Lost Bloodline 3 - Chapter 1

     Okay Peeps! I pulled MGIS 5 today for release tomorrow, so now we start on Lost Bloodline 3 teasers! Hope you all enjoy this!

     As always, these are pre-editor chapters to set expectations. They will be revised for full release but please feel free to note any errors you spot to help me polish for final release.

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Chapter 1

Returning to Silverstone Vale was refreshing for Koda and his warriors. The gentle sensation of the mountains enveloping them with open arms, as if to gather its wandering children close to its bounteous bosom once more, was like returning to a loving parent.

They’d spent the night resting in proper beds at Amberpost before making their rounds and heading out the following day. None of the hunters argued with the fact that it would be best for them to be out of the town before the baron’s soldiers arrived.

In order to cloud the trail for anyone wanting to follow them, they left town from the road going north before circling quickly around Amberpost to head back east towards Silverstone. They stopped along the way to recover the Crooked pay-chest that they’d liberated. Arthene, not having more than a basic pack, quickly rigged up a frame to carry the chest herself so they could keep moving without slowing down.

Traveling by foot wasn’t difficult, as it was something they’d all been used to after the last several weeks. Once they were back on the east road and heading for Silverstone though, the group slowed down to just enjoy traveling at a reasonable pace for once.

True to her word, Calandra had tendered her resignation to the Amberpost guard the morning they left, and spread word to those she trusted as to exactly why. The general reason was incompetence and cowardice on behalf of the majority of the town guard. Something that most of the block heard as the brunette firecracker had used the opportunity to let her commander know exactly how she felt about his attitude and actions over the duration of the crisis.

Koda had been there with her to help the smaller woman pack her things up. Despite how rough he’d been with her the night before during their coupling, he’d not actually left Calandra bowlegged, something she’d griped about playfully with him.

As they wound up through the pass into the mountain vale that held the sleepy little village that was his new home, Koda turned over the last few weeks in his mind slowly.

Who would have thought that a single hiking trip would have changed my life so much, Koda thought. He took a deep breath in through his nose, savoring the welcoming scents of the forest coupled with the crisp snap of the cool air flowing down over the trees.

Another scent, this one of leather and forest, tickled his nostrils and he turned to glance towards his first mate and closest partner where she walked on his right side.

Sienna’s spear thumped into the packed earth of the road in a steady gait, accompanied by the swish of her fluffy red-brown wolf tail. She brushed her short hair out of her eyes with one slim hand, making the pointed tips of her wolf ears twitch where they sat on top of her head.

Hard to imagine that she went from nearly stabbing me with her spear to basically mothering me within a handful of hours. It helps that I proved I was here to help, and Thera vouching for me didn’t hurt. Koda caught Sienna’s brilliant blue-green eyes with his. The twin orbs snagged him as firmly as any trap and he felt himself drown in them for a long moment before the wolf beastfolk blinked and released him from their grip.

“Everything okay, Koda?” Sienna asked calmly, shifting to bump her hip into his lightly.

“He’s probably daydreaming of your beautiful body, sweet Sienna,” laughed his other mate from Koda’s right moments before Arthene’s thick arm wrapped around his head and yanked him off balance.

Despite being used to Arthene’s rough affections, it was still far too soon for him to be completely comfortable and able to predict his lover. One second she was silently observing the world around her with a mysterious smile on her lips, the next she was playfully wrestling with him while spouting random innuendo fit to make everyone within a half-mile radius blush.

At the moment, it was just the wrestling as Arthene’s strong arm hauled him sideways to playfully plant Koda’s face into the side of her bust.

“You’d think he’d have gotten his fair share last night, but I can’t blame him,” Arthene continued while playfully pinning Koda in place so that all he could see and feel was the soft curve of her breast above the fur of her leather top.

“Oh is that where you ran off to then? I’d have been jealous but you two did come back when you were finished,” Calandra said to join in on the teasing from where she walked on Arthene’s other side.

