Bonds of Power
Copyright© 2025 by SomethingLewd
Chapter 29 - The Trap
Science Fiction Sex Story: Chapter 29 - The Trap - Dungeon incursions threaten humanity. Ethan’s rare S-rank Essence Bonder Class grants permanent growth and demands multi-partner bonds, powering his abilities with essence created by intimacy, pushing his team into a harem dynamic none expected. As they navigate stigma and personal boundaries, political pressure mounts: many claim Ethan owes society his power, not loyalty to his D-ranked sister and girlfriend. Torn between duty and choice, he must justify the team he refuses to abandon.
Caution: This Science Fiction Sex Story contains strong sexual content, including Ma/Fa Fa/Fa Lesbian Heterosexual Fiction GameLit High Fantasy School Science Fiction Magic Sharing Incest Brother Sister Group Sex Harem Polygamy/Polyamory Cream Pie Exhibitionism Facial Masturbation Oral Sex Voyeurism
Grace sat at the kitchen island, an empty bowl of cereal in front of her. She’d delayed making the call to Guildmaster Warren for most of the morning, and she’d run out of excuses for herself to continue delaying calling. She held her phone tightly, her thumb hovering over the call button for Guildmaster Warren.
“Let’s get this over with,” Grace said to herself. She pressed the call button and put the phone on speaker, setting it down on the kitchen table.
The phone rang twice before a warm voice answered, “Guildmaster Warren here.”
Grace swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. “Hi, Guildmaster Warren. It’s Grace. Grace Olsen.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line, then Warren’s voice softened. “Grace, how are you? I wasn’t expecting to hear from you so soon.”
“I’m ... I’m doing okay, I’m settling into the team better than I could have ever hoped,” Grace replied, taking a deep breath and telling herself to get to the point. “But there’s something I need to talk to you about. It’s about Marcus Hale.”
Warren’s tone shifted immediately, becoming more serious. “What about him?”
Grace took another deep breath, steadying herself as she began to lay out the evidence systematically.
“First, there was the incident at the hospital,” Grace started. “Marcus showed up unannounced while I was being treated for injuries sustained during a dungeon raid. I’m not sure how he found out I was there. Then, there was an encounter at a mall in public. We were on the other side of the city from campus, the chance it was a coincidence is ... low. My teammates confronted him while I left.”
Warren’s voice was grim, his thoughts racing as he considered the implications of Marcus’s actions. “That’s concerning,” he said slowly, his mind already processing how to respond. “This is an escalation from before.” He wondered what steps needed to be taken to protect Grace, but he also knew he had to proceed carefully, not to frighten her further with his own concerns.
“There’s more. We were wondering how he knew where to find us. The only conclusion that made sense was him watching my building. Ethan Anderson, the leader of my team, is friends with a Seeker. He arranged for him to help.”
“What did you find?”
“Marcus is watching my apartment. Alex, the Seeker, identified him in a building across from mine. It’s an event space, unused. There’s a clear line of sight to the entrance of my building. He would have been able to see me coming and going and easily followed me on the train. We weren’t trying to be subtle, he’d have had an easy time of it. Should have known better after the hospital.”
“You bear no fault for Marcus’s choices, Grace,” Warren’s voice carried a resolute tone, firmly countering the guilt Grace had begun to internalize. “His behavior is a reflection of his own character, not yours. You’ve done nothing to deserve this intrusion into your life.” He paused, allowing his words to settle before continuing, his tone softening slightly but remaining steadfast. “You made the decision to leave California for your safety and well-being. That was your right, and it in no way justifies his actions. We will not allow him to continue this harassment unchecked.” Warren’s voice hardened again, underscoring his commitment. “The Guild will address this matter with the severity it demands. You have my word on that.”
Grace sat there for a moment in silence, the weight of Warren’s words sinking in like a soothing balm over her frayed nerves. It was rare to find someone who could cut through the fog of guilt and self-doubt with such clarity.
