Evergreen smiled, stepping to the side and checking the oven where her biscuits were baking before returning to the stove top.
Prescas kitchen was set up just like her own back in magnolia, with fine professional level appliances, he even had fine taste in cooking ware, she'd need to look into a few of the pots and pans he had, get some like them herself.
She smiled, she'd woken wrapped in the energy mages arms, in his bed, pressed into his naked body and had laid there grinning like a fool for a bit before temptation had overridden her enjoyment of watching the handsome man sleep and her hands had started wandering.
He'd been awake fast then, and she sighed as she hovered over the pans on the stove. Good morning sex had never been so wonderful as it had been with him that morning. They'd shared a shower and she had volunteered to make breakfast if he would go to the guild and get her some clothes, and pick up her make up bag and hair brush.
He hadn't even argued, had leaned in and kissed her temple "Can't have the world seeing you at anything but your best hmm?" He'd said softly and she'd smiled, turning and kissing him because he fucking understood.
Finally, someone GOT her. NO, of course she couldn't go out like this, no make up, her hair undone, her clothes rumpled and wrinkled because...well...they hadn't been removed from her nicely nor hung afterward…
She didn't mind that at all though if she didn't have to face the eyes of the world that way. She had standards that mattered to her for her appearance and how she handled the eyes of strangers. Elfman, her team, Gods about everyone scoffed at that.
"But your beautiful without make up Ever, gorgeous no matter what you wear…" Elfman had protested more times than she could count.
That was NOT the point! The point was she didn't FEEL right, felt exposed, uncomfortable, ugly and judged unless she was dressed and done up. She couldn't even raise her eyes from the ground if she wasn't her clothes and beauty routine were her armor to face the world in. Maybe it wasn't good, Freed had said she shouldn't place so much value on whether or not her mascara and eyeshadow were in place when they were out in the wilds hunting things for missions but she just...had to have that, it was normalcy, it was security, it was part of who she was and she hated having to endlessly defend it!
Presca though...he didn't argue with her, she knew Bickslow or Freed and absolutely Laxus would have refused her.
"I have no fucking idea what to bring you, you're always so picky, no way, fuck that, go get your shit yourself, you look fucking FINE."
She could hear it in her head...even Elfman had refused her when they'd had a romp at the guild once that had torn her dress, he'd made her walk through the guild like that. That she'd had a coat on too didn't matter...she'd felt the flaw and was certain the whole guild knew.
Presca had tilted his head when she'd asked him and just...accepted it, kissed her temple and proven he understood her reasons and was fine with them and had gone to get her things…
She smiled, humming to herself as she cooked. Biscuits with a sausage gravy, strawberries romanoff, and coffee. She'd make some sort of pastry but Presca was low on flour, they'd need to go to the market today...she smiled...the idea made her happy, going shopping with him, he was easily the best shopping partner in a male she had ever come across. Bickslow and Freed were both pretty good, years with her and she'd broken them in and trained them well...Lucy so fucking owed her on that too...but she digressed.
Presca wasn't just patient and long suffering like Bix and Freed, Presca gave her feedback, wasn't ashamed to push through racks of clothes and pull things out and hold them up to her. He was also fun at the grocery market...encouraging her to sample things, and he never once complained about being the one carrying things. He took the heavy stuff, and let her carry the smaller lighter bags.
She'd bet it had something to do with him being Vanders friend, Vanders sisters were wonderful power shoppers, especially Emzadi. Her trip with them had been glorious and they had made plans to do it again after the summer lines had all come out, agreeing none of them had decent summer clothes anymore.
Yes...Emzadi and Xally had probably helped the energy mage develop his positive attitude while shopping with a woman. She'd have to thank them...after she rubbed BOTH their faces thoroughly in the fact that she had gotten into the mans pants before them...and made them well aware neither would be touching his fine ass again while she was with him.
No...Evergreen was perfectly aware she was a jealous bitch as a girlfriend, and that was what she was now right? Prescas girlfriend...they were dating...and now...she smiled...they'd had sex...she nodded inwardly, definitely, Presca was her boyfriend...HERS, and she'd even take Emzadi on if the woman tried to grope HER boyfriends ass now that he was hers.
The only woman groping that man was going to be her.
