Swamp Kings 1 (Bayou Bishops #18)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The moment Nidev left the meeting, he pulled his phone out and opened Lyric’s box. Are you up?

He returned it to his coat pocket and hurried toward the dock ahead of the group where the Twelve would transport them back to the dry dock via their Swamp Dragons. He really needed to discuss other options of transportation with the Kings. Using aircraft meant radar detection issues so they needed to discuss cloaking. This hour long land route was also getting riskier as shit fell apart.

He returned to the incidents in the Basilique where those bat bite symptoms had raged in new ways. His usual interest in the gifted had reached perverted proportions. While a powerful man had a brutal break down, his sick brain busily analyzed and dissected the layers of gifts he possessed and how they could be utilized. Also, while silently being a freak, he used all his strength to avoid the gaze of the one who’d given him his favorite lust. He felt the push of his hungry curiosity against his pores, an animal sniffing out just how infected he was with the insanity they both shared.

And now his sickness was free to lock back on Lyric. That forbidden taste he’d taken of her had his cock navigating when his brain should be. He was in no rush either way, because taking his time while cracking her wide open was turning into an addiction on an overdose of steroids. Oh, he had to know all the particulars of wrapping her around his cock’s desires. What he’d do, when he’d do it, where, how. The why? Irrelevant. All while the world went up in flames. Speaking of, he’d seen the next coin in his dreams and was all too relieved to skip telling them. Because she took precedence even over that.

There was no worse human being he could think of than one who forsook his duties to slate his shallow lusts at the expense of all mankind. But here he was. The leader of the great prophetic Creole Kings doing just that. IDOL. That was the word on the coin in his vision. What it meant? No clue. Did he care? Mildly at most.

He wanted this insanity out of him.

He had to find a way to remove it.

His phone buzzed and his cock answered with a lurch as he pulled it out.

Lyric. Yep. Deep in study about ancient rice cooking methods. What about you? Is your meeting over? How’d it go ?

He paused long enough to text. It was interesting. I’m headed back now. I need to talk to you.

Sure. Do you want to text or use the phone?

He considered that. Text for now. When I get in bed, I’ll call you.

His cock pounded with a fury as he hurried the rest of the way to the dock, looking once more at his phone. Whatever you need. I’m here for you.

Her perfect, angelic answer gave him the solution to his entire give a shit dilemma. He would tend to the burning world while tending to this burn in his cock. Moral dilemma solved.

The entire ride back, the icy wind beat against the fire in his blood. But it was no match while he fanned the flames with fantasies now mixed with urgent business. Like getting his lips and tongue on her pussy. Since he knew everything that needed doing outside of this lust, he spent the entire ride tending to its boil. What did he want? With her? That was the answer requiring great detail.

He recalled how his body reacted to her vulnerability. It was a delicacy he wanted to slowly grow in her then devour in a brutal rampage. Wash, rinse, repeat. Only from a different angle. A different pace. And he wanted her insane with needs only he could fill. He wanted to force her to feel every drop of what raged in him.

He wanted her to be his secret fuck angel .

Maybe he wanted to tell her exactly that. Maybe he wanted to seduce her. Or maybe he wanted to take whatever he wanted without asking. Anytime he wanted it. Anywhere he wanted it. However he wanted it.

Definitely option number three.

He felt his phone buzzing with her texts the entire ride but didn’t let himself look ‘til he was in the confines of his Bentley Continental.

He opened her texts.

So, I was thinking… About your…situation…

There it was. That delectable vulnerability. Too sweet to say the dirty words. Too scared to voice them.

If you’re able to obtain what you want by talking to me, it gives you time to see if this could be a permanent solution.

Sorry…just thinking out loud.

Either way, I’m happy to help you however you need. I trust you.

Trust him.

What do you trust me with? he texted. Just getting in my car and about to head back. Can I call you? I need to hear your voice.

The moment she typed her Of course , he switched to phone and hit the call button then got on the levee road leading out.

“Hey, are you okay? ”

Her concern felt like a punch to his lower stomach and balls. “Yes. And how are you feeling?”

“Oh, I’m good. A little sore from working out when I couldn’t sleep.”

Sweaty body visions got added to his menu. “Why couldn’t you sleep?”