Her fingers traced the edge of the desk, finding comfort in the familiar texture as she absorbed Warren’s words. The tension in her shoulders eased slightly, and a small, grateful smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Thank you.” Warren’s unwavering support reminded her that there were people with authority who saw Marcus’s behavior for what it was—unacceptable and unjust—and they were willing to stand with her against it. She exhaled slowly, feeling a bit lighter. “I appreciate you saying that,” she added, her tone carrying the weight of her sincerity.
“The guild is more than admin and training, Grace,” Warren said. “It has its roots as a support system for Class Marked. It was founded as a community, built to help you fight back against dungeon incursions. That includes life outside of raiding. We can’t expect you to fulfill your responsibilities if the guild doesn’t do everything it can to support you.”
He paused briefly before changing the subject back. “I’m going to need evidence to pursue this. To start with, I’m going to need written accounts from everyone involved with each incident. Your team, the Seeker who helped you. Can you have each of them write their own accounts of what has happened?”
“I can do that. I already have a written statement from Alex about him identifying Marcus watching my apartment.”
“Good. Get everyone to write out what happened from their own perspectives. Keep it factual. They can include their motivations, but keep speculation to a minimum. Can you get those to me today?”
“I’ll talk to them as soon as we’re done,” Grace said, her voice steady despite the anxiety gnawing at her stomach. “There’s more. There’s been a pattern of what we suspect is Marcus interfering, since he showed up at the hospital. Our dungeon shifts have been double booked, our arena slots canceled, and our resource allotments delayed or lost. Ethan was in a meeting yesterday with Guildmaster Thompson, where he was told there’s been political push back holding up his support team.”
Warren sighed heavily. “I see. Grace, I need to be honest with you. I’ve suspected Marcus’s father of enabling this behavior for some time now. There have been whispers in the Guild about his influence being used to manipulate situations in Marcus’s favor.”
Grace’s heart sank. She had hoped that leaving California would mean leaving Marcus and his father’s influence behind. But it seemed they were still casting a long shadow over her life.
Warren’s voice was firm, cutting through Grace’s thoughts. “I promise you, Grace, I will contact Guildmaster Thompson directly about this. We’ll build a case against Marcus and his father. Get those testimonies to me, and include the suspicions you have about the administrative interference. It may take some time to investigate, but we’ll get to the bottom of this.”
Grace felt a wave of relief wash over her. She wasn’t alone in this fight anymore. She had her teammates by her side and now, and the full weight of the Guild backing her up.
“Thank you, Guildmaster Warren,” Grace said softly. “That means a lot to me.”
Warren’s voice softened again. “You’re welcome, Grace. And please, don’t hesitate to reach out if there are any more incidents. We’ll put an end to this.”
Grace nodded, even though she knew he couldn’t see her. “I will. Thank you.”
The next day they encountered another ‘administrative error’ with their raiding schedule. The repeat and almost blatant interference had the team in a foul mood as they arrived for the meeting Guildmaster Thompson had arranged.
The conference room exuded a sense of professional austerity, its decor minimalist yet functional. A large oak table dominated the center, its surface polished to a shine that reflected the muted light filtering through the expansive windows that offered a sweeping view of the plaza below. Guild members and trainees dotted the walkways as they went about their day, their figures small and distant from the lofty vantage point of the room.
“Just in here,” the secretary guided them into the room. “There are refreshments along the back wall, feel free to help yourselves. The Guildmaster will be along shortly.”
Despite the starkness of its appearance, the room was well-appointed, with comfortable chairs upholstered in a deep blue fabric that matched the guild’s color scheme. The air carried a faint scent of coffee drifting from the Thermoses set beside cups, creamer, and sugar.
“The usuals?” Mei asked as she made her way across the room. A chorus of yes and please accompanied her as she set about making coffee for everyone.
“If there’s one benefit to all of this, meetings in fancy rooms with fresh coffee might be it. Almost makes me feel important.” Penny gave a small smile, trying to raise the mood of the room. They’d known the interference with their raiding was going to continue, but it hadn’t made it feel any better.
They had just taken their seats and accepted coffees from Mei as both Guildmasters Thompson and Warren entered the room. They all stood, only for Thompson to motion for them all to sit. “Please, don’t do that on my account.” He said.