Chapter 141 - When harems collide...

“We’ll be right back!” Alyssa promised, grabbing Jehanna by the hand and tugging her towards the en suite bathroom.

Jehanna wiggled her fingertips at John and grinned as the blonde led her away.

“I’m needed too,” Rachel said, giving him a mysterious smile as she glided into their walk-in-wardrobe.

“Looks like you’re stuck with us,” Dana said, wiggling her eyebrows at him.

“A fate worse than death,” John lamented, sitting cross-legged on the oval bed. He reached for Calara and Sakura’s hands to pull them down too. “I need kisses!”

They laughed and fell on him, the bikini-clad girls pushing John backwards so he was lying on the mattress. He soon got the kisses he requested, with Dana, Jade, and the twins kneeling around him so they could all take a turn too. John enjoyed stroking and squeezing all the luscious flesh on display as he got intimately reacquainted with his very affectionate Lionesses.

“Are you sure you’re not bored of Maliri girls by now?” Irillith teased him when it was her turn.

He shook his head and grinned. “The way all you highborn ladies become ultra-submissive nymphomaniacs really turns me on.”

Tashana giggled as her sister harrumphed indignantly, Irillith’s objections quickly stifled as John pulled her down for a deep kiss. She pretended to struggle for a second, then moaned into his mouth as she gave up all pretence of resisting. Tashana eventually had to drag her twin away before she could get her own taste of John’s lips.

When it was Dana’s turn, John paused and looked at her askance. “Weren’t you supposed to be showing me something about your ship designs, Sparks?”

The redhead had been puckering up for a kiss and she rolled her eyes. “Now he remembers...”

“It can wait,” John said with an amiable shrug, very much looking forward to kissing the effervescent teenager.

“Nah, I might as well show you. I brought the holo-viewer anyway,” she replied, leaning across the bed to where she’d stashed the device behind a pillow. “Here you go. Take a look for yourself.”

John lay flat on his back and stared up at the elegant ship design. It looked just as he remembered, the profile of the Ashanath cruiser a masterpiece of graceful curves and sweeping arcs.

“I still don’t see the problem,” he admitted with a shrug. “Alyssa did a beautiful job and the Ashanath thought they looked incredible.”

“Yeah, I bet,” Calara said, trying not to laugh.

“What?” he asked, looking at her in bemusement.

Dana sighed and tapped an icon on the holo-viewer. “Take a look at it now...”

The cruiser slowly pivoted and rotated, allowing him to see it from a new angle. John squinted at the rear of the elegant vessel, his eyes drawn to the engine housing. “Is that...?”

“She gave my warship tits!” Dana protested.

“To be fair, it’s more of an ... ample cleavage,” Calara said, losing her battle to keep a straight face.

“Alyssa!” John called out sternly.

Her melodic laughter echoed out from the bathroom, not sounding the slightest bit remorseful.

“You said yourself the Ashanath loved the new ship designs, Master,” Jade said diplomatically.

“Yeah, I can see why now,” John said, shaking his head in disbelief. “I know people call a sleek looking ship sexy ... but not because it has literal sex appeal!”

You heard Ularean. The Ashanath are pacifists and we’ve just solved their recruiting problems overnight, Alyssa said, sharing the telepathic conversation with everyone present. They’re obsessed with curves and couldn’t get enough of us when we visited Ashana. I just gave them a fleet that the Greys would fall in love with. Imagine trying a boarding action against an Ashanath ship; their marines would fight to the death to defend it.

“They would fight like cornered tigers, Master,” Jade solemnly agreed.

John could easily imagine fanatically loyal Ashanath personnel being inspired to valiant acts of heroism to protect a ship they adored. “I suppose I can’t really argue with that. Ularean’s reaction does make a lot more sense now.”

“I don’t want to be famous for designing the boob ship, John,” Dana protested. “The Ashanath are making statues of us and everything!”

“Actually, Alyssa will be famous for designing the boob ship,” John corrected her with a wry smile. “You’ll be famous for upgrading the hell out of the Ashanath fleet so they can destroy anything that crosses them.”

Hey ... wait a minute! Alyssa exclaimed, no longer sounding quite so smug.

Dana laughed and tossed aside the holo-viewer. “Alright, I can live with that.”

