Fae War

They travelled in a limousine, windows dark and bullet-proof, bodyguards nearby. Rupert had quickly made arrangements and shepherded Erin out of the council building with a promise that there was someone she had to meet immediately. He had refused to talk after that.

The city had dropped away and the houses were few and far between when the driver looked back at Rupert and asked in disbelief, "Here?"

Rupert nodded and pointed up a poorly maintained gravel drive into a stand of trees, bare of leaves but still dense enough to hide what was beyond the bend.

As the car bumped and jolted along the drive, Erin sensed the power that she had come to recognize as shields. She could also feel along the forest floor and sense the presence of animals watching the car progress along the drive in a way that didn't feel natural. Then she felt the tingle of a powerful being unlike anything she had felt before. Where was Rupert taking her?

Erin looked at Rupert almost fearfully, but his smile was one of delight, not triumph or menace. Whoever he was bringing her to meet, he was truly convinced the person was good. Erin reigned in her fear and tried to keep an open mind.

The car pulled to a stop before a small, well-maintained farmhouse. Rupert jumped from the car excitedly, holding the door for Erin. A small, black woman of indeterminate age came out on the porch, looking critically at them all.

"Alma!" Rupert called out as he bounded up the three porch stairs, pulling Erin along behind him, "This is Erin, our Queen!"

Erin wondered if this level of excitement was good for a man of Rupert's age, and she worried at the severity of the look Alma was giving them both. Alma did not appear happy to see them, regardless of Rupert's obvious excitement.

"Why are you here?" Alma asked in a low, quiet voice, staring angrily at Rupert.

"Be polite, Alma," Rupert enjoined, "Take your Queen's hand."

Alma reached out slowly, her petite hand covered in thin, delicate skin the color of weak coffee. Erin touched her hand gently, feeling the hum of Alma's shields ratchet up, and a tingle begin in her fingers that swiftly turn to an electric current. Erin pulled her hand back with a jerk.

Alma faced Rupert, her piercing dark eyes pinning him in place, his smile slipping away.

"Is this some kind of trick, Rupert? You know I don't want to be part of your council, never have, never will. Who is this girl?" Alma said, her low voice menacing.

Rupert faltered, trying to smile, but only managing a grimace. "She's our Queen, Erina, only she goes by Erin now. I swear Alma, she's a channeler."

Alma's gaze turned toward Erin, looking her up and down. Alma slowly paced around Erin, surprising the queen when she touched her at the nape of her neck. The flow of energy was palpable, but not uncomfortable. Alma continued to move around until she again faced Erin.

"When did you know?" Alma asked, those dark eyes never leaving Erin's face.

"Not until this morning, when Rupert told me about those who could channel the power of, well, everything." Erin stammered.

Alma turned her eyes to Rupert and he nodded, a smile again starting to lift the corners of his mouth.

"Then come inside, girl. There is much you need to learn," Alma said, turning and heading into her home.

Rupert waved Erin ahead of him into the small sitting room through the front door. The room was neatly done in a style consistent with an earlier era, but quaint and comfortable. Erin followed Alma to a love seat where they both sat, turned slightly to face each other.

"Your power is far greater than anyone thought. The ability to tap into the energies of the Earth, and of people around you, makes you a formidable fairy. You are the first channeler in the royal family in centuries, and this ability is probably what saved you when the rest of your family was killed," Alma explained.

Erin sat quietly, letting this information sink in. She was different. It had been a shock to find out she wasn't human, but at least she had been a fairy, and had people like her with whom to associate. Now she was different from them as well, and from what Rupert had told her, she would be feared by the very people who she sought to bring together and rebuild a peaceful society with. She shuddered at the prospect.

Alma spoke again, but this time her voice was soothing, gentle, "You are in a position to change things for all fairies, regardless of their shape or powers. You are poised to create the society many of us have dreamed of for hundreds of years. You need to learn how to use this power to bring about a new order, to end rivalries, and reduce fears. Is that what you want?"

Erin simply nodded, her eyes tearing up at the sheer magnitude of what faced her.

Alma turned again to Rupert, "I just put on some water for tea. I'll bring that in for the two of you while I go pack a bag. I guess my statement about never joining your council may have been a bit overblown after all." She shrugged and left for the kitchen while Rupert reached out and took Erin's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"It will be all right. You'll see," he said, smiling at Erin.

