Love Never-Ending (14 page)

“It is primarily for
garzhan
pairs,” Dai agreed. “But
bond mates may also take a third or rarely a fourth partner with a covenant
bond.”

“Then please explain why Tyger and Llyon have a covenant
bond,” Bishop demanded softly.

“Ahhh. Tyger and Llyon.” A quick smile crept across his
withered face and a twinkle lit his eyes. “Tyger and Llyon are
twin-bond—two-as-one. It occurs about every two or three hundred years. They
are bound to each other from birth until death. When one of them dies, so will
the other. In their case, the covenant bond is a formality, signifying their
readiness to begin life as a mated pair. Some twin-bonds also take a woman into
their bond. One pair took another man.” He shrugged. “According to the Talking
Wall, they are considered sacred pairs who are protected by the laws of the valley.”

“What is your position in this household, exactly? I mean,
you seem to be in charge and all of the kids defer to you,” Trav pointed out.

Dai pursed his lips and then replied, “I am Merlyn and
Jade’s third partner.”

Ménage was not one of the possibilities that had occurred to
either of them. Bishop demanded, “You have a covenant bond with them? Why?”

“Because we love each other.”

Bishop couldn’t resist asking, “What do the children think
about that?”

Dai shrugged. “It has always been that way, since before
Eppie was born. I was their
semtorn
when they came to the valley. We
have been together for many years now. I have always been the children’s
jloni
—Stepfather?”

“Huh.” Trav pulled his earlobe and thought about that for a
while. “Two more questions then. What is a
semtorn
? ”And why aren’t you
with Merlyn and Jade now, instead of here managing the household?”

Explanations tumbled from Dai’s lips as he grew more
agitated with each new fact.

Visibly struggling to calm himself he breathed in harshly
and then nodded his head. “A
semtorn
is the one who shares the valley
enzyme with a newcomer. If the newcomer mates with a valley inhabitant, then
usually their
semtorn
is their bond mate.”

Trav and Bishop shared another mystified glance and then
Bishop asked as delicately as possible, “Uh, how is the enzyme shared? And what
does it do?”

Abruptly, Dai began to laugh. “What does it do?” Suddenly
overcome, he slapped his knees and shook. “Oh, Traveller! The enzyme is the
reason you will turn blue and change your appearance, Trav.” He leaned forward
and whispered loudly, “Wrenna will share it with you when you bond. She’ll
bite
you!”

“Like a vampire?” Bishop demanded loudly.

“Exactly.” Dai sat back and surveyed them with satisfaction.
“Any more questions?”

Both men shook their heads morosely. “I think we already
know more than we wanted to. Too much information,” Trav admitted. Dai left
them to puzzle over the information he’d shared with them.

“Now what?” Bishop muttered. “Every time I turn around,
there’s another rule to worry about. We would have more freedom in a jail.”

“Now that is not true. There are
no
women in jail.
For sure, there aren’t any women like Wrenna.”

“What the hell were you doing with Wrenna, anyway?” Bish
asked curiously.

Trav shook his head. “Never mind. I never kiss and tell. You
know that.”

Bish stared him in the eye. “So you’re going to bond with
her, huh?”

“Yeah. If she’ll have me, I’m going to do that very thing.
What about you, Bish?”

“I can’t stay here. I’m happy for you, Trav but the place gives
me the willies. I want to go home before some broad bites me and I turn blue. I
need
to go home.”

Soberly, Trav regarded his friend, noting his nearly
desperate expression. “I hope you find a way, then. I’m sorry I dragged you
into this mess.”

“Don’t worry about it. As I recall, I was the one doing the
dragging. You get your future with Wrenna settled. Make a zillion babies. Live
long and fuck often. It’s the valley way.”

“Smartass.”

“You know it.” Bishop laughed. “Take a nap. I’ll talk to you
later.”

* * * * *

Dai stomped off in irritation, annoyed that Trav and Bish
had reminded him how long it had been since he’d made love with his mates. It
was forbidden for covenant partners to have sex with bond-mates during
pregnancy. It was especially hard because of his mental link with them. During
the early stages of pregnancy, sex was frequent due to
schalzina
—and he
was aware of every single encounter. He couldn’t wait until the babies were
born and he could return to their bed.

He went down the hall to the small room that he used during
Jade’s pregnancies. Once inside, he deliberately locked the door, removed his
clothing and stretched out on the bed. His
kzusha
pulsed and ached with
longing. He found his small vial of oil and dripped a few drops on his palm.
Then taking his
kzusha
in his hand, he stroked and squeezed as he
thought of the last time he had made love with his mates.

