The Syphon King (Bayou Bishops #16)

Chapter FIFTEEN

“Dr. Harlow, is that you?”

Harlow quirked his brow and regarded his brothers, mouthing, “Sounds just like him.”

“Then it probably is,” Kult managed to calmly suggest.

“How did you get my number?”

“Oh, you will not believe it,” he cried. Definitely Dr. Ubaldo, he never lost his childlike excitement for all things science. But as he explained about some sort of amazing gifted Kings, he stopped him. “Wait, wait...who are these people did you say?”

“The Creole Kings. I probably mentioned them to you eons ago but when our project went off the rails, all else did as well. They are from all parts of the world, picked by the Centennial Monarchs Conclave, which I’ve learned happens every century, and this time they were identified as the long-awaited Prophetic Kings that would usher in the Gold Era.”

“Whoa, slow down, doc. Back up to... the origin of these...Kings. Uh, can I put you on speaker?”

“Are all of you together?” he hoped.

“We are.”

“Fantastic!” he shrilled in pure glee. “I am crying tears of joy.”

“Say hello to Dr. Ubaldo,” Harlow said, holding his phone toward them while they gave a scattershot greeting of mix-matched killjoy.

“You all sound so different,” he said, still crying. “I don’t suppose we could facetime. Oh, to be able to see you again.”

Kult’s head shook emphatically.

“Maybe next time, we uh...we’re just finishing a pretty intense job.”

“Ask him to explain again how he found you,” Quantum said, standing next to him now.

“Who was that?” the Dr. wondered, curious.

“That was Quantum.”

“Impossible,” he breathed in shock and awe.

“Not impossible at all, Dr. Ubaldo,” Quantum said. “Would you mind repeating how they found Harlow’s number?”

Quantum and Harlow’s gazes melded as he repeated the event. “When can we meet these Kings?” Quantum asked, taking the words right out of Harlow’s head.

Harlow nodded in emphatic agreement then pointed to his own eyes then Atlas, signaling he look them up while glancing around for something to write with.

“Well,” Dr. Ubaldo said with kid-like gusto. “It may or may not astonish you as it does me, but the Creole Kings have requested the same.”

“The same what?” Sync pondered.

“What are they needing?” Quantum asked, his tone hinting at negotiations.

The doc returned to the Gold Era story and halfway through, Quantum hit his computer, fingers flying rapidly. Before the doctor could finish, he was reading off the details. He returned to Harlow. “This is happening,” he said. “Everything is verifiable. All within the last month, right under our noses.”

“Well, we’ve been a little preoccupied,” Harlow whispered, cutting them some slack.

“Is Augustine there?” Dr. Ubaldo asked, his emotions too fucking contagious for Harlow.

“No, he’s with Levi,” Harlow said. “And Pain is with Butterfly.” He mouthed to Quantum. “What should I tell him about everything?”

“The Dr. is safe,” Kult assured quietly, pacing like he used to when collecting puzzle pieces. “Use him. Find out all you can about these people.”

Quantum nodded his approval as the doctor carried on with information. “What did you say?” he cut in. “Something about a King and siphoning.”

“The Syphon King,” he cried, incredulous, launching into an exuberant, chopped to hell info dump.

“Fascinating,” Quantum marveled, piecing it all together perfectly. “And this is a human?”

“Indeed! One in dire need of Dr. Harlow’s help.”

Quantum paused in his pacing. “How so?”

Harlow’s dick literally got hard as they listened to the fun freaky details. Harlow and Quantum’s gazes melded again like two eager boys with new gadgets they desperately wanted.

“We can help, yes,” Quantum assured with Harlow’s agreement.

“Oh fantastic!” he cried. “They’ll be elated.”

“Tell us about this woman,” Quantum now asked. “The one he’s...siphoning darkness from. Is there a way for me to meet her as well?”

He fucking wanted her demons, Harlow realized.

“I’m most certain there is, the Creole Kings are infinitely rich and highly accommodating. And most generous,” he added, with much incredulous laughing.

