Font of Fertility Ch. 17

"Zander," I said.

My voice seemed to jar him for a moment, interrupting his cocksure tirade. "Who is this?" he demanded.

"It doesn't matter who I am," I said. "It matters what I'll do to you if you ever try to contact Lindsey again. So listen closely, because your life may literally depend on it. The next time you think about dialling her number, or trying to find her, or approaching her on campus, consider the fact that there is someone who will literally cut off your dick and feed it to you. One word to her in public and I will hunt you down. One text. One voice mail. You show up on her call display, and I'm coming. You don't know who I am, and you don't know what I'm capable of. You won't see me coming. But you will feel every single mistake you make moving forward. Do you understand me?"

"Fuck you," Zander said. "I don't fucking-"

"Maybe you think I'm bluffing or something," I said. "So I'm going to warn you one more time. I have been in your house. I have been inside your bedroom. I know where you sleep at night. If you ever try to contact Lindsey again other than to say 'Thank you' when she graciously sends you the rent money to close out her part of your lease, you will face consequences that you are not ready for."

He hung up.

"OK, Liam Neeson in Taken," Stacey said from up front.

I had adrenaline pumping through my body even though the confrontation had been over the phone and I hugged Lindsey to me. "I would have gotten the reference if you just said Liam Neeson. Or the character name."

"Who remembers the character name from Taken?" Stacey shot back.

"It's Bryan Mills," I said.

"Fucking nerd," Stacey sighed and laughed softly.

Lindsey, meanwhile, had rested her forehead against my shoulder and was quiet.

"Talk to me, Linds," I whispered. Sitting with my pants and boxers around my ankles at this point felt less than ideal.

"I just love you, Jerry," Lindsey said, raising her head up to rest her chin on my shoulder and look at me. "I love you a lot."

"I love you too," I said and kissed her softly. Over the next few minutes I helped her block any way she could think of that they would try to contact her, and then we sat for a bit, just holding each other. Of course, it was Lindsey, so the fact that my cock was out meant that the sweet and quiet moment didn't lasttoo long.

* * * * *

"Four new-girl bumps has to have helped," Lauren said. After we'd gotten back home in the early evening Lindsey had dropped Stacey and I off and we'd eaten a late dinner, but then Lindsey and Lauren had come back over to our place later on. Now the four of us were in the basement hanging out while my parents were asleep upstairs.

'Hanging Out' actually meant hanging out this time. No one was even partially naked, which on the one hand was nicely normal compared to the wild shit that had been going on for weeks. On the other hand, no one was even partially naked, so...womp womp. Sad trombone noises.

"It did," I said as I ran my fingers through Lauren's hair. She was lying on the couch with her head in my lap, while Lindsey was sitting at the other end massaging her feet. Stacey was lying on her back on the ground, resting in between situp sets. "Along with everything with all of you," I continued. "Overall I'm probably... two-thirds of the way back to where I was at before the Annalise thing? The new stuff were big bumps, but nothing like my first time with you three, or with Annalise."

"Well, there's two days left before New Year's," Stacey said. "And if the council meeting thing is happening on New Year's Day, that means there are two days left to handle stuff. I just- Jerry, what do you want to do? Is dealing with Annalise's Dad more important than showing up with power reserves?"

I sighed and rolled my head back to look at the ceiling. "I don't know."

"I think it is," Lindsey said. "I mean, think about it. All these other council members are aware that you're new, so it just doesn't make sense that you would be all juiced up on power unless you went around impregnating a ton of people. What would that look like for non-Fertility seats? Death seats would need to like... murder a bunch of people? And I'm still not clear on how Life seats get their power compared to Fertility."

"Experiences," I said. "So they'd be doing stuff, and stealing the memories of people or something."

"Ugh, that's awful," Lauren said. She reached up and scratched my chin. "Thanks for being a sex wizard, babe. Definitely the best option."

I snorted and took her hand in mine and kissed her palm. "No problem," I chuckled.

"Anyways, as I was saying," Lindsey continued. "They all know that your power is going to be variably small compared to however long they've had to gather their own. You can't do all that much about it until you've had at least a few years to catch up. But they can judge you based on this George Stoker shit, and if it's left hanging... that's a statement."