Merlyn and he had been across the river, offering their
assistance as Arturo introduced the newest warrior class to the first intricate
steps of the
Grimahr Dance
. Abruptly, through their mental link, they
heard the most glorious music. Making their excuses as quickly as possible,
they hastened over the bridge to the Llewellyn domes where they found Jade in
their bedroom listening to a small device that Dancer had loaned her.

She smiled wickedly when they entered through the patio
door. As she continued to share the music through their link, a new song began.
A man was singing something about a confession, but the words were unimportant.
It was the erotic rhythm that caught their attention as she slowly unfastened
her silky
meerlim
and tossed it away.

Swaying with the music, she trailed her slender blue fingers
along her hips and then back up to her breasts. She cupped them in her hands,
tugging and rubbing her nipples until they were tight and erect. When Merlyn
groaned, she turned away with a tiny grin and presented her back.

With fascination they watched her ass undulate in slow
circles as she reached up to remove her glittering hair picks, one by one. When
the last pick was free, the shimmering auburn waves tumbled down below her
butt.

Hastily undressing as they watched, they haphazardly flung
shardas
and sandals in the corner. Then, stroking their
kzushas
in time to the
music, they waited to see what she would do next.

Her hips still swaying, she slowly turned until she was
facing them, her hard lavender nipples playing peekaboo through the narrow
ribbons of hair that tumbled down her chest. She widened her stance, slid her
fingers down over her mound and separated the swollen lips. Teasing them with
fleeting peeks, Jade lightly massaged her clit with agonizing slowness.

Abruptly, Merlyn breathed, “Enough!” and swept her up in his
arms, carrying her to the bed. “Dai, we must punish her for such a naughty
display!”

The swinging bed rocked gently to and fro as they all piled
on it in a tumbled heap. Dai immediately scrambled down until he was situated
between her legs. She willingly parted them so he could feast on her slippery
pussy while Merlyn captured her busy hands, pinning them to the pillows above
her head.

“So, love, did you have fun?” he teased as he nibbled on her
ears. “Damn, that was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. What is this music
you’re listening to?”

Jade twisted and writhed under their ministrations,
dislodging the tiny ear buds that Dancer had taught her how to use when he gave
her the little music box. The music faded as the small metal square she wore
around her neck slipped behind her head. “I don’t know,” she panted. “It was
something Dancer thought I might enjoy.”

“I can unequivocally state that Dai and I certainly enjoyed
it.” Merlyn snapped up one of the silky strips that they used to restrain her
for their bed play, wrapping it around her wrists before tying it securely to
the low rail at the head of the bed. “Hmmm. Now I think I want to fuck your
breasts. We haven’t done that in a long time.”

He straddled her rib cage, stroking his cock between her
soft breasts. “I want you to suck me while I fuck you,” he commanded as he
slowly dribbled a few drops of
quoltania
-scented oil on his cock. “Dai
is going to fuck your pussy.”

“So are you going to talk or fuck?” she moaned.

Immediately, Dai moved up in the bed and settled on his
knees. He arranged her legs over his shoulders, positioned his
kzusha
at
her pussy and entered with a fierce thrust.

“Yes!” she shouted. “Harder!”

Merlyn snorted and laughed. “Jade, sweetheart, do you have
the mistaken impression that you’re in charge?”

Behind him, Dai grunted as he slowly withdrew his
kzusha
before plunging back in her warm, wet sheath. “Isn’t she?”

“Hell no!” Merlyn cradled her breasts in his large hands,
holding them so that his cock was cuddled in the soft curves as he began to
shunt back and forth, pausing each time as he reached Jade’s mouth so that she
could suck the head of his cock.

Dai leaned forward and bit Merlyn’s hard biceps. “I think
she has us exactly where she wants us. She’s lying flat in the bed and we’re
doing all the work!”

“You bit me!”

“Yep. Stop talking and start fucking.” Closing his eyes, Dai
rocked back and forth, luxuriating in the tight clasp of Jade’s pussy, in the
melding of sex scents from Merlyn and Jade and himself, savoring the jumble of
mental impressions they shared as they pleasured each other.

When Jade sucked and licked Merlyn’s cock, Dai shared the
incredible sensations with them, just as he also shared the slick grasp of her
breasts as Merlyn slid to and fro. Willingly, he opened his mind so that they
might see the joy that he received from being with them.

“Squeeze his
kzusha
with your pussy!” Merlyn gasped.
“Damn, that feels good.”

