Dominic N. Ashen

Secrets & Spires is Out Now, Plus Podcast Appearances!

Summer is here and so is Secrets & Spires! The book hit #1 Best Seller status almost immediately after it was launched, and has remained the #1 New Release since. Early reviews have been great, but I always need more. So, after you order your own copy from this list of bookstores, please consider leaving me one! And don’t forget that you can read the first two chapters of Secrets & Spires on my website for free!

Regarding upcoming Patreon updates: I still owe you all the story of the original Khazak and Vakesh, don’t think I’ve forgotten. When Secrets & Spires got pushed back two months, it kind of messed with my planned posting schedule. So the next two non-LBB story updates are actually going to be the two-part sequel to Service Duty that I’ve been wanting to get out. Then you’ll get the first two chapters of Steel & Thunder Book 4 (along with title and cover preview), then will come The Journal of Khazak Uzilag!

I made my first official podcast appearance last month! You can hear me on episode 236 and episode 237 of Drinking With Authors! The first episode is a forty-five minute interview, while the second is a series of rapid-fire questions. It was a lot of fun, and as said in the title, we were drinking. If it isn’t obvious, I was pretty in the bag by the end of the second episode. Looking forward to hopefully recording more in the future!

This Month on Patreon

Here are July’s Patreon offerings:

• 5/13: The first chapter of a two-part sequel to Service Duty, in which David exacts his “revenge” on Nylan for getting him in trouble.
• 5/20: Another map, this one of the surrounding areas of V’rok’sh Tah’lj along the eastern coast of Avural Ug'dol /Nova Mundus.
• 5/27: Daddy D, Part 4: The second half of my MDMA-induced fuck fest with Daddy D. I bottom in this one!!!

Little Black Book Stories for July, Aug, and Sept 2022

Pick which of my dirty little stories you wanna read for the rest of the summer!

Worldbuilding Articles for July, August, and September 2022

Pick your poisons for the next few months!

Sidenote: I need more ideas for these folks! Leave em in the comments or shoot me a message!

Dom's Little Black Book: Texas Son

I’d love to tell you that I’ve got a boy in every town, just eager and waiting for me, but for the most part, I keep my list of personal submissives relatively short. I like to ensure that the boys I'm spending my time with are worth it. I have one particular boy from Texas who is the son to my daddy, and who frequently flies to my location to visit the family he has nearby. Unfortunately, that means we don’t get a lot of time together, as his family demands most of his time. We try to see each other when we can, but it’s difficult.

Tex is a few years older than myself, with tan Latin skin and thick, coarse hair covering his body. Most of our sexual interactions have been quickies in my apartment, or even one of our cars, often on a lunch break. Don’t get me wrong, I love public sex (as you have hopefully been able to surmise from some of my previous stories), but it’s hard to show a boy how you own his ass when you can’t get IN his ass as often as you’d like.

So we came up with a plan: He would fly in for a few days, just to spend time with me.  Then, he would then tell his family he was flying in a few days AFTER that. By the time our mini-vacation is over, his family will think that he just landed – so he still gets to see them while he’s in town, and we get some alone time without any interruptions. We decided I would meet him at his hotel room after work on Friday, and we’d spend the weekend together. I was horned up most of the day just imagining the things we’d get up to. All the things I would have him do...all the ways I would use him. It made getting up from my desk very difficult. My bag was packed and in my car and I was ready to go.

___________________________________________________________

I arrived at the hotel in the early evening. Tex had already landed and was checked in, so I headed straight for the elevator to take to our floor. I was excited, finally getting to spend some extended time with my boy. Tex is by far one of the most eager and devoted subs I’ve ever met. He practically worships the ground I walk on, and it is very important to me that I not take advantage of that (at least not more than he would want me to). I want to know he still feels taken care of.

When I got to the room, the door was already open a crack. It was dark inside, all the lights were out and the blinds had been drawn. I’m sure some of you have been in similar situations. It certainly wasn’t my first time at the hotel room rodeo. Walking in and closing the door behind me, I could see Tex’s form on the bed, lying on his stomach. There’s no way he didn’t hear me entering the room, as I made no attempt to remain silent.

I stripped myself quickly and climbed into bed, lying my body on top of his. I wrapped my arms around him and started to kiss and bite at his neck and ears. He responded immediately, pressing back into me and turning his head to kiss me himself. I maneuver off of him, sliding to the side and turning him to face me so that we can make out more easily. Snaking one hand down his back, I sought out his hole to tease with my fingers. He moaned and whimpered into my mouth in response as I played with him.

I bit at his neck some more, and then moved further down his furry chest. I grabbed at one of his tits, squeezing as I lowered my mouth onto the nipple at its center. I sucked and licked at him, biting and chewing lightly as I continued to play with his ass with my other hand. Tex gasped loudly and grabbed my head, pulling me tighter against his chest. I got progressively rougher with my mouth, moving to his other nipple and switching between the two periodically. I only removed my mouth to spit into the hand I was using to tease his ass, slicking my fingers and easing them into him.

My own cock was hard, and leaking a steady stream of precum onto his belly. With a growl, I tore myself away from his chest and quickly pushed his head down, wetting my cock with his mouth. I put him to work immediately, shoving my cock as far down his throat as possible, hearing him gag and sputter. I thrust myself in and out of his mouth quickly, eager to get inside his tight hole.

Once I was satisfied, I pulled him off my cock, and positioned him on his side. I’ve found this position to be one of the best if it’s “been a while” for the bottom in question. I settled behind him and pulled him back against me, the head of my cock poking at his hole.

“You ready for your daddy to fuck that hole, baby boy?” I whispered into his ear.

“Yes, daddy. Please breed me, I need your cum inside me,” he whined in response.

Seeing no reason to prolong his suffering, I pushed forward into his ass. He was tight. Very tight. I didn’t slam home, but I did gently and steadily continue to press forward, slowly feeling his hole open up around me the deeper I got. I slid one of my arms under his neck while I wrapped the other around his belly, holding his body tightly against mine.

“Fuck, baby, that hole is so tight! You haven’t had this hole stuffed in so long, have you?” I cooed into his ear.

“No, daddy, please, I’ve been waiting for this for so long,” he gasped, writhing on my cock. “Please fuck me!”

I pulled back slowly, about halfway, before pushing back in. I kept my thrusts steady until it felt like his hole had relaxed enough for me to pick up the pace. Tex was moaning with every thrust, and the faster I went the louder his pitch got. My mouth bit and sucked and his neck and shoulders, and my hands grabbed and pawed at his tits as we fucked, sending him into sensory overload.

Soon, I could feel myself getting close, just about ready to dump my first load of the night deep inside his ass. I picked up the pace, my thighs slapping against his and making the bed groan with the force of my thrusts. Still biting his shoulder, I growled around the meat in my mouth and pushed myself as far into him as I could as my cock exploded, coating his walls with my load.

“Yessss,” Tex groaned as he felt the heat of my load filling him to the brim.

I slowly caught my breath, my arms still holding him tightly to my body, and my cock still buried inside of him to the hilt.

This was going to be a great weekend.

___________________________________________________________

The rest of the weekend was more of the same.  I fucked and bred him once more that night, and then again when I woke up early the next morning. I didn’t bother to make sure he was awake first, just spit on my hand to slick my cock and pushed myself back into his furry and still-wet hole. I wasted no time, thrusting fast, ready to give him my first breeding of the day. I fucked and bred his hole so much that by the end of the weekend, he was begging me to knock him up and get him pregnant. And I damn sure fucking tried.

When I wasn’t fucking his ass, I’d have him worship my body by licking me from head to toe. I doused him with piss in the shower, and even had him kneel down and drink some. I stretched his hole on my fingers just to watch him squirm, and chewed and sucked on his chest until he was convinced he had a real set of tits. I was practically insatiable, right up until our last day together.

That morning, I fucked him one last time. It was gentle, but firm. As I fucked him, I whispered into his ear all of the depraved things we did that weekend, making sure he knew just how owned he now was. How I was going to send him off to his family with my load still dripping out of his pussy. How he might really be pregnant after taking so much of my cum inside him. He could only moan and cry out as my thrusts scraped over his prostate, until I  blew my final load of the weekend inside of him.

We laid together a little longer, soaking in our final moment of afterglow, feeling a little melancholy now that the weekend was over, but already excited for the next time. With a final kiss to his shoulder, I extracted myself from his ass, and squeezed him tight. Time to pack up and head home.

I plan on messing with Texas again real soon.

Transportation in Terra

Alright everyone, pull up a chair: today we’re going to talk about Terran transportation. People have to get around, and for all the avantages magic has, Terra is lacking in anything even close to automobiles or trains. The steam engine is a fairly recent invention, and electricity and combustible engines are still a ways off from even being dreamed up.

Most people get where they need to be by walking, which can often mean long-distance travel is out of the question for the base population, due to the potential dangers faced on the road, or the physical heartiness needed to survive. There are many ways magic can be used to offset some of this difficulty, with spells that are capable of making people run faster, have more stamina, or even transform into an animal that can run or even fly faster than those of us on two legs.

It should come as no surprise that horses are the most commonly used mounts, both for riding and driving. This can vary based on geographic location, with mules, cattle, and camels also common to their areas. Smaller statured species, such dwarfs, gnomes, and halflings, are known to domestic animals more suited to their sizes for riding, such wolves, deer, and llamas. Of course, there are also some mages capable of summoning magical mounts to suit their purposes, dismissing them once they are no longer needed.

Whether on foot or by horse-drawn cart, traveling the roads of Terra can be dangerous and expensive. The further you are from civilization, the more of a chance you have of running into bandits, eager to relieve you of your valuables. Though bandits are certainly preferable to any number of creatures, magical or otherwise, you might run into instead. Luckily, most major cities have plenty of guides who are happy to escort travelers safely to their next location - for the right price.

That covers the ground, but what about longer distances, like across the ocean? Boats are the obvious answer, and are also the most popular method of transportation in Terra. Smaller vessels are obviously self-propelled, while the larger mostly rely on their sails and the wind. Thankfully, controlling the wind is not difficult in a world with magic, making this form of aquatic transportation quicker and more reliable than it is in our world. Some boats also make use of the aforementioned steam engines, though due to their size and fuel consumption, these are not yet suited for transoceanic travel.

The other method of long-distance transport is through the skies - on an airship. Just like they sound, these vessels are half ship and half hot air balloon. By traveling through the air and combining the steam engine with wind-controlling magic, airships are able to cover the same distance as a boat in less than half the time. Large, flashy, and expensive, most people consider themselves lucky to even see one up close, let alone ride one. It is not uncommon for groups of people to gather around the docks and watch them taking off or landing. There are currently fewer than a dozen in service - the last count was at eight, following the very tragic crashing of the Eclipse in southern Scania in 4840 AFA.

Like I said before, people need to get around, and as you’ve read here, whether by land, air, or sea, Terra has a lot of options.

Before the Storm, Chapter 4

Knock on the door, Jarek. Just lift your hand and hit it against the wood. That’s all you have to do. It’s not a big deal. You’ve done it a million times! So just do it. Before people start to wonder what the hell you’re standing out here for.

It’s the middle of the afternoon, and I’m standing in front of Orlun and Rurig’s home, staring at their door. It’s been over a week since the last time I was here. Since Orlun and I fought. Since Rurig was hurt... Maybe this was a bad idea. They have bigger things to worry about than me.

The rebellion only officially ended days ago. I wasn’t part of the climactic final battle or anything. I wasn’t even on duty the night when Warhunter’s location was discovered, and they made the final push—inside the city walls. The fighting is over, but there’s still plenty of cleanup going on. Since the danger has passed, I’m no longer officially a part of the militia, but I have been volunteering where I can.

I actually already tried looking for Orlun at the militia headquarters—the temporary one set up in the main ranger station. Rangers on duty told me he hadn’t been in all week—he was home caring for Rurig. So, ignoring the stab of guilt in my chest, I thanked them and headed down here. I’ve been alternating between standing and pacing in front of their door for what feels like an eternity but realistically has probably been around fifteen minutes.

Yeah, this was a terrible idea. There’s no way they’d want to see me right now. I should just go.Just as I’m making the decision to leave, the doorknob starts to turn. Oh, shit.

“Jarek?” Orlun is surprised to see me, which hopefully means he doesn’t know how long I’ve been out here. “Is everything alright?”

“Orlun, hi.” I wince at the casual tone of my voice. “I— Yes, everything’s okay.”

“I was just going to check the mail.” He points toward his mailbox near the road. “It is good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you, too,” I tell him honestly. “I was just in the area, and I wanted to...” I start to trail off, suddenly nervous.

“I’m sorry—”

“I’m sorry—” We both blurt out at the same time, stopping just as quickly. Orlun motions for me to continue first.

“I wanted to apologize for what I said the other day,” I start to say. “You were right. I had no right to tell you how to raise your—”

“No, you were right.” He doesn’t let me finish. “About leaving the children alone, about the way I dumped them on you, everything.”

“It’s... It’s okay.” I say what it feels like you’re supposed to say, even if it sounds like nonsense.

“No, it really isn’t.” He sighs and shuts the front door behind him before leaning back against it. “Yogik starts to bawl if he’s so much as in a different room as me or Rurig, Ayla has been waking up almost every night with nightmares, and Khazak will barely speak to any of us. I am a failure as a father.”

“You’re not a failure.” That’s easier to say because it’s true. “You just made some mistakes.”

“You know, we were already planning to cut back our hours so the children would no longer be alone.” He looks up at me with a sad smile. “That is what we wanted to talk to you about, right before...”

The bombing in the mess hall.“Well, that’s good. You guys were already trying to do better.”

“Fat lot of good it did us.” He shakes his head with a cynical chuckle.

“How is Rurig?” I decide to move on to hopefully happier news.

“He is doing well.” His shoulders relax, and he gives me a real smile. “Or as well as he can be. He has healed just fine but is still getting used to the prosthetic.”

“Have you been able to get him to rethink finding a healer to regrow his leg?” Such capable healers are rare, and it would probably be expensive, but it’s still possible.

“We’ve discussed it, but Rurig insists that the money can be better spent elsewhere.” He smiles at his husband’s stubborn nature. “I think he is also put off by the excruciating pain that would no doubt come with reopening the wound.”

That’s true. Technically his leg has already been healed, and the only way to regrow something that is already healed—like an improperly set bone or missing a limb—is to reopen the wound. I assume that is exactly as painful as it sounds.

“Well I’m glad he’s doing alright.” I could have found out about days ago if I had just come to see him.

“Would you like to come in?” Orlun asks hopefully. “He’s missed you. We both have.”

“…Yeah, I’d like that.” I’m suddenly full of nerves again. “I missed both of you, too.”

There are thankfully no more awkward words, just another smile as Orlun reaches back to the door, holding it open as we both walk inside. I’ve only been here once, and it ended pretty badly, but I feel a pulse of warmth knowing that I’m back in their home. I let Orlun lead me from the entrance into the den, where Rurig is seated on one end of the couch.

The man is wearing a robe looking a little dour, and I can’t exactly blame him. Unable to help myself, my eyes immediately go down to where the bottom of his robe opens, where his missing leg would be, taking in the wooden prosthetic in its place. It’s a thick and sturdy looking rod made of dark brown wood, starting at the scarred skin under his knee, going straight down, and then turning at a 90-degree angle where his foot would be and curving upward slightly.

“Jarek?” He instantly brightens when he notices me behind Orlun. “It’s so good to see you.” He starts to try and stand, grabbing a cane with one hand and pushing off the couch with the other.

“Let me help you.” Orlun rushes over when he sees him start to struggle.

“Leave me alone.” Rurig tries to shoo off his husband’s fussing. “I’m never going to get used to the damn thing if you don’t let me.”

“You are not supposed to push yourself,” Orlun grumbles but leaves him be.

“I’m just standing up!” Rurig huffs as he straightens himself before turning to me and hobbling forward, grinning. “It’s so good to see you.”

“It’s really good to see you too.” I embrace him in a hug, instantly feeling the way he has to shift his weight because of his leg. “I’m so sorry about—”

“Hey, did you set the bomb?” I look at him in shock, shaking my head no. “Then you don’t have anything to apologize for. This was because of Warhunter and his friends.”

“Then I’m sorry for not coming to see you sooner.” I let him go slowly, making sure he has his balance.

“Orlun told me about what happened.” He grimaces but tries to give me his signature grin anyway. “I was starting to think that our terrible parenting scared you off for good.”

“I’m sorry.” My turn to grimace. “It was a lot, and there was so much going on...”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” he tells me again, Orlun coming up behind him and shaking his head in agreement.

“I could have come by sooner,” I argue. “Just to see how you were.”

“Well as you can see, I am doing just great.” He tries to strike a little pose, holding up his cane—and loses his balance.

“I’ve got you,” I tell him after catching him, Orlun and I both rushing forward when he stumbles.

“Thanks,” Rurig grumbles from my hold.

“It’s good to see you, too,” I tell him with a chuckle.

“We really did miss you,” he admits as I help him stand.

“And I missed the both of you,” I repeat what I said to Orlun. “How have you been?”

“Oh you know, as fine as can be,” Rurig gives me the non-answer as Orlun helps him back to the couch.

“I already told him about everything outside,” Orlun tells him as he takes his own seat.

“You’re supposed to tell me that before I lie,” Rurig grumbles. “Okay, not fine,” he admits. “It’s like learning to walk all over again. Not to mention how much of a bitch it is to get pants on.”

“Well, it’s barely been a week,” I encourage. “The first time you learned to walk had to take almost like a year, right?”

“Spirits, I hope it doesn’t take that long.” He leans back, looking up at the ceiling. “I couldn’t go back to work now if I tried. Good thing I was already planning on taking time off, right?”

“Yogik is certainly happy about it,” Orlun says with a sigh. “Attached to our hips. We only just got him to take a nap ten minutes before you arrived. I think this is the longest we’ve been alone in days.”

“It’s a small price to pay considering how much we haven’t been around lately,” Rurig adds guiltily.

“So... Is it just the three, or do you have any more secret children?” I tease, sitting on his other side.

“Kid...” He looks reluctant to continue. “We didn’t mean to hide them from you. We just didn’t think you’d want to hear about any of that.”

“What he is trying to say is that... You are young.” Orlun leans forward to look at me. “Part of us assumed that you would not be interested in romantically pursuing two men with a family. Especially now after learning everything else about our parenting.”

“Hey, I’m not that young,” I start, wanting to prove my intent to them. “I admit I wasn’t exactly thinking long-term the first time we…got together. I don’t like the way I found out about it, and I’m not saying I think leaving your kids alone like that is okay, but I’ve had a lot of time to think about things.”

“Anything else you don’t like, kid?” Rurig asks with a smile and a huff.

“Maybe don’t call me ‘kid,’ seeing as you have actual kids.” I nudge him with my elbow.

“I can do that,” he agrees, “and you won’t hear either of us arguing about being complete screw-ups as fathers.”

“I don’t think you’re complete screw ups.” The hyperbole feels like a defense mechanism.

“That makes one of us,” Orlun says in response.

“No, really. You messed up, but it’s not unfixable.” I know a thing or two about family troubles thanks to my own. “I’m not trying to promise you anything, or get ahead of myself, but... If you’ll let me, maybe I can try and help you figure some of it out.”

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” That might be the most vulnerable I’ve heard Rurig ever sound.

Instead of answering with words, I lean forward and kiss him. Even with everything that’s happened, I still want them, both of them, messy family and all. I only hope they feel the same.

“You know... Yogik is probably gonna sleep for at least another hour.” I’m gonna take that hungry look as a good sign.

“Does that mean you’d like to show me where the bedroom is?” I mean, if they’re both up for it, so am I.

“Follow us,” Orlun answers for his husband, helping him stand.

The two lead the way toward their bedroom with Rurig in front and Orlun right behind him. I can tell he’s paranoid that Rurig might fall again, but he doesn’t want to say as much. When we reach the door at the end of the hall, Rurig pushes it open with his arm, and I’m happy with what I see: a nice big bed, at least twice the size of mine.

The rest of the room is as you’d expect with a small table on either side of the bed, open chests filled with clothing, and a door to the bathroom off to the side. Rurig sits on the edge of the bed, laying his cane down flat on the floor and patting the spot beside him. Without any more delays, I take my seat, leaning over for the kiss I know is coming.

He quickly locks our lips together, so fast that I can hear Orlun chuckling above us when our tusks bump into each other. He steps closer, his legs brushing my knee as Rurig slides his tongue into my mouth. Not to be outdone, Orlun bends over once we break apart, taking his turn with each of us.

Already in an opportune position, Orlun’s hands move to unbutton his pants and pull out his cock. Rurig reaches for it first, wrapping his fingers around the thick green shaft and squeezing lightly. Then, after giving me another grin, he leans forward and swallows it down. Seeing as there’s still plenty of room, I join him, bending over and mouthing at Orlun’s heavy sack.

I run my tongue over the skin of Orlun’s balls, nuzzling against the furry bush at the base of his cock. I missed the way he smells, too. A hand moves to the back of my head, and I bet Rurig has one on the back of his as well. Orlun groans when Rurig takes him all the way down, and I can’t help the silly giggle that escapes when our tusks once more bump together. A short while later, Rurig pulls off and grabs his husband’s cock, pointing it at me.

Not needing to be told twice (or even once, technically), I happily wrap my lips around Orlun’s prick. Before you ask, yes, I also missed the way he tastes. I savor the stretch of my lips and the weight on my tongue as I bob up and down on his shaft while Rurig has taken my previous spot lapping at his husband’s testicles. After another minute or two, we trade off again, and then again.

“Alright, I get to suck that dick every day,” Rurig says after pulling off for a final time.

“Is that a promise?” Orlun asks, wet cock still dangling in front of our faces.

Rurig rolls his eyes, turning to me. “What I mean is that it’s your turn.” He slaps me on the thigh. “Get those clothes off and move up on the bed.”

I am happy to comply, pulling off my shirt and tossing it to the side. I shuck my pants off and slide backwards up the bed as Rurig and Orlun both join me in undressing. Once he’s naked, Rurig crawls his way up the mattress, stalking me like a hungry predator. At least until his prosthetic gets caught on the sheet at the edge of the bed, and he looks back, growling in frustration. He attempts to shake himself free but only manages to tangle himself further before he loses his balance and rolls onto his back, taking the sheet with him and trapping his legs in the fabric.

“I hate this stupid fucking leg!” Rurig yells at the ceiling in a way that tells me this is about more than just the sheet. He crosses his arms over his chest. “They should have just left me with a stump.”

“Come on. You don’t mean that.” I kneel up and lean over, looking at his face upside down.

“He is right.” Orlun works to untangle his husband’s new foot. “It has not even been two weeks yet. You will get used to it in time.”

“Easy for the two of you to say. You’re not the one stuck looking like a pirate.” He frowns grumpily.

“I’ll have you know I happen to love pirates.” I boop him on the nose. “Alright, change of plans—you move up the bed.”

I roll to the side and let Rurig take my place at the head of the bed, which he does with some more grumbling. While Orlun watches these developments with interest from the foot of the bed, I take Rurig’s previous spot, crawling between his spread legs. I place a kiss against the scarred knee on my way to his crotch, stroking over his thighs with both hands as I settle on my stomach.

I nuzzle against his crotch, kissing and licking my way up his shaft until I reach the head and engulf it. Rurig lets out a little moan as I start to suck, and I can feel the weight on the bed shift when Orlun joins us, cuddling up to his husband’s side on my right. I hear the wet smacking of lips while I bob up and down on Rurig’s cock and can feel Rurig’s body relax underneath me as he is kissed and sucked.

I hum happily to myself as I make one of my two men feel good, enjoying the taste of his pre-cum on my tongue. I like that thought—my men. I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, and this is exactly where I want to be. I don’t just mean between Rurig’s legs, either—though that’s pretty nice too. I’m not sure how long we go, but eventually my jaw starts to hurt, and I need to pull off and give it a rest.

“I think Jarek had the right idea,” Orlun tells his husband. “I want you on your hands and knees next.”

“Oh, you're gonna be pushy too?” Rurig challenges, but he is already turning over as I move to the side.

“I could be less pushy if you were not so stubborn.” He gives Rurig a playful smack on the butt.

After making sure he’s in a comfortable position, Orlun moves behind his husband, grabbing the thick green rump with both hands. From my spot next to them, I watch as he kneads the flesh before parting it and lowering his mouth to his target. Rurig moans and shudders when the tongue touches his hole, and I reach down to give my plump dick a squeeze as Orlun starts to noisily eat out his husband.

“The oil and charm are in the bedside table,” Orlun tells me after briefly pulling his mouth away from Rurig’s ass.

I roll off the bed and retrieve the objects requested, liking where things are headed. After presenting them to Orlun, he wraps up his rim job and takes them, reaching under to press the charm to Rurig’s belly before dribbling some oil down the crack of his ass. As Orlun massages it into Rurig’s hole, I start to stroke myself slowly, enjoying the show.

“You just gonna sit there, or are you gonna get up here and feed me some of that?” Rurig looks over at me, and then down at my cock, suggestively.

I quickly and happily move up the bed, sliding between the headboard and Rurig’s upper body. I spread my legs, letting Rurig close the gap between his mouth and my cock. He moans around me while Orlun continues to finger him open, the vibrations making my cock twitch.

He moans again a second later when Orlun starts pushing his slicked-up cock into his hole, holding his breath as he feels each centimeter sink inside, sinking down onto his chest. His eyes are closed, holding my cock in his mouth as he adjusts while Orlun’s face is filled with pleasure as he savors the feeling of being buried in a warm, tight ass. Then the real fucking starts.

Orlun’s thrusts start steady, his hands holding tight to Rurig’s hips. Meanwhile, Rurig bobs up and down on my dick, swallowing me to the root and massaging the base of my cock with his tongue. As Orlun’s thrusts get stronger, Rurig starts moving with them in time and letting that guide his mouth up and down my shaft.

I run my fingers through his hair, humping up to meet him halfway and feed my dick into his mouth. As I do, he slides one of his hands under me, giving my butt a squeeze before his fingers dive into my crack. I twitch in surprise when I feel my hole being teased but quickly push down against them. Rurig pulls them away, quickly spitting on them before bringing them back, this time gently seeking entry. I bite my lip as I’m breached with a fingertip, happily humping upward to feed Rurig more cock in exchange.

