Tony and the Buccaneers: Tony Johnson Novel 01 Page 8

  I supposed I would forgive the council as well, but trust? It would be a long time yet before I even attempted that. Except maybe for Amara. I shook my head, avoided examining why that was too closely, and continued my morning run…

  They weren’t hard to find. It was late morning before I’d finally made a decision. I also admitted to myself, that a part of me had always known where they were. Both of their magic was unmistakable. As usual, they were together, and at Lia’s house. I’d never been to either of their places, but I knew where they lived, simply because that’s where they were at night.

  My heart felt lighter already, I’d been a loner for the last month, and that wasn’t really like me. I hadn’t much of a choice, but I felt energized at the idea of putting the bad behind us. I just hoped that Amara was right, and things hadn’t soured too far over the last month in their minds. Sure, they betrayed me, but they’d had to, and I’d ignored them for a month. I wasn’t so self-absorbed to not realize that could make a large impact.

  Lia looked shocked when she opened the door, and saw me standing there.

  I smiled tentatively, “Hi Lia.”

  My voice seemed to snap her out of it, and she asked, “Tony, would you like to come in?”

  “Thanks,” I said as I stepped forward into the house.

  I smiled at Sharon over at the couch, who also looked shocked by my visit. Then there was an awkward silence. A true awkward silence, not a fake one, their magic was calm.

  “Umm, I wanted to know if you’d like to come over for dinner tonight? Both of you I mean.”

  Sharon looked disbelieving, but it was Lia who asked, “Are you sure?”

  I nodded, “I’ve missed you both.”

  Lia surprised me then, by giving me a hug, and then I had Sharon in my other arm.

  It felt… right. Something I hadn’t felt in a long time now, since things went south. It was powerful too, not just comfortable.

  Lia said into my shoulder, “Why don’t you stay for lunch, we were just about to make it.”

  “I’d love to.”

  I kissed them both, on the forehead. They both smelled so good, and felt so good against me, but I knew the time wasn’t right for more than that. Even with the powerful attraction I felt for them, both physically, and emotionally, I knew it would take time. Even if sex on this world didn’t mean a lifetime commitment it was too soon.

  I was also very much okay with that, my body’s reaction to the two stunning young nubile women notwithstanding.

  Sharon whispered, “I missed you too.”

  Just like that, the awkwardness seemed to be gone. It made me feel stupid for waiting that long.

  We enjoyed lunch together, and I skipped my afternoon lesson and the three of us went for a walk on the beach, and just spent time together. Then we had dinner at my place, and afterwards I walked them both home. I didn’t get much more than a few cuddling hugs, and kisses on the cheek, but all in all, to this day, I count that day as one of the best in my life…

  Chapter Thirteen

  The next month after that day was completely different. Mostly. I still studied hard, and did my workouts. I also spent less time training with Matthew, although I was less formal with him when we did. I wouldn’t call us best friends or anything, he was more like a guy I knew from work who I’d go have a couple of beers with after work. Casual friends?

  I mainly practiced on my own, or with Sharon with Lia. There was a lot of art in magic, and training only got a person so far, the rest was practical experience. Matthew’s job had been to teach me spells, and open my mind to possibilities with elemental magic, and he’d done that.

  The second change was that Mary, or Amara, interrupted my run every other day for a chat. She was flirty at times, and seemed to enjoy my company, and even took a perverse enjoyment out of flustering me.

  I enjoyed her company of course, but was a little shy about letting myself get too close. I wasn’t sure how much of it was because she was technically a spy, or because she was so stunningly and intensely beautiful that it actually worked against her in my case.

  I kept overthinking it, I think, and wondered if I enjoyed her company because of that, and if she was using her beauty to manipulate me to some end. I truly didn’t think that was the case, when she wasn’t around, but when she was near she had such a profound effect on me that my paranoia would kick in. One morning I got curious, and asked her why she stopped by so much.

