Shalin, p.12
Shalin, page 12
The slender naga began tugging off his clothes the moment the door shut, delicate features eager and dark blue eyes hungry. Dare helped her, then dropped onto one of the clammy cushions and pulled her atop him.
The damp seat was cool but her scales were hot, her small soft hands roaming his body with murmurs of appreciation. He grabbed the frills that served as her hair and pulled her lips to his for a fierce kiss, tasting sweet and salty brine as she opened her mouth to his questing tongue.
Her scales were soft and warm, smooth and slick with moisture so his fingers glided over them as he caressed her back, her powerful tail that allowed her to move as easily on land as beneath the waves, then up her sides to her medium sized, pert breasts.
Tissin's hard nipples scraped across his palms and she moaned into his mouth, tail thrashing as she rubbed the thin rubbery lips of her slit across his rock hard erection. Like mermaids nagas had a pouch containing their clit, urethra, vagina, and anus, although it wasn't as long and everything was mashed closer together.
That made it even easier to alternate between a naga's two holes, as Tessera had shown him on more than one occasion.
Dare kissed down Tissin's slender serpentine neck and along her collarbone, then down to her breasts, tasting salt and the sweet and musky seafoam fragrance that was her. Her arousal began to seep through her slit to coat his length, filling the air with her heady scent, and she slid even more easily atop him.
A naga's nectar was waterproof and coated surfaces like oil, making it easier for them to fuck underwater. It also made cleaning it off a fun challenge without Cleanse Target, as he'd discovered during one visit when he'd forgotten to replace his stock of the scrolls, much to her amusement.
His wives had teased him about returning smelling like fish for weeks afterwards.
Speaking of teasing, he thought he'd got her worked up enough and flipped them over on the cushion, straddling his naga lover's tail and lining his massive cock up with her pussy. She lay panting beneath him, watching in eager anticipation. “Sand and sea, I've missed that enormous rod of yours.”
Dare cupped her breasts, tweaking her nipples, and with a twitch of his hips plunged into her hot, welcoming depths, feeling her tight walls grip him snugly as he stretched her out.
Tissin whimpered and clutched him tight around the neck, undulating her tail to invite him in deeper. It was long enough that she was able to curl the tip around to caress his back with the slightly rougher scales on it, a sensation like she was lightly scratching his skin that was incredibly soothing.
Like with mermaids, nagas had deep pussies. He was able to go almost balls deep in her, finally bottoming out with less than an inch to spare.
For a brief time he simply lay atop her, savoring the feel of her tight velvet walls rippling around his length as she adjusted to his girth. Her hands joined her tail lovingly caressing his back, and she buried her face in his neck and did her best to give him the mother of all hickeys.
Dare finally withdrew, her stretched labia tugging at him as if reluctant to let him go, and with a groan of pleasure began plunging into her with slow, deep thrusts. It only took a couple minutes of that before her tight little pussy became a powerful vacuum. Literally.
Naga women had an interesting and incredibly enjoyable quirk; when they reached climax their pussy began exerting suction like not even the most enthusiastic blowjob could match. “A reward to our lover for making us happy,” Tissin playfully called it.
If so then she was usually ecstatic and continually rewarding him when they fucked. He struggled to keep up his pace as her hungry sex pumped him, as if determined to drain every drop of his seed from his balls and then pull the skin right off his cock, with a pleasure so intense he sometimes couldn't keep going through his refractory period because it was too much.
If that wasn't enough to let him know she approved of his efforts, his beautiful naga lover became a siren, as in the ear-piercing mechanical kind, when she really got into it. Thankfully the staff room was soundproofed, although he had the feeling the others in the company headquarters had a pretty good idea what was going on.
Dare sped up against her eager suction, kissing her to muffle her siren wails as she clutched him tight and undulated beneath him. Her fingernails clawed at his back in delicious lines of fire, her tail scraping on his ass as she urgently pulled him harder into her.
Finally his passion overcame him and he released his seed into her pumping core, feeling it swept away as more and more was yanked out of him in delicious surges. It seemed to last forever, making his head spin, and when he finally felt drained dry he pulled his twitching cock out of her and slumped down beside her, gathering her hot, wet little body into his arms.
Tissin panted into his neck and trembled against him as she came down from her nonstop climax. “You need to found new settlements more often,” she said with a giddy little giggle. “That or find other excuses to visit.”
He laughed and cupped her firm breasts, teasing her nipples. She was soon squirming in desire, grinding her slit against his hip. He thought she'd mount him, but instead she slipped off the cushion and tugged him after her with an eager smile.
Ah. Dare followed her to the next room, diving with her into a small but deep pool of saltwater. It was frigid even in late summer, but the heat of his lover's body cushioned him from the shock as she wrapped herself around him like an eel and impaled herself on his cock again with another sharp whimper of delight.
Nagas couldn't share their air like mermaids could, so she kept his head out of the water as she had her way with him, undulating against him urgently as her tight sex sucked him hard for another load.
