by B N Miles
“Yeah?”
She nodded, took a deep breath, and reached up to unbutton her tunic. He watched her undress, watched her clothes fall to the ground. She stared at him the whole time, and he felt his heart racing in his chest. She was beautiful, her body firm and toned, her skin smooth and pale. The hair between her legs was golden, downy, and soft.
She stepped toward him, her muscular, hard body lean and tanned in the lamplight.
“I love you,” Cam said.
“I love you, too.” She kissed him, then reached up and began to take off his tunic.
He let Key undress him in the doorway. When she broke off the kiss, Cam turned to watch Miuri, now naked and gorgeous, kneeling on all fours next to Felin and Galla. Miuri kissed them, touched them, stroked them.
Key removed Cam’s dress tunic, his tight trousers. She stripped him bare then led him into the room and shut the door behind them.
Cam stood at the edge of the bed as Key joined the girls. She pushed Felin aside and kissed Galla, slow and steady. Felin let out a little growl and grinned at him.
When Key was satisfied, she lifted Galla up and made her stand. Galla stood next to Cam as the girls began to take off her dress. Cam kissed Galla while they worked, unlacing and unbuttoning. Galla’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes were wide, and a sheen of sweat rolled down her forehead.
“Cam,” she whispered.
“You wanted the full experience,” he said.
Galla let out an excited little moan as Felin, Miuri, and Key pulled off her dress.
She stood before them, naked and gorgeous. Her hair was red between her legs, and her hips were wide, her stomach flat, her skin glistening in the lamplight. She chewed her lip and covered her breasts, but Cam moved her hands away, licked a nipple, then kissed her.
The girls pulled her into bed. Cam felt Felin’s mouth wrap around his shaft as Key and Miuri worked on Galla, licking her, touching her, tongues and fingers teasing. Cam let out a groan of pleasure as Felin’s lips and tongue worked him, sucking faster. He reached down to tease her with his fingers, watching as Miuri and Key made Galla pant and moan.
Felin pulled back and he pushed her down. He joined the girls on the bed, his mouth down between Galla’s legs. He licked her, tasting her length, lapping her up as she moaned his name. Miuri got Key on all fours and was sliding her fingers in and out while Key licked Felin’s wet spot, all three girls moaning.
Galla wriggled free of Cam and went to Miuri. She kissed the Elf, pushed her back, and began to kiss her breasts and pussy. Miuri moaned, giving Cam a surprised and pleased grin, as Galla went down between her legs. Galla’s ass was up in the air, her legs spread wide, and Cam stroked his hard cock as he positioned himself between Galla’s legs.
He slid himself deep inside Galla while she sucked and licked Miuri’s pussy. Key and Felin fell on each other, writhing and moaning, sweating and working each other’s bodies as he began to fuck Galla. He took her deep and slow at first, trying to be gentle, but his blood was up and desire rolled through him in fresh waves.
He fucked Galla, took her deep until she moaned and shuddered. Key came over and reached around Galla’s hip, rubbing her clit as Cam continued fucking her deeper, harder. Galla gasped, her head thrown back, Miuri all but forgotten. Key and Cam worked together, bringing Galla to a moaning, sweating, groaning, writhing orgasm. She came hard, bearing down on Cam’s cock, and he groaned in pleasure and joy.
When Galla was finished, Cam turned to Key. She pushed him down and began to ride him, her gorgeous hips working in circles. Miuri came to him, straddled his face, making him lick her while Key rode his cock. Felin stood in front of Miuri, and Miuri licked Felin’s pussy. Galla stared at them, her legs spread and dripping, as she teased herself with her fingers.
Cam tasted Miuri come, felt Key’s body clench down in orgasm, heard Felin’s gasping moans as Miuri finished her off. His girls were sweating, glowing, beautiful, and he knew he needed release as he turned to Galla.
She stared up at him as he pushed her onto her back and spread her legs wide.
“My husband,” she whispered.
He leaned over her, slipped himself deep inside. “My wife,” he whispered back.
