Cam's Justice

Andrew said, "Just so. Do you need time, or is this something you can do now? The timing is getting rather critical."

Cassia said, "I can do it, it's actually one of the easier wards, to be truthful. It's just time consuming."

Andrew nodded, "Good, the only other task is to be on call for healing, just for the royal family. The coven also provided those services."

We all nodded, "Remuneration?"

He said, "Thirty gold a month, for the service and silence. We'll also advance the gold you need for a residence in the upper-class district and for a proper wardrobe, we can't have the king's favored coven living at the Inn looking like peasants."

I nodded, that was... a fortune. I also didn't take offense at his description, since that's pretty much how we were living, and did look.

Cassia asked, "The spell ward should have a base, to charge all the wards that surrounds the castle?"

Andrew nodded, "In the royal gardens, carved around the base of the statue of the first king of Cyrene."

He opened the top drawer of the desk and pulled out a vial of blood, and then we left the room and headed deeper into the palace...

Chapter Two

There were several hallway doors we passed through, and many of them had guards posted, as we moved toward the rear of the castle and had obviously gone beyond the public spaces. When we walked out of a relatively small and un-adorned door into the outside, we were suddenly surrounded by flowers, small bushes that seemed at the height of flowering, and there were even a few small rows of trees I could see farther out that had purple, yellow, and pink buds on them.

We passed a row that had nothing but roses of several varieties, when something else caught my eye, or perhaps I should say someone. Someone who was on her knees and tending to one of the beds of roses.

She had shiny black gently curly hair that was up in a rude bun. Her hair stuck out in several places, and several loose strands were stuck to the sweat on her cheeks and neck. She'd obviously been working hard through the morning, the red and white dress looked more functional than flattering, and made me guess she was probably the gardener, or one of them. She was a bit of a mess actually, the dress was soaked in a few places, and stuck to her skin in alluring ways.

Despite that, she was one of the loveliest women I'd ever laid eyes on. Her face in profile was stunningly angelic in beauty, soft, with high and small cheekbones. Her skin was a lovely and creamy shade of light brown, and the sweat on her neck just made the alluring soft curve of her neck and shoulders stand out in the glistening light of the sun. Her lips were full, slightly bowed giving the bottom lip a slight pouty look.

Her body was voluptuously waspish, she was as sumptuous as my mates, with D sized breasts, and with a juicy rounded ass that couldn't possibly fail to draw my eyes. My ladies were more toned and had sharper curves, but she was far from overweight, she had a few extra pounds, but they were all in the right places, giving her a ripe and soft full figure that was mouthwatering.

At a guess, she'd be about five foot seven if she stood up, and when she turned her head at the sound of our passage, I saw a startled look in her vivid dark blue eyes as she looked up into my face, which I imagined was filled with openly frank regard. In short, she totally busted me checking her out. Being rather confident, I gave her a wink that made her roll her eyes but also put a smile on her face, before I faced forward again and followed Andrew several more rows out before we made a left.

I could also feel Faith's amusement, no doubt she'd detected my surge of interest back there. Or perhaps, more than a surge, because my mind continued to linger on those curves, and her stunningly beautiful face. If that's what she looked like covered in sweat with no makeup, I couldn't even imagine how exquisite she'd look in a fancy dress and makeup.

The garden was vast, and we went another fifty feet or so before we stopped at a rather thick and secluded part of the garden that contained a marble statue of the first king, surrounded by walls of blooming and rather tall bushes.

Andrew handed the vial to Cassia.

"This is the royal only section of the palace, and the guards will stop you if you try to look around. I know this will take a while, and I have work elsewhere," he looked at me and Faith, "You can look around the garden if you wish, while Cassia takes care of the ward, but do not attempt to leave it."

I nodded, "We understand."

Andrew looked at Cassia, "This is perhaps rude, but it may help to prevent misunderstandings that would be rather dire in nature. We want this partnership to work. We are very careful about what happens to our blood, I'd advise against trying to take any you have left with you when you're finished."

Cassia nodded politely, "I understand, you really don't want a witch walking off with your blood."

