Muscled flesh filled my hands, and then I was eased back out of Rantin's kiss and onto the bed. My body was bare, but I wasn't nervous anymore; I was excited. And so were they; the men murmured compliments on my body and moaned in pleasure as the ground against me. Jolts of magic surged beneath my skin; tingling against the men in the ways they needed to be touched. I could tell where each of them was just by the response of my magic. Rantin was before me; my Air driving his Fire to furious heights. Marex was on my left; my magic watering his Earth into rich soil. And Crow was on my right; taking my Storm into himself with delight.
I opened my eyes and sighed. The massive muscles of Marex's body bulged against me from one side as Crow's lean physique leaned in against my other, and Rantin's sculpted, soldier's form covered me; his hips spreading my thighs. I ran my hands over their skin—from tawny to pale—and delighted in the different sensations.
Marex growled as he nuzzled my neck and then worked his way down to my breasts. I gasped as his mouth covered my nipple and began an ardent sucking. Tingles of pleasure shot out from that small spot to spread over my whole body. Crow took advantage of my parted lips and began kissing me while Rantin gave me a wicked look before moving down my belly.
I cried out into Crow's mouth as Rantin put his mouth on my sex; his tongue splitting me apart. Crow whispered something to me before he drew me back into our kiss, but I didn't hear his words. I was too focused on the ecstasy zipping through my body. Wet heat and roaming hands, hard muscles beneath my fingers, and male moans filling my ears. I could smell each of them distinctly; the metallic edge of Rantin, the clean wash of Crow, and Marex's earthy musk. They combined into the most luxurious aroma.
My legs began to shake as pleasure rose over me, but that was only the beginning. Rantin lifted himself, and the other men eased back. I opened my eyes to see Rantin's stunning face above me; a question in his eyes. I nodded, and he eased inside me.
I couldn't contain my cry, but Marex covered my mouth with his and drank it down. I moaned into him as Rantin ground into me, and Crow began administering to my other breast. Then Crow's nimble fingers slid down my belly and began circling the sensitive place at the apex of my womanhood. Ecstasy built; flesh within me, magic flowing back and forth among us, and love commanding our every move.
I could feel their emotions pressing in with their magic; a tidal wave of energy that filled me to bursting. I tore my mouth away from Marex to shout out with joy, rapture, and love. As I shivered through my release, I wondered if I'd ever feel so complete again. But I needn't have worried. I felt the same sublime passion two more times that night... and several times the next morning.
17
With our bond finally consummated, the relationship between my consorts and me blossomed. I started to sense them, even when they weren't nearby. This light perception developed into something much stronger, and all of us became aware of each other to the point where we knew the location of each of us at any given time, and we knew how we were feeling.
The onslaught of emotions was hard to deal with at first, but soon they softened and became a balm. If I started to have doubts or fears, I could simply focus on one of my men, and their resolve would steady me.
And then there was the love.
I began to look forward to the end of every day; knowing that it meant a night of pleasure in their arms. After the first night, we didn't come together as a group very often; it was easier for me to focus on one man at a time. Through those private moments, I learned what each of them needed in order to feel loved. Miraculously, I craved the very same things; even though they were very different things. Rantin preferred to take control; making me shiver within his possessive grip. Marex was the opposite; delighting in my dominance. It was shocking how much I enjoyed that as well. The thrill of sexually conquering such a virile man was a heady thing. But then there was Crow; who luxuriated in the pleasure between us with languid skill. Crow never rushed and never asked for control; neither to give or take it. He simply wanted to explore the passion between us as deeply as possible.
When the time came for our army to pack up and begin our march to the Emerald City, the four of us were closer than I could have ever expected. This intimacy translated into a smoothly run military force. We could practically predict what each other would say or do. Orders became unnecessary; I merely had to look at one of them for them to know what I wanted. We were as prepared as we could get... for everything except poppies.
We were nearly to the Emerald City when we had to stop. The yellow brick road I had laid out for us with my silver slippers had been overrun by poppies. The flowers had just grown over the path as if the magic attracted them; blood-red blooms sprouting between the cracks in the bricks. They were a bit startling, but I couldn't understand why we had to stop for them.
“What's wrong?” I asked Rantin. “They're just flowers. Drive over them.”
“Those are poppies,” my mother said in the tone reserved for slimy things. “Remember how I warned you about them? This is Lacosta's doing; I just know it. She must have blown the seeds over the road.”
“Yeah,” I said. “So? We're inside a vehicle; what can a bunch of flowers do to us?”
“A meadow of poppies here is the equivalent of a minefield on Earth,” Crow explained it so I could understand.
“Exploding flowers?” I asked dubiously. “They actually blow up?”
“Yes,” my mother and consorts said as one.
“Flower bombs,” I narrowed my eyes on the beautiful blossoms. “That's so unfair.”
“They won't all be bombs,” Crow said grimly. “Some will have spikes, some will crack like glass, and some will emit toxic fumes. Poppies are unpredictable.”
“We could use our secret weapon on them,” I suggested.
“Did you not hear me say that they are unpredictable?” Crow asked. “We could end up blowing ourselves to bits.”