Looking much happier now, Dana eagerly smothered John with kisses, until Alyssa cleared her throat behind them. The girls all released John so he could sit up and the vision of loveliness before him took his breath away.

“Oh wow...” he murmured, quickly rising to his feet and walking over to Jehanna.

Alyssa had expertly applied cosmetics to bring out Jehanna’s rich brown eyes, the smoky eyeshadow making her look mysterious and seductive. Her raven hair tumbled down around her shoulders, with a glint of gold showing through the lustrous onyx locks. The light reflected off the chain-link straps of her metallic halter top, drawing John’s attention away from her beautiful face to admire her outfit. Jehanna was wearing what could only be described as a miraculous creation of golden chains and red silk, the ensemble revealing alluring glimpses of her gorgeous dusky body.

“Holy fuck!” Dana gasped, staring wide-eyed at their newest Lioness. “You look like you’re about to grant him three wishes!”

Rachel laughed and nudged her girlfriend playfully. “She’s Indian, not Arabian!”

“She’s gorgeous...” Irillith murmured, entranced by the stunning Terran girl.

Jehanna sashayed closer to John and crossed her wrists behind his neck. “Are you going to grant my wish tonight, Lion of the Federation?”

“Whatever you want...” he willingly agreed, his hands drawn to the enticing curve of her hips.

“You know what I want...” she purred, closing the distance between them. She pressed herself against his body, her newly enhanced bust straining her halter-top to its limits. “You’ve given me the body of a Lioness, but now I want to be the real thing...”

“Once I’ve given you psychic powers, there’s no going back,” he said, gazing into her eyes. “A part of me will become part of you ... forever.”

“Together forever...” she whispered, her voice breathy with emotion.

John leaned down to kiss her, Jehanna’s flushed lips soft and yielding against his own. They slowly sank down to the bed, with John holding her in his arms as they descended. When they were kneeling, she gave him a wicked smile and pushed him backwards, so he was flat on his back again.

“You’re wearing far too many clothes,” she noted, eyeing him hungrily.

Taking their cue, the girls pounced, their deft fingers unbuttoning his shirt and unfastening his trousers. As soon as he was stripped naked, Jehanna nimbly straddled him, pressing her silk covered mound against his pulsating erection. She bit her lip and rubbed against his heat, her swollen clit throbbing with the intimate contact.

“I’m going to ride your gorgeous cock until I drive you wild,” she insisted, her hips undulating in a sultry rhythm as she gazed lustfully at his muscular chest. “And when you can’t take any more, I’m going to suck you dry...”

John could only moan with pleasure as she teased him, his eyes roving across her spectacular figure. He watched her unfasten clasps at her waist, then pull away the silk covering her sopping pussy. They both moaned when Jehanna placed the head of his cock against her slippery entrance, his groan deepening as she pushed down. By contrast, Jehanna’s voice climbed to a breathy feminine cry as she took inch after inch, her inner walls pushed apart to accommodate him.

There was a noticeable bulge in her belly as she impaled herself, his huge cock making its presence felt in her nubile body. Jehanna’s long eyelashes fluttered as the head nudged at her uterus, then she gasped as she sank the last few inches, her womb taking his entire length. She paused to savour her victory, and gave him a look of triumph before rolling her hips.

He hadn’t seen this wantonly sexual side of Jehanna before, having always taken the lead when they’d been in bed together. It was thrilling to see her so aroused and he knew that she was letting down all her barriers because she felt so comfortable with him. Jehanna placed her hands on his chest and rocked up and down, her body undulating as she rode his shaft. The heat and tightness were extraordinary, like she was gripping him with her fist and slowly but firmly jacking him off.

John lay back and groaned appreciatively, lost in the wonderful sensations as Jehanna went to work. She was stretched wide to take his daunting girth, making her clit grind against his pelvis as she humped against him. She reached her first climax within minutes and a second shortly after, looking down at him with lust-filled eyes as she cried out with pleasure.

“I’m getting close,” John warned her, the extra lubrication from Jehanna’s orgasm letting her slide up and down with even smoother strokes.

“Yeah?” she cooed, leaning forward and squeezing him on the downstroke. “You going to cum hard for me? Give me a huge tummy?”