********

The days passed in a blur while Erin learned about Fairy society, the current state of affairs, and her own powers. Nights were a little quieter, held in Luka's reassuring arms. He had only smiled broadly at the revelation of her abilities, showing no sign of the fear Erin had dreaded. Many others had not accepted it so easily.

The councilmen that Erin had released from service were trying to raise support to oust her from power, and with the discovery of her new powers, several other councilmen had joined them, some even calling for her to be placed in a special jail to reduce her threat. Luckily, most of the council remained committed to Erin and to the effort to integrate everyone back into one society.

A meeting with Riahn and her congress, as she called it, was announced. It was to be held at a conference center that had been built in the middle of nowhere and abandoned by the humans, a perfect venue for the new government. The Fairy council purchased the building along with close to a thousand surrounding acres, thereby assuring that fairies of any shape could attend council meetings.

The meeting was still three weeks off, but Erin was nervous and wanted to be on-site as the new government center was arranged. Security was increased at the new site so Erin could remain there.

Just a few days after arriving at the new government headquarters, Erin heard a ruckus from outside her window and turned to see what had her normally quiet security detail yelling and arguing. What she saw caused her to jump from her seat and run down the sweeping staircase and out the front doors.

"Garrett!" Erin screamed, "And Sophie! I'm so happy to see you! I hadn't heard from you all since the rescue, and no one seemed to know where you had gone."

The guards stepped away from the wolf pack they had been trying to displace from the front gates at the sound of their Queen's voice. Garrett and his crew entered the property, looking it over appraisingly.

"Nice digs," Garrett said, waving his hand to take in the building. "It's a super idea to have the council out here," he pulled Erin into a hug, "I knew you would do the right thing."

Erin hugged him back, then hugged the rest of the pack as well. "Where have you been?"

"Evading Riahn, mostly," Sophie answered. "Her goons followed me for days, and she had teams after Garrett and Ron, too. We led them on a merry chase cross country before dropping out of site for a week or so until they gave up. But how about you? There's something different, a glow about you."

"Well..." Erin hesitated, "a lot has happened."

"Hello!" Luka called out from the doorway of the council building. "How about you all come in from the cold?"

The group moved inside for more handshakes and hugs as they joined Luka, as well as Luka's father and Nigel. After settling into one of the conference rooms, Garrett gave a full report of their evasion of Riahn, and Erin brought them up to date on the changes in the council.

"But I really want to know about you," Garrett probed, looking intently at Erin, 'Something is different, and I don't just mean the mating. For one thing, your eyes are even more striking than before: A Caribbean blue laced with glittering silver."

Erin blushed, still not used to the bluntness of the Weres.

"I found I had a bit more power than we originally thought," Erin admitted, "but I thought I was keeping it under wraps pretty well. I guess I'll have to work on that some more before the meeting."

"A bit more!" Garrett exclaimed, "it smells like a volcano-more, not a puddle-more."

Erin looked confused and Luka explained, "Children coming into their powers are considered puddle-jumpers, meaning they have a little power that they aren't very good at controlling. From that term, some people have expanded to refer to powers as levels of natural power, with volcanoes being the highest amount of controlled power, while tsunamis are tremendous power out of control. Channelers are often feared as tsunamis."

"You're a channeler?" Sophie asked in awe.

"It would seem," Erin answered with a shrug.

Everyone just stared at Erin for a few moments before Luka broke the silence. "We have a meeting with Riahn's people scheduled for a little over two weeks from now. With you here, we can start really working on the plan. So far we have a number of the rebels in agreement with our reintegration plans, but a lot of them won't commit until they hear from you. I think they suspect we have you in captivity, but now that your whereabouts are clear, we can move forward."

Shaking his head as if to clear it, but still unable to remove his eyes from Erin, Garrett agreed, "certainly. Let's get these alliances built, because we know Riahn isn't going to agree. The only way to bring our people back together is to go behind her back. Do you really think she'll come to the scheduled meeting?"

"No," Luka replied, "but we have a plan for what we do expect. Let's order some lunch and we'll get you up to speed."

