Claiming The Remnant

Chapter 29

[ Garrett ]

“Graceson!” I called spotting the guard. He always seemed to be lingering around. I made a mental note to check his duties. Was he shirking or did he not have enough work? At least in this instance his milling was of use to me.

“Yes Captain.” He said formally, giving me his full attention. He didn’t seem out of sorts considering I had spied him swanning about but I shook it off. I didn’t have the energy to deal with it this late in the day.

“Find Willis, I want to see them in my office. Now.” Ye Gods, Willis was probably in my quarters. It wasn't like I was hiding our budding romance but… but there was a certain discomfort to the two factions of my life blurring like this. “Try my quarters first.” I told him, resigned to the complexity that was set out before me.

“Yes Captain.” Graceson said with zero emotion before taking off down the hall.

Reaching my office, I intentionally shut the door behind me so that Willis would have to knock before taking my seat. Organising my thoughts was difficult. What I really needed was someone I could talk this through with. What I needed was my Brother. He would have listened patiently, smiled lazily, and told me not to stress so much. The whole while he would have been thoughtfully tugging at his white streak of hair.

I missed him.

Four years without him was too long and the lifetime before me that he would not be part of was longer still. Absent-mindedly I rubbed the thin scar on my jaw; a reminder of the night he died etched into my skin. I wasn’t Captain at the time but I was still part of the guard. I had unfettered access to the Healers but I chose to keep it, chose to hold onto that final moment.

The first weeks had been numb, the pain didn’t really hit me until after his final blessing. Once his body was released to the Earth and Sky, his soul offered to Ye Gods, I hadn’t been able to find my way back to myself. I looked in all the wrong places, almost lost my position in the guard.

Admitting it made my guts crawl but finding Taiya brought me back. She was wild and free and claimed what she wanted for herself. Albeit all from the wrong side of the law… but it was inspirational nonetheless. Being despised by society for the shade of her magic hadn’t made her tragic or brought her to her knees, instead she carved out a space for herself and defended it with all the vigour of a snow leopard in possession of a fresh kill.

Knowing what I knew about her past, well, not just her past but Jo’s too, it was more impressive still. Now learning, or at least being reasonably confident about, the sizable volume of her shade, the impressiveness of her feat had only grown.

My Brother alway told me that not having magic didn’t mean anything, it didn’t make me any less but I always thought it was rich coming from him. After all he did have magic, but so did Taiya and her magic put her at even more of a disadvantage than me. Yet still she managed and just like me she had no one.

Meeting her let me put my grief down. Meeting her taught me the value of being at peace with myself. Meeting her let me put my life back together, and quickly. I owed that gutter rat, more than I cared to admit. Everytime I caught her, hand in the swag bag I had let her go; told myself that I was indebted, that this would make us even.

There was always a next time. There was always a moment of weakness where I sought her out. Taiya had even introduced me to Willis in a round of about sort of way.

Sighing, I ran my fingers through my hair and over my face. It was longer than usual, normally I kept it brutally short; I was well overdue for a haircut. Also not a helpful thought, I had zero foresight on how I was going to talk to Willis and it was too late now because they walked straight in without knocking.

“Willis!” I barked, using my Captain’s voice. “This isn’t a social call, get out and try again with some respect.” They glared and I glared right back. “O-U-T.”

Willis slammed the door. I was betting Zach heard that. s**t, this was f****d before it had even begun.

“Come in.” I growled on hearing their signature knock. It was hard enough to keep my anger down after Wills’s disrespectful entrance but immediately after exiting they knocked (I swear if a knock could be sarcastic that was it), not giving either of us a moment to find composure.

“You summoned me, Captain?” Attitude dripped from Willis. From the way they stood with their weight on one foot, to their long breaths that sent their tense shoulders rising and nostrils flaring. Not to mention the clenched fists, sucked in cheeks and lightly glowing eyes. Wills’s skin rippled and so did the room. It was like heat rising in the desert.

“There is an urgent matter, I have just come from a meeting with the King. Sit.” I used an open hand to indicate the chair but Willis wasn’t ready to back down. They span the chair and straddled it. Ye Gods. Leave it or address it? Leave it? Or address it? Bless the Earth and Sky I had to draw the line. “Sit correctly.”

Willis didn’t move but the image changed; magic making them look like they were sitting in a manner that was acceptable for the meeting.

“Willis…” I warned. They sucked their teeth.

“What, Captain?” Willis hissed. “Using my magic only acceptable when it benefits you? That the only time I have value??” They spat.

“Cut the crap Willis, this is a superior to subordinate conversation. Captain to guard. Pick up the personal and put it to one side. That is why you were ‘summoned’. That is why we are having this meeting in my office.” I took a deep calming breath through my nose with my eyes closed. “Please, Jo, can you… can we just…” f**k. We should have talked about this before, how we were going to navigate the professional and the personal. My anger had evaporated and I was left with this, this pit inside.