I lose track of time after that, the three of us doing whatever we can to stuff holes and play with pricks. I’m almost sweating by the time Rurig has his full finger inside of me, rapidly humping against his face, which is a saliva-soaked mess. He has been moaning almost continuously as Orlun gives him multiple anal orgasms with his thick hammer of a cock. He’s even having another one now, his hands squeezing my thighs as the tremors roll through him.

I’m not expecting it, but I’m the first of us to cum as Rurig works his finger against my prostate. He seems to be expecting it more than I am as he has no problem swallowing down the load I shoot, still giving short, shuddering thrusts into his mouth. Orlun must have been waiting for me, or seeing me finish is what triggers himself, as he cums inside Rurig’s ass with a low growl, hands still holding tightly to his hips.

Rurig, after having his ass literally wrecked, is more concerned with slumping down onto his belly and catching his breath, easily the sweatiest of us all. Orlun joins him, falling onto his side next to us and throwing an arm over his husband while squeezing my hand with the other. I slump back against the headboard, exhausted and content. After releasing all of those pent-up emotions (okay, and the orgasms), I think all I want to do is lie here and relax.

“Ruda?” A small voice calls out from somewhere else in the house—Yogik. He sounds scared.

“I better go get him before he gets upset.” Rurig extracts himself from the bed with a groan, being careful of his foot and slipping on his robe. “I’m right here, cub,” he calls down the hall as he exits.

“Are you sure you want to be a part of all this?” Orlun asks me with a laugh, though I can tell he’s half-serious.

“Yeah, I do.” I stand, offering him a hand.

After cleaning up—ourselves and the bedroom—we get dressed and find Rurig in the den playing a card game with Yogik on the couch. I’m not planning on doing anything else today, so I join them, and not long after that, it’s time to start dinner. While Rurig instructs me and Orlun on how to prepare the pheasants in the kitchen, I can’t help but think about how much I really don’t mind all of this, being here with them and their family. Maybe being a part of that family.

“So, what were you planning on doing now that you are finished with the militia?” Orlun asks, sitting at a small table in the kitchen with Yogik on his lap.

“Remember how I mentioned that I like to do things with my hands?” I look at them both for confirmation, ignoring the eyebrow wiggle Rurig gives me. “Well, I was actually looking into taking an apprenticeship at Urgnot Nursery & Carpentry.”

“Building homes and furniture? A respectable profession.” Before Orlun can say anything else, we can hear a door being closed. “Ayla and Khazak must be home.”

With Orlun carrying Yogik, I follow the two fathers to greet their two other children in the foyer. Unfortunately, both children already seem to be upset for some reason—Khazak even looks roughed up. Ayla at least smiles when she sees me, but Khazak looks shocked that I’m here and immediately turns and runs from the room, followed by a familiar sounding door slam.

“Ayla, what’s wrong with your brother?” Rurig asks, looking in the direction he ran.

The girl looks down and kicks her feet, reluctant to answer.

“Ayla.” Orlun kneels down, setting Yogik on his feet. “What happened at school today?”

“Murok Breezehollow was making fun of Ruda’s foot.” I can tell that even repeating that is making her upset again. “Khazak got into a fight with him... I almost did too.”

“That little shit...” Rurig mutters.

“Rurig,” Orlun chastises. “Thank you for telling us, Wolfheart,” he calls her by an adorable nickname I had not previously heard. “Why don’t you get cleaned up and go play some before dinner?”

“Okay, Orda,” she tells him with a hug, followed by another hug for Rurig, Yogik, and even me—and yeah, maybe that makes me feel a little happy inside.

“We probably need to speak with their teachers,” Orlun comments after picking Yogik back up. “Possibly the other child’s parents as well.”

“Oh, I got a few things I’d like to say to them,” Rurig grumbles before calming down. “So, do you want to try to talk to Khazak, or should I?”

“He has barely spoken to either of us all week,” Orlun answers with a sigh.

Spirits, I hope what I’m about to suggest does not turn out to be a terrible idea. “Do you think that maybe I could try and talk to him?”

“Do you think that would work?” Orlun asks, both fathers looking surprised.

“Maybe?” I offer, unsure. “If he’s not willing to speak to either of you, maybe he will be with an outside person.” Even if he doesn’t really like me, it’s worth a shot.

“If you are certain,” Orlun says after silently conferring with Rurig. “Let us know if you need us.”

“Will do.” I hug them both and ruffle Yogik’s hair.

I head for Khazak’s bedroom, grabbing my bag on the way. I hesitate outside his door when I hear the quiet sobbing coming from inside. Poor guy is really upset. Steeling myself, I knock softly against the wood.

“Come in,” he says after sniffling. He’s lying in his bed and looks surprised when it’s me who enters instead of his fathers. “What do you want?”

“I heard you had a rough day at school,” I tell him, taking a seat in the too-small chair at his desk.

“School was fine,” he lies, hugging his knees. “I don’t need your help.”

“I know you don’t, buddy.” I think I’m going to have to try a different tactic with him. “You must be a really strong and tough guy for your dads to leave you alone like they did.” I move the chair closer to the bed.

“I thought I was doing a good job...” He sniffles, and something tells me there’s more to that sentence than even he realizes.

“I think you did a great job,” I try to reassure him. “So did your dads. They just wanted to be extra sure that you and your sister and brother were safe.”

“But then Ruda got hurt.” Another sniffle.

“Which wasn’t your fault, Khazak.” Shit, is he blaming himself for that?

This might be more than I can help with, but I might know someone who can. I need to remember to put Orlun and Rurig in touch with High Priest Azkosot. I’m not a religious person, but he helped me and my family through some of our own issues, when my parents were fighting all the time. I wouldn’t have even half as good a relationship with my family if not for him.

I pause and look around Khazak’s room, not having been inside it before. It looks pretty normal for a kid’s bedroom: bed, desk, small hunting bows lined up on one wall. But there’s also a bookcase that’s almost filled to the brim. I stand, browsing through some of the titles, surprised to see some I would expect for someone a few years older.

“Do you like to read?” I ask, running my fingers across a row.

“Uh-huh.” He nods, wiping his face with his arm.

“I like reading too,” I tell him. “What’s your favorite book?”

“The Rangers of Red Mountain.” I smile as I remember reading the action-and-adventure filled story when I was his age.

“I like that one too.” I take a seat back in the chair. “It used to be my favorite. I read it so many times.”

“What’s your favorite book now?” he asks, and I say a silent thank you to the Three that if I couldn’t help with the deeper issue, I can at least distract him a little.

“Oh, it’s great! It’s got adventure, and treasure hunting, and pirates.” I amso glad I grabbed my bag before coming in here. “It’s called Treasure Island. Do you want to hear some of it?”

He sniffles and nods as he slides over, silently clearing a space for me on the bed. I happily take it, cracking the spine on one of my oldest and most treasured possessions. I’m always happy to go on another adventure with Long John Silver. I bet Khazak will be too.

Secrets & Spires Paperbacks + Steel & Thunder Hardcover

We have only four weeks to go until Secrets & Spires is out! Sorry for the delay, but the paperback editions are finally available for preorder! You can find them at all the usual locations using this link. Remember, you can read the first two chapters of Secrets & Spires on my website right now if you can’t wait for the 30th to get your fix.

On top of that, the Hardcover version of Steel & Thunder is finally available! In addition to the solid hardback printing and the glossy bookjack, this edition of the book also contains a full map of the city of V’rok’sh Tah’lj. You've all already seen the a full color version of this map here, and I'm just about finished with the next one for ya. More Hardcovers to come soon too!

Additionally, I’ve been working away at writing Steel & Thunder Book 4. I just reached the halfway mark, and so far the story is coming together wonderfully. I’ve also been working on a few other upcoming projects, which I am looking forward to announcing in the near future! I swear coming up with titles is the worst, but I think you guys are gonna like what you read. ;D

This Month on Patreon

• 5/9: The fourth and final chapter of “Before The Storm” - We’re in Jarek’s shoes one more time, as he tries to deal with the fallout of the last chapter. Will he be able to fix things between him, Orlun, and Rurig?
• 5/16: Traveling in Terra: In a world full of magic, there are a lot more ways for people to get around then by walking, horseback, or sailing.
• 5/23: Texas Son: I've got a boy who flies in to see me when he needs some daddy time. This is one of those times.
• 5/30: Polls to pick some of my next stories and articles!

Dom's Little Black Book - Underwear Painting

I smiled as I entered Leo’s apartment for the second time. It was only a couple of days after our last meeting, though, unfortunately, his husband would be unable to join us once again. Lucky for him, I had plans to make up for that. After a nice long hug and a butt grab, I took a seat in the same chair I sat in last time, and tossed a pillow onto the floor, between my legs.

“Kneel,” I ordered, pointing.

“Yes, daddy!” Leo chirped in response, happily dropping to his knees.

I stroked his head as we chatted and caught up, letting him rest his head against my thigh. Not long after, I began removing my clothing, once again handing each piece over to Leo, until I was down to only my jockstrap. Leo stared at me as he folded and put each piece away, already drooling at the sight.

Once he was finished and back on his knees, I grabbed him by the head and pulled towards my crotch, his mouth automatically opening to take in as much of my jock-clad cock as he could. I lazily ran my fingers through his hair as he mouthed at my cock, admiring the level of effort Leo was putting into even this simple task. What a good boy.

“I really wish Stu would have been able to make it,” I mused, referring to Leo’s absent husband. “Gonna have to do something to entice him, I think.”

Leo looked up at me with questioning eyes but said nothing, not wanting his prize to leave his mouth for even a moment.

“Don’t worry pup, I’ve got a plan,” I chuckled and reassured him with a pat. “You just focus on keeping daddy’s cock hard.” And with that I pulled my jock to the side, allowing my dick to spring out. Leo swallowed it down to the root without so much as a word, gagging but refusing to let go.

“Mmmmm, good puppy,” I encouraged.

I allowed Leo control at first, spreading my legs wide and allowing him to move his pillow closer. He placed his hands on my thighs as he began bobbing his head up and down the length of my shaft. I groaned low as I felt him take me all the way in and swallow, thrusting my hips up almost involuntarily.

I leaned back in my chair, eyes closed, focusing on the feeling of the warm mouth enveloping me. I was in no rush, it would be several hours before I needed to be anywhere. The only thing that could make this better would be a second pup working his mouth on my nuts and ass. I made a mental note to arrange that sometime soon.

Once I was thoroughly relaxed, I decided it was time to start taking control of the situation. I gripped the back of Leo’s head with both hands as he continued to swallow my cock, pulling him down with a little pressure. Each time he would take me in, I would add just a little bit more, pushing him to move faster and faster. Relaxing his neck, Leo focused on taking my dick without gagging, and handed the direction of his movements over to me.

Before long, I was rapidly fucking Leo’s face onto my cock. I haven’t moved at all from where I’m sitting, though Leo has moved even closer out of necessity. I relentlessly forced Leo’s mouth to the base of my cock before pulling it up almost to the tip, only to slam it back down immediately. His face was a blur of movement, but from what I could make out he was a spit covered mess. Sounds escaped his throat with every expulsion of my length, forming a chorus of gags, sputters, and groans that was music to my ears.

I pulled Leo off of my lap entirely and examined his face - sloppy and covered in his own spit and throat slime. His eyes were hazy and unfocused, looking only towards the towering cock that was just plundering his gullet. He weakly attempted to pull his head from my grasp, wanting my cock to resume stretching his throat.

I leaned over and kissed him roughly, all teeth and tongue. Leo melted instantly and only whimpered in response. Such a good boy for me. Once I’d had my fill, I released him and allowed him to feast on my dick some more. He moaned as I stretched his lips once again.

For my next move, I stood, Leo’s mouth and body moving with me until he was sitting up on his knees. His nose was pressed into my pubic hair, and I held him down until I felt him struggling a little before allowing him to breath. Then, I gripped him solidly by the head, held him in place, and snapped my hips forward.

Time to REALLY fuck this pup’s face.

Leo’s throat was already opened up, so I felt no resistance as I began pounding away. With both his hands gripped onto my thighs to steady himself, Leo could only focus on keeping his gag reflex suppressed as I stretched his throat to its limit. A steady rhythm of “gluk gluk gluk” filled the room as I used his mouth.

Looking down, I could only see the blur of my crotch meeting his face, over and over and over. Not even stopping so that he could catch his breath, every other minute or so Leo began involuntarily trying to expel me from his mouth. The spasms of his throat felt amazing around my dick. Spit and drool steadily poured from his mouth and onto his stomach and thighs. It took all of his strength not to fight me and let me take what I want.

It almost made me feel bad about what happened next.

As I approached my orgasm, I looked for my folded clothing. Reaching over, I removed an old pair of boxer briefs from my bag, and placed it on the ottoman next to us. With one hand still on his head, I continued to fuck his face and throat with all my might. Then once I reached my peak, I pulled out all of the way, took my spit-slick cock in hand, and aimed for the boxer briefs.

Leo shouts out a pained “No!” as I painted the boxers with my load. After being worked up for nearly an hour, I coated the underwear with six full shots of my cum. When I was finally finished, I shook off any remaining droplets from my cock head before I used a corner of the boxers to dry myself.

I turned back towards Leo, both of us catching our breaths for vastly different reasons. I sat back down and had him move between my legs, head on my lap. I stroked his hair as I spoke to him.

“I know you wanted that load, pup. But that,” I said, pointing to the defiled boxer briefs, “is a gift for Stu.”

Leo let out a whine, but I shushed him before he could say more.

“No. You’ve gotten my cock twice now, you can spare some of my cum for your husband. Now, be a good pup and clean me off,” I guided his head back towards my cock.

Suckling my head and shaft clean, we sat there a while longer before I got dressed. Before leaving, I gave Leo another kiss, and told him that I expected to hear from Stu about what he thought of the present. He had better not try eating any of my load himself. With a pout, he agreed, and I took my leave.

My boys better appreciate all the the work I put in for them.

Gods, Myths, & Religion of Terra

Terra is a world filled with people, and where there are people, there are belief systems. At least when compared to our world, religions on Terra are based a little more in fact than fiction. Alongside many verified accounts of historical events written about in each religion's scripture, some individuals are walking proof that their gods exist.

The lines between Terran myth and religion are incredibly thin. Terra has many religions that resemble some of our own, and many more that resemble some from our past. The ancient Greek, Egyptian, Norse, and other pantheons each have hundreds of thousands of devoted followers, some of whom even rely on those gods for their spellcasting abilities.

A number of artifacts from these celestials are in possession of followers, with many more having been scattered to the winds over the years. There are people who have devoted their lives to hunting some of these treasures down, some devout followers and others just looking for an item of power. There are even people who claim a lineage to certain gods, though as the years have gone on this has gotten harder and harder to prove.

While the gods may be real, the same cannot be said of all of their fables. They simply can’t be, with all their discrepancies and contradictions. It’s these disparities that lead many religions to fight. While most of the day to day population is happy to agree to disagree, some factions have waged entire holy wars over differences in opinion and perceived slights.

You would think that having the gods around would help clear up some of the confusion, direct communication with the celestial realms has been cut off for thousands of years. Instead, it is up to the head of each religion to interpret what they believe to be their gods’ will. Some view this “representation” with a fair amount of skepticism, but as there have been many instances of divine spellcasters being cut off from their spellcasting when acting against the interests of their beliefs, at the very least we know someone is watching.

Before the Storm, Chapter 3

“Why do you keep staring at the front gate?”

“Huh? Uh, no reason.” Shit, am I that obvious?

I try not to look embarrassed as I look away from the gate, not liking that I was caught by one of my fellow recruits. I think her name is Hiruk?I’m gonna have to work on that. The staring thing, not the name. I thought Rurig was supposed to be here a few hours ago, but he wasn’t in the mess hall when I checked. I don’t know why I’m feeling so anxious. I saw them both just last night. I must just...want to make sure they had a good time.

I mean, I had a great time. With dinner and the before-dinner activities. But it also felt different. Like something between us changed. Ugh, what am I talking about? It was dinner and sex. Not even in that order. It was nothing. Just—I’m distracted from my thoughts by movement at the entrance. Thank the Three, they’re here, and I can stop talking to myself.

They both seem worried when they come in through the gate. I don’t approach them to find out why because again, I’m trying not to look obvious. I don’t want the other recruits to think I’m getting special treatment or something. They’re looking around, and when Rurig’s eyes finally fall on me, he smiles—for a second, before quickly frowning, and then trying to look neutral. He nudges Orlun, who looks at me and does the same. What did I do?

They don’t keep me waiting, both making their way toward me. Knowing we won’t have a ton of privacy here, I move away from where I’m leaning against one of the outer walls of the barracks, farther away from my fellow recruits. The way they both look at each other when they reach me, as if they aren’t sure who should start, makes my heart sink.

“Jarek...” Orlun starts, saying my name with concern.

“Is everything alright?” Better start building that wall back up.“Sir?”

“Everything is fine,” Rurig quickly jumps in, his soft voice trying to reassure me.

“I apologize.” Orlun grimaces. “It has been a very long day. And night.”

“Shit, right, the kidnapping and...explosion in the forest.” I forgot that Orlun, as Ranger Captain, would have been the one to deal with all that. He must have been up all night. “Sorry, it sounded awful.”

“It was, and there is still much left to do with the investigation.” Orlun sighs unhappily.

“Rurig!” All three of us turn to our right to see Pulmin, another cook, exiting the mess hall. “Where have you been?”

“I better go take care of this,” Rurig tells us with a grimace. “Sorry, kid.”

“It’s okay,” I tell him as he walks away from us and into the mess hell.

“Actually, I think he may be apologizing for more than just that,” Orlun sounds reluctant to continue. “You may be seeing less of us around here in the near future.”

“What?” My voice goes high-pitched at the new information. “I will? Why? I thought everything was okay.” Spirits, calm down.

“Yes, everything is okay with us,” he starts to reassure me. “It is just that, after last night, we—”

A loud explosion suddenly shakes the ground beneath us, and Orlun and I both nearly lose our balance. What the hell was that? Oh spirits... It came from the mess hall. The windows have all been blown out, smoke starting to pour from the holes.

“RURIG!” Orlun shouts, already running toward the building with me and several others right behind him.

Spirits, please let him be okay.

_________________________________________________________________

The scene inside of the mess hall is horrific with bodies thrown against the walls by the force of the blast. As the room fills with smoke, we try to locate the injured and pull them outside. Orlun manages to find Rurig under a flipped over table, unconscious and with his foot a mangled, bloody mess.

By the time everyone is out of the building and the fire extinguished, we have a little more information, but no real answers. From what the still-conscious could tell us, an unknown person entered the mess hall and pulled an object from his robe, casting a spell that then caused the explosion. As he was at the center of the blast, he obviously did not survive, or else we would have already started interrogating him.

Naturally, it is assumed that this was an attack by Warhunter’s group. Given the “explosion,” people are already suspecting a connection to last night’s attack in the woods—though Orlun seemed skeptical. Rurig was taken with the rest of the injured to the healer’s while the rest of the militia got to work relocating any important supplies to one of the two ranger stations, where they will be based until the militia headquarters has been repaired. I expected to be assisting them, but Orlun told me he needed my help with something special, and then led me to his and Rurig’s house.

“You want me to what?” My eyes go wide, making sure I just heard his request correctly.

“Look after our children,” he tells me again as we stand in front of Rurig and his home.

“I didn’t even know you had kids.” I look between Orlun and the house—that apparently has children in it.

“You did not?” He looks at me, surprised.

“No! You have literally never mentioned them. Neither of you.” Although I guess I can remember hearing some talk about the Ranger Captain and children in the past...

“I did not realize,” he responds sheepishly. “I am sorry. We have three. Two sons and a daughter.”

“Oh.” I’m not really sure what to say. “I don’t know the first thing about kids. What happened to their normal babysitter?”

“They...do not have one.” What? Then who’s been watching them while their dads have been at work? He looks at me pleadingly. “Please. I would not ask if it were not important. I need to go be with Rurig at the healers and do not want to leave them alone with everything that has happened in the last twenty-four hours.”

“I... Alright, I’ll watch them.” I can’t say no. I don’t want these kids to be alone, and I don’t want Rurig to wake up at the healer’s alone either.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.” The look of relief on his face helps too. “I will introduce you before I go.”

“Probably a good idea,” I mumble to myself. What am I getting into?

“Khazak, Ayla, Yogik,” Orlun calls out after opening the front door and leading us inside.

“Orda?” A young voice calls out from the hallway.

A small green head pokes out from the side of the doorway. A little boy it looks like. After seeing his father, he rushes into the room and is quickly followed by two other children, a girl and an even younger boy who toddles as he walks. Orlun kneels down as they approach, embracing and squeezing them against his chest in a tight hug.

“We heard a loud boom,” the little girl tells him. Shit, they must have heard the explosion.

“Where is Ruda?” the boy asks, realizing Rurig is not with Orlun.

“Who is this?” the little girl asks next, noticing that I am in the room.

“This is Jarek,” Orlun tells her, releasing them so they can look at me. “He is a good friend of mine and Ruda’s. Jarek, this is Khazak, Ayla, and the little one hiding behind Ayla is Yogik.”

“Hello.” As I wave awkwardly over Orlun’s shoulder, Yogik cowers behind Ayla’s back.

“Where is Ruda?” Khazak repeats, eyeing me suspiciously.

Orlun pauses, looking at his children thoughtfully before speaking. “Ruda is with the healer. He was hurt.”

“Ruda was hurt?!” Ayla cries out. Yogik immediately starting to bawl behind her.

“Yes, but he is going to be okay,” he tries to reassure them. “I am going to go be with him now while Jarek looks after you.”

“I thought I was in charge,” Khazak looks down, sounding disappointed. He was in charge?!

“You have done a great job, little one,” Orlun tries to comfort his son. “But it will be safer with Jarek. It is just until Ruda and I get back.”

Khazak doesn’t say anything, just nods, still looking at the floor.

“Is Wuda okay?” Yogik speaks his first words through sniffles, hugging his father again.

“Yes, I promise.” I’m no parent, but I don’t think that’s the kind of promise you make. “We will both be home soon.”

“Okay.” Yogik sniffles and allows his father to stand.

“Thank you again.” Orlun turns to me with a hug. “I cannot tell you how grateful I am.”

“Just...hurry back soon, okay?” I hug him back.

“I will,” he tells him with a chuckle before kneeling down to hug his children again. “Your father and I love you all very much.”

“Love you too, Orda,” Khazak says first. “And tell Ruda I love him, too.”

“I love him too!” Yogik repeats next. “Tell him, Orda. Please.”

“Tell him I love him the most,” Ayla finishes, all three of them holding on to their father as long as they can.

“Behave and listen to Jarek,” Orlun tells them after standing. “Ruda and I will be home soon.”

With a final sad smile, he exits the home, closing the door behind him. Alone with the kids, I walk into what appears to be the den with couches and an unlit fireplace in one corner.

“Was Ruda hurt bad?” The question from Ayla catches me completely off guard.

“He...” Spirits, that didn’t take long. I should lie to them, right? “He’s going to be just fine.”

And the truth is, I do think he will be. In the immediate aftermath of the explosion, the biggest concern with him and several of the others was blood loss from their wounds. I have very, very low-level nature magic, and along with some of the others, I was able to use that to stop the worst of it. The healers should have an even easier time. But when I think about the state his mangled foot was in... Not the time to think about that.

“How did he get hurt?” Khazak’s question throws me off even more than his sister’s. “Was it the loud boom?” DO NOT ANSWER THAT!

I look at a clock on the wall, groaning mentally when I see that it is still far too early to feed and put them to bed. Probably. “What do you usually do together before dinner?” I ask, sidestepping the question entirely.

“Play games, tell stories,” Ayla starts counting on her fingers. “Take turns changing Yogik’s diaper.”

“Don’t wear diaper anymore,” Yogik tells her, his tiny eyebrows scrunching together in anger. “I like colors.”

“He means coloring. Like art,” Khazak informs me, still looking very unhappy. “We have chalk, but we’re not allowed to play with the paints without Orda or Ruda.”

“Oh, sometimes we practice our archery in the backyard!” Ayla tells me proudly.

“We’re not supposed to do that without Orda or Ruda either,” Khazak corrects her.

“You weren’t supposed to tell him!” She stomps her foot on the ground.

“How about we play a game?” Because the Three themselves could not convince me to give these tiny monsters equally tiny weapons. At least this will hopefully distract all of us from thinking about Rurig.

“Okay. I’ll pick!” Ayla rushes over to a low shelf on the opposite end of the room.

“Not gornop!” Khazak chases after her. “You always pick that one.”

“You just don’t like it because I always win,” Ayla taunts her brother.

“Only because you always cheat!” Khazak challenges, shouting in her face.

“I do not!” Ayla yells back in his.

“You hide extra tokens in your pocket and add them to your pile when you think no one is looking.” Damn, this kid is observant. “I counted last time.”

“Maybe not gornop?” I call over, trying to defuse the situation.

They seem to accept my request, with Ayla wearing a frown—which grows when Khazak sticks his tongue out at her. What did I agree to? While his older siblings fight, Yogik has been shyly watching me from behind a large throw pillow he’s holding in his lap. It’s honestly pretty adorable.

“We can play tuk-tuk!” Ayla announces, holding a small wooden box in the air.

“Fine, we can play tuk-tuk,” Khazak acquiesces with a grumble.

“Do you know how to play?” Ayla asks as she places the box on the low table between the couches before opening it.

“I do, but I’m not very good,” I lie, my gaze wandering over to Yogik, who immediately hides behind his pillow. “Do you wanna help me? Be on my team?” At his age, he probably isn’t very good at board games, if he understands them at all.

He peeks out from the side of the pillow, biting his lip before nodding. With a smile, I pat the seat on the couch next to me, watching as he slowly slides off of the other couch and climbs up next to me. While Ayla sets up the game board, Khazak takes a seat on the couch where Yogik was, still frowning and glowering at his lap. I swear, he looks like a tiny, grumpy version of Orlun.

Tuk-tuk is a very basic children’s game. After selecting a small wooden token, each player starts at a different location on the board, an equal number of spaces apart. The tokens are usually carved into the shape of an animal and painted a solid color; Ayla chooses a red cardinal, Khazak a gray wolf, and I let Yogik pick out a coiled green snake for the two of us.

