Page 18 of Bright Soul

Geo grunted in agreement, lowering my hips to spear me on his manhood. He caught his lower lip between his teeth on a hiss of pleasure.

“All right, all right,” Ben conceded quickly. I knew he was taking himself in hand, waiting for me to sink halfway on the gargoyle’s cock before he made his move. He pressed me more firmly between the heat of their chests and helped angle himself into my ass.

Mouth hanging half open, I moaned loudly at how full I felt between them. I tried to shift in Geo’s hold, but he dug his fingers into my skin to hold me still, as immovable as stone. By unspoken agreement, they moved like two pistons; where Ben pressed, Geo withdrew, and back again.

My nails dug into Geo’s back. His skin was slick…already sheened with sweat. I would marvel later at how quickly he bounced back from his stone form. Maybe it was just the food, as his kisses still tasted faintly of his scrounged meal, but I wanted to think it was me. Us. That this act was the true switch to flip for him.

I was glad to have him back…to have both of them still here with me. I cried their names out until I came and jumbled them up together. Once we cleaned up and lay out together, with me still blissfully between them, they had a good-natured debate over who I called out to when I’d said something akin to “Beneo.”

9

CRESS

Leona Whiteside met with Madigan, Jordan, and Hana early the next morning, before most of us were just waking up. I learned about it when they emerged from a room on floor negative one and the door slammed behind them, startling me into looking up. I was rummaging through the break room with Ben for anything edible, my laughter from a story he was telling fading as I spotted the group of women walking by.

The four of them exchanged a meaningful glance. Each time a secretive look was shared with Hana, the tension along my spine notched a little tighter. I wondered what future she was guiding us toward now.

“Good morning,” I said.

“Before you ask…yes, we know about the online petition. The other governing covens and councils around the world are debating our fate as we speak,” Hana said.

I bared my teeth in a cringe. That was the opposite of comforting to hear from her.

“Well, damn, not such a good morning after all,” Ben muttered.

Madigan brushed a hand through her hair. Unbound orange curls tangled around her head, mussed like she’d been tugging on them in frustration. “I’m going to trust Hana, as I always have, and say it will be handled. I have new instructions for you and the rest of your coven in the meantime.” She gestured broadly toward Leona. “I am entrusting you all and your training to the head librarian.”

Leona’s mouth was set grimly. “I don’t know much about other affinities…but there’s little you can’t learn by doing. We start purging the containment rooms today.”

I swallowed down a surge of nerves and looked over at Madigan. “That sounds really dangerous. Are you sending any more of Ashbough Protective Services to help?” I asked.

Madigan nodded. “Of course. We’re supporting the library with an equal share of people and supplies.”

“Aunt Jordan, you’re going to be here with us?” Ben asked, earning a warm smile and a confirmation from her. She twirled her staff with its single stored spell, brandishing it with a flourish.

“And we’ll all be helping…even Willow?” I added.

The last time Willow had used her magic had been in the Crown Coven’s audience chamber. Her control had gone haywire, and many of the people who’d been around her had clutched their necks and gasped for air like they were drowning on land. It’d only been Madigan’s timely intervention in knocking Willow unconscious that’d saved those people.

“I’ve seen a lot of spells in my day,” Madigan answered slowly. “I believe what I saw was her performing mer magic.”

“Yes, for the first time,” Hana confirmed.

Madigan nodded, unsurprised. “It looked like an explosion of magic that’d been under pressure for a long time. It’s difficult tobe half witch and half a different kind of supernatural, but it’s not something to be feared. If we gather any mer survivors, we will seek a mentor for her amongst them. But until then…keep her with you. It’ll be better for her if she’s with her coven, doing what she can without pushing her magic that far again.”

The seer nodded in echo to her. If she wasn’t offering a warning of impending danger, I would gladly have my friend here helping us.

“If I may offer a suggestion,” Hana said. “Grant and Wren will need more space in the coming days. Do with that as you will.”

“And don’t let any interpersonal drama come between you and your duties to this library,” Leona added with the air of a final word.

When Ben and I murmured in agreement, they moved on, speaking quietly amongst themselves. I turned to my man, whispering, “Grant should go spy on what Myuna is doing.”

On our way to Grant’s door, we gathered up Roe, who had donned workout gear from somewhere and was about to try to find a place to exercise. Her familiar, a stout Belgian Malinois named Tank, panted eagerly by her side. He seemed disappointed when we distracted his witch.

She’d paled at the thought of sending Grant out as our spy but didn’t air any protests, only coming along and standing behind Ben and me as we knocked on his door.

Grant answered after a few minutes, looking disheveled. “It’s too early for such long faces,” he said, standing aside so we couldcome in. The moment he closed and locked the door, his real form spilled out.

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