Damn Incubus

[Maira]

Cian had never come home and Talbot had drifted away and Lia, feeling more lost and alone than she ever had in her life, threw herself into her work for both Eris and the college. Her heartbreak seemed to be good for business for Eris and Lia outperformed herself, even managing to capture the attention of her father after thousands of years. He tried to lure her away from Eris but Lia promptly told him to go jump of a really high bridge. The look on the bastard of a God's face was more than a little satisfying and after he'd left in defeat, being turned down by his daughter who had once wanted so bad to please him, made Lia feel a strange sort of pride.

After the failed attempted to get Cian to come home, she and Talbot hadn't lasted long. She had been alone for most of the time that Cian had been gone and when she heard his voice from her doorway, Lia thought that she was just imagining things. It wouldn't be the first time that her subconscious reminded her of just what she'd managed to lose. She felt her eyes well up like they always did, but at the same time she also felt something else. Something familiar, yet stronger than she remembered. Sure that her eyes would reveal she was indeed imagining things again and that she wasn't actually feeling Cian's power, Lia finally looked up.

At the sight of Cian grinning warmly at her, Lia dropped her pencil and stared in open-mouthed silence for only a moment before shoving out of her chair and practically throwing herself at him. She wrapped her arms tightly about his neck, buried her face in his shoulder, and demanded of her one-time lover, "Don't you dare be my imagination!"

[Demeter]

If Cian hadn't of grabbed the doorframe when Lia threw herself at him, they both would have gone tumbling to the floor. He kept a arm wrapped around her waist and righted them. "Not your imagination, Lia, I really am back for good," he said while kicking his pack into the office. 

He followed the much abused pack in, hauling Lia in with him, and closed the door. He wasn't quite sure how to go about convincing Lia to become his mate, short of telling her that both if their deities had told him to do it. Spending the last several years in Haven had granted him the unique experience of having several deities speak to him, including Eris. 

But before he got to that part, it seemed he first needed to convince Lia that he wasn't going to disappear. He sat down on a couch Lia had angled into her office, stretched his legs out along the cushions and pulled Lia onto his lap. He stroked her back, rubbing in circles. "I'm sorry for vanishing on you all those years ago but I was in a bad place, mentally, and had to sort myself out. Eros pretty much drop kicked me, face first, into the gates of Haven and told me to stay put until I got my shit together. 

"I got myself straightened out and I'm back now. And I have a few missions to carry out. The first has to do with you. Eris will probably confirm this later in but she doesn't want you to be alone anymore. Seems she doesn't like her favorite chaos maker being a workaholic."

When Lia lifted her head and blinked at him, Cian just grinned. Given the difficulty of seducing a Succubus of Lia's age and power, he'd just made the spur of the moment decision to tell her what the Gods wanted. "Eris and Eros want us to become formal mates. They want the whole shebang - bonding ceremonies, rings, filing joint taxes, car loans, joint checking and discussions about yard work over morning coffee. Oh, and Eris dreams of you having kids because of her natural grandchildren are hell born beasts but that isn't a requirement."

He smiled at his succubus, tugged on her hair and gave her a squeeze. "So, what do you say, Lia? Do you want to become Mrs. Cian Cameron, Phd?"

[Maira]

Getting dragged back into her office and then down onto Cian's lap when he sat on her couch, Lia couldn't stop smiling. He'd said he was going to stay. Most people probably would have held some resentment toward their old lover who had disappeared unexpectedly, but in this moment Lia realized just how much she had really missed him. Having him telling her he wasn't going away again was enough for her.

When he started rubbing circles on her back, Lia's excited heart began to slow and relax. His words didn't really even phase her. Not until he got to the part about Eris not wanting her to be alone anymore and wanting her to stop working so hard, that is. She blinked at him in surprise and was going to ask what he meant but he just kept on talking. Confused, she listened as he informed her that both Eros and Eris approved of this idea that she and Cian become mates and settle down, possibly even have some babies. Being thousands of years old and child-less, Lia had long ago given up on the idea of ever having a baby but as soon as Cian mentioned the idea, it seemed her biological clock finally decided to start ticking and she realized that a baby was something she had actually been longing after for quite some time.