At the start of their turn, the player rolls the dice and moves their piece forward, hoping not to land on any of the trap spaces along the way. Things like mud bogs, rope traps, and pitfalls will leave a piece stuck for one or more turns while everyone else continues moving. When one player’s piece overtakes another, that player is out, with the game’s ultimate goal being to overtake all of the pieces on the board and be the last one standing.

I let Yogik roll the dice for our team of two, which more often than not he does with more force than is needed, sending them flying to the floor. I help him move our little green snake around the board, counting the spaces out loud and then asking him about the space we landed on. I can’t exactly say I’m having fun, but it’s pretty cute.

The kids at least seem to be enjoying themselves, for the most part. Yogik squeals and claps excitedly each time we land on a space that isn’t a trap, and I can see Ayla’s competitiveness coming out as the game progresses. Khazak, however, has continued to scowl from his seat on the couch since we started. It almost seems like he’s angry to be playing this, and I even catch him glaring at me once or twice.

“You never told us what happened to Ruda.” I freeze at his sudden question, half bent over the board.

“I, uh...” Shit, that didn’t last long. “I’m not sure I should tell you.”

“Is it really bad?” Ayla asks, her voice filled with concern.

“Is Ruda okay?” Yogik looks at me, his eyes already starting to water.

“Nono, your Ruda is gonna be just fine. I promise,” I try to calm him down quickly. “The healer will look at his foot and—”

“What happened to his foot?” DAMMIT! Khazak’s question cuts me off before I can say more, but it’s too late—Yogik starts bawling.

“Look what you did!” Ayla chastises her brother, walking around to Yogik.

“I didn’t do anything!” Khazak argues. “Yogik never cried when I was in charge.” He stomps his way out of the den, slamming the door on what I'm guessing is his bedroom.

“It’s okay, Yogik,” Ayla helps me to calm her younger brother. “Orda and Ruda will be home soon and everything will be fine. Right?” She looks to me for confirmation.

“Right.” I nod, really hoping that I’m not lying. “...How long have you all been staying home alone at night for?”

“It feels like forever...” She worries her lip as she thinks. “It started right after Orda came home and said Mr. Warhunter did something bad.”

“Spirits...” I mutter to myself. They’ve been alone the entire rebellion? What were Orlun and Rurig thinking!

After Ayla and I manage to stop Yogik’s crying, there is little to be done about salvaging our game, especially with Khazak pouting and refusing to come out of his room. So, I decide that it’s time to make dinner, leaving Ayla and Yogik to entertain themselves for a little bit. After what Ayla told me, I think they can handle a few minutes alone in the den.

I search through the kitchen’s two ice boxes for something suitable. There’s what looks like precooked meals Rurig probably set aside for the children, cubed meat that looks like it’s been seared in a pan, but I still have to find something for myself, and end up settling on a simple sandwich made with some sliced pork.

I spend far too long looking for matches to light the oven with before remembering I can just use magic. I can get a little forgetful in high-stress situations, and I think this definitely qualifies. It’s not every day you’re only meters away from an explosion that kills and maims several of your friends and comrades and are then asked to look after the three children of your sorta-lovers, one of who was hurt in the aforementioned explosion.

“What are you doing here?” I ask myself out loud. I can’t help but bark a laugh in response. If I stop and start to think about it, it feels like I’m losing my mind. Not that I’m not going anywhere; I’m not cruel. They’re children and they clearly need someone to look after them.

I can’t believe I didn’t remember they were parents. I mean, they obviously don’t talk about their children much, but Orlun’s the fucking Captain of the Rangers. It’s public knowledge. I wonder if that was intentional. Did they think it would scare me off? I mean, it might have—I’m not exactly loving the situation they’ve left me in.

I have no idea what kind of parents they are. Only that they seem to be perfectly fine leaving their three young children home alone—during a war, even if no one is calling it that yet. Fuck, didn’t I hear they found a kid last night, too? Seriously, what were they thinking?

“Who the hell leaves an eight-year-old to look after another eight-year-old!” I say out loud in frustration, running my hand through my hair.

I hear a sudden noise on my right and turn my head, just barely catching the sight of Khazak’s head leaning in the doorway. He has a hurt look on his face, but before I can say anything, he turns and runs away. I hear the slam of a door as he holes up in his bedroom once more. Great job, Jarek.

I manage to finish heating the kids’ dinner without any other issues, but eating together is still plenty awkward. Yogik doesn’t seem to notice as he happily and messily chews and swallows, but the other two are quiet. Khazak is still wearing his scowl as he silently pushes the food around his plate.

“May I be excused?” he asks after barely eating anything.

“Sure,” I answer, not knowing what else to do.

Not long after, Ayla and Yogik both finish, and I handle the clean-up while they go back to entertaining themselves because I’m pretty sure that’s what babysitters are supposed to do. Afterward I look at the clock, and it seems late enough for bedtime, at least for the three-year-old.

“Will you read me a story?” he asks, right back to the timid little boy I saw hiding behind his sister.

“Sure.” I’ve never tucked someone in before, but it turns out I don’t mind it so much. Especially not when he asks for a bedtime story. I love reading.

He picks out a book from the tiny bookshelf in his room, The Hunter and the Fox, a classic children’s tale. As I read aloud about the cunning fox sending the hunter on a wild chase through the forest, Yogik begins to slowly nod off, sound asleep before I’m even halfway through the story. Sliding the book back onto the shelf, I exit the room, closing the door quietly behind me.

Ayla and Khazak follow not long after that, Ayla insisting she does not need to be tucked in, and Khazak not saying anything at all. Which leaves me in the den for the rest of the night, alone with my thoughts. I spend the first half of the night doing very little sitting as I pace around the room, going between worry about Rurig’s condition to annoyance with him and Orlun for putting me in this position. That goes on for a few hours until finally at some point, I pass out on one of the couches.

The next morning, there’s still no word from Orlun or anyone else for that matter. I’m not really sure what to do. It’s technically a school day, but I doubt Orlun would want me sending them if they’re even open after everything that’s happened the last two days. I certainly don’t think I’d send my kids out after the militia base was attacked.

That leaves me to figure out breakfast, and then lunch, all while trying to keep the kids entertained or at least from biting mine and each other’s heads off. It doesn’t take long for the worried questions about their fathers’ whereabouts to start up again either, and I feel as though I might go insane with stress when there is finally a single knock at the front door.

“Orda!” All three children cry in unison when the man enters the den. Thank the Three.

“Hello little ones.” He kneels down to embrace his children. “I missed you. How are you?”

“We’re okay, Orda,” Ayla answers for her siblings. “Where is Ruda? Is he okay?”

“He is fine. Just still resting with the healer,” he tells them as he straightens his posture. “We are hoping he will be well enough to bring home in the morning.”

“I miss Wuda,” Yogik tells his father, pouting.

“I know, Yogik.” He pulls his son in reassuringly. “He misses you too.”

“Are you staying, Orda?” Khazak asks his father as he stands up.

“Yes, at least for a little while until I need to go see your father again,” he answers with a smile. “Now go and play. I need to talk to Jarek for a bit.”

The kids nod reluctantly as Orlun pulls me into the kitchen so we can speak with some privacy.

“Thank you again for doing this.” He hugs me, and I find it a little difficult to hug him back right now.

“Is Rurig really going to be okay?” I’m really hoping he wasn’t just bullshitting his kids in there.

“Yes, though...” He grimaces before continuing. “They had to amputate his foot.”

“What?” Oh no.

“There is a healer in Pákannon that is supposedly skilled enough to regrow lost limbs, and the militia offered to pay for his services, but Rurig insisted that the money and the healer would be better spent taking care of the rest of the injured or any future victims.” He huffs an annoyed laugh. “Damn prideful fool. They are fitting him with a prosthetic tomorrow.”

“Fuck.” It feels like the wind has been taken out of my sails. “Is he okay? Mentally, I mean?”

“Yes, at least he claims.” Orlun nods sadly. “He says that he is fine, but I know he is more upset than he is letting on.”

“That sounds like him.” I can’t help but smile at that. At least for a second. “I’m glad he’s alright but...”

“What?” Orlun watches me, concerned.

“What exactly has been going on around here?” Time to get that wind going again. “You have three kids? And you’ve been leaving them alone while the city turns into a warzone?”

“Excuse me?” He’s taken aback by my change in tone. “I understand that you are upset over only just learning about them, but that is not—”

“No, I’m not upset about that,” I quickly correct him. “I mean, it is weird that neither of you ever brought them up even once, but I’m talking about the fact that you left three kids whose combined ages are far less than mine home alone to take care of themselves. What were either of you thinking?”

“I’m sorry. I did not realize you were a father.” He sneers at me. “Who exactly are you to tell either of us how to raise our children?”

“The guy you left them with at a moment’s notice!” I fire back. “A complete stranger to them, I might add!”

“You do not know the first thing about my children!” he shouts in response.

“That’s my point!” Aaaaaand now we’re both yelling.

“My children are just fine!” He looks and sounds pissed off now. “They are more than capable of handling themselves.”

“Yeah, they seem really fine.” I roll my eyes. “Your youngest son is completely terrified while the oldest is stuck acting like an angry brat!”

Of course, right then is when we both hear a noise, and we turn and see that Khazak is once more eavesdropping on whatever is going on in the kitchen. Not that I blame him since we are basically yelling. But still, I feel even shittier when he runs off a second time after hearing me talk about him like that. That kid definitely hates me now.

“You have no right to tell me how to parent my children.” Orlun pokes me in the chest to regain my attention.

“You know what? You’re right. I don’t.” I bat his hand away, turning and walking toward the door.

“Jarek, wait—” he calls out.

“Have a great fucking life, Orlun.” As I slam the door behind me, I lie to myself, thinking that I’m more than happy to no longer be part of it.

My Three Orc Dads Audiobook Out Now

Hello everyone! I hope the spring has been treating you well. First up: the My Three Orc Dads audiobook is now available! Everywhere except Audible, that is, as they are taking their sweet time as usual. You can order from the list of online booksellers here, which I will add Audible to as soon as it goes live there.

It should go without saying that Secrets & Spires is still up for preorder. The book’s final word count clocks in at a respectable 118000, and is packed with all the humor, adventure, and steamy, kinky romance that you’ve come to love from the series. The manuscript has been sent off to the typesetter, so paperbacks should be listed soon!

Finally, while it just passed, April 1st was a very special day: The anniversary of Steel & Thunder being published! My very first book. It feels like it’s been so much longer than a year. To see how far it’s come since then - the reviews, the awards, still topping the sales charts - it’s just wild. I couldn’t have done this without all of your support, and there is still so much more to come!

See you in May!

This Month on Patreon

Here’s what is coming your way in April:

• 4/11: Chapter Three of “Before The Storm” - It’s Jarek’s turn in the driver’s seat, and with everything Orlun and Rurig have been dealing with, is he in for quite the ride.
• 4/18: Gods, Myths, & Religion: Information on how these topics are viewed in Terra, a world filled with magic
• 4/25: Underwear Painting: A sequel to my "New Pup" story, in which I pay Leo another visit and we make a fun "present" for his husband.

Dom's Little Black Book: Daddy D, Part 3

It was winter, Christmastime was here, and I was looking forward to unwrapping a daddy shaped present. It had been a couple of weeks since our park date, and I was very eager to see Daddy D again. It took a little while to get our schedules to match up, but finally we managed to find a good time for the both of us. His place would be empty, and I would be able to spend the night.

Spending the night was important, because the plans we had made would require some recovery time afterward. Daddy D had gotten his hands on some MDMA, also known as molly or ecstasy, and we were going to spend the night fucking our brains out. I had done molly a handful of times before, though always in a more casual setting, and never sexual.

After hearing some of the things people had told me about having sex while rolling I was pretty excited to try it myself. MDMA is probably the “hardest” drug I'd ever be willing to do, and even then, it would have to be very sparingly and under certain circumstances. This just happened to be one of those circumstances.

Once the day arrived, I packed an overnight bag and headed over to his place. After parking, Daddy led me inside and straight into his bedroom. I set my bag down and got comfortable, taking off my shirt. Daddy came over and began to kiss me, taking off his own before sitting on the bed.

“You ready for a fun night, cubby?” He asked as he reached over to his nightstand.

Pulling out a small baggy of pills, he took two out and gave me one, swallowing the other himself.

Here goes nothing.

It took a while to kick in, so we started out nice and slow, kissing as we lay on the bed together. After stripping down to me down to my underwear, Daddy saw that I was wearing the same skimpy red jock I did the first night we got together. He smiled and grabbed at my ass before pulling me in for more kissing. I stroked his arm and chest as we made out, groping at his cock through his boxers, but otherwise allowed him to take the lead.

Maybe twenty minutes and was starting to feel a little warm, but the molly still hadn’t quite kicked in yet. Daddy moved onto his back, and I climbed over him, kissing my way down his body. I started with his ears and neck, then moved to his chest and stomach, before finally reaching his crotch. I nuzzled and mouthed at his hard cock through his boxers as he stroked a hand through my hair.

After getting his boxers nice and wet, Daddy freed his cock for me. Stroking it once with my hand, I lowered my mouth over the head and took it in about halfway. Just as thick as I remember. I pulled back and swallowed a little more on my next attempt, and kept at it until I managed to set a steady pace working about 6 inches of his cock in and out of my mouth. Every few strokes, I would force my head all the way down, forcing his cock into my throat. I’d try and hold for as long as I could, before my gag reflex kicked in and I’d start sputtering and coughing.

Daddy pulled me off his cock and back up the bed, having had enough of the blowjob and wanting more makeouts. After we swapped some more spit, he pushed me onto my back, hovering over me hungrily. Taking a queue from me, he kissed his way down my body until he reached my cock. He wasted no time, pulling the pouch to the side and sucking my cock down in a flash.

I could feel the drugs starting to work their way through my system. I was warm and starting to sweat as Daddy slowly sucked on my cock. I stroked his scalp, encouraging but not pushing him. Everything was starting to feel really good. I absentmindedly rubbed my arms up and down the bed, loving the way the cool sheets felt against my skin.

“You starting to feel it cubby?” Daddy inquired while slowly stroking my cock. I must have been doing that for longer than I realized.

“Yeah Daddy, I think it’s kicking in,” I responded hazily.

With a final peck to my cock, he climbed up my body and laid on top of me. We again started kissing again, this time grinding our whole bodies against each other. I scratched my arms gently down his back as Daddy kissed and licked my neck. Then, he was suddenly biting me. I gasped aloud, grabbing on tightly to his back. Daddy licked and sucked at the flesh in his mouth, intent on marking me as his property for the night. He continued his oral ministrations on the rest of my neck, and when I looked into a mirror I saw five deep purple hickeys left in his wake. A few were high up enough that I would have to wear a turtleneck if I wanted to hide them.

I didn’t want to hide them.

After a few minutes of that, I could tell that things are in full swing and I was rolling my balls off. After a few more minutes, Daddy got up and off the bed and walked over to his closet, pulling out a duffle bag. Placing it at the foot of the bed, he opened it and removed a few items. Turning to me, I saw that in his hands he held a leather collar and leash. Daddy wanted a more tangible collar than the ring of hickeys he left me. Fuck yeah. He resumed his position on the bed after putting the bag back on the floor, laying over me.

“Do you want to be mine, cubby?” Daddy asked, voice low and gravely.

We had talked about this before. That at some point, when he thought I was ready, he would ask me if I wanted to be his boy. And when I was ready to say yes, he was going to fuck me.

I didn’t even hesitate.

“Yes, Daddy. I want to be your boy. Your cub. Please,” I answered, my voice cracking just a little.

With a smile, Daddy fastened the collar around my neck, and followed that with a pair of leather cuffs on my wrists. Then, grabbing me by the leash, he pulled me towards him and kissed me, hard. We sloppily made out for a while, our bodies soaking the sheets with our sweat. The low bass of the trance music Daddy had put on in the background pumped through the room. Everything was so warm, every scrape of skin against skin felt electric. It was amazing.

Still pulling me by the collar, Daddy changed positions, flipping onto his stomach on the center of the bed.

“Rim me, boy. Eat that ass,” he commanded, with a tug of the leash.

“Yes, SIR!” I answered, getting to work tongue-fucking Daddy in an instant.

I spread his cheeks and eagerly licked and prodded his hole with my tongue. All the while Daddy kept a tight hold on the leash. I could hear him encouraging me, telling me to give him more, go deeper. I lost track of time as I ate him out, enjoying the sensations even on my end. The room - and his ass - were sweaty and musky. I know it’s a little “masc4masc,” but it smelled manly as fuck and I loved it. Even the feel of his hole on my tongue, or squeezing his ass with my hands felt great.

“Up, boy,” Daddy gave his next order, punctuating with a tug on the leash. “I want you to get that cock in my ass and fuck me.

“Yes sir, Daddy,” I was reaching for the lube before he finished his sentence.

I applied a generous amount of lube to his ass and my cock, all the while still on leash. Daddy was in position on all fours, so I moved behind him, aimed my cock at his hole, and pushed in. I could hear him take a big hit of poppers as I did, and felt his hole relax around me. It wasn’t long before my pubes were scraping against his ass, and I gripped him tightly by the hips and groaned.

Another tug on the leash brought me out of my daze. “Fuck me, boy!” Daddy barked.

I started fucking his ass immediately. Oh my god, it felt so good. I held on tight to his hips as I pumped, my own moans matching his. I looked down, mesmerized by the sight of his ass swallowing and releasing my cock. I squeezed his ass around my shaft, loving the increase in pressure. I looked back up to see Daddy had his phone out, filming us for future enjoyment.

Knowing I was on camera, even for just a little, I did my best to play the part: obedient stud boy, servicing his Daddy’s ass with his big cock. The collar and cuffs certainly added to the image.

Releasing the leash, Daddy ordered me to go faster, harder, and I obeyed. I’m not sure how long I pounded his ass - time flies when you’re having fun and rolling your balls off. But I knew I wasn’t going to cum like this - not yet at least. Once he’d had enough, Daddy had me slow down and pull out. Rolling over, he pulled me down onto the bed next to him. Time for a little break. He pulled me close and kissed me as we caught our breaths and cuddled.

“Good boy, cubby,” Daddy praised, moving one hand down to play with my ass. “Your turn is next.”

For the first time in my life, I could not wait to get fucked.

Deep Dive: Divine Magic

Divine magic can often seem like it is based in opposites. It is capable of healing or harming the body, blessings or curses, and communicating with or banishing the dead. Some people extend this to things like good and evil, or light and dark, but that is an oversimplification of those concepts. Most spellcasters think of magic as “living” in the abstract sense, but there is truth to that statement for divine casters, when you consider the source of their abilities.

Divine spellcasters are created when a magic user forms a special connection with a powerful, otherworldly being. This is typically a god or deity of some kind, but can actually be any powerful enough extra-dimensional being, such as demons or elementals. Residing on their own dimensional planes (which are connected to the astral plane, same as ours), these beings are the masters of their domains, with their powers at their fullest. By forming a link with someone on the material plane, they grant that person a fraction of their powers and abilities.

Like most magic, divine magic can manifest at a very young age. A child might be overheard conversing with an “imaginary friend” of sorts - only for their parents to discover the truth once their child casts their first spell. This “friend” is often a being the person already has a tangential connection with, such as with a deity their family worships, but can also happen seemingly at random. Curiously, the ability to communicate directly with their magic-granting patron appears to be limited to childhood and dissipates as the person gets older.

Magical energy, specifically divine magical energy, can be either positive or negative. Divine energy that is positive heals and blesses, while the negative harms and curses. This does not inherently mean “good” or “evil,” but is more akin to an electrical charge. However, because of the abilities tied to each alignment, good and evil casters still often lean in the direction you would expect them to. Still, not all necromancers are evil, just as not all clerics are good.

Much of divine spellcasting is focused around the concepts of life and death. The body reacts to negative and positively aligned magic differently, with positive energy supporting the body’s ability to heal, and negative energy hindering it. That said, this is often limited to enhancing what the body is able to do on its own; a cleric reverse aging no more than a necromancer could create a disease from nothing. However, there are records of truly powerful spellcasters capable of things like regrowing limbs and even resurrection.

Divine spellcasters use their magic by channeling the powers of their patron. The domains and abilities of these patrons all differ, which in turn grants those abilities to the spellcasters. For example, a follower of a god of fire would have the ability to cast fire spells, and a follower of slumber demon would be able to cast spells related to sleep and dreaming.

As mentioned, the most common spells available to divine casters are those related to healing or harming the body. Blessing or cursing (charging an area or object with positive or negative magical energy) is also very common. As spells become more complex and powerful, spellcasters will often ask their patrons for assistance in casting, often in the form of prayer. This can lead to literal miracles being performed, though this is less common these days, as the divide between our plane and others seems wider.

Unlike other types of spellcasters, divine casters can be split into two categories into mages and warriors. All of them effectively function as an avatar of their patron deity/being, but the way they each use their magic differs. Clerics and Necromancers are the mages, using magic and casting spells in a manner more akin to traditional spellcasters. Paladins and Blackguards make up the latter category, being physical fighters who use their magic to enhance their abilities.

A Cleric, sometimes also known as a Priest, is perhaps the most well known type of divine spellcaster. Traditionally thought of healers and holy people, they would be taken in and trained at a young age by a church. In more secular families and communities, these individuals are often encouraged to seek out medical training in addition to the magical, going on to become doctors and physicians, using their magic to help treat their patients. Positively-aligned magic is also a strong deterrent against the undead, making clerics excellent at performing exorcisms and other “ghost busting” duties.

Also on the positive end of the spectrum are Paladins, also called Holy Knights. Sometimes described as a cross between a cleric and a warrior, they are thought of as chivalrous and holy warriors. Paladins are trained fighters, relying more on their strength and blade than pure magical prowess. Still possessing some level of healing ability, they more often use their magic to enhance their strength or bless their weapons, and are even capable of magically inspiring confidence in their compatriots.

On the negatively-aligned side of things are Necromancers, also as Heretics. Whereas clerics use positive energy to heal the body, the negatively-aligned energy that a necromancer uses causes it to decay. Their abilities in regards to the undead are also reversed, meaning it is much easier for them to communicate with and even control the undead. However, because of all of these things, necromancers are often thought of as unclean, evil, or even insane.

Blackguards, also known as Death Knights, are the final type of divine caster. Similar to how necromancers are the opposite of clerics, the same can be said of blackguards and paladins. They are even sometimes even referred to as anti-paladins. Where paladins inspire confidence in their allies, blackguards use magic to instill fear in the enemies. The spells they cast can charge their weapons and even bodies with negative energy, cursing and sapping their opponents strengths in battle.

Before the Storm, Chapter 2

“Are you sure my hair looks alright?”

“I told you twice—you look fine,” I tell Orlun again with a sigh. “Come on. We’re going to be late.”

It is dark as we rush through the city’s streets, the sun having set hours ago. After finishing our respective shifts at militia headquarters, we left for our destination as fast as we could. We would not need to be rushing, had my dear husband not insisted on an extensive pre-shower grooming session, complete with trimming both of our facial hair.

He would never admit it, but he’s nervous. I do not blame him because for some reason, I am too. It’s silly because all we are doing is going to see Jarek at his home where we are most likely going to have sex—which we’ve already been doing for the past week. Sure, he is preparing a meal for us, but when you think about it, I have already done that for him dozens of times by now.

I actually offered to prepare the food myself, but Jarek insisted—another thing that is not helping this feel any less like a date. Which I suppose it might be? To be honest, it is hard to tell. We’ve been married for almost a decade, and it’s been a while since either of us has done anything even resembling a date. What? Between the two of us, we have three kids and four jobs!

Meeting Jarek has been an unexpected and very pleasant surprise. Orlun and I had both taken notice of the quiet and thoughtful young man early on, but we never expected him to be attracted to two old hairy beasts like us. But he certainly has been; there has not been a single night since meeting him that we haven’t spent some part of with him.

That is part of why I am so confident when I say we will be having sex tonight. One of the main reasons we are going to his home is because it is an actual house with a bed. As much fun as we have had, there are only so many times you can have sex in a cramped office before it loses its thrill. There was also one time in the showers, but after almost being walked in on by one of Orlun’s rangers, we decided it would be best not to risk it.

Heh, it was very much worth the risk at the time, though.

“Are you sure I look alright?” Orlun asks me nervously as we approach the address Jarek gave us.

“Calm down, Papa,” I tell him while scratching my fingers up and down his back. “We’re only here for some food and some fun.”

“I know.” He sighs, still nervous.

We’re in the southeastern part of the city, not that far from a tavern we used to visit. The house is small, like most of the houses around here are. It is a single story with two windows greeting us on either side of the door. It actually reminds me a lot of the first home I shared with Orlun. Stepping forward, I knock on the door twice and stand next to my husband, pretending not to be just as anxious as he is while we wait for Jarek.

“Great! You made it,” he answers cheerily before opening the door wider. “Please, come in.”

“Sorry we took so long,” Orlun apologizes as we enter, and I hold back from making a joke about it being his fault.

“Thank you for having us over.” I give Jarek a small kiss as I pass him.

The home is as small on the inside as it is on the outside. Nothing extravagant but just what I would expect for someone his age. We are standing next to a couch in the simple-looking living room. There’s a small kitchen attached to the back of the room, and we can smell Jarek is already cooking.

“I know it’s not much,” Jarek says somewhat bashfully after closing the door behind us.

“You have a perfectly lovely home,” Orlun insists.

“I’m not sure I would go that far,” Jarek responds with a chuckle. “I share it with one of my brothers. We’re just living together to save money.”

“It can be nice to have family around.” I look around the room, trying to see if I can tell which objects belong to which brother. “And tonight he is...?”

“On duty,” Jarek answers with a grin. “Whereas I am not.”

“Wonderful.” I give him an equally devilish grin.

“Speaking of wonderful, whatever it is you are cooking smells amazing.” Orlun sniffs the air. Food is one of the easier ways to my husband’s heart. I am 90% sure it was my cooking that got him to propose.

“Just a venison roast. Nothing fancy,” Jarek downplays. “It still has a while to go, so I thought maybe we could do some things to work up an appetite while we wait.”

