Julian slid his fingers through Vin’s hair and guided him, fucking into his mouth the way they both liked it. “Yes, yes, yes. Swallow all of me you can. Just like that.”
Hannah lost the sadness around her mouth, but Julian wasn’t about to let her retreat into a place where she felt broken either. For the moment though, he was content with Vin’s mouth on him, with her legs entangled with Vincenz’s on the bed.
“After I come down his throat, he’s going to get back in you and fuck you so hard you can’t think straight. And then I have other plans.”
She gulped and nodded and he turned his attention back to Vincenz as she got to her knees to get at Vin’s cock. It really was a wonder he lasted more than a minute and a half with these two in his bed.
“Are you fingering his ass?” she whispered into Vincenz’s ear. Loud enough for Julian to hear and send him hurtling right to the edge. Then she took one of Vin’s hands and sucked on his fingers, getting them wet. Julian watched in what felt like slow motion as Vin adjusted himself and reached between Julian’s thighs to slide those wet, slick fingers over his asshole.
A belly-deep groan came from his lips as his cock surged, needing more. Tingles and heat spread outward from that spot Vin found so easily, stroking until Julian felt it in his back teeth. Orgasm built up, more and more until there was nothing but need. Until he exploded with a harsh snarled whisper of Vin’s name.
Julian found his way back to the mattress but he wasn’t sure how. Hannah petted him, kissing over his chest as Vincenz went to clean up quickly and was back.
“Vincenz is very hard, Hannah.”
She nodded, reaching out to grab Vin’s cock. “He is.”
“He’s going to fuck you.”
Vincenz needed no more than that to roll over and settle between her thighs. She smiled up at him. “Hello.”
He thrust and she arched to get more.
“Hold the head of the bed, Hannah. Don’t let go until I say.”
She nodded and obeyed as Vincenz thrust hard and deep. Each time he slammed home she made a sound.
“When you get close, pull out. Come on her cunt,” he whispered to Vincenz, who sucked in a breath.
“Yes.”
They both looked down at her and she narrowed her gaze. “I know that look.”
“Good.”
Vincenz wanted to take his time, but it was never possible. So much lay between the three of them that it was impossible not to be so ridiculously turned on that within minutes he was ready to come and come hard. This wasn’t alleviated by the squeeze of her pussy, so wet and hot around him.
He thrust, pushing her thighs up and apart, changing the angle so he went even deeper. Holding her open to his gaze. To his touch.
And then Julian’s fingers, wet again from her mouth, slid over his balls, already slick from her pussy, and then a tease against his asshole. A caress and then the burn of entry. Before long the heated pleasure as Julian pressed his every button. He cursed under his breath and Julian chuckled like the smug male he was. Doing to Vincenz just what Vincenz had done to him only minutes before.
Right on the very edge he pulled out and came in a hot rush, all over her beautiful, swollen, wet pussy.
“Oh!” Her eyes widened and she arched with a moan. “Gods …”
“I want you to use Vin’s seed and make yourself come, Hannah. You can do this, baby. Do it for us.”
She closed her eyes tight for so long Vincenz was convinced she wouldn’t do it at all. And then she opened them and let go of the bed.
Julian joined him, both of them kneeling at her legs and watching, ensorcelled as she traced her fingertips over her nipples and down. Down some more, straight to her pussy.
She widened her thighs and began a slow circle of her clit, Vin’s seed as her lube.
“I’m convinced I’ve never seen anything hotter than this in my whole life,” Vincenz breathed out as they continued to watch.
“I know it.”
She did this for some time and then huffed impatiently.
“Stop. You’re talking yourself out of coming. Did you masturbate before? Before they took you?”
She nodded.
“And you came? No problem?”
She nodded again.
“You’re just fine then. You’re in our bed. My mouth has been on you. Vin has been inside you. I’ve been in his mouth. His come is all over your sweet, juicy cunt, and it’s a crime, Hannah, a terrible crime to let them win. Come. You’re here with us, covered in us, use that and don’t let them win. Do as I tell you. You said you were mine, and I’m telling you to do it.”
She didn’t look totally convinced, but she went back to her pussy, her other hand playing over her nipples.
“Does it make you hot? To know we’re both here looking at you finger yourself?” Vincenz slid a hand over her thigh. “So beautiful.”
She shivered and slid two fingers into her pussy and angled her wrist to press her thumb over her clit.
They watched, breath held, as she continued and then she stiffened, arching, pressing the back of her free hand against her mouth as she came so hard it felt like he experienced it himself.
When she opened her eyes it was to send them both a smile. “Wow.”
“See? I told you.”
“Now I’m sticky in all the best ways.”
Julian fell to bed next to her. “It’s late enough that we can probably sneak in and I can wash down all your sticky parts.”
“Deal.”
Chapter 21
“Oh, for all the heavens’ sake!” Hannah rounded on him, her hands on her hips. “I’m not incompetent. I’ll live. Do you seriously expect to be at my side every moment of the next however many years? Do you fear I’ll start fires or wander into a busy street like a wayward toddler?”
