Blood Moon Chronicles: Book 4: Many Faces of the Moon

by James Howlette

Copyright© 2020 by James Howlette

A Blood Moon Story (4)

Description: Brenson has been killed, but a threat still looms. Davik, Janet, Lillian and the others head to where it all began, Vishant Province. Will they be able to stop the Voguel threat once and for all? Or will they too late to stop their enemy from completing their dark task?

Tags: Some Sex, Ma/Fa, Consensual, BiSexual, High Fantasy, non-anthro, Were animal, Harem, Cream Pie, Pregnancy, Safe Sex, Big Breasts

Published: 2020-04-01

Updated: 2020-11-11

Size: 117,970 Words

Chapter 1

The smell of the sea filled the air, crisp with a hint of salt. The crashing of waves against the hull of the barge filled the air. I looked out over the sea with trepidation at what we would encounter when we arrived. We had spent two months after our return trying everything Lillian could think of to try and reverse the change that had occurred, but nothing seemed to work. She was able to figure out how to change into her larger wolf form at will, but we were disappointed when we couldn’t figure out a cure. I knew that if Celka were here, she would have been able to figure out what had happened and reversed it. Thinking of her would bring a smile to my face as I remembered her no nonsense approach to life, but then the vision of her death at Violet’s hands would come into focus. The joy I felt would turn to anger, sorrow and regret at what had happened and who was responsible.

My mind would wander to Violet and the change that had occurred. I talked about it at length with Ruben before we had left, and he didn’t seem as surprised as I thought he would. He explained that the change started after her rape at the hands of Brant. Her trust of people was severely damaged and her father helping her was the only thing that kept her trust in him intact. Due to her mental state after the event, Ruben became her anchor and was the only one capable of calming her down. It took seven months to get her close enough to her old self that she could go outside and another four before she could on her own. Regardless of her state and past, he still felt that the path she had chosen to take had been dangerously excessive. He hadn’t realized how much she still hid and buried instead of dealing with the issues. Because he had not actually died, she had seen that as a betrayal. She believed that he had instead abandoned her when she needed him most and only further drove a wedge between her and everyone else.

Ivy was doing well with Ruben and his family and Kafe was taking a shine to her. Very rarely would they be seen apart and usually they were walking hand in hand. It reminded me of some of the time, as a child, I had spent with Violet and what I had missed. It was bittersweet to leave everyone at home, but I knew that they could take care of what needed to be done. Liza and Trina would be able to handle the expansion in the market and their budding romances are going well. Brandon was working well with Ruben and had helped him spend more time with his family. Carl was moving ahead with the expansion of our business and would begin the new buildings. Ilane was sad to see us go; she tried every cure for Lillian she could but came up short as well. She saw us off when we left for Dru’Tirk. Edgar was insistent that Revar should travel with us until our return to Cartha. We politely declined, but he instead demanded that Revar accompany us to the port and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

It was an uneventful trip and Revar spent time talking with various people while in town, in hopes to increase trade.

We let the Patron know of Celka’s fate and how she had helped to stop a darkness that was rising in the north. We told him of our plans to head to Vishant, though we would have to head south for a month by horse to reach the nearest ferry. He would not hear of it and had one of his fishermen take us across. He said that we were welcome to Celka’s cottage and that he would see it would be kept in trust until our return.

We had left the village a few hours ago and we were expecting to make berth in another hour. The trip was fine for most of us, though it was interesting watching Lillian try and keep balance from the waves.

“How are you doing Lillian?” I asked, trying not to reveal the laughter in my voice.

<<Har, har, Davik. I am glad to know you are enjoying my discomfort, though I never did like boats when I was human.>>

“He cannot help it, Lillian,” Janet said with a smile. “and to be honest neither can I. It is difficult to not find some amusement to you trying so hard not to move around.

Lillian huffed in irritation and continued to try and brace herself, but the pads on her feet couldn’t get enough traction. Taking pity on her, Janet knelt down and hugged her to her body, helping to stabilize her. I couldn’t help but smile as I looked at them. I was rewarded by a smile from Janet, and I could feel the same from Lillian across our Link. The others were helping the fisherman with the various tasks on his ship, as there was usually a four-man crew on a vessel of this size. It was a bit cramped, but there was still enough room to find some comfort.

“What should we expect when we arrive in port?” I asked Janet. “Will we be arriving to find the military waiting for us, or are we expected to go to the capital?”

“I only notified them of the death of the suspected Voguel and that he was confirmed to be one. I also confirmed that all known associates were taken care of as well, meaning that no known Voguel are left. I informed them that we showed the capital of this country how to test for them. I have not told them of my enhancement or of yours. All I have said is that you were instrumental to our case and have even gone as far as to train a wolf to help you hunt. I figured it would help justify having Lillian around until we can find a way to cure her.”

I nodded, “That should work, but there is still the fear that the people of Vishala have towards wolves because of the Voguel. We will need to ensure that she does not leave our group for any reason. I could not stand to lose either of you. I have lost too much already.”

Janet gave me a warm smile, and I could feel both of them trying to reassure me through our link. Even the other girls of Janet’s squad gave soft smiles in response to what I had said.

I looked back out on the water and once again my mind began to wander. This time my thoughts drifted to the unknown adversary that was waiting for us. Brenson had referred to the person as she, and that she was a true Old One.

My eyes never left the water as I asked, “Janet, how long can an Old One live? What is the oldest age that you have on record?”

“We don’t really know. There is no actual written record of how long, only stories, but most of them are vague. They have said that Voguel can live for centuries once they reach the state of an Old One.”

“What is that exactly?” I asked confused about the whole thing. “I have heard the term used by you and Brenson.”

“They are Voguel who have sired enough new Voguel. As you saw, Brenson’s wolf wasn’t that much larger than Lillian when she changed. An Old One was rumored to be even larger. Each minion they created gave them power and we believe that it was between fifty to a hundred minions to give them enough power. The minions did not need to survive past their first turn. The energy created would be transferred permanently and stored like a battery. Their wolf would grow in size with each turned minion.”

<<Are they tied to the master like we are tied together? I mean, it didn’t seem that way between Brenson and Violet.>>

“That I can’t answer,” Janet replied with a sigh. “We don’t know enough about proper Voguel to know the answer to that.”

“Well, I know that I had dreams of things Brant had done, including Violet’s rape. It went all the way back to the very instance that Brenson initially trapped him into service, though he was happy to do it. In our talks, Ruben said he felt the same thing, but he thought that they were just nightmares that his mind made up and he had done his best to forget them. Then there is the fact that Brenson basically said that this woman was in constant contact with him, telling him how to do what he needed to do. I think that Old Ones have the means to communicate as we do, but ones that have not ascended to that level have to have more direct contact. “

Janet nodded in agreement, “That would explain why it is so difficult to find and end Old Ones. They could have been told of pending attacks and gotten away before we could get close.”

My mind once again began to wander as I looked out onto the water and awaited our arrival at the port. I wondered what would await us and what would lie ahead of us. There were so many risks in what we were going to attempt and there were so many forces working against us, that I worried about our chances for success. While we are only here to try and find a cure for Lillian’s predicament, my gut told me we would be thrust into the middle of a war between Vishant and the Voguel. I had spoiled an Old One’s plans for Bardack Province and painted a target on our backs. Then there was the matter of how the government of Vishant would react to what Janet, Lillian and I are if they ever found out. Lillian would be relatively safe until we are able to cure her, but if we are forced to use our abilities, it would not be long before they would come after us.

Their distrust of the Voguel would make anyone who showed any ability a threat. I had seen the same distrust and hatred in Janet when we first met, along with the others in the group.

An hour later, we were pulling into what Janet told me was Iltha’tal Village. It was not that unlike Dru’Tirk, in that its main industry was fishing the lake. It was slightly larger, and it probably wouldn’t be long before it became a town with all the bonuses that come with that. There was a bit of a military presence in the village, other than the normal guards that are stationed with their Patron but given the history of the Province I wasn’t surprised.

There were two soldiers waiting with the dock master when we disembarked from the fisherman’s boat. We thanked him for all he had done, and I gave him some Drectar for his trouble. He refused, but I insisted and asked that he use it to make whatever upgrades he needed for the vessel and that he would receive a special rate if he mentioned me to Carl when he talked to them. He thanked us and we made our way over to speak with the dock master. Janet had told me we would have to deal with this, so she would take the lead. ​​​​

“State your business in Iltha’tal village and in Vishant Province!” The guard demanded.

“You have no authority to ask that, “Janet responded. “You do not have jurisdiction over the docks of any village or town. The dockmaster can ask our purpose and determine if we could pose an issue to the village or province.”

“Who the fuck are you?” Demanded the guard, “and who the fuck do you think you are talking to, bitch?”

Janet and the others had been wearing cloaks that went from their shoulders to their feet, to cover them and keep them warm during the voyage. Due to these cloaks, their armor had been covered, so this idiot did not know who he was speaking to. From what I knew of Janet’s platoon and their standing, he just told off a senior officer. I had to hide my smirk as Janet stepped forward and with a flourish, tossed the sides of her cloak back, revealing her armor underneath.

“The real question is, do you know who you are speaking to?!” Janet yelled, her eyes filled with fury and rage. “I am the commander of the Silver Daggers and you will show me, and my companions the respect we are due. Do I make myself clear?!”

I watched all three of the men’s faces pale as she revealed who they were. The guards were more scared than the dockmaster.