He nodded, locking eyes with her as she brought him closer to release.

“I want it, John ... make me yours forever,” Jehanna urged him, biting her lip with excitement.

John gritted his teeth as he fought to stave off his release. “Now!”

She swiftly dismounted and leaned down to engulf him between her flushed lips. The sudden contrast going from the cool air on his slick cock to the snug warmth of her mouth tipped him over the edge, making John groan with relief as he climaxed. His shaft throbbed again and again, pumping a heavy load straight down her throat into her stomach. John could see her belly swelling as she swallowed each spurt, the gold chains over her waist pulling taut as her midriff formed a smooth dome full of his cum.

“That was so fucking hot...” Alyssa muttered, her cerulean eyes burning with lust as she stroked Jehanna’s expanding tummy. “You’re one of us now, gorgeous ... a Lioness all the way.”

The blonde darted a hungry glance at Calara, who nodded eagerly in agreement to her unspoken question.

“I’m on top this time,” the Latina insisted, stripping off her bikini in a rush.

They fell onto the bed in a sixty-nine, their passionate embrace quickly copied by the rest of the watching girls. When John finished unloading his quad, Jehanna let him slip from her lips with a grateful kiss, then sat up to caress her enormous brown tummy.

She looked around in surprise at the intertwined girls writhing on the bed, then smiled at John when he reached for her. “I guess I wasn’t the only horny one.”

“They couldn’t help themselves ... you got them too excited,” he said, encircling her in his arms as they spooned together.

“That feels so good,” Jehanna murmured, as he brushed his fingers across her soft velvety skin.

“You were amazing,” he replied, kissing her shoulder. “So incredibly sexy...”

She let out a contented sigh, euphorically happy to be held protectively in his arms. They lay there together in companionable silence, watching and listening to the rest of the girls satisfy their own carnal desires.

Jehanna placed her hand on top of his, then turned to make eye contact with him. “Have you decided what psychic ability you’re going to give me, John?”

He nodded in confirmation. “I have, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise. Now we’ve got an active connection I can start encoding your third helix with everything you need. It’ll take me a few hours to rewrite the DNA throughout your entire body.”

“Is it bad that this really turns me on?” she asked, her cheeks flushing as she gazed up at him with big adoring eyes. “I love the idea of you having such complete control over my body.”

“It’s exciting for me too,” he replied, leaning down to give her a tender kiss. “What you’re doing takes tremendous trust and devotion ... you’re dedicating your life to becoming a permanent part of our family.”

She paused, her brow furrowing. “What’s going to happen with my parents, John? I want to be part of your family so much ... but I don’t want to lose them either.”

“That’s the last thing I want,” he said, stroking her shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll be able to figure out a way to fix things between you.”

“I hope so,” she murmured softly.

There was movement on the bed and Alyssa moved over to join them, a languid smile of satisfaction on her beautiful face.

“John’s right, there’s nothing to worry about,” she purred, gently hugging the troubled young woman. She rested her forehead against Jehanna’s and gazed lovingly into her eyes. “You’re one of us now, which means it’s my job to make sure you’re happy. I promise that one day, you’ll get to proudly introduce Harini and Ramesh to the first of many adorable grandchildren.”

Jehanna relaxed with a wistful sigh, a doe-eyed look in her eyes as she melted in their embrace. John watched the two girls lose themselves in a sensual kiss, then held them close as he concentrated on infusing Jehanna’s body with eldritch power.

Tom Walker lay back on his bunk and stared up at the bleak grey ceiling. He’d been warned by his lawyer that the Preliminary Hearing would be difficult to get through, but he hadn’t anticipated it nearly turning into a riot. Faced with those grieving families, who looked at him through hate-filled eyes, he had wanted to plead his case and convince them that he was innocent. Instead, he had to remain silent as they hurled abuse at him while being dragged from the room.

After the hearing had concluded, he had sat dejectedly with his lawyer, who assured him that everything was under control. He wished he’d had Caspian Kincaid’s unflappable confidence, because Tom hadn’t seen a single friendly face amongst the military officers overseeing the Court Martial. With reassurances that his team was going over all the evidence with a fine-tooth comb, Kincaid had departed, urging his client to get some rest and try not to worry. Tom snorted and rolled his eyes. As if there was any chance of that.

