Mike & Karen Ch. 31

"We always have been," Jenny confirmed. "We're not lovers, but we are certainly not above naked cuddles and lots of kissing."

"I don't think she needed to know that, Jen," Millie grumbled now, trying not to turn red as she lay still.

"Tosh, she was bound to see us wrapped up in one another's arms sooner or later," the older sister pointed out. "At least she knows to expect it now, hm?"

"That's true, my lady," Val said, nodding. "Around this place, I wouldn't even blink about it, really. Kinda makes my life easier, knowin' all the dynamics."

"Go ahead and do my slut sister now, my dear," Millie managed to say, nearly asleep. "Much more of this and I'll never wake up."

Val looked over at Jenny, who smiled and rolled onto her back, awaiting the maidservant's attentions. Val slowly and gently removed herself from Millie and stood on the floor long enough to take her uniform off, leaving her completely naked. She then clambered up on the large bed, straddling the countess' hips. She applied oil to her hands and then leaned down, massaging it into Jenny's neck and shoulders before moving to her breasts.

She also settled low enough that her smooth pussy kissed into Jenny's.

"Heaven, lovey," the blonde purred, lying still while Val massaged and fondled her opulent breasts. "As always."

"Just the massage, countess, or do you require more?" Val asked quietly.

"I imagine just the massage, since we don't want to disturb my sister," Jenny replied.

"How many times have you been fucked next to me while I tried to sleep, Jen?" Millie interjected, although her eyes were still closed. "I'm not that sound a sleeper, you know."

Jenny and Val both giggled.

"As wonderful as a shag sounds, my love, we'd best hold off," Jenny said to Val, even while she reached up and caressed the brunette's breasts. She also squirmed around just enough that now their clits were touching. Val gave a little shiver in response. "Tomorrow is a big day, after all."

"Don't I know it," the younger woman agreed, her thumbs gently brushing over Jenny's nipples while her fingers caressed the soft skin of her breasts. "Gonna be a crazy two weeks, I imagine."

"Mill and I will do our best to not be too high-maintenance," Jenny quipped.

"Yes, because that's what I'm known for, being high-maintenance," Millie groused, still half-asleep. "Do what you need to do to shut the tart up, Miss Prospero."

"Yes, my lady," Val giggled. She continued massaging Jenny, all the way down to her legs, gently rubbing her feet and giving them kisses before making her way back up. She massaged Jenny's ass for some time before finishing her back and neck. By then, the countess was asleep, as was Lady Chudleigh. Sighing with the satisfaction of a job well done, Val climbed off the bed, picked up her clothes, and tiptoed into the bathroom, where she rubbed any excess oil from her skin and got dressed.

Then she made her way out of the room, closing the door quietly behind herself. She went over to the door of the master suite, listening for a moment and hearing her Master and Mistress talking quietly. They were discussing something, meaning they had one another occupied. Val nodded to herself and headed down to her own room on the second floor.

She took a quick shower to cleanse off the last of the oil before slipping into her bed, naked and warm. She sighed happily, caressing her breasts and fondling her smooth pussy, bringing herself to a little orgasm, a delicious sense of fatigue and a desire for sleep overcoming her. She kissed her fingers, thrilling to the taste of her own cum before drifting off, looking forward to another day in a life that was better than she'd ever hoped for.

***

The West Master Suite...

Alex was lying on his back, his hands behind his head and wearing a smug grin while Freja writhed up and down on him. His cock was splitting her wide, but she was squeezing him hard, flexing her pussy muscles around him. Jeanie was kneeling just behind her wife over Alex's muscular thighs, reaching around to grope Freja's little breasts and whispering in the Danish girl's ear.

"He gonna make you cum, Fre?" she asked in a throaty purr, a voice she knew Freja loved. It felt so naughty.

"Gnnnn, yes, my love," Freja groaned, her body covered in sweat. Fucking Alex felt so good. He had a huge cock, like his father, and he was very strong, but he wasn't overwhelming and so very dominating, the way Mike was. Not yet, anyway. Right now, Freja wanted to cum with a partner, not be dominated. There'd be another time for that. "So very hard..."

"Go ahead and give it to her, Alex," Jeanie said breathily, feeling her own soaking-wet pussy sliding against his knee. That would be more than enough to get her off.

