Chayton sat with the appointed leader of the human settlement. Martin was a strong man, well built and of enviable intelligence. He had come to him and Keira to affiliate his settlement with their clan in order to have extra protection.

As it turned out, it had been a very wise decision, and now that things were about to go awry, something had to be done.

Keira was a good leader, but Chayton was the one who gathered all the information. And for a while now, he had been monitoring the leader of a major clan due West of theirs which shared borders with the human settlement of some sides. He had heard that the leader was a ruthless witch who had some original magic tricks she used to get people to do what she wanted. All the while, she had been a person of interest at best - someone to be monitored, just in case. Now, things had changed, and Keira would have to be brought into the mix. He sighed as he listened to Martin's account of their meeting with the vampire Silas.

Chayton had gone to the settlement that morning to inform Martin that he had taken care of the rogue shifter. It had been intended to arouse a sense of celebration, but he had been taken aback by the lukewarm reception. Upon inquiry, he had been told of the August visitor they had received.

The settlement was not very large, but the land they occupied was. Granted, they fully intended to spread, but it was obvious their neighbor thought them too small to deserve such space. She had instructed the vampire to inform them of her intention to add them to her territory. They were to swear fealty to her, whatever that meant. Martin's attempt at bravado was interesting to watch, but Chayton could see that the man was visibly shaken.

Not many humans had come in contact with vampires as the few who had, usually didn't live to tell the story. Usually, standard pack affiliated shifters had a soft spot for humans although some rogue shifters proved to be problematic for anyone but themselves. Vampires on the other hand needed the humans for food. Granted, some of them had resigned themselves to alternative means of sustenance, but every now and then, it was not uncommon to hear of a human found dead and drained of blood. Chayton related well with few vampires. They were parasites.

It was, therefore, not surprising that Martin was shaken by the vampire's visit. But even worse, was the fact that the vampire had been sent by the witch he had been monitoring. He sighed, he had kept her dealings away from Keira for long enough.

"I told him we wouldn't sign or swear to anything/anyone. The vampire left quietly, but I could read the malice in his eyes. Whether it was because he was going to have to deliver bad news to his mistress or simply because I had refused, but we need to be vigilant."

Chayton listened to him contemplatively, taking in his every word. The only problem he could see was the anger he was going to have to face when he told Keira of the activities he had been aware of that she hadn't. He sighed. From the moment he had begun his secret watch, he had known he would one day need to tell Keira. It seemed as though the day had come faster than he expected.

As Martin spoke, he examined the man who sat before him. The creature who stood before him. He looked like a man, but he most certainly wasn't. Shifters were among the more friendly paranormal creatures, but even then, many humans had a healthy fear of them.

The one who sat before him now was very enigmatic. His long hair shrouded his face, casting shadows in ways that intimidated even though they weren't intended to. He hardly spoke, and when he did, it was very insightful as it seemed he had taken his time to contemplate on everything. He seemed to have a very soft spot for humans and had been very upset at the sudden disappearances of the humans taken by the rogue shifter. He had been more than happy to go after the vermin. His mate, the witch Keira was equally as nice even though they had only met a handful of times. In essence, he was very glad that he and his people had decided to settle here of all places they could have picked. Or he had been very glad at least. Now? He wasn't quite sure anymore.

"So what are we going to do? The people are scared. The vampire's arrival here caused quite a scare. The people are used to witches and shifters. But that was the first time a vampire was entering the settlement. It's caused quite a stir. People are asking questions I can't answer in good faith. You're our only hope Chayton."

Chayton nodded. Times like this, he was usually quiet and contemplative. People usually mistook this for brooding - and many at times it was - but usually, he just didn't have any input yet and wanted to turn it over in his head a bit more. The latter was the case now.

Granted, they had agreed to protect the humans if the need arose. And this was a need. And due to their agreement, the humans were, in a matter of speaking, part of their clan. So wasn't she just making a move against them? This was why he liked to think first before he spoke. Everything was forming in his mind, and he was having a clearer picture of the issue. He knew what he would do, but first, he had to speak to Keira.

A young human girl walked up to him with a bouquet of flowers, and he took it from her smiling. It was clear that she had been put up to it by some adults and though he couldn't see them, he could smell their slightly earthy sent just outside the door and almost heard their excited whispers. He laughed, and Martin managed a small smile.

"They are scared, but your presence here brings them hope Chayton."

