by Randi Darren
“The remaining count was around eighty bounties spread out through the rest of the army. I’ve already authorized payment on all of them in your name.”
Chuckling, Alex nodded. “Good. And good job putting the bounty out. I appreciate you handling that.”
“Of course, Alex,” Sylvia said, smoothing out a wrinkle in her dress. “Next, my water-fouling tactic worked, but it was handled rather quickly. They’re having to spend resources and time cleaning their water, but they’re managing it. I have a recurring contract on that. The more they have to clean their water, the better.
“I haven’t heard from the squad I sent down into their supply lane, but I imagine they’re doing their job. They’re rather proficient.”
“Good. Good. Be sure to change your tactics a bit. When they’re focused on their water, hit their food,” Alex said.
“Already in progress. It’s a much slower and less direct attack. They’re putting dead rats at the back in food storage areas and at the bottom of silos.” Sylvia gave him a wide, teeth-baring grin. “Among other tactics.”
“Mmm. Four, if you give me anything else, I’m going to have to reward you,” Alex said.
“Then prepare to reward me, Alex, and make sure it’s a good one. Because I have the preliminary report for Quinn’s attack as well. She’s still an hour or two out, but I sent a few of my people out to watch and come back with information.
“Quinn’s forces engaged the command group, then hit the reserve forces as the main body rode back. In her command group attack, she stole everything the general and her aides had left behind, captured the general’s dogs, and burnt down her tent.”
Alex couldn’t help himself; he was nodding along with Sylvia’s report as she spoke.
Quinn was apparently doing exactly what he would do.
“After that, she turned her forces to the reserve, which were unmounted light cavalry. They were waiting for orders to engage,” Sylvia said. “She rode them down in a single pass, then broke away rather than risk being engaged by the main force. Her losses were less than even ours, and she looks to have killed seven or eight thousand in total.
“Added to our own kill count, roughly six thousand, we have a fourteen-thousand marker on the number of soldiers we know are killed in action for their side. The number of wounded we captured was an additional five thousand. Bringing our total number of enemy combatants removed to nineteen thousand.”
Alex sighed with a smile and leaned to one side, putting his elbow on the desk he was sitting next to.
“I think you should reward her immediately,” Riley said. “Even I’m impressed.”
Sylvia pointed at Riley with a finger and nodded at Alex. “You should listen to One.”
“Mm. Later. It’ll be a good one, I promise. And I have a question for both of you,” Alex said. “I’m considering splitting Six with one of your duos. Either One and Seven or Three and Four. Who wants it?”
“Oh,” Sylvia said, then looked at Riley. “I think it’d be better for Three and I. We’d play better with one another and Six at the same time.”
“As much as I don’t want to agree, I do. If you’re looking for more interaction, that’s the better selection,” Riley said. “I’m not really into women, but sharing you with Seven, ah… helps… me.”
“Alright then,” Alex said, looking back at the tent flaps. He had another two hours to wait for Quinn.
He was determined to hear her report.
Chapter 10
Alex closed the door to Quinn’s room as quietly as possible.
When the lock clicked into place, it was barely audible at all.
Grinning to himself, Alex looked up and found only Quinn’s personal guard outside her door. Nannie and Eleanor weren’t far away, sitting at a table playing cards.
Good. They have a professional respect for one another.
Turning to the closest guard, Alex gave the man a smile.
“She’s asleep. I’d say plan for her morning to be normal,” Alex said.
The helmeted head nodded and said nothing.
Alex had no doubt that Quinn’s people were still unsure about the count who was bedding their queen. Not to mention the rapidly spreading rumor that the two were already married.
Kinda glad I sent that messenger back to Anna asking her to get a marriage contract put together for Quinn and Katherine.
As he walked down the hall toward his two bodyguards, Alex watched them.
Eleanor and Nannie looked… happy. They were talking as they played some card game that involved keeping score.
Walking up behind Eleanor, Alex laid his hands on her shoulders and leaned over the top of her.
“Which of you knights is winning?” he asked.
