The Witches of Ravenrook 04

"I thought my essence would have helped you more," I noted. I would have sat up but I liked my head lying in Eden's lap too much.

"Clearly none of us had an understanding of how tough that bitch Marlowe was," Regina chuckled painfully. "After that cock-sucker poisoned and stabbed me, I was lucky to last as long as I did. Be happy any of us are still alive."

I finally felt compelled to sit up but a remembered scent came to my occult mind. I turned and looked Eden in the eyes.

"You smell differently," I mused. At first Eden seemed confused then her eyes opened up and a hand caressed her abdomen.

"You think?" she whispered. Paradise came ghosting over as well but her expression was more pensive. She knelt by her sister and touched her stomach and tilted her head as if listening for something. Paradise gave Eden a cautious look then shrugged.

"Relax everybody," Regina ruffled my hair. "Most of the ways of detecting life – which none of us are good at – wouldn't show anything right now...but maybe a scent change would be noted."

"So what was going on?" I moved to getting a handle on current events.

"The Six began gathering at one stop Ross had clearly left aside for them. He placed a huge number of salt jars above them along with honey balloons. He dosed them in honey and then salt to entomb them and bind in their powers," Alyssa came staggering over.

"Since he was doing so many mechanical things, no one noticed his latest trick. Regina figured out that Shelby had betrayed us and went to the one person she could count on – me," Alyssa groaned. "Stupid as hell, but I verified what she suspected and no one noticed me because of my job at school. She started piecing together their plan but wanted to know what would happen to Shelby," Monroe sighed.

"Her coven sold her out to take the 7th Tomb's occupant's place since that was what Everest wanted, so she was doomed," Regina said.

"Her soul is trapped in the 7th tomb but her body is dead so there is no bringing her back," Paradise stated matter of factly.

"So Everest kept her deal with the White Coven by sacrificing Shelby?" Alyssa growled. "I'm liking these white types less and less."

"Ditto," I agreed then, "Damn it. I can't stand that woman getting one up on me."

"From the way Midnight described Everest, she didn't get much on you at all – you tore her up good," Eden still looked please. "You did that – thing you did out in the forest, didn't you?"

"I'm afraid so Eden. It was all I had left," I finished with a deep breath.

"You would miss me?" Eden touched my cheek.

"Actually, I would miss those cute little morning scowls from Paradise; the ones that tell me I'm lucky to have lived another night," I teased the twins.

Finally, when we had all regained our feet and Regina restored my sword, I turned to leave with the four women when Paradise reached out and spanked me.

"Be more respectful of the female receptacle of your procreative joy," Paradise added.

"Oh, call it like it is; he's your Baloney Pony, X-rated Hobby Horse of Love, Pantomime Horse of Hijinks," Regina smirked.

"I don't want to live without him," Eden said out of the blue and it hurt, her love, so child-like and new to her heart.

"You, me and Paradise are going to be just fine," I grabbed Eden's hand. The look Paradise gave me was stunned acceptance.

Regina coughed then spoke up, "Well, considering your utter lack of male friends Richard, I'll have to be your Best Man."

"Who is going to reset the wards on the Ravenrook crypt?" Alyssa broke up the happy yet awkward moment.

"As the last, closest heir to old Camilla, I'll give it a shot," Regina began once we'd exited the mausoleum. For whatever reason, the wards respected her status and one by one the wards rose back up and became infused with the magic of the island once more.

"Now?" Regina looked to me. I knew I wasn't going to graduate here. That hope was gone.

"We hunt her down by finding out about the 7th tomb and the Abenaki woman trapped their and maybe we can find out where Everest took her," I decided. "Paradise and Eden gather your sisters. Alyssa, figure out what goods you need and we'll get the money. Regina, I need a moment. The group scattered until there were just the two of us.

"You betrayed us," I pointed out. "Had they given you Shelby, you would have gone along with it."

"Oh, I thought about it, but no, Richard. If I let something happen to the Six, you would have never forgiven me. "

"I know I'd get my shot eventually but big hulking brutes who will smash down dimensional barriers to save me? Those are priceless," she smiled.

"Thanks because when the Six get together and decide to do something to pay you back for the betrayal, I'm going to need some excuses to keep them at bay."

"Just bang Eden and watch the little maggots gape in awe like they always do," Regina chortled.

"They do not," I defended them.

"Richard, I once braided Spring's hair when you were really tearing up on Eden and fingering Paradise – they were totally out of it.

