Inkwell Ch. 08

"If you have time perhaps you can talk with me tomorrow about how this mantle bestow its powers. I can feel something but it isn't like the telekinesis. I don't understand how to wield it."

"Your power is wielded thru others, not by your own hand." Crystalia said.

"So I can't do anything without knowing it because I have to give it to someone else to get it to work."

"Something like that, you will get a handle on it. We can talk more about it tomorrow." Crystalia said.

"Yeah Mr. Birthday, time to get you back to your party." Eirene said.

"Talk to you more about it in the morning, I'll come down with Ducici ok?" Thalia asked Janet.

"That would be awesome." Janet said.

"So all the paperwork is good?" Estephan asked.

"Yup. We go." Eirene said.

"Happy Bithday! See everyone tomorrow." Janet said giving Estephan a kiss and groping him dirtily.

"Woo-hoo get him going for us." Thalia said.

"Way to go girlie, want us to wait outside while you give him a little more?" Thalia said.

"Not today, maybe you can save a little of him for me tomorrow." Janet said.

"Alright I am standing right here." Estephan said.

"In more ways the one." Janet said groping his half hard cock thru his pants.

"We better get him back the party then." Thalia said.

They Got back in the SUV Giving Janet and Crystalia a wave goodbye. The rest of the drive back to the apartment was distracting. Thalia whispered in his ear how much fun having their own places to entertain him in was going to be. Eirene described explicitly what her and her sisters would do to him when they got him into their room. He was getting so horny he almost pulled over and jumped them both in the back of the SUV.

They made it back to the apartment. The two of them jumped out and bolted for the door before he had a chance to get his seatbelt off. He darted inside only to find a succubus restrained on his living room floor. Clotho still sat sipping tea, watched everyone else with a half amused expression. Nikita looked rattled and Shesin expression looked on the verge of tears.

"What's going on?" He asked.

Four of them started talking all at once. He held up his hand. Looking around the room at the disarray it was clear this succubus had come in swinging. The kitchen table had been folded in half, its legs pointing outward in four different directions. Two large impact marked marred the wall of the small hallway. Both the bathroom and bedroom doors stood at the end of the hall no longer on their hinges.

"Nikita are you alright?" He asked.

She nodded. "She is one of my sisters, the other three are missing and was told you did it." Shesin said.

"I did it... By whom?" He asked looking down at the restrained female.

"Leto said the guardian was collecting a harem to pass the time with. If I had any need of proof I should visit my sisters cave." She hissed. "It reeked of your human stench."

"Clotho who is Leto? Why would they start shit?" He asked.

The succubus froze her head turning slowly to look at the Fate sipping her tea.

"She was deposed by what you call the Olympian Gods. Her and Selene were Titan. Even I am not sure what animosity she would hold to a Guardian of the Mortal realm, or Earth Titan. I will consult with my sisters and find an answer, if you do not find one from your guest. Thank you for the tea once again." Clotho said as she stood. Then with a polite bow faded from sight.

"Well that was less than helpful, what is your name?" He asked.

Shesin opened her mouth only to be stared down by Estephan.

"I am the Guardian and ask your name succubus." He said formally.

"I am Vadem, of the 5 sisters clan." She said.

"She is my youngest sibling, and the most hot tempered." Shesin said.

"I can see that." Estephan said looking around the room.

"We have calmed her some but she hasn't returned to herself yet." Yerni said.

"Blood-rage. Nothing we are unfamiliar with." Lyrusi said.

He looked around the room. "Where are Joxifa and the troll guys?"

"Hunting the Hobb...dark Gnome." Lyrusi said.

"Your right we need a bigger building with all the bells and whistles. I don't... shit" He said running his hand thru his hair.

He dropped into the chair Clotho had been sitting in. Things were coming at his fast, even if they weren't from the Fates. He still felt that he was sitting in some ones sights. Clotho admitted the Fates had done much to test him. He understood that. Styx trying to fuck her way into the world by raping him was not their doing. Vadem sitting here on his floor was not their doing.

"Shesin what do you want to do?" He asked.

"You give her choose?" Vadem snapped at him.

"I don't know? I have never thought about family this way before." Shesin said.

"Eat him and be free." Vadem hissed.

"Look Shesin, you are here because of Styx. If you wish to look for your sisters I will let you. If it means releasing you I will, thou I would miss you." He said.