Chayton nodded. It was a twist of good fate if he were, to be honest. From what he could tell, it was a very rich bouquet, and Keira would love it and maybe, just maybe, not kill him when she learned of what was happening

I don't think the flowers will help anything other than as adornment for your grave. A small voice mocking voice told him, but he shoved it aside.

He got up, and Martin got up with him, and they walked towards Chayton's car.

Before he entered, Martin suddenly grabbed Chayton's arm. The human was strong; he would have made a powerful shifter, Chayton admitted this fact to himself.

"You made us a promise Chayton. This woman is...well, fierce. You've heard the tales" He said, a slight quiver in his voice.

Chayton nodded at him and slid into his vehicle, keeping the bouquet beside him.

As he drove off, he couldn't help but wonder what Keira's reaction would be.

* * *

The sound of the vibration wafted massaged her even before the toy touched her. She had been right, the girl was quite adept with her tongue and as it turned out, sex toys as well.

Her second orgasm had been more intense than the first, but she wasn't satisfied. She motioned for the man who stood beside the bed to join them. He was only too eager too and soon; she was having her breasts sucked by the young witch and the man. She arched her back as the man's strong hands caressed her body all over. Yes, this was the balance she'd been searching for. She reached for the man and pulled him up to her face, crushing his lips into hers and biting hard till she felt blood. The man hardly even flinched. She licked the blood clean as her tongue found its way into his mouth.

She spread her legs then, as she felt the girl settle in between them. She needed her to have unrestricted access. The vibration has begun again.

The young witch loved the fact that she had been selected pleasure the mistress and to her, it was a great honor. One she has no intention of allowing to go to waste. Being in the mistress's good graces was something that everyone who was still in control of their own mind aspired for. If they erred in any way, they knew that the mistress would relieve them of that ability.

She was glad that she was having the desired effect on her. The sheets underneath her were, wet with her own essence. It was normal for the mistress not to give pleasure, and it was expected. She received it.

The young witch didn't mind anyway, giving pleasure had its own rewards. She eyed the man whose lips the mistress was now engulfed with any rolled her eyes. She caught herself in time, chastising herself for rolling her eyes at all. What had she been thinking?

She slid a finger into the mistresses slippery entrance and gently massaged the ridges till she heard a satisfied gasp. She brought the toy closer and gently placed it on the erect nub, avoiding direct contact because she knew how sensitive it was bound to be after two orgasms.

A few seconds later, she saw the man move and knew he was getting in position to slide into the mistress. She sighed as she adjusted her position so they could all be comfortable.

As he slipped in, she replaced the vibrator on the mistresses pleasure bud as she reached for breast and covered the nipple with her mouth. The sound of the mistress' moan created a heady feeling, and she intensified her efforts. The man's grunts were becoming more frantic, and she could tell that the vibration was affecting him as well. It was all good, as long as he didn't spend an eternity atop the mistress.

She was surprised that she felt so territorial, but it was all the same, she had discovered early on that she was a jealous lover.

By now, the Edrea was moving her hips in time with the man's thrusts and harder into vibration. This was the one. The big one. She anticipated the orgasm as the man quickened his thrusts. She didn't mind him expelling his seed into her. No child could grow inside her unless she wished it so and so far, she had not come across anyone she could let knock her up.

The young witch was doing wonders with the toy, and her tongue on her nipples was wonderful. She grabbed her and kissed her, sucking on the young girl's tongue hard and with urgency. She deepened the kiss, and the orgasm neared, and her movements became more frantic

When it hit she uttered a piercing scream and grabbed the man's butt urging him down closer and deeper inside her even as his own orgasm came and his seed gushed inside her.

The young witch kept the vibrator gently on the nub as Edrea writhed underneath the man. Then when she began to calm down, she withdrew the toy as the man stood up, going for it his place beside the bed.

"You did well," Edrea said as she gasped for breath and waved her away. The young witch's smile was too large for her face and split it in half. She turned to go, but then the mistress' voice stopped her short.

"Next time, don't roll your eyes at me or anyone I'm with."

The witch froze, and her blood ran cold. She had seen her. People had lost their lives for less serious reasons. As she walked away, she could tell that the only reason she was alive was because of her ability in the sheets and she had never been more grateful.

Edrea watched her leave and battled with the need to strike her down. But she pushed it aside. Maybe not all misbehavior needed to be punished. She closed her eyes and stretched out. She had absolutely needed that. For two days she has resigned herself to her divination room to plan her next course of action, but it had become increasingly apparent what she needed to do. It was the first thing that had occurred to her. She needed to make some examples of the leader of the settlement. When he was gone, the other would fall in line. Anyone who tried to defend him would only fall with him.

