Alburet jerked guiltily, his head whipping around to orientate on her, “Kitten?”
“Ya still owe me any one thin’ tha’ I wish, ya recall tha’?”
“Yes…” He felt a pang of guilt over what he had been about to say to Karen as he met the eyes of the woman he loved.
“Then I be collectin’ now,” Stacia said as she closed the door behind her and came towards the bed. Her apron hit the floor first, “I want what she be wantin’.” Her shirt followed the apron, “Ya promised me anythin’.” Her bottoms followed the top just as quickly, “This be what I be wantin’. Mayhap ya will see again, what joy we can all be havin’.”
He was partially frozen as he had watched her cross the room, stripping as she came. His already interested member stiffened further as he couldn’t pull his eyes from her. “Kitten, I’m not sure this is rig…”
He cut off as she leaned down so their noses touched lightly, “It be right, master, ya heart knows it as well as I do. Or are ya goin’ to go back on ya word to me?”
He struggled with the warring voices in his mind. His father on one side, berating him for even thinking about being unfaithful to his wife. Stacia on the other, begging him to listen to her and follow his heart. He let out a shuddering breath, about to speak when his mind went blank. His full attention had been focused on Stacia, but he didn’t notice her signal to Karen, or Karen slipping south as Stacia leaned over him, so the mouth that enveloped him was a complete surprise.
“Oh gods,” he moaned as Karen devoured him.
“Nay gods, me lovin’ husband, just two women who love ya an’ be wantin’ ya to have all the love ya can be gettin’.” She kissed him softly, her eyes shining.
The loving kiss didn’t last long. He grabbed her head and turned the kiss into a passionate one, acceptance washing through him. After a minute, he broke the kiss and pulled her onto the bed, “I yield this round,” he panted. The situation was ramping him up faster than he had considered possible. His breathing began to stutter as Karen increased her pace. “Both of you together are too much for me to deny.” Karen moaned at his acceptance and her mouth took all of him, sending him over the edge.
A little over an hour later the trio was finishing up their shower. Alburet was the first one out of the bathing room. As he dressed he frowned. The bedroom door stood ajar. Buttoning his shirt, he walked out to the living room to find Fluff sitting on the sofa with her legs curled under her. Her face held emotions that he couldn’t discern, “Fluff, you okay?”
She glanced at him then away, “I don’t know.”
He sat down on the sofa, close but not next to her, “Do you want to talk about it?”
Fluff huddled a little, “You saw my memory last night.” She paused, then blurted out the next line, “Do you think I’m a bad person?”
His voice caught in his throat as he saw the fear in her eyes. Instead, he reached out and very gently tugged on her arm. She slid over to him and he pulled her into his lap. He gently began to rub her ears, knowing it calmed her, “No, Fluff, I don’t think you’re bad at all. You are my friend and I cherish the fact that I have been lucky enough to know you. You were the first person in years to really talk to me and not turn away.”
Purring softly as he rubbed at her ears, Fluff nodded once. “I’m your friend? Like Karen is?”
“Of course you are,” Alburet chuckled. “Who wanted to kill Goblins with me first? You did. You were the first friend I made here in Alpha World, Fluff. That makes you a special person who I treasure.”
She gave a pleased meow and snuggled into his chest, “I can stay here with you?”
“Of course you can,” Alburet replied, not considering what she might be implying.
“Ya can stay as long as ya like with us Fluff,” Stacia said, having walked up behind them without being heard. She reached out and gently tilted Fluff’s head back so they could look at each other. “Ya are part of our family, ya and Karen are like sisters to me.”
Alburet’s mind nosedived, remembering what Stacia and Karen had just done, which was not sisterly in the least. As he tried to shake that image, it changed. It was the same image, but including Fluff. He froze as he felt his body respond to his thoughts. He went to shift Fluffball from his lap, only to discover that Karen had snuggled in close from the side, leaning in to hug Fluff.
“I would love to be part of a family that included you, Fluff,” Karen told her seriously. Her eyes, though, danced with laughter as she saw Alburet’s distress and guessed at the cause. She eased Fluff to her lap and snuggled her, earning a silent thank you from Alburet. “A family that cares for each other, respects each other and loves each other.” She slightly stressed the word love, as her eyes flickered to Alburet again.
Fluff looked up at Stacia’s open smile, then at Alburet’s conflicted expression. Her eyes drifted down and her cheeks reddened, which made Alburet spring to his feet and walk away. He was vaguely aware of the women talking quietly behind him. He went into the bedroom and grabbed the rest of his stuff, as he still had meetings to get to.
When he came back out, Stacia was by the door holding a flask and a sandwich for him, “Ya need to go, iffin ya want to see Ioaniss as ya planned.”
He gave her a quick kiss and accepting the food and drink as he went out the door. He didn’t look over at the sofa, but if he had he would have seen Fluff watching him with wide eyes as Karen whispered to her. Fluff squirmed slightly as the door shut behind Alburet before she turned her head to look at Karen. “Will you?”
Karen’s grin spread from ear to ear, “Oh, yes.”
“Ya can start after ya have breakfast,” Stacia cut in.
“Yes, Stacia,” Fluff replied softly, taking a seat at the table. She began daintily eating the egg sandwich that Stacia set down for her.
Karen eyed Stacia speculatively, “Hmm, we might need to establish who is in charge of whom here exactly.”
Stacia met her eyes. Instead of the willing and pliant woman that Karen was used to seeing, Stacia’s gaze was firm and her eyes held only conviction. “When it comes to food and carin’ for me family, I will brook nay dissent. When it comes to other thin’s, I will bend as me nature demands.”
Karen licked her lips, “I like bending you. Think you can handle it again?”
Stacia’s grin turned slightly evil, “I be an Infernal, Karen. Iffin ya wish to test me resolve, we can after we break our fast.”
Laughing, Karen sat down, “This should be interesting.”
“Ya would miss ya chance to help Fluff though, iffin ya want to do tha’ now,” Stacia said as she took her own seat.
Frowning, Karen took a bite and chewed. “Pass for now, then.”
“Aye,” Stacia grinned as she started in on her own food.
Alburet walked at a brisk pace, eating the cool egg sandwich and sipping the cold coffee. He used the time to reflect on the events that had transpired earlier, trying to sort out his feelings. A part of him was sickened by what he’d done, he had been unfaithful to his wife by the rules his father had taught him. At the same time, he couldn’t deny the joy and contentment he’d felt seeing how happy Stacia and Karen both had been. His mind was not focused on his surroundings at all as he absently walked through the city, completely oblivious to the frequent startled looks aimed at him.
He arrived at the Royal Museum to find Berk standing outside the main doors. Shaking his head to clear it, he smiled at Berk, who was looking at him with a single raised brow that betrayed only the mildest interest. “Good to see you again, Berk,” Alburet greeted Sir Jones’s retainer.
“A pleasure as always, sir,” Berk replied in his polished tone. “If you will follow me, Sir Jones is waiting.”
Checking the clock on his UI, Alburet was pleased to see that he wasn’t late, but he hadn’t arrived as early as he normally did, either. He followed Berk past a display showcasing the book and letter opener Alburet had brought to Stormguard with him. Berk led him to Marcus’s office, where Ioaniss was waiting alone. Berk ushered him in before following and closing the door.