“I like the way you think.” I saunter over to the young chef, pulling him toward me by the hip and capturing his mouth in a kiss.

Jarek hums happily against my lips, opening automatically when my tongue swipes over them, seeking entrance. As I deepen our kiss, I feel Orlun’s presence as he moves to stand at our side, his hand touching the small of my back as he watches us. When Jarek and I finally separate, Orlun quickly moves in for his own kiss. Then he repeats the same on me, his hand moving down to squeeze my ass with a growl.

The three of us stand there in the living room, swapping kisses and getting increasingly handsy with each other. Three-way kissing is something I have witnessed once between two elves and a human, but sadly tusks don’t really allow for it.

“How about we take this into the bedroom?” Jarek asks breathlessly after Orlun has finished kissing him senseless.

“Hear that, Orlun? We’ve been good enough to earn a bed this time,” I tease with a cheeky grin.

Jarek rolls his eyes at me as he turns and leads us from the room down a short hallway. We pass a door on our right that opens to the bathroom as Jarek enters the room at the end of the hall. There’s a room on our left that I can’t help but peek into as we follow him, seeing a fairly plain-looking bedroom, at least when compared to Jarek’s.

The first thing I notice about his bedroom is the bookcases, all six of them. Each one is filled to the brim with books of different sizes and colors, some sticking out more than others. There is a set of drawers against one wall and a desk against another with more books stacked in one of its corners, along with writing utensils in a small clay cup. Then there is the bed, which is large enough for two to sleep, but should also be large enough for three to fuck. Heh.

“Well, this is it,” Jarek announces as we both take in the room. “Like I said, nothing special.”

“It is lovely,” Orlun insists, stroking a hand down the young man’s back.

“Yep, lovely. Now take off your pants.” I smirk as I get right to the point.

“You first,” he responds with a smirk of his own.

“Happy to.” I am already undoing my belt even as my husband groans at my crassness.

“C’mon, you too.” Jarek presses Orlun, his hands moving toward his pants to start the process himself.

“If you insist,” my husband says with a fake huff, kissing Jarek again as he allows the man to unbutton his fly.

Once we are both pantsless, we take a look at each other, unable to hold back a laugh at how ridiculous we look still wearing our shirts. We quickly tear those off as Jarek strips off his own clothes to join us in our nudity. While he works, Orlun takes the opportunity to kiss me again, scratching down my back with the blunt of his nails before squeezing my ass with both hands, just the way I like.

“I will never get tired of seeing that,” Jarek says as we break apart. “Sit on the bed, please.”

He pushes both of us back, hands grabbing at both of our growing erections as we sit on the edge. He kneels down, stroking us both to full hardness as he looks back and forth between our cocks. Orlun and I share a knowing look before wrapping one arm each around the other’s backs, squeezing together.

Just so he doesn’t get any ideas about the pecking order here, I tug Jarek’s head toward my cock before he has a chance to suck down Orlun first. What? I was the first person with his pants off. It's not like he fights me even a little bit, happily wrapping his lips around my rock-hard prick.

I sigh happily as I feel the warm mouth enveloping me, closing my eyes as I lean my head to the right against my husband’s shoulder. I stroke my hand loosely through Jarek’s hair as he begins to slowly bob up and down on my length. I feel one of his hands wrap around my heavy sack and manage to fight off the urge to hump into his mouth—for now.

I open my eyes when I feel him pull off, watching him shuffle over to Orlun, who up until now he has been stroking with his free hand. Jarek starts to stroke me now as Orlun takes his turn occupying his mouth with a growl. Looking down, I watch as my foreskin is pulled back on each downstroke. My arm still around his back, I turn to face my husband who is already turning himself, our mouths meeting in the middle for a hungry kiss.

As we probe each other’s mouths, Jarek moves back and forth between our cocks, keeping his hands wrapped around whichever is left swinging in the open air. I no longer fight the urge to hump into his mouth, hearing the occasional gag when I push a little too deep. I relish the feeling of his throat squeezing my prick, and Jarek is no less eager for more.

Though it may be hard to believe, I do eventually have enough of this. Not Jarek—I just mean I’m ready to move onto other things. After another minute or so of sucking my cock, I push him off gently, standing and pulling him to stand. After kissing him quickly and tasting Orlun and myself on his tongue, I swap our positions and push him onto the bed, his cock standing straight up as he sits down. My turn.

As my husband can attest, I love sucking dick. I also happen to be damn good at it. Kneeling between Jarek’s legs, I place both hands on his thighs, leaning forward and capturing his erection with my mouth. I easily swallow him down to the hilt, my nose pressing against the dark forest of curly hair at its base. Jarek groans in surprise, grasping blindly at my head while I squeeze his thighs with both hands.

I pull back and swirl my tongue around his head, capturing the taste of his pre-cum before taking him into my throat once more. I love feeling the weight of him in my mouth and the scent of his musk I inhale when I’m at his base. While I give Jarek one of the best blowjobs of his life, to my left, I see my husband’s legs moving as he turns onto his side toward us. The muffled noises I hear moments later tells me Orlun is kissing Jarek again, helping me to attack our boy with pleasure at both ends.

Once I’ve had enough of his cock (for now), I decide it’s time to move on to greener pastures—specifically the green pasture of Jarek’s ass. While they hang over the edge of the bed, I grab both of his legs behind the knees and lift. There’s a muffled noise of confusion, but Orlun realizes what I am trying to do and assists me by grabbing one of his legs and holding it back. Still holding his other leg, I watch his tight, furry hole twitch in the air before finally diving in.

Jarek’s whole body shudders when he feels my tongue swiping over his hole. I start slowly, making small circles around his rim with the tip of my tongue. As I add more and more pressure, I can feel the ring of muscle opening up, beckoning me farther inside until I’m spearing him with my tongue as the flat of my tusks press against his skin.

Jarek moans as I fuck him with my tongue, doing his best to push against me while lying on his back. My cock hangs heavy between my legs, and I reach my free hand down to give myself a squeeze as I hungrily devour his hole, the wet, smacking sound of my lips on his skin echoing through the room. I close my eyes as I continue to eat him, losing myself in the heat of the moment. I only realize Orlun has stepped off the bed when I feel him tapping my shoulder.

“I think I would like a turn at that, dear.” He looks down at me in amusement.

“He is all yours,” I answer with a grin, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand and standing, letting Jarek’s feet fall to the floor.

Orlun captures my mouth in a kiss, no doubt tasting Jarek on my tongue. Then he kneels down in my former position, lifting Jarek’s legs again before eating his hole with just as much enthusiasm as I had. I watch transfixed, stroking my cock as Jarek writhes on the bed under my husband’s ministrations. Then I start to get ideas for what comes next.

“Jarek, where do you keep the—”

“Oil is in the top drawer.” He points at the dresser. “I already used the charm.” Someone is eager.

I turn and retrieve the oil, noting the location of Jarek’s cleansing charm in the drawer before I close it. I pop the cork on the bottle and pour some out into my hand and stroking it over my dick as I return to the show my husband is putting on. I don’t get to see him doing this very often, given that I am usually the one on the receiving end of it.

When Orlun has finally had his fill and stands, I hand him the bottle with a smirk, knowing he’d like to go first. While he slicks himself up, I take the opportunity to do the same to Jarek. With his legs still in the air, I rub my slick fingers over his hole before slowly pushing one inside. He groans at the stretch, his toes curling slightly as I pump it in and out a few times before adding a second.

Satisfied that he is prepared enough (probably even more than he has been during any of our quick trysts at headquarters), I step aside for my husband to move into position. Sitting on the bed, I run my dry hand over Jarek’s chest while I watch Orlun take aim at his hole. As he pushes in on his target, Jarek gives a gasp of surprise when Orlun finally pops in, his body going tense for a moment.

Pushing his legs back with both hands, Orlun sinks the rest of the way inside Jarek. He groans happily, pausing to give the younger man time to adjust to the intrusion. Jarek looks up at Orlun in slight awe, my husband pressing a gentle kiss to the inside of his ankle. After letting the two of them make eyes at each other for a bit, I lean in, turning Jarek’s face towards me and once again kissing him senseless.

Orlun begins to slowly pump his hips, causing Jarek to bounce each time they meet. As he picks up the pace, the sound of their skin slapping together fills the room. While I kiss him, I see one of Jarek’s hands moving down to grab his cock, which is a deep, dark green as it lies hard and leaking against his stomach. He might like getting his ass filled almost as much as I do.

Soon enough, it’s my turn, Orlun sliding his hands up my thigh to get my attention. Breaking away from his face, I move between Jarek’s legs, my cock still slick with oil. I look at my husband’s handiwork, the wet, open hole clenching around the open air, eager to be stretched again. Pressing the head of my cock against his opening, I rock my hips forward and do just that.

Spirits, that is nice. All warm and wet with just the right amount of tightness. I love getting inside of a hole after Orlun’s gotten them good and opened up. I am not quite as large as he is, so I watch with a grin as my cock easily slides in all the way to the base. I lean my weight against the backs of his thighs, pressing as deep as I can go and pulling a groan from Jarek’s lips.

While I start to drive my cock in and out of the tight ring of muscle, Orlun takes up my previous position on the bed and keeps Jarek’s upper half occupied. We continue like that for a few minutes until we switch again, and then again. By the time we swap a third time, Jarek is a needy mess, his hand no longer touching himself to keep from cumming before he is ready.

Ready for a change myself, I stand from the bed and return to the dresser. I retrieve Jarek’s cleansing charm, pressing it to my belly and allowing the magic to do its work. Then, while Orlun and Jarek watch me, I grab the bottle of oil, this time reaching behind myself to apply it liberally to my hole. Then without a word I climb onto the bed next to Jarek, presenting my ass to the air.

“Trying to tell me something?” Orlun asks with a smirk, still lazily pumping into Jarek.

“It just looked like so much fun.” I give my ass a shake.

Orlun chuckles as he pulls out of Jarek, the smaller man taking the opportunity to stretch his legs. Stepping behind me, my husband teases my ass with his prick, running it up and down my slick crack. Each time he passes over my hole, I push back, trying to capture him with my ass. Finally, he takes pity on me and pushes inside.

If the way to my husband’s heart is through his stomach, then mine is through my ass, and seeing as Orlun prefers to be on the opposite side of things, we are very well matched. I moan happily to myself as he fills me, letting my chest fall to the mattress once I feel the familiar scratch of his hair against my rear. He knows exactly what I like and how to do it.

Orlun immediately starts to fuck me, giving me no time to adjust like he did with Jarek. That is alright because I do not need time to adjust—I am more than used to taking my husband’s cock. Hell, I could probably take him with nothing but spit, but as it is, he’s nice and slick, driving in and out of my hole and rubbing right over that one spot inside that drives me crazy. I reach underneath myself to grab my cock, stroking myself slowly.

Orlun keeps fucking me until suddenly he’s not, and when I look back to complain, I see Jarek stepping up. That shuts me up, turning back around and presenting my ass once more. After taking me in both hands and squeezing, he spreads me wide, cock aimed straight for my entrance. He’s smaller than Orlun, and his technique is a little faster, but that doesn’t mean it feels any less good.

I lose track of time as the two of them take turns on me, not even bothering to look and see who is currently inside of me—I can tell from the way they feel. This is much longer than any session we’ve been able to have before, and I intend to milk it for everything it’s worth. Just like the two of them are doing to my prostate.

“Hold on,” Orlun says, pausing before slipping out of me. “Rurig, move farther up the bed. I want to try something.”

I’m always game for trying something new, so I do as requested, crawling up the bed toward the headboard. Next, Orlun has Jarek climb up behind me, where he sinks right back into my hole without even needing to be told. Good boy. I feel the weight on the bed shift again, but I don’t realize what Orlun is doing until I hear Jarek gasp, right before he is pushed even deeper into my ass.

“Spirits,” I hear Jarek gasp above me, his cock never once flagging. “So good...”

“Aww, are we finally too much for ya, boy?” I taunt Jarek by squeezing his cock with my hole.

“Just... Don’t want to cum yet...” I can hear the struggle in his voice as the pleasure continues to build.

“Then you had better hold on,” Orlun warns from his spot in the back, right before snapping his hips, fucking Jarek into me.

As Orlun starts to fuck faster and faster, I realize quickly that Jarek is not going to last very long. I reach for my cock, stroking myself with a firm hand and working myself toward the same edge he is riding. Each time Orlun pumps forward, Jarek bottoms out inside of me, the added stretch making me moan. He’s not able to move much, only the little bit of space he has between Orlun and me, but it’s more than enough for me.

“Gonna...cum...” he announces, pushing Orlun to fuck him even faster as he spills over.

I feel the heat of his cum spreading inside of me as he starts to unload. Each time Orlun snaps his hips, I feel another spurt of warmth. As Jarek shudders and twitches above me, I find my own orgasm, moaning as I shoot onto the mattress, my hand still moving rapidly over my cock. Orlun is right behind us, growling as he breeds Jarek deeply with enough force to shake the bed.

As we all come down from our orgasms, Jarek bends over to lay on my back, not quite collapsing. The air in the room is thick and hot, and I know each of us is covered in sweat. Certainly smells nice. The mattress shifts when Orlun finally pulls out of Jarek, collapsing onto his side next to me. With a little effort (and an angle shift that causes him to slip out of me), I manage to lay flat on my stomach with Jarek lying on my back. For a moment, time seems to stand still, the three of us just laying together, listening to nothing but the sounds of our breaths and our heartbeats.

Then Orlun’s stomach growls.

“Apologies,” he says with a blush. “I seem to have worked up an appetite.”

“Oh shit, I almost forgot about dinner!” Jarek suddenly pushes off of my back and rushes from the room.

_________________________________________________________________________

“That was wonderful,” Orlun tells me as we walk home, either late at night or early in the morning, depending on how you want to look at it.

“Are you talking about the food or the sex?” Seeing as I left with both my stomach and my hole full, I would agree with either.

“Both,” he concurs. “Though that roast was the perfect meal after everything else.” He rubs his stomach for emphasis.

“It was pretty good,” I concede. “Not as good as anything I could make, but maybe I can pass along a few pointers to the boy some time.”

“Oh? Are you saying you want to spend more time with him?” he teases me with a twinkle in his eye.

“Maybe I—”

My words are interrupted by the sounds of an explosion ripping through the air, the ground giving a small rumble.

“What was that?” I ask, looking around in the sky for the signs of a fire.

“I do not know,” Orlun answers, sounding worried. “It came from the north in the forest. There shouldn’t have been any militia operations out there tonight.”

“What do we do?” I’m just a cook!

“I need to gather whoever is on duty and find out what happened.” Orlun has already put on his Captain hat. “Go home and check on the children. I will be back as soon as I can.”

“Be careful,” I tell him, pulling him close. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” He kisses me softly, doing his best to disguise his worry. As he heads off, I say a short prayer to the Three for his safety and turn toward home. My only thoughts now are on my children.

_________________________________________________________________________

I’m up for hours waiting for Orlun to come home, checking on the children nervously every time my mind starts to wander to dark places. It’s after five o’clock in the morning when I hear the front door open, Orlun walking in still wearing his ranger uniform. He looks tired and not just physically. Something is wrong, but I wait for him to undress before attempting to broach the topic.

“What happened?” I ask when he finally takes a seat in the living room, next to me on the couch.

“It was...terrible,” he starts, shaking his head. “The explosion. It was Ahyoka.”

“What?” I don’t understand. “The elf woman who helped with investigating that cave that was uncovered last summer? Little Nylan’s mother?” Khazak and Ayla had come home talking excitedly about the new half-elf, half-human student at school, and we quickly made the connection.

“The same.” He nods somewhat numbly. “She is dead.”

My eyes go wide. “How? What happened?”

“We are still trying to figure that out.” He runs a hand through his hair. “From what we have gathered, about a dozen people came to her home late in the night and...took her.  We only know that because of her son, who was there when it happened. She hid him. In a chest. He was still in there when we came to investigate the home.”

“What?” My blood turns cold, my thoughts immediately turning to our own children. “Is he alright?” I immediately wince at my stupid question.

“He’s traumatized,” Orlun answers wearily. “Barely speaking. I felt bad even prying that small amount of information out of him. The current assumption is that the kidnappers have ties to Warhunter. We suspect they may have been trying to ransom her, perhaps to her family in Pákannon, but we cannot be sure. It will take some time to piece together exactly who they were.”

“Were you able to get a description out of Nylan?” That seems like too much for such a young boy after such trauma.

“No, we have them. The kidnappers.” His voice goes icy. “In pieces. The explosion was Ahyoka. She cast a spell that blew herself and the rest of them up.”

“What?!” I can’t help my volume and immediately clamp my hands over my mouth, worried about waking the kids. “Why? Why would she do that?”

“We don’t know.” Orlun shakes his head. “Her husband has said that though she had some raw talent, she was by no means a trained spellcaster. Maybe the spell was stronger than she anticipated. Or perhaps they surprised her and she cast it by accident. Or maybe she just knew she wouldn’t get away. I do not know.”

“...How is her husband? Atsadi.” My husband knew both of them better than I did, having worked with them briefly when they were studying the cave ruins.

“He completely blames himself for the two of them being home alone while he worked an overnight guard shift with the militia.” That poor man and his son. “I tried to reassure him that it wasn’t his fault, but all I could think about was… What if those people had come to our house?”

“Spirits.” I run my hands through my hair. “I can’t even... We weren’t even home. They would have just come in and taken... What were we thinking, Orlun?!”

“I don’t know.” He shakes his head. “They’re children for spirit’s sake, and we expected them to what—look after themselves? There is practically a war going on outside!”

“And now we have to explain to them why their friend’s mother is dead.” I sink lower in my seat and my guilt. “What have we been doing? We are terrible fathers.”

“I wish I could disagree with you.” Orlun sounds as defeated as I feel.

“I’m quitting. Today,” I decide without a second thought. “The militia and maybe even the restaurant.” Buying a one-way ticket for Port Stay-at-Home Dad. “I don’t care if anyone complains.”

“Good.” Orlun nods, not that I doubted his support. “I am going to reduce my hours as well. If they cannot understand after this, I’m not going to care either. You and I have to do better.”

“We will.” I take his hand and squeeze. We will.

Secrets & Spires Now Available for Preorder

Hello patrons! Springtime is just around the corner, and so is Secrets & Spires! The new release date is May 30, 2022. I apologize for the change from the original mid-April date; apparently the book is so big my editor needed a little extra time with it. You can currently preorder the ebook from Amazon and Barnes & Noble, with additional stores and hard copies to follow in the next few weeks. Here is the usual list of online booksellers, which will populate as the book becomes more available.

The cover art above is easily my favorite yet, and was once again drawn by the amazing JabberOx. I love the expressions on David and Khazak’s faces, not to mention that beautiful wolf and all the background details. Starting to wonder if it might be time to make some merch. What do you all think?

In other news, Steel & Thunder received its first editorial review in January, courtesy of Reader’s Favorite. This lovely five-star review was written by Anelynde Smit, who had nothing but nice things to say. I don’t wanna just brag about myself, so you can read the full review on their website for yourself.

See you in April!

This Month on Patreon

Here’s what I’m posting in March:

• 3/14: Chapter two of “Before The Storm” - We switch to Rurig’s point of view, as he and his husband continue to spend time with Jarek... At least until danger rears its ugly head.
• 3/21: Deep Dive - Divine Magic: Covering all the details of Divine spellcasters and how their magic works
• 3/28: Daddy D, Part 3: Another chapter in this tale, in which the two of us roll on MDMA and screw for nearly 12 hours

Dom's Little Black Book: Overnight With Nate

I hope that if you’ve learned anything from reading my stories, it’s that I like to take my time when I arrange for some playtime. I’m not doing myself or my partner any favors if the sex doesn't last at least half an hour. So when the opportunity arises, I love having a boy spend the night, so that way I can use him long into the morning.

One weeknight I had a boy named Nate coming over for just such a visit. He was in town, specifically for me, one night only. Unfortunately I had to work early the next day, but this would be our only chance to meet up for some time. I’ve gone to work after not sleeping for two days straight before. This would be a cakewalk, and more than worth any drowsiness I’d have tomorrow.

Nate arrived mid-evening. I was working on a few writing projects and needed to finish up, so I led him up to my room and had him get comfortable. Which of course meant making him strip down to his jockstrap for me to gawk at. Nate was tall, with a thick forest of hair covering his entire body. As I wrapped up my writing, I kept finding myself distracted; looking over to him, half naked on the bed. I needed to finish.

When I finally did just a few minutes later, I launched myself onto my bed and on top of my boy. As my hands roamed over his body, I leaned my head in for a kiss. He moaned into my mouth when he felt my tongue slip inside and I grabbed his ass roughly in response. I could feel his already hard dick grinding against mine.

Rubbing our jock-clad cocks together, we continued kissing in the low lighting of my bedroom. I stroked my hand up and down his back, grabbing and squeezed his ass and thighs as I moved over them. Not one to just lay there, Nate also groped at my body, gripping my cock tightly. I nipped at his lower lip and ground my cock into his hand forcefully in response.

With his ass held tightly in my hand, I inched my fingers towards his crack. I stroked through the thick fur - gonna be real nice for when I’m rimming him later - seeking out his hole. Finding it, I gently ran my fingertip across it, Nate shuddering in my arms in response. I kept up my finger play, growing bolder and adding more pressure, and eventually more fingers. I prodded at his entrance with a little more force, wiggling my fingertip until it was gripped tight by the ring of muscle. I punctuated my penetration by similarly moving my tongue inside his mouth, mirroring the motions I was making on his other hole.

Next, I brought my hand to Nate’s mouth and inserted the fingers that had been teasing his hole. Like a good boy, he immediately began to suck on them, and I slowly moved them in and out of his mouth, playing with his tongue and getting them extra wet. When I was satisfied, I brought them back down to his ass, homing in on his hole and pushing further inside than just a fingertip. I finished my kissing as I slid my spit-slick fingers in and out of his welcoming ass. Time to see how it takes other things. I extracted my tongue, fingers, and the rest of my body from him and stood at the foot of the bed.

“On your stomach, boy,” I ordered, grabbing one of his ankles and pulling to show how I wanted him.

“Yes sir,” he eagerly responded, laying himself flat before me.

I moved back onto the bed, on my knees between his spread legs. I gripped his butt tightly in both hands, squeezing and kneading the flesh like soft dough. A nice big, fuzzy ass; just how I like them. Spreading him wide, I lowered my mouth and licked a long stripe up to his back, as Nate moaned into my bedsheets. I gave him a few more licks and was met with similar responses.

I dove in and feasted after that, attacking his sensitive rosebud with my tongue, lips, and teeth. I used my hands to hold his ass open as I sought to drive even deeper inside of him. I tongue fucked the tight ring I had stretched with my fingers, bathing it in my saliva. I gave the spread cheeks a few good smacks for emphasis, causing Nate to push his ass back even further onto my tongue in surprise.

I lost track of time as I gorged myself, like I had a point to prove. Last time we had spoken in person, we had both bragged about our respective talents when it comes to rimming. Now was my chance to show him just how capable an ass eater I was. I took my time, but made sure to pull out all the stops. I gave long, slow licks over his hole before blowing cool air on it and making him shudder. I spread his ass wide and probed my tongue as deep into him as I could go. Everything I could think of to drive him crazy.

After another smack to his ass, I climbed back up the bed to lay next to him. Turning to face me, I pulled him towards me and claimed his mouth again. I’m sure Nate could smell the musk of his ass on my face. I certainly could. We spent a few minutes tongue wrestling like that. He was a really great kisser, but I was ready to fuck.

“On all fours,” I growled out after tearing my mouth from his.

Nate moved to the center of the bed, spreading his thighs and arching his back, chest flat to the bed and clutching a pillow. I moved behind him on the bed on my knees, spanking and kneading his cheeks, staring at the spit-slick hole in the center. I shuffled forward and smacked my cock against his hole a few times, each time eliciting another shudder from the boy laying prone before me.

Spitting into my hand, I slicked my cock from tip to base, teasing his hole with my head before pushing in. Nate’s back arched further as I entered him, though I felt little resistance as I bottomed out. We both groaned aloud as I pulled his hips toward me, making sure every inch was inside. He was practiced but tight, like any good slutty boy should be.

I pulled back and snapped my hips back forward, Nate pushing back to meet me. We hit a good rhythm almost instantly, Nate meeting my thrusts forward as I manhandled his ass. Every few minutes, I would press forward as far as I could, making sure my boy felt his ass being supremely stretched by my girth. He took every inch with a smile and a moan.

Eventually, I started to pick up the pace. Between his ass being stretched and his prostate being pounded, Nate could no longer meet my thrusts and focused on steadying himself and allowing me to go to town. With both my hands on his hips, I angled my cock downward, making sure it slammed against Nate’s prostate each time.

I heard the sounds of moans and groans being muffled by my pillows, which only drove me to fuck harder. I planted a hand on the small of Nate’s back, forcing his legs to spread just a little bit wider, using the leverage to my advantage. I could hear the slap slap slap of my thighs hitting his ass as I ruthlessly pounded into him, chasing my orgasm. This was going to be a big one.

I slammed into him as the first shot of cum erupted, coating his walls with my seed. I growled out loud as the rest of my load followed, Nate moaning with every unleashed volley. I laid over his back as I cooled down, one hand on the wall above the headboard to support my weight. Once I caught my breath, I rolled the both of us to our sides and wrapped my arms around him, letting us both bask in the afterglow. I could feel his ass still milking my cock, and smiled.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Later in the evening, closer to bedtime, I was ready for round two. Nate was on the bed, still in his jock and waiting for me to join him. I wrapped up my nighttime routine and slid into bed next to him. We started kissing right away and my hand instinctively went to his ass. I gave it a good squeeze before delving between his cheeks, seeking his hole, still wet with my earlier load. I pressed a finger inside without any resistance.

Nate moaned into my mouth as I toyed with his hole, slipping my fingers in and out as we kissed. He was squirming, grinding his jock-clad cock against mine, begging me without words to take him. I had no plans to draw this round out. I removed my fingers, grabbed his hip, and rolled him to his side, facing away from me.