“I am sorry, ma’am,” stuttered the dockmaster, flustered at his place in the debacle.

Janet shook her head, “There is nothing that you need to be sorry for. You didn’t do anything that would require an apology. These two acted outside their boundaries of their authority, regardless of the fact that I am a superior officer and my report to my superiors will say as much. As for those two, I will leave it up to my superiors to deal with them and their abuse of authority.”

If they were white before, then began to turn a bit green as she finished. There were mumbles of apologies, but I knew that they were falling on deaf ears.

With that out of the way, we made our way to the local inn, hoping there would be lodging for all of us. Our walk to the inn drew in a lot of looks, both for the women traveling with me, as well as with the wolf walking beside me. If we thought their looks were bad, the reaction of the innkeeper was priceless.

“Welcome to the...What in the seven hells is that beast doing within my establishment?!” screamed the man.

“That beast is a part of my platoon,” replied Janet softly. “She is no different than hounds that our troops use and will be offered every hospitality afforded to us. Do I make myself clear!?”

He huffed a bit and looked like he was going to argue, but she glared at him as if to dare him to do so. I watched as the fight left him and he asked for how many rooms we wanted. Janet asked for four and to have all our meals brought directly to our rooms. She listed the dietary requirements for everyone and paid a hefty fee for meat and other parts to be brought up for Lillian. Thankfully she was used to hunting as a wolf and eating her kills, or there would be issues for her. Janet explained that we would be here for three days and nights.

With that out of the way, we made our way upstairs and began to settle in for the three days we planned to stay. Elsie and Kayla got the first room, Ingrid and Irenia got the second room, Faye and Cherish got the third room. That left Janet, Lillian and I together in the fourth and final room. We placed our things in the lockbox within the room and then emptied our travel bags. Lillian padded over to the corner opposite the door. This would allow her to keep an eye on it when she was resting, in case trouble entered. I assisted Janet out of her armor, fighting the growing urge to take her right there in the room.

We had been so busy preparing for the trip that we had not had any time alone. Lillian knew and understood that our urges could not be denied forever. It meant that we would work harder to ensure we would be able to be together in more than just our dreamscape. That is what we decided to call the place where we could be with Lillian. We were aware and retained our memories of each encounter, though it only served to increase our desire to have her returned to her human form.

<< You do know that you can go ahead and let your urges out with one another. You do not have to hold back on my account.>>

Janet and I shared a glance, “We only want to try and be fair to you, Lillian. We are perfectly fine with the dreamscape.”

<< Do not feed me that bull, Janet,>> Lillian growled. <<I know better than that, because in my position, you would crave the feelings that happen in the real world. You know that while it is amazing, the feelings in the dreamscape never match the intensity that happens when we are awake.>>

“There is no reason to worry about us, Lillian,” I said with a sigh. “We are perfectly fine as it is and can wait until we figure out how to change you back.”

<<Davik, it could take months or even years before we figure this out. So, if you do not take Janet to that bed and make her scream with wanton passion, I will bite you on the ass!>>

To make her point, she lunged at me and took a few playful bites at my ass. Still, her point had been made and I could hear Janet trying to suppress a laugh. I turned to look at her and saw her staring back as she began to remove her clothing. A single eyebrow raised in the way only a woman knows how. The look conveying only one question: ‘Well, what are you waiting for?’ My eyes became riveted on Janet as she continued displaying more skin with each piece of clothing she removed.

<< Does she not look delicious, Davik? Even my mouth is watering, as if it were about to feast on a fresh Tora kill. Give in to it, my sweet, and show her how much you love her. How much we love her.>>

I could not agree with Lillian more and began to disrobe as my urge to be with Janet grew. I removed my final piece of clothing, I looked to see Janet lying on the bed. She lay upon it demurely, a leg cocked up and her back propped up by her arms. She continued to look at me with that single raised eyebrow, daring me to take her. As I made my way to the bed, I jumped as something cold came in contact with my left buttock. I turned to find that Lillian had snuck up and decided to give it a lick. I could feel her laughing through our link and turned to see Janet was fighting to contain her own laughter. Spurred on by them, I jumped onto the bed, causing her to squeal in surprise.

I grabbed her wrists and pulled them above her head, causing her breasts to be pulled up higher on her chest. I gave her my own version of the eyebrow raise before I lowered my head and latched my lips onto her left nipple. I lightly sucked on the nub, while running my tongue along the outside. Janet moaned in response and arched her back. I used my right hand to grasp both wrists and lowered my left hand to grab the succulent flesh of her right breast. Her moans continued, increasing in volume as her body began to move and writhe underneath me.

When I felt that breast had been attacked enough, I switched her wrists into my left hand and moved my lips to her right breast. My right hand began to manipulate her left breast as I had with the right. I could sense Lillian’s arousal through the link and wished that there was something I could do to help, but for now, I would focus on the goddess beneath me. Releasing her nipple from the grasp of my mouth, I brought my hand down to grasp it. With both voluminous orbs in my hands I began to kiss my way down to my target.

With her hands free, Janet moved her hands down and began to run them through my hair as I continued my descent lower. Soon I found myself in front of my target and began my assault on her womanhood. Her fingers grasped my hair as I ran my tongue along her outer folds, collecting the moisture that had collected there, before probing her inner folds with my tongue. Her nectar was sweet to the taste and I had not realized how much I longed to taste her. I became consumed by a ravenous hunger and continued to probe for more of her sweetness with my tongue. She began to pant, and I felt her begin to shake as her pleasure mounted.

“Please, Davik, I cannot wait any longer,” Janet panted, her need evident in the tone of her words. “I need you inside me NOW!”

I made my way back up her body as her grasping hands tried to hurry me along. I hoped to have a minute to clean her juices off my face but was surprised as she pulled me for a heated kiss. She seemed not to care about her taste on my lips as she plunged her tongue into my mouth. Her need was expressed in the passion of our kiss and the frantic grasp of her hands. I could not let her wait any further, as her need was hitting its peak. I used my right hand to guide myself to her entrance and slowly pushed forward into her. She groaned as I slowly entered her. The tight wetness yielding to me as I sank deeper within her, the hot vise filling me with missed sensations of pleasure.

Slowly I moved deeper, until I was finally fully seated within her. I gave her a few moments to become used to the sensation of me being inside her. Once I was sure she was ready, I began deliberately slow thrusts. Her nails dug deep into my back as she moaned into my ear. After a minute or two, I picked up the pace and increased the force of my thrusts. She began to moan louder and decided to start sucking on my neck as a way to muffle the sounds she was making. I continued my thrusts, increasing my efforts as her wet tightness rippled along the length of my member.

Janet caught me unaware as she pushed me back and used the momentum to flip us over and she was able to control the pace. She pulled my hands back to her breasts and then after placing her hands on my chest for leverage, began raising and lowering herself. Thoughts returned of previous times I had been in this position and I was hit with small pangs of guilt. I could not control how things had turned out, but I could use the knowledge to my advantage.

I used my hands to massage and knead her breasts, hoping to amplify her pleasure until she collapsed onto my chest. Then I began my assault, grabbing her bottom with both hands and thrusting upward rapidly. She began to moan again, and her panting was becoming ragged as I continued to thrust into her. As her pleasure built, she began to tighten and I knew her pleasure was mounting, I progressed with my final attack. I quickly scooped some of our combined juices and then placed my finger at the entrance of her rosebud. I watched her eyes widen and I looked for some sign that she didn’t want me to proceed but saw only resolve and lust.

So, on my next thrust into her, I plunged my finger into her anus at the same time and that was enough to push her over the edge. Instead of a moan, she screamed and the sensations inside her were enough to push me over the edge. I joined her in a cry of pleasure as my seed was emptied inside her and I could not believe how right it felt. As I came down from the high of our union, it only reinforced my longing to have Lillian with us. She deserved to be with us, sharing in the pleasure that we were enjoying. Without her, it felt like we were not completely whole, and I knew that Janet felt the same.

<< I know that you wish I was there, my loves, and sometime soon I will be. For now I can bask in the pleasure that is shared between our growing bond and enjoy what time we have in our dreamscape.>>

“I know, love, but I still find myself feeling somewhat guilty being together without you here with us.” I could feel her love and patience through the link we shared, and Janet snuggled into my side.

“Your feelings about us only make us love you more, Davik,” Janet said with a contented sigh. “I never thought I could feel this much love in my life.”

I smiled and pulled her into my side as I allowed the pleasure and contentment of our union to relax me. Though my mind did wonder how thick the walls were and of just how loud we had just been. I could feel both of their amusement and figured we would end up hearing about it soon enough. As I felt myself drifting off into slumber, my awareness was jostled as Lillian began to let out a low growl.

We both sat up and I asked, “Lillian. What is the matter? Is there something going on?”

<<You two better get some clothes on. I believe we are about to receive some unwanted guests!>>

Chapter 2

“Do you know who it is, Lillian?” I asked as I started to put my pants on. “Could it be the innkeeper or possibly the dock master looking for us?”

<< No, I don’t recognize this smell, but there are scents of blood and battle on them.>>

I nodded to Janet and she quickly took up her nearby sword, placing it near her and out of the line of sight from the door. She then quickly put on a sleeping gown, though I never remembered her having one. Perhaps it was something that she had worn prior to meeting us, but it looked alluring on her.

I placed my sword next to the door and stretched out my senses. Lillian was correct, as I could hear two or possibly three people arguing with the innkeeper. There was too much noise from the other patrons, as well as the people outside of the inn, for me to focus enough to hear what they were talking about.

