Emerita Boxing Day, page 5
Snowflake’s gaze darted to Rosa, who was watching her with a smile. “Truly?”
“Truly.”
“I... umm… I’m sorry for being so aggressive with you. I wasn’t myself.”
“I enjoyed every moment of it. I just wish it had been entirely your will,” Rosa replied. “Doc isn’t opposed to letting me have time with you again, if you are willing.”
Snowflake looked to Doc, then away. “I’m not… for you, sir… uh—”
“Not me,” Doc cut in gently when she started to stumble on her explanation. “It’d be just you two again. Unless one of my wives is with me, I won’t be joining in. Besides, unless you truly wanted it, I wouldn’t, even if you asked.”
Snowflake’s head tilted slightly as she stared at him. “You mean that?”
“I wouldn’t lie. I’d like to think my actions have spoken for me.”
“You haven’t done anything with any of them…” She trailed off, clearly thinking. “Your wives?”
“Five beautiful women who have agreed to walk beside me,” Doc said, feeling bad that he didn’t include Rosa in that. She leaned into him, nuzzling his leg and letting him know she understood. “I’d never hurt them.”
“Even though they told him it was okay, he holds back for them,” Rosa murmured. “Doc is as respectful a man as you can find.”
Snowflake glanced between them. “She… is more than a normal dryad, isn’t she?”
“Weed is a dear companion,” Doc replied. “Her collar is there so she can be beside me only. She has as much free will as I could give her.”
Rosa smiled, her eyes starting to glow. “If you ask him, I would gladly lay with you again.”
Snowflake flushed. “I… did love it. Sir, would you mind if I took her into my room?”
“Feel free. I’ll just sit here until she’s done.”
“Then I will help you, Voice,” Rosa moaned as she rose to her feet.
Snowflake had gotten up, as well. “Help him?”
“Yes. Our cries will make him excited,” Rosa smiled. “When I leave you, I will come to kneel before him instead of beside him.”
“Oh…” Snowflake whispered. “That makes sense.”
“Have fun,” Doc chuckled. “Rosa, we still need to see Onyx before going home, so don’t go too long.”
“Yes, Voice.”
“Onyx?” Snowflake asked as she shut the door to the bedroom behind Rosa.
Doc shook his head in amusement as he looked over the room. Seeing a couple of decanters and glasses, he went to make himself a drink while he waited.
Chapter Seven
“I was surprised when you took Onyx up to the room after me last time,” Snowflake said as they left her room. “Not many even give her a glance.”
“She’s as beautiful as you are,” Doc said. “Different, to be sure, but no less beautiful.”
Snowflake gave him a sideways glance. “I’d call most people out for bullshit using that line. With you, though… it feels honest.”
“I try to be as honest as I can. Lies are a web that traps you as surely as it does others.”
“I have no reason to disbelieve you. You left me and Rosa alone. Most would’ve at least snuck a peek.”
“You wouldn’t like that, so no. I’m not going to say the idea of you two entangled isn’t intriguing as hell. Besides, while you recovered, Rosa took care of my problem.”
Snowflake snickered. “Not many men would say that proudly. I was only in the room for a couple of minutes after she left.”
“Not many men would’ve only been listening to you two for nearly an hour, either.”
“That’s a fair point,” Snowflake smiled, a light blush dusting her cheeks. “Thank you for letting me have time with her of my own free will.”
“Just as good as the first time?” Doc asked with a smirk.
“Better. There weren’t any voices to distract me this time.”
Rosa giggled. “I could tell she was enjoying it more. We didn’t destroy the sheets this time, either.”
“I’m very glad he’s a healer. I scratched you pretty deep,” Snowflake said with a touch of embarrassment.
“Scratches and bites happen,” Doc chuckled. “One of my wives is prone to scratching my back and biting my shoulder if I spin her up far enough.”
“She’s also a feline bestial,” Rosa murmured.
Snowflake glanced at Doc out of the corner of her eye again. “One of your wives is a bestial?”
“Fiala is. I’m also married to a Sagesse, a dwarf, an elf, and a half-elf.”
Snowflake looked his way fully. “You have five wives?”
“Hence why I feel no need to initiate things with any of the women here,” Doc chuckled. “I’m well cared for.”
“Then why do you come?”
“To do what I was doing today. I knew Steward was doing something unpleasant to the women here, and I couldn’t let him do that. When I found out exactly what…” Doc shook his head, his face grim. “I had no idea it was as bad as it was.”
“He’ll be upset…” Snowflake whispered.
“Madam Zu will have to decide what to do about him. I doubt he’ll take any of it well. He hasn’t been in since I saw you last?”
“No. I’ve been dreading him showing up.”
“Does he come in through the front or back?” Doc asked as they descended the stairs to the private lounge.
“The back, normally.”