Alex pushed up with his hips, driving deep inside Freja, who shuddered and went rigid, her tunnel clamping around him tightly, refusing to let go. Jeanie leaned in and closed her mouth over her wife's as Freja moaned loudly while cumming. She pinched and tugged on Freja's sensitive nipples, making her grind down hard on Alex, who exploded inside her, filling her pussy with his cum. The trio writhed and pumped together, Jeanie cumming moments after the other two.

Freja collapsed forward onto Alex, breathing heavily, waves of pleasure rippling through her. She distantly felt her wife back up and bend down, leaning in to lick at the juncture of Alex's cock and her engorged womanhood, still impaled on him. Jeanie's wicked tongue began cleaning them both before she eased Freja forward gently by her ass cheeks. The Danish girl groaned as Alex's thick tool popped out of her, replaced by Jeanie's fingers instantly to keep the cum right where it was inside her. Meanwhile, the greedy brunette's mouth plunged down onto Alex's throbbing cock, sucking the cum off and out of him. She almost swooned as he throbbed in her mouth.

Once Alex was cleaned to her satisfaction (she took her time and made sure he stayed hard), she pulled Freja away from kissing him and made her kneel, straddling Jeanie's head. She faced down her wife's body and shivered in delight as she felt Jeanie's tongue invade her, searching relentlessly for the cum Alex had deposited in her. Alex, meanwhile, also knelt up, positioned between Jeanie's shamelessly spread legs, and slid his cock inside her. Jeanie moaned up into her wife's pussy as Alex hilted in her.

"You are very nice..." Freja panted, leaning forward enough that she could put her arms around Alex's shoulders and rest her forehead against his. "To let Alexandra stay with her aunts tonight... you knew she would want to..."

"You and I both know she's been dreaming about this for her whole life, Fre," he said to her as he pumped back and forth inside the girl below. He wouldn't cum, of course, but giving Jeanie her own orgasm from fucking her was the proper thing to do. They were guests in his bed, after all. "She's mine for the rest of our lives, she's certainly welcome to spend time with the other people who are important to her."

"I know," she whispered, kissing his nose. True, she was often very competitive and uppity with Alex, but that was the brat in Freja. She adored him and loved him deeply. She could never thank him enough for how happy she made her dearest friend. She and Jeanie considered themselves his second wives, and were even just happy with the notion of concubines, frankly. It suited their slutty, sinful ways.

And if they could swing it, one day he'd be the donor for the children they both wanted.

"Besides, you two're more than enough to keep me busy," he quipped, biting her lowing lip gently while he fondled and pinched her nipples, making her shudder and suddenly cum on Jeanie's mouth. Jeanie gripped her wife's hips more firmly, sucking and licking harder in response. She also shuddered through a little orgasm Alex gave her.

"We had better be," Freja panted now, her face flushed and still slick with sweat. They'd all need a shower before bed. "But we will always be there for you, Alex, not just in your bed."

"Mmmmp, she's got that right," Jeanie added, moving Freja off her face and pulling her down into an embrace now. They shared a deep, wet, and cummy kiss while Freja lay atop her. Alex amused himself by taking turns sliding in and out of them. Neither girl objected one bit.

"God," Jeanie mumbled through the sloppy tongue-kiss. "I just wanna fuck and fuck and fuck."

"Yes, my love," Freja panted while Alex speared inside her. "This is what I want for us also. And for Alex and Alexandra. I want our lives to be this bliss, ja?"

Thirty minutes later...

They'd gone to shower and were now lying in the huge bed, with the girls snuggled into Alex's sides, and sound asleep. He could feel it wasn't far off for himself, but he found he was thinking about what lay ahead, and how much things would change. All for the better, of course, but he didn't delude himself into thinking there would be challenges, if not setbacks.

He would do everything in his power to protect Alexa from those. He knew Freja and Jeanie would too. Especially Freja. There was nothing that girl wouldn't do for her soulmate, short of hurting her wife. If Freja needed to beat the shit out of people to clear a path for Alexa's happiness, she would. And Jeanie wouldn't stop her, she'd encourage her to do what was needed.

It won't be easy, but it will be worth it. How could it not be? How did you get so lucky, DeBourne? She could've had anyone on the planet wrapped around her finger. But it's you she loves so desperately.

He wouldn't fail her.

***

The East Master Suite...