They’d camped partway to the mountains, and were now pushing to make it back to the village before night fell. Koda and Sienna had snuck off for some private time in the woods, something that was entirely pointless from how loud Sienna had gotten.

“Arthene, let him breathe before he passes out. Cal, if you really are that jealous of him then you could join us sometime. I don’t mind,” Sienna fired back, but Koda could hear the blush in his wolfish lover’s voice.

The vise-like grip on his head loosened, but before he pulled back Koda took the opportunity to playfully bite the upper curve of Arthene’s right breast. That sensation made the bear woman jump in surprise before laughing gaily while her rounded bear ears wiggled in amusement on top of her head.

“Oh you are trouble, my mate. Don’t tempt me so much,” Arthene smacked him playfully on the shoulder before pushing him upright so he stood straight once more.

Despite her size and the power that dwelt within her frame as an incarnate primal spirit, Arthene was surprisingly mindful of her strength. Koda had seen her literally tear the head from one of her opponents in a single blow, but the tap on his shoulder was only enough to make him stumble and he knew it wouldn’t even bruise.

Heck of a thing to have as the result of a single afternoon’s spur-of-the-moment hike, Koda repeated in his mind as he turned over everything that had happened while Sienna laid a hand on his other shoulder to ensure he was steady. Met a goddess, she turned me into her champion and promised to shower me in rewards. Now I’ve got the love of three beautiful women who are more than happy to work with and around each other to ensure our happy pile of affection continues. If this is the reward fate has for me after my parent’s bullshit, then I can’t complain anymore.

“I’d say he’s a lucky bastard, given how effortless he makes it look,” Hans grumbled from behind them and Koda shot a look back at the man with a grin.

“You know you could do the same if you wanted to, Hans. Just requires application and effort.”

“I’d say I’d apply effort to you, but I don’t really swing that way, Aegisclaw,” the horned man replied with an amused snort.

“That’s fine, neither do I. Just give it some thought, you are going to have to work hard if you really want something like this,” Koda said earnestly and slapped Arthene on the ass when the bear spirit wasn’t looking. This caused the six and a half foot tall woman to yelp in surprise and whirl on him, interrupting her playful banter with Calandra.

“I don’t think many would have the stamina to keep up with one of your three, let alone all of them. I salute your determination to be suffocated in your bed one day!” Hans replied with a laugh as Arthene snatched for Koda, but he was already moving, dashing away up the road that led into the trees with a carefree laugh.

Growling, Arthene gave chase. Sienna locked eyes with Calandra, who was grinning wickedly.

“What?” the dwarven woman asked. “I’d have done it myself, if it wasn’t such a pain to reach so damn high on that woman!”

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“Are you sure that this is okay?” Koda asked again while tightening the length of rope once more. Flicking the strand, it made a sharp twang noise and he nodded.

“They are mine after all. My word is final on their disposition,” Arthene replied, shifting to lift the bundle up onto her shoulder smoothly.

The pile of bones, packed like so much split lumber, settled into place and looked absolutely ridiculous on Arthene’s shoulder. The pile was so large that it would have been impossible to lift and balance if not for the spirit woman’s supernatural strength.

“I’m just surprised that the ropes held,” Sienna chuckled, hefting her own stack of smaller bones, having used a spare shirt as a sack and filled it up.

“They aren’t going anywhere,” Koda said confidently as he watched Arthene shift slightly and start towards the entrance to the cave.

“Famous last words there,” Calandra snarked. “Come on then, let's get back to your place. I’m curious to see what your house looks like.

“It’s your house now too, Cal,” Sienna reminded the smaller woman, shifting her bundle to her shoulder as well so she could pat the dwarven woman on top of her helmeted head.

They’d detoured up to the Last Fang Cave, one of the sites of power that Koda had claimed for Thera during his first few days on this world. It was also Arthene’s last resting place. The big woman had made a good argument that they should bring her old bones back to the village, since they were a good deal harder and stronger than any other material save Koda’s totemic gauntlets.