The door suddenly buzzed, the glaring alarm jolting him out of his thoughts.

A guard stood outside as the reinforced door slid back with an ominous clunk. “Walker, you’ve got a visitor.”

He got up from the bunk, avoiding making any threatening moves as the guard eyed him with wary suspicion. Following the prison guard down the corridor, Tom tried to ignore all the insults from his fellow inmates, their shouts of “Kill the Rat!” echoing in his wake. When he finally reached the visiting area and was let inside, he was so unsettled by all the death threats that it took him a second to realise who had come to see him.

“Anna!” he exclaimed, staring at the beautiful blonde in surprise. “Thank god you’re here!”

She rose from the chair, her expression one of relief. “Tommy!”

He strode over to hug her, but hesitated when he saw the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. “I’m so glad you’ve come. I swear I didn’t betray you, Anna ... you’ve got to believe me! I didn’t do anything with Beth; I never even kissed her!”

The tension on her face smoothed away and she closed the gap between them, slipping her arms around his waist and leaning into him. “It’s okay, Tommy ... I do believe you.”

It felt amazing to hold her in his arms again and he sighed with relief as he squeezed her tight.

“I’m sorry I freaked out,” she murmured into his chest. “It’s just been so awful here. When Mace called me and said all those terrible things, it felt like my whole world was falling apart. I’ve been thinking about us the whole time and I decided to trust what my heart was telling me. I know you’d never betray me, Tommy.”

Tom stroked her back and rested his head against hers. “I didn’t have a clue that Beth liked me that way. She never even hinted at having feelings for me and I promise I never did anything to encourage her. I was as shocked as you were when Beth and Mason broke up. I knew Mace had bought an engagement ring, but then he told me that their relationship wasn’t going anywhere after all and he decided to end it. I had no idea that he proposed and she turned him down.”

“No ... I didn’t know either,” she said with a mournful sigh. “Poor Mace ... why would Beth lead him on like that?”

“I don’t know ... she never said. I just wish he’d told me what happened,” Tom muttered, shaking his head in helpless frustration. “The poor guy had his heart broken; no wonder your father’s death hit him so hard.”

Anna’s shoulders trembled and she let out a quiet sob. “I still can’t believe Mace is gone. I wake up in the morning and for a moment everything seems normal ... then it all comes rushing back and I can’t stop crying.”

“Yeah ... it just doesn’t seem real,” he said softly. “The last few weeks have been a total nightmare.”

She pulled back and looked up at him with sympathy in her eyes. “I saw what happened in court today. That was horrible, Tommy! Are you sure you’re alright?”

Tom gave her beleaguered shrug. “My lawyer seems confident he can prove I’m innocent. I just want it all to be over with so we can be together again.”

“Me too,” she agreed, leaning up to kiss him. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I missed you too, baby,” he said, wrapping his arms around her again. “When this is all over, I’m going to ask for a permanent transfer back to the Core Worlds. I never want to be apart from you again.”

“Really?” she asked, her face lighting up with joy. “You’d give up being on the fleet?”

“I’d quit the military entirely if it was the only way we could be together,” Tom said vehemently.

Shocked by his declaration, Anna gaped at him in astonishment. “You’d actually resign your commission?! But you’ve been training for this all your life!”

“I love you, Anna,” he whispered in her ear. “Nothing else matters to me ... only you.”

She swooned in his arms and kissed him passionately, until the guard demanded they break it up over the intercom. They shared a conspiratorial smile, and the mischievous way Anna’s lips curled up triggered a hundred fond memories from their childhood together. For the first time in weeks, Tom felt like everything was going to be okay. Anna still loved him ... and as long as he had her, he knew he could face anything.

John cut through the water with powerful strokes, enjoying the tingle in his muscles from all the exercise. He saw muted flashes of colour around him as he crossed the broad pool, the submerged Nymphs cavorting past as a pod of exotically hued dolphins. There was a dark-green shimmer directly beneath him and Jade shifted to her usual form, the only visible concession to her aquatic environment the iridescent fins sprouting from her forearms and calves.

Why are you wasting effort twisting your head to breathe, Master? she asked, looking directly up at him.

