Mirror Bound

This roller-coaster of lust could not last, there was just too much coming in, my senses couldn't handle it, and the lust drove Lukas mad as well. He gave himself up to it, lost himself in a driving lust and thrust himself in me faster and faster, and harder and harder.

I still felt myself do that, I couldn't believe how good that felt, plunging myself in and out, feeling my muscles work overtime, breathing hard to keep up with the oxygen I used with my maniacal driving movement.

And now the elation rose and rose, in both of us, I adjusted my thrusting a tiny bit so it felt even better inside me, felt Lukas' ecstasy as if it was my own. In one explosive, mad climax we both came, crying out with exaltation, and then I crashed in total bliss on my own luscious, sated body.

We came to ourselves in total wonderment, what had just happened? I felt Lukas' hot, sweaty body on me, smelled his musk, totally weirded out and totally spent, but what an experience. I could see it had been the same for him, he still showed the total madness of that lovemaking a little on his face.

But now I saw a shade of guilt there as well, and I heard his apology and felt his shield slide between us at the same time, saw him look to the side. Paul was still there, of course, but now he was awake and he said softly: 'Don't be sorry, Lukas, I'm glad you gave in to your needs, I know the price of healing, remember? Besides, that was a damned hot sight, I wished I could have joined in.'

We reached out simultaneously, Lukas and I, though the connection between us was broken now I could still feel it in all my nerves, and we both stroked Paul's curly hair tenderly, so intensely glad he was still with us after seeing him shot, seeing him fall not knowing whether he was dead or alive. The remembrance upset me visibly, and I soon found myself being comforted from two sides.

Lukas' presence was very calming, he wrapped his arms around me and breathed in my hair, and I let my fear and shock out for a few moments with some tears.

Lukas shared them with me, he had saved his friend from the man who shot him, and from a rather serious wound, but he had feelings too, and they had been shaken as much as mine. But neither of us was the type to lose himself in feelings, and soon we felt much better.

Paul was watching us quietly, but his eyes looked a bit too glazed, I thought he might be in pain. I asked him: 'Do you need a painkiller?' He nodded, and I couldn't help kissing him, I was so happy to see him awake and alert.

And I asked in general: 'What about some of that tea, or food, or do you just want to sleep now?' Lukas laughed and said: 'All three, please, in that order,' and Paul nodded in support.

So I went downstairs and filled the china pot with boiling water and the restorative tea mixture. Suddenly I wondered how that boiler was fuelled, I never saw Paul stoke it though I often saw him stoke the forge.

Making a mental note of that thought, I took the pot and three cups, and a plate with some cakes and pastries upstairs on a tray, and when I poured the tea the room filled with its fresh fragrance.

The scent seemed to revive Paul a little, of course he had thrown quite a lot of magic around all night, so a restorative to calm his nerve endings would do him good too.

I poured him a cup too, and helped him to the privy while it cooled a bit.

Lukas was already digging into the food when I left, he always ate a lot after a healing. When we came back there was enough left for Paul and me, but I could see that Lukas was still hungry, so I urged him to eat more, offered Paul some and asked him where he kept the painkillers, then fetched them, and more food and some hot water from the kitchen.

The food was soon eaten as well, using magic was clearly hungry work, and after helping Paul out of the remains of his shirt I asked him to lie down on his belly. With the water and a clean towel I washed most of the blood off his back, and also some off his chest and his face.

When I was done I could see the painkiller was taking effect, for his eyes became clear again, and he wanted to know what had happened, the short version, for he was very tired, he just wanted to know if all was well before he went to sleep.

So the three of us drank the rest of the tea, and Lukas and I told Paul about the conclusion of our raid, of the children freed with Frances taking care of them, the evil mage with his head bashed in, George and Marcus getting us out and driving us home, George taking matters in hand at the factory, and planning to release the faeries afterwards.

Both men were fighting sleep, so we kept it short, and then I stroked their curls until they fell asleep. After that I cleaned up the cups and the bloodied towels, then took a short shower and crawled between the two guys again, falling asleep within minutes.

I woke with Lukas kissing me, and when I opened my eyes I saw he was already dressed, and he said: 'Good morning love, I'm off for my morning run. Back in an hour.'

