She murmured the spell as she enjoyed the wave of the energy high. She knew the goddess heard her. Another rush of power and adrenaline hit her as the men removed her clothes completely and stripped naked for her. Reed caught her eye. She curled a finger in his direction. Finally, he joined his brother warriors in stripping.
Andy was shameless as he approached her. He slid on protection and lifted her into his arms. When he sat on the couch, she straddled him eagerly, taking his hard cock all the way in. Shivering, she pressed her face to his neck.
“Don’t you worry, Phoebe. It’ll work out. It always does.” Andy gripped her ass cheeks, spreading them.
Phoebe leaned back into the heat of a man behind her. She recognized Jude’s touch teasing her ass with his lubed finger. Phoebe was eager for more. Jude filled her rear. His cock hit her pleasure spots. The pleasurable mix of sensations was perfect, though incomplete.
Rocking on their cocks, she looked for DC and he moved next to them. When he kissed her, she knew what he needed, and right then it wasn’t her. She wanted to feel DC freely express his passion for men, and DC disappeared behind Jude.
“Damn!” Jude leaned forward.
Phoebe smiled and held still as they worked together. “Reed,” she called.
Carefully, Reed moved in on the couch. He stood there without a word. There were things Reed could argue and deny all he wanted, but his hard cock wasn’t one of them. Phoebe reached out and grabbed it firmly at the base. Reed groaned when she guided him closer.
The tension in Reed was strung taut as piano wire. Was he worried Andy couldn’t control himself? That the men wanted Reed so much they’d force him into something? Phoebe gave him a scolding look and kissed his balls. The touch eased Reed’s vibe, and Phoebe relaxed as well.
Andy lifted as Jude and DC thrust from behind. She trembled at the pinch of being filled. Reed gently fucked her mouth so she didn’t have to move too much. Andy reached down and strummed her clit. She held still and took it all in. Their love and trust made her glow with the need for more. Maybe she was a conduit? They certainly made her feel like a goddess.
She swore there were two hands working her pussy lips as Andy kissed her neck. Reed froze, and Phoebe felt his power surge from him as his cum hit her tongue. Swallowing, she nuzzled his shaft playfully.
Jude rocked faster in and out of her ass. A release rumbled deep in her, but it wasn’t the big orgasm she needed. Jude’s moans mixed with DC’s, and Andy held her hips as the two men came. The double hit made her insides vibrate.
“Take it,” Andy said.
Arching her back, Phoebe bounced on him slowly and found her pattern. Reed leaned in and sucked her breasts as Andy’s hips met her. DC pressed behind her, squeezing her ass as she drove to her climax. Turning her head, she kissed DC as her hands snaked around Reed’s neck. Her release taunted her, but when she heard Andy’s groans, her body surrendered to the hard orgasm. Not sweet and slow, this time it made her scream. She held onto Reed as her hips slammed down, and her cunt gripped Andy’s cock like she’d never let him go.
His shouts joined hers as Andy jerked. DC held her in place, and Phoebe let the passion linger. Jude moved around the back of the couch and kissed his lover with pride.
“You ever get sick of us all groping at you, just kick us away, Phoebe.” Jude grinned.
She smiled and shook her head. “Never. If every woman could experience this, more men would have to learn to share.”
“We’re already good at it.” DC kissed her shoulder.
Reed slowly pulled away from her breasts. “I can feel the energy. It’s different.”
“See, sex isn’t exhausting -- it’s invigorating. Spell or no spell, you men just make me want more.” She carefully eased off Andy. DC and Reed helped her to sit on the couch.
Andy kissed Phoebe’s cheek. “Let’s go kill some demons.”
Nodding, Phoebe wondered if Reed could truly let his guard down. The man needed to relax and enjoy life, or it wasn’t worth fighting for. Would he ever understand? It was a good round, but he was resisting as much as before. They’d improved over last time, but if everyone wasn’t happy and fulfilled, it threw them off. She knew part of Reed’s stress was that DC had been hurt, but there were no guarantees, even with magic. Whatever it was, they had to resolve it.