Andrew laughed just as politely, "Very well, I'll leave you to it. If you're finished before I get back, just move back to the door we came out of, and someone will notice and call for me to escort you back out."

At that, the seneschal turned and left us to our own devices.

"So, how does this work exactly?"

Cassia said, "Nature, always nature as a witch. The natural world, our world, has barriers to separate us from other realms and dimensions. A sorcerer draws power by ripping a hole in the natural world, and by drawing their unnatural to this world power from the four elemental planes. The ward is much like a shield, it preserves the natural order, which is to have a barrier.

"There's even a temporary spell in the tomes, to temporarily shield a sorcerer to grabbing their power. This ward, or shield if you prefer, is of course much bigger, and it's defined by magic imbued into the stones and ward devices that surround the castle area. This statue is like a nexus, all the separate wards and magic is connected as one shield, so I need to recast it here at the nexus, which will in return reapply the magic in all the surrounding wards.

"That's about as basic as I can get with the explanation, and in truth it's much more complicated than that. You won't be ready to help me with it for a couple of years."

I nodded, "Fair enough, I sort of get it though, if not exactly how."

She smirked, "If you get bored, you can always go check out the roses."

Faith giggled, and I could feel both her amusement and her love for me spike.

"So, you noticed that, did you?"

Cassia grinned, "I am a witch, did you forget? Plus, I always have a magical eye on you, my mate. I also don't have a problem with it, I'm just teasing. I'll be safe enough in the heart of the palace, with Faith to look over me, if you want to take your chances."

Ouch. Teasing wench.

"Are you saying I'm underfoot?"

Cassia's lips twitched, but there was as much apology in her eyes as there was amusement, "I'd never say that, my mate. I just know who my mate is, and no woman has caught your eye like that since Lysa. You normally don't even notice them panting over you, with the two of us present."

That was true enough, I usually focused my insane libido on my mates, and the coterie, not random woman that wouldn't make a good fit. Plus, my mates continuously drew and caught my eye, I loved them after all.

I didn't judge anyone for what they did, but in truth I was looking for more woman of power, not merchants, servants, or... gardeners. My coterie had value beyond merely feeding my personal power through sexual relations. Still, we had three hours to kill, and we'd be doing this every week, so why the hell not? I'd still get energy, and perhaps have a delightful time.

I knew that sounded horrible and shallow, but I truly wouldn't bed the woman if she was less than attractive on the inside, not just for a hot body and a pretty face. It might also have been a bit arrogant, and I knew she got a choice too, but I had certain advantages when it came to wooing woman into my arms, and my bed. There was also the small matter of only getting to see her once a week, I wasn't sure if she or I would go for that, assuming she went for anything at all. No woman had ever said no to me, but I was sure there'd be one... eventually.

There was of course, also the risk of the king catching me fucking one of his gardeners among the flowers if he decided to take his lady queen for a walk in their private garden. Although, that risk was low, I doubted he'd come out here while the privacy of his garden was invaded by witches, and a sexy as hell shifter.

I let it swirl inside my mind, while I watched Cassia carefully pry open the vial of blood, and then start to dab drops of it in certain places among the carved witch runes on the statue's base. I knew that was a way for the shield to know who to let access the other planes without interference, the blood must've been a mixture of the entire royal family, but I had no idea how, and I didn't want to distract Cassia with more questions. It'd already take the entire morning, about three hours, and I didn't want to extend that even further, or worse, distract her at the wrong moment. For all I knew she was already casting, and she had a secondary key thought in her head related to the blood. Witchcraft wasn't easy, or even safe.

Faith gave me another amused look, and I just rolled my eyes and let out a silent sigh, then I started to retrace my steps. My shifter mate was right of course, I was just wasting time, I already knew I wanted her, I'd wanted her from the first moment I'd seen her alluringly perfect and creamy light brown complexion glistening in the sunlight.