After all of that, he smiled at her and tugged on her hair before finally, officially, popping the question. A giant smile spread across her face and Lia poked him in the chest with a single finger and teased, "Nice way to propose there Cian." Her smile softened then and she answered him, "I've been yours for years Cian, you just weren't here to see that. You're here now though and since you're asking, officially, I suppose my official answer is that yes Cian, I'd love to be your wife." With that, she leaned toward him and kissed him. Softly at first, but the kiss quickly became heated and she was very glad he'd shut her office door. She only hoped he'd thought to lock it too.

[Demeter]

He arranged for their honeymoon to take place over the summer holiday. They celebrated the end of the academic year by having a grand wedding and by throwing a party. His years in Haven had taught him a few new tricks and, with a little work, no one remembered that he was one of the students Lia had been involved with a few years back. 
After a personal celebration in their new home, Cian took his new wife on a world wide traveling adventure. Seattle, Huston, Miami, Savannah, New York, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Athens, Berlin, Moscow, Shang-hai, and Tokyo were the stops they made before boarding a ship in Melbourne, Australia. 

At each stop, they stayed and partied for four or five days. To many, their habit of hunting down some lucky human bastard or bitch for at least one night of fun may have seemed like a weird activity for a pair of newlyweds but for a Incubus and his Succubus wife, it was a thrill. 

Cian grinned when he shoved a parka at Lia after the ship motored out of the harbor. "The last stop on our grand tour is Haven. Its going to get a whole lot colder before it gets warmer," he said while wrapping his arms around Lia's waist and nuzzling her neck. They stood at the railing of the bow. "When we get into Haven, you'll find that you'll want to strip down to the lightest clothing you brought. It can get so warm there that, when in private, you'll want to wear nothing at all. And that gives me all kinds of ideas."
He nipped at her ear. "It'll take a few days to get there and, regretfully, we shouldn't touch anyone on board, except for the crew if they are interested. Most of the other passengers are broken in some way. And, as much as I like sharing another with you, I think I'll keep you to myself for this voyage."

And he did just that; the newlyweds remained in their shielded cabin for the duration of the voyage and, with the exception of one time with a very interested captain, didn't lure anyone into their bed. 

When they docked in Haven, Cian watched Lia as she took in the harbor within landmass. He wasn't sure if she'd ever ventured to Haven before; she'd never mentioned it in their talks. He enjoyed the way Lia observed everything and the way her eyes sparkled when she spotted the harbor market. 

That was why he insisted on bringing extra luggage; they could both do some damage when on a shopping spree and the markets of Haven were unrivaled. Once they were able to disembark, Cian led Lia away from the markets. "Plenty of time to shop after we get settled. We'll be here till the end of summer," he said. 

That's when an energetic brunette bounced towards them, shouting Cian's name. "That's Serenity. She's the one that taught me to that thing with my tongue that makes you scream. She's real friendly," he said while wiggling his eyebrows. 

Serenity bounced right up to Cian, giving him a hug and a kiss. She turned to the woman standing next to him. "You must be Lia. Cian's told me a lot about you. Welcome to Haven!" she said before giving Lia the same welcoming hug and kiss.

"I've arranged for you to have the Grotto for your entire stay. Your luggage will be delivered once they unload the ship," she said while leading them to a pony trap. "The Grotto is a distance away from the main living areas," she said to Lia, "and I thought it best to distance the two of you from everyone. While there are plenty who've expressed interest in being with you two, we have broken souls and children here. And, though I hate admitting it, the shielding here wasn't designed with honeymooning Incubi and Succubi in mind. Plus, the Grotto is awesome."