He hugged her back and did his best to hunch his hips against her constricting embrace, savoring the pleasure of their union as he kissed and nibbled the salty skin of her neck and shoulder. Her cries rang in the small chamber as she slammed her tail against him harder and harder.
Finally she went limp and trembled against him, whimpering as her hold loosened until only her intensely pumping core held them together. He held her close and pumped his seed into her again, feeling her womb whisk it all away like a dragon jealously hoarding treasure.
“Fuck,” he panted, nuzzling his limp lover's neck and stroking her light blue hair frills as he gradually softened inside her. “You're amazing.”
Tissin let out a giddy giggle. “You drive me crazy, Baric the mysterious,” she whispered into his ear. She kissed his cheek and squirmed away towards a box at the edge of the pool, withdrawing a Cleanse Target scroll created on waterproof material.
After the embarrassing previous event she'd started keeping them on hand in case he forgot his again.
“Do you and Miss Lisna have time to grab a drink?” she asked as the spell washed over them, whisking away her oily arousal.
“Sure,” he said, climbing out of the pool and reaching down to give her a hand up. “We completed our business quickly, so we've got about an hour.”
His naga lover helped dry him off with a towel, then he dressed and they strolled out to the front office hand in hand. Or at least he strolled and she languidly slithered.
Ireni and Tessera gave them knowing smiles as they greeted them; nagas were casual about relationships, to the point where both niece and aunt could have an open affair with him with the approval of the other.
“Want to grab a drink?” he asked them as they stood from their seats.
Tessera mock pouted. “Did you drain him dry so there's none left for me, dear?” she scolded. Then she chuckled and undulated for the door. “A drink sounds nice, although you must come again soon so I can have you to myself.”
They set out from the company headquarters down the street to a nearby bar, chatting about events on Horadis and some of the politics of the larger cities pushing to establish formal kingdoms after decades of burgeoning as frontier settlements.
Tissin was in the middle of describing a border dispute between a city halfway across the country and a large tribe of indigenous lupids when Ireni abruptly stiffened. “Estellis?” she called in surprise. She cried out happily and broke into a run down the street. “Estellis!”
Dare started in shock and followed her gaze, heart soaring as he recognized his former adventuring companion, standing in a small group with Bradis's other wives Lila and Esseme, as well as a few other women and some bodyguards arrayed protectively around them.
Grinning, he broke away from Tessera and Tissin and strode after his wife.
Estellis looked nonplussed at the small woman hurtling towards her, of course not recognizing Ireni in her illusion. But once the bubbly, friendly Invigorator realized there was no threat she endured the apparent stranger's hug, smiling gamely. “I'm sorry, do I know you?”
Ireni leaned up to whisper in her ear, and the tall, athletic woman's eyes widened. “Really?” Estellis blurted, face lighting up in excitement. Her eyes darted to him as he approached at a more moderate pace. “Then that's-”
His petite wife hastily covered her mouth, whispering in her ear again, and their friend's face became grim. She murmured a few words to the women with her and their bodyguards, then stepped away with Ireni, waiting for Dare to reach them.
“It's good to see you,” Estellis whispered, giving him a brief but fierce hug. “But if you're still in the same situation nothing has changed. We can't afford to have any connection with you for the safety of us and our children.”
“Children?” So Bradis and his family had finally taken that step. He smiled broadly. “Congratulations!” he said warmly.
“Congratulations!” Ireni agreed, hugging their friend again. Then she sobered and stepped back. “We understand your position. We'll leave you be until our task is completed and it's safe to approach you.”
“But Bradis is doing well?” Dare asked.
Estellis nodded. “Our copies of our previous party leader's logbook and monster compendium gave us the base to found our own adventuring company here, since most of the monsters are the same. Not an Adventurer's Guild because fuck those guys, but a small group of trusted friends who've founded a settlement with us in the interior. We're prospering and have a good life.”
She looked back at the other women and smiled, resting a hand on her belly. “Lila's given him a son and is pregnant again, Esseme gave him a daughter, and I'm expecting his child as well.” She laughed lightly. “Two of the three women who've joined our harem since are also pregnant, and the third is trying her damndest.”
“Congratulations on your happy news,” Dare said again, feeling glad for his friends. But also sad that he wouldn't be able to catch up with them or go anywhere near them as long as the shadow war against Malin raged.
Ireni nodded and gave Estellis a final hug. “Be safe out there. Maybe in happier days we'll see you again.”
“I hope so.” Their friend gripped the smaller woman fiercely. “Whatever you're facing, you'll overcome it.” She reluctantly stepped back. “Well, safe travels.” Without a backward glance she hurried back to her group, said a few words, and they departed quickly.
Dare took Ireni's hand and they made their way back to Tissin and Tessera, who looked curious. “You're friends with the leaders of the Courage Adventuring Company?”
He wondered if the name was a nod to him and felt another pang. “We were, a long time ago,” he said heavily. “We had a falling out, and I don't know if we'll ever be close again.”
The nagas nodded sagely. “One of the perils of business,” Tessera said. “Gods grant our own dealings have a happier ending.”
He forced a smile and offered her his arm. “I'll drink to that.”