It only took me a minute or so, and the lovely gardener was in the exact same place, or so it seemed to me. I approached her down the aisle, and I saw her look up a bit warily, but she didn't look afraid. I stopped a good ten feet away from her, she was on her knees and at an obvious disadvantage, I didn't want to intimidate or loom over her at all, and that was close enough for my pheromones to make themselves known. It wouldn't get her in bed, but it might make her more open to the idea of at least talking to me in these opening moves of the dance, so to speak.

"Good morning. I'm Cam," I said politely, while looking into those startlingly vivid dark blue eyes, that seemed familiar to me for some reason. I held them for a second or two too long, then looked at the rose bed at her knees.

She asked coolly, "What are you doing here, exactly?"

I gave her my best smile, "We're the new coven fixing the wards, though my mate Cassia is the only one familiar enough with the complexities at this point to make that happen."

Not that we even had a coven name, and the whole idea of a coven of just two witches made the designation further suspect, but it made sense to present ourselves that way, to hide the other half of my heritage.

She tilted her head, "My..." she trailed off for some reason I couldn't discern, and looked up into my eyes, then said, "I'm Tammy, and this place is my passion. I wasn't told that was happening today, or you wouldn't have seen me. Your mate?" she asked in a tone clearly wondering what I was doing there, talking to her.

I nodded. Perhaps it was a bit odd to start a seduction by dropping the fact I had a mate, but sneaking around felt wrong, if this had any chance of working beyond once, to start a true affair of sorts, she needed to know the truth of things. I may have been somewhat of a slut with my libido, but I wasn't an asshole. Even the former wasn't quite true, I was quite selective, and Tammy was only the fourth woman to draw my serious interest in the last three weeks.

"Both of them actually, my other mate watches over her while she casts. My relationship requirements are rather, unique, and they're not jealous women."

She looked somewhere between shocked, amused, and indignant, though it was also clear my looks, pheromones, and confident voice was already having an effect on her state. She was attracted to me, that was clear enough.

"So, you're here talking to me because?"

I replied, "I didn't want to be a distraction back there. I'd hoped we could talk, and I will admit your beauty did catch my eye on the walk out here. You work in the garden long?"

She looked startled for a second by that question, then for some reason I couldn't discern, she smiled mysteriously and stood up.

"You could say that, since I could walk. The position is... hereditary to a certain extent, my mother worked the gardens before me."

There was amusement there again, and I had no idea why, but I was dying to find out. She had a cultured voice that was quite pleasant, and a calm confidence that said she belonged among the flowers and I was the trespasser in her domain. Of course, her aplomb wasn't all that much of a surprise, I imagined the castle servants were a cut above those found elsewhere.

I took a step forward, and held out my hand, "It's nice to meet you, Tammy."

She looked startled again, at my gesture, but then bemused as she stepped forward and put her hand in mine. I lifted it slowly without gripping, so she could easily abort if she wished, and then gently kissed the back of her hands, with dry lips and a light stroke. Her feminine scent was lovely, even the sweat added to its allure, and her skin tasted delicious on my lips. She may have been sweaty, and a little covered in soil, but she was clean.

Of course, I also saw double, as the vision of her greatest sexual fantasy played in my head, which was the true point of the gallant gesture of greeting. The vision raced through my head as I slowly released her hand.

She was dressed in a simple thin cotton dress that was quite alluring, and I was unsurprised to see it was white and covered by flowers, a reminder perhaps and a way of putting her passion of flowers into her fantasy, in her mind. There was an intimate dinner table for two, candlelight, and a faceless man sat across from her and was totally smitten with her looks, body, and their shared words. It moved on from there, to quite a passionate claiming, and at the end they were cuddled up and he held and cherished her.

A lot of that was my interpretation, based on the emotions and longings I felt from her. In short, she wanted to be seen for the lovely woman she was, not what she did or her station in life. She wanted a man that saw her, not the trappings of her life, and that included her body and sex appeal. She wanted to be irresistible to a man, from the shallow attraction of her nubile sexy body, to the thoughts in her head, and the emotions in her heart. Nothing less, and nothing more than all she was.