Spitting in my hand, I wet my cock and shoved home. It was even easier than the first time with my load lubricating the way. The smell of cum wafted to my nose as my turgid dick forced some of it out, growing even stronger as I pulled my cock back to begin thrusting. As I drove my hips forward repeatedly, once again the sounds of skin slapping against skin filled the room.

Nate writhed against me as I fucked my second load of the night into him. I stroked a hand over his stomach and chest, reaching up and grabbing his nipples. I squeezed and pulled at them while I filled his ass and while Nate continued to moan. He even reached his own hand back to encourage me, allowing me to play with his body however I saw fit.

As I picked the pace up, I wrapped my arm around his waist and held him tightly in place. My strokes got longer and faster until it felt like I was long dicking and jackhammering him at the same time. Throughout it all, Nate took my abuse like the good boy that he was. I bit into his shoulder as I slammed my cock home one final time as cum erupted from my cock, filling him for the second time that evening.

As we caught our breaths once more, I pulled up the bedsheets near our feet to cover us. I kissed and licked at Nate’s shoulder and neck, my cock slowly softening within his ass. Wrapping my arm around him once again, I squeezed him close, drifting off as my cock slowly slipped out of his well bred hole.

__________________________________________________________________________________

I slept like rock, a well-sated rock. Nate and I were curled closely all night, my hard cock grinding up against his ass frequently. When morning finally broke and it was time to say goodbye, I made sure to make use of Nate one last time before leaving. Instead of his ass, he dropped to his knees before me, swallowing me down in an instant.

I knew from experience and our mutual friends just how talented a cocksucker he was, and he did not disappoint. He swallowed me to the hilt without blinking an eye and worked his throat as he wrapped it around me. Bobbing up and down and massaging me with his throat, he was greedily swallowing down my third load not five minutes later.

Fully satisfied and with Nate having taken my load in both his holes, it was finally time to clean up and say our goodbyes. I didn’t let him shower - I wanted him to drive home still smelling like me, not to mention keeping my loads inside. Reluctantly, I walked Nate to the front door, making sure I kissed him senseless and getting one last grope of that fantastic ass. We would absolutely be doing this again.

I wondered how many times I could breed him in one night if I really tried...

The Founding of V'rok'sh Tah'lj

The city of V’rok’sh Tah’lj was founded in the year 3578, when six large orc tribes came together to form one people. While many of its citizens believed that their ancestors migrated west over the Emerald Hills only a few hundred years prior to that, the truth is that orcs of V’rok’sh Tah’lj have been occupying the forests surrounding their city for several thousand years.

Dozens of tribes have risen and fallen over the centuries, many of their names lost to time. Few historical records exist, or were even created during this era. But eventually, as alliances were formed and rivals defeated, the tribes consolidated into the six we know today: Proudhunter, Firesoul, Swiftrunner, Beasttracker, Rageblood, and Woodspirit. With some able to find peace with their neighbors, talk of unification started to be bandied about within certain circles.

However, the two largest factions were still at war - the Proudhunters and Ragebloods. Battles would break out between the two every few days, spilling into every part of the forest. This largely prevented outsiders from making contact or even staying in the area. It became common knowledge to everyone to avoid the easten forests, unless you wanted to get caught between two warring orc tribes.

In the midst of this fighting, many point to the capture of Vakesh Gorecrash as the inciting incident for the eventual Tahlijan unification. Beginning his life with the Proudhunters as a prisoner, he eventually became one of their greatest allies and helped deal a decisive blow against the Ragebloods. Following this victory, Vakesh became romantically linked to a leader of the Proudhunter tribe, Khazak Steelrun. (Please see the journal of Khazak Steelrun for more information on these events.)

Witnessing the formation of such an unlikely alliance, many of the other tribes began to once more consider the possibility of uniting. Those who were pro-unification felt as if the fire had been reignited and were eager to begin spreading the word and their ideas. However, they knew not everyone would be so receptive and that it would take convincing. So Khazak and Vakesh were asked to act as ambassadors.

Following many ignored letters, false starts, and the resolution of some outstanding family drama, leaders and elders from all six tribes eventually agreed to meet and talk. And talk they did. They also argued, a lot. Many of them, particularly the elders, wanted to stick with their old ways. Some spoke of being worried about taking on the burdens of other tribes, while others felt they were strong enough on their own, as they had been until now.

Those for unification pointed out that everyone has their own burdens, and what might be difficult for one tribe may not for another. They also noted that while some tribes were currently doing very well, it was not long ago that they were struggling for survival. Nothing lasts forever, but together they could build something better for the future.

When asked what the alliance would be able to do for all of their people, the idea of a city was proposed. One with large, towering walls to act as a defense and keep out outsiders. They would even take inspiration from the elves, remaining hidden at the center of their land, far from prying eyes. The forests were empty except for them, and they could continue to use their image as a violent and bloodthirsty people to keep them out, no matter how false it had become.

Construction of the wall began in 3577, through a combination of natural spellcasters and expert lumberjacks. As it was being built, orcs began migrating to within its proposed borders, setting up temporary and then more permanent housing as time went on. After the wall, came the Tribal Hall, though it lacked its signature six statues in the front, which would be added several centuries later. This would be the seat of the city's government, which would be run by representatives from each of the six tribes, to be changed out regularly.

With the population continuing to grow, more infrastructure was needed, including homes, business, and other civic infrastructure. The Hall of Honor was one of the first buildings to be completed, and with it came the creation of the position of Tribal Curator, a person tasked with recording the city’s history and other important events. Eventually, a peace keeping force known as the Rangers would be created, as well as a militia tasked with defending the city on the rare chance it should fall under attack.

As the years passed, the city and its people flourished. Still, contact with the outside world was rare, and the people of V’rok’sh Tah’lj began to wonder who and what was out there. Slowly, trade relations would be established with several neighboring cities, including Pakanon, Yasurdi, and Kiz’Urngor. While the leaders of these new allies would be aware of the city’s location, V’rok’sh Tah’lj was still able to maintain its secrecy, which remains to this day. However, with a still-growing population that shows no sign of slowing, there are those who wonder just how much longer that can continue

Before the Storm, Chapter 1

“No staying up late.”

“Yes, Orda,” my son, Khazak, responds with a nod.

“Listen to your brother,” I tell my daughter Ayla next. “Help him to watch Yogik when he gets up from his nap.”

“Yes, Orda...” she answers much more reluctantly.

“Dinner is in the icebox.” I kiss both on the forehead before releasing them and standing. “Sor’iya will be by to check on you in a few hours. What are you supposed to remember?”

“Not to open the door for anyone but her, you, or Ruda,” they answer in unison.

“I love you both.” I bend over to give them one last hug.

“Love you too, Orda.”

“...Love you too.”

“I expect everyone to be asleep by the time we return home.” With one final look around my home, I nod my head and exit, shutting and locking the door behind me.

The late afternoon sun hangs in the sky when I step outside. Despite the relatively early hour, it has been an extremely long day, and it is only going to get longer. After I finished my shift at the ranger station, I rushed home to change and check on the children. I was barely there more than an hour before having to leave again, now heading for the militia headquarters where my husband Rurig is already working.

Our schedules are not normally quite this hectic. Of course things got busier after having children, but between the two of us, we’ve been able to handle things without too many problems. Other than my monthly week-long patrol shifts in the forest, my schedule does not change much—a benefit of being the man in charge. Rurig still works as a chef at The Iron Pan, the restaurant we opened together years ago, but he cut his hours back significantly after the children were born so he could stay home with them—something he was not very happy about.

Once Ayla and Khazak were old enough to start attending school, he could not wait to get back in the kitchen. Even after our youngest son, Yogik, was born, he told me he’d had enough of sitting around fussing after babies. He returned to the restaurant with Yogik in tow, setting up a small nursery, and later playroom, in his back office. From what I hear, my son is very popular with some of the servers.

Normally Rurig would be home in the early afternoon, before Khazak and Ayla return from school, and I would follow several hours later. But thanks to Warhunter and his so-called “rebellion,” all of our evenings have been claimed for the near future. Instead of staying home with our children, we have been working with the defense militia every night.

We were both members when we were younger—which is actually how we met—but that was over a decade ago. Long in the tusks compared to the other recruits, neither of us is directly involved in any of the current battles. However, many of my men are, and as their captain, sitting on the sidelines is not an option—and unfortunately in the eyes of many others, that also goes for the captain's husband. So rather than fighting, we are putting our other skills to use: Rurig working in the mess hall, and me helping to train the new recruits.

This all started around a month ago when former-Councilman Kragor Warhunter announced that he would not be stepping down from his seat at the end of his term. Touting a belief that the strong should rule over the weak, he then declared his intent to violently depose the rest of the Tribal Council. Most of us saw this as nothing more than posturing until he made good on his threat, attacking and killing one of the other councilmembers and sending the city’s government into chaos.

Perhaps the only thing more surprising than his attack was how quickly he was able to raise supporters. I would hardly call them an army, but they number enough for the militia to rally a full defense. Thankfully, most of the fighting has taken place outside of the city. After his initial attack, Warhunter and his troops were forced into the forest where they have been hiding in makeshift camps. They seem to have recruited several powerful spellcasters to his side as we have been having difficulty locating them—even with magic. Few battles have occurred within V’rok’sh Tah’lj’s walls, and the ones that have we have managed to contain in one section of the city.

I arrive at militia headquarters after a twenty-minute walk, returning the salute given to me by the two guards at the front gate. It is as busy as it ever is these days with dozens of people with their own orders and expectations. Militia Captain Gibnil Burningmaw is already in the yard with a group of recruits. I need to get my equipment and join him, but first I am going to stop by the mess hall to greet my husband.

“Hello, Captain!” One of the troops stands and salutes me as I enter, causing most of the others in the mess hall to do the same. I return the salute, encouraging the man that greeted me and the others to return to their seats. The title really makes it seem like I do more around here than train.

“Oh, has the big strong Ranger Captain stopped by to see me?” Rurig exaggerates as I approach.

“No, just feeling a little peckish,” I tease as he walks around the counter that separates the kitchen from the dining area, greeting me with a kiss.

“How are the kids?” he asks once we separate.

“Fine,” I answer with a small smile. “I put Yogik down for a nap before I left.”

“I hope he’ll sleep most of the night,” he responds with a sigh. Getting Yogik to sleep at all lately has been difficult.

You may be worried that we would leave our children home alone during a time such as this, but I can assure you, they are safe and sound. Not only is there a strict curfew in effect, but all the fighting has taken place far, far from our home. Our two older children are eight-year-old twins and very mature for their age; Khazak in particular is an extremely responsible boy. Rurig will see them off to school and ensure they have food prepared for the day, then leave for his shift at the mess hall once they are home. I see them next when I have finished work, and then in the evenings we have our elderly neighbor, Sor’iya Drakebloom, check in on them before it gets too late. I was happy when she accepted our request—the Ranger Captain asking for help might be seen as a weakness by some, especially right now, and I cannot afford for that to happen.

With my husband greeted, I leave the mess hall and retrieve my training equipment from the small office I share with some of the other officer’s. Then I join Captain Burningmaw on the field. The cadre we are training today are still fairly new, all having joined in the past month. Fighting in the name of protecting the city is seen as a great honor, so it was no surprise that the militia has received an influx of recruits since Warhunter’s initial attack.

They have varying levels of skill, but working with new troops is something I am familiar with. I regularly sit in on and even participate in training sessions with new officers to the ranger force, which is why Burningmaw requested my presence. The two of us will demonstrate techniques on each other before having the recruits try for themselves.

We are still working on positioning with this particular group. I walk around them, all twenty facing Burningmaw as he runs them through a drill. I monitor their progress, noting who is able to hold form better than others and correcting those who need it.

“You keep dropping your right arm too soon,” I correct one of the troops, a man named Jarek, stepping in and positioning him correctly with my own hands. “You are leaving yourself open to a return blow.”

“Sorry, sir.” He sighs as he holds position.

“Keep at it,” I encourage. “You are improving every day.”

“Thank you, sir,” Jarek says, sounding more upbeat. “I will.”

I smile as he slips back into formation with the others. Seeing people become more confident in their skills is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. I want to help every person serving under me to reach their full potential.

“Looking good, Captain.” My husband, on the other hand, just enjoys watching the men work up a sweat.

“Don’t you have better things to do besides being an old pervert?” I challenge as I approach the wall he is leaning against.

“You’re one to talk, getting hands on with your men,” he teases.

“Only doing my job,” I reply innocently, leaning against the wall to join him.

Rurig hums to himself, eyes falling back on the troops. Even if my intentions were not entirely pure - which they are - this is not a subject that would upset my husband. It is not something that has happened recently, but in the past bringing a third person into our bed was not all that uncommon. Jarek just happens to be someone who has managed to catch both our eyes the past few weeks.

He is an attractive younger man, slightly shorter and much thinner than either of us. He is also easily ten years our junior, if not more. He is a hard worker and eager to learn, but there is an innocence about the way he carries himself. I have seen him getting along well with his fellow recruits, but he seems quieter and more content on his own.

Later that night, when the trainees are having their meal break, I spot Jarek at a table in the mess hall by himself. While most of the troops are loudly conversing with one another, he is using one hand to eat while the other flips the pages of a book. After grabbing some food for myself (and with a little prodding from Rurig), I approach him.

“Is this seat taken?” I gesture to one of several empty chairs at his table.

“No sir. By all means.” He quickly sits up and closes his book, and I feel a pang of guilt for disturbing him.

“I apologize. I did not mean to interrupt.” I nod my head toward the book.

“Oh, that’s nothing important.” He shakes his head. “I’ve read it dozens of times.”

“Is it a good book?” I’ve never been much of a reader myself, but Rurig is. “I assume it must be if it has you sitting here by yourself.”

“It’s an old favorite.” Jarek smiles shyly. “Am I screwing up badly enough to require extra attention, sir?”

“No, nothing like that.” I chuckle. Not that you aren't worth my extra attention. “Though I did notice you seem less eager to be here than some of the others.”

“Ah. Well, the truth is, I’ve never really been much of a fighter,” he admits, rubbing the back of his neck. “I mainly joined because it seemed like the right thing to do; I want to help protect my home and the people in it. But I also had a lot of...encouragement from my parents and older siblings.”

“Ah, familial pressures.” Though my parents are no longer with us, it is something I am all too familiar with. “Well your intentions are noble, and you are a fast learner. Do you have other family members in the militia?”

“My father was a member, and my two older siblings still are. It’s not that I don’t want to fight. I’ve just always been more interested in things like... Plants. Or building things. Or reading.” He holds up his book as an example.

“There’s nothing wrong with that.” I offer a smile. I may be a warrior, but that is not something everyone is built for. “You have met my husband. I would hardly call him a fighter.”

“Is this old man bothering you, sweetheart?” The man’s voice rings out from behind my back.

“Heh, no sir. Just eating dinner together.” Jarek chuckles with a small blush.

“Uh-uh, he’s sir.” My husband lays a hand on my shoulder. “I’m Rurig.”

“Well, the food is delicious as always, Rurig,” Jarek says with a small bow of his head.

“Aww, you sweet talker. Let me know if you want seconds.” Rurig winks. He has always been the better flirt, which combined with his cooking skills makes him nearly unstoppable. “So is this one boring you with his old war stories?”

“I wouldn’t call them boring,” Jarek defends with a grin. “I love hearing about the trouble the officers would get into when they were still new recruits.”

“Oh, you want to hear about trouble?” Rurig responds with an even wider grin. “The first time we met, he suggested we—”

“Attention!” Captain Burningmaw calls out as he enters the mess hall, causing those in attendance to stand and face him. “Scouts have just located one of Warhunter’s camps northeast of the city. Finish eating and suit up. We leave in half an hour!”

Everyone springs into action. Those who had finished their meals already quickly gather their used dishes while everyone else begins to quickly finish their food, the sounds of metal utensils scraping across the wooden plates filling the air. Across from me at our table, Jarek is doing neither, staring down at his plate in light shock.

“I’ve... I’ve never actually been in a battle before.” He suddenly looks very nervous. “What if... What if I mess up? What if I—?”

“Hey.” I reach across the table, steadying one of his shaking wrists. “It will be alright. This is what we have been preparing you for. Just listen to your Commander, remember your training, and you will be fine.”

“He knows what he’s talking about, kid.” Rurig walks around to place a hand on his shoulder. “You’re gonna go out there, kick some ass, and be back here with your book in no time.”

“Right.” Jarek nods to himself. “This is what I’ve been training for. I can do this.”

“Yes, you can.” I squeeze his wrist once more. “And I am looking forward to hearing your first war story when you return.”

“Looking forward to telling it to you, sir.” He salutes before standing and exiting the mess hall, his appetite no doubt killed by nerves.

“He’ll be fine, Papa Bear,” Rurig reassures me, calling me by an old pet name. I can only nod and hope he is right.

After everyone leaves, the headquarters are significantly quieter. Without anyone to train, there isn’t much for me to do. I busy myself with organizing the equipment, and with no remaining mouths to feed, Rurig is doing the same with the food stores. Even though neither of us is saying anything, we are both anxious to see Jarek and the others return unharmed.

Several hours later, just as the two of us are deciding that we need to get home for the night, we hear the guards at the front gate giving a cheer as the troops return. They seem to be in high spirits with minimal injuries and a number of Warhunter’s men in tow. I scan the faces of everyone as they make their way inside, relaxing when I see Jarek. Everyone splinters off, some to handle the arrested rebels, and others to the showers or mess hall, but Jarek does neither, spotting me and Rurig in a corner of the training yard.

“How was it?” I ask as he approaches us.

“Incredible and terrifying all at the same time,” he starts to explain, his voice bursting with barely restrained excitement. “The closer we got to the camp, the more nervous I got. It was so dark, but even with us trying to be stealthy, they saw us before we saw them.”

“They attacked first?” Rurig asks.

“They got the jump on us,” Jarek confirms with a nod. “I didn’t even realize it until the guy in front of me went down. The rebel was right on top of him, and then it was like time froze. All my fear was gone because someone was in trouble and needed help.”

“Moments like that can really define a person,” I say with a smile. I knew his training would kick in.

“All I could think about was stopping the guy, so I pulled out my staff and leapt at him,” Jarek continues, practically bouncing in place. “He was barely able to deflect my blows when I took him out with a strike to the back of the head. And then it was like my body was moving automatically—I could hear and see people fighting all around me, and I just started moving to help. It was like I had all this energy. I could feel the blood rushing through my veins. I wanted to... I wanted to...”

He suddenly reaches for my head, pulling me in for a deep kiss, then seconds later pulls away shocked.

“Oh spirits.” His eyes are wide, looking between me and Rurig. “I am so sorry. I shouldn’t have—”

“Think we should take this back to your office?” Rurig asks me, amused as he takes in my surprised face.

“That depends.” I manage to shake off the surprise. “Do you want to come back to my office with us, Jarek?”

“I... Yes.” He quickly nods his head, looking between us both. “Yes, I would.”

As Rurig takes him by the wrist, I lead us into the building that contains my office. No one else I share it with should be here this late, so it should serve our purposes nicely. We manage to avoid running into anyone else on the way, and I am happy to not have to deal with any awkward conversations as a result. Once we are inside, I lock the door behind us.

“Are you sure this is okay?” He looks at us both for confirmation.

“Kid, we’ve been married for over a decade. You’re hardly the first guy we’ve snuck off with,” Rurig assures him as he steps in closer. “Definitely one of the cutest, though.” Taking Jarek by the chin, he leans in for a kiss of his own.

I watch as Jarek’s eyes flutter closed as my husband deepens their kiss, the man’s tongue probing into his mouth. Rurig was not incorrect about us bedding other men together, and my arousal only grows as I watch the two of them. When they finally split apart for air, I quickly pull Jarek over and slot our mouths together for my own turn.

As we kiss, Rurig moves to stand behind Jarek, sandwiching him between us. I can feel the young cub’s nerves start to return as our hands roam over his body. Rurig’s hands reach around his body, stroking over and then lightly pinching both of Jarek’s nipples through his shirt, making him gasp into my mouth. His own hands tentatively reach out for me, feeling the muscles of my chest and arms.

I break our kiss with a smile, turning Jarek around to face Rurig, who happily resumes his own kissing. I stroke my hands down Jarek’s back, scratching it with the blunt of my nails before reaching for his ass. I squeeze him gently with both hands, snaking them around to his front and feeling his growing cock through his pants. Not bad. As I trail my thumb through the top of his waist, his body goes still.

“Is this alright?” I ask Jarek with a kiss to his neck.

“Y-yeah.” He nods a little fast.

He leans back against my chest as my fingers work to undo the buttons of his pants. Taking a step back, Rurig assists with untucking his shirt, his own fingers teasing the inside of the boy’s underwear. Once I’ve finished with the last button, Rurig grips his pants and underwear, pulling them down together in one smooth motion.

Rurig makes a low whistle. “Lookin’ good, kid.” I look down over his shoulder to watch as my kneeling husband assesses Jarek’s size.

“Not bad at all. We will have to see how we measure up.” I grind my crotch against Jarek’s ass for emphasis.

“Yes, sir,” he responds breathlessly.

“I prefer Orlun when I’ve got my hand around your cock.” I grab him lightly around the base and squeeze as I slip out from behind him.

Rurig and I push Jarek back, encouraging him to sit against a desk before I reach into my pants to fish out my own cock. As I take a seat next to him, I can feel Jarek’s eyes lock onto me, fully hard and pointing straight out. I’m larger, both in length and girth, and at first glance, my size can be somewhat intimidating.

“Go ahead and touch,” Rurig encourages. “It won’t bite.”

“It’s massive,” Jarek comments absentmindedly as he strokes my thick length. “I-I’m not sure I could take something like that.”

“If I can do it, so can you,” Rurig tells him with a wink.

“Perhaps we will save that for another time.” I doubt either of them are prepared for something like that at the moment anyway. “Right now, I am far more interested in seeing what my husband is able to do with what you’ve been waving in his face.”

Jarek sucks in a gasp as Rurig wraps his lips around the man’s prick, taking my words for encouragement. Humming happily, he reaches a hand over to grasp me, stroking slowly as he growls around the appendage in his mouth. I know from personal experience that my husband is an excellent cocksucker. Rurig takes Jarek all the way down to the hilt, forcing him to bite his lip as he holds back a moan.

Pulling off, Rurig shuffles on his knees to face me and gives a repeat demonstration. Knowing what I like, he takes his time, suckling on my head before swallowing down the rest of my shaft. I let out a low groan, my hand gently fisting the back of his hair on instinct as his throat muscles constrict around me.

“Fuck,” Jarek whispers. “That is hot.”

With a hungry grin, I pull Jarek against me on the desk, plundering his mouth with my tongue as Rurig works my cock. After a few more moments of bobbing on me, he switches back over to Jarek with a wet slurp. He swaps his mouth between us every few minutes, as hungry as I have ever seen him. The longer this goes on, the closer I feel myself getting, and the more ragged Jarek’s breathing becomes.

“I think I’m...getting close,” he tells me between kisses.

Hearing this, Rurig hums in excitement, his head bobbing even faster. I tease one hand down Jarek’s chest, pinching a nipple as Rurig tries to push him over the edge. The closer he gets, the tenser his body grows until, with a whine, he cums. He shudders as he unloads into Rurig’s mouth, who is no doubt still working his member.

“Knew you’d be tasty,” he says with a smack of his lips.

“That was...” Jarek mumbles, his eyes still closed.

“We’re not done yet,” Rurig continues. “Why don’t you get down here and help me take care of my husband?”

“I... Yeah, I can do that.” Jarek nods, still in a daze, before pulling his pants up enough that he can kneel next to Rurig.

With both men on their knees in front of me, my cock gives an involuntary lurch, a fresh bead of pre-cum emerging on the head. A hand on his neck, Rurig pushes Jarek toward my cock while nestling himself right under my balls. Jarek looks up at me shyly with his lips around my shaft, or at least tries to, and I feel my hips jerk a little at the prospect of going deeper into the heat of his mouth.

I close my eyes and lean my head back as the two of them work in tandem, wet mouths sucking and nibbling at my skin. They switch places after a minute, Rurig swallowing me to the hilt without blinking an eye. I groan low as I grip Jarek by the hair and hold him tightly to my crotch, his tongue lathing over my testicles. Rurig is soon pistoning his throat up and down the length of my shaft, bringing me closer and closer to the edge.

Just as I am about to reach climax, I pull Rurig off and quickly begin to stroke my cock with my hand. Knowing what I am aiming for, my husband throws his arm over Jarek’s shoulder, pulling him close and giving me a larger target. As the orgasm rolls through me, the first shot of cum sprays over the younger man’s face, and the second across my husband’s cheek. I shower them both equally with the remainder that follows, and Jarek takes me into his mouth when I am done, sucking the last drops from my head. For a moment, all three of us are in an exhausted daze, doing little more than catching our breath.

“You stay right there,” Rurig orders as he shakily stands a few moments later. “This will only take me a minute.”

He pulls out his own cock, stroking himself very quickly. Knowing how to help my husband along, I reach over and use one hand to roughly pinch at his right nipple. He tilts back his head when I bring my mouth to his neck, allowing me better access to kiss and bite at the sensitive flesh. Already in position, Jarek takes the initiative to suck on the man’s heavy sack, my husband giving a jerk when the tongue makes contact with his skin. Not thirty seconds later, Rurig adds his load to mine on Jarek’s face, muttering a curse to himself as he cums.

As my husband catches his breath again, I help Jarek to stand, pulling him in for another sloppy kiss and realizing too late that I now have both my and Rurig’s cum on my face. I almost recoil when I feel the cool wetness hit my skin, but truthfully I could not care less.

“That was...amazing,” Jarek vocalizes what I think we all are feeling as Rurig stretches his legs.

“Just wait until next time, kid.” He nudges into his side and gives another wink before going in for a kiss of his own.

“There’s going to be a next time?” Jarek asks the both of us hopefully.

“I certainly hope so,” I answer with a grin. I really, really do.

Storms & Sacrifice Audiobook & My Three Orc Dads Released!

Welcome to February! I for one cannot wait for the winter to be over. In a surprise double-release, the My Three Orc Dads novella and the Storms & Sacrifice audiobook both went live within days of each other. It’s been fun seeing my books jockeying for positions on the chart. You can find them both in all of your usual book-purchasing locations linked here. As always, your ratings and reviews are a huge help, so if you can spare even a few minutes to write one, I would be forever grateful!