“Shall we switch places?” Dai suggested.

“No! I want both of you to fuck me!” Jade cried out.

Merlyn leaned forward and loosened the restraint. They
quickly rearranged themselves until Dai was on the bottom with his
kzusha
once more snugly held in Jade’s pussy as she sprawled on top of him, nibbling
on his ears.

Merlyn had immediately declared that he wanted to fuck her
ass, pointing out that he was already well oiled, so he was kneeling behind
Jade, slowly sliding his cock into her narrow passage, reveling in the feast of
perceptions bombarding them. Who did what wasn’t as important as the fact that
they were all together, joined mind and body in pleasure and desire.

Dai was so caught up in the heat of that last afternoon
encounter that he didn’t hear the pounding on the door until Arano shouted his
name. “Dai! Are you in there?”

“I am here!” he called out angrily.

“Mama and Papa are home!”

“Wonderful! Perhaps you will allow me to finish my nap,
then!”

Arano had a notion that Dai was engaged in something a
little more personal than napping. As his own plans would go more smoothly if
Dai was distracted, he quickly went to complete them, happy to leave Dai in
peace.

Bishop discovers a hard truth

Leaving Trav to his afternoon nap, Bishop walked down to the
river and found a bench to sit on while he contemplated what Dai had explained.
It all seemed too wild to him.
Schelas
and locking and
schalzina
—it
had to be some kind of joke. How could a woman die just because her mate wasn’t
around to fuck her? Dai had to be kidding.

It sounded like a good excuse to have a lot of sex. Bishop
snorted. Trust his brother to find a valley where sex was the primary goal in
life. As for having a zillion babies…well, if that’s what they wanted, let them
but that wasn’t for him. No babies. No little rugrats running around irritating
the shit out of him. Fuck that. Merlyn had enough kids for both of them with
some left over.

He heard shouts in the distance. Across the river, Arturo
was putting his students through their paces. Bishop watched the young men move
smoothly from one graceful pose to the next. Each night while he was out
exploring with Hawke and the others, they had practiced the moves. Once when he
asked what use the
Grimahr Dance
was in fighting, Jonas and Mali had
danced against Hawke as a demonstration. It was clear even to Bishop’s
untrained eyes that Jonas and Mali were far outclassed by Hawke.

Bored and irritated, Bishop decided to walk along the river
path toward the river meadow. When he reached the meadow, he found a small
stone house facing the dark cold waters of Shadow Lake. Tyger had mentioned
using it as a bonding cottage when he and Llyon swore their covenant bond.
Looking around at the empty landscape, Bishop had to admit that it was probably
the most private, isolated place he had ever seen.

As he turned to go back to Lost Market, he heard soft
laughter on the wind. It took him a moment to pinpoint the location but once he
did he was unaccountably shocked to the soles of his sandals.

Samara’s parents were sprawled naked on a blanket in the
grass. As he watched, Rebaccah playfully rolled Ham onto his back and climbed
atop him, eagerly taking his cock inside her before she threw her head back and
moaned in delight.

Feeling both embarrassed and aroused by watching, Bishop sat
on the steps at the stone house. His cock grew hard as he peered at Rebaccah
enthusiastically riding Ham’s cock while Ham tugged her nipples and squeezed
her bobbing breasts. She murmured something and then leaned forward so he could
suck and lick her nipples. Her long hair spilled over her shoulders in a golden
curtain of privacy. Bishop took the opportunity to stand up and stiffly walk
away toward Lost Market.

When he reached a long stony finger of the cliff that ran
along the river, he stopped on the other side long enough to shove the
irritating fabric of his
sharda
out of the way, releasing his painful
insistent erection. Why did he keep looking? Pissed off with himself, he took
his cock in his hand as he leaned against the cliff wall. He thought not of
Rebaccah and Hamilton but their daughter, Samara, as he stroked his cock.
Memories of her smiling face, the silky wet heat of her bare pussy, the way her
nipples tightened like hard berries assaulted him from all sides until at last
he came, spilling his hot seed over his fist.

Eventually his heart quit pounding and he found a spot where
he could crouch on the riverbank and clean up. Feeling foolish and angry, he
stood up and looked back the way he had come but no one had witnessed his loss
of control. He walked to the village, trying to put the images of Ham and
Rebaccah out of his mind. How did you face someone you’d seen having sex?

When he reached the Llewellyn domes he searched out Merlyn
and Jade. He found them sitting in the warm sun on a tiny patio outside their
bedroom. “Come join us,” Merlyn urged as he got up to fetch another chair. “We’re
sorry we had to be gone just as you arrived.”