"Don't release me! I don't want to go back to the way I was." She said in panic.

"Then you're going to need help. Yerni, you're a hunter right?" He asked. "Galenee you are as well? Would the two of you assist Shesin in finding her sisters?"

"I will assist Shesin." Galenee said with a understanding smile.

"Of course we are going to help. What kind of friends would we be if we didn't?" Yerni said brightly. "We are going to get some lovin afterward right?"

Everyone laughed. Vadem cringed hearing it looking at her sister with fearful confusion. Her sister had laughed, showing feeling for others in the room. The scent of her was alluring even to her. Yet all of these others were held in sway by the human guardian. He was nothing to look at. Her eyes widened as she studied him a little closer. He was a Titan and powerful. It excited her she wanted to have him.

Vadem skittered across the floor and climbed in to Estephan's lap. She looked into his eyes baring the flames of lust in hers. He met her gaze with little reaction. She could smell his arousal but his penis was not responding to her. She purred and he just tilted his head to look past her. Hands grabbed her arms and pulled her back to the floor.

"What are you doing?" Shesin hissed in her ear.

"Joining your clan. Let him have me." She snarled back.

"It isn't that simple Vadem. He could hurt you right now and we all know it." Nikita said in her other ear.

"Don't misunderstand, he would happily let you stay with me. Just not today." Shesin said looking at him questioningly. He nodded.

"Tony... time for you to get marked." He said standing. "Shesin, the others are with you when you are ready to look for your other sisters. Vadem it was nice to see you, please be polite and do as your sister asks, we will see each other again."

"Marked?" Anthony asked.

"Yes, to hold Ducici to you as the two of you talked about or did you forget?" Estephan said.

"So we're going to the parlor?" He asked.

"No, we are going out to sit under her tree. So when to bond is made the two of you are as close as possible." Estephan said opening the coat closet behind the front door. "I want my first day as a titan to be for everyone. It is my birthday and all but if it is going to be Titan day I want to be one I can look back on proudly."

"Still amazing us Guardian." Clotho said as she picked up her tea cup again.

"What did you find lady Fate?" Estephan asked as he pulled a ink-gun case from the closet.

"Leto is ... jealous? She wants her descendent to be the guardian. It would seem she has also been in contact with a few of the muses recently." Clotho said.

"Why am I not surprised? Styx told her about the imp thing and that she missed her chance to get me. Leto is late to the game and is trying to make up for lost time." He mumbled.

"Did you even need to ask me?" Clotho asked eyebrows raised.

"Yes I did. You are right about only getting it when I need to know. Eirene, Thalia... Your sisters are invited to the mortal realm to assist you in putting to rights a meeting place for the realms. I feel that you two should handle these invitations together and as quickly as you can. AM I clear?"

"You want us to go now?" Eirene asked.

"You are very clear guardian." Thalia said grabbing Eirene's arm and pulling her into the kitchen wall with her.

"Nikita I have a favor to ask of you and you can refuse if you wish." He said.

"What would you like me to do?" She asked.

"I would like a meeting with your mother. Would you be willing to bring her to a meeting? Then escort her back once it is over? I will have the guys help you, when they get back with Joxifa, who I would ask to help you as well." He said.

"I will help her with that." Mace said stepping to Nikita's side.

"That is most kind of you Mesaduce." He said as he started putting an ink-gun together out of his spare parts bag.

"So I am going to be the only one here with you?" Lyrusi asked.

"What Grainger and Ishara are chopped liver?" He asked.

"They left right after you did." Nikita said. "Cindy and Sara as well."

"The guys stay here with you, we will deal with Styx." Mace said.

"When did you want this meeting?" Nikita asked.

"Tonight at sun down? Is that to soon?" He said.

"What are you thinking Guardian?" Clotho asked.

"That I am going to need some way of watching the back door." He said putting the final clip into the gun body.

Joxifa came through the door with the guys. She looked disgusted and the guys looked winded. They were empty handed so it must have gotten away from them. She started in on how many times she almost had it and how much she hated the little things shadow jumping. Yerni nodded about the last bit. Estephan let her vent.

"If you want something easier to do... you can help Nikita and Mace hog tie her mother." He said.

"Right you want a side order of Nemeses with that?" Joxifa snorted.