"When are we ever going to have sex?" I changed course.

"Oh boy," laughed Regina as we moved toward campus, "you may be real proud of that dick, but I think six girls are more than enough for your libido."

"I don't want you feeling left out – relationship wise," I told her.

"Richard, you fought the witches for me and tamed their little asses. I think we are okay on the 'friends' status," Regina smiled. "You also aren't blowing up on me for doing the right thing and almost getting us killed anyway."

"Why didn't you tell me, anyway?" I questioned.

"I couldn't see you putting Eden in harm's way," Regina explained. "You two are crazy-obsessed with the idea of having a kid and that would eat at your mind if you risked her and something happened, as unlikely as that was."

"I concede the point," I sighed.

The news fifteen minutes later killed any attempt at levity; Marlow and the Abenaki had made their escape though the Abenaki woman seemed old and frail. They knew Everest would be spending most of the night and tomorrow morning traveling through the death zone. Alone, Everest could make it in half the night – Therans were immune to the live-draining effects of the zone, but half-Therans were not and the old lady would die of Everest didn't take breaks.

That still left us with the quandary of what to do. The Witches took a vote, in anger, for the rest of us.

"We will pursue the two Therans at daybreak born on Eden's winds," Midnight announced. "We won't need the rest of you." Oh really?

"The bonding items or have you forgotten them," I reminded the faction that wanted us left behind. Twilight and Spring seemed the main movers behind this argument.

"That's right," Regina snapped, "I can carry one because I'm the Ravenrook heir, Richard can carry one as can Alyssa."

"My life has gone to shit," the former FBI agent muttered. Now she was going on a man-hunt with the serial killer who had drawn her here.

"We would still need three other humans we will have to protect," growled Spring.

"Two," I declared. I walked to Regina and presented the blade just returned to me. "Give this to Eden's child," I gambled. Regina blinked then smiled.

"Eden, hold this for your child," Regina offered the scabbarded blade to the Undead Witch.

Touching it would scald her; keeping it would burn her flesh to the bone unless...

Eden hesitantly took the blade in in both hands. The warding magic that bound the items and tombs had been constructed by a true Mistress of the Craft. Eden held the blade painlessly.

Five of the Six gave a collective 'Oh' and everything changed for them.

They had been created to be unique and they destroyed their creators because of that onerous fate foisted on them. They were perfectly positive that they were always going to be lone – until something kept Eden safe. Whatever form of life it was, it didn't have a heart to beat or a brain to sing inside their gestalt but it had the most important thing to them – a soul.

Eden rushed up to Paradise, directing Eden's package into my hands before hugging her sister.

"What are we going to name her?" Eden sniffed.

"Well fuck a duck," Regina shook her head. "Knocking her through the headboard for three straight months while she cried like an angel did something besides keep me awake."

"I like the name Utopia," I said mostly praying this was not a son.

"Who says you get a say?" Twilight questioned.

"Your opportunity to separate our fates has passed Twilight," I glared.

"Peace!" Autumn jumped into the equation. "We need two more humans to volunteer to go with us."

They had to have non-coerced, by them, humans to bear their items off the island.

"We could use Sally Fabian," Regina sneered my way.

"Wallace Bozeman," I refused to take the bait, "that freshman we arrived with. I've run across him multiple times and he looks like he might be someone to throw his life away for a pretty face."

Regina looked at the Six, snorted and groaned.

"Fine, I'll do it, but don't expect me to put out for the rug rat," Regina mocked a boy her own age.

"Actually, I was thinking that Alyssa could ask him since she's the one he's been taking furtive looks at," I smiled at her.

The female former officer eyed us all then lowered her head. There was something grim we were neglecting.

"Regina, we'll need to bury Shelby in the crypt and say some words over her," I said.

"Forget that – she screwed us all over and her soul powered freeing the 7th Tomb," Regina declared.

"You betrayed us as well," Paradise pointed out angrily to Regina.

"Yes but that was only so I could betray them," Regina grinned. "Because of me, Richard and Alyssa were able to rescue us."

"You could have simply told us the plot before we walked into the trap," Eden countered.

"Then we wouldn't have known what they were truly up to and who was behind this," Alyssa admitted ruggedly.

"Besides Regina, you take care of your family, even in death. We take a bit of time and bury Shelby because she was aiming at a better world," I sighed. "She simply lost her way."

"Family," Eden murmured. "We will help you bury your cousin, Regina. But we have to make it quick because we need to be gone at first light." It was interesting to see Eden take the initiative.