Chapter Six
The small brick house had a couple boarded-up, broken windows. Andy hated going in blind, but these demons had moved around twice already. Attacking without reconnaissance could result in the demons moving again, creating more delays in eliminating them.
Andy took point out front with Reed while Jude, DC, and Phoebe took the back. Luckily, the layout of these old homes was fairly standard. What they didn’t know was where inside the demons were located, and what sort of weapons they might have.
With a nod to Reed, Andy kicked in the front door and swung an ax at anything that moved. The first demon took four strikes to the chest to fall. Reed stabbed another demon six times before it went down. They checked the house methodically until they heard the battle at the back.
Seven demons surrounded the rest of their group. Andy slowed down. Putting a finger to his lips, he told Reed to be quiet. The terrified look in Reed’s eyes demanded action. Andy knew better. They could fight the demons, but the heavy concentration in the back meant they were screwed. With people taken hostage, Andy had to have a new plan. He wasn’t going to lose Jude -- or Phoebe or DC for that matter. No one was expendable.
The demons focused on Phoebe. Andy wasn’t shocked. They’d harassed a female last night. Reed pressed forward to attack when he saw them touching her, but Andy pushed Reed back into hiding. She was their secret weapon. If she had the power to blaze up one of them, the group might freak out.
“Getting sort of chilly in here. Might want to start a fire,” Jude suggested.
The demon hit him, and Phoebe used the confusion to set fire to Jude’s attacker. The demon was reduced to ashes in seconds, and the men took the opening. Andy went on the attack, stabbing every blue-skinned creature he could. Jude did the same. Reed advanced and finished off one demon before hugging Phoebe and running a hand over DC’s back to make sure he was okay.
Andy focused on the battle. When the demon in front of him ran off, Phoebe managed to blast him into ash as well. But at least four bolted out the back door. Jude and Andy followed but the alley behind the old houses had too many options, garages on one side and houses on the other. It was too dangerous.
“Get them?” Reed asked, when the men returned.
“No, we searched every abandoned house and garage up the street. Those things are fast.” Jude shook his head. “We’ll have to try again when they regroup.”
“Damn!” Reed kicked the pile of dust.
“Hey, it worked. We all felt it. Top of our game. The concentration of them at the back threw off the plan but we did well.” DC shoved Reed slightly. “No one got bit. Jude took a punch but that’s the worst of it.”
Reed nodded. “Yeah, well, we need to kill them all. It’s like we’re infested.”
Andy hugged Jude and checked his jaw before kissing him. “We won this one. They ran off. Let’s see what we can find.”
“Like they’re going to have their demon bible lying around so we can know exactly what they are. This demon species is preying on women, sucking the life out of them. We can do the research later.” DC shrugged.
Jude and Andy walked around and found a small altar in a back bedroom. “Phoebe, come here.”
When she joined them, they pointed to the dark crystals on the altar. There was also blood and a lock of blonde hair. “I think they’re sacrificing women to whatever god they worship. Note the crystals and all that.” Andy nodded.
Phoebe looked but didn’t touch. “Disgusting. Probably trying to raise more of their kind from the mouth of Hell.”
“Blast it?” Jude suggested.
“I’ll try. I’m getting a little tired.” She stepped
back and closed her eyes.
Andy could see her energy dipping. Her hands seemed more cautious and trembling. She muttered a few words and the altar blew into bits. Not fire this time but destruction. Blood splattered and crystal shards flew.
“Sorry. I’m out.” Phoebe rubbed her eyes.
Andy wrapped an arm around her and walked her to the car.
“What happened?” Reed asked.
“Blew up the altar just to piss them off.” She grinned.
“She looks like hell.” DC followed.
“My fault. Too much. But the more I do, the better I’ll get, the stronger I’ll be,” she said.
Andy could’ve kicked himself for asking her to destroy the altar, but they didn’t know her magical limits yet. As he put her in the car, he kissed her cheek. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not you. I’m still building my powers. But the group is still off.” She glanced at Reed.
“Yeah, well, good luck there.” He kissed her forehead and closed the door.