Presca came back to his home carrying a bag with a few outfits from Evergreens closet at the Guild apartment she'd been assigned for her stay, her toiletries...all of them, neatly organized in the travel bag he'd found under the sink clearly meant to hold them. He wouldn't want her feeling like she was half done after whatever her regime was. A box of fresh still almost hot pastries too, he'd seen what she was making, and had heard her mutter "Not enough flour left for some pastries." so, he'd stopped at the bakery down the street and gotten a nice assortment along with some fresh squeezed orange juice.
Finding her humming and happily moving around tending a few pans on the stove in nothing but one of his t-shirts had him smiling.
She looked up and smiled at him seeing her travel bag for her toiletries as well as a good sized bag for clothes, a pastry box perched on it.
"You got pastries! I wanted to make some but you don't have enough flour." She said brightly, plucking the box from what he was carrying and setting it on the counter while he carried the bags to the master bedroom at the back of the house.
"Did you want to go out shopping later? We could go to the market...if...you'd like to stay, which I'd love, I could make dinner tonight." He offered and Evergreen beamed, wrapping her arms around him when he came back to the kitchen and he growled, loving the feel of her, the way she smelled a little like him right now in his shirt after a shower with just his body wash.
"Mmm, I'd like that, see if you measure up." She smirked, turning and dishing up their food, swatting his hands away when he tried to grab her waist, he smiled, still getting a kiss on her neck before letting her shoo him toward the dining room.
They sat together and ate, Presca trying to keep his hands to himself though it wasn't easy, Evergreen in nothing but his t-shirt was beyond tempting and she flirted and touched him plenty, fingers curling over his thigh and brushing over his already interested cock. He was determined though he was not going to let this be all about sex, he wanted more with this woman, a lot more.
"Could we walk? I know we missed the morning workout...so, we could go walking, I'd like to just...take my time at the markets…" She said and Presca smiled.
"Sounds like a great day to me, we can pick up lunch there, take our time, bring everything back here and just...relax?" He lifted a brow and Evergreen smiled, leaning over and kissing him. She'd honestly meant to just kiss him, she felt so good, so happy, no "walk of shame" and no pressure from the man before her to leave...he seemed perfectly content having her there and she really couldn't think of anywhere else she'd rather be.
He kissed her back though...and before either really put thought into it, they were shoving the dishes all aide and Evergreen was sprawled on the table, t-shirt tossed to the floor, Presca between her legs hips snapping feverishly as the table jerked across the floor until it finally hit the wall.
Ever held onto the table with all her might, head back, gasping and mewling as Presca took her, no play, no slow lovemaking, she'd gotten that during the night, he could be a remarkably gentle lover, but he could also be what she had now, rough and fast and gritty and Gods she loved both and right now this, hard and banging the table against the wall was just what she wanted, her legs up in the air Presca gripping her hips as he pounded into her until she finally screamed and he groaned and they both sagged on the table panting.
He rested his head against her shoulder, trying to find his damned brain again, it had shot south the first time Evergreens fingers brushed over his cock. He'd wanted a sweet romantic day, not to fuck her like an animal on the table...but...her hands were moving in his hair and when he looked up she had a well sated, half lidded smile on that beautiful face.
"You're too tempting...I wanted to show you a quiet romantic day." He said.
Evergreen smirked "And I wanted my boyfriend to fuck me till I screamed...we compromised, I didn't scream, and you were sweet enough not to let the coffee spill on me."
He laughed...Gods help him...he could easily fall in love with this woman.
Evergreen was thinking something close, but her heart had always lept before it looked...there was no help for her...she was already in love…
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Lucy narrowed her eyes, Capricorn and Aries flanking her. A few yards away Hestor stood beside Bickslow and nodded to her, her mate giving her a wink and encouraging smile.
Drawing a breath she looked at Aries who chewed her lower lip and touched Lucys hands, pink gloves forming as Capricorns stardress took over the rest of her, shaded glasses covering her eyes as she unwrapped the peacock key closed her pink gloved hand around it.
Cristoff was close, not in the training ring where they stood, but just outside...just in case. She'd chosen her strategy and Hestor had smiled faintly and agreed it was a good one, not what he'd had in mind, but he'd said it could work.
The key pulsed a little in her hand and Lucy drew a breath and summoned.
