” Gilbert whispered, barely audible.
“You’re only human,” I whispered back.
It would be no surprise if Niko had been one of Gilbert’s first crushes, whether or not it was reciprocal. The man oozed sexuality.
“But—”
“You’re not cheating on Rin.”
He glared back like, Of course I’m fucking cheating on Rin. But then he seemed resigned to it, and led me over to the bed. His hand guided me to sit, and then lay back, and he stirred my sigil again and did some teasing things with his tongue while I watched Niko strip. I’d never had two orgasms in one night before; I was embarrassed to say that I didn’t even know it was possible, but it was quickly becoming clear that if I didn’t have two orgasms tonight I was going to murder everyone.
Niko prowled over, watching us for a moment. I’ll be honest, considered that Forrest was a big guy with a pretty intense cock, and Niko was even taller, I was afraid of what I was in for, but Forrest was still winning that contest by a hair. I was totally cool with that. I’d had a few nightmares that each guardian was going to get taller and more endowed until the fourth one just plain split me in half. Niko would not give any girl complaints. He definitely looked like he knew it, too. He was enjoying having my eyes on him.
“Ready for me, darling?” He slid in next to me and his hand slid up my leg, my hip, and to my left breast. Gilbert was sliding his tongue on my right breast. I twitched my hips, wanting someone to pay attention to the desperate throbbing there. I would’ve thought that this climbing, yearning sensation would be more muted after I’d already climaxed once, but no—it was worse.
Niko swept a hand to my pelvis and pulled me up, away from Gilbert, so my knees and elbows dug into the bedspread. I couldn’t see Niko now, but I knew he was right back there. “Please,” I breathed.
His cock dove into me with a little bit of pain—that first stroke always seemed to hurt—but even more pleasure and relief. I dug my fingers into the bedspread. I could feel magic flooding out of me and into him. “Oh, gods…”
“Give her your cock, Gil,” Niko said.
“I—that’s your channel.“
“You have my permission, then.”
The truth was, I had never pleasured Gilbert in any way. He expertly used his mouth and hands to bring pleasure to me, and then he turned to Rin. I knew this was how he managed to keep his life segmented between the man he loved and the girl he had to be with.
I also had this feeling that Niko guessed all of this. He wasn’t offering this out of benevolence. He was asserting control over both of us.
“What’s wrong?” Niko asked. “Don’t tell me you don’t want it.”
I could feel Niko inside me, each stroke of his manhood in perfect time, melting me from the inside out. I could hardly speak. But I was looking at Gilbert.
“I do,” he said, reaching for my face. He dug a hand into my hair and I leaned into his touch.
Gilbert slipped out of his trousers, his fair skin as flushed as mine, and I reached for him, running my hands down his thighs. He was so beautiful, my Gilbert. Right now I felt totally uninhibited and in love with everyone. I reached for his hand and touched his palm to my sigil again, sighing as I felt the flow of magic grow even stronger. They were draining the life out of me and it felt so good.
I wet my lips as the desire was building and building inside me, and I urged Gilbert’s hips to slide closer to me. It didn’t seem unpleasant now. The things Niko was doing to me made me hungry, and I wanted to deepen Gilbert’s blush. I was lost in it. Absurdly, I wanted to impress Niko. “You’re mine, Gilbert,” I said, almost drowsily, before I licked the underside of his shaft, and then I wrapped my mouth around him, swirling my tongue around the tender head.
Niko fucked me harder, spurring me on to take Gilbert deeper, and I heard Gilbert’s breathing quicken. He spread his legs a little wider and my hands eagerly touched the soft, delicate skin around his balls and inner thighs as I tried to take his whole shaft in my mouth. I didn’t even gag. Every part me of me felt warm and powerful, like I could do anything, like I could keep giving of myself and always have more.