  She sighed, “I get lonely too. I’ve been among humans for sixty years now. Part of it is because you know what I am, I can let my guard down and just be myself. You have no idea how much of a gift that is. Part of it is that I truly enjoy your company. Plus, you’re not exactly hard on the eyes, and I enjoy the way you look at me.”

  “Is that allowed, I mean is there a taboo against that kind of thing?”

  She smirked and her dark blue eyes twinkled, “A taboo? No. It isn’t common though. For one, elves are snobby and keep to their own people, they aren’t around humans much. I’ve come to appreciate humans a little bit, since I know you all better than most elves do. Secondly, I’m two hundred and forty-nine. We are extremely long lived, and I’ll look perhaps a year, maybe two years older when you are old and gray. The third major issue, mixed kids are sterile, and generally shunned by both races. That tends to be a problem.”

  She winked, “Of course, sometimes it happens anyway.”

  “Oh, I don’t know, I like older woman.”

  It felt dumb saying it, she looked six years younger than me.

  She snorted, “You need to work on your flirting, have some better lines ready for next time.”

  I smiled, “I can’t help that your incomparable beauty steals my wit, and leaves me addled.”

  She shook her head in mock sadness, “Be careful Tony,” she kissed me, and then danced away when I tried to hug her, “or that honesty of yours may ensnare my heart.”

  Then she’d laughed lightheartedly at the look on my face, and winked before she walked off.

  I was almost certain the flirting was harmless fun, but sometimes the way she looked at me, and the things she said, truly made me wonder. It would also be impossibly complex. Those three issues she’d named were paltry compared to the true obstacles there would be.

  Things with Lia and Sharon had been going very well. We were mostly hands off, to stave off frustration, but I’d kissed both of them more than once, and like necking teenagers we’d had to break off when things started to get too hot. Regardless, it meant that for Amara and I to really go anywhere, those two would have to approve.

  We weren’t together yet officially of course, bonded by magic, but I believed it was just a matter of time. We spent a lot of time together, hours every day. Far more than a normal dating couple back home would. But as far as they knew, Amara was an old crotchety human woman on the council named Mary.

  Complicated indeed.

  The best part of the last month of course, was Lia and Sharon. We were taking things slow, but I didn’t see it taking much longer for the three of us to take that final step. It was easy between the three of us, oh, we had a few silly arguments, and had different opinions on some things. But that just made things more interesting, and I knew they were as in love with me as I was with them.

  They’d told me, and my magic had sensed no deception in it at all. Some might say that was cheating, but it did give me a sense of surety that I otherwise wouldn’t have had after that initial betrayal.

  I’m not one to talk much about my feelings, but they both had me wrapped around their fingers, and I was deeply in love with both of them. I couldn’t imagine not having either of them in my life. They were both so stunningly beautiful in their own ways, but their looks paled in comparison to the connection that grew between us, and what we shared. Some might call me a sucker, but I was a happy one.

  And I hadn’t even slept with them yet.

  I won’t say that didn’t bother me, I wanted them both badly. At th
e risk of being crude, my showers usually lasted a bit longer these days, especially after a good make out session, with wandering hands.

  But I also knew it would be worth the wait. There was a primitive part deep inside of me, that was thrilled by the way it worked here, because it meant they would be mine, and mine alone. No other man had or would ever touch them in an intimate way, and once we slept together that would be it. I would be theirs as well, utterly. It was how it worked, no other woman could be added to our family without their express permission.

  I wasn’t sure what would happen if I did it anyway, I knew there were bonds, and with magic involved who knew? I didn’t ask. I also knew it didn’t matter what the answer was, because I’d never find out. Even the dazzling unearthly beauty, and fun personality of Amara, wouldn’t make me stray.

  A few other things happened toward the end of the month, my second month living in sorceress haven. Maria, the navigator, had her child, and the baby was a golden haired girl with her mother’s eyes. Melinda and I seemed to get along okay now, I already thought of her as the mother-in-law, so probably enough said there.