Doc was smiling, looking forward to spending some time with Onyx, but his smile fell away when he saw who else was at the bar. Snowflake flinched when she also saw Steward sitting there.
Onyx saw them. Her fake professional smile was strained, worry filling her eyes when she saw Doc and Snowflake together. Her look their way got Steward to turn around.
Steward’s unhappiness grew when he saw Snowflake coming downstairs with Doc. One eye twitched as he set his drink on the bar and stood up. His eyes darted between the pair, sizing them up, trying to discern how angry he should be.
“Steward,” Doc greeted the man with a slightly stilted expression. “Good evening to you.”
“It was a good evening,” Steward said tightly. “I didn’t expect you to be in Snowflake’s company.”
“She asked for a tryst with my pet,” Doc said. “What man would say no to that?”
Steward shifted, his eyes going to Rosa who stared meekly at the floor. “With her? Not with you?”
“I didn’t lay a single finger on Snowflake,” Doc said with all sincerity. “She… isn’t ready for a man yet. She was intrigued by what the others had said about my pet’s ability to please them.”
“Hmm…” Steward murmured, clearly considering Doc’s statement.
“Heliodor,” Doc said, turning to the wolf bestial who had been sitting off to the side of the room. “When I was with you, how much fun did you have with my pet?”
Heliodor flushed, not meeting his eyes or Steward’s. “A lot, sir. Most of us have discussed her abilities amongst ourselves.”
“I see,” Steward said, exhaling slowly, his posture shifting to be less hostile. “I might need to apologize. For a moment, I had thought Madam Zu tossed aside our agreement for me to be Snowflake’s first.”
Snowflake and Onyx switched places behind the bar, but Onyx stayed back while the men talked. She wanted to ask if Doc was going to have time for her, but now was not the time.
“Oh, I had no idea there was such an agreement in place,” Doc said. “I can see why you’d be upset to see us coming down together.”
The young rat bestial maid came scurrying downstairs, then rushed over to the bar. “Mr. Steward, sir, the madam wishes to speak with you.”
Steward tsked, but nodded. “Very well.” He glanced back at Snowflake, his eyes narrowing when he didn’t see the earring she should be wearing. “I’ll be back shortly. Where is your earring?”
“The madam has it, sir,” Snowflake replied.
Steward frowned before a sly smile came to him. “Does she, now? Hmm… Maybe this will be better than I had ever hoped.” He motioned the maid. “Go on. Lead.” As they walked away, Steward was clearly speaking to the maid when they reached the stairs, “A couple more years and you’ll be starting to ripen nicely, won’t you, dear?”
Doc’s eye twitched when he heard that comment. Oh, you sick fuck! She’s not even a teen yet! he thought.
“Doc?” Onyx asked softly, wondering why he looked so angry.
Blinking, he saw her concern and relaxed. “Sorry. I’m not upset with you, Onyx.”
Looking down, the panda bestial bit her lip. “Did you really not do anything with Snowflake?”
“He didn’t, but she did,” Snowflake chuckled. “I think we’ve all been ruined by her.”
Onyx blushed more. She’d heard from the others how Doc hadn’t done anything with them at all, at the most just watching them. When she’d been with him, he’d touched her gently, enticing her to relax as Rosa brought her to heights she’d never known. She’d never been chosen above any of the others before, but Doc had treated her as if she were special and she wanted more of that.
“Hasn’t done anything with any of us,” Heliodor said, having come over to the bar. “And some of us want to thank him for the extra he’s done for us. I was so frightened when Steward came in…” Trailing off, she shuddered.
Doc touched her arm lightly. “He can’t control you again. You have my word on that.”
“I know,” Heliodor whispered, her wolf tail not moving behind her. “But he might have asked for me since Snowflake wasn’t here… I don’t want him near me, much less… like that.”
Onyx had heard whispers of what Steward had done to the others. She was glad she wasn’t Steward’s type, or she might’ve found out firsthand. “You helped them?” she asked Doc.
“That’s what I’ve been doing since I came here,” Doc replied.
Onyx glanced at Snowflake. “But…”
“Not her,” Doc said. “She was being conditioned for him. I broke that.”
“Oh…” Onyx said, embarrassed to have implied that Doc might’ve done more.
“I did get time with his pet,” Snowflake smirked, “like most of us have.”
“I did mean what I said earlier about time with you, Onyx,” Doc said. “Rosa was very eager for it.”
Onyx nodded quickly. “Yes, please. Like last time?” The hope in her eyes that Doc would treat her special again was clear.
“Just like last time,” Doc agreed.
“I will see you ruined, you useless, half-breed slut!” Richard Steward’s voice echoed from upstairs. “You think you can treat me like this?! I’ll show you what defying a soulsmith means!”
Doc sighed as he turned for the stairs. “Excuse me, please. I might be needed for something first.”
“Citrine,” Zu’s voice was loud as she yelled for the elf, “remove this man from my home!”