“Phoebe…Phoebe…”
Gilbert groaned as he came into my mouth, at the same time I started falling into a climax that seemed to last absolutely forever. It was so full bodied and good, it was like sinking into a hot bath. I moaned as their seed filled me. I felt like my entire body was sinking into the bed, down, down, until I imagined myself swallowed in the mattress. When it was all over and Niko pulled out of me, I just collapsed. I don’t think I could have moved if I tried. I was vaguely conscious of Gilbert trying to wipe off my mouth.
“Swallow next time, Phoebe. Less mess,” Niko said. I heard him pick up his clothes. My eyes wouldn’t even stay open. I felt Gilbert pull my limp body against him and kiss my hair before he covered me with the blankets, and at that point, me and the waking world were done for a while.
Chapter Sixteen
When I woke up, I think it was some early hour of the morning. The light was thin and gloomy. Gilbert was still holding me, sleeping beside me. He looked amazing. I hardly knew how to describe it, it was like he was cast in sunlight that wasn’t there. His skin was practically glowing from within. I was weak and wobbly. This was the first time I’d been penetrated by two of my guardians at once, and it was definitely having an effect on me, like Gilbert had sucked up my life’s essence and now he was glowing while I was a wreck.
Last night, it was amazing. This morning, I felt irritated again. Was it really fair that they got to drain the life out of me? It didn’t help thinking back on how Niko treated me, bossing me around like that. I hated how much it had turned me on. I should be above that sort of thing, shouldn’t I?
Where was Niko, anyway? We were in his bed but there was no sign of him, not even an indent on the empty pillow next to me.
I lifted Gilbert’s hand off my shoulder. He stirred a little. “Are you okay, Phoebe?” he murmured.
“I’m fine.”
“Las’ night was crazy… Phoebe. You’re so beautiful.”
“It’s early,” I said. “You can keep sleeping.”
He clutched my hand. “I’ve been looking for you always. Always. You’ve haunted my dreams. I couldn’t see your face. I never knew.”
He sounded like he was still half in dreams. I smoothed his forehead and his eyes immediately shut.
I was glad to have him there, though.
I slipped out of bed. I didn’t see my clothes, but two robes, one small and one larger, were hanging on a hook on the door. I guess they were for me and Gilbert, because I didn’t see Gilbert’s clothes either. Niko probably had people to do his laundry every day.
I walked over to the window and looked out. The view wasn’t great until I looked past the dirty street below and the warehouses to the harbor, full of tall masts and gray-blue water in the distance.
Niko’s older copy of the book was sitting open at the table in his room, with a glass of melted ice. So he’d had another drink and read the book. I looked at what he’d been reading. The chapter about monsters. That one had been boring to me; I mean, the last thing anyone wanted to read about was how bad monsters were. We all knew.
The priestess must be protected at all costs. Without her, the land would be overrun with monsters. The two Shadow Guardians have the blood of monsters inside them, which allows them the power to seal the gate, but the Elders regulate their powers her guardians will not hurt her.
Another mention of Shadow Guardians. My book never said anything about Shadow Guardians. I wondered if maybe priestesses of the past had been frightened by the idea of the Shadow Guardians with their monster blood, so the Elders just took it out of the book. If the Elders were already binding their blood, there was no need to know, I guess.
But the Elders had lost their power these days. I didn’t know if anyone could protect me from Niko if he turned into a monster. I didn’t even know
for sure if we could make it into the Palace of Stones for the confirmation ceremony.
Where was Niko now? Had he ever come to bed?
I glanced around. A nondescript door was open on the far wall; I thought it was a closet but now I noticed a stairwell. I climbed the metal stairs, my quivery knees protesting every step, until I came out onto the roof of the building. Niko was standing up there, looking out at the harbor with his hands in his pockets.
“Good morning,” he said, without looking back at me.
I don’t know why I wanted to find him anyway. He wasn’t very welcoming.
“That is the flagship of the Black Army,” he said, pointing. “Claire de Lune. Such a romantic name for a warship, isn’t it? When she’s in the harbor, my girls don’t get to leave. But I’m sure she’ll be gone again before long, to her next conquest. What is left, at this point? Just little kingdoms to pick off.”