Key, Miuri, and Felin joined them. Key kissed Cam as Felin and Miuri each kissed Galla, licking her breasts, biting her lips, teasing her clit. Cam fucked her hard and deep, taking her body, feeling her slick pussy, so warm and tight. He moaned her name and before he could finish, Galla’s back arched, her head threw back, and she had her second orgasm of the night.
That pushed Cam over the edge. He came deep between her legs, groaning, shuddering, his hands palming her beautiful breasts.
They finished in a heap of sweaty, satisfied bodies. Cam didn’t know where one beautiful girlfriend began and the next ended, and he wasn’t sure he cared.
He had them all, and they had him. That’s all any of them needed. He kissed Galla, held her tight, kissed Key and Felin and Miuri, and together they spent the rest of the night welcoming Galla into their little family.
4
Cam woke to a deep, pure darkness. The only light in the room came from the fire still crackling in the main hearth, just a slight gleam from the crack beneath the door.
Cam was naked and felt smooth limbs pressed against him. He couldn’t see who he had against his back, but he thought it was Galla based on the unfamiliar snoring. He looked around for half a moment, partially asleep, partially awake, and found Felin sitting up.
He could barely make out her eyes. They were wide, searching, staring at the door.
“Fel?” Cam grumbled. They’d spent most of the evening in bed, introducing Galla to the family, and he felt sore in an incredibly good way.
She looked at him, eyes still wide, her body tense. “Did you hear that?” she whispered.
He moved toward her and sat up. Galla was sprawled onto her back, snoring and breathing deep. Miuri was curled in a ball at the edge of the bed with Key just in front of her, both of them still asleep.
“I didn’t hear—”
But then, in the other room, there was a thump.
It was soft, almost too soft to hear. The thump was followed by a curse, then another thump, and more light began to spill around the door.
“Someone’s out there,” Felin whispered.
Cam leaned forward in bed, searching for his trousers, but couldn’t find them. Felin’s lips pulled up in a snarl.
Footsteps came toward the door, the only sound beside Galla’s snoring. Cam leaned forward in bed, began to climb up, his body tense. He reached for his fire spell, preparing himself.
The door creaked open as Felin sprang to her feet.
Light flooded into the room, blinding Cam. A figure stood silhouetted in the door, a lamp held out, a short sword in its free hand. There was a curse, a masculine voice, and Cam barreled forward, heedless of the naked steel.
He slammed into the man, who let out a grunt. “Fuck,” he gasped as Cam slammed him backward into the main room.
He came at the man, naked as the day, and punched him in the throat. The man was surprised and clearly hadn’t expected much of a fight. He brought his sword up, but Felin slammed into him from the side.
“Fucker!” she said, her voice a hoarse scream.
The girls in the other room woke with a start.
“Felin, get off him,” Cam shouted as the man struggled.
He got a glimpse of their attacker. Stout, older, scraggly gray beard. He wore a black cloak pulled tight around a threadbare, patchwork tunic, stitched over so many times that it looked like a brown mass of spare cloth.
And pinned to his chest was the sign of the Wardens.
He raised his sword as Felin danced away from him. His clumsy swipe hit nothing but air, and as he moved to attack Felin again, Cam pushed his Urspell into place.
Flames, roiling dark blue and orange, shot from his outstretched palm and slammed into their attacker from the side. He screamed as th
e flames consumed him, hot enough to make Felin stumble away. He dropped to the floor as Cam released the magic, jaw clenched at the Need that washed over him.
The body writhed, released a hoarse groan, then fell still as the smell of burning flesh, cooked hair, and melted cloth filled the room.
“What’s going on?” Miuri said, appearing in the doorway. She was naked and held her curved sword in one hand.
Felin’s lips curled back. “Assassin,” she said.
“Assassin?” Miuri looked around then strode to the main door. Cam followed her and watched as she stepped into the hall, looked around, then slammed their door shut. “How did an assassin get in here? We locked that door.”
“He was a Warden,” Cam said.