“Those are some seriously screwed up flowers,” I growled.
“And it will take all of us working together to make it past them,” Crow had a faraway look in his eyes. Then he blinked and refocused on us. “Water to dampen their defenses and weaken their hold on the ground, Earth to uproot them, Fire to burn them to cinders, and Air to blow away the dangerous dust.”
I looked at the other men. “I think we can handle that.”
Marex nodded. “It's the perfect weather for some gardening. At least, it will be after it rains.”
“And then we'll have a nice campfire,” Rantin added.
We started for the door of the spark; my mother and Toto taking up the rear.
“Toto, stay here; I don't want you getting hurt,” I said firmly.
Toto whined.
“You can watch from the window.” I pointed to the passenger seat, and Toto jumped up on it; leaning his face toward the angled glass of the conical front.
The rest of us went outside with a group of soldiers to watch our backs while we worked. My consorts and I formed a line in front of the poppies; a few feet back from their haphazard border. My mother took up a position nearby; her hands at the ready to fling some magic.
Crow started the process; calling down a deluge over the poppy field. The flowers trembled under the onslaught and drooped even after the rain stopped. Marex went next; using his Earth magic to push the poppies out of the ground. He flung the sodden flowers down into a big pile for Rantin. But Rantin's job was made difficult by the water drenching the flowers. Sweat started to roll down his forehead, and still the pile of poppies just smoldered. So, I decided to help. I sent a light breeze into the flower pile to dry them off.
“No!” Crow shouted. “It's too soon for Air!”
My magic accidentally lifted a poppy from the pile. The flower spiraled up into the air and exploded. My mother cried out and flung out a gust of wind toward the yellow cloud just as a rain of pollen fell over us. Most of the powder was blown away, and Rantin immediately blasted the remaining poppies with a stronger d
ose of Fire; incinerating them instantly. It seemed that fear had an effect on everyone's magic. As soon as the flowers were burned to ash, I increased the power of my Air and blew the dust far away from us.
“Dorothy!” Crow cried just as I was starting to feel relieved.
I turned to see Marex laid out on the road with Rantin and Crow bent over him. My mother and I hurried over to the men. My heart pounded in fear as I fell to my knees with a cry and pulled Marex's head into my lap.
“What's wrong with him?” I asked as I stroked the pale hair away from his face.
“He got hit by the pollen,” Crow said grimly. “It wasn't enough to kill him, but it seems to have sent him into stasis. People on Earth would call it a coma.”
“How do we wake him up?” I asked urgently.
Crow just shook his head.
“Don't you see anything?” I asked him. “Come on, Crow; try.”
“I am trying, sweetheart,” Crow said sadly. “The future isn't revealing itself to me. I'm at a loss.”
“He needs something to shock him awake,” my mother declared. “Dareaux, you must wake him. Use your Storm.”
“My Storm?” I asked in confusion. “What kind of storm could wake... someone... up?” My face fell into the lines of an epiphany. “A snowstorm,” I whispered.
“Can you make snow?” Rantin asked.
“I don't know,” I said. “But I'm certainly going to try. Get back onto the spark, Rantin; I don't want you hurt. In fact; all of you had better get inside.”
“By the flame; I will not!” Rantin growled. “All the ice in Oz couldn't tear me away from you.”
“Rantin,” Crow said softly as he laid a hand on Rantin's shoulder. “Dorothy can't focus if she's worried about us. We'll be right there”—he waved to the spark; where Toto had his nose pressed against the glass—“if she needs us.”
Rantin scowled.
“Please go, Ran,” I said.
“Wildfire!” Rantin cursed. “Fine, Dareaux. But if you look like you're in jeopardy, I'm coming back out.”
Rantin went into the spark with my mother, Crow, and the soldiers. Then I turned my attention to Marex.
“Okay, baby,” I whispered. “This is my fault, and I'm going to fix it. Just hold on, and I'm sorry about the cold. But you're strong; your Earth can handle a light frost.”
I closed my eyes and felt for my magic. Water and Air swirled upward inside me together; the magic as green as growing things. Too green. I needed it to freeze; I needed more blue. Or was it more yellow? The silver slippers cooled—trying to help me—but it did no good. I floundered and nearly screamed in frustration. But then I felt Rantin and Crow; lending me their strength. And beneath them all—very faint—was the pulse of Earth.
“Marex,” I murmured. “I feel you there. Come back to me. Wake up, honey.”
The Storm magic tossed and turned inside me, but it stayed green. I suddenly realized that this was the one time when I needed to be alone.
“Rantin!” I turned to look at him through the window. “Draw back; you're warming my Storm.”
Rantin winced, but I felt him easing away from our bond. He couldn't sever himself completely, but he was able to make his presence very small; insignificant enough to allow my Air to cool my Water. I heard them whistling around me; gathering strength as they whipped my hair about. I opened my eyes and focused on Marex; willing him to wake up.
The temperature dropped suddenly; ice crystals forming on my lashes, and snowflakes starting to fall. Then the whirlwind slowed, and the snow drifted down softly. It wasn't what I wanted, and I started to grow angry, but then the snow began to gather, and the chill went bone deep. As a blanket of white fell over us, Marex shivered and opened his eyes.
