Chapter 76

~~Jack~~

He looked at his phone, and sighed. “Avery says meet her at Eric’s place.”

“Eric? Perhaps she is making progress in recruiting the man.” Antoinette looked up over her shoulder at him, combing her wet hair with her fingers over her chest and down between her breasts.

“Heh, maybe. She’s just as rude as Jessy, and he seems to like Jessy.” Shrugging, he eased the phone onto a towel outside the hot tub, and turned his attention back to the woman lying on him, back against his chest. He was sitting in the tub, hot water up to his sternum. The Prince was letting the buoyancy of the water let her half lie, half sit on him, her head resting under his chin against his chest.

He was in swimming trunks. She was in a g-string, and nothing but. There was no way that could be comfortable, but she wore it of her own volition. Hell, he’d said don’t wear it if it was uncomfortable, but she just laughed at him, and took him to the hot tub, topless. At a certain point, his brain shut off, and simply followed the boobs.

Her boobs floated. He stared at them over her head, and slid his hands underneath her arms, so he could cup her breasts. So soft, and normally so heavy, but the way they fought to rise to the surface in the water made them feel so much different. He raised one out of the water, groaned at how it became heavy, spilling over his palm and fingers and hiding the entirety of his hand, before he lowered it, and the mountainous volume floated out of his palm; until he started caressing it. As expected, it earned only a chuckle from her, and she continued to comb her hair where she’d pulled a bundle of it down between her breasts.

“I remember, when we first started talking to each other,” he said, “you mentioned your eye color and hair color may have been because of your heritage?”

“Oui. I am one of the oldest in our order, and there is evidence to suggest a potential ... link, I suppose, to our order’s origins. Though, I believe, I probably inflicted these changes upon myself.”

“What?”

“I am Daeva, and it is not uncommon for our kind to obsess over beauty, sexuality, or arts of any kind. I would not be surprised if I experimented on my own body in some quest for greater beauty.”

He frowned at the thought; it didn’t sit well with him. He was against body modification of the deceptive nature. Piercings, tattoos, those were all awesome. Getting fit and healthy to look better naked, more awesome. But experiments to give herself her goddess proportions?

“I ... that’s the first time you told me you suspected that.”

“A curse of my age to forget my younger years. A curse of my younger years, to perform such an act.” She sighed, and let her head roll back to rest beside his chin, so she could look up at him. “Do you think less of me?”

“No, of course not. Hell, reminds me that you’re human, too.”

“Was human.”

“You know what I mean.” He kissed the side of her head, and started to trace circles around her nipples. There was something cozy about being allowed to play with her breasts while they talked about things, non-sexual things. The casual way he got to play with them, and squeeze them, caress and massage them, and lift them, even jiggle them, while talking about other things, tickled something in his brain. It was warm, and inviting, that level of comfort. Intimacy made manifest, maybe?

“I am glad it does not bother you. I have learned to accept my unusual body, and use it to my advantage.”

“And, I have to be honest. I really, really love the body.”

The Prince chuckled, before she leaned up to kiss under his jaw, and resumed combing her hair as she looked back to where the rest of her was a blur under the water. “I had wondered if you were only attracted to curvy women, but Ashley and Julee lack such features, and you seem quite attracted to them.”

“So are you.”

“Vraiment.” Her hands found his wrists, and while she kept one where it was, cupping her breast with a finger caressing her nipple, she guided the other one down her flat stomach, underneath her g-string, across her smooth mons, and onto her slit. With a warm chuckle, she blushed life, and Jack groaned as he felt the warmth fill her body. “Any word from Julias?”

He winced. Yeap, she was going to do this to him, make him finger her, play with her, while having a casual discussion about work. Torture, lovely torture.

“Nothing yet, except to tell me Jacob’s hasn’t talked to him yet,” he said. Her nipple responded quickly, swelling against his touch. Maybe it was the hot water, but all it took was a gentle touch, a graze of the underside of his finger along Antoinette’s clitoris, to make her sigh again, and lean her head back onto his chest.

“And what of that rascal Jessy? My thralls have learned the woman has been enjoying Eric’s company.”

“Y-Yeah, she’s ... really roping him in. And I’m thinking she’s getting him to transform, full on werewolf mode, when they have sex.” If it were anybody else, he might hesitate to describe their sex life. But with Jessy, she probably couldn’t care less.