Galla appeared in the bedroom door, a blanket wrapped around her body. Her eyes were wide as she looked from Cam, to Felin, to Miuri, then finally at the body still smoldering on the floor.
“Warden?” she asked. “How? That can’t be possible.”
“It’s possible,” Felin said. “I saw the sign. Cam saw it, too.”
“I saw it,” Cam said. “Without a doubt, that was a Warden.”
“Are you sure he was attacking us?” Galla asked. “The Wardens would never harm a resident of the Mansion. That goes against everything they stand for. Getting involved in politics would be… would be…” She trailed off, shaking her head, eyes wide with uncertainty.
“It would be what?” Cam asked. “Impossible?”
“Unheard of,” Galla said.
“Doesn’t matter,” Felin said. “The Warden attacked. We both saw it.”
“Tell me what happened,” Galla demanded. “Start from the beginning.”
Key came out, half dressed, and tossed Cam his trousers. He pulled them on as he explained what happened, waking up to Felin staring at the door, the man coming into their room with his weapon bared.
“I heard the door open,” Felin said. “I was half asleep and it jolted me up. I didn’t really understand it at first, since we’re supposed to have the only key.”
“But we don’t have the only key, do we?” Key asked, buttoning her tunic. “The Wardens come into our room every day. They drop off wood, replenish our foodstuffs, clean the fireplace.”
“True,” Galla said. “The Wardens can get into any room. Which is why they’ve stayed neutral for thousands of years.”
“They’re not neutral anymore,” Miuri said, pulling on her clothes.
As they dressed, Felin walked Galla through what happened two more times as the Warden’s corpse smoked and smoldered on the ground.
Cam stared at the door, his body tense, his mind spinning. Miuri leaned against his shoulder.
“You knew this was a possibility,” she said, keeping her tone low.
“I know,” he said. “But not this fast.”
“Remorn wasn’t going to give up so easily.”
“But on his own daughter’s wedding night?” Cam made a face and nearly spit on the floor. “That’s low, Miuri.”
She spread out her hands. “She’s not his daughter anymore.”
He opened his mouth then shut it again, shaking his head. “You’re probably right about that, but it doesn’t change anything. Sending an assassin on the night of her wedding is the act of a true coward, and I’m going to make sure the council knows it.”
“Think they’ll believe you?” she asked.
“Galla has half of them in her pocket,” he said. “And the other half are in the army. I suspect they won’t put up much of a fight.”
“Who does Remorn still control?”
“Dore,” Cam said. “The head Warden. A few of the Generals, some of the army staff. And I think some of the Elders are less loyal than Galla would like.”
“Then we’ll still have to be careful,” Miuri said.
Cam put a hand on her shoulder then trailed his fingers off as he walked over to the body. Felin, Galla, and Key were crouched over it, staring at the half-cindered cloak. Cam wedged his foot underneath it and kicked, rolling it over.
Half the man’s face and chest fell away in a pile of ash, bile, blood, and intestines. Galla turned away and retched. Miuri came over and put an arm over her shoulders, moving her from the corpse, as Cam crouched down to inspect it.
“Face is mostly gone,” Key said.
“But not all of it,” Cam said. “We can salvage some of this cloak.”
“Warden symbol is wrecked,” Felin said, letting out a frustrated growl as she poked at the pin with her finger. It was twisted and melted beyond recognition.
“We’ll make due,” he said, standing. “Fel, would you mind getting me my sword?”
“For what?” Key asked, frowning up at him.
He stared down at the corpse, at the man that had been sent to kill him on his own wedding night, a present from his father-in-law.
“I have a message to send,” he said, and flexed his fingers.
5
The council met the next morning, packed into the square set of tables that made up the bulk of the room. The Elders were all present along with half the army’s officer corp. Haesar and Gwedi sat in the far corner, and the Elf Lord inclined his head when Cam caught his eye.
Cam sat down in his customary seat and dropped a black velvet bag on the table in front of him. Captain Brice of the heavy armored division tilted her head in his direction and mouthed a question at him when he looked over at her. He only smiled and shook his head.