There was a swirl of peacock feathers and in a moment, a beautiful woman stood before her, long glossy black hair laced through with iridescent black feathers, a floor length emerald green a royal blue gown hugging her curvy body. Intricate runic markings crossed her cheeks and forehead, the one on her forehead having a deep blue opal set in the center. She fanned herself slowly with a fan of more of the iridescent black feathers and peacock feathers and her ruby lip were in a smile, the blue eyes had a concentric ring around the pupil that glowed gold...there was no mistaking the old feel of her magic...Pavo was ancient.
The glowing eyes traveled over Lucy, taking in the glasses, the gloves, the spirits on either side of her.
She bowed slightly. "A wise summon...it has been a long while since someone called of my key and didn't die." She said.
Lucy smiled, Hestor had told her to be firm, confident. Pavo used dark magics but was not evil...aggressive..insensitive and cunning, but not evil. This spirit would help her balance out the heavily light, emotional and impulsive keys she had now.
"Thank you...would you be willing to make a contract with me Pavo?" She asked and the spirit smiled again.
"With a summoner who puts thought into their summon? Yes. I am available on weekdays, and...I will NOT be calling you Princess or fawning over you, Lucy Heartfillia, it is your honor to hold my key, not my honor to have you hold it...no matter what these golden Zodiacs may say or feel about the matter." Pavo said raising her chin. "Bring me to battle, call me anytime day or night on weekdays, I will make your enemies suffer."
Lucy almost shuddered at the predatory tone but nodded. "Then we have a contract Pavo, I don't expect you to address me as Princess, I ask that of none of my spirits….Mistress will suffice." She said, not choking on it even though she wasn't pleased, she liked her spirits to be friends, family, but Hestor had warned her, some would not want that, would see it almost as an insult, so…
"Mistress Lucy then, we are contracted, my key will be no danger to your hand anymore...nor will it be to your mate...but it will still kill others...keep that in mind." Pavo said and bowed before vanishing in a swirl of the black feathers.
Lucy let out the huge breath she hadn't even known she'd been holding as Bickslow rushed up, grabbed her up and spun her around.
"That was fucking hot as hell!" He laughed, he'd felt the ominous danger of that spirit...and even as he was kissing her, felt a subtle shift in Lucys aura as the spirits contract settled into her.
"Well done." Hestor said when Bickslow let Lucy up for air. Capricorn and Aries both turned. Aries bowing and vanishing, Capricorn tilting his head.
"It will be interesting...working with her...Pavo is...a special kind of lethal….well done Princess, I will return now." He said before he too disappeared and Lucy was standing, grinning, holding the Peacock key in her hand and marvelling at how it felt as that contract settled into her...Hestor was right...the keys they held swiftly influenced them...she could feel it...the subtle shift...how her own aura changed a little and she felt...thoughtful...instead of just purely elated like she usually felt when she contracted a key.
Corvus hadn't done this...his magic had felt almost...oily, it hadn't settled well...but Pavo did...she looked at Hestor, blinking in amazement.
"I really hate to say this...but...you were right about how it would feel…."
Hestor smiled faintly "You are one of those people who has to experience something to believe it...no wonder you get into so much trouble…"
"Hey!"
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Vander drew a breath smiling faintly, running his hands through Cidas long black hair as the woman slept all wrapped around him again. She'd crawled into his bed a little after midnight, wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled into his midsection and purred for a few minutes before she fell asleep.
He'd gone to the south side of the temple and found himself a very enthusiastic maid for a few nice active rounds of fun so had settled as soon as she had but now he'd woken up and was laying on his side, Cida tucked in against him, head under his chin. He kissed her forehead and slid carefully from her arms, smirking a little at having to remove a hand from his ass.
He slipped off the loose sleep pants he was in, he hated them, but with Cida curling into his bed most nights he couldn't sleep naked like he was used to, skin on skin that much and he always had some tough morning wood to deal with, nothing he couldn't handle, but...he prefered to start his mornings off a little more relaxed unless his partner was willing to go a round or two and Cida was still pretty against that.
He understood, she'd explained it to him and he got it, last time she'd had sex she had literally torn the man apart because her beast side took over. He was positive, without doubt, he could slip clear if she shifted, and between his shadows and his speed, stay out of her claws until he calmed her back down, but...serious mood killer, get close to orgasm only to go into a life or death fight with a tiger form...even he could lose his erection.