Cian grinned while stripping out of the clothing suited to the harsh environment outside of Haven's gates. The temperature of the complex was more like tropical places were the heat and humidity hung heavy in the air. After tossing tossing his and Lia's outer wear onto the floor of the trap, he helped his new wife into her seat. Unable to help himself, Cian ran his hands over her bare shoulders, smirking when she tossed a look at him. 

With Serenity driving them out to the Grotto, Cian watched as Lia took in the sights. It took 30 minutes to reach the Grotto. After waving away Serenity, Cian pulled back the curtain of moss and vines before ushering Lia into the space. 

It was lush and green and full of fragrant flowers. A small building designed like a temple was built into one side of the cave and a waterfall trickled down another side. Cian, standing behind Lia, wrapped his arms around his wife's waist. "The waterfall comes from the melt water and cools the geothermal heated lagoon. We are completely alone here. Serenity and the residence manager will have seen to it that we have a supply of provisions. I know many of the other, unbroken Incubi and Succubi that live here and can easily summon them here. Our only visitor until we summon someone will be the Oracle when she comes to open our minds to all the deities of the universe."

As he spoke, Cian's hands caressed Lia's stomach. "But she won't be coming here for a few days. I want to take you in the water, to make you scream among the flowers and to make you beg for it in the temple," he said right before his fingers slipped beneath the hem of her pants and his mouth fixed itself on her neck. 

[Maira]

Waiting until the school year was over so they could be married and go on their honeymoon was almost torture for Lia. Now that she had Cian back she wanted to lay her claim officially as soon as she could. She wasn't terribly worried about him being claimed by somebody else, or him running off, she just really liked the idea of being able to call him her husband. Lia got to handle planning most of the ceremony, but Cian wouldn't let her even peek at what arrangements he made for their honeymoon. So, when they finally left on their world-wide tour she was pleasantly surprised to find out just what all he had planned.

Every city that they stayed in, Lia had more fun than the last. The different foods, cultures, and sights made for a very exciting trip, being able to travel by gateway instead of planes, also made the trip more fun. They didn't waste hours upon hours going through security or on the planes, just got right down to the adventures of exploring and seducing the locals.

Their last leg of the trip, Lia was surprised to find they were travelling by boat. Only when they had pulled out of the harbor and Cian shoved a parka at her and informed her fo their final destination did Lia's mood dim. She had been avoiding haven for millenia, and now she was being taken there for a supposedly happy vacation. She tried her best to put where they were going out of her mind for the time spent on the boat, there was no need getting worked up over it before they arrived after all, and she even managed to enjoy herself quite a bit.

When the sea voyage was finally over and the ship pulled into port, Lia couldn't help but go on deck and gawk. The place was breath-taking with a stark beauty only arctic climates could achieve. After a little while the market caught her attention and she couldn't help but smile. If the people in Haven got to be too much, she'd just go shopping and then beg to leave. Once the passengers were allowed off the ship, Lia tried to make for the markets immediately, she at least wanted a preview, but Cian led her in another direction. She couldn't help the small pout that turned down the corners of her mouth but she let him redirect her. She had to remind herself that so far every single thing that Cian had planned for them had worked out perfectly. Surely this stop wouldn't be a total bust.

Lia didn't have time to dwell much on her reservations about Haven as a vacation destination because Cian pointed out pretty brunette. Knowing what the other woman had contributed to Cian's repertoire in the bedroom, Lia smirked slightly. Until that woman bounced right up to her husband and kissed him and hugged him before presuming to do the same to her. To say that Lia was taken off-guard was a bit of an understatement. Too shocked to react with more than a nervous smile, Lia followed the other two silently.