Galla Remorn lingered in the doorway wearing a long cream-colored gown, conservatively cut and covering her skin, but still clinging to her curves. She stared out at the group, at her father sitting at the head of the table, a chair empty beside him, but drifted over to Cam. She rested a hand on Cam’s shoulder, surveying the gathered men and women, the most powerful people in the Mansion.
She sat down and a silence descended over the room.
Lord Remorn stared at them. Cam expected anger from him, expected an outburst.
Instead, he let out a breath and turned his eyes away with a very slight nod to himself.
“I believe we’re all here,” he said, pushing his chair back to stand. “There is a long list of business before us today, and I’d like to be finished soon. There’s work to be done, and—”
“Father,” Galla said, interrupting him.
He grimaced and looked in her direction. “Yes, Galla? What is it?”
She sat up straight, an air of dignity wrapped around her. Cam had no clue how she managed to convey so much with her posture, but he was pretty sure he’d look like a fool if he tried.
“I want to discuss what happened yesterday,” she said.
“We don’t have time to speak of your… wedding,” he said.
“I don’t mean the wedding, although it was a lovely ceremony, thank you Elders for joining us.” She smiled, dazzling and bright. “No, Father, I’m talking about what happened after the ceremony, in the middle of the night.”
There were some surprised faces around the table. Her father opened his mouth and let out an annoyed grunt.
“I don’t need to hear about what goes on in my daughter’s marriage bed. This is inappropriate, Galla, would you please—”
“I’m not talking about consummating the marriage, although of course we did.” She gave the crowd a little shy grin and a few of the Elders chuckled. “No, I’m talking about the man you sent in the middle of the night when I was sleeping in my husband’s bed.”
“What man?” Lord Remorn asked.
Cam stared at the Lord, then to the Head Warden sitting at his side. Dore was a chubby man, with dark facial hair and beady little eyes. He sat stiffly, his back straight, a look of rage and disdain playing across his pig-like features. He gripped the edge of the table so tightly that his fingers turned white.
“Camrus, if you wouldn’t mind,” Galla said.
He nodded and stood. He picked up the bag, opened the top, and dumped out the contents.
A half-bur
ned head rolled out into the table. It nearly fell off the end of the table before rolling back into the middle, coming to a stop on its right cheek.
Several Elders gasped. Even a few of the army officers looked away in disgust. Cam stared at the gruesome thing on the table before looking up at Lord Remorn, expecting to see anger.
Instead, he saw surprise and disgust.
“This was the wedding present you sent me last night,” Galla said.
Cam sat and let her do the talking. He surveyed the table, found the Elf Lord impassive. Gwedi rolled her eyes at him, like she was annoyed. Captain Brice looked slightly pale and her eyes were hard, almost angry when he met her gaze. He tilted his head and shrugged a little, as if to say, what can I do, it’s beyond my control.
“I did not send any such thing,” Lord Remorn said. “What is this… that’s a man’s face, I don’t…”
“A Warden,” Galla said. “A Warden came into our rooms last night and attempted to kill us. He came with a naked blade, came into our sleeping room. The only reason I’m here telling you this story is because Cam defended my life.”
“That would explain the burns,” Captain Brice said.
“This is outrageous,” Warden Dore said, his jowls quivering. “How dare you suggest a Warden would break his sacred oath? We do not get involved in politics, we do not—”
“We all know that’s not true, Warden Dore,” Galla said. “You may not assassinate people, but you’ve been under my father’s thumb for a long time now. You play the game like anyone else does, and I dare you to try and prove otherwise.”
Warden Dore’s eyes went wide, or as wide as they could. He gripped the table and pushed back to stand, but Lord Remorn’s hand came up, stopping him before he could get to his feet.
“How do we know this… head belonged to a Warden?” Lord Remorn asked.
“We have witnesses,” Galla said. “And there’s this.” She reached into a pocket sewn into the hip of her dress and produced the melted, twisted Warden symbol, tossing it onto the table.
“That could be anything,” Warden Dore said, spittle flying from his pinched lips.