“We should go immediately,” Quantum muttered, looking at the bio-print-pod in the room next to them. “I could wake him at two hundred years old.”

Harlow shrugged. “Now or two weeks from now—either works for me,” he whispered.

“Not for me,” Kult cut in quietly. “We kill the sonofabitch now, then move on to the next shit show.”

“Would you like me to tell them you’ll be visiting?” Dr. Ubaldo asked.

“Uh, excuse us while we discuss the particulars,” Harlow said, taking it off of speaker and muting it.

“Do we want to just erase Handy and be done?” Quantum suggested.

“Hell no,” Kult blasted. “He has to know what’s going on and what he took and then what he’s losing. You said it King, an eye for an eye. And that’s exactly what should happen. No less.”

“Fine, we’ll finish Handy and then what?” Harlow asked.

“Let me remind you we have a crushed Butterfly in the castle,” Atlas said.

“And she has a husband who will fully attend to her every need,” Kult said.

“She won’t like you killing Handy,” Sync informed, like he hated to crash their vengeance party.

“She surely doesn’t need to know,” Kult countered. “And we’re merely relocating him into non-existence. Same place her baby is. What about the three stooges?” Kult remembered.

“Due back here today for a full report,” Quantum said.

“Wonder if any of our shit overlaps into this new shit,” Kult mulled back to his puzzle pacing.

“Do you think it does?” Harlow said.

“I do but I don’t know how and now I must know.”

“What is it they need again, exactly?” Harlow asked.

“Something to help this Syphon King better control his siphoning abilities.” Quantum was back at his computer. “I’ll need all of his data to do that. I’m sure we can create something by tomorrow.”

“So do we go, or does he come?” Harlow checked.

“It would benefit us if he were here,” Quantum said, turning in his chair and regarding the pod in the next room. “We have twenty-four hours before he’s completed. I can do a lot in that time.”

“So, we flying down to see what we can see?” Harlow hoped.

“If we left now, we’d arrive in two hours. We gather data and return before dinner.”

“Nobody would miss you,” Kult was sure. “Get all the information you can. I have a very, very odd feeling about all of this.”

Harlow eyed him, feeling like he’d never heard him use the word ‘very’ twice in any sentence before. That couldn’t be good.

“And where will I be twiddling my thumbs?” Sync asked.

“You and Atlas can entertain the nuns,” Harlow suggested. “Oh, you can distract Celeste when she figures out Forever Faceless is missing. Damage control.”

Sync gave a huge eyeroll. “Just say babysit.”

“Somebody needs to be here to watch over the Castle,” Quantum said. “I don’t like leaving Isla but it’s better if she stays given the current situation here. I’ll check in with my soldiers and let them know what’s happening. Harlow, meet me in the Hanger Vault. Dress to represent The Quantum Kings. We’ll take the Nebula Quantum One the moment they approve our visit.”

“TODAY?” NIDEV ASKED, shocked at David’s message from The Quantum Kings.

“Yes, immediately. They were instantly beyond eager to meet and even help Zodak.” His eyes widened more. “They were particularly curious about him. And guess what?” he hurried, grabbing Nidev’s arm tightly. “The Quantum King would be coming with the good Dr. Harlow.”

“Astounding. Is there any reason we wouldn’t receive them without delay?” he asked his brother.

They all took a moment to consider, none of them finding an issue.

“Let them know we’d be most honored to receive them,” Nidev hurried. “We’ll need to prepare,” he said to the rest.

“For?” Skul wondered.

“For a visit from a being that may very well know how to unlock powers via other means.”

Nidev nearly laughed at how quickly this got them moving.

“Shouldn’t the Marsh Kings be here for this?”

“Send for them immediately. Second thought, I’ll call the Bishop myself.”

Lore asked, “Are we doing anything special?”

“I don’t think we’ll want to waste time on formalities,” Nidev thought. “But do dress in official Creole King attire. We want to make an impression.”

David was beaming now. “So, I should call and let them know a visit is acceptable?”

“Yes. And inquire of any particular needs we should prepare to meet in advance.”