"So you want Jerry to go into danger?" Stacey asked. "We don't know anything about what might happen. No information, no idea of what could happen. Jerry, you don't even know how you want to handle it if you do get this guy."

"I..." I said, trailing off as I struggled to know how to respond. "Stace, I'm never going to know until I do it," I finally said. "There isn't a fucking Hogwarts thing where I can go learn in safety. Or else there better not be because if there is I need to fire Adama."

"Shouldn't we consult her?" Stacey asked.

"I've been thinking about her actually," I said. "I think Adama has some sort of... block, or something. She only seems to remember things when they become important or pertinent. When I found Victorious's key it was like she remembered everything about him in that moment and had a reaction to it, and when I ask her things it feels like she avoids topics or details that she should be able to talk to me about."

"So what, you think something is affecting her?" Lauren asked.

"I don't know," I sighed. "Maybe it's a feature and not a bug. If I just had everything at my fingertips I feel like it would be easier, but I could also fuck things up by reaching further than I should. Maybe the whole Threes thing is about balance. Lauren is my balance on the personal side, and Adama is my balance on the magic side and gatekeeps the dangerous shit until I'm ready for it."

"That is very sweet, babe," Lauren said. "But also fucking annoying if it's set up that way."

"It would make sense in a weird way," Lindsey said. "I mean, we think of things in terms of our schooling, right? But for most of history, and in the trades still, mentorship and apprenticeship have been the main mode of learning skills and professions. Jerry can't really have a Mentor among the seats because that would make him under another one, so when the system got set up it got a built-in mentor that didn't need to make judgement calls. She's like... she's like an intelligent, horny AI with emotions and everything that makes her feel like a person, but she's servicing a core program. And God, I feel like shit saying that, and it's just a theory, but that's how it has to work to me."

It made sense, even though it felt shitty to me to think of her like that too. Adama didn't seem to have a life outside of her role, and she seemed to be missing memories of her time with Ezekiel, let alone any seats before him.

"OK," I said and took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter either way right now, the last time we talked with her she basically just said it was my decision and I needed to figure out my own priorities. Stace, I love you and I know what you're worried about, but I think Lindsey is right. I need to deal with George, and whatever happens at the Council meeting happens. I fucked up and I owe it to Annalise to deal with it."

Stacey sat up and took my hand, bringing it to her chest to press it against her heart. "OK. Just... be safe."

"There's one more thing we can do before we send our man off to war," Lindsey said, sitting up further.

"It's not a war, Linds," Lauren said with a little groan as she shifted to sit up as well.

"Whatever," Lindsey said. "If Jerry is going on the hunt tomorrow, he should see Angie and Annalise in the morning, but tonight it should be all four of us together like on Christmas. And we should do it in the Sanctum under the amplifier."

Lauren leaned over and kissed Lindsey's temple, hugging her around the shoulder. "That's a good idea. Plus, I miss you." Then she leaned forward and rolled off the couch, practically tackling Stacey. "And you."

Stacey gave an'ooph' as she was landed on, but hugged Lauren back. "Yeah, you too, Head Concubine."

Lauren, grinning, turned back to look up at me as she ran her foot up my shin. "Well, Jerry? Think you've got enough for all three of us?"

I just smiled and shook my head, thinking of the fact that I'd had sex three times that day along with multiple blowjobs, and none of the sex had been with my three girlfriends. "Alright," I said. "Let's go."

* * * * *

Buzzing up to Angie's apartment at eight in the morning felt weird, especially since I hadn't called or texted ahead. I'd left Lauren, Lindsey and Stacey behind in the basement after we'd returned from the Sanctum, pretending we'd all crashed down there to explain why Lauren and Lindsey hadn't been at home overnight. The kisses I'd received from each of them had been soul searing - being with all of them together in the Sanctum had been weird. Good, but weird. We all were completely comfortable with each other, but having a passionate foursome didn't feel entirely natural when it was in my mind that we were doing it specifically for power-building, and the girls were feeling the pressure of what I had to do.

It was the first time I doubted things. Not the relationships, or the feelings, or even the mechanics of it. Just... things. And the girls had felt it, or been feeling it themselves, and they tried hard to get my mind off of it. So at the end of it, after waking up with all of them and teleportaling back to the basement, each of them had taken a few minutes in private to kiss me and whisper their hopes and demands that I stay safe, and their love.