Eleanor looked up at him and gave him a warm smile.
“She is. She’s crushing me with little in the way of mercy,” Eleanor said, looking back at Nannie.
“Not a knight,” Nannie grumbled.
“Then I’ll make you one. Maybe give your mam a simple landed-gentry title so you can make the claim easier,” Alex said. “And before you complain, I want you to be a knight for me, Five. You don’t have to wear the full suit Eleanor does, but it would ease my heart to see you moving around in more armor. Like the other day. And if you think I’m picking on you, I’m going to make Two do the same. But she’ll just do what I tell her without arguing.”
Nannie’s face screwed up into a sour-looking smirk.
“I’m pretty sure I love you more than that big nasty cunt does, but she doesn’t like fighting with you,” Nannie said. “I kinda do. Helps me realize you actually value me when you consider my opinion.”
“Huh… not a bad way to look at it. Well, this time I’m going to force it. Not going to let you fight, no matter how much fun it is to watch you struggle and then give in,” Alex said. “You can learn to be a knight, or I’ll make you sleep with me and Six, Three, or Seven. A three way. Whether you like it or not. The armor we can talk about, though, because that’s different.
“Your choice.”
Nannie’s eyes moved up and she glared hotly at him.
“Really? That’s how it’s gonna be?” she asked.
“Yes, because I love you. I want you in armor. Just like this one.” Alex reached around to pat Eleanor on the upper part of her chest. “You can decide by tomorrow. I think I’m going to go lie down and see if I can’t turn my brain off.”
“Shall I join you, Alex?” Eleanor asked. There was a keen edge to her question.
“Yes, you shall. But I want you to go find Katherine first,” Alex said, coming to a decision. His hand wandered down Eleanor’s chest to lightly caress her for a second. “Alright. Finish the hand and catch up.”
Alex stood up and started walking away. His own room was just at the end of the hall, within viewing distance from where Eleanor and Nannie sat.
Opening the door to his room, he slipped inside and then let out a sigh.
Quinn had been very open to having wild sex as soon as she’d gotten back to Fis’Er. Except she’d also been rather dirty and covered in someone else’s blood.
Her attack had gone exactly as Sylvia had said, a smashing success. The poor queen had also been beyond drained after Alex spent some time just spoiling her.
He’d stripped her, washed her down personally, and then gotten her fed.
Even as she’d talked about wanting to have sex, she’d passed out on her couch.
I can cheer the hell up though, can’t I? Eleanor or Katherine will be here momentarily, and that’ll be a great little romp.
And later tonight, I can drop in on Sylvia and give her that reward.
Moving forward again, Alex started heading for his desk. He needed to write up a dispatch to Anna with the final tally for the day. She’d share it with Regina, Mary, and Alanna.
It didn’t feel like much longer than a handful of minutes before his door opened.
Eleanor and Katherine walked in, the former shutt
ing the door behind them.
“Good evening, Alex,” Katherine said, coming over to where he was working. “Six tells me you’re going to use the two of us tonight?”
Alex nodded at that.
“Punishment for you, as you’ll remember, reward for Six. She’s my lovely knight, and she has needs just as I do,” Alex said, writing away. “Six, go ahead and peel Katherine out of her clothes, then strip yourself. We’re going to have a fun little three way.”
“Ah, I can—oh! That wor—hey, don’t pull so hard,” Katherine said. The sound of rustling clothes was loud in his ears as Eleanor took his words to heart and stripped Katherine. “Oh, for crying out loud, Six, stop it. I can take those off. You start working on yourself.”
Shaking his head with a grin, Alex finished up his letter and left it to air dry. He didn’t have to rush it.
Is she that broken, Leah?
More than any of your Numbered. Perhaps even as much as Coffin. She’s been hiding her desperate need for you to control her.
She’s rather stoic after all.
Take comfort in that you’ve made her aware of it, and she’s probably as redeemed as you can make her.
Turning to the bed, he found Eleanor kneeling in the middle of it. Naked, eyes locked on him, and clearly ready and waiting.
