RAFEL WOKE UP FOR AN EARLY BATH the next morning. It was still dark, and he managed by himself to the creek—after fondling about for the skull cane Rosa had lent him of course. The girls were still asleep as he undressed and dipped into the spring.
"I'm so glad for strength this morning. Perhaps, the THING last night with the Detective helped." He said quietly to the Guardian wolf.
The dire breed of blue wolf yipped and ran along the banks. Rafel pulled his head under the crystal water and his red hair went streaming with the rush. It felt exhilarating, and Rafel put it at the back of his mind to learn how to swim. Sekhmet could help; her assets were riverine if anything.
By the time he broke surface again, the first wisps of dawn were hitting the stone bridge overhead.
Rafel remained on the shallow parts of the creek.
"Lord Israfel! My Prince!"
He jerked in the water at the abrupt voice. A beat later, Aya came running out. Her pure iris sparkled. She never got bed head. She was to sexy for that. It was a known statement of lore in Eldorian history that succubi didn't demonstrate some qualities, if it didn't help their sin system.
There's the instance of getting pregnant. Succubi don't. Unless they want to. And since the type of creatures they hitch to are usually [Rank S Hellions] and above, they rarely get the chance to make that choice.
Anyone would tell you: Principalities fucking hate kids.
'Why would I want a little, corrupt prick like myself running around here?' Lord Asmodeus once said. Rafel remembered.
His focus was restored when Aya appeared on the creek's bank. She stood near his clothes as he swam for her. "I checked on you in the basement. It was empty. And I didn't want to assume the worst. I.
. ." She broke off, clutching his clothes tightly to her bosom. "Please, don't just get up and out like that. We just got you back. And the Usurper has a swarm of Spectres and Wraiths, and at least a dozen dragon Familiars patrolling the Cold Sea. Ravenna and I were lucky to find you unspotted."
Rafel reached the bank. Aya quickly offered the cane, and he stood with it.
"I'm alright, Naamah. But it's nice to have such a pretty lady worry about me. I felt like I needed a dip this morning."
It was quite the effort to get into his damn pants, but thankfully his body was beautiful enough to distract Aya's eyes from his wincing. He had sweat on his brow as he fastened the fly. Aya handed him a bathrobe. He wrapped himself in it, and together they watched the sun rise over the island.
'Imagine it's a vacation,' Sekhmet's words filled his head.
A vacation. Right!
Rosa still nobbed Ravenna in the side.
After a delightful deluge of crackers, butter, and tea, Rafel complimented his beautiful cook and was ushered back to bed.
Aya had sneaked a pinch of sleeping opium in his honey. Rafel slept until the evening.
All the women were in agreement that he needed rest, but they all also knew he was a man of war and would not get such rest without a little help. If he knew of their doing, Rafel said nothing of it. Though they had all agreed to take the blame if it came down to it. Knowing their young Lord, he'd probably spank their deviant behinds with a paddle. The punishment alone was excuse to be naughty.
Sekhmet devotedly changed Rafel's bandages, soiled from his creek dip, in his sleep. He was healing nicely. It brought her incomparable joy as his nurse.
It was about the sixth hour past noon when Rafel awoke from sleep. He rubbed his eyes, surprised at himself. It hit him then. They had spiked his tea.
"You little witches!" He faked annoyance at the women who were lined up by his bedside, dressed and ready to go.
They had on delightful boots for the sand and light summer clothing.
Ten short minutes later, Rafel walked down the long beach of island surrounded by four smoking hot broads. Ravenna ran ahead, always the firebird, bending in the tides to discover corals. He rather enjoyed the view of her young ass in her jean knickers. Was she still seventeen?
The orange sun was like an Angel's [Halo Ring]. It made the waters of the sea appear like scarlet shards of a mirror dimension. Rafel remembered the lake in which he had ascended to the mortal plane. It felt distant in his mind. A great shadow fell over them, and they all looked up to Myreen of Thrasos, the red dragon. She hovered above.
Her might of stature shadowed half the entire isle. Blue, the loyal [Guardian] wolf bounded in front with Ravenna. She occasionally tossed a stick for him to go fetch.
Rafel thought, perhaps the wolf preferred a rabbit.
Rafel loved the feel of three women in his arms, around him, their fingers linked, strolling on a paradisical storefront with a stretching ocean that made it seem like they were the only people in the entire world. This alone was a measure of healing. The Underworld didn't have such panorama.
They all stopped when the sun dipped, and Ravenna drew in. Together, they watched the sun set into the blue sea.
In it's vanishing, Rosa turned to watch Rafel from Sekhmet's side. His amber eyes were so full of light. He was a beautiful man. . .creature. She wished above all things his full health restored, which was why she said, "There's a book that can help, my Lord.
It's called the Book of Souls."
Rafel turned from the purple skies.
"Tell me more about this book?"