"I'm not kidding." Estephan said sternly.

"You're not? Why would you want to do such a thing?" She asked fearfully.

"I have reason and need. I am the Guardian and would like a word with her. Will you help?" He asked setting the last screw in the completed ink-gun.

Joxifa nodded and walked to Nikita's side. Mace stepped close to the other side and they walk faded away. He was still feeling over whelmed by his guardianship. He had hoped that becoming a titan it might feel easier to be in the lead role. He stepped it up when the Imps were around. Put on the 'jerk' face swatting asses and taking names.

Now was not that kind of time. He was a titan, spokesperson for the earth. Even being a titan felt small in relation to that. Like being the one human to welcome aliens to the planet. He grabbed a power pack and cord. He kept his cool about his fears for the moment. He had something else to focus on.

The lovely Ducici and Anthony. He had better take care of her. He walked intot he bed room and pulled an ink set with needles out of his bedroom closet. He realized he had to much of this stuff scattered around his apartment.

"You two ready? Shall we head outside and get the two of you wed?" He said.

"It sounds so romantic when you say it that way." Ducici cooed.

"Is it going to hurt?" Tony asked.

"You not going to go thru with it if I say yes?" Estephan asked.

"I just never had a tattoo before." Tony said shakily.

"Well the only way to know what it really feels like is to get one." Estephan said.

"Don't you want me?" Ducici asked.

"Yes, I want you to be with me always." Tony replied.

"Then let's get this underway shall we?" Estephan said.

The four of them walked out the back and sat down under Ducici's tree. Lyrusi sat by Estephan's side holding the tray of inks and towels. Tony sat facing Ducici meeting her eyes and holding her hands in his. The first sting of the needle made him jump but Ducici held his hands and gritted her teeth with him. It took about twenty minutes start to finish. He never flinched a second time.

"Not so bad right?" Estephan asked.

"That first hit was the scariest. It wasn't super painful just unnerving. I didn't think those guns were that loud." Tony said.

"Usually there not. You have to keep in mind I put this one together out of spare parts in the apartment. Or were you not paying attention?" Estephan said.

"How can you just wipe one together like that?" He asked.

"Almost a decade of breaking and fixing them. You pick up a lot when you don't have the money to buy new guns every three months or so. I have a couple of the pawn shops keeping an eye out for me. They give me a ring now and then to come price equipment for them."

"So you buy used stuff?" Tony said.

"Yes. Calm down, I don't reuse needles. Those are new every time. Didn't I show you the needle smelter in the parlor? You did want to know where I was getting the ingots from."

"You did, I just kinda forgot with all the other stuff going on." Tony admitted.

"You think you got it ruff. Try thinking about it from my point of view." He said pulling the guns leads from the power supply. "Thank you Lyrusi, you were the best assistant a think I have ever had."

"You're so sweet." Lyrusi said.

"It looks like rain let's get back inside. You need to keep that thing clean and dry for twenty for hours." Estephan said to Tony. "Keep this stuff on it, just me it helps." Handing him a tube of triple antibiotic.

"Right." Tony said.

"I'll make sure he's taken care of." Ducici said.

"I know you will. I am going to miss your breakfasts. How did you make the toast without burning it? I have never gotten that toaster to work right." Estephan asked.

"Toaster?" Ducici asked. Lyrusi giggled.

"You didn't use the toaster?" He asked.

"I recooked the bread over the flame on the stove." She said. "Was there another way of doing it?"

Tony and Lyrusi started laughing loudly at the expression on Estephan's face. He looked like she had just told him she flew to toast land to deliver it to his breakfast plate. Ducici smiled and joined in the laughter. A roll of thunder shook the windows as the rain started. It pelted the windows loudly. Estephan looked out the window to see how bad it could get.

In the middle of the drive in front the apartment the rain wasn't hitting the ground. He stepped back from the window looking at Profene. The ex-troll was standing guard at the door. He had already seen it and was taking position. Crossin had gathered some of the sharper pieces of the broken kitchen table. He too was taking a position towards the front door.

He looked out the window and the not getting rained on area was closer to the door than when he had first noticed it. The guys hunkered down ready to strike. When the knock on the door came it confused them. There was no banging or breaking in. just a knock. The second knock was Justas gentle as the first.