He trapped the Prince’s clitoris between index and middle finger, and began to massage it more directly. Consistent, gentle pressure, a soft rhythm of around, and around, and around.

Antoinette had other plans. She guided his hand a little further down, and used her fingers to push in on his. Two of his fingers slid into her clenching muscles, and Jack groaned, while the busty goddess leaned her head up to kiss his jaw again, as he started fingering her. Curling fingers in a slow fucking rhythm, hitting her g-spot again and again, earned a quiet moan from her. She kept her hand there, under her tiny, high-hip g-string, and caressed her clitoris under his hand. Her other hand went to her free breast, and caressed her nipple, plucking and twisting it in gentle, slow rhythms, like their fingers were doing to her pussy.

She was masturbating, while he fingered her. God damn.

“I hope she does not find herself terribly wounded, for such a feat of sexual curiosity,” she said.”

“I warned her it’d be dangerous.”

“I am sure everyone who knows has. But danger is a powerful spice, and some people, Kindred included, are addicted to its thrills. Imagine it, my love. A beast, a giant creature, still of form near enough to human for a viewer to appreciate its towering physique, and yet monstrous enough to elicit fear. Such a beast pins you to the bed, or floor, and glares at you with both animal aggression, but also inhuman, overpowering desire.” The woman on his body shivered, and Jack groaned as he felt her pussy squeeze on his fingers. “I cannot fault a woman for wanting to taste such an exaggerated display of masculine dominance.”

“Gonna make a guy feel jealous, talking like that.”

Laughing, the Prince clenched her insides on his fingers, hard, and he had to force them up toward the ceiling with more effort, fighting her squeezing muscles. She didn’t moan or groan, or whimper or mewl or any of that. She just lay back on him, and continued to caress her clitoris, as the two of them caressed and fondled her breasts with their free hands. Yeah, he got it. The fantasy she described wasn’t hers. Sitting in a tub and getting fingered by her lover boy was, evidently.

“What of Fiona? Has she spoken to you recently? I have noticed her interest in your partner Damien.”

Course she did; the Prince missed nothing. “Just a few text messages, about Eric’s place being safe from any Begotten burrowing in. I don’t think she heals as fast as us, so she’s still in her lair. Comes out for texting ... like a girl addicted to her phone.”

They chuckled. It was both cute, and a major juxtaposition to what was inside the innocent-looking girl. Made it easier to think about Fiona, and not Vrall.

“For all my frustration at the presence of those monsters, Fiona has agreed to my terms and no longer kills without restraint. She is welcome in my city, while she obeys the rules.” Antoinette lifted a single leg out of the hot tub water, straight up, and Jack stared at the long, curvy, alabaster limb, before she lowered it again. He didn’t stop fingering her, and she didn’t stop stroking her clit, either. Showing off, blatantly. “And she is an awfully adorable little creature.”

“Jessy seems sure she’s got a sex-plagued mind.”

“Oh, she does, my little Ventrue. But she is young. Like you, she needs someone to siphon and nurture her desires.” Antoinette hugged her breasts, the one arm reaching underneath and wrapping the two of them together; barely. They were too large for her to capture so easily, but she managed, as she nudged her head up against his neck, and played with her clit faster. “If that someone is to be Damien, then I fear their first few times together will be clumsy. But, there is something delightful about two, unskilled partners, learning both each other’s desires, and honing sexual skills. An interesting way for two to grow closer.”

“I’ve been on the receiving end of all the teaching.” Now that Antoinette was holding her breasts together with her arm, they weren’t free to float around. But her nipples were still available, just above her forearm, and he started to apply a little more pressure to the swollen nub. In rhythm with him, she started to play with her clit faster, and he got the hint quick: finger her harder.

With her breasts wrapped, no longer floating in the hot tub water, they more or less stayed against her chest as he started to pound her. The water, already rolling waves from the jets, churned and splashed from the force of his hand moving up and down between her thighs. Antoinette’s whole body began to ripple, the impact of his fingers up against her g-spot spreading out and making her body jiggle. Of course, her breasts were like waves, bouncing back and forth against her forearm and chest.