The ride to the Grotto took a while but Lia didn't feel much like talking. Her stomach was too tangled up in knots, worrying if somebody here would know her, and just who her mother and younger brother were and what they had done. She'd known about Haven's existence for a long time thanks to Eris, even thought she remembered her goddess mentioning that the queen of the once great Atlantis, Charis, was in residence. Lia only hoped that Eris had been wrong. Her own mother's fall from grace after her children shamed her with their inability to catch their father's eye and heart for her was shame enough for Lia to bear. She had gone from a well-known court succubus to nothing more than an army whore. She never fell, in the sense of losing her deity's blessing, but Lia felt that what -had- happened to her mother was almost worse. Then what came after the fall of Atlantis... Lia was glad that she was well distanced from her mother at that point. She still couldn't look at any Mutari without a twinge of guilt.

Lost deep in thoughts about her mother and her own past, Lia was a little surprised when they finally reached the Grotto. She was quickly drawn in by the beauty of the place. The flower scents and the warmth immediately soothed her nerves and her mother was mostly forgotten and more easily ignored. When Cian waved Serenity away, Lia couldn't help the grin that split her face. She had been worried by the other woman's friendliness that she would want to stay and help them settle in, in more ways than one. As soon as Serenity was gone and they were alone, Cian started speaking to her and caressing her. His voice, aided by the gentle movements of his knowing hands, got Lia into a very receptive state of mind and she decided she really didn't care who this Oracle person was because Cian was promising her the kind of pleasure that couldn't be had while surrounded by mortals. Here, safely away from normal humans, they would finally be able to let go of their limiters and enjoy each other fully. As he told her of all the ways and places he wanted to take her, before finally slipping his hand inside her pants and between her thighs, Lia released his armbands and tossed them with their coats. She wasn't sure when, or how, Cian got her belly chain off but sometime the next afternoon she realized it was nowhere to be seen.

[Demeter]

The inside of the temple building was just as lush as the exterior. An array gas lights gave the one room interior a soft glow. The sleeping area was little more then a nest of soft blankets and plush pillows spread out over large floor cushions. It flowed into a sitting area that held low couches and more cushions. Beyond that was a bathing area with a sinfully large tub and equally large and sinful, but separate, shower. Beyond a curtain, was a small space meant for food storage and prep. 

Originally built as a temple of worship to the deities of love, sex and fertilely, the place had been refurnished into a honeymooners suite a couple of centuries ago when all the temples had been relocated. Cian and Lia had made good use of the Grotto during their first week there. Sprawled naked on the cushions, Cian sipped from a goblet of honeyed wine while he watched his wife bathe. He appreciated the view but he was actually satisfied for the moment. 

Of the first five days of the week, they'd spent it alone and nude. The previous stops on their world tour had allowed Lia to release the stress of the last few years as they selected and seduced men and women of their own choosing. But, in order to completely satisfy Lia, they'd needed a spot to just be themselves; to take each other without the restrictions of their limiters. That's why he'd selected Haven for their last stop. 

He was pretty sure both of his arm bands were at the bottom of the lagoon and he'd finally located Lia's belly chain yesterday. It was hanging from a crooked stalactite. When the body next to him stirred, Cian glanced down at the young man and smiled. 

This young Incubus, barely 18, had shown up the day before yesterday to deliver a fresh supply of food and drinkable water. He'd also been positively vibrating with desire and lust. He'd bribed the Grotto's normal attendant, a much older gentleman who'd been castrated in his youth, into letting him make the delivery. One glance at the young man had told both Lia and Cian knew he wanted more from them then just a tip of thanks. 

With some silent communication, they agreed to take the man to their bed, if he had permission to be there from his apprenticeship master. Cian had told him that much and he'd gone tearing off to get that permission. Within two hours, he was back, master in tow to deliver the news. His master said he could stay, if all parties were agreeable. After all, the boy would be useless in his animal husbandry duties until he got this out of his system. Young Incubi and Succubi were the hardest to train when they had sex on the brain. 

After the apprentice master had left, he and Lia had set about giving the man, named Damon, a whole new education. They were now on their eighth day in Haven and their lusty little companion had finally passed out. He'd lasted longer then any mortal might have but he was still yet and hadn't built up the stamina to keep up with Cian, let alone Lia. 