"Lord Inkwell?" A deep voice asked.

"You sure this is the right one?" A second deep voice asked.

"This is the right one. Maybe he is at other place." The first voice said.

Estephan moved to the door. Both of the guys tried to wave him off. He wasn't about to have these whatevers walking thru town in the rain. Who knows what they could hurt, even by accident. He opened the door braced for the worst. He was confused and pleasantly surprised to find a pair of Cyclops standing under a blanket of some sort. The male was clean and carried the female.

"Our apologies lord. We seem to have fallen to the mortal realm. We mean no trespass. I am Lodrin and this is my wife Jotlef. We had an audience with Lady Styx but never made it to the river." Lodrin said clearly.

"You did not intend to enter the mortal realm?" Estephan asked.

"No lord, we only want to mate and the Fates have deemed this will not be allowed. We were going to see Styx and ask her council." Jotlef said.

"This is the mortal realm, can you decrees your size?" Estephan asked as the guys relaxed.

"We would if we could lord. The rain prevents it. We are children of the water nymphs." Jotlef said.

Lyrusi darted to his side. "It is you!" She exclaimed.

"Nootinia Lyinrusilladra?" Lodrin asked.

"What did he just say?" Estephan asked her.

"Yes it's me. He asked me if I was Aunt Lyrusi. I will walk them around back and come in to get them something to eat. Is that alright, I will speak for their behavior Estephan." Lyrusi begged.

"Um... Tell them not to hurt the tree. They can stay for a little while." He said.

She kissed him and darted out into the rain to take them around to the back of his apartment. He closed the door shaking his head. A pair of Cyclops that wanted to have a baby? His head was starting to ach again. He was feeling somewhat giddy. He wanted to run in the rain and scream ot the sky about his lot as a titan.

"You keep that up and your head is going to explode my boy." His father voice said from the living room.

"Yeah it feels like it." He said waving Profene and Crossin back.

"I wish I could say I knew what you feel like but I can't. I can however be a kind ear and voice with a second opinion if you need one." His father said.

"I could use one." He said.

"Well get yourself a drink and we'll sit down on the couch and talk it out." He said and walked over and sat down.

"Yeah." Estephan said walking into the kitchen and grabbing a soda from the frig.

"So what's got you so rattled." His father asked.

"To be honest, how fast things are moving. The moment I have my barring's something else changes the momentum of the situation. Like those two." He said gesturing at the back window of the apartment.

"I am here to help if I can. The Fates are not as callus as they seem. Even they are flustered with how much is rolling down on you all at once. They worry because they haven't been able to see it to warn you. At the very least give you help that would not make you feel that they are trying to control your decisions. I volunteered to come and be your sounding board for a while. Only those of the higher realm will be able to see and hear me." He said.

"I could use someone to bounce ideas off of that won't feel picked on or left out." Estephan said. "This sounds like a good idea. Guess I will hold judgment about the Fates for a while longer."

"So let's clean the sled and get the cups lined up." His father said.

He smiled at the tattoo reference, cleaning the sled... dumping a mixed up set of ink cups and getting new ones to start fresh with. He was feeling a need to toss everything on the table and put it back in order. He took along swig of soda and set it aside.

"First... All of the ladies are so beautiful. Somewhere it feels like I am doing something wrong with how much I do with them. It seems that sex has turned into part of the job and lost some of its intimacy. Next is the role as guardian and how being a titan seems to be hypocritical. Then there is the need for things that the ladies can get for us that I don't feel that I have earned. That one I know I am going to have to put in check just to keep the mortal realm from feeling the fallout of the higher realms less respectful denizens. And lastly... When am I going to get a chance to take time to do what I am meant to do. Other then play the role of traffic cop to the higher realm."

"Wow. Um... I think I can help with none of that." His dad said with a goofy look on his face.

Estephan got it and started laughing at the total lack of seriousness his dad put forth. His father laughed with him for a few minutes. Estephan took a sip of soda and looked back over at his father.

"If you could, would you let someone else take your place?" His father asked.

"No." Estephan said and got cut off by his father before he could add anything else.

"Good so deal with it?" His father said harshly.

"But..." He started.

"No buts, you want the job stress and all. I get it. You want a little of the easy stuff but you don't know when you're going to get any, right? This is me you're talking to so think about it before you try lying to yourself."