7 Deadly Instincts (The Sinfire Chronicles Book 1)

Then Gray had to close his eyes. The Widow’s face was too close to his. And then, her lips were on hers. She smelled sweet, with only a bit of musk—what had she been doing in her workshop naked?

Emerilia sucked in a breath, her hand, one hand on Gray’s chest, the other in hair. His heart was pounding, and he was so hard, so excited, and he couldn’t help but remember what Settie had done to him the last time he was in this position. However, back then, he’d been naked.

Now, he wished he was.

Emerilia sighed into his mouth, before slowly sliding her tongue into their kiss, and he took it. He had to wonder if the tongue was necessary, or if she was looking at his core at all. This new woman was kissing him, which made him think of Ames joining him and Rynn in bed.

He moaned, or was it Emerilia moaning. Her hand slid down her belly, going farther.

He wasn’t just smelling the wide little woman, he was tasting her, and she was tasting him, and he had the presence of mind to focus on his core. There was so much lust filling him, he felt the power seep out. He reached out—he delved—and he felt Emerilia’s core, but no, she was closed off. He could feel it.

She couldn’t bond with him. It was like a house with doors closed, the windows shut, but there was someone home there. He could feel the mana inside of her.

Emerilia broke the kiss. “Can I…can I touch you? If I could…if we could…if you could embrace that ultimate bliss, when your core is the most open and vibrant, I could see what might happen if you did try include someone else in your harem.”

He wasn’t going to quibble about the word. This was crossing a line, he knew, but he also knew Rynn would want to know the dangers of their presence condition.

Emerilia looked shock by what she’d asked. “Oh, Gray, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. It’s too much.”

Her robe had fallen open, and he could see one of her thick brown nipples on her large breast, and a part of her thigh.

She didn’t cover herself. She was too busy looking into his eyes.

Gray pushed his pants down to his knees, exposing himself. “We’ve been here before. If the captain doesn’t mind, I don’t mind. Rynn and Ames will understand. We need to know.”

Emerilia’s eyes travelled down body to his stiff sex, jutting out from his body. “I’ve thought about that. About what we did before. I shouldn’t, you are a client, but I couldn’t help myself. It was…it felt delicious to indulge knowing that I couldn’t, we couldn’t…”

Settie chuckled. “But you could. Without consequences. It’s why we are here. Let’s not prolong this rather awkward moment. I’m so very curious about what his core will do with both of us here.”

Emerilia kissed him again, again, lingering, their mouths open, their tongues touching, the heat of their kiss making them both sweat.

She gripped his shaft and started to stroke him, up and down, up and down. She broke the kiss, licked his jaw, and then sucked gently on his neck. Her robe was open now, and he could see the triangle of dark fur between her legs. And he could see both of her fat tits, handing off her chest, her nipples so hard. He could only imagine how wet she was between her legs.

He let his hand fall onto her hip, and when she didn’t protest, he moved his hand down to her lips, and yes, they were wet indeed, and so hot.

It was too much. Her hand felt so good on him, and he loved touching her, seeing her, feeling her hot mouth on his neck.

Settie came forward to once again caress his hair. She was gazing down, and for a second, he thought shwas going to kiss him as well.

Her lust resonance joined with his, and the air was vibrating so much, things on the shelves started to shiver and shake. There was a low rumbling sound as the fire hissed, growing brighter and hotter.

Emerilia’s core might be a closed and shuttered house, but Settie’s core was anything but. It was glowing and ferocious, open and wanting, an inviting tent on a beautiful meadow. The rumbling grew louder, something fell off a shelf and shattered.

Settie then bent down, and yes, she kissed his forehead, before whispering into his ear. “Let it happen, precious Gray. Let me feel you come. Let me see it.”

He was pushed over the edge.

Right at that moment, he felt Rynn, her core, her excitement, and she was with Ames, and they were outside, in a doorway. Rynn had her pants off, and Ames was on her knees, pleasuring the elf girl, until she reached her crescendo of pleasure, or that’s what she would call it. He’d tease her about, but Rynn didn’t care.

A second later, he saw Settie, but so young, but unsure of herself, looking rather plain. One of her hands was withered—with only one finger there and a thumb. The rest were too small to really be called fingers. It was why people called her Little Dani Witherhand.

It was her, young, thin, but old enough to know what men and women did behind closed doors. And when Princess Cassandra called her in, when the princess saw the potential the serving girl, despite her hand, there was chemistry. And kissing.

Both were surprised by the attraction but it was magnetic. Cassandra brought the little serving girl on to just train her on how to use her mana core. But that turned into something else. A friendship. And then, one night, in front of a fire, kissing.

But nothing more. Not until later…

Settie’s core was absorbing mana directly from him, that bond forming, as the waves of pleasure started. But something else was happening. His core felt like it was exploding as well.

Settie stumbled back, and shouted, “No! Never! Never!”

She screamed.

Emerilia let go of his sex, as it pulsated, over and over, spilling his seed onto his stomach.