A few minutes later, the arguing ceased, and they began stomping up the stairs. I glanced at both of my companions and could sense that they were ready for whatever might happen in the next few moments. The footsteps stopped outside our door and a moment later we heard one of them banging on the door.

“In the name of the Vishant, open this door immediately. Failure to do so will warrant your immediate arrest.”

I opened the door with a friendly smile, “Hello there, what seems to be the problem?”

“You will come with us immediately,” The man demanded. Based on his garb and armor, he was someone within the same military as Janet.

“On what grounds?” Demanded Janet, who now had appeared next to me in the doorway.

“You are to come along, too,” the man snarled. “It is against the law to appear as a member of the Vishant Military, woman!”

He reached out to grab her, but before his hand could reach her, her sword was drawn, and the tip was pressed to his throat. I watched how fast she moved and was realized that she had not needed to use her enhanced speed.

“How dare you draw a weapon on a Vishant warrior! I will have you thrown into the darkest cell I can find.”

Janet laughed, “That will be difficult if you’re dead. You do know that you can be put to death for threatening the Captain of the Torgal?”

The warrior’s face blanched at what she had said, and I could see the indecision on his face.

“Just look at my sword, it will be all the proof you need to back up my claim, you sniveling worm!”

The soldier looked down at her sword and I think he was trying not to faint, cry or urinate on himself.

“I am so sorry, Ma’am. I was told by my men at the dock that a group came into port on a fishing boat and that they claimed to be military. They did not believe that what you had told them was true, as we had not been told that you would be arriving.”

Janet pulled the sword away from the man’s throat but continued to glare at the man. “While that may be true, the arrogance and rudeness were not necessary. I do not care what is going on, but we must never lose the people we are to the battle we are fighting.”

He nodded and apologized before bidding us a goodbye and leaving to go downstairs. Only when I heard them leaving the inn, did I breathe a sigh of relief. I hoped that we would not have to deal with this again, but I had a feeling that we would be seeing more of the same thing soon enough. These people had been going through terror, death and torment for over a few hundred years. Thinking that they had beaten their enemy, only to have them come back when the people least expected it.

“I am sorry that happened, Davik. I didn’t think that we would have to deal with such things. I wish they had given us a seal to make it easier to prove who we are so that we don’t have to deal with this nonsense.”

I closed the door and pulled her to me. She tensed slightly, but relaxed once my arms were around her. Lillian got up from her spot and made her way over to brush herself against us.

<<Well, now that we have gotten all that out of the way, you need to get her on that bed and continue what you were doing before we were rudely interrupted.>>

Janet glanced at Lillian with an exasperated look, “If you remember, my love, he did a rather good job before we were interrupted.”

<< I know that, but that was only the first time and we both know that he can go at least two more times>>

I felt Lillian giggle over the link and a chuff escaped the lips of her wolf form. We both smiled and removed our clothes as Lillian padded over to her spot across the door. I did indeed have the energy for another round of love making, leaving us both tired but happily satisfied. As my consciousness began to fade into slumber, my thoughts drifted to seeing our lovely Lillian in our dreamscape.

Firelight danced along the rocky walls of the room, casting shadows between the flickering flashes that moved keeping the darkness at bay. Sitting on an ornate chair near the back of the room sat a singular figure, covered in a long robe. As the sitting figure sat pensive on its throne, the silence of the room was broken by incoming footsteps.

“Why do you disrupt my thoughts with your presence?” asked the person sitting on the throne.

The person who entered the room stopped a few meters from the chair and bowed in respect, before removing the hood of a long cloak to reveal a woman.

“Someone has entered Vishant, someone new that I have not sensed before. There is a tendril of a link, but in time, I should be able to make it stronger.”

“Hmm, so, someone of your line that you are not aware of. Intriguing. Very well, I trust you will be discreet. I will not have you disrupt my plans now, not when I have come so close. If your curiosity does anything to jeopardize this for me, I will eat your entrails while you watch. Do you understand me, woman?”

The woman nodded, before bowing to the figure on the throne and turning to leave the room. The sounds of her footsteps faded away as the figure sat and stared into the flickering light before it. “Soon,” the presence spoke, “we will have the victory we crave. Soon, Vishant will be mine and with this great province in my grasp, I will be able to capture all others.”

I awoke feeling well rested and content after our time in the dreamscape. I never tired of the love that we shared there, though I knew it would not compare to when we would be able to do that in the flesh. Janet was curled into my side and I glanced over to see Lillian was resting, as well. Dawn was just breaking, and the sky was only just starting to lighten. Janet had not said what she had planned for today, but I trusted her judgement in this case.

I slowly got out of the bed, hoping my slow movements would allow Janet to continue sleeping. I was happy when I was successful in getting out of the bed without waking her but was not surprised to see that Lillian was looking at me from her spot on the floor. I quickly got dressed and made my way towards the door.

<<Nice job Romeo, if I did not know better, I would think you were well acquainted with sneaking out of a woman’s bed.>>

I walked over and whispered, “Har, har, Lillian. You know I am not the type. She has been worried about what will happen and I know it has affected her sleep. If I can help her get a little more rest, I will.”

I could feel Lillian smile over the link, and I made my way out of the room to go to the facilities. A while later, I returned to the room and Janet was just waking, entering while she was mid-stretch. The sheet fell down uncovering her large, voluminous breasts and I could not help letting my eyes drift lower. When I brought my eyes back up, I could see her smiling at me. I could sense Lillian’s desire over our link, and I smiled knowing that I was not the only one affected by her actions. I walked over and gave Janet a slow kiss, enjoying the feel of her lips against mine.

I sat down and asked, “So you never really said what would be on the docket for today?”

“Other than getting our travel plans squared away, not much. We had a lot of things happen in a short amount of time. I would not mind a day or two of rest. So I hope that we can get the needed wagon and horses for our travels from the garrison after breakfast.”

I nodded in agreement. It seemed like a viable plan and I could understand her need for rest. Still, I could not get over the sense of unease that I was feeling. I had had these feelings ever since things ended with Brenson and it had only increased as we made our way to Vishant. We would have to stay vigilant, not only to keep our abilities hidden from Janet’s own military, but to be wary of threats from Voguels.

“I am in a new element here, sweetheart,” I said with a warm smile. “I am going to be following your lead while we are here. I hope that I do not end up doing something that will make me a burden to you and the others.”

Janet let out a small laugh, “You will not be any burden, Davik. My main worry is that we will be fighting battles on two fronts. How long will we be able to hide our abilities from my government? A few weeks, months? We will need to use our abilities at some point, and we will not always have the luxury to use them where we will not be seen. Then there is the Voguel issue we came here to deal with. I wish that we could have the support of my Dran, but he is very distrusting of his own people, let alone outsiders. We had orders to kill not only the Voguel menace, but also anyone cured. He did not care if it was true or not; he just considered them tainted and as Voguel waiting to happen.”

“How in the seven hells are we expected to fight Voguel and your military? If your Dran believes us the enemy, how many will he send to kill us? Are you prepared to kill your own people? How will the two of us be expected to defeat all of them?”

<< You mean three, right? Because it sounds like you forgot that I would be fighting alongside you!>>

I gave Lillian an apologetic smile, “Sorry, love. You are correct, it would be the three of us. Still, I do not like the odds being so stacked against us.”

“I do not care if I have to kill every soldier on the continent. If it means protecting my family, I will brave them all. You, Lillian and those six girls out there are my family. Nothing will come between me and my desire to help you. Besides, if you would just agree with my plan, then we would not have any issues.”

I scoffed at her, “We talked about this, Janet. We do not know if what happened with you was a fluke or not. Not only that, we have no idea if they, too, will suffer some kind of side effect. Not to mention the fact they would also be linked to us, possibly forever. I could not do that to them, as I do not wish to deprive them of the chance to find someone of their own. The intimacy of the bond would hamper that, I think, not to mention the sensations of when we have sex, both in the real and in our shared dreamscape.”

“I told you before, Davik, that it would not bother me in the least. I do understand your worries and issues on the matter. I respect them as well, but have you asked them?”

I was about to answer but was stopped short. I had not thought that they would want to volunteer to become like us. Thinking about it, I could see that they might indeed agree to be changed like us. That said, I was still not sold on the idea.

“I am not saying we do it right this minute, my love, so we will table the conversation for now. I still want you to think about this, and I hope that we do not run into a situation that will make us wish we had done it.”

I sighed as this was not the first time since we left Cartha that she had made that suggestion. To be fair, she was not wrong, but after what happened in Bardack Province, I was hesitant. Visions of the monstrosities Brenson had created and the monster that Violet had become kept popping in my head. I wanted to prevent that from happening to any of them.

<< Davik. You need to stop dwelling on what happened and blaming yourself for it. You had no control over most of what happened, especially what had happened with Violet. She made her choices on her own and I honestly doubt there would have been anything you could have done, aside from changing who you are, that would have stopped it. >>

I nodded, “I know, and I try, but you know how I am. I will kill to protect those I care for, without hesitation. However, if someone I care about is injured or lost, then I wonder what I did wrong or could have done to prevent it.”

“We know, Davik,” Janet said with a smile. “That is one of the things we love about you. Not just Lillian and me, but Elsie, Kayla, Irenia, Cherish, Faye, and Ingrid feel the same way, too.”

I sighed, “Can we at least table this until we get some breakfast? I am starving and could use a good meal.”