Once the offensive clothes were off his leathers slid over him and he sighed faintly, he so much preferred his shadows now against his skin. He was even considering how to work out some different things besides the skin tight pants and vest or jerkin he was usually in.
Pushing his hands up through his hair he rounded the corner moving toward the dining room. There was usually coffee and tea out by now.
"Good morning Vander." He came up short, still adjusting the belt he'd made and met three sets of eyes.
Xiao had introduced them all. Lady Hishiko, High Priestess of the Temple of Mehturt was the head of Stellas temples and...the one who tended to lead Stella. She was the mother of Li and Xiao, who were twins it seemed. Vander had seen just how "close" the brother and sister were the first night the women had been there a few nights ago.
He'd been looking for some fun at the time so when he'd heard the moans he'd naturally slipped right under the door, bypassed the inadequate runes and wards and frozen within his shadows.
He'd expected to find Xiao having some fun with one of the temple priestesses, he'd seen the man "service" a few of them and that he called it that still made Vander snicker, but it was Lady Li...his sister...who was riding him in his bed.
"Xiao…" she'd gasped and Vander had recoiled a bit, pressing his lips together. He wasn't blood related to Emzadi or Xally but even so...the idea of sex with either of them? Stick his dick in ice water and he'd go soft slower.
He'd left the siblings to their...whatever that was...and gone on and found his fun, and kept his eyes cool as they slid over Li then Xiao.
"Morning." He said brightly, grinning when Shimako handed him a mug that was steaming, already sweetened how he liked, he could smell the chocolate.
"You should break whatever ties you have to the shifter woman." Hishiko said.
Vanders lips tipped into a hostile smile, his red eyes dark on the woman as he took a seat across from her at the table. He held Meala and Searsha in, both hadn't reacted well to that idea.
"See now, she's a team mate, so...not just no but fuck no….no offense." He smirked, giving Shimako another appreciative smile as she set a bowl of fruit and some beignets in front of him. He'd discovered he rather liked the things, even though he normally limited how much fried anything he ate, preferring lighter fare, but these he couldn't resist.
"We have the same offer for you as we do for Zen, stay...give us a year. We'll put a mate into your arms. You do know you need a mate right?" Hoshiko asked, raising a well sculpted brow.
Vander shrugged "Optional. Right now I'm enjoying the most stability I've ever had in my entire life so I'm not exactly in a rush to make major changes to my anchor system." He replied.
"You're the last, like your brother, the only link this world still has to a type of magic that Earthland needs." Li said, her eyes narrowing. "You would prefer it die? What of the serpents?"
Vanders eyes narrowed, the last traces of humor gone and Xiao pressed his lips together, he'd only dealt with Vander twice now when his sense of humor left, and neither time had been pleasant. He came across as flippant, devil may care, irresponsible and thoughtless, but...Xiao had seen better over the last month.
Vander was calculating, cunning, strategic and deadly lethal. He had trained his body so far beyond normal even the priests of the sanctuary couldn't come close to keeping up with him, as a fight drew on...Vander remained strong, fast, precise, they had pushed him for HOURS trying to wear him down so they could work with him when he was at his limits, and they had run out of priests that could stand up in training with him before they had tired him out, even working in shifts on him.
He respected his mother and Li, valued them, loved them even, but they were not going to do well against this man, and there was nothing Xiao could do to prevent it, his mother and sister always had to learn by doing...inwardly he sighed, sipped at his tea and kept his face expressionless.
"Last I checked, those decisions were entirely mine to make. I want a mate? I'm not having you all set me up, I can find my own. My circumstances and needs are hell and gone different from my brothers." Vander replied.
"Not so far as you think, your magic is needed, if you won't mate, that's fine, let us bring concubines, the children would be treasures, like you, precious to our world and they would be raised as such." Hoshiko said.
Vanders eyes narrowed. "They would be MY children, you think I'd knock some woman up and just leave? Leave some kid to face shit like I had to go through? Fuck that, when I have kids I'll be right there, especially if they have this fucked up magic of mine. None of those priests you have, not a damned one of them could help a kid through what I went through as a child, abuse, forcing nightmares, all the shit you do? You'd TURN every single one because that's not how you handle it. NO, LADY Hoshiko, I am not going to knock up some concubines for you so you can raise shadowquips here." He snarled.
