Uleni's Gamble (2 page)

As Katrina started to dish out the food, she caught a glimpse of something red in the sky and smiled. Apparently Nicole wouldn’t be late for dinner. She had considered that mages were often sought after for special projects, but she had no intention of leaving this home she had just helped build. If someone needed her help, she could be found here.

She considered dragging Justin away after dinner. His power was wonderful for restoring her energy and magic, but it also had other effects on her. She loved him, and when she felt his magic, she always felt the need to demonstrate it…

*

Sara was a bit nervous as she ate. Mixed in that though, were feelings of hope and a bit of happiness. She had always planned to get a job when she reached Abelaweth, and Katrina hiring her had been a goddess send. Justin and his family had been kind to her since they met, and she would have been a fool to turn it down. Yet, the idea of being a server made her nervous. It was said that men were a bit free with their hands with bar maids, and she wasn’t so sure how she would react to that.

It bothered her greatly, she had put up with being abused for so long out of fear. But after she had struck out against her attacker and decided never again, she couldn’t handle being touched hardly at all. She really hoped that would go away some day, the other women all treated her like a little sister, maybe if she couldn’t handle it they’d let her work in the kitchen, straighten the rooms, or something.

She frowned. She needed to find a way through it, live a normal life, instead of this broken one…

Chapter 2

The next morning, Justin found himself helping with the chairs. Nora had cut out shapes for the seat, back, and legs. His job was to simply hold it together correctly with Nora while Sally used her power to make it all one seamless piece. They had about two table worth’s done when Katrina, Nicole, and Sara came in carrying plates filled with breakfast.

There were plenty of chairs made, but they had only put four at each table, so he saw Katrina shrug then sit in his lap with an innocent look on her face. He was suspicious at first, but she started talking about how well they were doing, and with the deliveries this afternoon they could open the tavern soon. He felt her squirm a few times during this, but he wasn’t at all positive she was meaning to tease him.

Or at least, not until the inevitable happened and he was rock hard. He could hardly help it, she was beautiful, had a sexy body and he loved her beyond distraction. But then she did something that removed all doubt.

He held back his growl of realization as she squirmed until his rock hard manhood was between her ass cheeks. It was so subtle he was positive the others didn’t notice, but she tightened her cheeks around him through their clothes, and started rocking a minuscule amount, jerking him off with her sexy ass right in front of everyone.

He swallowed as she drove him nuts, what drove him even crazier was she was eating and chatting as if nothing was going on. He almost smirked when he saw how red Sara’s face was; at least someone caught her antics. He couldn’t help it when his body pushed up slightly, she was driving him to distraction as he lost track of the conversation, his mind demanded he sit still, his body demanded he take his mate hard and fast, right here over the table.

She must have sensed he was close, because she put down her plate.

Kat said brightly, “I’m going to hunt for lunch and dinner.”

He watched her as she got up and walked for the back exit, her ass swaying just a bit more than usual. She did it to him every time, he both loved and hated the way she could make him lose control. He got up and followed after, his libido demanding it.

Nora said, “Hey, we have more chairs to do.”

He mumbled something about being a few minutes as he walked out the back…

He didn’t find her in the new shed, or the brewery. He frowned, he sucked at woodcraft. He growled as he headed for the woods, but he only made it twenty feet in when he was tackled from the side. He went down and rolled, coming back to his feet. Katrina had a hungry look in her eyes that never failed to make his heart beat faster. Her long lustrous brown hair teasingly hid her breasts, she was completely naked.

With what was probably a demented grin, he started to strip his clothes off. Then they sparred a little, but he must have been too focused on the prize, because he found himself lying stunned for a moment. He felt her hot, wet, and tightly slick passage lower itself, swallowing his length in her supple young body.

“Oh fuck Justin, mine,” she growled as she started to slide up and down his pole, a look of pure ecstasy on her face.

He reached up and caught her swaying C cups and pinched her nipples, drawing a gasp from between her full lips. She started bouncing up and down on him faster. She had almost teased him to completion in the tavern, he wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold on.

