Chapter Twenty-Six
Gwen
Ajax didn’t think he had a slave mentality anymore, but there were still aspects of his personality only a former slave would have. That was okay. I understood him. We’d be fine.
Abbott visited us a few days after we were able to return home. Our neighborhood was in horrible shape, and our upstairs had been vandalized, but the miscreants hadn’t found the basement areas. We all lived downstairs while Abbott supplied contractors to fix the aboveground portions.
This worked just fine, because it meant the four of us spent more time around each other.
It also meant Arabella didn’t have as much to clean while we got used to this new arrangement.
Unfortunately, they had to deal with the smaller downstairs kitchen, but they made it work, and the two seemed to have fun redesigning and expanding the huge upstairs kitchen and pantry.
Abbott called ahead one evening to let us know he was on his way.
The moment they arrived on the property, I knew he had Josef and Gavin with him, but I didn’t think to tell Ajax.
I merely told him Abbott had arrived, and it seems the outside security team did the same, so when Ajax opened the door to let Abbott in, he was surprised to see the three of them.
And I was shocked by our werewolf’s reaction.
* * * *
Ajax
I expected Abbott to arrive with Spence, but he had Josef and Gavin with him. My heart fell to my feet and fear made me want to run, but I was glued to the floor. I needed to step to the side and invite them in, but I merely stood like a statue and stared at them.
“You’re fine with all of us one-on-one,” Abbott told me. “What is it about the three of us together that makes you freeze?”
His words pulled me out of it, and I stepped to the side. “Please come in. I’m sorry I was rude. The contractors have fixed the doors and windows, but the upstairs is still a disaster. Everyone’s waiting for us downstairs.”
“Answer the question, Ajax.” Gavin didn’t sound pleased.
“It feels like you’ve come to deliver bad news. All that’s missing is Kendra, and then we’d have all the most powerful vampires in one place. That can’t be good.”
Abbott sent soothing energy to me, but I shook it off. “Please, I appreciate the sentiment, Sir, but I should deal with whatever news you’ve come to deliver as my own person.”
The Master Vampire looked sideways at the other vampires. “Interesting.”
I took a breath, walked to the wall with the secret door, and went through the motions to open it and allow them downstairs. I telepathed Kieran as we neared the bottom of the steps, and he opened the door and invited us into the downstairs great room.
“I can open a bottle of wine, if you’d like,” Kieren told our guests. “We can also offer a taste of swan or wolf.”
Ah. That was why they hadn’t fed from us when they rose — they wanted to be able to offer sustenance to visiting guests.
“Some wine would be nice,” Abbott told him. The three guests hugged Kieran and Gwen in greeting, and everyone took a seat. I stood near the door because I was in bodyguard mode.
“Sit with us, Ajax,” Abbott spoke without turning towards me. “No one will come upon us unawares.”
Arguing seemed like a bad idea, so I sat in a chair and tried to look as if I belonged there. My Arabella was leaned against Gwen on a loveseat.
Thankfully, Abbott got right to business. He spoke to Kieran and Gwen though. Not to me.
“Gavin feels it’s time to let Ajax and his wolf spend more time together.
Supervised, of course. Based on our young werewolf’s reaction to me upstairs when I tried to soothe him, I agree.
However, this brings up some legal issues we need to discuss.
He’s bound to me. I hold the leash that keeps his wolf from interfering with his decisions.
The two of you have limited access, and this seems to be working out okay. ”
He looked to me a second before turning back to Kieran and Gwen. “He’s had access to his wolf’s senses for some time with no problems. If he learns to manage his wolf and I release him, he becomes a lone wolf. I don’t think any of us want him in that position.”
“What are my options?” I asked. I needed to be part of this discussion, and it annoyed me they were talking about me instead of to me, but I didn’t mention it. It’s the way vampires operate.
Abbott answered my question, thankfully.
He lifted his hand and pointed one finger up. “Keep things as they are, which is bound to me because your wolf can’t be let lose.” He added a second finger. “Bound to me as the guards are.” A third finger went up. “Lone wolf, which I’m not inclined to allow.” A fourth finger. “Or join a Pack.”
The Master Vampire rested his hand in his lap again. “The latter two mean you can’t live with any of us. You can visit, but you can’t live with us or be near during daylight hours. You can’t work for us as bodyguard.”
“Unless you’re bound to the Doyles in a romantic relationship with the blood servant component included,” Josef said.
“Two vampires and a wolf. If you maintain the power of three and they have access to your thoughts and psyche, you’ll be theirs and they’ll be yours.
You can continue to live with them and guard them.
” He shrugged. “If you belong to them, you’re still Abbott’s, since they are his.
Likewise, what’s yours is theirs, so Arabella will be theirs as well as yours, assuming Sophia allows it. ”
“That’s what we want, isn’t it?” I was surprised Arabella spoke up, and she looked as if she surprised herself by speaking out of turn. “I’m sorry, Master Abbott. I don’t know what came over me. I apologize.”
“You’re perfectly in your right to join the conversation, dear Arabella.
” Abbott’s voice was kind. Gentle. “We’re talking about a possible foursome, where you will be one-fourth.