Eyes as green as my magic met mine, and I sobbed in relief. Marex smiled and laid a hand on my face. He looked me over as if it had been years since he'd last seen me, and then he opened his mouth to speak.
“Why is it so blasted cold out here?”
I burst out laughing and pulled him into a hug.
18
We arrived at the Emerald City when the sun was high overhead the next day. Light glinted off the slick, green walls and the helmets of the guards standing watch atop them. But the Wizard's soldiers seemed undisturbed by our approach; not a single one of them moved to call out an alarm.
“Are the gates open?” I asked in shock.
“It appears so,” Rantin said suspiciously.
“Do you think they want to surrender, Sir?” One of the soldiers in our spark asked.
“No,” all of us answered him together.
“It's a trick,” Crow said. “The Wizard wouldn't give up so easily.”
“There's Locasta.” My mother pointed to a woman sitting atop a flying carpet.
The carpet floated out of the open gates and up to our idling spark. It hovered before us as lines of foot soldiers formed below it. Locasta Gust was a petite woman. Her brown hair curled around her shoulders softly, and her matching eyes seemed kind. But I could see the tension in her clenched fists, and the lines around the edges of her lips. She was barely containing her rage. And yes; she was close enough for me to see all of that. The Witch of the North obviously wasn't afraid of us.
My mother opened the spark door but didn't get out. “What do you want, Locasta?” She called out to her sister.
“The Wizard of Oz has sent me to invite your daughter and her elemental lovers into the Emerald City to parley.”
“Like we'd trust you,” my mother scoffed.
“You may bring your entire army inside the city walls,” Locasta said with a sneer. “Then we shall have to trust each other. Is that good enough for you, little sister?”
“Why would he offer that?” I asked my men, but it was Locasta who answered.
“Because he doesn't want a war in Oz,” she huffed. “No one wants that. Now, do you wish to parley with the Great and Powerful Wizard or would you rather get this war started?” She smiled wickedly. “I'm fine with either option. Maybe a little more fine with the latter.”
The soldiers beneath Locasta came to attention and angled their spears at us.
“What do you think?” I asked my consorts.
“I saw us within the Wizard's chambers,” Crow offered.
“So did I,” I reminded him. “And that didn't go so well.”
“We have prepared for that,” Rantin said. “And we are being given the opportunity to end this without a lot of bloodshed. Isn't that better?”
“No,” Marex growled. “I vote that we tear this witch to pieces and rampage through those open gates.”
“Dareaux, this must be your decision,” my mother said. “You were born to do this, and we will trust your instincts.”
“We go in,” I declared. “If nothing else, it gets us past the city gates without a fight. We won't have to contend with their long-range weapons or with scaling the walls.”
“Fair enough.” Marex grinned.
“We accept the invitation,” my mother called out to Locasta.
Locasta grimaced but turned her magic carpet around and started floating back to the city.
“Well, come on then,” she called back to us.
Rantin started the spark, and we led our army into the Emerald City.
19
The Emerald City wasn't entirely green; most buildings were made of wood or pale, beige stone. But there were lampposts set down the lanes of every street that held large chunks of emeralds instead of lights.
“The stones protect the city,” my mother said when she noticed me staring. “The first defense is the wall; it's paneled with emeralds. Then there are the Guardians.” She waved to one of the iron posts. “The Wizard can use them to send out energy attacks.”
“What can the walls do?” I turned toward her with wide eyes.
“They can also be used as weapons,” she said. “But mainly, he uses them to exude an invisible barrier that is very difficult to break through.”
“They create a force field?” I asked with shock. “Why didn't you mention that sooner?”
“I already had a plan to defeat it.” She looked away. “And I didn't want to worry you.”
“Mother,” I growled.
“She was going to step into the energy field,” Crow ratted on my mom. “Her magic would have disrupted the Wizard's long enough for us to get past the gate.”
“You told Crow, but not me?” I gaped at her.
“I told all of your generals,” Mom admitted. “They needed to know.”
“And I didn't?”
“You would have tried to stop me,” she said resolutely. “And this is too important, Dareaux. I had to get you into the city.”
“Mom.” I shook my head. “I just got you back.”
“It's moot now.” She waved away my worry. “Look; there is the Wizard's castle. Prepare yourselves for the worst. The Wizard didn't let us in to speak truce; he'll have a plan to defeat you, Dareaux.”
“I'm seeing short bursts of possible futures,” Crow said with a scowl. “As of this moment, all I can say for certain is that we must get behind the curtains.”
“What curtains?” Marex growled.
“I'll know when I see them,” Crow said.
“Are you coming or not?” Lacosta shouted.
We had stopped before the steps of the Wizard's castle, and Lacosta stood at the top of them; waiting for us. Her carpet undulated in the air beside her.
“Where's your carpet?” I asked my mother.
“My parents created magical gifts for each of us,” Mom explained. “I got the silver slippers, Glinda got the wand, Momba received the broom, and Lacosta was given the carpet.”
Realms and Rebels: A Paranormal and Fantasy Reverse Harem Collection Page 84