79. Kami

79

Kami

I should be exhausted.

I've been pumped full so much I've lost count, all four of my companions having come inside me several times. Which even for a merman is abnormal, or so Ries said.

But Malkar did eventually finish knotting, twice , and turned back to his regular form.

We clean up in silence, but my embarrassed grins turn to laughter soon enough.

The guys keep laughing and kissing and touching me all over. Each one—even Crash—wanting to take care of me as we refresh ourselves in a nearby creek.

But now the sun has nearly set, and we know it's time to prepare to fight.

They all seem excited, but I can't help my fear.

This is a fight I'm pretty sure we can't win.

"Well?" Crash holds his shirt in his hands and looks at Malkar.

The mark of Malkar's fangs has faded, but I see an impression of power when I look at Crash's shoulder before he pulls on the shirt. The same with the others.

"You're marked as mine."

"Could you sound any more satisfied?" Oz growls.

"Or conceited?" Crash adds.

Ries just laughs. "I don't care what he sounds like. That was some grade-A fucking. I want more."

"Be careful, or your dick might fall off from overuse," Oz taunts.

"Overuse? No such thing."

I snicker. "I had fun."

They all stare at me.

I blush. "What?"

"I get to go first next time," Crash announces. He wiggles his brows. "Wait until I'm all fiery again. Talk about hot sex."

Ries holds up a hand. "Hold on. You want to use magic? Kami, I can fuck all of you at once. My cock in your ass and a water dick in your cunt. It'll feel sooo good. You don't know."

Everyone looks from him to me.

Malkar raises a brow. "Hmm. I hadn't considered her ass. I don't have water magic, but I can manipulate the cold. An ice phallus? Oh, how about my tail?"

I cringe. "Not with the sharp end."

"Ah, good point."

Oz sighs. "Much as I hate to change the subject, the sun's set. They're coming. Or at least Folas and the first wave are. Malkar, about the Kept business? When do we?—"

Oz doubles over and groans.

"Oz?" I want to rush to his side, but Malkar stops me.

"Wait."

The others look pained as well, and then I'm feeling it, deep inside me. My core, the part of me that's me, is getting…bigger ?

I feel so strange. The swelling within, the weird magic, hurts before turning blissfully cold, numbing. And now the sensation has vanished.

I straighten and glance at the others, who all look the same. Confused but fairly normal.

As normal as any of us are.

"I don't get it," Ries says. He flexes his fingers and calls up a ball of water.

"You'll see," Malkar says, sounding mysterious.

I frown at him. "This isn't the time for secrets, Malkar."

He raises a brow. "Giving orders, pet?"

"Nope. No, no, no." I fold my arms over my chest, needing to make this point. Now. "We're not doing the Better-pet thing. I don't care what you are. We're all the same here. All of us up against bloodthirsty elves and rotten fae. Oh, and let's not forget a nearly indestructible light elf, his arch-demon, and his sadistic orc girlfriend." I pause and glance at Oz. "No offense."

He looks serious as he responds, "None taken." Though I see the corner of his mouth quirk.

"You forgot the war god," Malkar adds.

I step close and poke him in the chest. " And the war god."

He sighs and grabs me for a hug. "You're seriously adorable." He chuckles. "You think we're all the same?"

The bastard laughs harder.

Before I get really mad, I feel something strong. A warning from the trees.

"They're close." I close my eyes and concentrate.

And I feel… everything.

All the trees seem to be an extension of me without me having to ask.

I open my eyes and gape at the others. "I feel all the trees. Right now. At once. Oh my Death. That's amazing."

Malkar's beyond smug. "Told you. "

"Hey, Kami, you're not going to make the trees all meat-eaters, are you?" Ries asks. "We have enough to fight against. I don't want to accidentally become a tree's meal while I'm facing off with some dickhead elves."

"No. I don't think so. That happens only if I consciously merge with them." Then I realize I've done that. "Shoot. I might have left a trail for them to follow. I merged with a lot of trees to get across Lake Lancer to the arena."

Oz shrugs. "They already know where we are. It's not a secret."

"I wonder how long fuck-face will take to get here." Ries sounds thoughtful.

"Folas?" I nod even as I ask. The nickname fits.

Crash snickers. "Yeah, the coward. He's waiting to thin us out. Gods forbid he actually fight us fairly."

"That's a problem." Oz frowns. "We need you and Malkar at your best. It's already going to be tough just the five of us against them. But with two of us down our magic, things are not looking good."

"You do have a point. Even with the boost in your power, we're lacking."

"Gee, five against twenty times that? Um, maybe." Crash looks at Malkar as if he's lacking intelligence.

Though he has a point. I look at Malkar too and see him staring at me.

"What?"

"You've got massive power we can only dream about." Malkar paused. "Well, not me. But the others."

Oz rolls his eyes.

Ries flips him off.

"I can't control Caethybdue."

"Not the goddess, though she'd be handy to have for this fight. Especially against the war god. No, Kami. I mean your power as a dryad. You have the ability to hide in trees and make them monstrous. So what are you waiting for?"

"But Ries just said?—"

"I mean focus on fuck-face. We need Folas out so Crash and I can regain our power."

Oz perks up. "Not necessarily. He doesn't have to be out. We just need that part of him that's holding Malkar and Crash down. Malkar, you mentioned your sister's power, right?"

"I did. And Folas is wearing her in his ear. That bright red gem is Iskae's."

I move closer to grab his hand, aware of the sadness he tries to hide. But I saw his dream. And I see him.

He smiles distantly and squeezes my hand. "I will devour Folas and digest his soul for an eternity."

"Yeah, no, you won't. You're no soul-taker." Crash glances at me. "She will, though."

"Actually, I just deliver them where they're meant."

"He's meant for a bad time in the afterlife," Oz growls. "Trust me."

Ries nods. "No doubt. But Kami, be smart. Just take away Folas's superpower. Grab that earring and bring it back to us." He nudges me back toward the tree I came out of. "Merge and do your thing before they get here."

"Because if you wait, we're as good as done," Crash says with a scowl. "Get off your ass, dryad. We have a war to win."

And with that pep talk in mind, I merge with the old oak.

With one mission only—to seek and destroy.