Steel & Thunder Book 3 is complete and the manuscript is in with my editor. The first two chapters and cover art have been available here for months, but I’ll be releasing that info to the general public in next month’s newsletter. Looking forward to seeing what everyone thinks!

Poll results for the next few months are in, and I’m afraid I’m calling an audible in regards to the main Patreon story being posted for the next few months. Because the story of the Founding of V’rokj’sh Tah’lj and The Journal of Khazak Uzi'lag are somewhat tied together but take place at different times, I’m going to instead start “Before They Were Three Dads” first. The Journal will be the next Patreon story, and tie into the worldbuilding article.

See you next month!

This Month on Patreon

Here’s what's coming in the next few weeks:

• 2/14: The first chapter of "Before They Were Three Dads" (Working Title) - See how three orc daddies became three orc daddies!
• 2/21: The Founding of V'rok'sh Tah'lj: The story of how the orc tribes were united and the city founded
• 2/28: Overnight With Nate: Had an eager boy from out of town come visit for a very special night of hardcore fucking.

Little Black Book Poll

Vote on which porny Little Black Book stories are posted for the next few months. Vote for as many options as you like!

Worldbuilding Article Poll

Time to choose which worldbuilding articles I write next. Vote for as many options as you'd like. You can also expect another map sometime in the next few months!

Patreon Story Poll

Time to choose your potential Patreon stories for the months of Jan, Feb, March, April, & May. I know that's a lot, but I realzied I needed tos tart giving ymself an extra month's buffer on these. Which ever option wins second place will be posted after the first ends. Remember, ranked choice voting, so pick as many as you like!

Dom's Little Black Book: Bondage with B

I was stressed out. It had been a long week and between work and my personal life, I was really starting to feel it. I could not wait for Friday to roll around so I could do something about it; so much so that I decided to make some new purchases for the bedroom. Thanks to a few wonderful websites, I was now the proud owner of a shiny new set of bondage straps for my bed. I also purchased a few sets of cuffs - one pair for the wrists, one for the ankles, and then a special pair for thighs. I was not messing around. After everything was set up the only thing left to do was get a boy over and strap him down.

I didn’t have to look long; turns out boys really, really like it when you talk about how you wanna tie them up. One of my regular boys, B, was very interested; it would be his first time, and it was something he had been wanting to try for quite a while. We had known each other for a few years (and fucked regualrly, obviously). He was several inches taller and just a bit stockier, with dark skin, a furry body, and a very eager set of holes. We set up a playtime for later that day after work, and I happily awaited our appointment.

As soon as he arrived, I pulled him upstairs and into my bedroom. He stripped without needing to be told while I stood at the side of the bed watching. Once he was wearing only his jockstrap, I pushed him onto the bed, my hands immediately going for his ass while I claimed his mouth in a kiss.

I teased his hole with my fingers as we made out on the bed. I could tell that B was feeling just as pent up as I was because they slipped inside easily, lube be damned. I growled into his mouth, pulling out to give his ass a few sharp smacks before pressing my fingers right back inside. I love getting a boy open and ready for me, hearing him whine and moan while I work his hole, feeling every shudder and twitch his body makes.

It was time to get the rest of the evening rolling. I sat up and moved off the bed, pressing one hand to B’s chest so that he wouldn’t follow. I reached for the set of cuffs I left on my desk, grabbing the smaller set for his hands first. Climbing back on to straddle him, I took each of his wrists in my hands before wrapping a nylon cuff around them. Then, settling him in the center of the bed, I pulled his arms over his head and attached them to the bed straps coming up from under the mattress, tightening the straps to remove any slack and leave him prone.

I started to kiss him roughly again, biting at his lips before moving down to his neck. I chewed and worried at the skin there, leaving a trail of red marks leading down to his chest. I continued to bite and suck on his chest, working his opposite pec with my hand and switching between the two, back and forth. I twisted his nipples roughly as he squirmed and writhed against the restraints, crying out to the dark room.

With a final growl to the flesh in my mouth, I tore myself away from his body and sat back on my haunches. I grabbed his legs and spread them wide before lifting them up. Using my own weight, I took a hold of the backs of his legs, pressing them back until his knees were near his head. I looked down at B’s face as he struggled unthinkingly against his wrist cuffs, unused to be left so helpless..

As I bent him in half at his waist, I spat into one of my hands, reaching down to slick myself. B’s ass felt open enough, but a little extra lube never hurt anyone. I aimed the head of my cock for his hole and pressed my weight down further, slowly and steadily spearing him open. B cried out at the sudden intrusion, his hole spasming around me and squeezing me tightly. I kissed him roughly as I forced him open, my growls meeting his cries.

I ground my hips against his ass once I was balls deep. Fuck, I needed this. I didn’t even give him a moment’s respite before pulling out and slamming back in with my full weight. I began to rhythmically pound in and out of his hole as I held his legs back, all while he continued to struggle against his restraints in vain.

Eventually, I tore myself away from B, pulling my cock from his hole and making him gasp. Once again I climbed off the bed, this time going for the large set of cuffs. I very carefully and snuggly wrapped each cuff around B’s lower thigh, just above where they met his knee . I grinned hungrily as I pushed them back to more straps near the head of the bed - effectively holding his thighs up and spread apart, leaving him wide open and vulnerable for yours truly.

With my hands now free to manipulate and play with his body, I took aim and reentered B’s hole. As I resumed my thrusts, I started to once again tease and play with B’s chest. Squeezing and manipulating both of his tits, I listened to him moan and cry out as my cock rammed home. I dropped down to take one into my mouth, biting and sucking on the ample flesh and scraping my teeth against his nipple, before moving back up to kiss him.

As I covered him with my body, I aggressively drove my tongue in and out of his mouth, matching the pace that my cock was keeping in his ass. All the while, B could only continue to make noise and struggle. I was in heaven. We both were.

Eventually though, we needed to take a break. Even with bondage straps, having your legs held in position like that for an extended period of time can still get pretty sore. So, very reluctantly, I pulled out and uncuffed B’s thighs, helping him to lay flat.

I say help because I did not untie his wrists. What? They weren’t sore or even stretched out that much. He was fine. I gave us a few minutes to cool down and catch our breaths, B still in the center of the bed with his arms above his head. I stood and stretched my own legs before deciding on what to do next. I had thoroughly used B’s ass, but he still had another hole that was relatively untouched.

Nodding to myself, I climbed back onto the bed, and kept on climbing up and over his body, until I was straddling his face. Then I turned around, and shoved my cock in his mouth. I drove my hips down, plunging my dick all the way into his gullet, which B swallowed down without missing a beat. I ground my hips into his face, my balls rubbing along his nose as my pubic hair scratched his chin. Then I pulled my hips back up and repeated myself, dropped them straight back down and received an appreciative-if-not-garbled moan of appreciation.

Figuring this would give B more time to stretch, I made myself comfortable, resting my head on one of his meaty legs and wrapping my arms around his thighs. I began to pump my cock in and out of his throat, pushing my hips up and then allowing gravity to bring them and my dick back down. I lazily humped at his face and closed my eyes, the sounds of wet gagging like music to my ears.

After a few minutes of languid trusting, I picked up the pace, aggression building back up after having cooled off during our break. I growled into his thigh as I forced my cock down as far into his throat as it would go and held it. B struggled again, still forgetting about the bonds on his wrists, and I relished in it. I capped this off by giving him a few very quick but deep thrusts, trying everything in my power to trigger his gag reflex.

Satisfied with his oral attention, I pulled out, standing up next to the bed and looking over my “victim.” Face sloppy and body covered in sweat, this boy was just about done. So I got to work, unattaching his cuffed wrists from the restraints and flipping him over. I didn’t allow B much of a moment to stretch his arms before grabbing and once again attaching them to the head of the bed. Then after pulling his hips up, I moved in behind him, and slammed my cock home.

B howled with pleasure as my cock drove into him for one last fuck. With his tight, warm hole surrounding me, I thrust in and out quickly. I squeezed and kneaded his furry cheeks around my cock as I worked, even giving it a few sharp smacks. I watched it bounce with each thrust as my hips slapped against it, gripping it even tighter and thrust even faster.

As we neared the final stretch, I put both my hands on the small of his back, forcing him to arch and allowing me the last bit of leverage I needed to finish this fuck. I looked down, watching as my cock disappeared into the cleft of B’s ass and heard him groaning ahead of me. This was it, I was gonna cum.

I pulled B back as much as I could against his restraints, still pounding his hole as I started cumming. I could feel myself coating his walls with each spurt, my continued thrusts driving it even deeper. As I felt the final shots leaving me, I collapsed against his back, both our bodies slick with sweat. Even still, his hole twitched and squeezed me, hungry for more and not wanting my cock to leave its confines.

Unfortunately, the real world was calling, and so with another smack, I very reluctantly pulled my cock from his hole for the final time that day. As I walked around to uncuff his wrists, he eagerly took my in his mouth to clean me off, just like a good boy should. With a pat on the head, I finished removing his restraints and helped him get dressed. As I walked him to the door and he made his way to his car, I only had one thing on my mind.

I really hope he brought a towel or something to sit on, because I am gonna leak right outta him and through those shorts.

Full Map of V'rok'sh Tah'lj

And now for the surprise I've been working: A full-color, high-quality map of the city of V'rok'sh Tah'lj! It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun to make. This map is going to be printed in the Hardcover edition of Steel & Thunder, but the HQ version is only gonna be here on Patreon! You can expect to be getting more maps like this in the future, probably every 5 or 6 months. Hope you'll let me know what you think in the comments!

Secrets & Spires: Chapter 2

“Dammit, should I have brought my bag?” I hold in a sigh when Nathaniel speaks again.

“I don’t know, I don’t care, but I told you that if you were going to come with us then you had to be quiet,” Elisabeth hisses at her...lover? I am not entirely sure I understand their relationship.

“Geeze, sorry.” There does not seem to be much affection.

We have finished traveling for the day, finding a good spot not far from the road to set up camp. The sun is starting to set, which means larger animals will be preparing for sleep, while smaller creatures will just be waking up. A perfect time for hunting, something else I have taken upon myself to be in charge of. I extended an open invitation to anyone who would like to join me, eager to pass along my skills to anyone willing just as with my cooking.

David and Elisabeth I expected, but Nathaniel I did not, and I am starting to regret the invitation being so open. Adam and Corrine are working to gather wood and get the campfire started before we return, perhaps Nathaniel would be better suited assisting there. In fact, I am willing to bet that he is only tagging along to get out of helping to set up camp at all, which I truly do not care about, so long as he remains silent.

Pushing any frustration from my mind, I focus my senses on the forest, listening for potential prey. We are only a day out from Pakannon, so I would prefer smaller game. I do not have room to transport anything too large, and would rather not see it go to waste. With my eyes closed, I try to filter through the sounds. There. West by northwest, I hear something headed in our direction.

“Follow me,” I whisper, leading our group closer, an area with good cover but still far enough away that we won’t be noticed. The three humans are silent as we move, crouching in the brush and waiting. I have my bow out, as do David and Elisabeth, and while I doubt this is his intention, I suppose Nathaniel could technically use his magic.

We are waiting there for a few minutes, and thankfully no one has had any questions or complaints. I can still hear the animal moving closer, though it seems to be larger than I first thought. Still, may as well see what we are dealing with. It is not until I catch a glint of reflected light in the distance that I realize what the creature is.

“Is that another--” David starts as male deer with crystalline antlers, a crystal hart, passes into view.

“Cervus crystallus,” Nathaniel cuts him off in a breathless whisper, causing the three of us to turn to look at him. Was that its taxonomic name? “What?”

“You know what that is?” Elisabeth asks, voice still low.

“Yeah. I’ve studied all kinds of magical creatures.” He turns back to the unsuspecting animal. “Never thought I’d see one of these up close, though. I should be taking notes. I knew I should have brought my bag.”

“Wait, you actually know about something useful?” David snarks, and I’m tempted to add another five to his demerit tally.

“I know it’s considered bad luck to kill them, so maybe put down your bow, Robin Hood.” These two are incorrigible.

I clear my throat loudly, turning all heads in my direction and spooking the deer enough to send it jumping into the woods, nicking one of its antlers on the side of a tree.

“If you two are finished, we still need to find dinner,” I say at a normal volume, standing up straight.

“Aww, you scared it away.” Nathaniel pouts.

“You just got done saying we weren’t supposed to eat it.” Liss is ever the pragmatist.

“Hey look,” David calls out, already moving ahead of us. He bends down, picking up a piece of antler that must have been chipped off when the deer scraped the tree.

“Two sightings and a souvenir?” I comment, staring at the prism in his palm. “That is a lot of good luck.”

“Yeah, after everything that happened after we saw the last one, I’m not so sure I believe that.” He frowns slightly.

“I would say at least a few things worked out pretty well.” I smile and tip his chin up, forcing one out of him.

It is Elisabeth's turn to clear her throat. “If you two are done making googly-eyes at each other, I believe we were looking for dinner?”

I chuckle while David blushes, then start listening for our next target.

“This way.” I can hear what I think are rabbits just north of us.

“You know, seeing as you can’t actually use magic, there’s not really any point in you keeping that antler piece,” Nathaniel tries convincing David to part with it.

“Well that sucks for you, spell-boy.” David pockets the crystal gleefully. “Finders keepers.”

Turns out I was right about the rabbits, which were perfect in size for eating, but also much harder to catch. Especially when one of your teammates is suddenly too reluctant to hurt the “fuzzy little bunnies.” David did not strike me as an animal lover, but I suppose I have not yet seen him around very many. Elisabeth and I told him and Nathaniel to wait back while we took care of things, returning with two large rabbits as our prizes.

It was requested that I take care of the cleaning and butchering just outside of the camp, so that, to quote Elisabeth, I do not “scar Corrine with a bloody rabbit corpse.” I do not mind, I brought my tools to do just such a thing, I just need to remember to clean these when we reach the city tomorrow. By the time I reenter camp, it is with a pot full of unrecognizable meat that I set on the fire.

“You’re just jealous because I’m a better hunter than you.” I come upon Elisabeth and David in a decidedly un-heated argument while setting up the tents.

“And you’re just jealous cause I’m the one who gets to share a tent with a himbo,” David retorts with a word I am unfamiliar with.

“What is a ‘himbo?’” My question makes David jump and Elisabeth laugh.

“Oh, hey Khazak.” David turns around sheepishly. “It’s, uh...”

“Yeah David, what’s a ‘himbo?’” Elisabeth taunts.

“Am I not going to like this?” What is my pup saying about me?

“No! It just means a guy who’s really strong, and nice...” Okay, sounds good so far. “...and also kinda dumb.”

“Dumb?” I raise an eyebrow as Elisabeth laughs louder in the background.

“Nono! Not like, dumb!” He tries to backtrack. “I just mean that their intelligence isn’t the first thing you’d think of.”

My eyebrow goes even higher, and Elisabeth laughs even louder.

“Nope, that’s not what I meant either, because we both know you are way smarter than me.” At least now he is trying to suck up. “I just mean someone who’s not like, studying all the time, or doing experiments, or talking about math and junk.”

“Who just sits around talking about math?” Nathaniel chimes in.

“Shut up, you know what I’m trying to say!” He turns back to me. “It just means that you’re not a nerd. Like...” He quickly looks around the camp, pointing at our blonde team leader, setting up his own tent. “Adam. Adam’s a himbo.”

“I heard that,” the blonde replies, his back to us, “and thank you.”

“See? It’s a compliment.” I am not entirely convinced, but I do not think he is lying to me.

“So, strong, kind, and dumb... Would that not make you a himbo?” I cannot help but smirk as I ask, my question making Liss laugh the loudest.

David glares at her before answering my question. “I think I’m a little too grumpy and opinionated to qualify.”

“I see. Well, you are my himbo.” I lean in to give him a kiss, before whispering low enough that no one else can hear. “But I am still adding twenty for insulting my intelligence. See? Plenty of people talk about math.”

When I pull away, David’s face is a mixture of shock and amusement. I do love when I can turn his words around on him like that. Doubly so when I know I will get to spank him later for them.

Dinner is rabbit stew and some bread that has not yet gone stale thanks to my satchel. I am starting to feel a little like a walking icebox. I suppose I asked for it, as I did offer to do additional hunting and cooking when I requested to join. That was partially to ingratiate me with David’s friends, but also because of differing nutritional needs: both mine and David’s. An orc requires more protein and iron than most other species, leading to a largely meat-based diet. Combined with my size, that means extra hunting is needed.

David’s diet is still that of a human, his issue is more with quantity; despite our size difference, he eats almost as much as I do, which is nearly twice that of his companions. Given that he was rather scrawny when I met him, it was rather surprising. What has been more surprising is how quickly he put the weight back on. He has not reached the muscled heights of Adam or Elisabeth, but to grow so much in only two months seems almost unnatural, but I am willing to do whatever is needed to keep my pup healthy.

After dinner we have a good hour or so before bed; the perfect time to take care of someone’s spanking demerits. I come up with a flimsy excuse for David to follow me into the woods - that I saw something strange on the perimeter when I was cleaning the rabbits - and he does his best not to stammer when he agrees. We are fooling absolutely no one, but I am not going to tell him that.

Once we are far enough away from human ears (At least for David’s normal sex-volume), I find us a sturdy tree with a thick trunk. Large enough for two bodies to somewhat hide behind. Then I put the tree between us and the camp and turn to David.

“Time for your punishment, puppy.” I point to the tree. “Assume the position.”

“Yes, Sir.” He moves without complaint, hands already moving to unbutton his pants.

He’s frowning, but there’s a hint of a smile. He likes being corrected like this as much as I like correcting him, at least when it comes to minor infractions like today’s. He braces both his forearms against the tree of the trunk, pushing his butt out towards me. I step up behind his bent over form, running my hands over his jock-clad rump. This green one is easily my favorite. With a quick squeeze to both cheeks, I step back, ready to begin.

“How many did you earn today?” I always keep track but he knows that if he lies to me, I will double it.

“Twenty, Sir.” He sighs.

“Correct, but we are also adding ten for the way you snapped at me this morning when I tried to discuss your nightmares.”

“What!? I did not snap at--” He cuts himself off when he looks back at my face, seeing there is no room for argument. “...Yessir.”

“You do not need to count.” I rub his back soothingly.

He gives a stiff nod, wanting to make as little noise as possible. And then we begin. I watch his left cheek shake after delivering the first blow. He already had a nice ass when we first met, but the recent weight gain has really done him some favors back here. There are days where I think about adding to his tally just so I have a reason to spank him.

I keep count in my head, alternating sides as I go. We make it to ten before the whimpers start. If this were something more serious I would be giving him a lecture right now, and the nightmare issue would normally qualify, but I do not think he would respond well to that at the moment. So for now, I will keep this a simple spanking, and wait for a better opportunity to talk about the other issues. Hopefully in Pakannon.

I take a break at the halfway point, allowing David a few moments to breathe and prepare for the remaining fifteen. Rubbing my hands lightly over his ass, I can feel the heat rising from his inflamed skin. I reach up to clasp him gently on the back of his neck, stroking my thumb just under his ear and feeling him relax into my touch. He is beautiful when he submits. Alright, time to finish this.

David’s breath hitches when I resume the spanking, quickly delivering four alternating strikes. He fights against the urge to pull away, and I watch his flesh ripple with each strike. A small grunt accompanies each blow past twenty, and by the time we reach thirty his fists are clenched tightly above his head. His shoulders rise and fall in time with his breath, and a small sheen of sweat has broken out on his lower back.

I stroke my hands up and down David’s sides as he composes himself. When he is ready, he pushes himself off of the tree to stand. I take the opportunity to wrap my arms around him, pulling him back against me. He whines as his sore rump comes into contact with my pants, but he voices no complaints when I grind my erection against him, turning his head to the side so that my mouth can capture his in a hungry kiss. We both know we came out here for more than just a spanking.

I reach into my pocket to retrieve one of the items I brought out for this portion of the evening. It is a small, flat, round stone. Granite, I believe. It appears perfectly innocuous, but it is enchanted with a spell that aids in, well, anal intercourse. I hold the stone against David’s lower stomach, which activates as we continue to kiss. The spell cast will clean out the lower end of his gastrointestinal tract, while also adding some lubricant. Overall a very handy charm, and one whose usage I had not been keeping track of. It was only the day after leaving that we realized we had no idea how many charges it still held. I am hoping to find a location in Pakannon that may be able to recharge if not sell us a new one, lest we be forced to wait even longer. Any healer should be able to do it, but finding one who knows the spell and is willing may be difficult. Hopefully there are enough charges to last before we become desperate. I think David might have an aneurysm if I tried to ask Corrine.

Back to the matter at hand, I replace the charm in my pocket. Pausing for just a moment, I grab David’s ass in both hands, squeezing roughly and pulling whimpers from my pup’s throat. Removing only one hand, I retrieve the other item I brought with me: a vial of lubricating oil. As useful as the charm is, you really cannot ever use enough lubricant. It is another resource we will need to conserve, and one that will be up to me to look for when we stop, as David will be far too shy.

I uncork the vial, dribbling a small amount onto my fingers and pressing them into the cleft of his ass. He moans into my mouth as they seek their target, pushing back when they rub over his hole. I press them inside, as quickly and gently as I can. I would not say we are in a rush, but the longer we are away from camp, the longer David has to panic about someone knowing what we are doing. Even though they already do.

It takes only a moment for David’s body to accept my fingers. We have not actually done this since my first night with the group, but as we have been doing it regularly enough for two months now, I do not have to work very hard to open him up. I work my fingers in past the second knuckle, spreading and twisting gently to stretch him. He finally breaks our kiss, biting back a moan when he leans forward again to brace himself against the tree. I slowly pump them in and out of him as he presses back against me for more.

I use a little more lubricant to slick myself up before returning it to my pocket. With my dry hand on David’s hip, I grip myself and move into position. When he feels my wet cockhead brushing against his ass, he pushes back, legs spreading even wider to help me find my target. I slip between his cheeks, teasing his hole for just a moment before pressing inside.

David goes still as I enter him, focused on adjusting to the stretch while I enjoy the feeling of his inner heat enveloping me. Even after all this time, despite how easily his body accepts me, he is still so tight. I am not trying to brag about the size of my endowment (although it is a respectable 24 centimeters), but in the past, I have run into issues with certain men who are unable to adjust to my size in a way that makes the experience as pleasurable as intended. I have even met some who, without extensive preparation, I am unable to enter altogether. For someone who was a virgin when I met him, David has become accustomed to bottoming like he has been doing it for years.

I relish the feeling of his warmth wrapped around me for a few more moments before we really begin. With both hands on his hips, I hold David still while I pull back, the first few inches of my cock leaving him. I watch carefully for any signs of discomfort, pleased when all I notice is a muffled moan as I slide back into place. Gripping him more confidently, I work my length in and out as his hole works to grip me tightly.

Before long, David’s back drops down even lower as he holds himself up with only one hand, bringing the other to his mouth in an attempt to bite back more noises. His muffled groans join the soft slap of our flesh meeting in the forest air around us. Each time I pull back I feel the tight ring of his hole drag along my cock, driving me to slam it back in and repeat the process. Then, once we have set a steady rhythm, I feel his hole start to spasm, a tell-tale sign of an oncoming orgasm.

Words truly cannot express just how awe-inspiring it is to see someone adapt to sex like this so quickly. Some people try for years to experience an anal orgasm, and David had his first within fifteen minutes of losing his virginity. And to be the person to cause that? My cock grows harder just thinking about it. If I did not have such a personal penchant for topping and dominating, I might even be jealous. As it is, I get to enjoy the feeling of his muscles squeezing me each time he has one.

David’s hole continues to tremor as I spear it steadily, pressure building until it finally crescendos. His body goes still as it washes over him, right before his hole begins to bear down, as if trying to expel an intruder. That is another reason the charm is so useful, as your typical anal orgasm leaves your body with no choice but to try and push everything within you, out. If I did not know what was going on, I might be insulted. Instead I fuck him through it, his ass no match for my rock-hard length. Each tremble of his muscles only pushes me closer to my own orgasm, and this is only the first of many.

Unlike a regular orgasm, an anal orgasm comes with zero refractory period. This is because though it does happen, typically no actual ejaculation occurs during one. Most people cannot even retain an erection while getting fucked, let alone cum from it. But that suits our purposes perfectly, as I have been known to require partners with enough stamina to keep up with me. The fact that I get to take him apart over and over again while we are doing it only serves to turn me on more.

As tonight will not be one of our longer sessions, I use that to my advantage. I close my eyes savoring the feeling of his warm, wet hole squeezing me as I fuck into him. I use my hands to feel along his muscles and ass, I listen to the sounds of his breath and cut-off moans, I even smell the musk from the sweat he has worked up. When I feel him starting to cum again, I know I will not be far behind.

“You know, you guys really gotta move further away from camp for this, or you’re gonna start making some of us jealous.” Adam’s sudden voice nearly makes me jump right out of David.

We freeze, both of us completely thrown by his sudden appearance. I cannot actually see him, but I can hear his voice coming from the other side of the tree, several meters away. David looks back at me over his shoulder, half-terrified and seeking guidance for something I do not have experience with. It is just not something I am particularly worried about, nor do I think David should be; we have had sex in front of entire crowds of strangers before. While this might be a little embarrassing, sex is nothing his friend is not familar with.

I try to convey this to David with my eyes, but the look I get back only changes from scared to annoyed. I am unsure as to who that is directed at, but seeing as I do not know what he expects me to do, it had better be Adam. While this happens, I hear the sound of the blonde relieving himself against a tree (likely his reason for coming out here), and I realize that the silent conversation we have been having has gone on far too long. Sensing what I am about to do, David frantically shakes his head no.

“Apologies, Adam,” I call out, causing David to freeze once more.

The man laughs in response. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.” I hear his stream slow to a trickle, and the rustle of clothes be shifted as he puts himself away. “I’ll see you guys back at camp. Tell David to stop freaking out.”

That makes me chuckle in return as David turns to silently glare at me, his body turning red as an apple. I listen for Adam’s footsteps to leave before letting myself laugh again, bending forward to wrap both arms around his chest and pull him back against me. I nuzzle his neck, the absurdity of what just occurred making me smile, though I can sense that my pup may not share my feelings.