“Done and done.” David embraced him tightly and hurried off like an eager teenager. The sight might have been comical if the feeling wasn’t mutual.

“KEEP HANDY’S READOUTS where we can keep an eye on them,” Quantum said as they approached the Creole Kings’ woods.

“I have it on hand,” Harlow said dryly. “So, how did you miss these dudes? Or how did these dudes miss your radar, I should ask. They knocked you down to the second richest person in the world. You gonna take that sitting down?”

“I didn’t miss them. But I did miss they’re a conglomerate. The secret is this odd fraternity bond they share.”

“Welcome, Quantum King and Dr. Harlow, to the skies of the Creole Kings.”

“Bruh!” Harlow startled at the sudden voice taking over their radio.

“As you descend, you are approaching our Central Hub, the heart of our campus, which spans over ten thousand square feet and is ingeniously integrated into the natural swamp surroundings.

“The visible top floor houses essential facilities including our cafeteria, medical center, and faculty quarters, all designed with panoramic glass rooms that channel natural light down to the subterranean levels.”

“Holy shit,” Harlow cried with a grin as said sprawling facility came into view.

“Below the top floor, you will find our academic realm, equipped with cutting-edge classrooms, labs, and creative studios, all dedicated to nurturing a diverse range of cognitive gifts.

Harlow’s eyes popped bigger with every description.

“The ground level contains expansive living quarters for our students and Kings, bordered above by tranquil glass houses that mimic natural ecosystems, providing natural light to the lowest floor and serene views.

“Our thousand-acre swamp estate comes with retractable pools and scenic wooden walkways, ensuring privacy and a profound connection with nature.

Harlow jacked his mouth open wider with his grin while Quantum held his robotic expression like a boss.

“Upon landing, we will provide a guided tour to showcase the full splendor of our facilities and the seamless blend of tradition and innovation that defines the Creole King Academy. We look forward to sharing more during your visit.”

Quantum eyed Harlow’s dramatic hyper-awe while their craft’s auto navigation lowered them into the opened roof. “Are you getting a little jelly, bro? A lil intimi?” Harlow asked, giggling like an eager kid finally touching down at Disney.

“Intimi?”

“Intimi-day-tid,” he said, marking the syllables with little head jerks and a fat laugh. “Nah, you’re too AI to be intimidated. Or is that some green-eyed envy peeking out of those digi-duds you call a face?” He jostled Quantum’s shoulder, getting his hand in a painful twist. He shrieked in agony then blasted him with an obnoxious laugh that finally cracked his austere veneer.

“Do not embarrass us, brother. This is too important.”

He aimed an offended look at him. “Like I’d ever shame my favorite brother,” he cried, grinning at him. “But remind me what the main directive is here besides seeing what our good Dr. Ubaldo has been up to?”

“To hopefully negotiate a deal with them.”

“For what?”

“Their gifted. I’m not sure how many nuns will always be willing to evolve my soldiers and we want the best humans for it. The gifted qualify.”

Harlow’s head was already shaking.

“What’s the problem?”

“The problem is...” His head continued to shake but his brain withheld the defense. He pointed at him. “There is a problem.”

“Let me know when you figure it out,” he said as the jet door hissed opened to an odd line-up. The thirteen Creole Kings were easy to pick out but who were the rag-tag band of leathers?

“I will,” Harlow muttered, following Quantum out as Dr. Ubaldo appeared in the center of the two groups. All eyes were riveted on Quantum as one of the Creole Kings broke rank to offer his hand.

“Nidev King,” he greeted. A mediterranean accent? He shook Quantum’s hand then gestured to his twelve twins on the right. “My brothers. Full introductions will be made once we settle in the Sanctum.” He turned to the line of Rough Leathers on his right. “And these are the Marsh Kings. Our brothers who rule the South Swamp.”

“Welcome to our murky waters,” the leader said.

Quantum nodded with a, “Thank you,” as the interest knife got a little sharper. How and why would these odd brothers be connected? Had to be a woman. They were the only thing that could walk right through anything and take what they wanted. Sexy engineers of mouthwatering, gotta-have-it, chaos.