“Stop right there, elf!” Steward’s voice was full of confidence. He brandished a small glowing rod from where he was by the stairs. “You’ll do as I tell you.”
Doc had already been heading that way, so he got to see Citrine’s angry smile when she slammed into Steward, sending him tumbling down the spiraling stairs. With a cry of fear and pain, the soulsmith went over backward, the glowing rod flying from his hand as he hit the steps. Doc snagged the rod— the wrongness of it nearly made him drop it, but he tucked it into his interior jacket pocket as the man came to a halt at his feet at the bottom of the stairs.
Confused eyes stared up at Doc when he knelt to check Steward. “What…? M-my…?” Steward wheezed.
Doc frowned, letting healing hands flare to life to touch Steward. Doc met the shocked eyes of the soulsmith. “Spirit healer,” Doc said softly. “I’m the reason your rod didn’t work. I cleansed them of the stones.”
Steward was having trouble drawing breath as anger flared in his eyes. “You… false…!”
“You’re dying,” Doc said, staring Steward in the eyes. “I could save you, but your soul isn’t worth saving. You enslaved them after abusing them. Your soul is as tarnished as one can be. I’m only waiting for you to stop breathing. This way, they’ll know they’re free of you.”
“Save… me…! R-rich… help…!” Steward wheezed, desperation filling his eyes. He’d barely had enough air to say the last word.
“Your soul is lost,” Doc said gently. “Saving you would hurt them, and you’ve caused them enough pain. It’s sad that you fell down the stairs… such a tragic accident.”
Steward’s mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out as his eyes grew hazy.
“No one will ever know what you did except the women here, neither will anyone but them know how you really died. How truly just your death was: killed by one you tried to control. Will anyone even show up for your funeral?”
Doc didn’t look up as people came downstairs, nor at the few who came up behind him. He did when the door to the regular lounge flew open. When he saw who was coming through the door, he let the glow on his hands wink out.
“Sheriff, call for Digger,” Doc said, standing up. “Steward fell down the stairs. His neck is broken. It’s too late for him. He’s already gone.”
Sheriff Donadin stared at Doc. “He fell down the stairs?”
“We heard him shouting, and then he came tumbling down,” Doc said. He wanted to help cover up the reason for the man’s death, but he was sure Donadin had overheard the ruckus.
“I heard the shouting, so what happened?” Donadon asked, looking at Zu.
“He was unhappy with a policy change that will happen next year,” Zu shrugged. “He was shouting about how he wouldn’t be visiting my establishment anymore, how it would ruin me. I called for Citrine, one of his favorites, thinking she might be able to calm him.”
“I came running as called,” Citrine said. “When I approached, he tried to step back… but he was at the top of the stairs.”
“I was heading up with Onyx when the shouting started,” Doc jumped in. “I was right here when he tried to step back. He pinwheeled, but couldn’t catch himself. He was dead when he hit the bottom.”
Donadin looked thoughtful— the shadow of something touched his face before he glanced at Zu. “Damned shame. Word of him dying here will cause some backlash.”
Zu nodded. “It would, indeed, Sheriff. Why don’t you come up to my office once Digger is called for? Maybe we can work out an arrangement to keep that out of public knowledge.”
Donadin’s smile was slanted. “Be glad to. I’ll be right back.”
When Donadin left, Zu turned to Doc. “My thanks. You could have saved him.”
“Nothing could’ve saved him,” Doc said. “His soul was forfeit to Apoc long before tonight. I could’ve healed him, but,” he looked at the women gathered around them, “I’d rather have shot myself than do that. He harmed too many innocents.”
“For which I owe you another debt,” Zu said. “My gems are precious to me. I will stay and deal with this. You had a gem to care for, did you not?”
Doc glanced at Onyx staring at him with wide eyes. “Onyx, I’m sorry. I’ll make sure to stay for you next time. With everything that just happened… I’m going to head home.”
“Of course, Doc,” Onyx said after a brief pause. “I… thank you.”
“Madam, are you sure you’ll be able to handle this?” Doc asked.
“Yes. The sheriff will just want more time with my gems. I don’t mind paying him off to make this go away.”
“I’ll go tell your guard and driver,” Onyx said, hurrying away.
Doc watched her go before turning back to Zu. “There shouldn’t be any complications. It’s not how I thought this would end, but sometimes, life happens.”
“I’m glad you came in today,” Zu said. “Otherwise, today would’ve gone very differently.”
Citrine and Heliodor shuddered at the thought of what might’ve happened.
“So am I. I guess Luck helped us with the timing.”
“Hmm… yes… Good evening, Doc.”
Doc said his goodbyes before heading for the back door. Onyx was in the small room with Quartz, and both women still looked a little shocked over what’d happened.
“Ladies, it’ll be okay. I’ll be back in a few days.”
Onyx reached out, touching his arm lightly. “You’ll see me then?”