The sooner they got out of demon alley, the better. Regroup and try again. Andy never got tired of fighting the good fight.
Chapter Seven
Phoebe napped in her room and let all of the day’s events wash over her. She wanted to protect them all, but she had to conserve her energy for the blasts when she was needed until she had more power. Being around the guys had already stretched her skills in a good way.
A tap on the door got her attention. “Come in.”
DC, Jude and Andy slipped inside. “You okay?” Jude asked.
“I’m just tired. Are you okay?” She looked at his jaw.
“Just a little swelling. I’ve had worse sparring with this guy.” Jude caught Andy in a headlock.
The group chuckled and the three men settled on her bed.
“Where’s Reed?” she asked.
“He went out to get some lunch. No one felt like cooking.” Andy rolled his eyes.
“Always sacrificing himself for others. He’s crazy.” DC frowned.
She nodded. “Growing up in a rough family, it probably feels easier for him to take the hard stuff. Leaders traditionally have the hard decisions to make and the guilt to bear. But that’s not what’s bugging you guys.”
“He’s pulling back.” Jude shrugged.
“It’s weird. We all knew he was in love with you before, and now it’s the sex thing. Guess he doesn’t want to share.” Andy rubbed her feet through the soft blankets.
Phoebe wiggled her toes and let the men’s energy help balance her. Just having them near made life better and more interesting. “Reed doesn’t get to decide how this works. I love all of you. My great aunt told me I was destined for an alternative lifestyle. She thought I’d date girls, but this is alternative and I like it a lot more.”
“Reed might not be able to handle it.” DC looked her in the eye.
She saw his pain and feelings of rejection. “He can handle sharing if he has to. There’s something else pushing him away. You need to talk to him.”
Jude sighed. “Come on. We’ve all known since college DC had a thing for Reed. We’re not dense. Reed didn’t go that way. We weren’t shy when we’ve had girls hanging with us.”
“It’s true. He never was into it.” Andy nodded.
“Maybe it’s temptation, not repulsion?” Phoebe deep down hoped for a happy ending, but she could be very wrong. “I don’t want to give you false hope, DC. I’m not psychic or a mind reader. But Reed had a harsh father, and that side was conservative. Then he had pagan family members. He’s had conflict bred into him. This isn’t different. He’s got to struggle, and what you guys see as obvious, he might ignore as his lust. I agree Reed and DC have chemistry and a connection beyond friendship. DC has the feelings, but Reed is a closed book. It took a lot for him to break down and kiss me. A very high, thick, stone wall needs to be knocked down to find out if Reed is bisexual.”
“He’d rather suppress and deny it than try it and risk ruining the group.” Jude shook his head. “Dumbass.”
Phoebe smiled. “Yes, but that’s why DC has to talk to him. Fight with him. Get it out. Tell him if things don’t work out, it won’t break up the group. You’re warriors, not wimps who run from rejection or a bad breakup. You have a bigger mission connecting you, but think how much better it could be if all of you were happier and more connected?”
“And if I tell him how I feel, and he throws me out?” DC rubbed his hands over his face and under his glasses. “Where do I go?”
“Nowhere.” Andy jumped in. “Reed might lead, but he’s not the sole owner of this place. He doesn’t own the house. Jude does. You live here.”
“What if he can’t handle it and he leaves?” Jude asked.
DC nodded and Phoebe saw his pain. “Then you can move on and find the right guy. We’d all miss Reed if it came to that. It’d be a loss to everyone, but you can’t win by denying what you need and want. Then you’re following Reed’s bad example.” She kissed his forehead.
“We can back you up, tell him what an idiot he is, missing out on a great guy.” Andy nudged DC playfully.
“Thanks, that’ll help.” DC shook his head. “Public confrontation isn’t going to work on Reed.”
Phoebe nodded. “You know him better than anyone, DC. You fell for him. So put it all out there, and see what happens. Reed has been pulling back, and it’s not going to help the spell. More importantly, it could ruin what we’re building. If you guys want to keep me around, that is.”