“I’m Legend King.” He turned a little to Harlow. “My brother Harlow King.”

Harlow saluted him and nodded at the Marsh King leader, allowing himself to finally look at the grinning face of a patiently waiting Dr. Ubaldo.

He suddenly approached, then his arms opened.

Come on, bruh. “If it isn’t my favorite Dr. Ubaldo,” Harlow said, surrendering to the hug the man was determined to give.

“Ohhh, my good Dr. Harlow,” he said in his chest, his arms tighter than he liked around him. Was he crying?

He finally released him, quickly wiping his face as he peered at him with a weird light in his eyes. He turned to Quantum now, his next hitjob.

Quantum extended a hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet the man responsible for helping my brother.”

Dr. Ubaldo looked at his hand then back at Quantum, then back at his hand, rubbing his legs.

“He doesn’t bite, Doc,” Harlow assured.

“Oh, of course he doesn’t,” he hurried. “I’m merely preparing to imprint this moment on my brain so that I never forget it.” He placed his hand in Quantum’s and his other joined in the shake as his breaths turned oddly erratic.

Jesus, he was crying again.

“Please forgive my emotions,” he wept openly as he stared at their shaking hands. “It is more than I can process, standing here touching something that should be impossible but here it is, being possible right as I am touching it.” He regarded Harlow. “You did this.”

“Wait until you see his offspring,” Harlow said, hopping right out the spotlight.

The doctor’s eyes popped. “I am ready to get on my knees and beg to see such a thing,” he assured, still shaking Quantum’s hand.

“Let us continue in the Sanctum, gentlemen,” Nidev said. “Please follow me.”

ZODAK SPENT A FULL hour convincing himself that doing more was necessary. The debate was how much more? For two months, he’d managed to keep himself out of the passive siphons he’d done on Zeen. At all times of the day, he performed them without her aware. He spent days measuring things, finding which gave him the most returns and always any type of physical touch with emotional stimulation outperformed all else.

To justify both, he chose physical therapy for her, performed by him. A glorified erotic massage that always ended in her orgasm with each daily session. They began with a single directive—Your massage, Zeen. And they always ended with him leaving immediately after to neutralize what it did to him. She only asked once why he gave them to her. Because you need it, he’d said. And she only asked once if she could do the same for him. Never, he’d answered.

The self-depravation he endured while cleansing and healing her with ecstasy was the most exquisite torture he’d ever endured. When studying her scans he found himself fearing she’d no longer need siphoning. Pleasuring her had grown into a full-blown reckless obsession that her darkness seemed to be toying with. And denying her ever-growing need to return the gift was officially a problem on all sides. She’d obediently fulfilled all requests he made of her, but she’d outgrown the one-way pleasure. She hungered for more. Needed more. But if he was right about what this exchange would bring, he’d have to do it with restraints. Literal ones.

“Zeen,” Zodak called from the living room when he finished in the kitchen.

She appeared in the bedroom doorway.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” he said, letting her know he missed nothing where she was concerned.

“I’m...just giving you space,” she said, not looking at him.

“What’s wrong?”

She hugged the door frame, worry and guilt on her downcast face. “I’m just...I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

“Come sit by me.”

She didn’t move then finally shook her head. “I can’t.”

The odd answer intrigued him as his body burned with what he was about to allow. “Why not?”

Her struggle came to him in hard waves, hitting against his skin but not getting absorbed. “I can’t bear it,” she whispered.

Her tears fell and the sight stirred every part of him. “Come to me Zeen.”

He put authority in the words and watched as she unglued herself from the doorway and succumbed to the contract of obedience she’d made with him. She sat a great distance from him, and he got up and moved right next to her, allowing his hunger to devour what his closeness did for both of them. His sweet Zeen. Starved with the need to give him pleasure.

With the nano-bots in her blood, he felt it all and did not resist it this time. “I’m sorry I’ve hurt you, Zeen,” he said. “I know that I have been giving you things that cause you to want to give in return. But I have been learning a great deal in what I do to you.”