Janet laughed and I could feel Lillian join her through the link. Janet’s laughing caused her breasts to move around and I could not help but look at their hypnotic movement. She laughed at my reaction and then got dressed as quickly as she could.

“Davik, please take Lillian outside so she can stretch her legs and by the time you return, the others should be up and dressed. I will let you know over the link when the food is about to be ready so that it is still warm when you arrive.”

I nodded, as did Lillian, and I took my sword before heading out of the room. Lillian followed on my left as we made our way downstairs. The look on the people’s faces when we walked through the inn was priceless. Everyone had looks of fear, surprise or confusion on their faces at the sight of a wolf walking through the inn. We made our way out and I followed Lillian, as her nose was better suited for locating the nearest wood than even my own heightened senses. We got speculative and hostile looks, but no one tried to act on them.

As we made our way out, I noticed that the people of Vishant were a little shorter than I was used to. I was around one hundred and ninety-two centimeters tall, where the men I had encountered were between one hundred and fifty to one hundred and sixty-five centimeters. The women were about fifteen centimeters shorter, on average, than the men.

I could tell that my size was intimidating them, as well as my current companion. I tried to smile warmly, hoping to ease their mistrust and fears, but I was not sure I was successful. After five minutes of following Lillian, we found a section of the village that was beside the woods and Lillian took off ahead. I chuckled a little at her antics and enthusiasm before jogging after her. She was setting a decent pace, so once we were out of view of the village, I checked my surroundings before dashing after her. She sensed that I had given chase and I could sense she was feeling playful. She then began to dart around the woods, trying to lose me, despite the link. Giving in to the fun myself, I tried to ignore the sense of where she was and instead tried to hone my senses to locate her.

Despite my attempts to ignore it, the link told me exactly where she was and within minutes I found where she was hiding. She had made a good attempt, hiding underneath a fallen log and using the shadows to mask where she was. If we did not have the link, even with my heightened senses I would have had trouble.

“Nice try, Lillian,” I said with a smile. “If we were not linked, I would have had a bit of trouble getting a reading on where you were.”

<< Happy to hear it, but right now I am starving and could use some fresh meat. Besides, hunting with me will help you keep your senses sharp.>>

I closed my eyes and focused on the area around me, looking for signs of prey and was rewarded with the sounds of a deer herd.

“So what is your plan? Shall I just herd one of the animals to you or, do you want me to kill one?”

<< I think we should get two, one for me to eat and one to bring to the town. It may help the opinion of the villagers.----

I nodded and we started making our way towards the herd. It felt good to cut loose the restraints that I put on myself. Dashing through the woods at full speed was like nothing else. I felt free and it fed a more primal side of me that I had only recently noticed was there. The strain of keeping myself under control at all times was tiring and constricting. It took more effort not to crush things than it would to allow my muscles to act normally. There was too much risk of damaging things or hurting someone. Here I could cut loose and be myself. I had a feeling that once we got on the move, Janet would be joining us.

We began closing in on our targets, so Lillian veered off to try and start directing the herd where we wanted them. Though we were not used to the terrain, I could see Lillian’s plan coming together. I had contemplated using my sword, but instead drew my knife from my belt. I took a deep breath as I slipped into my combat awareness. Everything slowed down and I got sight of my target, a female that had a hitch in her leg. I could see that Lillian was closing on an older male. Focusing on my target, I prepared my throw and targeted the female’s heart. Putting my full force behind the throw, I tossed the knife and pulled myself out of my combat awareness. Within a few seconds, the knife struck its target and the female went down.

Lillian used this time to strike and tripped up her target. She got to it before it could get up and latched onto its neck. With a twist of her head, she broke the animal’s neck and it stopped moving. I approached the female, who did not look like she was bleeding, and collected my knife. I picked up my kill and threw it over my shoulders, as Lillian activated her change and grew to a monstrous size. She then quickly began devouring her prey and I made my way back to the village. I knew that she would be back at my side by the time I reached the edge of the woods, so I kept a relatively normal pace. A minute before I would arrive within view of the village Lillian appeared at my side in her regular form.

“Feeling better now?” I asked. “I hope that the meat they will be providing will be sufficient for you until we leave.”

<< I believe so. In fact I am confident that I will not need to eat for a few days, but I would rather build my reserves in case the hunting is sparse in our travels.>>

Janet responded through the link, ((We should be fine. As long as there has not been a resurgence of Voguel attacks in our absence.))

// Well, we will deal with it as it arises. Is there somewhere I could deliver this kill, or should I just bring it to the inn? \\

((Bring it to the back of the inn. I will tell the innkeeper that you have a fresh deer for his kitchen. He will take the cuts he needs and distribute the rest. Half of the village eat at the inn anyway.))

I sent my thanks through the link and made my way out of the woods, as we made our way back to the inn. While there were still looks of fear, most had changed to distrust or awe. I had to assume that it was due to the fact I had only been in the woods for a short time before returning and had only taken a sword, knife and wolf with me. I walked with pride and ignored the looks as we approached the back entrance.

The innkeeper and a man I would have to assume was the cook were waiting for us. The look on their faces was slightly funny, but I did not let that bother me. I gave the deer to the cook and simply left for the front entrance. When I neared the door, I could sense that there were one or two people behind us. Lillian could sense it too and a low growl began to rumble from her.

I turned to see the two soldiers that had greeted us at the docks when we arrived and neither looked to be in a good mood.

“You were lucky that bitch was there to protect you, boy, but she is not here now. You and that ugly fucking mutt are going to pay for your disrespect with your lives.”

Chapter 3

They were a few feet in front of me and both had their blades drawn. Based on their stance I could tell that they had experience with them, but they were overconfident. They lacked the discipline to treat each encounter seriously and that would ultimately prove their downfall. I drew both my sword and knife and got in a defensive stance. I had the knife facing towards the ground in my left hand and had my sword drawn in my right. Through the link, I could tell that Janet was pissed and, on her way, here.

She was discussing today’s plans with the others when these morons arrived. I closed my eyes and began to draw out my combat awareness. They took the chance I gave and attacked. My eyes opened and they were not that far from me, moving slower than normal to my eyes. I used my weapons to guard the attacks as I kicked my foot out to the one on my left. I made sure not to use my full strength, but it still hit him pretty hard. I parried a blow from the soldier on my right and used the knife to cut his hand and forced him to drop his sword. I then punched him in the face, the hilt of the knife adding an extra amount of force and set him on his ass.

By this time, the other one had gotten up and was charging me. I moved out of the way but left my leg outstretched, causing him to lose his balance. Lillian had pounced on the one I had just injured and was keeping him out of the fight. My opponent recovered, but I quickly parried and blocked his attempt to overpower me with a flurry of attacks.

With my combat awareness, I was able to meet each blow perfectly and bide my time until an opening presented itself that allowed me to strike. I was able to block with my knife and slice his arm with my sword before kicking his chest, knocking the wind out of him. Now vulnerable, I punched him as hard as I could and knocked him out. It was at this time that Janet burst through the front door. Around the same time, the man who visited us the night before arrived.

“What in the seven hells is going on here?” yelled the platoon captain. “What is the meaning of this? Why are my men lying on the ground, one of which with a cursed wolf on them?”

I walked over to the man and got in his face, which caused him to take a step back. There was a look of seething anger in my face and I doubt this man was used to people reacting that way with him.

“Your two idiots here decided that I had to be taught a lesson after what happened on the docks. They felt I was fair game, since Janet was not with me and they planned to injure or possibly kill me and my wolf. This conduct is disgraceful, and I will be sending news of this to my Patron to tell the Dran of Bardack province.”

“If they attacked, it is because you provoked them,” he replied with an arrogant tone.

“Really? So me dropping off a fresh kill of deer, then returning to my hotel is a provocation? If this is how your soldiers act, I am surprised that the Voguel have not wiped you out already!”

The platoon captain began to fume and sputter in reply. A glance at his hands and I could see him begin to reach for his sword.

“If you draw your weapon,” I growled menacingly, “then I will have no choice but to cut you down.”

He heard someone clearing their throat behind him and turned to see Janet standing behind him with her sword pointed at him.

He took a step back in shock and yelled, “How dare you draw a weapon against a platoon commander!”

“The Torgal answer only to the Dran. You are aware of this but choose to ignore it due to your inflamed sense of self-importance. I am your superior and have the authority to kill you without fear of punishment. Anyone who is deemed a threat to my platoon is a threat to the Dran. Davik is a part of my platoon.”

I watched as the platoon commander’s face paled with every word she spoke. His hand slowly moved away from his sword and he turned to look at me once again. I could see his eyes evaluating me, trying to understand why I would be so important. I stepped forward and got in his face once again.

“To answer the question on your mind, I killed an entire pack of Voguel that was attacking my village. With Janet’s help, I was able to end an Old One and his remaining pack. I am not one you would wish to fight with or make an enemy of.”

He swallowed hard and took two steps away from me, moving his hand away from his sword and up in a sign of resignation.

“I apologize for my actions and the actions of my men. I do hope you enjoy your visit to Vishant.”

I nodded and smiled, hoping to show I had no lingering ill will. Janet nodded and sheathed her sword and watched as the commander called for two guards to assist his injured men. I shook my head at the unnecessary violence and confrontation. We made our way inside and I could sense Janet felt embarrassed about what happened.