"M'hello?" asked a groggy voice over the speaker.

"Hey, it's Jeremiah," I said, not even sure if it was Angie or Suzie who had answered.

The voice didn't speak, but the lock buzzed open on the building door so I opened it and went in. Up on the second floor I knocked on their apartment door and it opened with Suzie rubbing her eyes and wincing a little at the light from the hallway. She was dressed in pyjama pants and a loose t-shirt and had clearly just woken up.

"What are you doing here this early?" she asked.

"I was driving by and thought I'd say hey to Angie," I said. "Sorry for waking you."

"It's fine," she grumbled, stepping aside and waving me in. "She's still in bed, but based on the way she's been mooning over you I think she'd like it if you went back."

"Thanks," I said, kicking off my shoes.

"Hey, so..." she said.

I turned back to her and raised my hands slightly. "No expectations and it never has to happen again unless you directly ask," I said. "It was fun, and you're hot and cute, but until you say otherwise I'm seeing it as a one-time thing."

She blew out a breath and nodded. "OK. Works for me."

Suzie followed me back down towards the bedrooms but went into her own as I went to Angie's door. It was open a couple of inches and dark inside, and I hesitated a moment trying to decide what to do. In the end, I decided to slip inside and up onto her bed, but didn't get undressed or anything. She was curled up under the covers and I stayed on top to try and be as not-creepy as possible as I spooned up behind her and draped my arm over her waist.

Angie groaned softly and shifted a little pressing back at me, which made me smile.

"Good morning," I whispered.

Nothing.

"Good morning, Ang," I whispered again, a little louder.

"Hmm?" she hummed, a little confused.

"Good morning, Ang," I whispered again. "Sorry to wake you."

"Jerry?" she asked softly, still drifting out of sleep. She turned, looking back at me in the dark with a confused expression.

"Hey, gorgeous," I said, leaning forward to kiss her cheek.

She slid her hands out from the covers and cupped my cheeks softly, pulling my lips to hers. "What are you doing here?" she asked once the sleepy kiss ended.

"I hadn't seen you for a while and I was driving by and wanted to say hello," I whispered. "Suze let me in and said it would be OK to come back."

"More than OK, babes," she said, kissing me again. "Why are you over the covers, though?"

"I didn't want to freak you out," I laughed softly.

"Get your butt in here, you silly boy," she laughed back.

I quickly stripped down and slipped under the covers, and soon we were making out, and then I was inside her as we softly made sleepy, dreamy love. We came together without fanfare, just holding each other as we kissed quietly. Then she turned over and spooned back against me again, nuzzling her ass back until she'd wedged my half-chubbed cock between her cheeks and pulled my arm around her.

"I-" she started.

"Shhh," a softly shushed her. "It's OK."

She sighed and hugged my arm tighter. I'd known going in she wasn't ready to have the talk that was looming with us yet.

Eventually, I kissed her cheek. "I do need to go," I said. "I just came in to say hello, but this was way better."

"OK," she said, turning back over so she could kiss me again. "I really liked this more than a hello, though."

"Next time should I just get in bed?" I asked her.

She nodded without saying anything, grinning in the dark. We kissed another couple of times and then I slipped out of bed. Angie turned on her bedside lamp to watch me getting dressed with a cheeky smile on her face, then finally slipped out with me and threw on a robe to walk me out.

I kissed her again at the apartment door, and she hugged me tightly before sending me off with a pat on the bum, hanging in her doorway as I walked down the hall to the stairs.

In half an hour I was knocking on Maya's door at the Bed & Breakfast.

"Who is it?" Maya called from inside.

"A McGriddle sandwich and extra hashbrowns," I answered.

There was a long moment of slow movement and then the door unlocked and opened, Maya grinning even as her greyed, fogged eyes couldn't focus on me. "I'm hoping that's you, Jerry, otherwise this is going to be really awkward."

"Hey, Maya," I said. "Can I hug you?"

She grinned and nodded, holding her arms open. I hugged her for a long moment and then handed her the bag of food. "Do you need help getting set up?" I asked.

"Nah, I'm good," she said. "Go put a smile on my sister's face."

I snorted a little and wrapped her up in another hug. "I'll try my best."

"Good," she said, hugging me back and then pushing me across the hall.