“I cannot believe you did that,” he grumbles when I kiss his shoulders.

“What was I supposed to do?” I gently nibble on his skin, waiting for an answer.

“I don’t know, but ‘talk to him while you’re still inside of me’ was not on the list!” he hisses, still whispering.

“He already caught us. Should I have pretended we were exercising?” I make a point to pump my still half-hard erection into his ass. “Do you want to stop?”

“...No,” he mumbles into my forearm.

“Good.” I take his face in my hand and turn him to claim his mouth once more.

I love kissing him. Swiping my tongue along his, I feel myself slowly stretching his walls as my cock expands once more. David whines when he feels me growing inside of him, and I release him to brace against the tree. I am no longer looking to take my time, we have already been out here longer than I originally anticipated. As he relaxes and I begin to pump my hips, I cannot help but think more about our interaction with Adam.

While he had a perfectly normal reason to be out here, he also could have picked any other direction from camp to go besides the one the two of us very obviously took to have sex. Combined with what he told David about his own attraction to men, it makes me suspect that him coming upon us like that was no accident. I do not get the sense that Adam thinks of David as anything more than a friend, but I do think the many months of traveling with only his hand for companionship makes this more than just a case of morbid curiosity. And gives me some ideas for later.

I am not a man who gets jealous easily. Which is a good thing, because I suspect David’s feelings for Adam may extend a little further than friendship. Nothing more than a schoolyard crush, one I am not sure David is even aware he has. There is something about the way he looks at the blonde man, seeks his approval, that feels familiar. I actually find it rather endearing; as I said, I do not get jealous easily. Despite its shaky start, I am more than confident in my relationship with David and his feelings for me. And it is not as though I have never seen him have sex with anyone else.

I snap my hips faster at the memory. Several of them. Where I come from, people have fairly liberal ideas when it comes to sex, and sharing your partner or bringing another into your bed is not uncommon. It is something David and I engaged in when we were still there, and just as when he submits, he is beautiful in action. I look down as I fuck him, watching the way his hole swallows my cock over and over, pink skin dragging over green. The way he moans, the way his body shivers, it almost seems selfish not to share that.

No matter what happens, at the end of the day he is still mine. He still wears my collar, still calls me his owner, still cries out my name when he is being fucked out of his mind. The wave of possession surges through me, my hands gripping him almost bruisingly tight as pound into his ass. Any concerns about keeping the noise down are gone, the sound of our skin slapping together audible to anyone close enough to hear. Even David seems to have stopped caring, barely remembering to stifle a groan as he cums again.

That is all it takes to finally push me over my own edge. I crush us together, growling low as let loose the first shot of cum deep within my pup’s hole. I continue to hump forward in small, jerky movements with each volley that follows, still holding my groin tightly to his ass. When I finish, I exhale with a happy sigh, pulling David up and holding him to my chest with me still inside of him.

After we have both settled, I carefully pull myself out, taking in the sight of David’s hole, wet and pink. Unfortunately, there is not much to be done in regards to cleaning up, so I tuck myself away as best I can and help David with his pants. There are some rags in my bag for just this sort of thing, and we should be passing near a river tomorrow where we can take the opportunity for a more thorough washing.

“Ready to head back?” I finish straightening out the rest of my clothes and turn to him.

“...Do we have to?” He frowns, looking in the direction of camp.

“David, even if Adam did say something to the rest of the group - which I am sure he did not - what are you worried they will say?” I tip his chin up at me. “Everyone with maybe the exception of Corrine is well-versed on the subject of sexual relations. I have even overheard Liss and Nathaniel in their tent together, more than once.” Enhanced hearing is not always a blessing.

“Yeah, but that’s different. That’s...” He frowns and looks down as he frowns. “You know.”

“It is what?” I squeeze his shoulder.

“Normal!” he snaps, body turning red again. “Not two men.”

Ah, there is the rub. When we first met, to say that David struggled with his attraction to men would be an understatement. But over time, he was able to relax and come to terms with his feelings, things he had pushed down or locked away and refused to think about. Being in a place where no one knew him, or had any way of contacting people who did, he grew more comfortable with that side of himself. Almost as though he was able to live a second life. But now that we are with his friends, people he has history with, he is falling back into old habits, concerned about appearances. It is something he is still struggling with, but he is trying, with small gestures like holding my hand or kissing me in front of others. Hell, even the “himbo” discussion earlier counts in my book. Each day things have gotten a little easier, and I just hope this event has not set us back.

“There is nothing abnormal about what we do together.” At least not the two men part of it.

“You know what I mean.” Stubborn as always.

“They know who we are to each other, puppy.” I am trying to appeal to logic but that does not always work with him. “They know we are together, and they know what people who are together do at night. They are also your friends--”

“Except Nate.”

“Except Nate.” I roll my eyes with a chuckle at his interruption. “But even he, like the rest of them, has not used this as a weapon against either of us. Perhaps it is only because I am intimidating them into silence, but rest assured if anyone does, they will be dealt with.”

David cracks a smile at that. “My protector, huh?”

“That is what I signed up for.” I crowd into his space, reaching into his shirt to pull out the collar he wears around his neck. I swipe my thumb over the lock, its face engraved with the same image as my tattoo, the symbol of Clan Ironstorm. I hold the key on a silver chain around my own neck, not that I plan to ever remove it.

“Okay, I’m ready Sir,” he says after a big sigh.

We start the walk back hand in hand, David reluctantly letting go once we are close. We re-enter camp to find everyone around the fire, almost ready to turn in. I silently nod to Adam as I take my seat, while David cannot seem to look away from the fire to meet anyone’s eyes. No one seems to particularly notice, but it is not until Nathaniel begins to tell the group random facts about the crystal hart that he finally relaxes.

Much later, when everyone is asleep and I am on watch duty, I contemplate what has happened over the past week. I fell in love with a man I met barely two months ago, who nearly tried to kill me but instead wound up as my property. Then he was killed and brought back to life through an unknown, ancient magical ritual, and I decided to leave behind everyone and everything I know to follow this man and his friends on a journey to hopefully discover the truth behind his resurrection.

When I think of it all together like that, I wonder if I might be going insane.

Noise from behind me has me turning to see our tent flap being opened, and a bleary-eyed David stumbles out. Seeing me by the fire, he sits down next to me, and I throw my arm over his shoulder to pull him closer. He unleashes a massive yawn as he leans against me, head on my shoulder.

“Is everything alright?” Even for David this is early, and his watch shift is not for another forty minutes.

“ ‘s weird sleeping without you.” He nuzzles closer.

“Did you have a nightmare?” I suspect that may be the reason for his early waking.

“...Maybe a little one,” he whispers.

Little is good, little hopefully means they are becoming less severe. I smile, kissing the top of his head while he cuddles into me, already starting to nod off again. I will be sure to wake him in time for his shift, but for now I am more than content to hold my boy by the fire. I know that if I chose not to chase after him, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life. Whatever awaits us in the future, we will face it together.

But first, we are going to work on geting him more comfortable with sex. I am tired of all the standing up when we have a perfectly fine bedroll right there in our tent.

Book 3 is Complete, Paperbacks Now Available

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2021 wasn’t too bad, and that we all have a bright 2022 to look forward to. By the time you read this, I will have officially finished writing Book 3 of Steel & Thunder! Now comes the month-long editing process of building the final manuscript before turning it in to my editor. You’ve already read the first chapter, and you’ll get the second chapter next week.

My Three Orc Dads is all set for its release on January 17, 2021, and paperback editions are finally available for preorder! You can get your copy from the usual list of online retailers. If you’re not gonna see someone until a few weeks after Christmas, it would make a great stocking stuffer!

And finally, something that I meant to include months ago when it first posted: An author interview! I did this way back when I first got signed with my publisher, 4 Horsemen, so if you’re interested in learning more about me and my writing process, you should check it out! You can read it here.

Until next time!

This Month on Patreon

Here’s what's coming up in January:

• 1/10: The second full chapter of Steel & Thunder Book 3 - These won’t be seen by the public until March!
• 1/17: A special surprise I’ve been working on for all my worldbuilding lovers!
• 1/24: Bondage With B: I bought a new set of bondage straps that fit right under my mattress. So of course I had to test them out on someone. 😈
• 1/31: Polls to pick your story & worldbuilding choices for Feb, March, April, and May. (I realized I need to start buffering an additional month on these). The suggestion box is also up and running, and can be accessed at any time.

Dom's Little Black Book: Weekend With Jay, Part 1

I’ve gotten to know a lot of boys in my years, and each of them has been special to me in their own ways. Jay was one of those boys, a cute cub around the same age as me, that I met one day while “camping.” Now I put camping in quotes there because this is gay camping - meaning there are cabins, bathrooms, a bar, and best of all, a pool. I had been spending the weekend in a tent with some friends, when one Saturday afternoon in the pool, this cute, half-drunk boy siddles up to me to tell me he thinks I’m hot.

After a little more flirting, we spend the next half-hour making out, before he brings me back to his tent and I pounded his lights. Once I finished breeding him in his tent, we exchanged information, and started getting together a whole lot more. In addition to the frequent camping trips we’d take, we’d find weekends here and there we could spend together at each other’s places. This story is about one of those weekends.

It was a Friday evening and I had just finished working out for the day. Jay was on his way over to spend the weekend with me, and I was awaiting his arrival in my room. We had plans to go to the beach together on Saturday, but hadn’t committed to anything else just yet. Personally, I didn’t really expect us to leave the bedroom much. Jay likely didn’t either.

Once he arrived, I introduced him to my roommates before taking him upstairs to unload his things. I was far more interested in unloading in him, so I sent him to the shower to clean up and clean out. As I eagerly waited for him to emerge, I set out the lube, poppers, and other implements near the bed for easy access. I also made sure to get a glass of water, because I just knew we’d be dehydrated by the time we were through.

Preparations complete, I lay back in bed wearing just a jockstrap. I hear the shower stop, and a few minutes later Jay joins me in my room, towel around his waist. With a smile, I pat the spot on the bed next to me.

“Get over here boy,” I told him.

“Yes sir, daddy,” he replied happily before cuddling up to my side.

Now that my boy was in bed, I wasted no more time in getting my hands – and mouth – on him. Turning towards him, I lay about half my weight on top of him before moving in for a kiss. One of my arms was under his neck, holding him against me, while I stroked his back with the other. I kissed him slow and deep, biting at his lower lip and teasing his own tongue with my own.

I slowly trailed my free arm down his back, moving ever so close to the cleft of his ass. I stroked my palm over his cheek a few times before grabbing a handful and squeezing. Jay moaned into my mouth in response, and so I squeezed even harder. I inched my fingers towards his hole, working my way past Jay’s big bouncy ass to his tight furry hole. As I brushed over it with my fingertips, Jay gasped into my open mouth.

“Daddy... Fuck me, please,” Jay whined as I continued to tease him.

“When I’m ready boy…daddy still wants to play,” I answered as I circled my index and middle fingers around the rim of his hole. This was going to be a fun night.

When I’d had my fill of kissing, I flipped Jay onto his belly and pulled his legs apart. Mmm, cub butt. Only half on the bed, I crept up between his spread thighs on my chest, grabbing two handfuls of ass and spreading them wide to admire the furred crevice in front of me. I pursed my lips and blew some air up and down his crack, making him shudder. I followed that up by putting my tongue directly on his hole and seeing how deep I could push inside.

A loud groan escaped the pillow Jay had shoved his face into, and I continued to use my tongue on his hole and crack, even giving his cheeks a few light bites. I alternated between teasing and nibbling on his rim and licking long swaths over his hole, before moving on to pistoning my tongue in and out of it. I squeezed and kneaded his ass as I feasted, scraping my beard along his crack. Jay kept his position on the bed, making sure his ass remained propped up and fighting back any loud noises as he was worried about my roommates hearing.

Finally, after a few more minutes of rimming, and with a smack on the ass, I extracted myself. Standing and looking at Jay on the bed, I decided what I wanted to do next. I moved to stand along the side of the bed, and pulled Jay’s head towards my cock.

“Suck,” I ordered.

Like a good boy, Jay did as he was told and took my cock into his mouth. Keeping my hand on the back of his head, I rocked my hips forward, fucking his face to help with the angle and lack of leverage. I watched as Jay worked to wet my cock with his mouth, eagerly swallowing down as much of me as he could before I pulled away.

“On your back,” I told him as I climbed onto the bed proper.

“Yes, daddy!” Jay responded excitedly , flipping onto his back and lifting and spreading his legs.

“Good boy,” I smiled hungrily, maneuvering between them.

I placed his legs on my shoulders and pushed back his thigh with one hand before spitting into the other to make sure my cock was slick. Then I positioned my cock at his hole and pressed inside. Moving carefully as we were only using spit for lube, I very slowly pushed myself all the way in until Jay could feel the scrape of my pubic hair against his ass. Letting his ankles drop from my shoulders to my arms, I leaned down to kiss him as he got used to the stretch of my cock.

I flexed my dick a few times while we kiss, making Jay gasp and moan each time. Once he relaxed, I started pulling my hips back ever so slightly, barely letting an inch of my cock slip out before pushing back in as far as I could help it. Gradually, I increased the amount of my cock that came out until eventually, I was long dicking him on his back while we were still lip locked.

Wanting to move faster, I pushed myself up, looking down to where my cock was being swallowed by his ass. I watched in fascination as my slick cock disappeared and reappeared with each thrust. It was mesmerizing. I even took some video.

We had been at it for half-an-hour, give or take, with no sign of stopping, so I wanted to move us into a more comfortable position. After carefully extracting myself from Jay, I grabbed one of his thighs and instructed him to roll onto his side, facing away from me. Then, after settling in behind him, I lined my cock up with his hole once again and bottomed out. I returned to our previous pace without pause, wrapping one arm around Jay’s hips to hold him steady.

Throughout all of this, Jay has been a good and compliant boy. Never fighting, only moaning and begging for more. I pounded into him relentlessly as I held him tightly to my chest. I bit and licked at his ear and tweaked his nipples, never letting up. It wasn’t long before I felt Jay’s body start to seize up, his ass tightening like a vice as he experienced his first dry orgasm of the night, moaning loudly.

I was going to have to apologize to my roommates later.

We continued to fuck just like that on our sides. In that position, I was able to conserve a lot more energy, angling my cock just right to nail Jay’s prostate with every thrust. I wasn’t sure exactly when I was going to cum, but it was only ten minutes later before I fucked another anal orgasm out of Jay, a prolonged “daaadyyy” escaping his lips.

We fucked like that for almost an hour. I was covered in sweat, and my sheets and mattress were soaked with it. The room was as humid as a hot Florida day and reeked of sex. Jay stayed in position, only able to moan or cry out weakly when another orgasm would wash over him. I myself had devolved to little more than a grunting, growling Neanderthal who’s only drive was to breed. Not long after Jay had his sixth and final orgasm of the night, I finally approached my own.

Feeling myself on the edge, I pulled him back against me tightly as I gave his ass my final few thrusts before exploding. Jay could feel every shot leaving my cock as my hot load coated his insides. He pushed back, as if it were even possible to get any more of my cock inside himself. I was gently biting into his shoulder to help prevent my own noises from being too loud, and still thrusting after every shot, wishing I could push my seed even deeper.

We laid there in the dim red light of my room, still connected, catching our breath. I held him close, despite the clammy feeling that both of our sweat soaked bodies had. I could feel his ass still tightly milking my cock. I just wanted to lay here with him and soak this feeling in. We could clean up later.

We had all weekend.

Travel Guide - V'rok'sh Tah'lj

V'rok'sh Tah'lj is a small city-state located in the forests of southeastern Mik'anak - also known as Nova Mundus - approximately 150 miles east of the coastline. In the local and predominantly spoken language of Atasi, the city’s name translates to "home among the trees." The city is unknown to the public at large, kept secret to all but a select few: nearby government officials, prominent merchants and tradesmen, and individuals with the right personal connections. Because of the city’s secret existence, as all travel in and out of the city is closely regulated and monitored, which can make establishing and maintaining trade relationships difficult.

The city's history can be traced back almost 450 years ago, when a group of six orc tribes migrated from the deserts in the southwest over the Emerald Mountains in the east. The tribes settled in the forests of this new land, each claiming a piece for themselves. The tribes then spent the next fifty years warring over land, until finally, after an unlikely alliance and an even unlikelier romance, a treaty was signed. To protect their fledgling alliance, the orcs began the construction of a great wall, and the city was founded.

With a population of 2500 and growing, the city inches closer to becoming more of an "open secret" with each passing year. Despite this, orcs continued to make up 98% of Tah'lj's citizenship. These Tahlijan orcs, who refer to themselves as the A'tahsaya, have skin tones that generally fall between forest and dark green, with added shades of olive. Their natural hair colors are typically black or brown, and their eye colors either brown, green, or hazel. Ear and nose piercings are common signs of self-expression, as are tattoos.

The primary religion practiced by the local populace is the worship of a triumvirate of deities known as the Three. The Three are made up of Nargol the Sky-Father, Vol’tha the Earth-Mother, and Sha-mir the River-Guardian, each representing different aspects of the natural world, as well as the orcs themselves - body and spirit, masculine and feminine, warriors and protectors. The main house of worship is the Temple of the Three, led by High Priest Bhok Azkosot. Worship takes place primarily on Astraday evenings, just as the sun begins to set.

The government of Vrok'sh Tah'lj is a democratic republic, with six members of the Tribal Council acting as joint heads-of-state. These six members hold equal power, voting on matters pertaining to the city's governance, such as new laws or changes to existing laws. They are responsible for appointing people to certain governmental positions, and also act as judges in high-profile criminal cases. Council members hold office for three years, and are not eligible to hold office more than once in their lifetime. At the end of their term, their seat becomes vacant and new members are voted in by the city’s residents, with two seats being vacated each year. Should a seat be vacated early, a new council member may be voted in to complete the original member’s term, but not serve a full three years themselves.

Protection of V’rok’sh Tah’lj’s citizens, as well as enforcement of the city’s laws, falls under the jurisdiction of the Rangers of V’rok’sh Tah’lj, currently led by a newly-appointed Captain Ragnar Rockfang. Minor infractions typically result in only a fine, but more serious crimes can lead a person to spend some time at the Yash’ak Cr’hol Labor Camp, or for more serious or violent transgressions, Av’ukom Prison. The rangers are responsible for patrolling the forests outside of the city, checking and maintaining the many alarm and illusion spells that help to maintain their secrecy. The V’rok’sh Tah’lj Militia, headed up by Captain Raga Bullgore, stands by to assist the rangers in responding to any potential threats. Both forces are overseen by Commander U’loth Grandtooth, though it is rumored he may soon be stepping down.

As with most orcs, the diet of Tahlijan orcs is protein-heavy, consisting primarily of fish, venison, and turkey, and supplemented with imported livestock. Local delicacies include sweet potato & turkey stew, seared venison steaks, and dar-buk: a sweet bun made with two kinds of flour, sweetened with tree sap, and stuffed with jam made from local forest berries. On an island in the Shadrok river to the south of the city is a small farm where livestock are kept and a small amount of agriculture takes place. Passage to and from the island is accomplished via spellcasters raising and lowering a bridge that lies along the riverbed.

Hunting and fishing are the locally-preferred forms of recreation, though because local customs frown upon wasting parts of a kill, most recreational hunters tend to stick to smaller game. A large dual-purpose arena and theater known as the Hall of Honor sits at the center of town, used for tournaments, the performing arts, and the occasional battle. Large panel carvings line the Hall’s inner walls, detailing past events that city’s historians have deemed worthy of capturing. Rug’bal, a popular local team sport, shares many similarities to the Albionian/Lutherian game of football, the main differences being that in Rug’bal, one is allowed to use their hands, and tackling is encouraged. There is also the nearby Shad’rok Springs, a freshwater spring west of the city known for their pristine beauty and deep swimming ponds.

Also of note are the number of underground rivers running right under the city, and the city’s use of them. Approximately forty years ago, two local businessmen, Fudhag Murbank and Ikith Shardwrap, spent a number of months living in elven cities and learning what they could about the infrastructure. Combining this knowledge with their own engineering and magic, the two devised a plumbing system that could provide their people with running and heated water right to their own homes, while also ensuring that nothing unsafe was returned to the ecosystem. As of 4043 AFA, over one-third of the city’s homes are connected to this plumbing system.

Despite its progress, all is not perfect behind the city’s walls. A housing crisis is in the making as the population continues to grow and space continues to shrink. Fledgling trade relationships with other nations have continued to feel the strain of the city’s secret status, leading some to question if the city may be forced to finally reveal its existence in the name of expansion and progress. Additionally, there are rumors of some sort of upheaval, with talk of an attempted coup or an even worse tragedy taking place among the city’s upper government. Those with knowledge have described the situation as chaotic, though they have also noted that the newly appointed Ranger Captain Rockfang is working closely with the Tribal Council on several reforms. It will be very interesting to see how the city responds to these issues, and what the future holds for the orcs of V’rok’sh Tah’lj.

Secrets & Spires: Chapter 1

Happy Monday everyone! Here it is, the first chapter of Steel & Thunder Book 3:  Secrets & Spires! This novel will be released on April 17th, 2022, available in all the usual places. Find the cover art below (logo pending), and happy reading!

“NO!” I cry out as I watch the sword plunge into David’s chest.

He looks down in shock as the blade is removed, blood already pouring from the wound. He stumbles backwards into the altar, struggling to hold himself upright, red pooling in the corners of his mouth as he tries to breathe. He collapses atop of it, arm reaching out for me blindly, and I fight against my captor as the light fades from his eyes.

I cease my struggling, the fight draining out of me like David’s blood. I have been shot with arrows, poisoned, and beaten tonight, but none of that compares to the emptiness I feel at his loss. It is as though part of me died with him. As I stare numbly at his corpse, I can hear Redwish and Murbank arguing off to the side, drawing my attention

“What do you think you are doing?!” Murbank shouts at the other man in robes. “You have tainted the weapon and the altar! This could ruin everything!”

“So clean it up.” I watch as Redwish turns his gaze to me, the crimson-stained weapon clattering to the ground when he drops it. He stalks over to me, a look of evil determination in his eyes as he sneers down, grabbing me by the hair roughly to look at him. “You are lucky you have not outlived your usefulness just yet. Otherwise you would be joining your pet there on the altar.”

I do not have a retort; I wish he had killed me. Just as I resign myself to whatever fate awaits me, the sounds of thunder crashing outside the temple grow louder, and more frequent. Then the room, no, the entire mountain begins to shake, before an arc of lightning shoots down through the ceiling and strikes David’s body. His corpse convulses on the altar before the surge of electricity is gone as suddenly as it appeared, and the entire room goes silent.

And then David moves.

“Impossible,” Redwish mutters on my left.

I am unsure of what he means by that, but by the time I turn to look at him he has already fled. Turning back to David, I watch as he pushes himself off of the altar. He looks around the room briefly before silently bending over to pick up the discarded sword. His face, passive until now, twists into something filled with rage, like a wild animal. He locks eyes with one of the cult members and leaps forward. Then the screaming starts.

_________________________________________________________________________________

I wake in our tent with a start, cursing to myself quietly as I sit up. Spirits be damned. That is now the third time I have had that dream, which is every night since leaving the city. I only have myself to blame, as I continue to replay the events over in my mind every night before bed. I cannot help it. I am trying to find answers. That is the entire reason I am out here.

Well, not the entire reason. Turning onto my side, I look over at the real reason I am out here: David. He is on his side, facing away from me, no longer playing the little spoon now that I am sitting. Still asleep, I watch his chest rise and fall, unable to prevent myself from checking that he is still breathing. I just need to be sure.

Not quite ready to return to dreamland, I watch over my avakesh as he rests, smiling to myself as I tuck a shaggy lock of black hair behind his ear. I will have to see about getting him a haircut when we reach Pakannon. Some people might find it hard to believe that I gave up my entire life to follow the human currently drooling into his pillow.

I never expected to fall in love with him, or that he would love me back. After everything I did to him I am shocked he was even able to forgive me. I understand that we were both tricked, manipulated by Redwish into accepting a fight on terms and with consequences that neither of us truly understood, but to think that I would be capable of forcing myself on someone like that at all... Let us just say that I have my own reasons for wanting to hunt the man down.

David did forgive me, though, and I will not be taking that forgiveness for granted. Leaving everything behind to come with him was not a difficult decision at all. My best friend, Ragnar, and his boy, Nylan, were urging me to leave before I had even made up my own mind, and Brull practically laughed and asked if there was anything from his store I wanted to bring with me. Even my family did not seem surprised when I rushed in to announce my immediate departure. My sister Ayla was far more surprised that I was handing her the keys to my home. I really hope she is looking after it properly. Did I remember to tell her about the monthly butcher delivery?

I shake the unnecessary thoughts from my head. If there is something important I need to tell her, I can write a letter, but there is little to be done about it now. Not only is it the middle of the night, but we are still two days away from Pakannon. We have much more important things to worry about than a delivery of meat, like namely what caused my pup here to be resurrected in the first place. Not that we seek to undo it, of course, but learning how it happened may be the only way to discover if the spell changed anything else, as well as ensure that he will not suffer any lingering after effects.

The leaders of Pakannon, as well as some of Nylan’s family, should be anticipating our arrival. The former should have information for us, while the latter is more of a social call. I have never met Nylan’s family aside from his father and mother, but I am sure they are as hospitable as he is. And since we have been making such good time on the road the past few days, I have been able to plan out a small surprise for David and his friends. It just a small detour to--

A sound of distress pulls me from my thoughts and I look down to see a frown growing on David’s face, with more unhappy noises following. He starts to move, almost as though he is struggling, before he finally says something coherent.

“No... Stop...” He whines as he flips onto his back, still fighting against an invisible force.

“David,” I try to gently shake him awake. “David, wake up. David.”

A final shake to his shoulder finally gets him to open his eyes, fear and confusion flashing on his face. He stares blindly around the tent, and I curse myself again, this time for not remembering that he is unable to see in the dark like myself. I place my hand gently on his chest before continuing.

“It is only me, pup,” I tell him softly. “You were having another nightmare.”