  I also got the approval from the council to perform active magic in the town, apparently I met their standards for focus, and they were confident I wouldn’t accidently blow anything or anyone up, or set the place on fire. I still had a lot to learn of course, but it would be all self-study and practice.

  It was after lunch, and we were sitting on the couch in Lia’s house. Lia was right next to me, and Sharon sat between my legs. I admittedly had a bulge in my pants, but after startling her the first time I’d poked her with it a few weeks back, she never minded, and even enjoyed the fact that she caused that reaction in me. I literally couldn’t help it, not when they were so close to me. Their scents were captivating, and their soft nubile bodies were heaven when I got to hold them.

  I was really going to enjoy introducing them to bedroom games.

  She sighed in pleasure as I kneaded her neck and shoulder.

  “That’s amazing, you can stop doing that, in a year or so.”

  Lia snorted, “I’m not waiting that long for mine.”

  I shook my head, “I spoil both of you.”

  Lia nodded and teased, “That’s your job, right?”

  “More a plan really.”

  Sharon melted back against me, and wiggled a bit naughtily against the part of me that dug into her lower back.

  I groaned, they definitely enjoyed their power over me, but I looked forward to when I could give them true pleasure, and teach them both how to return the favor. I’d only had a handful of lovers, but I knew I was fairly well endowed. I wasn’t porn star big, but I was on the high side of average at over seven inches. I was also patient and curious enough to find all the good spots, and exactly how hard or soft pleased my lover the most.

  I leaned down and kissed the side of her neck, the sigh of pleasure that left Sharon’s full lips caused my cock to twitch against her back. Lia wasn’t just a bystander, she ran her hand through my hair, and started to play with the back of my neck. It felt really good.

  Lately, the last few days anyway, I felt like we were torturing each other for nothing. I was ready, and they both knew I was. I was just… waiting for them to be ready. I wasn’t sure what the delay was, but I also didn’t ask because I didn’t want to pressure them at all. I knew it wasn’t a lack of physical desire, more often than not, they were the ones that initiated these teasing, touching, and kissing sessions.

  It was probably the lifelong commitment thing. It was also weird that the guy was the one ready first, wasn’t it? Or maybe not, since I wasn’t getting the milk for free as they say.

  Lia pulled my head to the side, and leaned up to kiss me. Her soft warm silken lips felt so good against mine, and her other hand started to caress my inner thigh. That’s when the knock on the door came. Lia groaned into my mouth, in frustration. Then she got up and walked over to answer it. Melinda came in, and gave Sharon and I a look, but there was no real censure in it.

  I supposed parents didn’t need to keep on their kids about sex before marriage, when sex was marriage. I shook my head and tried to clear the lust out, it wasn’t easy. Sharon was being very distracting, and very naughty in a subtle way with slight movements, with her mother right there.

  Lia asked, “What’s going on captain?”

  Of course, the answer was the whole reason I was sent to this world in the first place. After two months, I felt prepared, though I knew I had a lot left to learn, I had a very good grounding and understanding in and of magic.

  Melinda replied, “We have a mission.”

  She looked at me, “And its success depends on you Tony. I’ll give you the full briefing later with the crew, but we’re sailing on the evening tide, so get ready.”

  I nodded, and then said in a strong voice, “I’ll be there captain.”

  Both Lia and Sharon said, “Yes captain.”

  Most of the time, when they were all off duty, Sharon called Melinda mother, or sometimes mom. But when Melinda was acting as captain, it all got formal. It made sense, Sharon was young, but she was also a junior officer. Very junior, but she was part of the chain of command in the crew.