Julian appeared to have the good sense to appear chagrined. “Don’t be glib.”
“I’ll be glib all I want. You don’t get to control me that way. If we’re naked, that’s one thing. But we’re not naked now.” She took a deep breath and tried again. “I know you worry. And I appreciate it. But you have a job to do. We’re at war. You’re part of the plan to make sure we win. Go. Fight. Win. I’ll be right here when you and Vincenz return.”
He stalked to her and pulled her into his arms. “I hate leaving you.”
Her anger washed away. “You’ll have to. Unless you mean to dispose of me at some point, this is your job. There’ll be other times, even after the war is over, when you have to leave me for a time.”
“I like being around you. You fill all my empty spots.”
Touched by that sweet admission, she reached up and slid her fingers through his hair. “I’m in them even when you’re not with me. Let me fill those empty spaces and go do your job. You don’t need to babysit me. I’m not going to fall apart, or go crazy and hurt someone.”
Anger flashed over his features then as he shook his head. “Stop saying stuff like that. I don’t think that. No one thinks that.”
He’d never been angry like that with her before. Oh, sure, at other people and situations, but never at her. Instead of being upset, it filled her with joy. “You never get mad with me.”
“You are not crazy.” He took her face in his hands, tipping it to kiss her quickly. “I hate when you say that. Vin and I hate to leave you because we both love being with you. And because, yes, yes, we want to protect you against what happened to you before. I’m sorry I got mad at you.”
She laughed. “No, it’s a good thing. Don’t you see? You and Vincenz snipe at each other back and forth all the time. You do the same with Daniel. But not with me. That you did, that you are now means you’re comfortable enough to know I won’t run away in the face of your anger. It means you want me to stay.”
He looked adorably confused and she hugged him tight.
“Of course I want you to stay.”
“I know. Now go.”
“Don’t go to town. Not until one of us
can accompany you. Please.”
She wanted to go to town to pick up some supplies so she could see to the medical needs of the people living out here on the compound. “I want to help. I need to go get those supplies. I’ll go with several people. I won’t be alone.”
“Hannah, there’s a war on. This place is already dangerous as it is. The portal city is awash with ruffians and brigands on any given day, but these days it’s particularly bad. Please. I’ll go with you when I return. Or, since I’ll be in the city this morning, if you give me a list, I can pick things up for you.”
She sighed and nodded. She wanted to be independent but that didn’t mean she had to be stupid about it.
“Thank you.”
She dashed a quick list off and relayed it to his comm and he was off to do whatever he did. Vincenz had already headed off an hour before. Piper and Andrei had their own work as well so she got to task.
Julian sat across the table from one of his informants. He’d gone straight to the dispensary and ordered Hannah’s supplies, paying extra to have the items delivered by someone Piper knew to be trustworthy. That way she’d have her things to get to work.
And then he’d gone through the private portal to Ceres, ignoring why he was there last. Straight to the tavern he knew would be crawling with mercs, thieves, brigands and all manner of assorted criminals. It was where he most often found out things he needed to know.
She looked him over carefully. “You’ve got a woman now.”
At one time he would have elicited his information from this particular informant horizontally while naked. But that seemed a lifetime ago. Before Vin. Before Hannah. Funny how he tended to forget about that time. It seemed so long ago.
“I do. So tell me what you’ve been hearing lately.”
He’d already passed credits her way. He trusted her enough to tell him without having to wheedle or con her out of the info before she was paid.
“War on. Good for business out here on the Edge. Still, hard to get around now that Lyons controls most of the private portals. Only so much you can secrete away in a transport when everyone’s being scanned the way they are.”
“Commerce finds a way.”
She laughed. “Yes, and it drives up prices, which is also good for business. But you want to know about what sort of business someone from the other side might have here. Yes?”
He nodded.
“They’re around. Here and there. Less, so I suppose Lyons was right to clamp down the way he has.” She sipped her ale and looked at him over the rim of her mug. “Means something that he refuses to toss us away. You tell him that if you see him. Tell him that because he stands with the Edge, we stand with him.” She paused again and gave him the names of several Imperium lackeys who’d been sniffing around asking questions and attempting to arrange transport of several things she found odd, but Julian understood immediately.
He gave her some extra credits. “Lay low for a while.”
“Heard something interesting about Caelinus,” she said as he stood to leave.
“That so?”
“Just heard from an associate who’d been traveling. Don’t ask and I won’t have to refuse to say where.” She narrowed her gaze and he nodded. “Said when he passed through there had been a lot of troops just away from the main portal city. Said it seemed excessive, even for the Imperium.”
He nodded. It was their capital ’Verse so it wouldn’t be that surprising to have a massive troop buildup there. It was where Fardelle’s home was as well. “Thank you. Be safe.”
On the transport on his way back to Asphodel, he transmitted the info back to Ravena and thought.
* * *
Vincenz had been doing his own work, setting up some contacts with one of the people who’d helped smuggle him out of the Imperium all those years before.
He sat in the same place he had when he’d first seen his sister again after so many years. Vincenz had had no idea that the house they’d used all those months before had been owned by Beamus Scott.