She whispered hoarsely as she was overcome, “I love you,” as her fingernails pushed into his chest.

He gasped as he felt her love canal tighten around his pole, he was breathless by the sexiness of her body as she arched her back, her lips slightly parted, her breasts heaving, the small trickle of sweat that ran down her long neck. Her pleasure undulated along his manhood, demanding his seed. His legs went numb and he pushed up hard into her, getting as deeply as he could as he emptied his baby batter into her willing womb.

He cradled her gently as she collapsed against his chest. He gave her soft but deep kiss. Goddess she drove him crazy. He held her firmly as she tried to get up.

She whispered, “I really should go hunting now.”

He shook his head and her eyes widened as he tightened his grip on her hair, pushed down on her lower back and started to thrust up forcefully from beneath. She had driven him crazy, and he wasn’t done yet…

He, Nora, and Sally spent the rest of the day doing chairs, then the doors, first the front and kitchen outside entrances, then they tackled all the inner doors, of which there were sixteen. The beer ingredients, bedding and various cooking ware arrived in the afternoon, which Sara and Nicole took care of getting put away. Katrina actually got the brewing process started.

He thought they were very close to opening, of course, they wouldn’t have beer yet, it would take at least a week to brew, then another week or two before it would be ready to actually drink. But they could still feed someone and put them up for the night at the very least.

Sally claimed him at bedtime, and he just went with it. The ladies kept his schedule, and he didn’t try to follow it, they seemed to change it a lot. He wondered if Kat scheduled in their seemingly impromptu sessions when she drove him crazy with lust, but decided on balance, he really didn’t want to know.

Sally was gorgeous, and absolutely insatiable. They spent a couple of hours before returning to the master bedroom and joining Nora, Nicole and Katrina. They all cuddled together as he fell into a deep and very satisfying sleep.

He was working with Nora early the next day. He had not used the part of his talent related to change much, and he had been skeptical when she had brought it up earlier.

Nora suggested, “Justin, what if you concentrate on the shape of a fork, can you turn the rest of the wood around it to dust?”

No one was more surprised than he was when it worked perfectly. So he was spending the morning outside making a hundred or so forks and spoons while Nora cut out pieces of wood to do so. It beat trying to carve them. As far as the rest of the tavern went, they were ready for visitors, now if someone would just stop there it would be worth it.

He figured it would take time though, for the news to travel. No web page setup, or even a phone on this world. Still though, people talked more on this world in person, so it shouldn’t be too bad. Nicole had told the farmers, and other sellers in the city, and the word would spread. They were also fairly close to a major route to the city.

“Hello?” asked a pleasant feminine voice.

He turned and there was a strange woman standing in the doorway, she was dressed in acolyte robes that looked just a little too tight. He found himself staring, wondering how in the world this woman made acolyte robes look sexy. She looked to be in her mid twenties, the robes hugged her curves and breasts, which were at least D cups. She had a bright smile on her face which seemed to reach her brown eyes, framed by long jet black hair.

He blinked and asked, “Can I help you?”

Somehow her smile grew wider, “I sure hope so, are you the Flame of Cytherea?”

He answered warily, “Yes, what is this about…?”

She bowed deeply, “I am acolyte Trina, at your service.”

His voice grew even more wary, “My service?”

She said with her eyes lowered, “Yes, I am here on behalf of the church, to take care of any needs you may have. Consider me a devoted servant. It was also suggested you may want to write down all that happened, for future generations of course.”

He suppressed rolling his eyes. He wanted to take care of himself, as a part of his new family. He looked over at Nora desperately for help. The damn traitor had an amused grin on her face.

“And if I don’t want help from the church, not even an acolyte servant?” he asked.

He winced guiltily at the annoyance in his voice when she shuffled uncomfortably and blushed.

She said softly, “I do not wish to displease you, but this is my post. I… volunteered. It was a most sought after position.”