She laughed as she stretched once more, feeling absolutely relaxed. She hadn't needed two days to come up with that solution. But the mere fact that it took two days meant that it was the absolute best decision.

Edrea already knew how it would go down. Her seven ranking men in her Harem would be dispersed to the settlement to cause as much chaos as possible and capture the leader. He would be killed in her house. Palace. A small voice reminded her, and she chuckled. Wasn't that the hard truth? She was a goddess.

She knew it, and soon, so would everyone else.

* * *

"What?"

Chayton looked at her squarely, not blinking. He had expected this reaction from her, so he wasn't caught off guard. He stared at her, waiting for the chewing out that was to come.

"I know about the major clan and its crazy leader."

Now he was caught off guard. He blinked twice, a quizzical look spread all over his face, and he looked around the room as though the walls held some sort of answers to his questions.

Here he was thinking he'd just dropped a bomb on her by giving her some never before heard information and here she was telling him that she was already aware. Now he was the one who needed to sit down.

"You knew?"

"Duh. I'm the leader of this clan; you don't think I monitor the other clans around? Come on, give me some credit" she said, looking up at him from where she sat at the table. He was standing and staring at her in disbelief, and she felt slightly stung that he even had any reason to doubt that she would know about something as important as a tyrannical witch two settlements away. Just what kind of leader would she be if she didn't know?

The look of disbelief gradually melted away to give way for amazement, but despite how flattering it was, she still didn't like the fact that he even considered a possibility where she didn't already know

Granted, this was the first she was hearing of a territory expansion attempt, but that much was news, but the rest of it was something she already knew.

Yes, the witch had come to her notice when another clan leader had complained about her leeching off his land as a result of a technicality in their agreement.

She was an extremely powerful witch according to what she had heard, and so not many people would dream of going up against her. She was also rumored to use some original spell of her own creation to keep her minions in place. The place being, directly under her feet.

Keira proceeded to relay the information she had gathered on the witch.

Chayton listened attentively, noting that everything she was saying was exactly what he had been planning to tell her and then some. It was amazing. She was amazing. Now he could see how silly it was for him to assume she didn't know what was happening just because she didn't talk about it. She had her ears to the ground. She had a healthy level of skepticism as every leader was supposed to. He was so impressed with her. As he listened, it turned out she even knew of some shenanigans he had not heard of, and he finally sat down.

"So that's it. Anything I don't know that you'd like to tell me?" she asked and he almost laughed.

"Tell you? You've told me things I didn't even know. How do you do it?" he asked, reaching out and grabbing her hand. He was very happy that he would not be getting the ugly side of the stick today because she was guilty of hiding information just as he was. They couldn't blame each other for keeping it low-key. Even though there had to be people in the clan who knew about the maniac witch, still, it was best to keep it the stuff of rumors than to validate it by openly declaring their suspicions. He sighed, they'd both been trying to do the right thing.

"I know. I know. You're a very lucky man" she said smiling, and he nodded. Indeed he was.

The stared at each other for a while and then she remembered what they were talking about.

"The crisis at hand, it seems, cannot be averted. I suggest we send some people to the watch and ask that she back off. The humans are under our protection, so in a way, they are part of our territory. If she makes a move on them, she makes one on us."

Chayton couldn't have agreed more. Hadn't he been thinking the same thing earlier?

"I don't know her to her a very reasonable person Keira. Do you really think that's wise? We would essentially be putting the person's life in her hand."

Keira nodded. He had a point.

"In that case, I will be the one to go," she said simply. She lifted an eyebrow when Chayton didn't react in shock as she has expected.

"You're not going to stop me?" she asked, eyeing him curiously.

He chuckled, "Like I could even if I wanted to. You've forgotten just how well I know you haven't you?" he asked and she smiled.

"I am not going to stop you because I am going with you."

He watched her and asked, "You're not shocked either?"

Keira shrugged and smiled "what can I say. I know my man."

They laughed then.

Keira was glad that even with imminent disaster, they could still afford to laugh over the issue. She felt more confident anytime he was around, and she knew that if he went with her to the parlay, even if things went sideways, they would have each other's backs. Plus, her people would not be completely without help, she had trustworthy men and women to entrust their care to. She and Chatyton were prepared for such a scenario where it happened that they were captured or incapacitated. Planning ahead was another thing amongst so many that they had in common.

So it was decided. They would go to the impromptu parlay together.

In times to come, they would admit that this was the point where their relationship fully matured. The point where they realized just how much they had each other's backs.