She looked toward him. “Like...what?”

Her delicate curiosity edged with all that he craved had him weighing his answer. “To feel.” He whispered the words, needing them to caress her. The slight give in her shell brought his next confession. “To need.”

Her eyes made it to his chest now. “What...do you need?”

Her gaze bravely worked its way up to his and he waited for it. She’d quit doing that for the past week and it was an absence he felt to the very depths of his soul. “I need...more,” he confessed.

Hunger and hope flared in her eyes and brought electricity racing through his blood until it hummed in his ears. Their stares remained locked for endless seconds, and he remembered his role with her. Guardian. Protector. Keeper.

The rise and fall of her chest told him he was on the very path she needed to be on. Had waited so long for.

“No woman has ever touched me, Zeen.”

Her gasp burned him almost as much as the longing in those sky colored windows.

“What I want from you will be...dangerous,” he said, still whispering.

She barely nodded, wetting her pretty lips. “Teach me, Zo,” she said softly. “I want to touch you more than anything in all the world.”

Her confession along with the pet name caused blood to pulse ruthlessly in his cock. “I will need to be restrained.”

Her brows drew together in concern and every bit of him salivated to taste it, know it.

“You wouldn’t hurt me.” Her little tongue wet her lips, the innocent gesture playing very dirty tricks on him.

She was right, he was sure. And the nano-bots in his blood were under constant surveillance. “Even still...I must bind myself so that I am unable to touch you.”

Pain gradually furrowed her brows. “Bad things happen when you touch me,” she gasped, eyes glowing with tears as she nodded.

She knew. How long had she known this?

None of it mattered now.

“What...do you want me to do?” Her chin quivered with a tiny nod while hunger burned in her glittering gaze.

“Whatever you want to do, Zeen. I will be yours to do with as you wish.”

Electricity sizzled as potent desire turned her face into a silky dream. “I...have many ideas I think about.”

His cock ached against the tight denim as he watched her delectable mouth. “Tell me all of them Zeen.”

She barely shook her head. “You...need to...”

“You want to tell me when I’m bound?”

She gave a small nod, too shy to look at him. She was going to burn him alive when she performed all her ideas on him because he would surely require it.

“Do you truly want to answer these needs you’ve waken in me, Zeen?” he needed to double check.

She nodded quickly. “So much.”

He considered where he would allow her to safely crucify him. Definitely his bed. “I will obtain everything required.”

He stood next to her and stroked her head with his hand, letting his fingers glide over her cheek. Her darkness flooded him till he had to close his eyes while her erratic breaths burned through his fears. It made way for a hungry determination to take every bit of the defiling presence. To open every inch of her.

He’d inform his brothers to keep an eye out. But not Vex. He’d go with Lore this time. If he had to work his way through all his brothers, he would. If he had to die each time he cleansed her, he would.

That was easy. It was living without every bit of her that was impossible. A most unholy and malevolent death.

Bishop couldn’t take his eyes from the Quantum King. None of them could. He wanted to snap a photo of him and send it to Beth who’d salivated to come along. As did all the wives. He couldn’t wrap his head around him. He’d created many things but never once knew to even imagine in such a direction. It was comical to see all heads aimed in laps, no doubt the Creole Kings engaged in the same hot text-discussion about the freaky real looking dude sitting next to Nidev at the head of the table. And Dr. Harlow seemed way too young to be that caliber of genius but when it came to those things, age was an irrelevant number. It was more shocking that he was good looking. The other doctor restored balance with his quirky, nerdy mannerisms and odd accent.

Bishop looked down when his phone buzzed as Nidev began official introductions. Pinch me.

Seer. He chuckled and glanced at him on his left, his serious-as-fuck mug making his text funnier.

I’m sure you’ve seen angels more impressive than this? Bishop texted back.

Seer read with a low chuckle and quiet, “Indeed.”

He tuned in as Nidev introduced him and his brothers. Impressive how he remembered every damn detail while Bishop lived with them all his life and still forgot shit. Probably one of his gifts.