Shaking his head, Bish replied, “Dai explained it the best
he could. I find the entire process very strange but I’m trying to keep an open
mind. I guess you’re both okay now.” What else was he going to say? If he said
what he really thought—well, this was one asylum where the inmates were in
charge. “I’m just glad that you’re home. I have so many questions that I don’t
know where to start.”

Merlyn yawned widely. “I’m sorry, Bish. We’re still catching
up on our sleep. Dai told us he explained about
schalzah
and
schalzina
.
Somehow, though, I don’t think you want to know about that, do you?”

“No,” he replied baldly. “I want to know what happened when
you were abducted. What happened?” He looked from Merlyn to Jade, baffled but
certain they were reluctant to speak.

Jade reached for Merlyn’s hand. “You might as well tell him,
darling.” She tenderly kissed his hand before tightly clasping it in her own.

Refusing to look Bish in the face, Merlyn looked out over
the back stone wall enclosing his yard. “When we were abducted from the
reception, at first we thought it was some kind of sick joke. It was our
wedding! They put us in the limo and drove off. After a couple minutes we
decided that it wasn’t a joke and we started asking questions. All they would say
was that we had a job to do.”

“Who was it? Dad worked day and night and he never found
even one shred of evidence to point to where you were! Not even one little
hint!” Bishop ruffled his short hair. “The whole department worked around the
clock…the FBI was called in, the television stations all ran your pictures…”

Merlyn squeezed Jade’s hand and just shook his head.

“It would have been a miracle if they had found anything,”
she said softly, kissing Merlyn’s hand again for comfort.

“Well? Who was it? And how did you end up here?”

“It was Dad, Bish. Dad had us abducted because he was crazy
wild to find this place.” After Merlyn’s flat statement there was a long
silence.

Despite Bishop’s vociferous protests, Merlyn and Jade
answered every question, every objection and denial. Finally convinced that
Bishop believed them, Merlyn fell silent for a moment. Then looking at Bishop,
he added, “Dad’s still looking, you know. When we searched Dancer’s clothes, we
found a tiny electronic device. Ham’s pretty sure that it’s some kind of
transmitter. He destroyed it but there may be others.”

“You think he was following Dancer to find this place? That
all that rot about the Waterloo Group going after him was just to get him to find
the valley?” Bish just stared at them. “What about Trav and me? And why is it
so important?”

“We don’t know. You didn’t seem to have too many hiding
places on you but Trav seems to have brought quite a pile of stuff with him. We’ll
have to go through his things carefully. As for why? Dad said something about
an old journal he inherited from Great-Uncle Cage. I think he thinks there’s a
treasure here.”

“Huh. What about the Taylors? You know that Morgana is
Dancer and Trav’s aunt, right?”

“Pretty sure. She’s their dad’s sister.” Bishop’s brow wrinkled
in concentration. “It was in all the papers last year when they were murdered.
All about how tragedy continues to strike the family.”

“Nate and Morgana went down to Rebaccah’s Promise right
before Dancer arrived. They probably don’t even know that they’re here,” Jade
whispered softly.

“If Dad knows, that would be two points against the
Devereauxs.” Merlyn stared at Bishop angrily. “They’re in more danger than we
even imagined.”

Jade smiled sadly. “Not much of a reunion, is it?”

“Better than a poke in the eye with a stick,” he pointed out
morosely.

Falcon appeared in the patio doorway. “Dancer and Eppie are
here. Dai says you should come as Trav and Wrenna have news to share.”

“At last! I hope they decided to bond!” Merlyn declared with
satisfaction.

“When did that happen? I just left Trav a little while ago.”

Jade laughed with quiet happiness. “It doesn’t take long.
Let’s go see what they have to say. It will be good to see Dancer and Eppie
too.”

Bishop followed them down the long hall to the living room,
wishing he could take time for a shower. Besides, they would no doubt spend all
their time talking about bonding shit and babies. He was way past the point
when he found any of it interesting.

By the time they arrived in the living room, Arano was
serving cookies and fresh steaming tea. A few minutes later, Traveller appeared
on Wrenna’s arm, moving slowly but surely to a deep chair cushioned with
pillows and blankets. Once he was seated, he made the announcement they had all
been waiting for. “Wrenna and I will be bonding as soon as I’m well enough.”

Enthusiastic good wishes followed by more teasing led
Traveller to suddenly remember the instruments that they had brought to the
valley. “Play! Bish! Did you give Dancer his violin and guitar?”