Antoinette spread her legs, letting them shake and move with the water, as she started to cum. Without a word, she stopped massaging her clit, and raised the hand up her body to her breasts. No longer wrapping them, she set a hand underneath each breast, and caressed them, gently massaged them, and tweaked one nipple while Jack continued to play with the other. He knew to be gentle while she came, and she rewarded him with a tiny moan.

“I have been considering hosting another banquet,” she said, mid orgasm, voice only wavering with the impact of his fingers. “With increased security this time, of course. I will not let hunters prevent us from living our lives.” Smiling up at him, she kissed his jaw again, and clenched on his fingers with her cunt until he was the one groaning, not her. The tight, soft flesh of her depths, squeezing on him so tight he could feel her muscles spasm with pleasure, was euphoric. It didn’t need to be his dick for it to be pleasurable, just holding the goddess on his body, feeling her back on his chest, and flesh around his fingers, sent shivers up and down his body.

“You uh ... you have?” He eased his fingers out of her, and slid them up her stomach.

And just like that, like she didn’t just get thoroughly finger fucked to the point the hot tub water had been splashing everywhere, Antoinette nodded, and raised her hands to start counting things off on her fingers.

“Oui, but there are things to consider this time that I did not before. If I hold a banquet, it is to be protected, as I said. It is a way for me to prove to the covenants that these hunters do not control us, or frighten us to the point of paralysis. I must also consider that our relationship with the Uratha and Begotten have grown. Athalia and Fiona will take part again, I am sure, and perhaps Athalia will remain more than ten minutes.” Chuckling, she rolled over. The water made it easy, her body almost weightless, and she straddled his waist, knees against the hot tub seat edge. She grabbed his wrist, and guided his hand back to her slit. “Again.”

Gulping, he complied, and again, started to finger her. She put her hands on the hot tub edge, above the water, and smiled down at him, her breasts now free to dangle over the water surface. Dangle became wobble and shake, as he started to finger her pussy, and he groaned again as he felt more than just hot water drip down his hands.

“I think,” she continued, “more of Avery’s pack will attend this time, as well. It would be interesting to see if they would be willing to share their blood with some Kindred. I understand Natasha has grown to love the power of it, and so too has Jessy, I imagine. Tilly likely has as well. Perhaps we could find a male vampire to have a taste of Clara? Or female, if that would interest her.”

“You just want her away from me.” With a smile up at the goddess, he started fingering her harder, working his arm back and forth, hoping to hide the little bit of snark he put into his words.

“Oh, are you not a daring one today.” She raised a hand, and flicked him in the forehead. All this, while he continued to finger her, making her breasts sway in front of him, nipples grazing the surface of the water. They were still swollen, very swollen, and the Prince grinned at him as she cupped one breast, other hand on the tub ledge, and she began to caress and massage the engorged areola. “If she cannot have you — and she cannot — I would have her find someone else. I wish her no ill will, and it would be better for everyone if the Uratha, all of them, found happiness here.”

“You want them to stay?”

“I would be a fool to ignore their value, now that so many unwanted factors have disturbed my city’s once calm waters.” Antoinette set her forehead to his, red gaze grabbing his with all the subtlety of a dragon. “I also wonder if the Begotten might share some of their blood? But then, I imagine the blood of a monster of nightmares would not taste appealing.” So close, she grinned at him like a devil, like a succubus, and used both her hands to continue caressing her breasts, as he fingered her.

They both loved her breasts. There was something so insanely awesome about that. Maybe it was how he could lavish and fanboy over them, and instead of annoying her, she indulged in his attention. Or in this case, indulged in his enraptured gaze. The way they rippled and swayed as they hung underneath her was hypnotizing.

Then again, he loved it when she pinned him down and put a leash on him, something she seemed to delight in doing. A century’s worth of luck, distilled into the sexual chemistry the two seemed to have.

“Y-Yeah, maybe. I wonder if Damien has Kissed her? I could ask him.”

She kissed his forehead, and nudged her nose into his for a moment, before she let out a long, slow, deep sigh, and came again. It was subtle, her shoulders raising and her elbows pulling inward, as her eyes half closed. “I doubt he has. The boy is undoubtedly timid, when the affairs cross into personal,” she said, as her pussy gripped his digits. Her hands fell from her nipples, and instead clutched his shoulders, some of her weight still on where she pressed her forehead to his. Shivering, slightly, but her insides weren’t so subtle, clamping down, until he had to use his arm muscles to push his hand back and forth, slapping his fingers against her g-spot and churning the water again.

