CHAPTER 26
~ Sisterhood ~
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Five days later finds Callie in the gym of their home at seven A.M. The new mother is punching the heavy bag to release some of her pent up frustration. The triad has been home for five days and both of her males have taken to fatherhood like a duck to water, and Callie has no doubt that either male would protect her child as ferociously as they would protect her. This change in her males has warmed Callie’s heart and allowed her libido to begin to fire on all eight cylinders.
In fact, the trio has made love many times. Despite their new closeness, Callie is still only comfortable with taking one male into her body at a time. That’s not to say she hasn’t enjoyed being taken by one while she sucks off the other. She chuckles, it turns out that shy and reserved Callie Boyd very much enjoys the feel and taste of a man’s cock in her mouth. And she has indeed enjoyed sucking Kazar off a few times while Nyle took his ass. But if Callie is honest, she prefers to watch Nyle and Kazar rather than be an active participant. Their loving is so natural, carnal, primal, and unrestrained. Those two have a raw, savage connection that she has yet to experience with her mates. She longs to make love with both of them at the same time, but she fears anal sex and that is the only way she can truly make love with both of her mates at once. Nyle insists it is also the only way to cement the mating bond between the Triad.
And yet, Callie stubbornly resists taking that final step because of her childish fears. Anger at herself and the situation is what has driven Callie to the gym today to vent her frustrations upon the heavy bag. Smacking the sand filled bag seemed a good fit as she has some experience punching a bag in a gym after taking self-defense and kick boxing classes. As a single woman living alone, it had always seemed prudent to learn to defend herself. Sadly, her training and willingness to fight back did nothing to protect her from the savage attack of a vampire dimensional jumper. She shakes her head in an effort to drive those horrifying memories from her mind and lands a series of vicious punches and kicks to the bag. With each blow, she fervently wishes it was her attacker and not a harmless sand filled leather bag.
“Dayyyum gurl, which one of your males are you imagining that bag to be?” a welcome and familiar voice asks from behind. Callie reaches out to settle the heavy bag before turning to face Susie. She has become a regular visitor to the triad’s home since Clara’s birth. The vivacious club girl is struggling with some inner turmoil and Callie desperately wants to be her friend. She wants to support her just as Susie has been a shoulder to lean upon from the day the women first met.
Callie can’t help but chuckle at Susie’s assumption that she is angry at Nyle or Kazar. “Neither,” she denies before confessing the truth. “That last series of punches and kicks were for Finn Connor.” She walks over to scoop up her water bottle and downs half the contents before using her towel to wipe sweat from her face and neck. Turning to face her friend, she plants her hands on her hips and admits, “Sometimes, I am still overwhelmed with a sense of helpless terror when I recall what he did to me that night. And every single time it happens, I get pissed off. Savagely pissed off.” As though to verify the feral nature of her anger, Callie’s eyes glow red and the pupils elongate slightly. However, since it is her friend before her and not that bastard Connor, her eyes instantly return to their normal lovely whisky brown shade. In fact, the shift was so quick, Susie wonders if she imagined it.
“That’s a good thing,” Susie says with an emphatic nod and serious expression on her lovely face. “At least in my opinion. No one ever should ever have to endure what was done to you that night in that alley.” Susie smiles warmly at her friend. “Callie, being pissed off at that vile bastard is perfectly healthy. In fact, I’d be more concerned if you were drowning in feelings of shame or fear instead of roiling with fury over that night.”
Callie chuckles dryly and tosses her towel into the basket in the corner of the room before taking another pull from the water bottle. “Nah. I mean yeah, coming face to face with Finn Connor is not on my list of things I want to do again, ever. But being attacked by Connor doesn’t make me feel shame…” she covers her face as though embarrassed. “Shame only crops up in connection to sex with my males.”
Susie suppresses a gasp over this admission. She has seen the males with Callie and she knows they adore her and would do anything in their power to put her at ease. Callie doesn’t seem to notice Susie’s reaction as she continues explaining herself to her young friend. “Apparently, the sheltered life I had chosen to lead after two failed relationships, one that began in high school and another that began during my later college years, has left me with so little experience that I am struggling to embrace my own sexuality.”
Susie leads Callie over to a bench along one wall and bids her friend to sit. “How so? I mean, do you experience flashbacks or something?”