“Janet, you had no way of knowing that this would happen. I did what I could to limit the damage, though most of the damage was to their pride. I tapped into my combat awareness to make sure they did not hurt me and to ensure I didn’t accidentally cut them in a way that could cause them to bleed out.”

She nodded. “I know, Davik, but it does not mean that I have to like it. The years of dealing with Voguel have caused a lasting distrust in everyone.”

“If you believe it is bad now, what do you expect will happen if our abilities are revealed? How do you think your Dran will react?”

She sighed and nodded, remembering her Dran’s orders to kill all those suspected to be Voguel. It did not matter if they were cured of the disease, as his paranoia would not allow them to live.

“You are right, Davik. Based on my Dran’s orders, I would be obligated to kill you, Lillian and myself.”

I nodded. “I just wanted you to understand that conflict with your military might occur. I will not let them hurt those I care about because of fear and prejudice.”

She kissed my cheek as we arrived at our room. Lillian had been relatively quiet during our talk, keeping behind us as we made our way inside.

“Are you okay Lillian?” I asked, looking down at the black wolf now at my side. “You have been quiet ever since the fight.”

<< I am just feeling out of sorts, Davik. When they threatened you, I saw red. I was surprised I did not trigger growing to my larger size. I felt more animal than person and that has never happened before. It scared me.>>

I had sensed that during the fight, and it had worried me as well. We entered the room, making sure to close the door behind us. “That is why we are here, love. You know that I will not stop until I can hold you, kiss you and make love to you in your human form.”

<< I know, Davik, it is just scary. I know we will figure it out, but part of me is worried I may lose myself before that happens. >>

Janet knelt in front of Lillian and ran her hands along her soft coat. I could feel the contentment at the contact as well as the love radiating from each of them.

“If you lose yourself, we will find you,” Janet said with a reassuring smile, “because you are never alone.”

We could feel the worry begin to fade, replaced with a sense of contentment and hope for the future.

“So how did your meeting with the others go? What exactly did you need to talk to them about that was so important?”

“It went well,” she replied. “We came to a consensus on what we should do next, but first, we need to find out where our target is.”

“Okay, that makes sense.” I felt somewhat uneasy at her vague response. “Have you figured out how you will start your search?”

She nodded with a smile, “I will explain it while we eat breakfast. There is a section of the dining area that is secluded enough that we could talk openly without worry of being heard.”

I nodded and removed my sword belt, placing it on the top of the dresser. After the last few months, being without it made me feel somewhat naked.

I knelt down in front of our companion, “Are you coming with us, Lillian, or are you going to relax here?”

<< I am going to stay here. You know that I would not be hungry after eating that deer. Besides, I will be able to keep an eye on our rooms. I plan to lie in the hall. That way, no one will attempt to do anything. >>

“A wise precaution,” Janet replied with a sigh. “I just wish that it was not a necessary measure.”

Lillian simply chuffed in reply and we left the room. Since we had one room beside us and the two directly across from these two rooms, Lillian stayed in the middle of the hall, thus blocking access to all four doors.

Janet knocked on each door and told them we were ready to head downstairs. Each one of them appeared a short time after and I was surprised by their attire. Each was wearing an outfit that caused my brain to short circuit slightly. Irenia, Faye, Cherish and Ingrid were dressed in various dresses that were tasteful in cut, but sensual in how they hugged their bodies. Elsie and Kayla were dressed in pants and shirts, though the shirts were opened far more than normal - creating their own allure.

I shot Janet a curious look and she only gave an innocent smile in return. She was also doing her best to hide her thoughts through the link. I could feel Lillian chuckle through the link at the attempt at subterfuge. We made our way downstairs and entered the dining area and were ushered to the far side of the room. It was a table built with a small wall obscuring it from view from the main dining area.

“This has been used by visiting military, Patrons and such,” Janet explained.

We sat down and our server asked for our orders. Since her outburst the day before, we had noticed that they seemed to be working extra hard to make sure we were happy. I asked if they had any stew and they had said they made a fresh deer and barley stew with the kill I had brought. The others gave their orders and we were left alone.

Looking around, I could see various expressions of apprehension and nervousness on their faces.

“So, I take it you told them of your plan and gave them the option to give their answer through their state of dress.”

Janet’s cheeks reddened with embarrassment as she looked down, afraid to look me in the eye.

“Well, you did mention you were not sure how they felt about my idea. I mentioned it as we were discussing our plans and asked if they were interested in dressing a certain way.”

I groaned, which caused the rest of them to laugh, dissipating some of the tension from the awkward conversation.

I shook my head and pointed to the two not in dresses, “Well, it looks like two of them are either uncertain or unwilling.”

Elsie spoke up then, “Actually, we do not have dresses with us, else we would have worn them.”

Janet had a smile of smug satisfaction on her face and I put my head in my hands and tried to understand why they were all willing to do this.

“It is not that hard a decision,” Kayla said with a smile. “There is no other man in the world like you. All others are ruined for us. No others have your strength of character, ability or compassion. Others with your abilities would have killed those two, but you still tried to spare them. Not to mention we were made privy to your abilities in the bedroom thanks to Janet being so loud. We have never heard her like that in all our years together.”

“You do realize that you will be bound to me – to all of us – for the rest of your life. We do not know how long that could be. It is an intimate connection that will unite us all in mind, body and soul. Are you all sure you are ready for it?”

Ingrid spoke up then. “We understand the risks, Davik, both seen and unseen. We all would not consider it if we didn’t understand all that comes with it. We have seen how you, Janet and Lillian work together with flawless teamwork that is based on your link. You have an innate ability to know where each other is and your ability to talk with your minds is an invaluable tool. If I have to become a sex slave to have access to that, then sign me up.”

All the other girls nodded and laughed and Irenia popped in with her own comment. “Besides Davik, I thought every man dreamed of a harem of willing women? Besides, we know your abilities give you the stamina to handle us all.”

She winked at me and I felt my ears burning, so to speak. Janet laughed at my reaction and I could feel her and Lillian’s sympathy through our bond.

I protested, “What about the needed chemicals and potions that were used to change Janet and Lillian. It would take more time than we have in this village to prepare everything.”

<< Nice try, Davik, but you have failed to anticipate the determination of a woman to get what she wants. >>

I turned to Janet and I once again saw an embarrassed look on her face, but there was also a hint of defiance.

“I had enough of the necessary things prepared before we left. Lillian had me pass the information we needed for the needed materials and preparations. I relayed the steps for creating them and they were packed away in case I could get you to agree.”

I sighed and looked at everyone. “What will you do if you are also pulled into our dreamscape?”

They all tittered like little girls, which was very unsettling, given their ability to kill indiscriminately. It was Elsie who spoke up. “Well, I guess we watch, unless you are willing for us to join in the festivities.”

My jaw dropped as I thought about what they were insinuating, and I had to admit that my body began to react to the imagery.

“Thanks to the link,” Janet said with a smirk, “I can tell you ladies that he seems to be reacting positively to the idea. As you know, due to our long time working together, there have been times when I have been with each of you.”

I turned and looked at Janet, but he only smiled widely with one eyebrow raised. I found my mind trying to concoct possible scenarios for those instances.

Janet ignored my reaction and continued, “If I was not comfortable with the possibility of Davik possibly having sex with any of you, I would not have considered it.”

“Does not help that the inn has thin walls,” Cherish muttered, “or that we heard nothing but his prowess from Liza; and she only did it with him once.”

Janet burst out laughing and I could feel Lillian laughing as well through the link. Meanwhile I was sitting there with an embarrassed look on my face, though I could not understand why. I was confident in my ability in love making, but I had never had it discussed so casually before.

“Ladies,” Janet said loudly over the laughter, “it seems that this is making Davik slightly uncomfortable. This is, after all, a public area and we are getting rather loud. We will continue this discussion after our meal.”

The group nodded in agreement and I was thankful when, a few moments later, our food arrived. The conversation changed to how everyone liked their food and since I was the only one who got the stew, everyone wanted to try it. I think I was able to save at least half of it, but it was hard to tell. The ladies did share some of their meals, feeding me spoons or forkfuls of their food. The meal was enjoyable despite the attention I had received, but I worried what would happen next. I knew that Janet would not let this go, especially since they had all agreed to go forward with it, but the question was if I was ready to do so.

Soon, our meals were done, and the time came to head back upstairs. We thanked the server and asked her to pass on our thanks to the cook. We left the dining room and headed back upstairs to find Lillian lying in the hallway, seemingly asleep.

I knelt down and ran my hand along her coat. “So I take it that your stay out here was relatively quiet?”

She opened her eyes and looked up at me, << Nothing so far, I smelt someone coming up the stairs, but they stopped halfway and went back down. Maybe the growl I started had somehow made them change their mind. >>

I got up and opened the door of our room, standing aside for Janet and watching as every last one of them entered the room. As I entered myself, I found seven women and a wolf staring at me, expecting to continue the conversation that had begun downstairs.

I glanced at them all and asked, “Are you all truly sure you are ready to bind yourselves to me, with all the good and bad that comes with it? Even though we have no clue if there could be a complication like what happened with Lillian?”

Their eyes widened and Kayla asked, “What do you mean, ‘complication like Lillian’? I do not understand.”

“We know that her inability to change back is due to the binding that Janet performed. We are not sure if it has to do with her own blood being used, or if it is because of her own unique transformation. Part of why I was hesitant is because we do not know for sure if the change will happen as Janet’s did. It could have been merely a fluke and I would hate for something to happen to you. There may even be a risk of death ... we just do not know.”