“I suppose you’re here about the war.” Scott handed a mug of tea Vin’s way and sat back to look out the wall of windows to the canyons beyond.
“I’m going to assume you know about the portal-collapsing devices.”
Beamus nodded. “Sure. Been all over the vids on both sides of the line.”
“And you know about Faelene?”
Beamus’s gaze narrowed at the mention of the Imperialist ’Verse where the water had been contaminated, rendering large percentages of the population debilitated, killing the weakest among them, the elderly and children.
“Faelene has no elders anymore. And few children under five. Your father has destroyed a lot of people. He’s going to have to pay for that. I take it that’s why you’re here and I’m happy to help you so let’s get to the point.”
Vincenz took a risk and told him a little about the virus.
“Each time I believe he’s done his worst, he surprises me. I’m the criminal so what does it say that I have more morals than he does?” Beamus pushed up and began to pace in front of the windows.
“We believe he’s been experimenting on our people for some time now. We don’t know the full extent and even if we did, I wouldn’t tell you. But I can tell you this virus has the power to kill millions.”
“I’ll look into it. Give me a day or two.”
He didn’t have to tell Beamus to be careful about what he revealed. The man was as canny as they came.
“I’ll be back through and in contact. Thank you.”
When Vincenz arrived back in Asphodel it was far after the suns had set, but still hot as seven hells. It didn’t matter. He had a destination. Of course when he got to the compound Julian was still gone, Andrei was helping with repairs and Hannah wasn’t in the main house.
“Where is she?” His pulse kicked higher at the idea of her being missing or harmed.
Shilo, one of the younger women living out there, looked him up and down. “She’s down near the far northern cistern. Arch’s son is with her. No one would let her get into trouble, you know.”
“Thank you,” he said over his shoulder, already moving in that direction.
Where he found her sitting on the ground, a small child across from her, looking up at her with big, curious eyes.
Hannah laughed and used a pen light to shine into the child’s eyes. “I can see in your eyes with this. It shows me all is well. Nothing in there but lots of brains. It must be that you’re very smart. Is that so?”
“Mai says so.” The little boy nodded sagely.
“I gave her some tablets for you. You eat one every morning with your breakfast. She told me your favorite was griddle cakes. I love them too. Just chew the tablet and eat your breakfast and you’ll keep on getting smarter and stronger. Can you do that for me? Your Dai has to take some too. You can be a good example for him.”
The little boy, who’d appeared dubious about the pills, lost that suspicion and instead nodded eagerly at the idea of helping his father. She was good at this.
She stood and brushed off her delectable bottom.
“Thank you, Miss Hannah.” He hugged her and was off.
She turned to see Vincenz and her smile grew. “Hello there. How long have you been back?”
He hugged her, breathing her in. “Not very long. I came straight to you once I’d tracked you down. Are you finished?”
“For now, yes. Oh!” She grinned and he did too because how could he not? “I think the program broke through. At least a few layers. I thought of something while I was out earlier and went back. I added some commands to the secondary encryption program; it might work.”
“Let’s go see then. Didn’t you come out here with someone? I got scolded for assuming you’d be alone.”
“They’re quite nice to me here.” He knew she blushed even without seeing it in the dark blue of evening. “Carel, that’s one of Arch’s sons, came out with me. He and his family live just there.” She po
inted. “Let me tell him I’m going back with an escort.”
As they walked back to the main house he held her close, his arm around her shoulder, her medical bag slung over his free shoulder. “What all did you do today?”
“I’d planned to go to town to get supplies so I could see some of the people here. They lack basic health care and traveling to the portal city is hard on the elderly and the sick. But Julian did it for me and had things sent back here. Even that bag.” She rested her head against his shoulder. “He’s very thoughtful. I got Arch his medication. A several months’ supply. I spoke with Carel so he knows the name of the pills and will go into town every few months to get it for him. And then I just went from building to building and talked with people.”
“A medical doctor making house calls. I heard that was a myth of Earth,” he teased.
“I never really envisioned myself as a family doctor, the door-to-door type especially. But I find I like it. It doesn’t have to be forever. But it gives me a purpose while you are all out doing big, important deeds. It makes me happy to use my skills.”
“There you are, Hannah! Come inside for the evening meal.” Piper waved to them from the front steps.
“I’ll be right in. I just want to check on something.” Hannah squeezed Piper’s hand as they passed, and Vincenz liked that she was making friends.
“Oh, well, hello there. I remember you.”
Julian had stopped at a stall near the portal station. He wanted to bring some sweets back for Hannah. He turned to the woman standing on the steps of the partially reputable tavern just two doors down.
“Evening.”
“Where’s your friend?”
He looked at the package in his hand and thought of Hannah. And then realized two things. First, that he hadn’t brought Hannah here so this woman wouldn’t know her, and that the woman meant Marame.
“Dead.” That simmering rage roiled through him at the thought that a woman half a world away from Ravena would remember Marame and that Marame wasn’t alive anymore.
The woman sighed. “I’m sorry. Lots of that going around.”
He began to walk toward where he’d left the conveyance he’d driven out from the compound.