I could see some of the sails and the crest: a moon that was almost new, with a crown of five stars. “So that’s the commander’s ship?”
“Yes. We’ll have to be very careful. Abelard’s ability to sniff out trouble is uncanny.”
“Mm…”
Niko finally looked at me. He was barefoot, wearing an unbuttoned and untucked shirt. He still managed to look very authoritative. “Did you sleep, my pet?”
“I’m not a pet.”
“All right, I see. You’re that kind of girl.”
“The kind of girl who doesn’t want to be your pet? Yes. Exactly. I’m very important. If I die, you die. But if you die, I don’t die unless you’re my last guardian. So there.”
He laughed hoarsely. “I read that.”
“And you’re a Shadow Guardian,” I added. “So I already know I have to be careful with you.”
“Everyone does,” he said, like he was hardly even talking to me. “I’m a dangerous man. And Gilbert knows, I was a dangerous child as well.”
I wasn’t sure if he was saying that to frighten me and get rid of me, or if he was inviting me to ask more questions, but he couldn’t scare me that easily. “How long did you and Gilbert do your…thieving thing?”
“Let’s see…he was eight. I have never known exactly how old I was. But let’s say twelve. We kept it up until he was fifteen, at which point he went on to other things and I soon lost track of him.”
“So seven years. That’s a pretty long time.”
“People used to ask me, why are you helping that fruity little blonde kid? Sometimes I hardly knew myself. I suppose I sensed the connection. Gilbert was tougher than people gave him credit for. He was useful to me. And Astria liked him.”
“Where did you get that painting of the winged cats and the dragons?” I asked.
“Some auction,” he said. “It’s very old. There are no dragons now. Just monsters.” He took a step toward me now. “Would you like any breakfast, Phoebe?”
“Maybe just coffee…”
“I’ll have some sent to your room.”
“Will you join me?”
“No,” he said. “I have business to attend to. Spies and messengers to coordinate. Favors to call in, perhaps. Getting you to the Elders under the nose of the commander will not be an easy task.”
“I see,” I said, disappointed. I wanted to crack Niko’s veneer of mystery, but I suppose he wasn’t going to make it easy on me.
When I came back down, Gilbert was sitting up in bed, looking more aware, and Rin looked like he had just walked in the door. Rin was fully dressed. Gilbert looked sheepishly at both of us and glanced at the robe.
“This?” Rin asked, lifting it off the hook.
“Yes,” Gilbert said.
Rin walked over and held it out. Gilbert grabbed it. Rin took his hand back. He looked down at Gilbert as he thrust his hands through the sleeves.
“Good time last night?” Rin asked.
Gilbert flushed. “Let’s not do this.”
“I’m going to go find some coffee,” I said, heading for the door quickly.
“Wait,” Gilbert said. “Phoebe, wait. It’s all right. Rin, it was just—it was just Phoebe. She was the only one who touched me. Let’s forget last night and have some breakfast.”
“Who is this Niko guy?” Rin demanded. “It’s not just the fact of last night. You’ve been acting a little strange around him. You’re attracted to him.”
“No. It’s not that.” Gilbert clutched his head. “It’s just getting very real.”
“Yes…” Rin looked at me.
“I really don’t want to be a problem,” I said, but I had a feeling it was too late. I was definitely a problem. Rin and Gilbert shared an ordinary romance, and maybe it couldn’t hold up to magical bonds. But it was also probably more real than what I had with any of these guys, because it happened without magic.
I felt guilty. Super guilty.
And…sad.
Luckily one of the servants came with the coffee. Gilbert and Rin went back to their room; hopefully to patch things up and not just to argue. I didn’t want to lose Rin; he was a powerful ally and I liked him, too. I drank my coffee alone. At least it was really, really good coffee. I wouldn’t be surprised if the coffee in Istim was cut with something native to this continent. Like crushed rocks. Someone pounded on the door as I was—I’m embarrassed to say—actually licking the mug.
