Disclaimer: All character engaging in sexual activity in this work of fiction are 18 years of age or older.
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I woke up in heaven.
Okay, so it wasn't the divine afterlife, but it came about as close to it as I could imagine here on earth. I was in a bed, but calling what I woke up in a bed was like describing the Burj Khalifa as a building. Sheets heavy with Ia's floral scent ensconced me -- their cotton fibers woven so finely they felt like silk.
Reaching out, I snagged one of the multitude of pillows surrounding me to prop myself up and admire my new bedroom. I hadn't seen it in the light of day until now, and
Jesus Christ
was it impressive.
It was straight out of an HGTV dream home.
Warm morning sunlight pierced small gaps in heavy wooden blinds on the windows. Eight of the huge portals bordered the room on two sides. Fans of dense paper filtered the rays from penetrating their palladian arches.
Sumptuous furniture in a glazed maple finish provided a framework for the contemporary artwork and accents throughout. The ceiling had more layers of trim and complications than I could count and hosted small recessed lights around its periphery to avoid drawing attention from the centerpiece: an exquisite chandelier above the bed that sparkled dazzlingly in the sunlight.
Several cardboard boxes filled with my effects along with a few (somewhat embarrassing) framed posters my parents didn't want me to leave behind were piled next to the entrance to the walk-in closet.
Last night, after figuring out how to manipulate my parents into thinking there was absolutely nothing wrong with their high school-aged son moving out, I pulled together all my (depressingly few) worldly possessions and headed off to my new home. It was a strange thought; I'd never live in that house again.
I felt a pang of sadness at the chapter of my life coming to a close. All my experiences within a house shared with a loving family and friends now cast into the annals of memory, never to be reenacted. Such was life, however, and as I looked around, I found myself fully on board with the adage: out with the old, in with the new.
A familiar ache in my loins reminded me of my present predicament. As usual, my cock was rock solid and ready to fuck. I'd been having such a pleasant dream about railing a couple of lithe contestants on one of those dance competition shows I'd recently seen. The redhead was just about to get blasted like some kind of abstract impressionist painting when I woke up. A splinter of annoyance at the lack of a woman ready to rectify my current problem asserted itself briefly, but my incubus id salivated at the notion that it would not be so for long.
Getting up, I strode naked across the plush carpet, and down from the dais the bed sat on to the French doors on the other side of the room. Stepping out onto the balcony, I relished the invigorating October morning air as I took in the sight before me. From thirty feet up, I had a fantastic view of the grounds to the rear of the house. In my old home, I would have referred to it as the 'backyard', but the word sounded too small to capture the vastness of what lay below.
Complimented by the in-ground spa and stone water features, the sprawling black-bottom swimming pool was the star. Its dark waters appeared as the depths of a bottomless quarry. Large concrete planters containing exotic greenery surrounded the pool deck among the sturdy-looking patio furniture.
The lawns surrounding the pool area were immaculately tended, with fruit trees and topiary lending character to their gentle hills, which rolled off into the distance until they met a line of mature trees. From this vantage, there wasn't another house in sight, so I reveled in my bold display of outdoor nudity. Extending my senses, I picked up no signatures beyond that of my lover within several hundred yards.
I closed my eyes to appreciate the complete absence of traffic noise that plagued the suburbia I had left behind. The susurration of the fountains and birdsong were the only noises I could make out on the peaceful Sunday morning.
Despite a troubling revelation with Ella Friday night, I felt
alive
and better than I had in a long time. I was the master of a grand household in which I'd (hopefully) soon live night and day surrounded by my beautiful mates, and my relationship with Ella was at least steering in the right direction. Even if we had gotten a bit of a rocky start, I knew now that she loved me, and that was enough.
What was eating at me was how to handle the elevation of Ella -- or
any
of my bonds, for that matter -- to the role of queen. It had seemed sensible at the time Elias had explained it to me, but now I was uncertain. It felt wrong to declare so overtly that I favored one over all the others. Though true in Ella's case, I knew that was largely because of our history. In time they would all hold very dear places in my heart, and it troubled me to make any of them feel like lesser partners. I'd gone so far as to share this in a private conversation with my erstwhile benefactor, Elias Romack, the day before.
He had been at his home in the hills, an imposing estate that dwarfed even my own new residence. Preferring to meet face-to-face, he'd offered to have me come share a drink by way of invitation. We lounged in a patio setting filled with lush foliage that looked like it belonged in an English garden, smelling of honeysuckle and jasmine. A parade of gorgeous women bustled or idled about the property, many of them pregnant. My incubus slobbered at the beautiful females that offered us fine cigars and beverages, but I was outwardly polite, of course.
Elias chuckled at my largely unsuccessful attempts to conceal my interest. "Managing a harem isn't all sunshine and roses," he'd told me, sharing a warm smile with a passing beauty with a middle eastern complexion, "and though nothing is preventing you from doing it all yourself, a queen can ease the burden you carry."
"But how?"
"Your queen will form bonds with your women that compliment your own, providing you with a trusted ally to assist in managing their emotional needs. Believe me when I say that this is a daunting task, especially when dealing with a large number of wives. There is only one you, and he cannot share all of his time with all of them.
"I would like to have introduced you to my Annabelle, who holds that honor among my ladies, but she is in Monaco on business."
I nodded. Elias congratulated me on my progress with my Fae, and we chatted amiably for another hour or two until dusk settled in. I took my leave, thanking him for the wisdom and good company, though still conflicted on my path forward.
Returning to the present, I felt a twinge of hunger.
That
kind of hunger...
Making my way toward the stairway on the east side of the home, I marveled yet again at the grandiosity of the place. A fall from one of the precipitous balconies that overlooked the lower level would have me breaking my neck for sure.
