[???? Rocket Man – Elton John.]
BRIGHT RED CLAWS sliced in a feral arc for her. But the sudden boom of a man's voice stopped the red tips from meeting with her face. Ravenna blinked.
"STOP, SEKHMET," the bass roared.
All women in front of the cabin recognized the voice. Aya Naamah was first to rush in for the door, yelling out on the top of her lungs. "LORD RAFEL!"
Outside on the porch, Sekhmet dropped her hand but the fury of her blood eyes didn't dim. Rosa, the Detective sidestepped around her and walked in too. Ravenna nodded curtly to the silver haired high witch. She entered also. Sekhmet was the last one in. With a final sigh, she turned to say,
"Thank you, Myreen, for the guests. Keep Blue entertained will you?"
Rafel was sitting in a bamboo chair, watching the ducks play in the water through the open back door when he first heard the sound of the visitors entering. He didn't have to think too long of who it might be as the fragrance of myrtle and jasmine filled his nose seconds later. He watched Aya fly in through the doors. She all but leapt into his arms, hugging him hard.
"Lord Master," she sobbed against his chest.
She sat in his lap and cried. She cried hard.
Rafel felt the tears leaking out into his shirt.
His amber eyes misted up, but he blinked them away. He was a bit surprised when the Detective, Rosamunde Spears walked in and hugged him too. Ravenna was last. She embraced tightly; she kissed his hand and knelt at his feet. "I am so, so glad you're okay. You have no idea how happy I am to see you alive."
She inhaled at his golden skin. She memorized the rugged planes of his body: remembering.
Rafel was flush in the warmth of three beautiful women and their bodies were delightful to his extremity. He errantly let his hand slide down to cup Aya's ass. Oh, he missed this. She was buxom and thick. And she straddled him, nestling her long black braid into his chest. Her full lips scraped his collarbone.
He breathed in her natural scent and noticed she was fairer in lush caramel.
Rafel replied, "It doesn't matter. We will mourn her in the Valhallan rites. Thørsday is a full moon. We will build a pyre for her on the beach and send her off gloriously as the knight she was, into the bright halls of her gods. Her death would not be mocked. She gave her life for me, for all of us, for Emberfall.
The records of the Underworld must attest to it."
In finality, Rafel added, "but we will live to fight another day." Like he hated the subject, he quickly changed it. "I take it you've been on the sea for days now, eh? How about one of Sekhmet's famous goat stew? It would make you wish for a glutton's palate and a dragon's stomach."
His words raised the dour atmosphere.
He touched Aya's nose with his pinky and grinned when she blushed.
"I would very much love a good island dish. God knows I've missed Corynthia. By the Martyr! I do not know how I managed to be away for so long. If it isn't too much of an ask, I would love to stay here a while? Y'all a bunch of nice folk." Rosamunde said aloud.
Everyone laughed.
"Please! You do not need ask!" Sekhmet waved by the mantel. "My house, your house."
Ravenna turned to Rosa with a cheeky stare.
"Another island mantra, I take it?"
Rosamunde nodded, smiling wide. Looking to Rafel, she viewed him as how she had always imagined a Saint looking. The tufts of red hair were added spice. They all glanced to Rafel for the final say. He looked them round; four gorgeous women alone with him on the island. He smiled sinfully.
He had such a beautiful smile.
"You'd get no objection from me!" He held up his hands.
Rosamunde read easily into the risque of his words. As the others went giggling, she was shocked at how excited she was for the first time to share a man. Just happens, he was the fucking Prince of Darkness. A man that would corrupt the holiness and purity right out of her. She didn't mind.