“Khazak? Sir?” He asks, sounding so small and afraid.

“I am right here.” I lay back down and pull my distressed boy against my chest, running my hand down his back. “You are alright.”

“...so much blood...” he mumbles against my skin.

I do not need to ask what the nightmare was about. David has been relieving the events of that night himself, though from what I can gather his are much more visceral. Enough to wake himself with a scream two nights ago that left him unable to return to sleep at all. Given that my trauma over the events pales in comparison to his, I have neglected to tell him of my own nightmares. I do not want to give him something else to worry about.

Thankfully, David does not appear to have any issues falling asleep again tonight. About ten minutes after waking, I feel his heartbeat slow and his breathing even out as he drifts off again against my chest. I follow him not long after, holding him close in a silent plea to fend off any more bad dreams.

I wake the next morning to a finger gently tracing the tattoo on my chest, the jagged-edged sword that is the emblem of my family, Clan Ironstorm. I open my eyes, still heavy with leftover sleep, to meet David’s, green and full of energy. I must admit, it has taken some getting used to having a bedmate who is more often than not awake before I am. Up until David, the only person I knew to do that was my father, Orlun. If not for the fact that he has been like this since I first met him, I would be concerned this was a side-effect of the nightmares, but I have not yet noticed David ever appearing tired in the mornings. Aside from that one near-hangover.

“Good morning,” I smile down, my voice rough from disuse.

“Morning.” He gives me a shy smile in return, far shyer than he has any right to be, but damn if he does not look adorable.

“Any more bad dreams?” I ask, running my hand through his hair.

“No, Sir.” He shakes his head. “Only been up a little while.”

I relish in his use of my honorific, something that is sadly more relegated to the privacy of our tent these days. As much as I miss it (and could even order him to use it, should I truly desire), I understand that David is still learning to be comfortable with our relationship in front of his friends. It takes him considerable effort to work up the nerve for public displays of affection of any kind, and I can see him trying, so I feel he has more earned my patience in the “Sir” department. Besides, there are many ways to ensure he does not forget who is in charge here.

“Glad to hear it, pup.” I bend down, kissing the top of his head. “Ready for breakfast?”

“Yessir. Gotta pee!” The human quickly wiggles out of my grasp, making me laugh as he reaches for his pants.

As silly as his antics are, I am warmed by the thought that he did not want to leave the tent - and me - until I woke up. Needing to exit for the same reasons, I reach for my own pants and sling my bag over my shoulder, following David out of the tent. A brief look around reveals no one else by the fire except for Elisabeth. She had the final watch shift last night, so she has likely been awake for at least an hour.

“Good morning, Elisabeth.” I wave as I head towards the forest to relieve myself.

“Good morning, Khazak.” She waves back. “And I keep telling you, it’s just ‘Liss.’”

I nod my head with a chuckle. Between Elisabeth’s request and David’s own issues surrounding his name, I cannot help but wonder if all humans are this finicky about their names. Or perhaps it is only the Lutherians. I like Elisabeth - sorry, Liss, so it is something I will endeavor to remember. She is strong, and from what I remember of our first meeting, more than able to handle herself in a fight. She appeared to have black hair then, but during her time as a detainee the original red began to show. Rather than dyeing it again, she had the remaining black cut off before we left the city. Her hair is shorter than mine or David’s right now.

Out of all of David’s companions, she is the quietest, though that silence belies a level of attention that some of my former colleagues would envy. Though I do not yet know her very well, I have seen her reacting to sounds and motions in the trees so subtle I was sure no one but myself would notice, and she regularly scans our camp’s perimeter when the group is gathered by the fire.

Having spent almost a decade patrolling the forests of my home as a ranger, I understand how important it is to always be aware of your surroundings. Even when doing the most mundane of tasks, you must remain constantly vigilant; always listening for the unexpected, looking for any potential entrances or exits, ready to react at a moment's notice. It can be exhausting, which is all the more reason to be impressed with Liss. Had she been living in V’rok’sh Tah’lj, she would have made an excellent addition to the ranger force.

I find David behind a tree far enough from camp to garner some privacy, exhaling in relief as he empties his bladder. I find my own tree, and when we are finished tucking ourselves away, I grab him by the shoulder when he tries to head back to camp. With a grumble, he accepts one of the toothbrushes I pull from my bag, and when we are finished with those we share my water flask to rinse. I am not sure what his dental hygiene was like before my arrival, but I am going to ensure that neither of us loses any teeth while on the road.

“Ready for breakfast?” I ask as we return to camp.

“Always, Sir.” He rubs his stomach dramatically. “What are we having?”

“I believe there are still fish from Adam and Elisabeth’s catch yesterday.” Though I am planning to do some hunting later today. “I thought I would grill some of those with a few potatoes.”

Since joining, I have done a bulk of the cooking for the group. I do not mind, between what my father Rurig taught me and having spent one week a month camping in the forest for nearly ten years, I am fairly talented when it comes to cooking outdoors. However, I always make sure someone else is assisting me, doing my best to pass along my skills to the rest of them. There are more important things for me to do on this journey than act as the group chef.

“Aww, you’re not gonna pull out any of the good stuff?” David frowns while looking at my bag.

The “good stuff” he is referring to are the contents of my spacious satchel. Thanks to its magical properties, it can not only hold much more than it appears, but it also places every item inside into a form of stasis, allowing for the storage of things like meat or fresh fruit, items that would normally spoil if left out. Before I left the city, I emptied the contents of my icebox and pantry into my bag. I had only just gotten a delivery from the butcher a few days prior to leaving; beef, venison, and the item that David is most likely referring to: bacon.

Having made my decision to leave rather hastily, time was of the essence, so I grabbed the meat, vegetables, spices, and anything else edible that I could find. I even brought my coffee pot, a pleasant surprise for everyone on our first morning together. But with my exit being so sudden, I had to spend an evening hunched over my journal with a pen, making a list of everything I brought so as not to forget what I had placed in there. I once found a shirt in the satchel I thought had been missing for three years, all because I forgot I had put it inside and never bothered trying to retrieve it.

“I told you, pup, as I no longer have a butcher or regular source of income, we will be rationing all of the ‘good stuff’ for the time being.” I made a sizable withdrawal from my savings in the Bank of V’rok’sh Tah’lj before my exit, but it is still a finite amount of money. “But, if you can continue to behave the rest of the journey to Pakannon, there may be a bacon-flavored reward in your future.”

“I always behave, Sir,” he repeats one of his favorite lies, speaking low as we reenter camp.

The rest of the group has begun to wake up, Adam stretching his limbs as he exits his tent. Nathaniel is sitting inside the tent he shares with Elis-- Liss, watching as the woman in question tends to the fire. She appears to already be preparing it to be cooked over, concentrating all of the burning coals and embers into one location for my skillet. Corrine’s tent is still closed, though I suspect she is awake and merely saying her morning prayers, as I have overheard mornings past.

David and I return to our tent to finish dressing. He strips down once we are inside, waiting for the next part of our morning ritual. It may seem silly, insignificant, or even perverted to others, but it is one I have come to treasure: selecting my pup’s underwear for the day. I choose a green jockstrap, one I purchased for him due to how well it pairs with his eyes. Watching David pull it on, I am reminded of the day we bought them, his first full day as mine.

It was only his second day, and we still had not quite made peace with each other yet. He was mortified as he modeled each pair for me and my friend, Brull, but his slight erection told me he did not hate it entirely. His subsequent panic attack and escape attempt notwithstanding, I would like to think we still had fun on that day, but I was not the one tricked into enslavement. It is something David looks forward to now - I can tell by the way he enjoys teasing me as he slips them on - but it is hard not to feel a twinge of guilt over the ritual’s origins.

Shaking the negative thoughts from my head, we finish dressing and exit the tent, ready to begin cooking. I place the cast-iron pan onto the fire to begin heating while I remove the remaining fish from my bag. With a pair of small knives at the ready, Liss and I set to work cleaning the fish. Just as I start adding items to the skillet, Corrine emerges from her tent, and after giving us a cheerful “good morning!,” she excuses herself to take care of her own needs. When she returns to the group a few minutes later, she sits down on a fallen log arranged not far from the fire.

“Alright David, time for your check-up!” She pats the spot next to her.

“Do we really have to keep doing this?” he complains, though when he looks to me for support and finds only a cocked eyebrow, he moves to the requested seat. “I feel fine, and besides, I was brought back to life by magic.”

“We still don't actually know how you were resurrected. Plus you were unconscious for four days, which isn’t good in any situation,” she reasons with him. “Come on, we all just want to make sure you’re okay. Once we get to Pakannon we can have the healer there check you over, and once they give you a clean bill of health, no more morning check-ups! Promise.”

“Fine,” David says with a sigh, but it is the small smile he wears that gives away the contentment I know he feels at being looked after like this. My pup is softer than he would have people believe.

Corrine quickly runs through a few basic tests - pulse, eyesight, hearing - before moving on to a quick scan of his body for any lingering magical effects. David’s body glows as her spell passes through him, and when it is finished, she smiles. “All clear!”

I appreciate her taking her duty as team healer so seriously, as David requires a firm hand. Though I have yet to see how the blonde handles herself in combat, Corrine has proven to be quite capable at healing, both with and without magic. She is the second quietest member of the group after Elisabeth, though it seems to be more out of politeness than any stoicism. She is also clearly the most religious of the group, though other than overheard prayers and the blessing she says to herself before meals, I have not noticed many outward expressions of her beliefs at all.

It is a pleasant surprise. My past experiences with Lutherian colonists, especially the religious ones, have not been all that positive. Truth be told, those experiences combined with the fact that our first meeting was an all-out brawl made me very nervous to set out with not one but five Lutherians. So far though, everything has gone smoothly.

After David receives his clean bill of health, it is only a few more minutes before breakfast is done. Corrine cheerfully assists Elisabeth and I in passing out breakfast using the bowls and outdoor cutlery I packed, an amenity the group had not previously considered. Honestly, I have no idea how these humans managed to survive on their own this long.

After we have finished breakfast, it is time to begin breaking down the camp and begin our journey for the day. Corrine volunteers herself and Nathaniel to take our dishes and utensils to the nearby river for cleaning while the rest of us work to break down the tents. The one I share with David is the largest, my own brought from home. Thanks to my satchel, it is also technically the lightest, though it does not leave me with room to carry much else. It is not as nice or spacious as the tent I used when serving as captain of the rangers, but it suits our needs just fine.

The three other tents are practically identical, only differing in the amount of wear their occupants have inflicted on them. Corrine has a tent to herself, her personal items are already packed and laid to the side. Elisabeth shares her tent with Nathaniel, though she appears to take most of the responsibility in its construction and transportation. And Adam occupies the final tent on his own, though prior to my arrival, he had been sharing it with David. I doubt he minds having the extra space to himself, and I do not think David minds having a new bedmate either. I certainly do not.

Adam is the team’s leader. Tall, muscular, blonde - I would be lying if I said the man was not attractive. He is also confident, charismatic, and mature - that last is especially important, seeing as he is eight years my junior. The entire group is. I was not ecstatic about agreeing to follow the leadership of someone so much younger than me, but thus far he has proven to be more than competent.

There is also the matter of him being David's best friend, so though I would not admit it out loud, part of me also just wants the man to like me. Shortly after I joined, David shared with me that some of Adam’s interests may align more closely with ours than I thought, something I am curious to learn more about for myself as we travel together. I am always on the lookout for new ways I can tease and torment my puppy.

The campfire extinguished and the tents broken down shortly after that. Everyone is collecting their personal items and preparing for the day's journey when Corrine and Nathaniel return. Corrine moves to finish gathering her things while Nathaniel brings the stack of bowls and forks to me.

Nathaniel is an interesting fellow, and the last member of our group. With his shaggy, unkempt brown hair, unevenly stubbled face, and a general lack of concern about his appearance, I can tell you I do not share the same feelings of attraction I have towards Adam. Although I do understand how difficult it is to maintain a beard while on the road.

The man is a mage, though I do not have an exact read on his skill level yet. He is certainly powerful enough to have sent several of the rangers serving under me to the healers, but we have not yet been in a battle where we are fighting on the same side. He is polite enough, and I cannot say I fully understand the level of disdain David seems to hold for the man.

“Here you go,” The mage hands the stack of bowls to me.

“Thank you, Nathaniel.” I return the bowls to my bag.

“David, what the hell kind of underwear are you wearing?” I look up abruptly at the sound of Nathaniel’s mocking tone.

His eyes are on David, who is bent over packing up one of the tents. His shirt is riding up, and the green strap of his jock is visible just above the top of his pants. His form freezes at the man’s comment, rising to his feet a second later and turning around. If he felt embarrassed, it is gone now, looking more annoyed than anything.

“I don’t know Nate, why are you staring my ass?” he asks while wearing an annoyed smirk.

“I’m not--! I wasn’t--!” the mage sputters. Alright, perhaps I understand David’s feelings a little.

“Nate, stop staring at David’s ass and finish packing up so we can leave,” Liss orders her beau without missing a beat, the man moving to help her with a grumble.

Once we have everything packed up, bags are loaded onto backs and we begin the day’s journey. We are walking a well-traveled road, so there is little chance of actual danger, but we still travel in a defensive formation, two by two. Adam and Elisabeth are in front, followed by the two mages, with David and myself bringing up the rear. I am quite happy with our positioning, as with Liss in front and myself in the back, our scouting needs are covered. I am also happy that it means I get to walk with David, and because we are behind everyone, have a little bit of privacy.

“David, I wanted to talk to you about your nightmare last night,” I speak low, knowing he will not want the rest of the group to hear.

“What about it?” he answers tersely, and I can see his posture stiffen as he walks.

“You have been having them every night since you left the city.” We both have. “We have not really spoken about them, or what happened that night since you woke up.”

“What’s there to talk about?” He is looking straight ahead as he speaks, hands clenching slightly.

I do not know, the fear, the trauma, the way you cannot so much as look at the sword you carry on your back without flinching? Of course I do not actually say any of that. “I just thought that perhaps talking about it might help. It is--”

“I told you, I’m fine, Khazak,” he snaps, loud enough for Corrine to turn her head towards us in question.

I give her an apologetic look, mentally sighing at David’s refusal to discuss what is bothering him. I also add ten to his spanking demerits for the day, something I will tell him about later when he is feeling a little less raw. It has been difficult getting him to talk about what happened; being kidnapped, tortured, having some of your friends and colleagues die while barely saving another. Being killed himself, and the bloodbath that came after he was resurrected. He is not the only one who needs to talk about things. I may need to consider a different tactic.

I understand his feelings, quite well in fact. When I was younger, my parents made the very ill-advised decision to leave me home alone with my siblings during a very dangerous time in the city. They thought I was mature enough to handle the responsibility, but it took quite a bit of counseling before I was able to really process my feelings about what had happened. David is much older than I was then, but I believe dealing with feelings like those he is experiencing is uncharted territory for him.

However, that does not excuse him snapping at me. Nightmares or not, I am still his kavan, his owner, and he knows I expect at least a modicum of respect when being spoken to. He is lucky all he is getting is ten spanks, any worse and that promised reward of bacon would be off the table as well. It is not even ten-o-clock yet. Getting started early today.

I have a few hours to contemplate when the best time to dish out said punishment might be before we stop for lunch. We do not bother with a full camp, only a small fire to cook the remaining fish from yesterday’s catch. While the fish grill over the fire, we pass the time with a little sparring. The group has not seen any combat yet, thankfully, but you can never be too prepared. Some members of the group need it more than others; I have a distinct memory of a certain blonde-haired priestess doing more running than fighting the last time I saw her in battle.

Adam and Elisabeth have paired up, both trained sword fighters. Adam fights with a one-handed broadsword and shield, in a style not unlike my own; defensive, studying his opponent for any weaknesses before striking. We battled once before, during the fight in the ruins that led to his team's arrest, and considering how outnumbered we had them, he did a very good job holding his own. Elisabeth wields a two-handed longsword, which is the same weapon I use, though her fighting style is much more aggressive. The two are a fairly even match for each other, though they have also clearly fought together for years.

David is also a trained warrior, having attended the same “knight academy” as Adam and Elisabeth. I am stil not entirely sure I understand what being a “knight” entails, but I can say they do not lack in combat training. David tells me he used to fight with a sword and shield like Adam, but shortly after arriving on our shores switched to wielding a sword in each hand. The style suits him, possessing both the speed and reflexes to deflect blows as quickly as he can strike with his own. He actually carries three swords on his back, but he only uses two of them to fight. The third is the same sword that ended his life, and is linked to his subsequent resurrection, a fact which I suspect is the reason he has yet to wield it. Something else he will not talk about easily.

The remaining members of our group, Corrine and Nathaniel, have little-to-no practical combat experience. They both wield large walking staffs, which they could do considerable damage with when used correctly, so I have taken it upon myself to impart some basic lessons in fighting and self-defense. David is helping me, having paired off with Corrine while I teach Nathaniel.

“No, you need to grip it lower, otherwise there is not enough force behind your blow to do any real damage.” It is going...alright.

“Like this?” The mage comes at me again.

“Better,” I tell him. “Try again. Do not be afraid to hit me, I am more than capable of defending myself.”

To my left, David is faring much better with Corrine. She is in the middle of using her staff to deflect David’s strikes, when a sudden loud snap followed by an animal's cry has the entire group freezing.

“What was that?” Adam asks.

“A wolf from the sound of it.” I pause, hearing faint whimpers of pain coming from the forest. “Still injured, though by what I am not.”

“I think I hear it, too.” David squints into the forest. That is curious. The only reason I can hear it is my orc biology granting me larger ears and enhanced hearing.

“Should we check it out?” Elisabeth asks, already reaching for her weapon.

“Just to be safe.” Adam does the same as he turns to me. “Khazak, will you lead the way?”

I nod and arm myself, the group now entering the forest in reverse order with David and I in front. We make it around twenty meters before the animal’s cries are loud enough for the rest of the group to hear, and another thirty before we find the source among the trees: a young, black-fured wolf, its front paw caught in the jaws of a large metal trap. Sensing our approach, it turns to face us as best it can, whimpers of pain morphing into growls. The group pauses, fanning out and stowing our weapons but still leaving a good distance between us and the wolf.

“Wait, that’s not one of the wolves from before, is it?” David asks immediately upon seeing the color of its fur, thinking back to the three wolves that attacked the two of us while on patrol over a month ago.  Due to an ill-timed tumble into a patch full of poisonous, paralytic flowers, we nearly did not survive, but thanks to David’s stubbornness, he managed to protect us both.

“No, this one is much younger.” It is also missing the scar David’s sword would have left after catching it against his face. Only one of those wolves survived to get away.

“Is that a bear trap?” Adam asks, looking at its caught paw.

“It would appear so.” The trap is made of two half circles, the inner edges jagged like two rows of sharp teeth, a bloody grin clamped on the poor animal’s leg.

“Where did it come from?” David asks next.

“Well, seeing as these did not exist on our shores prior to the Lutherian settlements being built...” I turn to give David and the other humans an unimpressed look.

“...Oh.” David scratches his head sheepishly. “Sorry.”

“What do we do?” Adam moves forward past the awkwardness. “Do we...let nature take its course?”

“I don’t think a bear trap counts as nature,” Nathaniel snarks.

“So what, we put it out of its misery?” Liss asks with some measure of hesitation.

“I do not think it needs to come to that.” That was rather fast to reach the ‘put out of its misery’ stage of things, but at least they mean well. “Normally I would agree with you Adam, but Nathaniel is correct, this hardly counts as natural.” I turn to our healer. “Corrine, do you think you could try putting it to sleep?”

“Hmm. It might be too scared or in too much pain, but I can try.” She looks at the wolf, nodding.

“I may be able to help with that.” I step towards the wolf, motioning for Corrine to follow while the rest of the group stays back to watch. The wolf’s growls grow louder as we approach, wide amber eyes nervously flicking back and forth between myself and the cleric.

“I am going to try to calm it,” I tell Corrine as I drop to one knee once we are close enough. “Then, if you are able to put it to sleep, we should be able to free it.”

Corrine nods, and I take a moment to clear my mind before locking eyes with the wolf. Tentatively, I push out with my magic, reaching for the animal’s aura with mine. There’s a moment of recognition when they finally touch, the creature's fight or flight instinct flashing from its mind to mine. The longer we stay connected, the longer I can feel its emotions. I can feel its anger and pain, its hunger, its loneliness. Eyes still locked, I try to match my breathing to the wolf’s, projecting feelings of peace as I do. It takes a few minutes, but eventually the wolf begins to calm, its back legs dropping to lay flat.

With my part done, it is now Corrine’s turn. Copying me and dropping to one knee, she reaches into the collar of her robes to remove a necklace from around her neck. It is her spell focus, a symbol of her god that allows her to channel her magic, in this instance a golden dove. Holding the chain out in front of her, she allows the focus to dangle and begins swaying it back and forth. As the wolf turns its eyes to this new movement, Corrine begins to hum what I can only assume is a lullaby. The focus starts to glow, as do the wolf’s eyes, an almost unearthly white. The wolf’s eyes begin to drop, and it sinks to the ground as it succumbs to the spell and falls asleep.

“Wonderful work, Corrine.” I stand, dusting off my knee and helping Corrine to do the same.

“Thank you, Khazak, you as well.” She offers me a small bow.

With the wolf unconscious, it is safe enough to move in. Up close, I can see that it is a very young female. Thin too. I think back to the last time I saw wolves with David. They were also hungry, and far from their normal hunting grounds. Could they be from the same pack? Black wolves are not the most common sight, so to come across four in such a short period of time leads me to believe something is wrong.

“Alright, I am going to hold open the trap.” I kneel down again, finding the best way to get a hold of the trap’s jaws. “While I do that, can you pull its paw out?”

“Got it.” Corrine nods, moving into position and putting one hand on the wolf’s upper leg.

Making sure my fingers are free of any jagged points, I pry apart the metal mandibles. It is not impossible, but it does take some strength, and from this angle I am not able to open it all the way. Thankfully, as soon as the space is wide enough, Corrine pulls the wolf free. With the trap still in my hand. I stand, taking a few steps away from the group before quickly and carefully releasing the trap in front of me, watching it slam shut with a snap as it falls to the ground.

“I hate these things,” I say aloud to no one in particular, kicking the closed trap with my foot. “Aside from the fact that anyone could have stumbled on it and gotten hurt, it is also incredibly cowardly. At least have the courage to look your kill in the eye or give it a fighting chance.”

“At least it was the wolf and not us,” David adds, sounding like he may be resentful of the entire species after our attack.

“I don’t think anything’s broken, I should be able to heal this just fine.” I turn to see Corrine is still kneeling by the unconscious wolf, inspecting her injured leg.

“Her, actually.” I look down and the poor injured pup. “She is young, too young to be on her own. She should not be in this area either, she should be farther north. Something must have happened to her pack to drive her down here.”

“You said the same thing about those other wolves,” David remembers as well. “Think it’s related?”

“Perhaps.” I kneel down to look over the wolf as Corrine works her magic, hands glowing as they are placed over the injured leg. When she pulls away, the only indication of an injury is the small amount of dried blood stuck to the wolf’s fur.

“Good as new!” She stands cheerily.

“Good job, both of you.” Adam steps forward, not able to do anything but watch with the rest of the team. “Should we do anything else? Leave her some food or something?”

“Food might attract other predators while she sleeps.” I stand and look around us for a good spot with cover, hiding the wolf’s sleeping form under the brush. “She should be safe here until she wakes up.”

“What do we do with the trap?” Nathaniel points his staff at the damned thing.

“Sell it to the blacksmith in Pakannon for scrap.” I pick up the trap and squeeze it through the mouth of my satchel. “At the very least they can destroy it. I am not going to leave it out here.”

“I agree with you there.” Adam nods before turning to lead the group out of the forest. “Alright, let’s eat and then get back on the road.”

_________________________________________________________________________________

“That was pretty cool of you back there, rescuing that wolf. Kinda hot twatching you step up and take charge like that, too,” David tells me after finishing lunch. “Especially since the last time I saw one of those things, it and its two friends tried to eat us.”

I laugh at his comment. Still resentful of the wolves, then. “I was only doing what was right, David. Just like those wolves were only doing what their instincts told them.”

“I get that, but maybe their instincts could include less trying to bite chunks outta my ass,” he grumbles.

“Can you blame them? It is a lovely ass.” I smack the rump in question, making David squawk indignantly. The combined noises cause Corrine and Nathaniel to turn and look again, and I cannot help but laugh as I watch him fight the urge to rub away the sting. I reach over and pull him closer, offering a silent apology.

If this is what our future together holds, then I am already looking forward to more.

My Three Orc Dads is Available for Preorder

Hoe hoe hoe! Whoops, sorry. Thought I saw some boys I knew. I can’t believe it’s already December. Happy Holidays to everyone who has already finished celebrating, or is getting ready to in a few weeks. The first piece of news I have for you is up there in the title: My Three Orc Dads is available for preorder! Also, guess who was wrong about this being digital only? You can totally buy yourself a cute little paperback novella should you choose. (As soon as they are added to Amazon, at least.) Though this does not mean much to all of you, you can order a copy from the usual list of online retailers.

The My Three Orc Dads chapters on Patreon have been updated to the edited versions, and the cover art added. I want to apologize, as I was misinformed about some of Patreon’s capabilities. You all can expect a message in your inbox from me requesting your emails so that I can send you your copy of the My Three Orc Dads ebook, and I am working on adding a suggestion box form page to my website that only patrons will be able to access. That should be open to all of you by next month, and I will put a reminder and a link in all future poll-posts.

In other book news, Steel & Thunder Book 3 is almost complete! I only have a few more chapters to write, and then I will be spending the first part of January compiling the manuscript. I’ll be previewing the release date, cover art, title, and full first chapter right here next week! So Come back then!

This Month on Patreon

Here’s what’s coming to Patreon in December:

• 12/13: The full first chapter of the third novel in the Steel & Thunder series, including the title, cover art, and planned release date.
• 12/20: Travel Guide - V'rok'sh Tah'lj - Learn some facts about the city that you won't read in the stories. Mostly because David doesn't know them.
• 12/27: Weekend With Jay, Part 1: The first night of a three-day weekend I spent with a very eager boy, and how I quickly started using his holes.