"Regina, Richard, Eden and Paradise, take care of the White Witch. Her soul may be damned but she was one of us even at the end," Spring declared. "Autumn and I will get Sally while Ms. Monroe, Twilight and Midnight will get this Wallace kid who," Spring pointed at me, "better not be a waste of time."

Spring was righteously pissed about being entombed in salt and silver with the added shame that Regina, the traitor, killed the Witch Hunter that nearly caught them all. When that bitch, Everest, got away at well, her rage was about to overwhelm her.

"Calm the fuck down," I addressed Spring. "It is a good plan but don't bite our heads off."

Spring looked ready to jump when Eden touched my arm.

"Little Utopia," she cautioned me. Spring blinked as well because for a moment she thought Eden was appealing to her, not me. I stepped back from the confrontation.

"Sure thing Babe," I smiled at Eden.

The Witches were taken aback as well. It had not occurred to any of them but Eden that her unborn child could be used as a tool to keep me in check and even exert control concerning my behavior. In a detached fashion, they knew you could use an offspring to coerce a parent but they had never seen me in that light.

A few seconds later, I'm was sure that the felt the shoe on the other foot – Eden's child was one of them – if she was a spell-wielding woman. If the child was a male, a whole new set of twists and turns would appear. I still felt Eden would see herself as a mother; I wasn't sure about the rest. Four witches and Alyssa took off quickly because there was much to do before dawn.

"Paradise would you please – pretty please – help me get Shelby to her sconce in the family crypt?" Regina asked respectively. Paradise was about to get snippy when she caught Regina gazing toward Eden and I.

"Yes, let the two of us do that," Paradise responded. She not too rudely pushed Regina ahead of her down the short gravel road to the graveyard.

"I should put in a good word about Regina," Eden moved until she stood before me, "from time to time." She twisted slightly so she could hike her dress up to her waist. She hooked her panties and pulled them down.

"Shouldn't we be worried about me having too much sex with you?" I whispered.

Here I was having sex and now a baby with an older woman and not 'closer to 40 than 30' but closer to 400 than 300 years of age. I leaned against a rock outcrop, pulling her with me. Eden's face glowed as she unbuckled my belt and began opening my pants. Three months ago she would simply lay there and wait on me because that was all she knew.

I slid a half foot down the rock and Eden mounted me. She guided my cock inside her as my hands were supporting my precarious position. My cock slid straight in as she dropped her body on me.

"Someone has been looking forward to this – besides me," I teased Eden because she was so wet and ready.

"Oh," Eden exhaled through her teeth, "that feels so great. I worried about you, you know?"

"Not really," I pressed forward and kissed the underside of her chin. "You don't normally worry about any not in the Six."

"I know and it was weird," she smiled down at me as she kept rising and falling.

"I don't think too much sex will be a problem my Richard," Eden kissed me. "If anything, the spirit of our child will require even more of your sexual essence to grow strong."

"I think you are looking at more than one night of love-making a week," I protested.

"No," Eden pouted, "I still can't always tell when you are teasing me. Are you teasing me?"

"Yes, but I think if we do it every day some of the other witches might complain," I corrected myself. "Every other day maybe?" The way her vaginal muscles began clamping down on my penis suggested some level of expectance.

"Yes – yes," Eden sang out with a joyous high note. "Insert your gold rod inside of me every other day – yes." She panted harder and harder and I knew she was close. "Yes – and teach me how to drain your semen with my mouth the way Regina does tooooooo!!!!"

The image of Eden's sweet lips engulfing my sex was too much and too from left field for me.

My seed shot upwards in great gobs and strands into her womb but now I had the most bizarre sensation I was sharing my energy with something else. My semen and her fluids coated the top of my cock and cockhead, her muscles were still keeping a tight seal on her vagina. Eden nestled her head into my shoulder and I rested a hand over her shirt and thin bra to coddle her pert nipple and gentle breast.

I would have felt better if we weren't hunting another, smarter monster (Lady Everest Marlowe) with only a hint of what awaited on the continent. I was taking my lover and child into danger as well as three humans, two unprepared, along with us.

"We may not have another chance for the next few days," Eden whispered in my ear.

'What the hell,' I mused. 'She is probably right.' I took her hips in each hand and began lifting her up. Something about thinking that I nearly died and may soon be pressing my luck again made it seem like the best thing to do and Eden felt the same way.