I watched as each one of them began to think over my words and the possible ramifications of what was about to happen should they choose this path. I had little doubt that I could change their minds, as they had seen first-hand what kind of power Janet and I wield. They exchanged glances and then got together in a huddle. Since Janet was not part of the huddle, I could not tell what they were saying, nor could I figure out what they would choose. I did hope that they would decide to postpone or give it up all together, but that would be as likely as my parents coming back to life. When the huddle broke, they all turned to face me, and it was Elsie who stepped forward.

“We understand the risk, but we still want to move forward with this. You nearly died fighting Brenson and the risks we are going to face will make him look like a wolf cub. You and Janet cannot expect to do this alone and Lillian can also only do so much. We know how the Dran and Patrons will react once your abilities are made public. They would not hesitate to attack you two, especially if they choose to separate you. Two of you could easily take out a platoon of soldiers, but eight of us could handle an army. Let us do this for you and we will ensure you never regret it. We are comfortable with the intimacy of the bond and we want you to be the one to share your blood. Janet will complete the other stages and will ensure we are safe until we wake up.”

I sighed, knowing that there would be no way I could change their minds. So I walked over and took the knife from my sword belt and turned to the others.

“So, which one of you will be first to make your blood oath? Know that once our blood is shared, there will be no going back.”

Elsie drew her own knife, making small cuts on the tips of her thumb and fingers. Then with confidence, she stepped forward to take her journey to a new life, knowing soon her sisters would join her.

Chapter 4

I felt drained as I sat on the bed and, though they were only pricks of the skin, the experience was enough to make me lightheaded. However, it was the mixing of the blood that had left me feeling drained. Lillian had said that I would feel better with some rest and left with the others to help Janet. The plan was to complete the rest of the procedure with the ladies in their respective rooms. That way they would be able to rest on their beds as the change occurred.

The biggest issue would arise from the second step of the process. They would need to be cut with a curare laced knife. If my blood had worked as we hoped, then it would result in them falling into a deep slumber. We knew, through Lillian’s foolishness, that the waiting time is very short, but Janet wanted to give them an hour or two beforehand. She knew I was still uncomfortable and decided that I, too, should rest and think about it.

I laid down and let my body relax. I found calming myself and focusing helped my body to do what needed to be done. The wounds had healed, but the pain remained from when I cut my fingers open eight times. They would be healed so quickly that I would need to cut them again before I started the next blood pact. I figured the other reason Janet wanted me to rest, was because both she and Lillian had appeared in my dreams prior to their awakening to their new selves.

While Janet had not appeared in my dreams until Lillian’s change, we were certain that the chance was high, given how many were being turned. The real question in my mind would be how to deal with the added intimacy the bond made. Janet and Lillian were already romantically interested in me and I felt the same about them. Yes, I did find each of the women attractive, each in their own right, but there was no telling if they felt anything like that for me. My stray thoughts would be clear for their minds to receive and I would share the same with thoughts from them.

Another fear that I had was they would somehow feel obligated to initiate a sexual relationship under the foolish notion that it would be expected of them. What was about to happen would be a dream for most men and a reality for the rich. However, I would not want to feel responsible for them feeling forced or having ill feelings as a byproduct. Despite my racing mind, I soon slipped into the waiting embrace of sleep, wondering what would happen next.

I awoke to find myself in my sitting room back in Cartha. What was shocking was that the room was vastly different. It was three times as big and a large bed was situated before the fire. On the bed lay six resting beauties, and there was no sheet covering them. I became aware, rather quickly, of their state of undress. Each woman was a unique tapestry all her own, with curves and valleys that none of the others possessed.

“Are they not a vision of beauty, my love?” Asked Janet, now standing to my right in an equal state of undress.

Lillian, in her human form, appeared on my left and said, “Soon they will wake and be with us for the rest of our lives. I know it is scary, and we might make mistakes, but I know this is the correct course of action, Davik.”

“Besides,” Janet uttered with a laugh, “I have had relations with each of them at one time or another. You would be a fool not to enjoy the pleasures of this bond.”

“Janet, I never thought I would ever share myself with more than one woman. A single woman to love was all I needed. Now you ask me not to love two but love eight and not be scared at the scale of such an undertaking.”

Janet moved to stand before me, “If I did not think you could do it, I would not have attempted this, my love. If I did not think they would handle this, I would never have asked them. I have grown to love them as family since we were brought together. I thought that would be enough until you walked into my life and turned my world upside down. I am now part of a love I never dreamed of and I saw a chance to share that love with my sisters.”

I could see tears forming in her eyes and sense the doubt she was beginning to feel. I pulled her into my arms and hugged her as she cried out her worries and frustration. Lillian joined our hug and I could feel the love she was radiating towards Janet. A minute later Kayla joined the hug and added her love to the fray. With each minute that passed, another woke up and joined the hug, until all eight of us were embracing one another. The love and support being radiated to everyone, by everyone, was more than I had thought possible.

Any doubt I had was washed away and I vowed to do my best to nurture this into what it needed to become. Janet and the other felt the chance share in my resolve and thoughts. Soon, I was bombarded with feelings of love and happiness from eight women and all of them were trying to suck my tongue out of my mouth kissing me. First Janet, then Kayla, followed by Ingrid, Irenia, Faye, Cherish and Elsie, before finishing with Lillian.

They guided me to the bed and had me lie in the middle as they joined me on the bed, one at a time. I could feel a sexual build up, but we did no more than cuddle as we enjoyed the new closeness we shared. I could feel their happiness and joy at becoming part of our bond and I was beginning to feel less worried about making the wrong choice. My biggest fear had been that they did it for the wrong reasons and thus would be unhappy. This would have been felt through the bond and festered, causing pain and strife within the group.

I awoke again a few hours later feeling refreshed and stretched my muscles. I looked around the room and noticed that I was still alone. Janet and Lillian must be monitoring their progress and administering the final step now.

I got up from the bed and walked to the window. Staring out at the bustle of the village outside, I let my mind wander a bit. I wondered if the others would have Janet’s control over their abilities immediately or if they would need to take some time to fine tune things. The last thing we would need is attention drawn to their now superhuman abilities. There was enough mistrust set on us at the moment and the animosity our abilities would bring could hamper our plans.

As I was about to leave the window, I noticed something that caught my eye. Between two buildings across the main roadway was a person. They were standing in the shadow cast between the buildings. I couldn’t make out any details, regardless of my senses, due to both distance and the black cloak the person was wearing. If this had been Cartha I could have dashed down to find out who they were, but I didn’t have that luxury. I heard movement behind me and turned to see Janet and Lillian entering the room. When I looked back, the cloaked figure was gone. I turned to greet the girls and they could sense my unease.

“Is everything okay, Davik?” Janet asked. “You seem to be upset about something you just saw.”

I nodded, “I am not sure, but I noticed someone standing over there between those two buildings, staring towards this room.”

I pointed out where I had seen the person to Janet, and she nodded before leaving again with Lillian. A few minutes later, I saw them making their way towards where the figure had stood. When they arrived, I watched as Lillian sniffed around for a sign of the person.

<< Someone was definitely here a few moments ago. They headed off toward the woods we entered this morning. Did you sense anything when we were hunting? >>

I shook my head even though they could not see it, as they were not looking towards the inn.

//No I did not.\\ I replied as I mentally went over the events this morning in the woods.

With nothing else to do, Janet and Lillian left and made their way back to the Inn and to our room.

“So, were either of you able to discern anything out there?” I asked as they entered.

Janet shook her head, “The area between the buildings is well traveled and the ground was dry, limiting footprints.”

Lillian slumped onto the floor and said, <<All I was able to tell is that the person was a female.>>

I sighed, “Well, now we have a scent for you to watch out for and we will need to keep our eyes open for others watching us from the shadows.”

Both Janet and Lillian nodded, and I could feel their apprehension through the link from the possible risk.

I sat down on the bed and asked, “What is the status of the others? How long before we know how they are affected?”

“Well, we already know that the second step has worked, since we saw everyone in our dreamscape. That said, we plan to administer the final step in the next ten minutes, and they should be awake and aware in the next hour.”

I crossed my arms and pondered what the next hour would bring and if the others would be truly happy with our new dynamic.

“They have the same discipline I do, Davik,” Janet stated, answering the unspoken question on my mind. “They should be able to manage the new skills the same as I have. If they need it, we will still have a day and a half to prepare before we leave.”

<<You worry too much, Davik. It will work out fine and I am sure that your worries will be unnecessary.>>

I smiled and replied, “Lillian my love, I will always worry about each one of you. This change that we have all undergone does not make us invincible or immortal. I would give up my life to protect each of you, just as I know you would all do the same for me. That said, I do not plan for that to happen to any of us. You have to admit, there have been far too many deaths in my life to ignore the possibility.”

Neither could argue with that, as they had been witness to the various losses I had to endure in the last year. I wondered if I would ever be free of it, but that was the reason we were here. Brenson’s master had to be here and aware that I would be coming. That did paint a target on our backs, but it would ensure that we would engage the enemy. If we could rid Vishant of the Voguel menace, then we would be free to live our lives as we chose to.

Janet sat down beside me and said, “You know you surprised me, a little while ago.”

I turned to look at her with confusion, feeling a playful mirth coming from her across the link.

“You had eight very naked and very willing women with you in one large bed and you only cuddled us.”