Because I don’t want to drown? he replied with amusement. We can’t all grow gills on command.

She smiled at him indulgently, while matching his frenetic pace with languid movements of her sleek body. But you have full command of the elements now. The water is a tool for you to shape to your will.

John paused and looked at her in surprise. You’re right. I haven’t really thought about using my abilities that way before.

He slowed to a halt then concentrated on the water around his head, pushing it away from his nose and mouth to create a streamlined pocket of air. Setting off again, he no longer had to turn his head to breathe and could just carve through the water without interruption.

That was a great idea! Thanks, honey, he said, enjoying his increased speed.

Jade was still underneath him and she reached up to wrap her arms around his torso, then her legs around his. With a nubile Nymph clinging onto him, swimming became a far more challenging endeavour, so John stopped to hug her back and leaned in for a kiss. He was pleased to discover that the air pocket also made submerged kissing far easier. As Jade returned the amorous embrace, John was dimly aware of the Nymph repositioning her arms so they were now outside his, trapping them at his side.

He looked at her curiously as they sank like a stone to the bottom of the pool. What are you up to, Jade?

Why are you fighting against the water, Master? There’s no need for you to thrash around like a frantic kitten, she replied, her feline eyes watching him intently. The water is your ally now and there to assist you.

Surprised by her insight, John really thought about what Jade was telling him. He concentrated again, taking a moment to gauge the weight and mass of the water surrounding his body. The relevant runes flared in his mind and he focused his will outward, using a combination of Telekinesis and Hydro runes to lift him from the floor. Shifting the direction of propulsion, they surged forward, bubbles streaming behind the intertwined pair as they shot across the pool. John rocketed past Jade’s sisters, the mottled dolphins squeaking in astonishment as he effortlessly beat them to the other side.

He amplified the natural inertia of the water to slow himself to a halt, then looked down at Jade in amazement. How did you know I could do that?

You can do anything, Master, she gushed, a gleam of pride in her emerald gaze.

John smiled at her affectionately. I appreciate your unwavering faith in me, but you know what I mean.

I’ve learned to adapt to my environment, changing my body to make the best use of my surroundings, she replied, waving a finned forearm at him as an example. You can’t alter yourself the way I can, but your talents far exceed my own. You can make the environment change to accommodate you instead.

Like flying, John said in sudden understanding. I’ve been doing that instinctively, but I’m actually using a combination of Telekinesis and Aero runes to manipulate the air.

And now you’re able to do the same thing with water, she agreed, nodding exuberantly.

As they surfaced, he gave her a grateful hug. “That was really useful advice, Jade. Thank you.”

She nuzzled into him affectionately. “I’m glad I was able to help.”

Alyssa had been watching them play together and gracefully rose from her sun lounger. “We should start getting ready for the party, handsome.”

Jade gave him a parting kiss, then slipped out of his arms. “I’ll see you later, Master!”

“You’re not getting dressed with us?”

The Nymph shook her head and gave him a mischievous smile. “Nope!”

He returned her wave goodbye, then watched Jade dive underwater to cavort with her sisters. Turning, he waded through the shallows and up the submerged steps to rejoin the girls.

Rachel wolf-whistled as he emerged from the pool, admiring his glistening muscles. “Damn ... I could watch you do that all day.”

The nods of agreement all round showed that this was a universally held opinion.

Calara sauntered over to John and gave him a sultry kiss. “If you hadn’t guessed, we’ve really been missing you.”

“Yeah, I’m getting that,” he replied, slipping an arm around her and squeezing one of her deliciously pert asscheeks. “Having regrets about turning down that orgy now?”

She bit her lip and nodded, giving him a hungry look.

John playfully spanked her bottom, making her yelp in surprise. “I’ve got no sympathy, naughty thrall. You should listen to your Progenitor next time.”

The rest of the girls laughed at his joke, recognising his self-deprecating humour for what it was.

“I’m sorry,” Calara apologised, snuggling into him. “Forgive me?”

“Of course,” he agreed, giving her an affectionate kiss.

Holding out his other arm for Alyssa, he slipped it around her as they walked away from the pool. “So are you going to tell me what Jade’s up to, or is it a secret?”

“She wanted to make her own entrance at the party,” Alyssa replied, falling into step beside him.