Taking another sip of wine, Cian looked towards his wife. She'd been tense from the moment the ship had pulled into the harbor and had remained that way until he'd gotten his hands on her. He didn't know much about her distant past - it was a subject they did not talk about - and he wondered if it had something to do with Haven and the people who lived here. 

Personally, he found Haven to be a relaxing place. When he'd first come here, so broken and miserable, he'd been shocked to see those like him walking around with out limiters. As he'd shed the misery and grown in strength, he'd been able to do the same. 

And the people of Haven had an completely different view on sex then the rest of the world. 

So, Cian sipped his wine, stroked the hair of the man sleeping next to him and watched Lia as she rolled around in that grand tub. What was it about Haven that made her twitchy?

***
Charis giggled as she skipped down the tunnel to the Grotto. She managed to slip past the troop of guards forever surrounding her. What did they think the honeymooners were going to do to her? Ravish her?
She paused for a moment. Honestly, she could so with a bit of ravishment. She hadn't been with anyone for a century, give or take a decade or so. She was pretty sure that her virginity had grown back. Maybe she should invite someone back to her quarters. Someone who knew her as Charis and not The Oracle. 

Charis made a face as she hitched up her skirts and trotted down the cart path. Maxim was still in Haven, wasn't he? She'd check later; right now she was going to visit another ancient one. She could remember Lia the child - the pretty demi-goddess who liked getting into trouble. She wasn't that much older then Lia; true she'd been a queen and had her own child by the time Lia was born but age was relative. She could remember encountering the Demi-god child in the gardens and playing with her. 

She wanted to know about Lia. Wanted to know how she'd survived the fall and what she'd been doing in the eons between then and now. Reaching the living curtain that covered the entrance to the Grotto, Charis paused and tilted her head as Eris spoke to her. The chaos goddess whispered about her favorite succubus' fears and that she didn't know that Charis and the Oracle were one in the same.

Smiling softly, she scooted past the vines and blinked at the Grotto. "My, my, my," she said as she took in the scattered clothing, the jewelry hanging from the ceiling and the heavy scent of sex in the humid air. "They have been busy," she muttered while sitting on the ledge next to the lagoon. After hiking up her skirts and removing her sandals, Charis requested that Eris and Aros summon their servants to her. Damon, she would allow to sleep. 

Soon enough, propelled by the commands of their deities, the honeymooners appeared. She smiled at Cian, flicking some water at her granddaughter's friend. She turned to Lia and frowned at the look on the woman's face. "Lia, what is wrong? Do you not remember me? Or is it because you fear me and possible repercussions of what your mother and little brother did that you seem to uncertain of approaching your old friend?"

[Maira]

Life in the Grotto of Haven was almost good enough for Lia to forget her worries about the place. The distraction of first just her husband, and then the addition of Damon, left her both satisfied and exhausted in ways she couldn't ever remember being. She was just climbing out of the over-sized bathtub when Eris informed her, "You and your husband have a visitor that I want you to see. No matter what happens, you -will- listen to her." Baffled by her goddess's words, Lia found a light blue and ivory colored airy wrap and draped it about herself before padding through the cushions to her husband. Twining her fingers with his she followed his lead, clearly he too had gotten word of their visitor.

She was able to make out the shape of their visitor rather quickly, but it took a little longer for the general shape of a woman to clarify into that of the long-lost Queen of Atlantis, Charis. Charis knew Lia, which meant she also knew who her family was. When Charis saw them, splashed water at Cian, and then started talking to her it took every ounce of Lia's will not to run and hide. She hadn't realized that her grip had tightened on Cian's hand until he squeezed back to comfort her. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Lia let go of Cian's hand and instead of running like her instincts told her, she took a step toward Charis.