“Nope! I completely forgot about them. Hold on, Dance!”

Immediately Bishop went to fetch the violin and guitar,
relieved to have a reason to escape the living room. Perhaps he shouldn’t feel
resentment but Dancer and Trav were
his
friends until they came to the
valley. Now it seemed that their interests were completely taken up with their
mates.

He carried the battered guitar and violin cases to the
living room, intending to slip out as soon as possible. But he failed to
foresee the lure of curiosity on his nieces and nephews. Soon he was hemmed in
on all sides as they listened enthralled as first Dancer and then Jade played
the violin.

Abruptly the serene atmosphere was marred when violent
thunder shook the windows. Merlyn and Dai left the room in a rush with Bishop
following on their heels. He had no idea what their tearing hurry was but his
inquiring mind wanted to know so he trailed behind them as they ran down the
path that led toward the bonding circle where he and Trav had entered the
valley. Thunder boomed overhead as lightning flashed all around, lending a
surreal camera flash effect to the woods.

When they arrived at the bonding circle, Llyon and Tyger
were waiting outside the great stone sentinels. Bishop peeked over the men’s
heads to the altar stone. Arano stood naked in the center of the huge flat
stone, sheltering a small naked blond woman. A heated argument between Dai and
Arano followed. Then Arano and the woman sat down. She faced Arano with her
legs around his waist while the storm continued to rage overhead. Shocked,
Bishop watched Arano slash their palms and join their hands while the woman
mounted him. Surely they weren’t going to fuck while everyone watched?

A moment later, his question was answered—yes, they were.
The stones surrounding the circle lit up, blinding the onlookers. Then rain
poured down on the observers though the inner circle remained dry. Bishop
noticed that Llyon and Tyger were gone, though he had no idea when they left.
Merlyn left, heading back to the village, leaving Bishop to keep company with
Dai.

When Bishop began to shiver with cold, Dai led the way to
the cave next to the circle where he lit a fire while Bishop waited impatiently
for an explanation. “What now?”

Dai shrugged. “They are in
schalzina
. We wait until
they are ready to go back to Silence’s dome. Then once they are safely home, we
will be free to go home ourselves.”

“How long do we have to wait?”

“However long it takes. Remember I explained this to you and
Trav this morning.”

Bishop sneezed. “I thought you were kidding. This is crazy!”

“No. This is the way it is in the valley.”

Bish moved closer to the fire. “We should have brought a
blanket.”

“Well then, it appears I have arrived just in time!” Wolfe
declared as he appeared in the cavern opening carrying blankets and a small
pack. “Blankets as requested. And some hot tea to warm you up.”

Bishop gladly wrapped one of the blankets around him and
hunched down next to the fire. Dai removed a carefully wrapped mug from the
pack and filled it with tea from a blue jug. He handed it to Bishop and then
poured his own.

“You’re packed and ready to go?” he asked Wolfe.

“Of course. I’ll leave in the morning as soon as I do
Llyon’s patient rounds.” Wolfe crossed his arms over his chest and smiled at
Dai. “Everyone is well at home. But this storm will likely mean more
pregnancies in the valley. Are you sure you want me to go up to Rebaccah’s
Promise now?”

“The sooner you complete your training, the sooner we will
have another full healer in the valley.” Dai shot him a steady look. “By your
own reasoning, we will need your skills as soon as possible.”

“Then I will leave tomorrow as planned. If you have
everything you need, I’ll go back home.”

Bishop took a cautious sip of his tea. “Thank you for
bringing the blankets, Wolfe.”

With a casual wave of his hand, Wolfe was gone, leaving Dai
and Bishop alone to wait until Arano and Silence were ready to move to
Silence’s dome.

“Why were you yelling at Arano?”

Dai didn’t answer for a while. Finally he admitted, “Silence
was hurt very badly by the last man she was with. He died the day that Dancer
and Eppie bonded. I thought that Arano was doing something that would hurt
Silence but I was wrong.” He shot Bishop a vaguely embarrassed smile. “Fathers
are sometimes overprotective. Arano knows me well. He planned the pledging so
that I would be forced to give my blessing.”

“Does it always storm like this when there’s a bonding?”

“No. There were no bonding storms for the last two hundred
years—and then Dancer came to the valley. Their bonding storm—his and Eppie’s—was
the first storm in living memory. This storm was more violent I think because
Arano also claimed
birth-rite
. Bonding is normally private though a
healer and a male relative of the woman usually serve as witnesses that the
rituals are all observed. But
birth-rite
requires them to witness the
consummation.”