Katherine was lying down in the bed, snuggled up under the covers. Her eyes were also on him.
“Is there any way I can… barter… my way out of this?” Katherine asked. “I’d really like to keep my maidenhead till we’re married. I’d be willing to… do anything else. I could use my mouth, or… or… uhm… the… other… hole… down there.”
I think she just offered anal.
“I’ll pass on the latter option for the time being,” Alex said as he started to undress. “We’ll see about your maidenhead. I might be willing to make a deal on it.”
“What kind of deal would you consider?” Katherine asked, pulling the covers up to her chin instead of her shoulders.
Alex shucked off his shirt and stepped out of his pants.
“Maybe have you servicing me with your mouth every day for lunch,” Alex said. “Or something else. Not sure. How much is your maidenhead worth to you?”
“A lot,” Katherine said, her tone dropping. “It’s all I have to barter with. Especially given the previous instructions I’m living under.”
Ah. I suppose that makes sense.
She’s doing her best to adhere to my ruling.
Moving over to the bed, he sat down on the edge.
“Master,” Eleanor breathed huskily, moving up to his side. “Tell me what to do. Instruct me. Give me more orders.”
The lovely knight was practically perched on his shoulder, her face pressed to the side of his.
“Please tell me what to do. Please,” Eleanor begged. “I’ve been so good. So loyal. I did everything on my own today. Everything. I wish you would have told me what to do, though. Tell me now? Tell me?”
Damn. Her dependency is way worse than I thought.
“Get down off the bed, get on your knees, and start servicing me,” Alex said.
“Thank you,” Eleanor said, quickly getting off the bed and onto her knees. In seconds, she was hilt deep as her lips strained against him to get more down her throat.
Eleanor seemed to have almost no gag reflex. Only Rebekah could do better.
“That’s lovely, Six. Just keep working me while I talk to our third member,” Alex said, looking at Katherine. He rested one hand on top of Eleanor’s head as she suckled at him. “Well? What are you willing to barter? I want your maidenhead. You want to keep it.”
“Uhm, as I said, you could have the other… other hole… or my mouth or… whatever else I can do?” Katherine said.
“Pass on anal for now, as I said. Maybe another time,” Alex said, smoothing Eleanor’s hair back as she sucked and worked at him. “As for your mouth, I get a lot of head, as you can see. Not sure you’d be better than any of them.
“Anything else?”
“Alex… I want to keep my maidenhead. Please?” Katherine asked. “I’ll do a lot to keep it, but I don’t know what to offer. Help me?”
Sighing, Alex nodded his head once.
Whatever. We’ll turn her into Holly two-point-oh. It’ll be a middle ground—punish her and keep her happy, I guess.
“Alright. Fine. You’re going to play a role for me. Bed-warmer, toy, and cleaner. You’ll be in my bed every night. I’m going to use all of you except your maidenhead, use you on my partner, your rear end, your mouth, and you’re going to work hard at cleaning up whoever I’m with and me afterward or even before,” Alex said. “So if I pack Six here to the brim, you’ll spend a while cleaning her out with your tongue. And you have to eat everything you get, of course.
“On top of that, you’ll be swearing on Leah to work as hard as you can. With every single order I give. That’s the price of your maidenhead. Because I really want it.”
Katherine blanched at that, her eyes widening.
Eleanor groaned, pushing her head down into his lap, and swallowed hard on his shaft, her throat tightening around him.
Realizing she wanted reassurance and direction, Alex turned to look down at her. She was gazing up at him with wide, needy eyes.
“You’re doing really well, Six. Really well. Move a little faster, and move your tongue more,” Alex said, his fingers curling into her hair.
She smiled around him and did exactly as he instructed. Having been told what to do.
“Okay… if I can keep my maidenhead intact… okay. I can do that. I swear it on Leah,” Katherine said.
“You sure? I’m going to use you. A lot of you. From top to bottom, all of you. Everything but your maidenhead,” Alex said, making sure she understood.