With another swallow and unable to meet Charis's eyes, Lia addressed her one-time friend, "I remember you my Queen, very well. The years have not been so long that I would forget you. You are correct to guess that it is my blood's transgressions that make me anxious, it is because of them that I have been hiding from you and the rest of those from Atlantis." Having answered Charis, Lia now felt herself shaking, practically trembling, as she waited for her queen to say more.

[Demeter]

Charis smiled at Lia and held out her hands "I'm no longer a queen. Here at Haven, there are no kings or queens. I'd prefer to simply be Charis but, because I am able to hear and speak with all the gods and goddess of the Universe, I'm called the Oracle."

When Lia took her hands, Charis pulled the woman down until she was sitting next to her. "Darling, let your fears go. No one here will judge you based on what your family has done. If you want proof of that, I can take you to the northern caves, where some of the original Mutari have built a life. They hold your mother and that thrice blasted sorcerer responsible for their creation, not you, you silly goose. They won't take retribution for her sins from you.
"As for your younger brother, no one is quite sure what to make of him. Yes, he tried to fix what had happened and though he failed, he did bring the Mutari back to the light. Though, he has been a very naughty man ever since. Eventually, his sins will catch up to him."

Charis ran a hand down Lia's cheek. "You cannot hold the blame for what they did. Everything that has happened, everything that is happening and everything that has yet to happened was and is fated to happen. If your mother and brother had not been fated to be involved in the creation of the Mutari, the Mutari would never have been created," Charis paused and tilted her head, "well, they would have been created but they would be deformed and unrecognizable as living creatures without your mother's aid in the original spell."

She reached out and touched Lia's forehead. "Here in Haven, we are bound to all the gods, not just one. When you leave our borders, you will revert to belonging to Eris alone but for now, your mind will be open to any deity who wishes to speak to you. Welcome their voices, Lia, and have no fear."

After repeating the process with Cian, Charis clapped her hands together. "Now, would you two like to know what the Deities have in store for you?"

After the both nodded, Charis leaned over and touched her fingers to the water of the lagoon. An image rippled there, the picture of a young girl chasing grown men around a yard. "Her name is Ruri. Yes, Cian, that Ruri,"
She said when the Incubus yelped. "She's just a child right now but she'll be powerful when she grows up. So powerful that Nokori, the Lost Katana of Izanami, will call to her. Ruri will be the first of her kind to wield a god sword, a herald to the coming times when god swords are not just for the Alati, and she will need strong partners to support her. She will be young when this happens - less then two decades from now - and it will need help controlling the energy.

"The gods have selected you two to be those partners and have brought you together now in order to have a strong union for when Ruri is ready. Your triad will come before the sword. Lia, thanks to you unusual genetic background, you will be her pillar of strength. Cian, because of your gentle soul, you will be her pillar of comfort."

Charis glanced between the two. "This is your fate, if you choose to accept it."

[Maira]

As always, Charis was a comfort to Lia and her words quickly soothed away most of the fears and anxieties that she had been feeling since their arrival at Haven. The more that Charis talked, the more that Lia remembered seeking her out in her childhood. Especially after the rejection of her father and, with it, the beginning of her mother's decline into the state of mind that would eventually lead her to fall in with the crazy man that created the Mutari.

Why hadn't she remembered this about her time with Charis before? Maybe it had been too long since she'd been around those of an age with herself and from the same place. Maybe it was whatever she had just done when she'd touched her forehead. Either way, she was about to ask Cian how long they'd be staying in Haven, her urge to reconnect with other Atlanteans growing, when Charis asked them if they wanted to know their deities had decided for them. Lia nodded, and she noticed that Cian did too. In answer to their nods, Charis touched the water and Lia was surprised to see an image appear.

Curious about the playful sight before her, a dark haired girl child playing in a yard somewhere with some grown men, Lia jumped when Cian yelped. Hearing the girl's name, Lia looked sharply at Charis, and then pointedly at Cian. She knew that name, even with Cian not in town Lia had run across Saiyuri and her brood and she was guessing by his reaction that her guess was correct in placing this girl as one of Saiyuri's. This must've been the part Eris meant about listening to their visitor because knowing how protective Saiyuri was of her children, with good reason, scared the living daylights out of her. The last thing she wanted was to deflower that woman's youngest child.