“Just… so many things on my mind.”

“Julian?”

“Yep. And everything going on in the world. And how I can help you has really been front and center. What did you think of my suggestion?”

“I think I like it.”

“Great!” she said, her tone arousing the fuck out of him. And why? She sounded like she always did, a devoted Creole King Academy student, pleasing her teacher. Yeah, that was it. He liked that. Her being a sweet, good girl. Innocent. Breakable. He loved the idea of her delicate and fragile. The problem was why he liked it. He didn’t want to protect it, he wanted to crush it then drag them both through the broken pieces until blood covered them. Then he wanted to roll around in that filth while everything bled. After, he could put it all back together, lick it clean and do it again.

“Okay. How are your symptoms?”

Her attempt to hide her sexual fragility stoked his fire. “Raging out of control.”

“Alright,” she soothed as lust thumped in his cock ‘til his entire groin ached. “Just… try and ride it. An d… you may as well embrace it, it’s just sexual pleasure and that’s known to be good for you.”

“Lyric…”

Every psychotic urge flooded his tongue in a deluge, forcing him to hold his jaw shut.

“Yes?” she carefully asked, the sound of her fear and arousal tearing through him and thickening his breaths.

“I think… about doing very bad things.” His breath exhaled sharply at the confession. Fuck, he’d opened the door. It would never be shut again.

He waited in the silence, every second she struggled, a stranglehold moving up and down along his cock.

“Do you need… to talk about it?”

“No,” he whispered. “I crave to talk about it. But… it’s things you should never hear.”

“They’re just words, Nidev. You’ll be okay.”

Nidev. It was the first time she called him that. “Don’t call me that.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“Call me Mr. Nidev. Or King Nidev.”

“O-okay,” she said quietly.

“And they are not just words. They have power.”

“But… only if you give them power,” she said. “You taught me that.”

“You will give these words power,” he assured. “They will not be resisted. Or turned away. If I speak them, they will accomplish what I intend them to.”

More silence passed and he knew she was weighing things carefully. “Mr. Nidev,” she began, his cock getting slammed by a crippling desire. “You can speak your words to me. You are safe to do so.”

Fuck, she’d used her voice gifts on him. And they enflamed him beyond imagination. “It’s not me at risk, sweet Lyric. It’s you.”

****

Harlow hurried out of the building where Quantum was being held as fast as he could, making sure nobody was in earshot. Kult was the first person he wanted to call but then he remembered the shit-show he’d gone through at the meeting five hours prior.

Fuck!

Fetch would know his state of mind. He dialed him, pacing in the dark foyer as the phone rang.

“What’s wrong?” Fetch answered.

“Hey, uh. I was calling to see how Kult is.”

“Sleeping like a baby, last I checked.”

“Did you…”

“Yes, we did.”

“Fuck, he’ll be pissed if he finds out you took his memories again .”

“Not again. We never took his memories. He gave them to us,” he corrected.

“Fucking semantics, bruh.”

“ Not semantics. Facts.”

He pressed his middle finger and thumb into his eyeballs.

“What else is wrong? Your breaths are telling on you.”

“It’s Quantum.”

“What’s wrong?” he demanded quietly.

“I started running diagnostics on him and nothing was adding up. Then he wakes up and I realize the readings aren’t fucking wrong.”

“Which readings?”

“It’s like he had a stroke or something!”

“And you wanted to call Kult about this?”

“I was just checking on him.”

“Human,” he said, or warned. “Your lies regarding our creator register as offenses.”

“Fine, he was the first person I considered, yes.”

“Why are you whispering?”

“Because I’m freaking out,” he said.

“We’re coming.”

“Good, but… don’t let any of the women know.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s lost a lot of his memories.”

“Which ones?” he asked, cautiously .

“His short-term ones.”

“His wife?”

Harlow closed his eyes, nodding. “Yep.”

“We’ll be ten minutes.”

“Bring Kult, will you?”

“Then we’ll be fifteen minutes.”

****

“He’s a fucking AI, Harlow,” Kult said. “AI’s don’t have strokes. ”

“I’m still evolving,” Quantum seemed to remember.