Karen was snuggled into Mike while he was sitting up in their bed, his arms around her, holding her close. She nuzzled against his vast, muscular chest, giving the taut skin little kisses. They'd made love and were now settling down for sleep before the first day of the new opportunity began. There was so much to look forward to.

"Do you think Alli stayed with Alex, or went to sleep with the ladies?" Karen asked in a quiet, tired sigh.

Mike smiled. "Alex probably instructed her to go stay with them, which is what she'll want to do anyway. That means Ig and Ook will be keeping him company."

"He's in good hands, then," she mumbled, still nuzzling as she fought to stay awake just a little longer. "What do we do about all this?"

She'd asked him this exact question before, many times. She already knew the answer, but hearing him tell her was a thing for Karen. It wasn't assurance, it was simply bliss to hear her mighty husband reiterate what they had already resolved. It had been their dynamic for thirty years now. Whatever decision they arrived at, he was the great bastion that problems broke against, unmovable and unwavering.

"We pinch-hit where necessary, as only we can," he said, knowing what she wanted to hear, and how. He matched the rhythm and tone of his voice to her breathing, letting it carry her off; his final words would be in her ears when she fell asleep. "Janet and the others do their thing. Alex and Alli handle their personal matters on campus. We stand back and watch to see where we're needed. That's the way it should be."

"Mmmmm," she sighed, nuzzling. "Our little boy's first foray into applied cyberwarfare. If it was anyone else, Michael, aside from Alex, or one of us, I would object."

"You're allowed to be biased, Gordon," he said, his huge hand gently rubbing her back in circles, helping set up her circadian rhythms. She'd sleep well tonight, especially since she'd been into the pistachios. "And Alex may be ruthless about it, but only in the interest of the greater good."

She smiled lightly, her eyes still closed. "You sound like your blue Tau things from Warhammer. Do you promise you'll make this all right for my family, DeBourne?"

"With all my heart, Gordon," he said readily. "And at any cost."

She nodded and settled into sleep. His promises meant everything to her, and when she had them, then all was well with the world.

Karen dreamt of their thirtieth anniversary, not so far away now.

***

Don't forget the stinger after these notes, folks!

Author's Notes: Lordy, there are so many plots coming into play now, I need a freaking Excel spreadsheet to coordinate and keep track of them all. I must look like that whack job in the alien life meme.

The posse is now firmly entrenched in Alex and Alexa's corner. Not that anyone should expect otherwise, mind. They'll all have their parts to play, and in addition to here in Mike & Karen, you'll see it coming up a lot in the miniseries for each of them, especially Janet and Lisa. Mona's part, and Jenny's, while still important, are not quite so direct in application, so their series will not be quite so intense concerning the 'crusade', if you will.

Alexa singing goodbye to her mother was very hard to write. It took a lot to work through it, since I am so invested in these characters. I do love Miranda, and we'll see plenty more of her in flashbacks over the decades, but you now know that she died at peace, and she never stopped loving her husband. I feel good about that, ultimately.

Yes, that little grot Percy is still around, but as long as pistachios exist, hopefully he can be kept under control. I really do enjoy Millie quite a bit, since she's much more grounded and 'normal' than her larger-than-life older sister. Jenny is prettier, smarter, more talented, and more sociable, but Millie resents none of it. Frankly, she's relieved that it's Jenny's burden and not hers. She wants a much quieter life, except for when the trappings and temptations of Blackwell Manor get to her...

Expect Alex and Alexa to be on the warpath against those who oppose them, and a delightful charm offensive all around the university and other venues. As dazzling as those two can be, it will make for some interesting reading, I hope. Assisted by the posse, this allows Mike and Karen to concentrate on other things, such as her upcoming investiture as head of her family. Definitely not nothing, and we're not far off from the housewarming arc.

It still spins me about how large the cast got. Very far away from my original ideas about the Alexaverse almost eight years ago. Originally, just the four of them. Now the cast is larger than the casts of all my other stories put together. And the Alexaverse keeps absorbing other stories I've written, like Time Rider.

Anyhoo, better get back at it. These stories don't write themselves, trust me. Keep your stick on the ice!

- Management

***

The patio of a café in Paris, summer, four years earlier...

"I suppose it was inevitable, wasn't it?" Karen mused, looking down at her coffee, pondering the situation. "He's lasted far longer than anyone expected, hasn't he?"