It was good to know what had become of Bradis, Estellis, and their family. And hopefully when Malin was overthrown and his influence shattered they'd be willing to be friends again.
Chapter Six
Raid
The Shadow Crusade hadn't exactly spent the first year and a half after its founding lollygagging. But needless to say, in the month leading up to their first major raids against the Shalin Grand Consortium their efforts ratcheted up to a whole new level of intensity.
Dare got back to sleeping fewer hours, leaning heavily on his high constitution and stamina. And while he did his best to spend time with his family, he didn't see as much of those not involved with the raids during that time. The same was true for the others as they all threw themselves into the planning and preparation.
Lily reached Level 55, and as predicted Dare had trouble keeping his hands off her for the next few days as she became even more irresistible. Her own libido skyrocketed, and he sometimes saw her fidgeting as she struggled valiantly not to drag him somewhere secluded and jump his bones.
Marona reached Level 50 within that same time, and the change was nothing short of stunning as she went from early 50s to early 40s, the gray vanishing from her lustrous black hair and the wrinkles smoothing from her aristocratic features. Her body firmed and she gained an absolutely bombshell figure, and as she'd hoped her energy surged to new levels.
A needed improvement as she worked to juggle caring for their children, coordinating their raids, and seeing to the daily operation of Independent with most of her usual staff busy on the raids. Although she found time to drag him away to test out her younger body, riding him with unusual passion and climaxing near continuously.
If little Darren and Emara noticed the marked change in their mother, they showed no more reaction than if she'd gotten a new haircut. Dare had gotten a stronger response when he'd grown out his beard for a month then finally shaved it.
On the 12th of Mov, a month after committing to the raids and a day before they were set to take place, he ordered all activity in town to cease for those who'd be involved in carrying out or coordinating the attacks.
“We've made all the preparations we can,” he announced to the assembled Shadow Crusade when he addressed them in the town green. “At this time a day to rest will do us more good than any last minute efforts. So however ready you feel for this, no matter how strong and eager for action, as your Judiciar I'm giving you a direct order to spend the rest of the time until our final pre-raid preparations resting.
“A full day to set aside your duties, sleep, eat, get some sun and go out in nature, spend time with family or lovers, and physically and mentally recharge for the coming fight. The teams we've already sent out to set up on location in preparation for tomorrow's raids have been given this same order, and they are also taking this time to relax and rest. This is a Crusade-wide directive.”
There were some confused murmurs, and a few people looked doubtful or even derisive. He firmed his tone. “Those who disregard this order will be removed from their team and sit out the raid. This is not up for debate, people. Rest.”
Dare hopped down from the officers' platform, leaving his people to disperse and enjoy their time off, if they could; he knew he'd have trouble following his own orders, although he'd do his best.
He spent the day with his family, taking all his wives and Marona out on dates, playing with his children for hours. They didn't know why their daddy got to spend so much time with them all of a sudden, but they were so happy that it made him feel guilty he couldn't always spend his days with them like this.
He knew that resolving to make up for it later had led to regret in many a person's life, a lesson both his parents had tried to teach him when it came to making time for the little things that made life so wonderful in the end. He had a solid justification for why his time was so limited, but even so.
When this was all over he would spend that time with his loved ones. And until then he'd make time as he could.
After a feast with the whole family and their close friends, then a night of games and pleasant conversation, Dare helped his wives and consorts put the children to bed. Which involved over an hour and reading them several books, giving in time and again to their pleading for him to read just one more.
But finally they were all settled down, and Dare and his harem retired to their room together.
Given what they faced tomorrow, everyone made love with special intensity, and afterwards held each other tight and took comfort in the warm bodies of their loved ones as they did their best to fall asleep.
Dare was up bright and early the next morning, waking a sleepy Zuri and heading out to gather Rek and the rest of their team. Which included two lower level Crusaders along with the adherents of the Outsider who'd be helping to free and reassure the slaves.
Rek had reached Level 51 this month, and Dare was confident that with the two Crusaders' help they could handle all opposition. The guards Gador's Workings had assigned to the mines were some of the worst of those who'd attacked Dare's family at Gurzan's Last Hold, who had subsequently been imprisoned as traitors then released by Malin.
The spies reported appalling brutality in the guards' treatment of the slaves, and that combined with their willingness to murder the innocents of Terana sealed their fate. The Crusade's Council of Judges, which included Ireni, had determined the Outsider would approve their slaying in the course of the raid. Those who weren't captured for interrogation and future trial and sentencing, that is.
Personnel in other businesses they planned to raid hadn't done enough to warrant that judgment, and the teams attacking those locations would do their best to subdue them rather than kill them; it was a fine tightrope walk to destroy the Shalin Grand Consortium and bring its evil members and allies to justice without becoming indiscriminate butchers.
It was vigilantism, pure and simple. Divine, perhaps, since it was carried out at Sia's command and with her approval. But the plain fact of the matter was that the Consortium owned most of the rulers and magistrates across Shalin, and justice would never come for their shadow organization unless the Shadow Crusade brought it to them.