I laughed and answered, “That is because only two of you I actually know. Liza and Trina had become good friends and we had learned much about each other. If it was not for Curt coming to Cartha, I would not have been surprised if Trina found her way to my bed. You and Lillian had built up a relationship over time that grew naturally. With the others, I know them only through the battles we fought together and the little time we have spent in each other’s company.

“That is why I have been so hesitant, for the six of them had not really gotten to know me well enough before this. I can only hope that this lack of foundation does not ruin things for us. This will mean that I am going to have to spend time getting to know them before I get physical with any of them in that way. Whether it be in the dreamscape or in the real world.”

“I can understand and respect that, Davik.” Janet said softly as she kissed my forehead. “If anything, it only makes me love you more and ensures that I did make the right decision with adding them to our bond.”

Lillian walked over and rested her head on my thigh, I could feel her worry for me towards how I would react.

<< I know that you have not been fully comfortable with this since Janet came up with it back it Retvan. I was hesitant myself, but I grew to think that the result was worth the risk. I am proud of your convictions and your ability to accept this change and find a way to ensure everyone is happy. If I was able to revert, I would show you my appreciation. >>

I felt intense lust, arousal and love through the bond and Janet groaned in response. More than that, I felt six different reactions through the bond from the others and chuckled.

“I think it is time for you to wake up our sleeping beauties with a drink. Would you not agree, Janet?”

She nodded, “You are correct, my love. Come, Lillian, we have some soldiers to wake into their new lives.”

Lillian let out a short growl of confirmation and followed her out of the room, glancing back before she padded through the doorway.

With them gone and not much to do, I gathered my knife and sword. I placed them on the table in the room and went to my pack to get my sharpening tools. I was in no rush, so I took my time examining the blades for wear and damage, before I set forth on my task. I lost track of time as I worked on the blade of my knife and then the sword. I was just finishing the sword when the door opened and seven beauties, plus a wolf, walked into the room. I could feel their happiness and pride over the bond.

“I am happy to see that all of you are awake and doing well. You will need to keep in control until we leave the village, so keep that in mind.”

<< I am just glad I can talk with the whole group again. Now I can gossip with the rest of the girls.>>

I groaned, causing everyone one to laugh at my reaction. It was refreshing to know how everyone was feeling and I was happy to sense no doubts or reservations in any of them.

I smiled and said, “It should be around time for the evening meal, so why do we not head downstairs and partake in the dining room?”

Everyone nodded in agreement and moved into the hallway. I saw that Lillian was again not coming with us.

“Are you sure you wish to wait here again, Lillian? I doubt we will have any issues with you eating with us.”

<<It is okay, Davik. I will be fine up here and thanks to the bond, I can share the experience from the comfort of the hallway. Besides I am still digesting all the deer meat from earlier, so I should be fine.>>

Janet smiled, “He knows that Lillian. But he is trying to make sure you do not feel left out.”

“I could get my food, as well as something for her and bring it up here to keep her company,” Kayla offered.

“Thank you for the offer, Kayla,” I replied. “If you are comfortable with that, then by all means do so.”

With that settled, we headed downstairs for our meal and were guided to the booth we had used earlier that day. The server arrived and asked us for our drinks and told us the evening meal specials. I found the bison steak with greens and a leek soup sounded delicious. The group was unanimous, and we were fortunate that they had enough to fill the order. Kayla had ordered a second steak, raw, for Lillian despite her protests.

While we waited for our meal, we quietly discussed how everyone was feeling about their change. Everyone was relatively happy about the bond and their new abilities, though they were surprised at how much I had to restrain myself to act normal. I explained to them why I had not engaged in anything more than what happened in the dreamscape. They were understanding and agreed that we would need to spend more time together before that progressed.

Janet was sure that they would be amazed by the pleasure, lust and raw emotions that were shared when we had sex, whether it be when awake or in the dreamscape. Not to mention that that dream state was a shared experience that, as far as we know, they could not be separated from. That would mean they would bear witness to the three of us making love. As I thought about it, I doubted that in their place I would have the resolve to only watch.

One instance of the dreamscape had had Janet and Lillian enjoying one another while I watched. It was a raw and erotic sight that had been torture. I could have joined at any time, but we had agreed I would watch until they said they were ready. I sat in awe as they licked and tasted every part of the other’s body. I watched them grind their sex together, as their moans filled the dream room. My balls ached by the time I was called to join them, and I wasted little time.

Janet had lain on top of Lillian, smashing their breasts together and placing their sex near one another’s. I took turns in each one, relentlessly thrusting into one and then pulling out to thrust into the other. Due to my highly aroused state it did not take long for me to reach my limit and I unloaded into Lillian. Both girls cleaned me with their mouths then set to awaken me for another round. Their attention worked and we resumed our previous pace and alternations, until Janet was also rewarded with my seed.

Pulling back from the memory, I looked around the table and saw each of the women there was flush with arousal and was breathing a bit heavier.

<< Did you have to remember it in such detail Davik? I nearly came down and presented myself for you, which would have been a sight, I imagine.>>

We laughed at that and at that moment the food began to arrive. Kayla took hers and headed upstairs to join Lillian. I noticed an extra sway in her hips as she left, and she looked back to give me a wink before leaving the room. The rest of us dug into our food and I groaned in pleasure from the taste of the meat. I had never been able to have a bison steak back in Cartha, but I had heard about them. They were a delicacy in Vishant and rarely exported it.

On our trip over, Janet had explained that most of that was due to the Voguel. They liked bison meat the best and tended to attack their herds. It was also believed that the ones who were stealing them, were doing so at the bidding of Voguel who were in hiding. Unfortunately, they were never able to track down the stolen ones. Every attempt saw the investigators disappear.

Janet and her platoon attempted to track them one time but were ambushed by thieves. They were able to fight them off, but those who were not killed in the fight used pills to kill themselves. Due to all this, the province could only meet the demand for the meat in Vishant and, as long and there were Voguel, bison meat would remain in Vishant. The food was an elegant mixture. The deep flavors of the bison were accented by the soft, crisp textures of the greens. The meal came together with the soup, whose richness settled the trio and made the meal extraordinary. Everyone loved it and we gave our thanks to the server, who promised to pass it along to the cook. We then made our way out of the dining room to head upstairs and discuss what we would do next.

Chapter 5

The group made our way upstairs and encountered Lillian and Kayla sitting in the hallway. Lillian, despite her comments to the contrary, had indeed been hungry and eaten the steak she was given. Kayla was sitting in a chair nearby between the doors to my room and the neighboring one. By the looks of it, she was just finishing her own plate of food. Kayla greeted us with a warm smile and Lillian greeted us with the wolf equivalent.

“I hope you enjoyed your meal, everyone,” Janet said with a happy but stern voice. “Because we have some things to discuss. Kayla, please return the plates downstairs and if anyone wishes to change or use the facilities, do so now before Kayla returns. I want everyone to enter the room together and no one will leave until the discussions are over.”

We all entered the room I shared with Janet and Lillian. It was slightly cramped with all of us in there, but we handled it. What we had to discuss was too sensitive to be done in the booth. Once everyone was settled somewhere, I started the much-needed discussion.

“Okay. Now that we are away from possible prying eyes and ears, we need to discuss our next move. One thing that will need to be done is the practice of your new abilities. Everyone will need to be able to use them at a moment’s notice, yet still be able to hide them just as quickly. Ignorance of what we can do is our one advantage and will protect us from scrutiny. Just the same, I know we will be forced to use them in a more public forum at some point in the near future.

“It is the key to our survival in this shadow war. Because we are indeed in the middle of one. Brenson escaped only because of those we now hunt. Their plan, as we know, was to create a Voguel army in Bardack and then have them return to Vishant to conquer it before turning their sights on the other provinces. I would not be surprised if they already know of our arrival and that the person, I saw earlier today was one of their agents.”

The six who had been undergoing their bond gasped when I told them of what I had seen. The bond allowed me to express the reactions and emotions that occurred as I explained the details. Janet then explained what they were able to find when she investigated the area. Lillian told them of the scent and what little information she was able to glean from it.

They were still getting used to Lillian talking through the bond and each of them jumped when she first started speaking in their minds. Everyone was certain that, whoever it was, was tied to the Voguel and that we had not seen the last of that individual.

“Davik is right,” Janet stated. “We know that Brenson was only acting like an Old One and that he was bonded to his maker, much as we are bonded to each other. We have to assume that they are aware of what Davik and I are capable of and, to an extent, know about Lillian’s abilities. That makes us targets, both for capture and to be eliminated. We need to be careful. As part of your training, but as a protective measure as well, two of us will always accompany Lillian when we are traveling.

“I plan to have Lillian travelling through the forest near us, but out of sight. I want one of us to travel with her while another is traveling in the forest on our opposite side. You will be using your enhanced senses to try and detect possible ambushes or attacks in our travels. I hope to limit the situations where we could be caught unaware. I hope you do not mind, Davik, but you will need to remain in sight, as will I.”

I shook my head. “I do not mind at all. If people are following or hunting us, their likely targets should be the bait. However, I would suggest three instead of two in the forest with Lillian. One with Lillian and two paired on the opposite side as you suggested. One person could be ambushed, even with our skills, but two would be much more difficult. I do not wish anyone to be taken or injured and one by themself is just asking for trouble.”

Everyone agreed with the sentiment and we spent the next hour deciding on who would travel in the woods and where we were going. Kayla, Ingrid and Cherish would be the ones to travel in the forest. They would follow our group until we made camp for the night and then switch out with Elsie, Irenia and Faye the following morning. This would continue during our trip to each of our destinations. We hoped that it would deter our enemies, though for how long, we were uncertain.