  Either way, fun time was over. Still, Sharon was nice enough not to move away, and hid my rock hard bulge until her mother left Lia’s house. Then we got to work to get ready. Right after I took an another long shower…

  Chapter Fourteen

  The whole crew stood on the top deck. It was the only place really large enough for everyone at once. The mess hall was fairly big, but usually a third to half the crew was on duty at any one time. Right now we were still tied up in port.

  I was a bit surprised by all the friendly welcoming looks of the crew, even the ones I hadn’t seen in two months. With the exception of Kelly, who still looked at me like I was a bug to be dissected. Well, that was normal I supposed, there was always at least one.

  It was also distracting, there was close to a hundred beautiful women in black skintight leather armor around me. I did my best to focus up front, where the captain and Lia stood, while we waited for her to get the briefing started. I wasn’t really interested in pursuing any of them, I was more than happy, and counted myself lucky, to be with Lia and Sharon.

  But looking was wired into me, every man really, and there were a lot of sexy bodies on display. It was literally built into the genes, but I ignored the urge. I’d learned a few things, the armor they wore was spelled, and created with Earth magic to all be one piece, with precise dimensions. It would protect them from most blades, and were supple and light enough that if the ship went down, they wouldn’t be pulled under by weight.

  It was skintight, because if struck it would tighten up the suit all around the area struck, to spread out and slightly dissipate the force of the blow to a much larger area which would prevent injury. If it wasn’t skin tight, it wouldn’t work right.

  It was also damned distracting.

  Sharon squeezed my hand, and I looked over at her and smiled.

  I was fairly sure she was staking a claim on me in front of the rest of the crew, while Lia had to stand up front with the captain as second in command. I didn’t mind, it still bemused me at times, but after just a month of seeing them both, I was committed.

  I started to wonder what the hold-up was, when I heard the gangplank, and then saw Bernard and Matthew come aboard and head for the captain. Apparently that’s who we’d been waiting for to get this show on the road.

  Melinda turned toward us, and silence fell. It still impressed me, the woman had presence, and the deep respect of her crew. It was Bernard that spoke however.

  “We have an interesting opportunity, and this mission will be volunteer only. We’ve received word that none of the five diviners have been on Pheles for over six months.”

  Shocked babble broke out, but settled quickly under the captain’s firm stare.

  Bernard continued, “Given it’s the main island of
the kingdom, with the greatest population, there are currently twenty-three sorceresses being held until a diviner returns to the island to strip their magic. I won’t lie, this will be a dangerous mission, but it’s possible. We will in one mission, save more of us than we usually do in a year’s combined missions.”

  He looked right at me, and I had to focus to stand still as most of the others glanced my way for a moment as well, following his eyes.

  “We got off to a rough start, but Tony is one of us, and with his help we’ll be able to succeed at this rescue.”

  I wanted to frown. I’d planned on helping, but he’d just put me on the spot, to shame me into it. Fucking asshole. Did they think I’d back out once I heard the plan or something? Matthew had the decency to look uncomfortable for a moment.

  He continued, “The captain has the particulars. I just wanted to assure you all this is a mission has the full backing of the council, and we believe it has a good chance of success.”

  Melinda stepped forward and all eyes turned to her, “Most of you know what we’ll be facing. There are always at least twenty kingdom military ships in the main harbor, and quite often more than that. The island itself as the home of the king, is magically warded to prevent a surprise landing anywhere else along its shores, while other ships patrol around the island in case those wards are breached. Lastly, until now there has always been at least one diviner present.”

  She smirked slightly, “Not to mention the sorcerer school, or the troop training barracks. It has always been considered off limits to us, a suicide mission, until now that is.”

  She took a breath, and continued, “With the diviners off the island, and with Tony, things just changed. The plan is fairly straightforward. On the west side of the island is an old smuggler’s cove, a ship,” she waved her hands to indicate this one, “can be completely hidden from passing patrols. The complication of the wards will be handled by Tony. He can manipulate the magic to allow us to pass through, without alerting the enemies of a breach. Without a diviner on the island, they won’t be able to sense his work.”