She was a stunning woman, and I thought that sexual fantasy odd, what man wouldn't see her for her obvious charms, but then I considered her working in the castle. I imagined most of the men she ran into were noble or royal, and didn't see her at all, most nobles and royals didn't see servants at all, just what they did, and usually even that only when it was done wrong. They certainly didn't seek their opinions or thoughts.

At least, that's what I saw in her on that day, and the interpretation I made.

The main part wasn't in doubt, she wanted to be seduced and swept away, by a man that was enamored by her and only her. It wasn't all that different from Cassia's vision, except perhaps a bit more submissive in nature.

That fantasy also worked very well for me, since my eyes had definitely been on her and only her as we shared a short gaze, before she looked away and took her hand back. Of course, despite that the fantasy was only one dimension of her life and personality, I could be that man that seduced her and fulfilled that fantasy, but what came after that in her mind? If she wouldn't consider a limited affair of the heart, it wouldn't work at all.

She said with a soft smile, "It's nice to meet you too, Cam."

"You are a stunning woman, Tammy."

She looked pleased, scandalized, and a bit breathless for a moment.

I decided I was moving far too fast, and took a small step back, both literally and figuratively. That seduction wasn't going to be some deal or alliance, some fuck of convenience for power and sex in trade to start, she wanted to be seduced and swept away, not bartered with. The compliment was a good start though, and I had three hours, or at least I hoped I did.

I looked into her eyes a little too long again, then subtly dropped my eyes lower before I looked away. I didn't leer, but I was obvious enough to get caught admiring her full, voluptuous, and mouthwatering figure. Her tiny waist made her more waspish than hourglass, and I imagined my hands there.

She asked curiously, "You mentioned earlier, unique relationship requirements? What would those be?"

I nodded easily, "Yes, it's a bit complicated, but I require more than one lover. Both of them became my mates, but I have one other lover who is... not. I generally don't have wandering eyes, but you quite took my breath away this morning. It's, a part of who I am."

I wasn't being deliberate obtuse, but it occurred to me telling the palace servant I was part sex-demon would be a good way to get my head separated from my shoulders, should she pass that information along.

She shook her head, "I should be shocked, but there is something about you. Compelling."

She blushed, but stared into my eyes, both bold and slightly shocked at herself for saying so.

"I don't suppose you have time to give me a tour of the garden? I'd also like to learn more about you, if that isn't too forward?"

I gave her a way out with that last, but I spoke so confidently she knew I didn't expect her to take it. I'd practically trumpeted my intentions to seduce her, but I'd also take my time to feel things out from there on out. The last thing I wanted to do was poison our relationship with the royal family, Tammy may be a servant, but no doubt the king and queen had watched the woman grow up, and was fond of her.

She bit her lip, "I really shouldn't, but I will. I'm curious about you, and never met anyone... quite like you, before."

She looked startled again, when I held out her arm, she obviously wasn't used to gestures that invited touching, though I couldn't imagine why. Every male servant in the castle must've been panting after her, though that was just my opinion perhaps, she truly was breathtaking.

She got a daring look on her face as she took my arm, and then led me down the row, pointing out all the flowers, which was obviously and truly one of her passions in life. The garden wasn't just a job to her in the least, a rarity in this world, she truly loved her work and showing it off. She grew more animated and relaxed with her hand on my arm as the morning moved on, and I learned a few things about her.

She'd grown up in the palace, and she told me a lot of the servants there were multi-generational and treated well by the royal family, as long as their work met a certain level of competency they were respected and taken care of. She took my scattered compliments and probing questions in stride, and also asked some of her own. She was a bit fascinated by the fact I'd grown up on the farm, and she'd insisted on a rather detailed account even as she answered my own questions.

Of course, the whole time we were talking and getting to know one another, her arm on me and her close proximity also helped a great deal with the wooing, including my pheromones, physique, and never to be discounted with a woman, my confidence. I didn't feel guilty at all, by the third row she knew exactly what I was offering, and knew I'd only be there a few hours once a week, that I already had two mates and a third lover, and based on her answers, I knew there was no way she'd give up her life at the palace to follow me home.