One of our stops would be Celka’s home village to pay respects to any family she may still have had there. However, that was in the far north of the province, so it would take two or three months to get there. One of our first stops was going to have to be the capital. Janet will have to give her report to the Dran and notify him of the threat to Vishant. She would also need to notify him of the deaths of Ethal and Gwen during their mission in Bardack.

I could sense her unease at the prospect of having to deal with him and his close-minded approach to the Voguel and those who have been turned. He believed the only cure was at the edge of a sword and that there were no victims, only enemies. She had known of those who did not agree with that sentiment and believed it was one that was growing within the populace. If they were to learn that there was a cure that worked, and the Dran was ignoring that avenue, it could result in civil unrest. She was worried it could cause a full-blown attack against the Dran and his associates.

That would be the last thing we would want, but at the same time, the people had the right to know that there was an option other than death. Too many people were losing friends, family and loved ones in this shadow war. Janet had told me back in Bardack that only a third of those lost were killed by the Voguel. The rest had been killed on orders of the Dran for fear of being Voguel. For people like Ethal, it was a reason to engage in their thirst for blood and there were plenty of those in the military. However, there was a growing number that felt it was going too far and that fear was winning over compassion.

“What is your plan for what to tell the Dran?” I asked. “Are you planning to confirm the cure as valid?”

She nodded, “Yes, I am. If there is a chance, he changes his mind, I have to try. It could save so many people from a needless death.”

I leaned forward and asked, “What will you do if he learns I am ‘cured’ and attempts to have me killed.”

“I do plan to tell him you are one of them,” she replied softly, a sense of unease emanating from her. “If he tries something, I already have a plan in place. Before we visit him, I will have Cherish take letters to the carrier service. They distribute letters to the Patrons all over Vishant. If she does not hear an all clear from our bond or I tell her to send them, letters will be dispatched that they would not be able to stop in time. The letters will not only explain that there is a cure and that the Dran still wants those infected killed regardless. It will also contain the instructions to make that very cure.”

I looked more intently at her, “And if he decides your threat is not enough to stop him? If he commands, you to take my life or die by his soldiers’ hands?”

Her eyes narrowed at my words as I felt her anger and rage build across the bond. She was not alone in those feelings as all of the others seemed to feel the same way.

“Then, my love, I will draw my sword and kill any who try to capture or kill us. I will not let any harm come to you, Lillian or the others, even if I have to kill every Vishant soldier to do so. I lost enough family, so I refuse to lose any of you while I still draw breath.”

The girls gasped in shock and looked at one another in worry over what Janet had declared.

“You do realize what you are suggesting?” Kayla asked. “That would result in the people of Vishant possibly raising arms against their Dran. Something that has not happened in hundreds of years. Not to mention you have basically said you would kill fellow soldiers if they tried to harm us. That goes against everything we were brought up to believe of the Dran and the Military.”

Janet sighed and said, “Yes, I do, Kayla. I will not allow us to die because of a close-minded bigot. Did you know that our platoon was created merely for his tastes? We were never meant to be effective or the best at this job. He was trying to appease those who were calling for more diversity in the military, since they heard that other provinces had allowed women to start serving.

“He was going to have us wear revealing armor that was more for style than protection. He told me that if we failed this mission, our group would be disbanded permanently and that he would find other uses for us. If what I had overheard before we were even formed was correct, we would have ended up being used for the Dran’s carnal urges and that of his closest allies.”

Everyone in the room was shocked by this, but it made her push for them to join our bond make sense. She did not want anyone she cared for to suffer under the childish whims of a foolish politician.

I took a deep breath and asked, “So, that is why you pushed for this, is it not? You wanted to protect them in case he decided to disband the group either way?”

She silently nodded as her eyes began to water. I could feel her fear and shame over what she had revealed and pulled her into a hug. She buried her face into my chest and wept silently. Everyone huddled together and embraced us, giving Janet their support. The bond was flooded with understanding and love.

As we broke the group hug, I felt at least two hands make a grab for my backside. Janet’s hands were on my back, so I looked at the others, but each had a knowing smile on their face. Even through the bond it was hard to tell because I felt thrills from all six of them. Janet laughed at my predicament and I could feel Lillian doing the same through the bond. The tension in the room had been lightened, but there was still one part of it that had me worried.

“You all realize that if Janet’s assumption in regard to the Dran is correct, we will be looking at battle on two fronts? We are already fighting a battle against the Voguel and then there would be a battle against the Dran’s forces.” I shook my head at the predicament. “We might not be able to deal with that many enemies.”

Janet gave me a squeeze and said, “You are right in that, Davik. However, a lot of the soldiers have lost someone to the Voguel. I believe a good number would fight against the Dran, once the knowledge of the cure became public.”

“While we might find allies, we may also make enemies,” Ingrid added. “This is not going to be an easy task.”

<< No it will not, >> Lillian replied. << Doing the right thing is never easy, but it is what must be done. >>

At that point there was not much more we could say, so we bade the others a good night and settled into bed. Everyone that was present in the bond was uneasy and I was hard pressed to know how to alleviate their distress.

“I had hoped that we would not have to make enemies of your Dran,” I muttered.

I felt Janet wrap her arms around me from behind and lay her head against my back. Lillian walked over and rubbed herself against my leg.

“I know, Davik,” Janet sighed, “but we have to be prepared for the possibility he will be against this. He has always been pig headed and never listens to the council of his advisors. He is quick to bark out orders that at times make little sense. Most out of desperation and fear, while others for the purpose of greed power.

“I remember back when I was a child and the current Dran was a Patron of one of the southern towns. People were as happy as we could be, given the Voguel threat and we happily interacted with various people of the other provinces that came here. He became Dran on a platform of fear that fed off the Voguel threat and made people believe it was due to influence from other provinces. That only on our own could we be strong again.

“I have watched as the people of our province became more distrusting and xenophobic and it is disheartening. I was never in a position to do something about it until now. I also did not have anyone worth fighting for until now. I can’t allow this to continue and none of the Patrons will dare oppose him. Not unless they have a strong ally who will help them achieve victory.”

“I will follow your lead,” I replied. “However, you cannot keep me in the dark about your plans. If we are to do this, we have to be united. For now, let us go to sleep, I have a feeling we will have a busy day tomorrow.”

Janet nodded and gave me a hug and kiss before dressing for bed. Lillian padded over to her spot and got comfortable. Janet was understanding that I did not want to make love tonight, though I wondered how strong my resolve would be when I entered the dreamscape. Like the night before, Lillian laid across from the door in case someone tried to enter. I felt Janet lie against my side, the thin material of her sleep gown hiding very little of the body underneath that was pressed against me. I closed my eyes and wondered what tomorrow would bring.

I opened my eyes and was shocked to see I was alone. Not once since the bonding had I appeared in this space without Janet and Lillian. I looked around but there was no form to my surroundings. I could see only a meter in front of me, before it faded into darkness. I extended my senses, but there were no sounds and no smells to pick up on. I started walking, but found that no matter how far I walked, nothing changed.

I decided to run at full speed, hoping to find a wall or surface, even if it meant bumping into it. I did not know how long I ran, but I encountered nothing. It was as if I simply ran as fast as possible in one spot, never moving forward. I began to call out into the void around me, hoping to hear a reply, but there was not even an echo. I closed my eyes and stretched out through the bond, hoping to sense one of the others, but it was not there.

Fear filled me as I realized that I was cut off from the others and I began to worry if they were okay. I screamed their names through the bond, but only emptiness was there. I punched the ground beneath me and felt my hand move through as if nothing were there. Panic set in as I wondered where I was and what had happened. This was far too real to be a normal dream, but it also could not be the dreamscape.

I stopped to ponder what predicament I was in, when I began to hear echoing footsteps. Steps. I found that odd, since every noise I made ended abruptly, with no echo being created. I turned towards the origin of the sound and prepared myself for what might emerge. Whatever was happening was not of my making or in my control. Even with my senses on full, I could not tell who or what was approaching me.

As the footsteps drew closer, I readied myself for what would emerge from the darkness in case there was going to be a fight. I closed my eyes and dove into my combat awareness, hoping it would be enough. As I opened my eyes, I was prepared for anyone, but I was not expecting who came from the void.

She appeared as if leaving a thick fog. Whispers of blackness were pushed away by her emerging form. The woman looked to be a few years older than me, coming up to my shoulder. She had on a tan coloured dress and tan boots. Her hair was medium brown and hung past her shoulders. There were braids on either side that were tied together at the back, helping to keep her hair out of her eyes.

“Hello, Davik,” the woman said softly. “It has been a long time has it not?”

I stared at the woman before me and I could not believe my eyes. The voice was unmistakable, even with the time that had passed since I last heard it. I fought down the emotions that welled up inside of me, despite my heart’s need to express it.

I nodded and replied, “Yes it has been a long time ... Mother.”

Chapter 6

“How long has it been?” The woman before me asked softly. “You have grown into a fine young man, Davik.”

My eyes narrowed, “It has been ten years, but this is not possible. You were not Voguel, nor should this be able to occur like this. I have dreamt of my mother often over the years, but you are nothing like her. So, end your mindless tricks and show me who you really are.“

That was a preview of Blood Moon Chronicles : Book 4 : Many Faces of the Moon. To read the rest purchase the book.

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