Jude and Andy exchanged a look, and Phoebe found herself in the middle of a spoon snuggle that made her melt. They held her tight and demanded nothing. “We’re not losing you. How many women could handle four men and demon battles? A sex drive like yours doesn’t happen every day.” Jude kissed the back of her neck.
DC leaned over and kissed her lips. “They’re right. You’re not the problem. It’s my fault for letting this drag on.”
“Don’t blame yourself. Reed’s a hard guy to talk to a lot of the time. Anything personal and he freaks.” Andy patted DC’s shoulder.
“He’s right. You go have it out with Reed. We’re going to have a reenergizing nap with our lady here. She’s not even strong enough yet to see if the demons moved on to a new place or stayed in that trashed house.” Jude waved DC away.
* * *
When Reed came home, DC was waiting for him at the kitchen table. The fear bubbled up again. During college, DC’d had his hopes. Afterward, he’d pushed it all away and focused on being friends, but the old feelings had never died.
“Where is everyone?” Reed asked.
“They’re up with Phoebe, resting.”
Reed’s eyebrow lifted.
“No, actually napping. We’re not sex addicts.” DC sorted through the lunches.
“I’ll take the lunches up.” Reed paused. “Are you okay?”
“We need to talk after you deliver the food.” DC grabbed a couple sodas and sat at the table.
DC took a deep breath. It was the longest five minutes of his life. It didn’t matter what Reed said, DC just had to get his stuff out. Then he’d walk away if he had to, go back to teaching and maybe get his Master’s. Education was safe, but he’d miss the danger and the feeling of helping others -- not to mention Phoebe, Andy, and Jude. It wasn’t fair, but life often wasn’t.
Reed walked back in and opened his lunch. “What’s going on? Jude’s jaw isn’t broken. They all looked content to me.”
“It’s not them. Why were you holding back earlier?” DC asked.
Reed’s handsome face scrunched. “She’s one woman. I’m not going to rush her or act like it’s a pile on.”
“It’s not like that and you know it. Half the time she’s starting stuff.” DC wasn’t taking any crap. Not today.
“Well, there’s only one of her. You guys play your way, but I’m not.” Reed shrugged. “Is she pissed?”
“No, it’s just… We can feel it. You’re pulling back, like it’s weir
d or something.” DC sipped his soda.
Reed pushed his lunch away. “I didn’t know you were into guys. I mean, in college maybe you played around: group, whatever. Okay. You liked the freaky girls. Those guys are into you. It’s weird. Couples fall in love. Not groups.”
“You think Phoebe doesn’t love all of us?”
“I think she does, but long term? I don’t know how it works. Andy and Jude are solid. If you want to play with them…” Reed’s eyes went cold. “It’s your ass, but will it work? You won’t want someone all to yourself? Special? We all had a thing for her. No one moved on it so we didn’t screw up our friendship. How can it work now?”
“It works. Or mostly it seems to with her. You’re the one making it weird.” DC sat back.
“Me? How?” Reed folded his arms.
DC felt the chill. “You’re holding back. I can feel it. Maybe you’re not comfortable with the group thing. You need to tell everyone then, so we can figure it out.”
Reed shook his head. “I can share. We may not have a traditional set up, but I’m not greedy.”
“So what is it?” DC asked.
“I’m fine. Maybe it’s how you guys see it? Because I’m not there doing guys with you? Don’t you have enough? A great girl and two hot guys to suck on aren’t enough for everyone?” Reed’s words cut but his demeanor never changed.
DC had seen this side of Reed, and he wasn’t going to be scared off. “Right. It’s not you. It’s me. Andy and Jude are great. I love them but it’s not the same. I wanted Phoebe as much as you did, and we have her, but we’re still not happy. I’m missing one thing.”
“Happy doesn’t matter. We’re doing the job, and now have a woman in the mix to help. It’s better. You want a fairy tale? It’s not in Detroit.” Reed stabbed his fork into his lunch and got up.
DC stood and blocked his path. “No. We’re going to talk about this. I’m not delusional. It might be all on my side, but you have to hear it.”
Warrior's Craft Four Guys & A Witch Page 5