Finally, she reached down, and touched his wrist; a signal to stop. He kept his fingers inside her, but stop pumping his hand, letting her body grow still while tiny quivers worked up and down her body. Eventually he eased his fingers out of her slit as well, and smiled up at the beauty as he pulled up on her tiny bikini bottom, to hook it high along her hips again.

“Merci.” She leaned down, gave him a kiss, and stepped out of the hot tub. “I must begin managing and preparing my thralls now, my love. I will see you later tonight.” If it were Ashley or Julee, they’d be panting and floating in the tub, unable to walk. Antoinette, smiling and radiating orgamic bliss, walked toward her chair, her legs shaking ever so slightly with orgasm aftershocks.

“I ... I uh—”

“Oh non non, I will tend to your desires later.” She winked at him, ran a finger down her breast and the water that dripped from it, and fetched her robe from the lounge chair. Of course, she didn’t bother to close it up, and let it stay parted, exposing her breasts, and her still swollen nipples as she raised her hands to her hair; for no other reason than to torture him, he was sure. Combing back the long, wet strands up and over the robe behind her, she smiled at Jack as she did. “Knowing that you will lust for me, all night, as you tend to your tasks? That tonight, I will lay in bed for you, let you straddle my chest, and hold my breasts together for you to slip your length into? Knowing that such thoughts will haunt your mind all night long, pleases me.”

His jaw dropped. There was a reason she didn’t ask him to Blush for her: the blue balls would have killed him. She was a devil woman!

“And just a few nights ago, you warned me about getting addicted to sex.”

“Only to a point, of course.” She sat down on a lounge chair a few feet from him, and as she let the Blush of Life fade away, she started brushing her hair with a brush she’d brought. Still with her robe open, of course, so he could stare and admire her body. “There are cities where elder Kindred are addicted, combining the pleasures of the flesh with the pleasures of the Kiss, to the point it dominates their way of life. You think my banquets overly sexual, and yet I have once seen a council of Invictus, in another city long ago, three women and two men. Each had a ghoul with them, their blood in a glass to drink, while those same ghouls proceeded to suckle and lick their slits, or swallow their shafts. They had their meetings this way, cumming onto the warm mouths of their servants, as they discussed matters of the city. When the meetings were over, they would go back to their mansions, or into their underground labyrinths, where they kept many thralls. For them, the Kiss was more pleasurable than sex, but they mixed the two, as all Kindred do. They mixed them while bathing in decadence, however, and would conduct other meetings, teach pupils, arrange tasks, and delegate responsibilities, all while their harems pleasured their bodies and bled into their mouths.”

“Holy shit. I ... I guess, in comparison, we’re not nearly that bad.”

“We are not, non. But it is a slippery slope, my little Ventrue, one I have been down. Do not fret, I will make sure we continue to balance. Matters of business, or of survival, are not to be mixed with sexuality or the Kiss. But during our free time, when we have time to spare? By all means, let us indulge our desires. And if you wish to exploit the power of vitae, to indulge in sex for far longer than any normal human could, continue to do so. What matters is that you learn to leave it behind when the time comes to focus on other things.”

“That why you’re torturing me tonight?” He gave her his best pouting eyes.

She laughed. No dice. “Non. I torture you because you are mine, and a little teasing, or torture, is a part of that arrangement.”

Pouting failed, he climbed out of the tub, and reached for a towel. At least without the Blush of Life, he could walk around without an erection.

“I’m off to see Avery then.”

“Please do.”

“So ... how many thralls do you actually have bound to you?”

She laughed at him as she continued brushing her hair, before getting up and walking toward the exit, likely to go back to her room and put on a suit. “I have eyes everywhere, my love. And you can tell your council that, for all their might, they lack the subtlety needed to rule a city.”

The Invictus wanted to rule with money and might, and that often meant a bunch of thralls with a bunch of guns, according to Julias. Unfortunately, they didn’t know much about where Antoinette kept her thralls, or what sort of training they had. It made large maneuvers difficult, and unnerving, knowing she was watching.