Great, now he felt guilty and sorry in addition to the annoyed part. Nora decided to finally be helpful, as he saw her nod slightly in the corner of his eye. He sighed.

“Very well, we can give it a trial. Find Kat, she can get you settled into a room upstairs. This is Nora, one of my intended mates. If she or any of the others tell you to do something, don’t argue.”

He winced, he knew he was kind of being a dick. He shouldn’t be taking out his annoyance with the pushy temple on an acolyte.

Trina bowed to him again and said, “Right away,” and disappeared back in the tavern.

*

Nora frowned as she watched the wide eyed acolyte go back into the tavern.

“You need to get the fuck over that Justin.”

Justin looked at her in surprise, so she rolled her eyes and continued, “I’ve never seen you treat someone as less before, I didn’t think you had it in you. Yet, your disgust at the idea of fame, or having things handed to you, drove you to it. Don’t think I didn’t see the guilt in your eyes.

“So… get the fuck over it. You’re famous. People will probably travel and stay here just to see you, women will probably throw themselves at you in the hopes of getting fucked by the Flame of Cytherea. Don’t let it change you, but you have to accept it. Either that or go live in the mountains somewhere no one can find you.

“Oh, and just in case no one had told you yet, casual dalliances are frowned upon for someone with a mate. Yes, you can add others with respect and love, but fucking anything that moves is not good.”

He blushed, “I’m happy with the four of you, and I was never into one night stands. I don’t see how I could handle more than what I have, although I kind of like Sara, but… I don’t see that being more than platonic. As for the rest, you’re right, I feel guilty for taking out my annoyance on that acolyte.”

She hugged him tight and kissed him softly, whispering, “Good, I’d hate to be helplessly in love with a total dick.”

He laughed hard and she felt her knees go weak when he groped her ass and returned her soft kiss with passion…

*

Katrina considered as she showed Trina up the stairs and to a room what they could have this woman from the temple do. They already had more people than needed to run a tavern, and she found herself coming up blank. Maybe something would come up. She gave her the room across from Sara’s, and then headed back downstairs. She was making a stew that should last a few days if kept at a simmer.

Earlier in the day she had gone on a hunt that had turned into a run. She had no doubts about herself and Justin, and she did like, if not love like sisters, Nora, Nicole and Sally. Sara as well felt like she was becoming a part of the family, even though she had no connection to it through Justin. After all, she had risked her life, and faced her fear to return to the castle, simply to stay with them.

But without the constant danger and travel, the quirks of the others and the effort for them all to find their niche in the family… was difficult. It was hard to balance a single relationship, now she was juggling Justin and four sisters, and she just needed some time alone. She understood it, it was part of her, the tiger was mostly a solitary animal. Her other shape didn’t control her, but it certainly informed part of her personality.

So she had run a couple of hours reveling in the freedom of it, before taking that deer down. When she had gotten back she had felt much better. She knew hunting would be her outlet, her alone time.

Sara asked, focusing her mind back on the present, “Is that it then?”

Katrina smiled, she had been teaching Sara to cook, or at least, what she knew of cooking. For not the first time, she wished the men responsible for Sara’s abuse hadn’t died quite so quickly.

“That’s it for seasoning, we just need to make sure it simmers and doesn’t boil. It should be ready in a couple of hours.”

*

Nicole and Sally were in a field, playing with their talents. Nicole knew she was powerful, and that had gotten them through the crisis over the last month. But she knew she was barely scratching the surface of her power. Her father had not trained her well, putting her in dresses and keeping her out of the public’s eye, instead of training the fierce predator inside of her heart, a phoenix.

Normally talents were private, taught parents to children, but she had gotten up the courage to ask Sally to help her. Sally was a mage, and it seemed that she was constantly learning new things that never failed to impress her. If anyone in the group could help her with this, it would be Sally.

Sally shook her head, “No Nicci, that was a fireball in the shape of a bird. You are not a fire talent, your flame is alive, you are a phoenix. Believe it. Now try again.”