I knocked, but before the third rap Annalise was opening the door. She met me with a smile and pulled me into her room.

"I'm going to try and find him," I told her afterwards as we lay naked. Her head was on my chest as she lay on her back, perpendicular to me, looking up at the ceiling.

She took a deep breath and nodded. "OK," she said. "Have you figured out what you're going to do?"

Now it was my turn for a deep breath. "I need to know more before I can decide," I said. "But I can't wait any longer. It needs to happen."

She turned over and climbed up me the little way it took to kiss me, her big breasts pressing down against my chest. "Then, one more just in case," she said softly. And she straddled me and slipped me inside of her again.

"Anna," I moaned softly as she slid down my cock, settling deep inside her fiery insides.

"Jerry," she groaned back, laying her body down onto mine and hugging me.

I wanted to say it to her like I'd wanted to say it to Angie. I wanted them to know that I was falling for them. But it wasn't fair to do that, so I'd kept my mouth shut with Angie, and I did it again with Annalise.

When I left, I stepped out of Annalise's bedroom at the bed and breakfast and stepped into the Sanctum.

"Alright," I said to myself, breathing deeply and looking around the arching pillars and empty stone plinths. "No more excuses. Let's do this."

* * * * *

"No, there are not any magical prisons, honey," Adama said. "I wouldn't be surprised if other Seats may have their own dungeons somewhere, but you would need to ask them."

I was standing just outside of the Amplifier, slowly fondling my own cock as I spoke with Adama while she paced around inside the amplifier, that little ridiculous vest of hers barely covering her as she flounced back and forth.

"Well, what would Ezekiel have done to George Stoker if he'd gotten into a mess like this?" I asked.

"It depends on which Ezekiel you're talking about. Smoochums, Ezekiel lived for several thousand years, even a stubborn old man like him could change his views. At any time in his life he might have handled things in different ways, and during most he wouldn't have stumbled into this problem to begin with."

"Thanks," I deadpanned.

"It's only the truth, baby boy," Adama shrugged.

"Alright," I sighed. "Then I guess I just need to do this."

"Sorry I couldn't be more help, honey," Adama said.

"Victorious says hello, by the way," I said.

Adama's expression immediately darkened. "You can tell that motherfucker I don't say hello back. You should have just lost his key in the ocean."

I snorted a little and shook my head. "One of these days we're going to need to just sit and have a long conversation because my list of random questions keeps getting longer."

"Well, do me a favour and don't do it anywhere near that filthy exhaust pipe of a horse," Adama said.

"I'll keep that in mind," I said. "Thanks for trying to help."

She gave me a sad smile and waddled over next to me right at the edge of the amplifier stage. "Just keep your eyes open, sugar. You're a Seat of Fertility, you can handle this."

I stopped jerking off and fit my cock back into my jeans, and Adama dissipated from view.

I'd told myself no more excuses but I'd wanted to try with Adama one more time. Any sort of lead on what the 'right' choice was would have been something I could jump at, but every answer just brought up more questions. If other Seats had personal prisons or dungeons, did the people in them deserve to be there? I was judge, jury and executioner on any judgement brought to me, which meant they were too. What if other Seats were locking away people that didn't deserve it, and using their power for personal slights?

Realistically, at least some of them would definitely be doing that.Absolute power corrupts absolutely may have been a kitschy saying or quote at this point, but it probably held true for plenty of people.

I just needed to make sure that wouldn't be me, and thankfully I had Lauren for that.

"Alright," I sighed to myself. "Now there really aren'tany excuses."

I mounted the step up to the Amplifier and went to the centre of the structure, kneeling down where the golden bands and runes that crisscrossed the sanctum intersected. With one hand on the floor, I closed my eyes and focused on my connection. Just last night I'd been in there with Lauren, Stacey and Lindsey and I wished I could go back to that instead of this.

But I couldn't. Life wasn't just the good stuff. And I had lots of really good stuff, so it made sense I'd need to deal with some real shit, too.

My mind opened to the connection and I felt the Amplifier as part of myself, and I opened my eyes to the magic around me. It wasn't as chaotically beautiful as when I had shown the girls. The stars and lights and streams weren't still, but they oozed instead of soared. I wasn't generating magic forces, roiling them up around me, so it was like the room and the Amplifier were at rest.