He put up his hands in surrender. “I’m not subtle?”

“You are about as subtle as lightning come nightfall, my love.”

“Bleh.”

“You’re all fucking idiots.”

Jack winced, and looked down. Yeah, that was true, but Avery could be a little nicer about it.

“Kid did alright,” Noah said, adjusting the blinds so he could look out Eric’s window better.

Avery, sitting on the couch with Clara, looked over her shoulder and frowned at the man. But Jack knew she didn’t have much to say, if she was going to look for the specific flaws in their plan. There’d been flaws, but not in the choices they made once they were in the shit. They all knew it, too.

Except, Jessy wasn’t content to just know. “They rescued me, your girl, and my boy here, because they went in guns blazing. What was the time, from when we vanished, to when you guys were in there after us, Jack?”

“Bit over an hour.”

“That is fucking fast, considering he recruited two monsters and three werewolves, too.” Jessy snapped her fingers, summarizing speed with the sound. She was leaning against the kitchen table, arms folded across her chest, and Eric was next to her. Two vampires and four werewolves, discussing the aftermath.

“I’m sorry, I’ll rephrase.” Avery pointed a finger at Jessy. “You’re an idiot because you picked a fight whenever you could, instead of looking for information.” A finger for Eric. “You’re an idiot because you’re still green and refuse to let us teach you anything.” A finger for Clara. “You’re an idiot for thinking it was a good idea to push forward, instead of waiting for backup.” A finger for Noah. “You’re an idiot for getting decked by an explosive behind a door. You’re a planner. Plan better.” And finally a finger for Jack, of course. “You’re an idiot for going out of your way so hard, to help this Azamel monster.”

He sighed, and leaned back in the recliner. Eric’s apartment was a really nice place, massive, luxurious, and the repairs had been done quickly; Invictus money was a powerful thing indeed.

“Azamel has—”

“Done nothing.” Avery threw up her hands before resting her forehead in one. “She has done nothing, but you continue to go to bat for her.”

She had done something. She warned him about the inevitable threat Dolareido faced, something the Prince herself had not, despite her awareness of it. He understood why, but still.

“Fiona and Athalia helped rescue us,” Eric said. “They work for her, and came because she asked them to go, I think.” Everyone in the room looked at him, eyebrows raising. He wasn’t in a pack or covenant, so talking at all was kind of bold. And the awkward, slightly annoyed expression matched what Jack knew of the man. He didn’t want to be a part of any of this, but was getting dragged into it against his will. Poor guy.

“Eric is correct,” Jack said. “As much as hunters being in Dolareido is largely her fault, she’s trying to help.”

Avery continued to sigh, but after a while, put her hand back down and leaned into the couch. “Sorry if I don’t sound grateful. You saved my girl, and this fucker.” She made a small wave in Eric’s direction.

“I resent that,” Eric said.

“Yeah, well, suck it up.” Avery leaned in, elbows on her knees, facing Jack. “On the other side of the wall, the city is in a strange state. You got those three fuckers, Black Blood, Street-Tail King, and Red Tide, fighting for sections of the city, but these hunters have introduced ... complications.”

Jack put up a hand. “Why are you telling me this? Shadow World isn’t exactly ... well, you’ve made it abundantly clear you don’t want vamps sticking their feet in it.”

“That was before things started getting out of hand. Besides, you’ve proven you’re willing to go the extra mile to make sure shit gets done. Saving Clara—”

“Don’t forget,” Noah said, “it was Jacob and Black Blood that saved us.”

“Yeah, that has blurred the lines on a lot of shit too.” Groaning, Avery got up, and started pacing around, arms across her chest and hand raised to hold her chin. Classic thinking pose, and Jack struggled to not smile as he watched the small, deadly woman walk around like she owned the place. “I’m not throwing my pack into a meat grinder, but the way things are going, it’s looking like it’ll be for the best if we help you out.”

Jessy cheered. Everyone stared at her, until she lowered her hands.

“Thanks,” Jack said. It was only a matter of time, he supposed. Avery wanted to stick around, to live in Dolareido, and she wouldn’t be able to do that if the hunters ruined things. Now that it was clear the hunters had far more tools at their disposal than anyone could have predicted, she felt inclined to help.

