More sex, more power, more ability to use my magic, to keep people safe, to help the city of S’Kir survive…this.
Whateverthiswas.
I straightened on the crutch. “I should take my rightful turn at the shield.”
“Oh, no,” Roran said. “No, no, no.”
“Not you,” Rilen agreed.
“But—”
“You’re injured and exhausted,” Rilen said.
“You’re exhausted too,” I snapped.
“That’s why we’re not on rotation yet,” Roran stated. “We have another week’s reprieve.”
Dorian nodded. “I called in a few of our more powerful magic wielders that we’ve identified. They are working in pairs, and the masters are working alone. We’re fine without you.”
“But—”
“Kimber, you just literally brought down a mountain,” Jallina snapped. “Let them handle it.”
The twins chuckled while Dorian had a pleased smirk on his face. I narrowed my eyes and turned back to the magical shield.
“We can’t keep this shield up forever,” Mistress Ophelia mumbled from the right. “We’re going to have to fight.”
“We are.” Vitas nodded.
I swallowed hard. “What do we know of fighting? Especially against their guns?”
“Better still,” Mistress Ophelia corrected me, “what do we know ofthemthat is not just legend and hearsay?”
The group moved away from Neves to allow her to concentrate. There was a small tent not far from her where the masters would rest before and after their time at the shield.
Well, two tents, really. And some magical sound dispersal. No one need eavesdrop on a temple master having sex.
There was a table with cheese, fruit, and bread on it, as well as pitchers of wine, water, and fruit juice. Several other temple masters sat there looking haggard and exhausted.
Our group joined them, with Rilen and Roran flanking me at the table, helping me with the crutch and the chair as I sat.
Master Bebbenel snorted. “I see you found your bedmates, Mistress Breaker.”
I stared at him. I hated him more than I had ever hated Master Dorian. At least with Dorian, I could see him doing what was right—no matter how much I had hated him.
Master Bebbenel just continued his jackassery.
I decided I owed him no respect, only an answer. “Indeed I have, Master Bebbenel.”
He leaned forward, his head on his chin. “And what has Master Dorian to say about you borrowing his mates?”
I stared him dead in the eye. “Usually? Something like, ‘Oh, Gods, yes, Kimber. Ride that cock! Ride it!’”
Dead silence.
Lunella burst out laughing, and Jallina followed her into sidesplitting guffawing. The twins were red instantly, but their eyes were full of mirth and pride. Everyone else at the table alternated between humor and horror.
Dorian cleared his throat, but there was no mistaking the smirk on his lip. “Now that we have established that Mistress Breaker is indeed having her sexual needs fulfilled nicely, perhaps we can turn to the pressing matter of the vampires with hand cannons and hate in their arsenal.”