And off he was indeed. On my other side, Paul was still fast asleep, breathing slowly and deeply, totally at peace though he did not look as young as he usually looked in his sleep. I wanted to wrap him in my arms and kiss him, feel him as close as I could, but he needed his sleep so I controlled my impulse and just watched him.

Then a sleepy voice said: 'Please do, I want you to spoil me. Just be careful of my back, it hurts.' Wondering how he knew what I was thinking of, I caressed his beloved face, and his hair, and I moved towards him to snuggle up to him and kiss him.

Though I was very careful, I saw him wince in pain and asked: 'Do you need a painkiller?' He admitted: 'I think I do, I slept really well, but now I'm awake everything is starting to hurt.' I got up and fetched a glass of water and some painkiller, then sat next to him to help him up to take it. 'You're stiff as well as wounded, aren't you?' I asked, and he nodded: 'I feel stiff as a board, back, chest, even my arms and neck.

Can you take my arm to help me up? Oh, that smarts, but it has to be done.' With my help he managed to sit upright, and he took the painkiller with the water. I still wanted to touch him, so I sat next to him again and asked: 'Can I hold you without hurting you?' In reply he slowly moved around a bit until he sat against me, and he gave me a very intense kiss that made me very warm inside.

Then he found a comfortable position in my arms, and I stroked him again, so happy to be holding him, to smell him, to feel his skin and see his face looking at me.

He didn't last long in that position, after a few minutes he had to lie down again and I asked him to lie on his side or stomach to show me the bullet-wound. I didn't look as nasty as other wounds often did, the edges were clear instead of ragged, but I knew it was very deep, and only partly healed.

It looked a bit swollen and red, and I wasn't totally convinced it wouldn't infect. 'I want Lukas to look at this when he's back,' I said,' I'm not entirely sure it isn't getting infected.'

Paul replied: 'It does hurt a lot, so I guess I'll turn my back on him as well. How did he do that, get the bullet out?'

I said: 'I located it, then showed him where it was, and he seemed to work it out slowly with magic, as you turned the lock. When it came out, blood squirted, it was a pretty scary sight.'

'Were you very afraid?' he asked, and I replied honestly: 'When I saw you hit and fall, I was stunned with fear that you were dead.

Lukas was so quick with his head-butt that I had no time to fear the gun or the mage.'

'He was not a good mage, you could have taken him out yourself. There is even a way to shield against firearms, I'll teach both of you soon. And I think I'm going to build a gun myself, it will be an interesting project.

I can't wait to hear from George, I hope everything turned out well at the factory, it started as a raid but now someone is dead and he got involved. That is not what I had in mind, we may be in trouble.'

To be honest, I hadn't looked at it like that. Lukas killed a man, an evil mage to us, but a respectable factory owner to some.

Well, respectable, he did have ten teenagers locked in his basement. Though we couldn't prove to a non-mage that the vile perversion of a node was the cause of the deaths along the river, and if Lukas was arrested, his hoofs were sure to be found and he'd be in a world of trouble. But it would not do for Paul to worry about it, for he had a bullet wound and needed all his energy to get well, so I said to him:

'I'm sure George will do everything in his power to solve this problem,' trying to reassure him, but of course Paul was used to being in control, and trusting someone else was not his strongest proficiency.

Still, there was nothing for it but to stay in bed, stay quiet and heal. He did not even contradict me, which to me was a sign he really wasn't himself. Trying not to worry, I asked: 'Do you want to eat something?'

He replied: 'I do trust George, and he has a lot of influence in the higher circles. It's just that I usually manage quite well on my own. Still it cannot be helped. I'm really hungry, so I'd love some food. Do you think I can get up and shower, to soften up my muscles a little?'

Having no experience with wounds at all, I really didn't know and I suggested: 'Why not wait until Lukas gets back, he's our healer now. I'll get you some food and some coffee here, and we'll laze about until he gets here.' Which Paul accepted, and that worried me even more, letting me boss him around like that. Still, I got us a nice breakfast in bed, and he did eat well and talk lively enough during the meal. After breakfast we cuddled a bit, but anything more was way too painful, so we just left it at that.