“Yes, you’re still evolving,” Harlow nodded at him, turning so only Kult could hear. “I think Kaphas’ Backlash turned his power on him and fried his circuits. He…” Harlow glanced behind him then got closer to his ear. “He doesn’t remember Isla. ”

“What!?” Kult barely mouthed.

Fetch opened the door. “Isla’s coming.”

“Oh fuck,” Harlow said, eyes wide. “Stop her!”

“I’ll do it,” Kult said, hurrying out.

“Who’s Isla?” Quantum demanded, pissed he didn’t know.

“Bro,” he cautioned, coming closer to him when he looked like he was going to try and stand again. “Normally, protocol dictates I don’t tell you shit that could upset you.”

His golden eyes sharpened to kill-mode. “You not telling me shit is a lot worse.”

Again, he moved to stand, sending Harlow back into the danger zone. “At least let me spot you if you insist on getting off this bed. What you need to do is tell me what you do remember, and we’ll go from there,” Harlow swore, glancing toward the door, wishing Kult would get back in there.

Thank fuck, he sat. “I remember a lot but it’s in fragments.”

“Like what. Do you remember why you’re in here?”

“I remember you and that you created me, and… I remember… Augustine. And Kult and Atlas. Sync. Pain and Butterfly, and somebody named… Reginald, but I’m missing a lot of how I know these names.”

“Holy fuck, okay.”

“Who is Isla?” he demanded again. “Somebody I should know, this is obvious.”

“We’ll get to that,” Harlow swore as Kult entered.

“She bought it for now.”

“Bought what?” Quantum ordered. “Who is she?”

“Don’t tell him!” Harlow shot out. “Not until I know what he knows!”

“What do you want to know, how about ask me that?” Quantum said .

“She’s your wife,” Kult said.

“Christ!” Harlow cried at him.

“He needs to know.”

“She’s my wife ?” he said, sounding pissed he would forget such a thing. “How in the fuck do I forget a whole fucking wife?”

“Wow, you are cussing a lot,” Harlow worried.

“Well, at least it’s something I remember,” Quantum snapped.

“Except you rarely cussed!”

“Probably because he’s lost so much of his AI ability,” Kult reasoned.

“Can you please quit telling him shit,” Harlow begged.

“Why! He’s a fucking grown man, he can take the fucking facts!”

“Then just be quiet for my sake, okay? This is a lot to take in. For me! Okay?”

Kult eyed him for several seconds.

“How do I forget a whole fucking wife?” Quantum marveled to himself. “I need to see her. I’m sure I’ll remember if I see her.”

“And if you don’t?” Harlow asked with wide eyes.

Quantum considered it. “Then…”

“Then she’ll freak out,” Harlow helped. “You ready to deal with that? You remember Butterfly, and not your wife.”

“You remember Butterfly and not Isla?” Kult worried.

“How do you know how much of my AI I lost?” he suddenly wondered to Kult. “And I know names, that’s it. I know Handy.”

Harlow checked, “What about Kaphas?”

He looked at him, puzzled. “Is that a thing, a person, a place?”

“Oh man,” Harlow muttered.

So, it’s his short-term memory,” Kult said. “Which will likely come back within the next twenty-four hours.”

“Show me a picture of her,” Quantum realized. “I might remember her if I see her.”

Harlow fished out his phone, searching for one. “Find out what he remembers,” he told Kult then turned and dialed Lucy. She picked up on the second ring.

“Harlow?”

“Hey baby,” he whispered, “sorry it’s taking me a bit. I was wondering, do you think you might have a picture of Isla you can send me real quick?”

“Isla? Um… yeah I’m sure I do.”

“Good, thank you so much,” he praised.

“You want it now?”

“I’m sorry, yes. I’ll have to explain it later. You trust me?”

“Of course, I was just curious. I don’t care if you never tell me. When will I see you? ”

“Within the hour. Almost done here with Kult, we’re finishing up some things with Quantum. He’s wanting to put together a surprise for Isla,” he thought up.

“Oh, okay,” she said, swallowing his lie whole. “I’ll find it and send it in a minute. Love you,” she said, sending his guts in his cock and his heart in his ass.

“I’m… still not good at…”

She giggled. “It’s okay. I know you love me too.”

“I do!” he hurried. “With every dirty molecule of my worthless body and soul.”