********

That evening the Council held a banquet to thank the pack for their roles in helping Erin escape the rebel camp. Erin expressed her gratefulness, and her regret that the Spirits of the Woods who had initiated the escape had been captured, and vowed they would be released as swiftly as possible.

After the banquet, most of the council members departed and many of the pack went to get some rest in real beds for a change. Garrett and Sophie remained with Erin and Luka, just talking and enjoying one another's company.

Luka began to notice that Sophie touched Erin more often than she touched either him or Garrett, and since Weres were known to be heavy touchers, it was quite a bit. As they all sipped wine in front of the fire, Sophie's touches seemed to last longer, turning into strokes and caresses. Luka was surprised to find it made him a little hot to watch Sophie seduce Erin, and to watch Erin's muted, but still present, responses. Erin leaned into Sophie's touches, occasionally reaching out to touch or stroke her in return, and smiled a sexy, languorous smile at her over time.

"I'm beginning to think there might be some details about the escape that I never heard about," Luka stated when they were all well lubricated on the wine.

Erin blushed, so Luka knew he had guessed correctly. He pinned Erin with his vivid green eyes and found hers were nearly silver, with dark blue outlining the irises. Interesting!

Sophie leaned in to Erin and whispered something in her ear. Erin turned and the two women began to kiss, first lightly, then with more passion. Luka found his jaw dropped and his cock hard.

Garrett softly cleared his throat, drawing Luka's attention, but the women continued their making out.

"You know Weres use scent and taste to recognize and evaluate one another," Garrett stated by way of explanation. "We all got to know Erin during our escape," he continued, putting up a hand in mild defense as Luka's face turned stormy, "but only Sophie became intimate..." he hesitated, "well, intimate by Were standards," he finished sheepishly.

Luka still looked angry, but he couldn't maintain the feeling when he turned back to Sophie and Erin locked together, hands exploring. Erin looked up from nibbling Sophie's neck and raised her eyebrows questioningly at Luka. He gave a slight nod and moved to sit behind her where he slipped his hands around her to begin to unbutton her blouse.

Garrett watched as Luka lifted Erin's blouse from her shoulders and unhooked her bra before asking, "Do I get to play as well?"

Sophie smiled and crooked her finger to draw Garrett to the area behind her. He sat and began the same moves on her.

As Sophie descended to take one of Erin's nipples into her mouth, Erin threw her head back onto Luka's shoulder. He nibbled her neck, then whispered in her ear with a grin, "I never would have suspected you of having such sexual appetites."

Letting out a breathy moan as Sophie sucked her nipple deep into her mouth, Erin responded, "I guess my many years of enforced sexual repression are to blame," before turning and capturing Luka's mouth in a deep, sensual kiss. Keeping his eyes open, he watched as Sophie sucked and nibbled Erin's breast, finally reaching up to cup the other breast and twirl the nipple between his finger and thumb.

Sophie trailed licks and kisses down Erin's ribs, across her stomach and to the edge of her slacks while Garrett caressed Sophie's back, running his fingers lightly down her spine and just inside her waistband. Sophie deftly opened Erin's pants letting one finger trace down her lower abdomen to her lacy panties before turning and starting to open the buttons on Garrett's shirt.

Luka gently tugged Erin to a stand and slipped her slacks over her hips to puddle at her feet. As he began to pull her toward the bedroom, Erin leaned down to brush her fingers under Sophie's hand, motioning her to follow them.

Once in the bedroom, Erin disrobed Luka before pushing him playfully to sprawl on the bed. She wiggled out of her panties before climbing over him. She felt a hand stroke over her butt and down the back of her thigh, sending a shiver through her. Luka quickly flipped her onto her back and began licking the shell of her right ear, lightly flicking his tongue across the sensitive skin.

Warm hands began to massage Erin's left foot as cooler fingers drifted up the inside of that leg. Those teasing fingers would reach her upper thigh only to turn and caress down the top of her leg. Each stroke came a little closer to her aching center, but never actually reached it. All the while, Luka's silken tongue found the spots on her ear and neck that would make her moan and gasp, revisiting each one until she was ready to scream.