At her resistance, she felt the presence of a deity in her mind that she wasn't familiar with and she quickly turned her attention back to what Charis was saying. The thought of being in a Triad with that girl, being her strength while Cian was her comfort... It was rather itimidating. Why did the Gods think she was suited to be somebody else's strength just because she was half god herself? It was beyond her comprehension.

Lost in her worries, Lia almost missed Charis telling them that this would be their fate if they chose to accept it. Sure they technically had a choice, but what would happen to the girl if they didn't accept their duty? Looking at her husband, Lia asked him just that. "I know all of your instincts are warning you off of her, mine are too, but if we don't accept this and join with her when she's ready, what is going to happen to her? Will she be safe without us?" Looking to Charis she asked with her eyes the same thing before repeating, "Will she be safe without us?"

[Demeter]

Charis ignored Lia's question about if the girl would be safe. It was a foolish question when Ruri would be surrounded by several Alati who were their deity's earthly representative. Instead she focused on what Eris had told her. "Part of the reasoning for selecting you, Lia, is because of you are a demi-god but its more then that. You were picked because you know Chaos.

"Ruri's basic chemistry is rather chaotic. The sword would have gone to her sister, Lani, but that one is too chaotic to be controlled. It is not just the genetic chaos that we fear. Ruri will be the first of her kind to wield a God-Sword and there will be many who will think that a female of her pedigree is worthy of the Blade. You are strong, Lia, stronger then even what you believe. Eons have pasted before your eyes and you've seen empires, and gods, rise and fall.

"As a demi-goddess of Chaos, you command respect. To ones like you and me, who have lived lifetimes, a year is a second, a decade is a minute and a century is an hour. Your knowledge will guide Ruri as she grows in her command and your strength will shore her up when she falters."

Charis smiled at her friend and then turned to Cian. "As for you, you are there to keep those from getting to cocky and making sure they are satisfied. I think the term for you will be house husband."

Cian smirked. "I think I prefer the term Consort if that is to be my lot in life. Not that it would be a bad life. I'm in if Lia is in."

Charis rolled her eyes. "Incubi," she muttered, "all they care about is sex."

"Hey, I care about other things," Cian protested.

"I'm sure. Now, I will leave you too your honeymoon. Think on what I've said. We have time before she is of Age to take the sword. Your companion is waking. Keep him for a few more days. He needs the education."

With that, Charis slipped from the grotto and encountered her frowning troop of guardsman. She shooed them down the tunnel. In the grotto, Cian peered at his new wife; she looked concerned over what they had been told. He came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a squeeze. "You're tense again. You heard her, we have time until we need to decide. Now, come and relax. All too soon, we will have to return to the university and to our deities bidding and to limiters and responsibilities."

He turned her so that they could both watch as their sleepy young man stumbled out of the temple. He wore nothing but tousled hair and a few days worth of beard growth but his dark eyes were hot with lust. Cian held his wife, swaying gently, as they watched the man slip into the pool of warm water.

What Charis had just told them was a heavy load to bear. Being part of God-Sword triad was a heavy thing, he thought as he slipped his fingers beneath Lia's lightweight robe to caress her skin. "Let it go for now, Lia. We can decide what to do with Ruri later. I believe tomorrow is the feast day of the Fire Deities; we can go and dance to our hearts content. We'll take our young companion and teach him how to work our particular brand of magic on a crowd."

While he spoke, Cian stripped Lia of her robe. He pulled his off before pulling her towards the water. With a devilish grin, he plucked her off the ground and before Lia could react, tossed her into the deep end of the pool.

When she came up, sputtering, splashing and snarling at him, Cian just grinned. There, that would distract her from the heavy thoughts of God-Sword Triad for a little while."