You have a right to decide whether to be part of it or not.
Once you decide, you won’t have much say in how things are handled within it, so you must speak up while you’re agreeing to be part of it. ”
“I just want Ajax and Gwen and Kieran. I want to take care of them, and have them take care of me. I want us all to be happy.”
“That’s it?” Gavin asked. “No stipulations about what they can whip you with, or whether you’ll ever get another orgasm?”
She stared at him a few seconds before slowly shaking her head. “No, Sir. They’ll know what I need. Those things aren’t for me to decide.”
He sat back and crossed his legs. “Sophia is never going to let her enter into this.”
“That remains to be seen,” Abbott told him.
“My guess is she’ll talk to the swanling, and perhaps have Kirsten sit in on the talks so she has another point of view before reaching a decision.
” He leaned forward and addressed Arabella directly.
“Dear, I like the fact you know what you want. Keep speaking up for yourself, even if it’s to assert something the people listening don’t understand.
The only person who can tell others what you want is you.
I can look in your head and get a good idea of what makes you tick, but I’m not you. ”
“Thank you, Master Abbott. It feels as if you’ve given me permission. It’s...” She took a second to come up with the right word, and finally said, “freeing. It’s freeing. Thank you.”
“You are most welcome.” He turned to Kieran. “Josef is going to take your wolf into the jail cell on the lowest level for a few hours. Would it be okay for Gavin and me to take your swan to the dungeon on this level?”
I started to protest, but Gwen beat me to it. “Not Gavin. No.”
Gavin chuckled. “I don’t know what ya’ll think I’m going to do. It isn’t like I’m the big bad wolf or anything.”
Josef stood and motioned for me to follow him. I stood as well, but I needed to speak my mind before I left. I met Kieran’s gaze, then Abbott’s. “If she’s traumatized, I’ll pack her up and leave with her. I’ll make sure she goes back to Sophia so she’ll never be hurt in a bad way again.”
* * * *
Arabella
Ajax left before Abbott could respond. I was afraid for him, because no one dares speak to the Master Vampire that way, but I could’ve sworn all three of our visitors grinned.
Josef followed Ajax out, and Abbott looked to Kieran to ask, “And your answer?”
A muscle in his jaw clenched. “My wife and companion voiced my opinion quite well.”
Abbott smiled, and it wasn’t my imagination.
“I’m sure she’ll do fine here, and I’ll let Sophia know my decision.
The three of you stood up to me on her behalf.
You passed the test.” He stood and walked to an empty sofa.
“With that being said, I’d like a taste of the little swanling. No sex. Just blood.”
He met my gaze as he sat in the center of the sofa. “Come sit in my lap, little swan. I’ll make it good for you.”
I’ve fed Master Abbott before, but never with an audience. Still, I stood and walked to him and tried not to smell nervous. I sensed Gavin’s hunger, and I looked up to him. It seemed wrong to make him watch his Master eat while he hungered.
“You’re hungry. I have enough for you both.”
Abbott touched my cheek. “You’re braver than you know, little swan. Kindhearted and brave. Don’t ever let anyone call you weak.”
I ducked my head in embarrassment, but he lifted my chin. “Brave young women don’t look down; they hold their chin up and accept compliments.”
There was no way to respond to that, so I chose to address Gavin. I looked up and met his gaze. “I would be honored to feed you as well. Either at the same time, or separately.”
“I have a better idea,” Abbott said. “I sense four vampires who haven’t fed this evening. Let’s spread you out on the dining room table and each take a limb. Would that work for you, little swan?”
I don’t like having to tell people what I want, or what I like. “I’m here to serve, Master Abbott. However you wish me, I’m yours.”
He sighed. “The perfect answer from a slave, but your Queen says you aren’t to be treated as a slave.”
“She says I can be a sex toy, and for a vampire, that can mean food in creative ways.” I took a breath and gave him an answer I thought he’d accept. “I look forward to feeding all four of you at once. Would you prefer me clothed or nude, Master Abbott?”
“I’ll leave that decision up to Kieran.”
“Nude,” Kieran said from behind me. “And we’ll all use anesthetizer to keep our fangs from hurting you.
I’m going to ask Abbott to give you pure bliss, and Gavin to give you pain.
Gwen and I will both give you a nice orgasm cocktail.
I can’t wait to taste your blood once everything circulates.
” He stood. “I would’ve chosen the bondage table, but we can use our vampire powers to hold her in place on the dining room table. She’s our meal, so it seems fitting.”
Abbott patted my bottom. “Off you go. Strip and stretch out spread eagle on the table. We’ll be in by and by.”
The downstairs dining room is creepy. It looks like something from a medieval castle, and having to strip and climb on the table did something to me. My heart raced. My clit swelled. This wasn’t supposed to be about sex, but I needed an orgasm.
And then I remembered Kieran saying both he and Gwen would give me an orgasm cocktail. He knew what this would do to me. My vampires were taking care of me.
I stretched out on the table and waited. My arms weren’t bound. I wasn’t a slave. I wanted to be here, doing this, more than I wanted to be doing anything else in the world.