Bishop’s phone vibrated and he looked down. I wonder what I’d see if I touched him.

No shit.

Nidev was halfway through as he texted back. Maybe God.

Maybe the codes to the universe, Seer returned.

Maybe what the actual hell is coming.

They’d been briefed about the two men at the table. Brief being a very accurate term. Nidev preferred they hear it from the source, but they knew he was a robot that evolved with humanity via a female. Like a marriage.

The introductions returned to the titan mechanoid and his maker. “Dr. Harlow,” Nidev said. “Would you like to explain to your astonished audience what you’ve created.

Bishop watched the doctor again shrug out of the spotlight. “Quantum’s better at telling it than I am. Never did find my gift of formality. Mental blinker got stuck and I’m still circling the block between childhood and adulthood.”

Dr. Harlow had a familiar way about him that wasn’t strange to their swamp ways like these Creole Kings.

“My brother likes to hide behind his creative genius,” the Quantum man mused, seeming at home with the idea. “I’ll try to keep it short and concise. As a hybrid entity, I manipulate quantum fields and computational systems to alter physical realities, enhancing my abilities to predict and adapt with exceptional precision. This capability not only extends to physical enhancements but also empowers my cognitive functions, making me an advanced protector and partner.”

Bishop’s phone buzzed every other second as they got their minds’ blown.

“The mating with a woman activated my Sentience Enhancement System and marked the beginning of a profound evolution, akin to a rebirth, where each interaction, starting from the initial union, contributed to the continuous development of this system. As we interact, the system within me learns and grows, effectively enriching my responses and fostering a bond that is both deeply personal and dynamically evolving. This transformation not only strengthens our relationship but also ensures that my actions and decisions become increasingly aligned with human emotional complexities.

“But I am not just a guardian; I am a catalyst for the evolution of hybrid beings. The integration of technology and humanity to secure a promising future for humanity and our kind is my prime directive. And this brings me to the purpose of my visit.”

Bishop stole a glance at his screen, seeing a colorful run of holy shits.

“Gentlemen, we stand on the brink of a transformative leap. My recent undertakings have not been driven by mere ambition, but by a profound commitment to our collective security and the advancement of our capabilities.” He pulled something that looked like a phone from his pocket and set it on the table, launching a holographic video right into the fucking air before their faces. “The technological essence of this initiative involves the creation of Advanced Mechanical Modules that interpret and build upon evolved genetic codes, fabricating fully functional bodies within a mere twelve hours.”

The air particles danced with him and Dr. Harlow busy next to the modules he seemed to be speaking of.

“These bodies are embedded with a fail-safe in their genetic makeup, ensuring unwavering obedience to the same directives I was created with. This mechanism directly ties their operational capabilities to my command, thereby eliminating any possibility of dissent or rebellion.”

One of the modules in the hologram opened and a naked man with long blond hair and crystal blue eyes sat up, bringing a barrage of holy fuck’s from the Marsh side of the room.

“This army will safeguard our families and world and ensure that our sovereignty remains unchallenged.” The vision before them disappeared. “There is only one adversity that I face with the evolution in our soldiers. The human. You are caretakers of gifted individuals and are yourselves gifted. And I seek the knowledge that would aid me in unlocking a human’s potential which in turn would allow my soldiers to evolve around those gifts, thereby enhancing them even further. It’s vital that you understand we are not alone in our advancements. And having even a single advantage that our opposition does not could make all the difference in the coming war.”

“Coming war?” Nidev said, his alarm evident.

“From the moment I woke two months ago, the data pointed to a moral devolution. The war is already underway. Should the wrong side gain enough ground, it would lead to an unsustainable future. An unsustainable world. With the rapid advancements in technology the war between good and evil is locked in a race.” He regarded all of them. “Whoever arrives first at the technological weapon gets the advantage. And advantage in war is everything. I believe we have the greatest advantage if we couple gifted humans with my soldiers and I’m asking for a neuro-scan of the Kings that would aid me in developing a key that would unlock those who show potential, thereby incorporating it into my soldiers. Essentially making them a perfect match.”

