“And knocked up, if what I hear on the circus grapevine is correct.” He grabs the long pipe sticking out from the hookah and takes a drag from it before blowing out smoke rings, which seem to float in the air.
“This doesn’t bother you?”
He shrugs nonchalantly before waving a finger through the hovering smoke. “Why would it? You are Skarrian, and polyamory is common amongst them. I’m sure he gave you his blessing when he saw my mark on your shoulder. I don’t doubt he gave you blessings for both Link and me.” He sips his own tea now.
“No, you’re right, he encouraged it, but to be honest, I’m not sure I can compete with a harem of exotic beings. Nor do I want to.” His eyes close slowly in a blink, and his face blanks of all emotions. “It will only be a matter of time before you’re bored with me and you return to them.”
After speaking the words out loud, I can tell I truly meant them as a rock sits lodged in my throat.
“Ah, but won’t you do the same? You have a five strikes and you’re out rule. It would never be a long-term thing for us anyway,” he points out and then he sits up. “How about I make you a deal. I will assess your power problems, and once that is sorted, let me feed from you four times. We will both get something out of it, and then we can say our goodbyes. I will go back to my harem, and you will move onto someone new. I won’t have to worry about you growing feelings, and you will get to experience all that being with a warlock has to offer.”
His arrogance knows no bounds, but I can’t deny I’m not tempted. I mean, what are the chances that I’ll develop feelings? But is it considered cheating on Cas if I go into this knowing nothing long term will become of it? How the fuck do Skarrians make a decision about long-term futures in the time it takes to fuck someone four times? Jesus, that could be within a day, and then you have to say see ya. No wonder Magenta gets around. It looks like I may be doing the same thing.
What is the likelihood that he and I are compatible? I couldn’t stand to have a partner who had to feed from other people. I know that sounds hypocritical when I may have multiple partners, but Cas and I are mated. There’s nosorry, I’m bored now, orI don’t like your flavor anymore, time for a new harem. It’s a permanent connection, and from the looks of things when I walked in and the reaction from the three who attacked me, Xavier is not just feeding off the power of his harem.
Then there’s his attentiveness to me. His harem certainly seemed surprised when I called him by his first name and had been invited into his personal space, not to mention his very blatant smackdown. It seems like it might be out of character for him, so maybe developing feelings isn’t as one sided as he makes it out to be.
I shake my head at the enticing being next to me. “I’m sorry, I’m just not sure. I need to talk to Caspian first. The last thing I want to do is upset him. I’m really happy with him.” I won’t meet the warlock’s eyes, but a finger under my chin has me lifting my gaze to meet his. He has a surprised look of wonder on his face.
“Lila, I have never been turned down before. Everyone is always clamoring to get at my power. I can’t say this is a refreshing turn of events.” He sounds bewildered, and I smother a smile.
“Why would I be clamoring for your power? I don’t know anything about you or it. You could be evil for all I know. And what would I need power for?”
His look of confusion turns to a smirk. “You think I’m evil?”
I take another sip of my tea, thinking of the best way to word my answer. “I don’t know. I don’t think so because I actually feel really comfortable around you. Your power feels good against my skin when you’re using it, but Dylan proved I am a horrendous judge of character. He had me completely fooled.”
Xavier’s eyebrows jump when I mention his power feeling good. “Did my power not hurt you when I used it against those three fools?” He leans in again, eager for my answer, his chest almost brushing against mine.
“No, it felt like little hummingbird wings were brushing across my body. It tickled.”
“Hmm.” He rubs one pointy ear, playing with the silver jewelry in it. “Dylan was a man whore and a lying asshole. You weren’t the first one to fall victim to his smile. Many crew members did until he got what he wanted, usually sex.” He’s trying to reassure me, but he fails.
“The thing is, he never implied he wanted sex with me. I thought he was gay and becoming my best friend. I guess I latched onto the first kind voice instead of being wary like I always am. I’ve learned from my mistakes. I won’t trust so easily again.”
“Ah, of course, and my proposal sounds too good to be true, yes?” He leans back again, smiling like he’s figured things out. “I will prove to you that I can be a friend, and then maybe we can be friends of convenience.”
Friends of convenience?Oh. “You mean friends with benefits,” I tell him, and he grins.
“Yes, that, four times.” He holds up four fingers and wiggles them around, and I roll my eyes.
“We will see. How about we do what I came here to do first?”
“Ah yes, your Skarrian powers that the water is not activating. Okay, let us see what we can do with you.”
Xavier
Seeing Lila in my living space is doing something funny to my insides. I was furious when my harem tried to attack her, and it sparked a rage inside me like I’ve never felt before. Then, when she told me about how my power did nothing but caress her body when I lashed out at them, I became even more intrigued with this little ball of emotions.
Lila is so open and unguarded, her residual feelings float around her. Just being next to her is a meal for me, and my body absorbs some of what she constantly puts out, which is not how it usually works. I can only imagine what it would be like to actually feed on her when I’m inspiring more intense emotions like anger or lust. She fascinates me like no one else has in a long time. My harem members guard their emotions like a dragon guards its hoard, giving me nothing unless I give something in return. I am so sick of being used for what I can do for them or how I can make them feel. Someday I want what Lila talked about, someone to love me for me and not who I am or what I can do or give them, like what my parents have—true soulmate love. For now, I am happy and excited to entice this gorgeous snack into my bed. My cock hardens just from imagining how responsive she would be.
I see her shiver as the tea starts to take effect. I’m lowering her emotional defenses, her inhibitions, to maneuver my way through the mental layers that everyone has. It makes it easier for me to get into her mind to see if anyone has been in there.
“Link scanned me this morning and said there are no spells on me,” she tells me, looking somewhat sad, and her emotions take on a slightly bitter taste which makes me want to remove that sadness.
“No, Link is right, but a cyborg scan can’t pick up mental manipulation, and that’s what I’m going to check for.”
Her breathing increases, and that sadness becomes fear, tasting like mud on my tongue. That’s very intriguing. Fear is usually one of the most delicious emotions for me, but from Lila it is not nice at all. I have the urge to change that and make her feelanythingbut fear so I can erase that taste, which again is not something I usually experience, and it leaves me feeling confused.