“Oh, that was good,” she praised, her tiny voice little tongue flicks on his cock. “See you when you get in.”

“Be waiting,” he whispered.

“I never stop.”

Fuck, he loved her and hated that his tongue had a hard time with the L word out loud. The phone buzzed and he clicked the image, enlarging it. “Here she is,” he said, hurrying it to Quantum.

He took the phone, staring. “Holy fuck .”

“You remember?” Harlow dared to hope.

“No, but… wow she’s so beautiful.” He looked at Harlow, perplexed, showing him her picture. “How could I forget this?”

The door opened and Kaphas and the triplets entered. The cocky gait and smirk said Handy was driving and he drove right up to Quantum and took hold of his face. “Ah-ah,” he warned when Quantum attempted to remove his hands. “Be still a second while I check you out big brother.”

Quantum’s hands slowly lowered. “Brother? You’re my brother?”

He released him and aimed a wincing expression at Harlow. “I was worried this might happen.”

“What might happen,” Harlow ordered, in no mood for his sarcasm.

“He’s got Backlash marks all over him. When he was shutting us down it was like an epic race. Which one would land the knockout punch first? Seems we both did.” He turned to the triplets and flicked his head toward Quantum. “Would you mind kindly Fetch, Fathom and Finishing this.”

Fetch moved before him and Quantum’s gaze narrowed. “I know you.”

“I’m touched,” Fetch said, taking hold of his head and closing his eyes. He released it after a few seconds and Fathom stepped up next.

“I know you too,” Quantum muttered, more suspicious than relieved.

Fathom’s eyes didn’t close as he gradually angled his head, sparks of electricity dancing around his fingers now holding his head .

He released him and Fin moved in next, doing the same. He also didn’t close his eyes before releasing him.

“I know you too,” Quantum mused then looked between them. “What’s the verdict?”

Fetch said, “You’ve suffered something equivalent to a human stroke.”

“You called it,” Kult tossed at Harlow like they were tracking points.

“How do we fix it?” Quantum urged as a knock sounded at the door.

Everybody turned but Fetch. “It’s your wife.”

“Oh fuck,” Quantum whispered. “Everybody leave and let her in.”

“You sure about that?” Harlow whispered back.

“Yes. Very.”

“It will only help him,” Fin said as they all turned for the door.

“Wait!” Quantum shot out, looking at Harlow. “Come here.” Harlow hurried over and his gold gaze locked on to his. “Help me, tell me something I would definitely know.”

He glanced over his shoulder and muttered next to his ear, “This woman means everything to you. You are fucking obsessed with her. Like a sickness .” He raised his brows at him, seeing if he understood what that even was. “If she suspects anything, just blame the anesthesia. ”

“Anesthesia,” he said, confused.

“She won’t know the difference!” he strained.

“Right. Okay. What kind of person was I to her? Funny? Serious? Was she obsessed with me too?”

He nodded a lot. “Maybe worse.” Harlow chuckled at the love-struck grin that brought and grabbed his head. “You can do this. You can do any fucking thing you want, you’re the Quantum fucking King.”

He nodded and grabbed Harlow’s hands in his and looked down at them then released him.

“That’s right,” Harlow praised. “We don’t ever hold hands,” he assured before heading out.

“I should get dressed,” Quantum called when they got to the door.

Harlow laughed. “No, bruh, you shouldn’t.”

****

Quantum was aware of his outrageous heartrate, wondering if it was normal. He was sure it wasn’t but what the fuck did he know?

You rarely cussed!

Fuck, he needed to remember that. Why was he doing it now if he hadn't? Harlow cussed nearly as much or more, maybe he was remembering his memories more than his own. He’d created him. Maybe he'd been stripped down to his creator’s DNA .

The door opened and the first thing his wife did was eat him alive with her gaze. She shut the door and took five steps then paused, staring at him.

His brief worry of not knowing how to be a husband vanished when his cock lurched at the vision before him. She was a million times more beautiful in person. And her gaze. Utterly mesmerizing even though he had no recollection of what that color might be, shimmering in it. He stared at her lips next. Perfectly full, perfectly shaped. Perfectly pink. He went lower and the white dress sparked something in his memory. The outfit wasn’t sexy or sensual, it was… practical and… like… a nurse. His gaze flashed back to her face. Was she a nurse?