Composure entirely shot, I didn't feel like Captain, I felt out of control - and not in the way I liked. Every breath was trembling and catching. For the first time in a while there was a good chance I was going to cry. Nothing wrong with crying but this wasn’t really the time or place.

“Sorry.” The sound of the chair against the floor told me that Willis was putting the chair back. “What can I do for you, Captain?”

“Thank you.” I sniffed a little, forcing myself to meet their eyes. “Look, this isn’t easy. New territory for both of us, I’m sorry if…”

“Don’t sweat it, Captain.” Willis gave me a cheeky smile. “It’s normally me doing the overreacting, well,” they rubbed the back of their neck, “I suppose I did that this time as well…”

“Something for us to work on.” I smiled back. Looking at Willis I could see the cues, a small cocky smile tugging at the corners, one shoulder rolled back, opposite leg sticking out. A relaxed pose with a bold stare. Joseph. Definitely. “I’ll get to the point then. The King wasn’t impressed with how you behaved with ‘Lady Esther’ today. He compared you to Princess Noémie.”

“Ye Gods, compared to that brat I was an absolute delight.” He laughed, rolling his eyes. “I swear Taiya recognised me as well. Not sure I agree with the King though. She is committed to this stupid character ‘Lady Esther’ but I don’t think she has totally convinced herself. What in the name of the Earth and Sky did you do to her? Hitting people in the head isn’t the most reliable method when trying to get information, Captain.” He mocked playfully .

“Honestly, Joseph,” I watched his eyes. The delight that formed there when I called him Joseph made me feel warm low in my stomach. “I’m not an amateur. King Leorè said Tayia was looking ill, what do you think?”

“She doesn’t look well…” He shrugged, not appearing particularly bothered. “She must have as much blue hair as me at least. To do a full shift like, without reverting and then hold it all week is impressive on its own. Not only that but she spent the two weeks before that in another shift with syphoning cuffs. Do you think her skin is blue too?? Ye Gods, she is probably just heading towards burn out.” He snorted his amusement. Personally I didn’t see what was funny about burn out. I knew Jo didn’t like Taiya. They had grown up together under horrific circumstances, probably even worse than what I had been told or found out for myself. Likely I would never know the truth of it all. Seemed Jo and Taiya even had secrets from each other considering what Jo had just told me. Sounded like Jo had never seen Taiya out of a shift.

Still, despite Joseph’s excitable attitude on the matter, burn out was dangerous. If anyone exhausted their magic it resulted in burn out; the most dangerous symptom being a persistent high temperature. Failing to cool someone quick enough resulted in their death. I didn’t like how cruel Jo could be sometimes.

“So you think burn out?” I watch Joseph carefully. He nodded then shrugged. I wasn’t convinced. Pretty sure he was lying and that was why I’d told His Majesty I would ask around.

“What happened then? If you didn’t clock her one in her thick skull?” Joseph asked with excited curiosity.

“Joseph…” I gave him a disapproving look but he simply smirked back waiting for me to answer. “Fine. I gave her a dose of acetaminophen and she had a severe allergic reaction. She almost died on the table.”

“Wait. Wait - you had her on the table?” He grinned, licking his lips gleefully.

“Jo! Don’t be like that. I didn’t get any further than the painkiller and it's not like I enjoy doing that.” I protested.

“Garrett… I didn’t know you were so sensitive…” He teased, getting up and leaning over my desk. “My poor boyfriend, slaving away, stomach churning at being forced to torture naughty criminals.” He walked his fingers over the plain wood and up my arm.

“Jo… we can’t, we need to try and keep some professionalism, starting in my office.” I sighed, this had already been a disastrous meeting in terms of professionalism.

“But we’re not in your office…” Joseph crooned.

“Wow. I didn’t know you could do that.” My mouth was hanging open in awe as I looked around the completely transformed room. We were at the beach, golden sand all around, lazy waves lapping at the shore as the sun set in glorious hues of pink and orange and red. The only thing that gave away that this perfect scene wasn’t real was the lack of sound.

“How about this?” He asked in a boastful tone, changing the scenery seamlessly. Now we were in a forest, green and lush, complete with dappled sunlight. “Or… if you’re in the mood for something a little more, shall we say, exciting?” Joseph swapped one office for another. The King’s office, with a dozen unblinking faces watching us. My heart was thumping uncomfortably in my chest and my hands felt clammy.

I knew the people around us were fake. Projections created by Jo but they still made me uncomfortable. He seemed to enjoy exhibitionism. I wasn’t a prude, not by far but an audience? I swallowed thickly as Joseph climbed over the desk to straddle me.

His rough kisses, hot and demanding, didn’t consume me like they should; the watching faces driving me to distraction.