At the same time, Gray felt the mana explode out of his core. He was venting it, just like Rynn did, but it wasn’t from his orgasm. It was from the connection he was forming with Settie. All that power was trying draw her core to his, the mana multiplying too fast.

The little woman grabbed a beautiful crystal vase and threw it on the floor.

It was the strangest thing. All mana was gone, absorbed all at once, vanished.

Gray went to feeling pleasure beyond words to feeling empty, so exhausted he thought he might lose consciousness.

Settie fell against the wall, knocking another vase off a shelf, and it too shattered on the floor. She then slowly slid down the wall, wiped out.

Softie shouted through the door. “Sister, are you okay! Captain! Gray! What in the buggering gods of old are you three doing in there!”

“Nothing!” Emerilia called out. “Don’t you dare come in!”

“Like I would,” Softie grumbled.

Emerilia had cinched her robe closed once more. She drank down a vial of golden liquid, every drop, before letting the vial drop It shattered on the polished wooden floor. “Well, Gray, I hope you enjoyed that because mine will be the last hand you’ll feel on that exquisite cock…well, other than the hands of your wives.”

“What happened?”

Settie grunted. “Too much mana. It felt like…you were going to pull me into you. It would’ve…it would’ve shattered me.”

Emerilia’s face was bright red. She was trembling. “It was the two of your cores so close together, but not bonded. It created this energy that you couldn’t hold back. Such energy would’ve destroyed this building if not half the market. I had a priceless vase filled with a powerful enchantment that dispelled the mana. I should charge you.”

Settie climbed up off the floor. “I will pay. No matter the cost. Gray’s harem will only have the two women it seems. Unless something changes.”

The Widow coughed a little. “Or unless I join it. I could, given the state of my core, but no, the last thing you want is me around reminding you of your many sins, Settie.”

“Emerilia, I assure you, I don’t need anyone to remind of such things. I am very aware of my mistakes. However, bringing Gray here was not one of them. I thank you. Again, any price you wish, I’ll pay.”

Emerilia took a cloth and gently cleaned Gray. “Oh, Settie, I’ve been working with Gray for free since he wandered into my shop. Back then, I asked for a favor, and I’ve not collected yet. Let’s say you both owe me now.”

Settie looked disgusted. “I’d rather pay you in shekels.”

“I know you would,” the Widow sniffed. “Get dressed, Gray.”

He could hardly move. His core was so empty. He hated that hollow exhausted feeling. It tasted of despair. “You could fix me, though, so that wouldn’t happen with someone new, could you?”

“You don’t need a fucking harem,” Settie snapped. “Your bonds with your wives will triple your powers. Already, it gives us such an advantage. It’s a relief, don’t you see? You won’t go trying to fuck every girl you meet to get their spells. And you and I will never, ever be bonded.”

Gray felt the answer fill him. He slid off the table, dressing angrily. “Fuck, Settie, I don’t want to bond with you. You hate questions, you have more secrets than a whorehouse, and baggage, a thousand years of fucking baggage. But you want to be bonded.”

“You’re being fucking ridiculous. I don’t want that.”

“You’re envious of me, Rynn, and Ames. You pretend not to be, but you get mana from it. I think you’d rather hate us for being in love than fuck us, even if we weren’t going to be bonded.”

“How do you know I get mana from it?” Settie asked, her face a mask of rage and disgust.

“I can see it. I can see mana. Emerilia told me not to tell anyone, but here we are.”

Settie then smiled. “This is wonderful news. You can see what resonance people have. This gives you such an advantage.”

“Sometimes,” Gray said. “But people are complicated.”

Settie put her mask and hat on. “People are complicated.” She turned on Emerilia, who had retreated from the yelling, since really, it wasn’t her business. “I am paying you ten thousand shekels for your services. I’ll give it to your brother. Protest all you want, it won’t matter. As for this favor, I will not be giving you any leverage over me and my life. I am leaving now.”

Then she did just that.

Emerilia laughed a little. “Settie isn’t her real name. I saw her kissing Princess Cassandra. You saw it too.”

Gray nodded, though he didn’t really want to reveal too much. “I’m sorry for her. She’s fucked up.”

“Oh, Gray, we all are. I’ll take her money.”

“And I owe you a favor.”

Emerilia smiled. “And maybe, just maybe, one day I’ll come collecting.”

“I’d like that.”

He was about to leave when she grabbed his arm. “That power you have, the size of your core, the amount of mana you generate—it can be used to destroy, surely, but it can also be used to create.”

“Create what?”

Emerilia didn’t answer right away. When she did, she had tears in her eyes. “New worlds. New life. New hope. Remember hope, Gray. And make sure you use your life to create more than you destroy.”

He didn’t know what to say.

He did know walking back to Ruin Manor with Settie wasn’t going to be very comfortable. He knew at least one truth about her. He was fairly certain she wouldn’t tell him much more.

Not until they won the Reckoning, whatever that might be.