His cock began an odd thumping when she moved toward him again. He tried to understand what he saw in those eyes as she drew closer, stealing what little he remembered from his brain. All he knew in that second was this beautiful woman was his wife.

Two feet away and she lunged on him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, her breaths hot at his ear. He praised his instincts that knew to wrap her up in his arms, his hands on a hungry exploration. She suddenly pulled back, and those perfect lips smashed into his, delicate fingers grabbing his face as she ate his mouth like he was her favorite food and somebody had starved her. He had starved her .

The thought of his wife being this hungry and him being her favorite food had him desperate to feed her. Oh fuck, her name, he forgot her name! “My wife,” he gasped when her mouth left his and moved all over his chest at a ravenous pace, those tiny moans in her throat bringing a massive pressure in his body he wasn’t sure was safe.

“I need you, she gasped, yanking the sheet from his waist, her breaths shaking as she stared at his cock. Her gaze flew up to his. “Can you fuck me? Please?”

It was a worried question and beg in one and only his body held the memories. It was currently at war with what it wanted and how it wanted it. He moved off the bed. “Show me, sweet angel,” he shuddered, hoping that was something he’d once called her.

She turned and faced the bed, raising her dress and bearing the most perfect ass with delicate white lace panties lost between creamy cheeks.

He realized she’d thought he wanted to see her. Oh fuck, he did. He moved behind her, his uncertainty disappearing when she gave a moan and lifted her leg on the bed, her hand holding her fucking ass cheek. “Holy fuck.”

He slid his hand under her leg, lifting it even higher as he moved the head of his cock along hot, wet silk. She cried out with her face toward him, drawing a primitive, guttural sound from his chest as he pushed the head in. “Fuck, baby,” he swore, placing his knee on the bed and holding her leg higher.

“Legend,” she cried weakly.

He grabbed her hair in his left hand and turned her face, eating those lips with hungry nips and sucks, her hot cries heating his mouth. With every second, he remembered what needed to happen. She needed to have her sweet pussy fucked and that pretty clit… spanked. Fuck yes. Memory or miracle, he didn’t know or care. If he remembered nothing else than this, he’d be the happiest moron.

He slowly pushed inside her body, eating her sharp cries as he did. Fuck he wanted her out of this dress. He spotted a zipper as he slowly rolled his hips, delivering shallow strokes. She helped him work the top of the dress down, leaning in to kiss her shoulder and slide her bra straps off her shoulders.

“Legend, yes. I need you to fuck me good.”

He turned her upper body and dove on her breast, sucking with a ferocity. He bucked, burying his cock to the bottom of her, rising to catch her sharp scream in his mouth. “Like that, angel? You missed this?”

“Oh! Oh God, yes!”

She reached back and held his head, fingers clenching in his hair as he slid his fingers all over her pussy. “This?” he grit, biting at her mouth while buried to the hilt and spanking her clit with the tips of three fingers. Each smack brought a full body jolt and vicious clamp of her pussy on his cock.

“Fuck me! Please!”

“Angel,” he seethed at her mouth, pulling her hair, and brutally kissing her. Every thrust delivered a jolting force as he spanked her cunt until she seized up with her orgasm. More instincts poured in as he banged his cock against the very bottom of her. Her screams of ecstasy boiled the pressure in his back and ass. Fuck, it was his turn. Holy fuck, yes. Yes. The massive pleasure bomb finally detonated and threw him into a literal fucking frenzy that lasted a brutally long time. Before he could fear he’d broken his delicate wife, she managed to twist her upper body enough to bring his mouth to hers where she ate his breathless moans, mixing them with her own croons of unfathomable satisfaction.

This was what they shared regularly? What kind of heaven was this? And to inherit such a thing twice in his life had him grateful for his death, maybe wanting to die again. And again if it meant rising to this.

“Legend,” she whispered as he grabbed her breast in his hand and squeezed as he sucked and nibbled.

What did she mean by that? The sex was legendary?

“Legend,” she whispered again, getting his mouth on hers .

“I agree.”

She smiled, stroking his face. “Agree with what?”