"Then have them yourself, let them be born and take them home with you, raise them, we would help wherever you would let us but let Earthland have your magic Vander, it is NEEDED." Li said.
Dark red eyes settled on her. "Like before? During the holy wars? The Church chained them to altars, bled them, did rituals over them to use them to tear open massive gates into the voids so they could sweep legions of demons out into them, then they cut their fucking heads off to close those voids...after ripping over every magic pathway, tearing them to shreds for hours on those altars, and all they had done to that point was fight for the armies of light! You can't even claim those days are gone, my clan was slaughtered by others seeking to destroy this magics existence!"
Now Meala emerged, Vanders temper loosening his hold and the serpent shot across the table, jaws gaping over Lis face and Xiao screamed, "NO! Vander PLEASE!"
Li sat, fingers clutching the armrests of her chair, all she could see was the dark red interior of the Havatis mouth, it's long fangs right at her temples, the venom dripping from them hitting the table cloth and burning it away, eating through the polished wood in seconds and then going through the carpet, the wood…
Hoshiko was wide eyed, gaping, hand at her chest and Xiao stood, hands fisted at his sides, eyes darting from the serpent to Vander.
The shadowquip stood, eyes hard and walked around the table, shoving Xiao over by his mother and leaning against the table beside Li.
"So, this is a lesson for you about making mages with lost magic lose their tempers. I'm going to be clear and we're going to stop talking about this. I know it's better if I have a mate. Xiao has been kind enough to even teach me how that works for my magic so...when I find said mate IF I chose to look and IF I chose to mate at all, I can make someone my mate." He said, slowly stroking Mealas side. He looked up to Hoshiko, ignoring how Xiao was still wide eyed and almost shaking as Meals lower fangs hovered near Li's throat.
"You won't dictate to me who I'm going to mate with or if I will have children, you don't get to try to manipulate me, I won't have it and...neither will Meala and her opinion? Well, a little more dangerous than even mine is for your health. So….I did make a deal with Xiao about...agreeing to something along these fucked up lines...maybe you can talk to him before you try to double team my ass huh?"
With that he hummed softly, and Meala backed off, but hovered, red eyes locked with Li's wide ones.
Xiao visibly sagged and Vander coaxed Meala to wind around his shoulders as Li looked over at him, his leather clad leg right by her then over to Xiao.
"I think, we'll let you make your choices Vander, I just...hope you consider these offers." Xiao said.
Vander pushed off the table, dark eyes on Hoshiko. "I'd be a fool not to think about what you're saying, and I'm not a fool, I get it, I should have children...a mate...I made a deal with Xiao…" He sighed.
Hoshiko frowned, looking at Xiao who nodded at his mother and Vander went back to his seat as Zen was coming in for breakfast, fresh from a shower.
Breakfast was silent, Li leaving as soon as she was no longer too shaky to stand and Vander used the link with Zen to tell him what had happened, the Archangel rolled his eyes as they left the dining room to go to the training yard and start their work out with Cida.
"Knowing the deal you made...they pushed to hard, but shit Van…" His brother sighed and Vander shrugged, refusing to feel bad about how Meala had driven his point home.
As soon as the men were gone Hoshiko rounded on her son.
"What deal? Why have you said nothing?! I thought he was to stay a month in exchange for allowing us some study of his magic." She hissed.
Xiao drew a breath. "He was, but I've taught him instant void jump with fixed points, and how to ride his serpents in combat...I am also sending 4 books with him to continue his studies and...performing the blessing of Set on him before he leaves." Xiao aid and Hoshikos eyes widened then narrowed.
"Without him taking a chosen mate?!..."
"Mother...he has agreed to lay with a concubine. Only one, and only once, but he has agreed in exchange for all of this. If a child is conceived, it will go with him, be raised with his family as he was, know the ancestral island of the Husen...be exposed to the serpents as it needs to be, but...we will get 1 month every year with the child." He said and Hoshiko sank into her chair a slow smile lighting her face.
"Then we make sure the concubine we send to his bed is as fertile as possible…" She said.
Xiao smiled faintly "He will lay with her the night after his blessing, when his body is purified by Set…"
Hoshiko smile widened "And thus blessed...Xiao...you have done well my son...now...I wish to further discuss the Archangels list of potential mates…"