“I understand and will offer it all up again, every night, I swear it all to Leah,” Katherine murmured.
“Alright. Get out of the bed, Katherine. Six, go get on your back,” Alex said.
Eleanor came off him fast with a line of spit trailing from her lower lip to his tip. She crawled up into the bed and lay down in the spot Katherine had just vacated.
Turning around, Alex got up into the middle of the bed. Katherine was kneeling nearby, naked, waiting.
She was beautiful, her breasts and hips full and wide, with a very narrow waist.
“Goodness, Katherine, you’re beautiful,” Alex said, eying her.
“Thank you. I appreciate your compliment,” Katherine said, looking down and to the side.
Reaching out, Alex laid a hand behind her head and pulled her in close, kissing her deeply.
Freezing up, Katherine didn’t respond. She just knelt there.
Alex pushed his tongue into her mouth and briefly considered just mounting her anyways.
Katherine finally responded, her tongue hesitantly moving along his.
Breaking the kiss, Alex sighed and patted Katherine on the rear.
“Alright, go make out with Six while I plumb her depths,” Alex said, moving to get between Eleanor’s thighs.
Katherine immediately went over to an eager-looking Eleanor, bent down, and began kissing her.
Eleanor’s arm came up and wrapped around Katherine’s shoulders, pulling her down into herself. It was very evident Eleanor had her tongue in the smaller woman’s mouth.
Grinning, Alex pushed his tip to Eleanor and then entered her with a single stroke.
Moaning at the sudden entry, Eleanor actually quivered.
Grabbing hold of the knight’s hips, Alex began to thrust in and out of her fast and hard. He found a good rhythm quickly and just worked at pounding Eleanor to dust.
Reaching out with his right hand, he slipped a hand up behind Katherine’s rear end. Using his fingers, he began to lightly play with and caress her entry.
Katherine went stiff at the touch, still kissing Eleanor in a way that looked breathtaking to Alex.
He slid his fingers into Katherine and began to toy wit
h her lips and wet insides, as well as the solid little pearl that was peeking out of its hood. He didn’t go any deeper, though. He was abiding by the agreement.
Katherine slowly relaxed and began to push back into his hand, even as she was tongued to death by Eleanor.
Thrusting down hard into the knight, Alex started to feel like he was really close. He held tighter to Eleanor’s hips and pushed down on her as he brought his hips up. Slamming into her like his life depended on it.
“I hate to break you two up,” Alex said as he continued to pump hard and fast into Eleanor. “But I need Katherine’s mouth down here.”
Eleanor practically shoved Katherine away, so quick was she to listen to Alex’s request.
“Get down there,” Eleanor said.
Katherine looked lost, her eyes clouded, clearly enjoying what was being done to her.
Pulling his hand free of her back end, Alex reached up and snagged Katherine by the head. He guided her down towards Eleanor’s privates, and the knight lifted a leg and rested it on Katherine’s back as she ducked under it.
“Open your mouth and be ready,” Alex said to Katherine.
Easing Katherine’s head down to rest atop Eleanor’s dripping privates, Alex started furiously thrusting into Eleanor again.
Katherine watched from an inch away as Alex took Eleanor with her mouth wide open.
As she moaned hard and rolled her hips, it was obvious Eleanor had long since had her orgasm and was riding out the last waves of it.
Hitting his climax, Alex thrust to the hilt inside Eleanor and came. Burrowing hard into her, Alex filled her as deeply as he could. He wanted to make Katherine work for her maidenhead.
Then he pulled back and stuffed himself into Katherine’s mouth when it felt like he had a single spurt or two left. Dumping what he had left into her.
Groaning, Alex pushed himself down her throat and held her head there. “That’s right—clean, suck, and swallow.”
After coughing once, Katherine began to swallow, her body shuddering as she forced herself to do what he told her.
With a sigh, Alex pulled back, giving Katherine some room to work.
She immediately began to move her head up and down along his length, sucking hard at him. She had absolutely no ability, and it felt almost like too much friction, but she was trying.