There came a few amused whistles from the group of fighters that were waiting outside the cave for the four of them to return.

The Ivory Spear, as the last of Thera’s worshipers were known, had long held the cave in reverence for the fact that Arthene’s body had rested there as their last protector from the time when their goddess could help them. They still held the place in high regard, but with Arthene once more amongst the clan it was easier to accept what amounted to grave robbing.

“I still think ‘grave-reclaiming’ is just wrong,” Todd muttered, the fox beastkin shaking his head slowly as the others fell in around Koda and his mates.

“What else are you going to call it? It’s not theft, the owner gave you permission. Heck, at this point you could call it salvage since it sat around for so long,” Arthene said with a laugh as she led the group back to the road. “I’d rather see these things put to use. It’s why I’ve been using one of my old leg bones to crack skulls.”

“That mental image is just… bizarre,” sighed Hannah, the cat beastfolk joining in on the other side of their group.

“What? I have a spare after all, several actually!” Arthene teased, getting a few more groans from the others around her. “Seriously though, think about it. These are the bones of an incarnate spirit, one known for strength and determination if I can say so myself without sounding conceited.”

“You did, but it’s fine. It’s easy to forgive you for… other reasons,” Koda teased in return, shifting the massive skull around in his arms to find a comfortable way to carry the awkward object. It was easily as large as his torso and all of the teeth remained within the mouth so he had to be careful as he lifted it.

Arthene had all but demanded that he be the one to carry the skull back, saying that as her mate it was only right that he lay claim to it. The suggestive look she’d given him honestly made Koda wonder what salacious implications she was laying into it, but her request had been reasonable.

“I know you love my ass. If you smack it again while I’m carrying these, I will dump them on you, my mate,” Arthene warned with a playful growl, her stubby bear tail wiggling in amusement as she walked.

“Cal?” Koda asked and the dwarven woman laughed.

“Oh hells no. I just recently got an in with this freaky little family and I’m having way too much fun to risk getting my arm ripped off,” the dwarven woman said with a laugh.

“Smart woman. Not saying it’s off limits, but—”

The loud crack of a hand on flesh cut off Arthene’s statement and the big woman let out another yelp of surprise as she twisted to glare at her ‘attacker,’ who was grinning broadly up at the big woman.

“Sienna!”

“What? If anyone besides Koda could get away with it, it’d be me,” Sienna countered before standing up on tip-toes to press a kiss to Arthene’s cheek. “You look really cute, all flushed like that. I can see why Koda likes doing it to you.”

Arthene blinked several times while staring down at the normally meek and quiet smaller woman. Koda swore that he could hear gears grinding in his big lover’s head while the dozen-odd warriors with him all smothered laughter. They’d seen how bad Arthene’s teasing could get, so seeing it turned back on her was rather amusing.

“Sienna?” Arthene asked quietly.

“Yes, dear Arthene?” Sienna replied primly, her tail wiggling in amusement behind her.

“You said the carpenter would have the house furnished by the time we got back, right?” Arthene’s next question was just as quiet as her first. Sienna hummed thoughtfully, her tail not slowing down as she tapped her lips.

“Why yes, it should be all done. We did stay out several days longer than we thought we would,” Sienna answered innocently, but Koda could see mischief in her eyes.

“Good, because I’m going to be putting our new bed to use with you,” Arthene’s calm tone dropped into a lusty growl and she lunged at Sienna playfully.

The wolf beastfolk danced away with a laugh, and when Arthene gave chase, she raced up the road towards town, her red and black tail flailing like a banner behind her as she ran squealing with Arthene in hot pursuit.

“Well…” Calandra said a moment later as the two ran off. “Are you going to let them beat you back?”

“Nope,” Koda replied as his smile widened even further and he broke into a jog after his lovers, with Calandra falling into step behind him with a snicker.