The drifting fingers coasted smoothly over Erin's lower lips and onto her belly, making a circle that brushed the underside of her breasts, then returned to the skin over her pubic bone. Erin thrust toward the fingers, trying to encourage them to touch her hot center, but they continued a path down her right thigh.

Luka continued his teasing licks across Erin's collar bone, then around her right breast, finally lapping at her nipple in short, inflaming flicks. Erin grabbed the hand currently caressing her belly and pulled Sophie to her lips for a deep kiss.

Luka's hand trailed down to between Erin's thighs, lightly stroking her silky soft labia, then dipping into her wet center to swirl the slickness up and down her slit.

Garrett was the first to notice, being behind Sophie, nibbling her back and flicking her nipple with one hand. The air seemed to buzz with energy, and he could feel a tingle like a low-amperage current wherever he was in contact with Sophie. The current stopped when Sophie pulled away from Erin briefly to look back at Garrett.

"What's wrong?" Sophie asked quietly, placing a hand on the side of his confused face.

"Touch Erin," he ordered gently, with no further explanation.

Still watching Garrett's face, Sophie laid a hand on Erin's upper chest, stroking lightly toward her breast, and quickly jerked back.

"What is that?" she asked, reaching again to stroke Erin's arm and again pulling back.

Luka lifted his head from Erin's chest, smiling slyly, "Since Erin connected to her Earth powers, she hums with energy when she feels pleasure. It's quite stimulating."

Seeing the pleasure on both Luka's and Erin's faces, Sophie leaned in for another kiss, and Garrett waited only an instant longer before pressing up behind Sophie to become part of the circuit.

Sophie growled softly, deep in her throat as Garrett's hard shaft rubbed along her butt. She arched her back making the angle easier to access, but Garrett wanted something a little less sedate than laying on their sides, and he shifted, pulling Sophie's ass into the air and entered her from behind.

The sound of wet friction was too much for Luka. He moved over Erin's hips, spreading her thighs, but leaving her kissing Sophie. He hesitated long enough to really take in the erotic site of Garrett taking Sophie from behind while she continued to kiss Erin with relish. He felt the pulse of energy in the air, as well as the soft zing wherever his skin contacted Erin's.

Brushing his cock up and down Erin's slit, Luka hummed with the energy she emitted. Sliding deep within her, he had to concentrate not to embarrass himself as he had the first time he experienced this new power. It was amazing, to be sheathed in silky heat and to feel every cell vibrate with the energy Erin channeled! Luka began to move, slowly at first, gaining speed as her ground against Erin's luscious body.

Erin met Luka's thrusts with abandon, simultaneously dueling tongues with Sophie. This experience, of having another couple in her bed, and of sharing her experience with another woman, was wildly erotic and she felt her orgasm building the moment Luka entered her. Within a minute her first release pounded through her body, spreading to the others as waves of pleasure.

Gritting his teeth, Luka pressed deep into Erin, moving very little, until the force of her orgasm gentled and he was in control of himself again. Judging by the collapsed couple beside them, the power of Erin's release had been too much for Sophie and Garrett and they lay panting and spent.

Erin began to respond again to Luka's insistent rhythm, her hands playing over his chest, swirling his tiny nipples and tracing his ribs. With a moan he lowered himself to capture her mouth, nipping her lips and caressing her tongue. Her nails down his back made him rear up, only to return to her neck intent on laving every sensitive spot.

Erin panted, mewling softly as Luka sucked her earlobe into his mouth, rolling it with his tongue. The electricity between them was increasing. Luka increased his thrusts as he whispered his love into Erin's ear. When he suddenly sucked a nipple into his mouth, it put Erin over the top, and with a deep moan her tight channel convulsed around him, dragging him over the precipice and together they cried out their pleasure.

*************************

Erin loved to run in the early morning. Now that full security was finally in place, she could indulge herself on the many acres surrounding the new Council Chambers. Her pedometer showed she had jogged almost three miles when she stopped at a small lake to watch the sun crest over the trees at the horizon.

It was a cold morning, the grass crisp with frost, and the forest floor eminating the rich aroma of pine needles: a perfect time and place to clear her head from all the mess of the last six weeks. Unfortunately, Erin could feel the presence of intruders and knew the calm beauty of the morning was soon to be shattered.