“Forrest?” I opened it. I already knew it was him. Niko wouldn’t knock on his own door, and Rin wouldn’t pound like a barbarian.
“I didn’t think I’d find you awake,” Forrest said.
“I shouldn’t be. I’m tired,” I said. “But when I saw Niko wasn’t here, I wondered where he was, and I started looking over the old copy of the book, and I guess I couldn’t sleep anymore.”
“I’m going back to the restaurant this morning to see if I can wrangle any more information about Uncle Roderick,” he said. “If you’re up to it—”
“I’d love to come. But I don’t know where my clothes went…”
A rather hollow voice piped up in the distance, “I have a dress for you, miss, as requested by Master Niko. I also have male clothing for your companion Gilbert.”
“Heh,” Forrest said. “Even the robot won’t let Gilbert live that down. Get dressed, then. I don’t want to wait. The Black Army’s flagship is in the harbor. We need to get to the Elders as soon as possible. Where the hell is Niko, anyway? I hope he’s getting answers.”
“He is.” I changed into the dress, an elegant white and gold sundress that still wasn’t my style but was definitely very “capital rich bitch out on the town”. We slipped out the door while the rest of the building still seemed to be sleeping. I kept yawning too. My whole body was dragging. Forrest was obviously in a hurry to get back to his family. He kept walking ahead of me and stopping when he realized I had to catch up, which wasn’t like him at all. Usually he would hardly let me cross a puddle without supervision.
I finally had to catch his hand in mine. “Slow down…please. I’m sorry.”
“You look pale… He didn’t hurt you last night, did he?”
“No. He just—drained my magic. And so did Gilbert. And I guess tonight it will be your turn.”
He huffed. “I don’t want it to be like that.”
“Can I at least get my knife?” I asked.
“Of course. We could stop in right after—”
But then I frowned. “You know what? Never mind. Whatever I did last night, Gilbert was actually glowing this morning while he slept. I mean, literally. Like he sucked up my powers and it made him glow. And I’m a wreck. Asking for a knife is like asking for a teddy bear to fight monsters under the bed while I’m sleeping. You guys can fight for me to save the world, but I’m pretty sure the priestess could be in a coma the whole time.”
“That’s not true.” Sir Forrest kept ahold of my hand. “You keep us all together. I’m sure fate chose you, and you alone, for a reason. You’re easy to love.”
“Aw, well…yeah.”
“Yeah?”
He snorted.
“Sure, I was selected to be a Strawberry Girl, I know I’m charming.” My brief grin waned to another sigh. “I guess I was just hoping to be something more for once.”
“You’ll never stop wanting more…” He trailed off, looking ahead. Ma’s Homemade Noodles was closed. I’m not sure if it was supposed to be open at seven in the morning anyway, but there was also a piece of paper pinned to the door.
Ma’s Homemade Noodles will be closed this week. Our beloved “Gran”, Katarina Argrave, passed away in her sleep last night. Thank you for your support. The wake will be tomorrow with the funeral the next morning.
Forrest slapped his glove against the door and made a choked sound.
“Oh, no…” I breathed.
“I killed her,” he said. “I killed her.”
“What? What are you talking about? You didn’t kill her!”
“She—she was waiting to give me that necklace and then she died.”
“Well, that doesn’t mean you killed a ninety-five year old woman… It means you came just in time.” But a lump rose into my throat as he pounded on the door. “Catherine! Arlen!” he shouted to the upper windows. “It’s Forrest!”
A second later, they had come down to let him in. Everyone looked like they hadn’t slept. Eyes were red.
“Gosh, I’m so sorry, Forrest—don’t blame yourself—”
“Right after you left—”
“She just went to sleep, it was very peaceful. It wasn’t really a surprise. I think she was holding on to see you, even if she thought you were Roderick.”
“That necklace she gave me that belonged to Roderick,” Forrest said. “Does anyone know anything about it?”
“Nothing more than what she said. It was for his girlfriend at the time. Margaret. Why? Was there something about it?”
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