“What’s wrong babe?” Joseph whispered before licking the edge of my ear. “Don’t…” I felt the tension in his limbs but he paused and shook off what he had been about to say, relaxing with a big breath. “The people too much, huh?”

“Yeah, a bit.” I admitted quietly, relieved that he had noticed and this hadn’t spiraled into another argument. The people disappeared but the office stayed.

“Is this ok?” His lightly glowing eyes peered into mine, hot hands squeezing my shoulders. I nodded and a dirty smile painted itself across his lips. It didn’t last long because his lips were quickly busy melding themselves to mine. It was a deep kiss with Jo firmly in charge. I groaned and moaned into his mouth at the feeling of buttons being undone on my shirt and his hands slipping across my flesh.

Soon we were both naked on the chair, clothes crumpled on the floor, hot needy skin pressed together as we made out. Jo pinched my n****e, making me gasp and then began kissing across my face. Over my cheek, my jaw, down my neck, nibbling my chest as he lifted my arm over my head. Joseph brought his face to my armpit and breathed in my scent before using a wide hot tongue to lick me there.

“What the f**k Jo?” I laughed hard causing him to be bounced around my lap.

“What?” He shrugged, mildly offended by my laughter, and brought my hand to the top of his pointed ear. I pinched the sensitive flesh carefully, making him groan. “It’s hot, primal, animalistic even. So very Fae.”

“It tickled.” I smiled, a little residual laughter still rumbling in my chest. I felt light in this moment, swimming in the sweetness; the joy of it.

“Get on the desk, on your back.” Joseph commanded, standing up. I quirked an eyebrow. This was all very different today. As demanded of me I lie back on the desk. It looked like the smooth and highly polished desk that was the King’s but it felt like my desk. My ass was on the edge, legs dangling off. Joseph tapped my leg. “Knees to your chest, hands here.” He tickled the back of my knee. Excitement was purring in me as I obeyed.

It was usually me that had Jo in this position when she was Josephine.

“Don’t move.” Joseph growled, a sound filled with all the animalistic promise of their Fae blood.

“Ye Gods.” My words a strangled moan of pleasure at the intensity of Jo’s tongue and lips working between my spread cheeks. It was hard to resist squirming. I wanted to touch myself and heighten the pleasure but I held my pose, turning to begging instead when the sensation became a liquid fire of need lighting up my body. “Please, Jo. Please.” Ye Gods, I wanted them to fill me with their c**k.

Joseph licked me one final time as he rose. That hot tongue, wide and wet, sliding from between my cheeks, over my balls, up my shaft and across my tip making my whole body tremor.

“Joseph, please.” I cried out, the tip of his member teasing my waiting asshole. Looking down on me he grinned wickedly.

“I’m going to f**k you like you’ve never been f****d before… Garrietta!” The heat of his words were so powerful so hot they had me a blaze. This felt so personal, so intimate. He plunged into me without warning. Full thrusts that filled me deeply with his entire length making me gasp.

"That's it baby, breathe. Fuck." He slammed into me making me squeak. "Ye Gods that's so cute." My balls were aching, already feeling unbelievably heavy with my seed and the need for release. You wouldn't have thought I'd already c*m twice today.

"D,don't stop." I choked out.

"Aww baby, don't you worry about that." Joseph grabbed my left leg at the ankle and lifted it up. "Not when you should be thinking about this." The King blinked into existence next to me and dipped into the gap Joseph had made.

I thought my eyes were going to pop out of their sockets as King Leoré's mouth hovered over my throbbing c**k.

"Is this your filthy fantasy, Captain Preston? To have your thick, hard c**k jammed down my throat?" Jo imitated the King's deep voice perfectly, the lips of his projected image even moved in sync. I made some garbled half protest, half moan of ecstasy in response. "It's ok baby. My treat. You've been sooo good to me."

I gave in to the guilty pleasure of watching Joseph's fist disguised as my King's face descend upon my erection. Joseph was ploughing me so hard and so deep and the image of the King wetly sucking me off was so perfect I couldn't hold on.

The orgasm overwhelmed me, making me buck and cry out as it assaulted all my senses.

"Good boy." Joseph purred with dark lusty eyes. The King disappeared and Jo brought his c*m coated fist to his mouth and sniffed the result of my satisfaction before lapping it up. The sight had me cumming again, almost painfully, my clenching asshole bringing Joseph to his own hard release.

I could practically feel his seed being pumped into me.

Then it all changed. Jo withdrew from me quietly, looking guilty and despondent. The way they could go from being so closed off to a riot of colour always amazed me. They were like a butterfly. My butterfly.

"Jo," I called softly, sitting up and pulling them to me, "that, was incredible." I kissed them reassuringly and they kissed me back and everything felt right with the world.