Or, it was because Jeremiah mentioned her specifically, before Black Blood saved them. The others must have heard it, and heard how Jack had tried to lie to Jeremiah about who it was. Point for him, he supposed.

“Yeah don’t thank us just yet.” Avery walked over to him, and flicked him in the forehead. Familiar. “There is so much crap rolling your way, it’s ridiculous. No wonder David guided us here. Every fucking day, the echoes of horrible shit hits everywhere nearby, in the Hisil. It’s not a coincidence so much insanity is hitting this city in such a small amount of time. Enough Azlu for two full grown hosts? Then hunters show up, and they have a Begotten with them? Something is going on.”

Something was going on, but no one knew what the fuck it was. He doubted the hunters knew, considering the nature of Azamel’s warning. She didn’t want him telling anyone else about it, paranoid about the information tipping someone off, and Jack couldn’t fathom that having anything to do with an army of bloodthirsty hunters coming for her head.

If the sheriff had found anything, he wasn’t sharing it, beyond his discoveries of Elen’s rituals.

“The ... Prince has a request,” he said. And now for the hard part.

Avery rolled her yes, again, and sat back down with Clara. “Hit me.”

“The covenants are going to start putting teams together of Kindred they trust to handle themselves. Three Kindred to a team. They’re going to be doing sweeps of areas in the city, using what little we know to find them. And—”

“And you’d like one of my pack to come along with these teams.”

“Yeah. You got the nose and the ears for hunting, in ways not even our Gangrels can match.”

Jessy made a snort noise, but shrugged and looked to the window. “True enough.”

Jack threw a smile her way. Jealous, of Uratha hunting abilities? Weird. But then, he wasn’t a Gangrel. He didn’t know what it was like to have the beast riding the edge of his consciousness, unless he was utterly starving. Maybe she had some professional envy.

Avery looked up, eyes rooting through her brain, and she touched her chin a couple times as she juggled the thoughts. “Has our relationship progressed to that point?”

Oh boy, negotiating, with a werewolf. This was going to be fun. Not.

“I like to think it has. We worked together to save our kind from the hunters, and we worked together well ... more or less. And you just said you were willing to help, sort of.”

“Kid’s right,” Noah said. “Not that I think we should be throwing ourselves into this war with these hunters. David brought us here for different reasons, and so far it’s looking like they need our help. I vote we squeeze more out of them.”

Ok, Avery was brutal, but Noah was heartless. God damn.

“This isn’t about hitting them for money, Noah,” Clara said.

“You sure? Having a few million dollars under our belt could help us make some city renovations.”

Jack put up his hands. “The Invictus are willing to throw some money your way. Some. Millions might a bit much to ask...” Jack was making premium bank now, and he didn’t have anywhere near that much saved up yet. Xnomina did, no doubt, but their funds weren’t endless. “Far cheaper for us if you guys accepted assets that we—”

“Noah’s just being a sarcastic ass, Jack.” Avery wiped a hand aside, dismissing her comrade’s words. “Besides, this is a request from big tits, right?”

“I, uh ... yes.” Big tits was not a nickname he expected Antoinette would appreciate. Not because it wasn’t accurate, but the woman did not like the sort of friendly prattle or good-natured ribbing you found from people like the Uratha, or anyone in the Carthians. Jack could relate; he found it grating and juvenile, sometimes. This was one of those times, and he struggled to not frown. It could have been a test from Avery too, to see if he’d react, get defensive, and lower his guard.

“You let me see the teams, and let me choose which member goes with which team, and I’ll do it.”

Finally! Progress.

“Really?” Clara said.

“Yeah, really. But, you also have to convince Azamel to join in, have her buddies join some of these groups, too.”

He winced, and looked down. “I’m meeting her later tonight. I’ll run it by her. The Primogen and the Prince thought this might come up, but they’re not sure. Azamel’s half the reason the hunters are here at all”—if not the full reason—”and the elders aren’t exactly keen on having them work beside us.” As per usual, he pushed for allowing the Begotten to be a part of their efforts, as they were when they helped rescue Jessy. As per usual, the Primogen and Prince didn’t like it, but they managed to understand his position, if only a little.