The whispers broke out for a full thirty seconds and Bishop leaned to Seer, wondering, “You think they’re gonna mention it?”

“They need to,” he muttered.

“Gentlemen,” the Quantum dude said. “My enhanced hearing picks up private chatter. I couldn’t help but overhear discussions about gifts being unlocked in the Kings.”

Nidev’s gaze landed on Bishop, full of question. Bishop found his name on his phone and texted him. If he can help unlock your Kings, you have my vote even though you don’t need it for that. Will you tell him about the coins?

He raised his phone to Nidev, and he dug in his pocket, looking, then texting.

I would need to speak to my brothers.

Then do it. Call a recess.

Nidev turned to the Quantum dude. “I would like to take a small recess and discuss this with my brothers.”

“Undoubtedly,” the Quantum King said. “Would you mind if we spoke to Dr. Ubaldo regarding your Syphon King?”

“Not at all.” He leaned to the Dr. “Would you mind filling them in? Our brothers who oversee such things would also like to be involved in that, after.”

Dr. Harlow leaned to Nidev. “Take your time, we have plenty of catching up to do.”

“Just so we return to the lab before midnight,” the Quantum King said.

“What happens at midnight?” Dr. Ubaldo wondered, like a mannerless child.

“We’re giving birth to a son. Handy.”

The disdain in his muttered words came clear across the table, bringing Seer and Bishop’s gazes in a lock of curiosity. He nearly slipped up and questioned if the day could get any more fucking bizarre while his phone buzzed non-stop.

Bishop stood the moment Nidev did, wanting to speak to his own brothers outside now that he knew the dude had super ears. Fucking unbelievable. They had a pair of super ears too, he remembered. If what the King said was true about the war with good and evil coming to a head soon, it was time to start thinking of upgrading his own soldiers. Backwoods style.

ZODAK WAITED FOR ZEEN, sitting on the edge of his bed, holding the chains required while his blood churned in his veins at what was about to happen. Having a woman touch him—no, having his Zeen touch him like she was about to. What would it cause in him? In her? The entire universe?

His bed wasn’t equipped to restrain him, which meant he’d have to twist reality a little with his chains. He mostly needed her to feel safe since he’d informed his brothers to monitor him.

She stopped ten feet from the bed, and he held the chains up. “I need help with these, my jah-mee-lah.” My beautiful. I need. They were magic words with her. And for him, the words were strangers. He’d forever discontinued any part of his humanity containing need.

The critical risk flag was back again. But it wasn’t waving in warning, it was sitting there like an adornment on a grave. Not for what might happen but would. And yet, the path had made its demands. He had to meet them.

Now came the hard part. Getting naked. It was the door he’d be unable to shut once he opened it.

He wore his usual ceremonial robe on his lower body with all his grounding chains. He watched her pretty lowered face closely as he removed his robe while every neuron in his body got zapped with adrenalin. As her pretty gaze moved slowly along his body, she met a need he wasn’t aware he even had. To be seen by her. All of him. Her hunger was its own power and she fed on him with open awe and abandon. Her desire moved through his swirling ink, following the pathways where his powers traveled, a network of thin veins cast over him like a fine web. Larger ink lines meandered this way and that, his power’s fingerprint just under his skin. Her eyes locked on his cock and the amount of energy flowing in that region brought a fresh wave of fear. There was no extra bio-ink assistance there because he foolishly imagined he’d never need it. There was only a titanium grounding port embedded in the tip’s thick flesh to receive a grounding chain. It was the only part of him that wasn’t covered in freak ink.

The amount of time she stared at him there had his hunger at full throttle and his curiosity. “Do you fear me, Zeen?”

Her head barely nodded then shook. Yes and no. He could accept that. She looked right at him then, her breaths coming quickly. “I... need you.”

Her gaze shot back down when his cock answered with a jolt of heat, their needs clashing on this path getting hotter and narrower.

“I am ready,” he whispered, not wanting to scare her more.