"Much to the chagrin of certain family members, no doubt," Mike agreed. "But it looks like his time isn't far off, Gordon. A year, maybe. He'll hang on like grim death, of course, because he's a Blackwell, but even he can't cheat it."

She smiled. "Which of your Numenorean kings was it that wouldn't pass on willingly, as his forebears had?"

"It was Atanamir, you know that, you've read the Silmarillion," he replied with a smirk.

"I only paid attention to the important parts, like all the shiny jewels and such," she lilted, picking up her cup to take a sip.

"Yes, what possible interest could you have in a story that's all about ancient genealogy?" Mike chuckled, letting her take her time talking about this. They still had no idea what was killing her father, nobody did. But Jonathon Blackwell was dying, and it wouldn't be long before she had decisions to make about the future of the dynasty. Whatever she decided, he'd support her, at any cost. He wasn't afraid of her family. They feared him.

"Even after all these years, it's difficult to contemplate and discuss," she admitted, putting her cup down, holding it and staring into the darkness within. "Everyone loses their parents eventually, but... I can't believe he'll be gone, Michael. What do I do?"

"What you were bred to do, and whatever suits you, of course," he said simply.

"And if those two things are at odds?" the bronze-haired beauty asked.

"They're not, in your case, and nobody except you can do them," Mike pointed out. "And you know I'm here."

"At times, that's all that keeps me going," Karen sighed. "Not a day goes by, Michael, that I didn't wish mom was still here."

"I wish that too, Gordon," he assured her, his huge hand clasping hers. "All we can do is hope that she and Alli are okay."

"I know..." she murmured.

The pair finished their beverages and then paid. They had come to Paris for a business matter, and that still had to be attended to, after all. Paris on the west bank of the Seine was full of colour, and the scent of blossoms was all around them, even from the long planters that grew shrubs and provided privacy for the guests.

On the other side of those planters, Miranda sat silently, staring at nothing. Her heart was pounding so hard that it ached in her chest, and her eyes were stinging. Her cappuccino was completely forgotten.

Why, God? Why did you let that happen?

She had been so tempted to reveal herself, to simply burst back into their lives. But that was the one thing she'd vowed she would never do, because she felt like she didn't deserve their forgiveness, not to mention the fact that after sixteen years, she couldn't very well thrust Alexandra back into a life they'd left behind and she'd never known. To take the decision about what to do with her life away from Alexandra now was... unthinkable.

Was there really a boy named Alex now? Did she have a grandson? Did Alexandra have a nephew named after her?

And Jonathon was dying.

It felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest. The excitement and panic she'd felt while her daughter and her husband first sat down had been replaced quickly not only by dread, but also a profound sense of loss. She hadn't seen them in sixteen years, and every day of her life had been tinged with hurt and regret, wondering if she'd done the right thing.

And now she was dying too. She'd only found out recently, and she hadn't told her daughter just yet, but given how smart Alexandra was, she no doubt knew things were amiss.

It seemed so unfair. Blackwell men lived into their nineties often, and Gordon women were known to be centenarians. They should have had so much more time.

And now it was too late. The doctors had given her maybe two years, and apparently Jonathon only had one. The urge to lose herself in regret, misery, and shame was almost more than she could bear. But then she thought of her beautiful daughter, Alexandra, and what she still had to do for her, to teach her. She knew she wouldn't fold, that she wouldn't give in. She would bury this pain and move on.

When you're going through Hell, keep going.

Maybe it wasn't Hell, per se. She and Alexandra had led a splendid bohemian life here in Europe, moving around as the need or the urge took them, and Alexandra was every bit as magnificent as her older sister.

And yet it seemed so cruel that she'd nearly encountered Ekaterina and Michael here, in Paris, given that she and Alexandra lived in Marseille at the moment. They'd only come up for a weekend visit, after all.

There were tears on her cheeks, she felt them now. She wiped her face and took a deep breath, looking around the area as if seeing it for the first time. The 18^th arrondissement, where her older daughter and her future husband had once concluded one of their insane adventures together.

So many memories made in this city.

She knew she wouldn't tell Alexandra, she couldn't, any more than she could have revealed herself to her Ekaterina. But with that conclusion came a certain sense of peace, despairing though it was. Her eldest daughter was well and healthy, a brilliant professor, and a mother. Her own legacy would live on in Alex, her grandson, and even though she didn't know him, she was glad that Jonathon got to.