“It was legendary. You’re legendary.” He looked down between them. “Your ass is legendary.”

“Legend,” she demanded.

Fuck, he was doing something wrong. “My head isn’t quite clear from the anesthesia,” he remembered to say. “If this was a code word we used for something, I’m sure it’ll come back when my system is clear.”

He removed his cock with a groan when she appeared perturbed. Fuck, what had he said?

She suddenly turned and faced him, that look getting worse. “What’s my name?”

Oh fuck. “Isla,” he hurried, miraculously remembering. “Why?”

Her head barely moved into a side-eying. “What’s my middle name?”

He took her face and kissed her. “What is my wife doing? Why is she asking these questions?”

Her fingers worked between their mouths as she eyed him. “My middle name right now.”

He closed his eyes with a sigh. “I don’t know it.”

She shoved him back, eyes sharp. “I knew it! I knew he was lying, I knew he was acting weird!”

“Who?”

“That… Kult , man! What’s wrong with you?” Instant fear replaced her anger as she grabbed his face. “Tell me, are you okay?”

He moaned at the feel of her hungry lips on his. “I am so fucking good,” he murmured, aroused again.

She pushed him off. “Why are you cussing?”

He rolled his eyes with a, “Why is that such a big deal? I don’t know why, it’s only words.”

She nodded, petting his face. “You’re right, but… how are you feeling?” She began dressing and he wanted to stop her. “I need to talk to Harlow, he knows, doesn’t he? Why would you think to hide such a thing from me!”

He grabbed her waist and jerked her against him, burying his mouth in her neck. “We were worried you would freak out.”

“Of course I would! How bad is it, do they even know?”

“I don’t know what they know.”

“What all can’t you remember? About us?”

Fuck.

“Oh my God,” she gasped, scrambling to turn in his arms and look at him. “What do you remember about us?”

He put his forehead against hers. “I’ll get every memory back if I have to go into the ether-verse and get it myself.”

“Legend, answer me! ”

“Legend,” he said.

“That’s your name! Legend Solomon Boxley. My poor husband,” she cried, holding his face, and petting it. “This isn’t funny, this is serious.”

“I’m having a hard time caring about memories when you’re standing here being so beautiful. We can make more, we already started.”

She pushed out of his embrace and finished righting her clothes, turning. “Zip this please,” she said, moving her hair.

He did, kissing her cheek. “How did I end up with the most beautiful woman in the world is what I want to know.”

She sputtered out a cute snort. “Well, it’s quite a fascinating story,” she assured. “I’m finding Harlow.”

He snatched her arm, pulling her back. “Can’t we wait until in the morning? I take it we have a home near here?”

“Oh my God, you don’t remember anything? Where we are and why? And you’re not even bothered by it!”

“Shhhhh,” he whispered on her mouth. “One night with you. No distractions. All the problems I don’t remember can come tomorrow. Something tells me I’m the kind of man that is over worked and can stand the tiny break.” He lifted her in his arms, smiling at her shocked gasp.

“Legend Boxley, what are you about? ”

“Fuck, you have a cute accent,” he realized. “Where are you from? Which way is our home? Can we walk to it, or do we have to drive? Not sure what all I remember how to do, but my instincts seem to remember the things I touch. I knew your body, your pussy. Your scent,” he murmured, nuzzling her ear as he made it to the door. “Which way, wife? Take us to our private quarters.”

“Quarters?” she wondered, eyes sizzling on his with a smile. “You remember you’re a King?”

“A King?” he said, interested. “What kind of King am I?”

She lowered her gaze to his mouth. “The very best King. My King.”

He lowered and took her mouth in a hungry kiss. “Am I a nasty King? I feel like I’m a very nasty King. You need to help me remember these things.”

“Maybe I’ll let you relearn everything.”

He stabbed his tongue in her mouth with a groan. “Fuck, I like that idea.”

She sank her fingers in his hair and pulled, returning his aggression. “I’ll have to relearn what my King likes too. Maybe I’ll like this new King more than the other one.”

“Yes,” he agreed, pulling her hair back, forcing her head back to reach her neck. “Fuck that other King. ”

She burst out in giggles. “Our quarters are through that door,” she whispered, pointing to a set before them.