“How grand an entrance are we talking about?” John asked warily.

“Nothing too dramatic,” the blonde reassured him, her cerulean eyes sparkling with amusement. “Don’t worry, she’s not planning to terrify the matriarchs.”

They made their way up a sweeping staircase to the next storey of the palace, with the girls chattering excitedly together about the party. There was an infectious excitement in the air and John found himself getting caught up with it. He realised that they’d all be expecting him to act as host, so he started thinking about the best way to handle introductions. Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t realise they’d reached the bedroom until Alyssa bumped hips with him.

“What do you think?” she asked, turning to watch his reaction.

John blinked in surprise as he surveyed the enormous suite, his attention drawn to the hexagonal mattresses interlocked together in the centre. “Wow ... this place is huge.”

“I think mother was doing a spot of future proofing,” Irillith noted with a wry smile, studying the copious amounts of space. “We only slept on two of the beds and there was still plenty of room.”

Tashana nodded her agreement and hugged him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder. “You could fit a lot of Maliri in here, Baen’thelas...”

He turned to kiss her cheek. “I think I’ve got more than enough already. You noblewomen are quite the handful.”

Dana bounded across the bed and pointed to the doors on the opposite side of the room. “We’ve got an armoury tucked away here, a ton of wardrobe space over there, and a gigantic bathroom that’s big enough for everyone.”

“It sounds like our Maliri Queen thought of everything,” John said, nodding his approval. Turning to telepathy, he added, Thanks for all this, Edraele.

You’re very welcome, she replied. The matriarchs and I will depart from Genthalas in the next few minutes. Luna and Sarinia will be travelling separately and will arrive shortly afterwards.

Great, see you soon. He stripped off his swimming shorts and strolled over to the bathroom. “Time for a shower, ladies. Edraele is on her way.”

The shower facilities were big enough to easily accommodate everyone, with Helene, the Terran girls, and the twins joining him under the steaming water. Jehanna arrived with Ailita as everyone was getting soaped up and they were enthusiastically welcomed by the rest of the Lionesses.

“Hello,” John said, greeting her with a smile. “Feeling okay?”

“I feel wonderful!” she replied, eagerly stepping into his open arms. “I spent the afternoon being pampered by Ailita.”

“Thanks for looking after her,” John said to the pink-haired catgirl, pulling her into the embrace.

“This one loves how virile you are Master,” Ailita gushed, gazing up at him adoringly. “Jehanna looks even more beautiful with a full tummy.”

Alyssa hugged them from behind, encircling Jehanna’s trim waist to stroke the slight bulge in her stomach. “Your body’s adapting to being fed by John. Another half an hour and this bump will be gone.”

“I love being stuffed full; it feels so decadent,” Jehanna said with a wistful sigh, resting her hand on top of Alyssa’s. She glanced at John and continued, “But not knowing what abilities I’m going to get is driving me crazy. Can you give me any clues?”

John smiled at their newest recruit. “You should be able to figure it out. I gave you something entirely new; it’s not a duplicate of anyone else’s runic abilities.”

“Help me out girls,” Jehanna requested plaintively. “What other runic powers are there?”

“Between us, we’ve covered most of them,” Tashana mused, picturing the gaps in the Kyth’faren runic alphabet. “I’m fire and Sakura’s ice, but no one’s using water or earth elements.”

“Water would suck,” Dana declared, her nose wrinkling in disapproval. “And Earth isn’t much better. They’d both be totally useless in a space battle.”

Irillith eyed the dusky-hued reporter with a critical eye. “Neither of them fit Jehanna either. All of us possess abilities that we have a natural affinity for.”

“What about those new runes you unlocked from your guide?” Tashana suggested, turning her head to gauge John’s reaction.

Dana’s frown deepened. “Leech and Shadow? Nah ... they’re bad guy powers.”

“Not necessarily...” John said, arching an eyebrow. “It all depends on how they’re used.”

“Draining the life out of someone isn’t intrinsically evil?” Sakura asked, giving him a sceptical look.

“Alright, using it that way obviously isn’t good,” he conceded. “But most of us have tapped ourselves to the limit trying to protect each other. Helene’s a good example; she drew on her own life force to ease your pain when I severed our network connection.”