Callie shakes her head and drains the bottle of water. “Nope. Nothing like that. I’m good with sex with my males. I love it, in fact.” Her wide smile is wholly genuine as she admits this. “I’ve never felt closer to anyone, ever, than I do when we make love.” If her friend wasn’t obviously struggling with something, Susie would be smirking over the dreamy expression on Callie’s face as she admits this. But one look at the older woman’s hands, which have begun squeezing and releasing the empty plastic bottle in her hands, tell her now is not the time. Instead of meeting her friend’s gaze, Callie looks down to watch and listen to the crackling, popping sounds of the plastic yielding under her grip as though the act holds her in rapt fascination.
Susie knows the woman is simply avoiding talking about whatever it is that makes her experience shame in her interactions with her mates. The wise club girl nudges her gently with her elbow and Callie looks up to meet her friend’s open and accepting expression. “Hey lady, just about everyone deals with sexual hang ups at one time or another.” She pats Callie’s hand which is clenched around the water bottle. “Let me help you isolate your biggest hang up and then you can decide whether or not it is a big enough problem that you have to face it. If so, I will help you all that I can.” Her smile is genuine when she admits; “I have my own… issues, which I am dealing with. Believe me, no one is truly hang up free.”
Callie chuckles while shaking her head in disbelief. “Not you. I’ve seen you with the men at the MC. You are sexual confidence personified.”
Susie shakes her head. “No, no I am not.” Callie hears some old, well-hidden pain in her friend’s voice and longs to reach out to offer assurance and comfort. But she realizes this isn’t the right moment for that. Susie is trying to help a friend, not offering to bare her own soul. “I am just well-practiced in the art of flirting.” Now it is Susie’s turn to look away from her friend. “I have my own issues, Callie. I won’t go into a lot of detail right now, but suffice it to say that I love sex and have indulged whenever the mood strikes me.” The club girl meets her friend’s eyes again, and finds nothing but friendship there. “Listen, that freedom to indulge so freely comes at a cost.” She looks around the room as though to make certain that they are alone. If word of what she is about to admit got back to the males at the MC, they would all treat her differently and she cannot allow that to happen.
“Normally, I am perfectly happy with vanilla sex, but I especially revel in rough sex, and multiple partners – males only though.” She giggles playfully. “I just can’t work up the tiniest bit of sexual interest in another woman. It just isn’t my thing. But I am usually open to just about anything else.” She smiles sadly and admits; “Most of the time my submissive masochistic side is fairly dormant, but at times… I need…” she licks her lips and blushes. She closes her eyes as though making her admissions without looking at Callie’s face will somehow be easier. “At times, I need to be hurt. I need to be subjugated, not just dominated, but wholly vanquished and domineered by a strong male or males. In those times, I thrive on heavy pain and intense degradation. It gets me off like nothing else. But only every now and again.” The younger blond woman finally opens her eyes as she lifts her left shoulder in a well-practiced imitation of a careless shrug, but Callie can see this confession has cost Susie dearly.
While Callie cannot imagine finding degradation and pain sexually satisfying, she holds no judgement in her mind over Susie’s admission. After all, how many women get off on watching two males have sex even more than she enjoys actually having sex? Callie suspects it is her own fears and hang ups that make her want to watch rather than play, but who’s to say if that’s right or not?
“You see, Callie, we all have hang ups.” The older woman nods, her own thoughts seem to confirm that assertion. “I’d be willing to bet my brand new red Gucci handbag and matching platform stilettos with the cute peep toes and sexy ankle straps that your hang up isn’t nearly the confusing puzzle to sort out as mine are.” She reaches out to pat the older woman’s lycra covered knee. “So, spill sweetie. I promise anything you say will not be repeated by me, under any circumstances. And if I cannot help you sort out your hang up, I will help you find the answers you need.”
Callie cannot help but be amused by Susie’s vivid and loving description of the new red shoes she was wearing the day the Triad left the MC to return to their home. Being a woman who has made her living off other women’s love of beautiful vintage clothing, Callie can’t help but appreciate the sentiment, even if she doesn’t share the desire for sexy, designer clothing and accessories. But Callie is also wise enough to recognize the off handed wager as a skillful bit of deflection. Susie is not yet ready to fully confront her own demons, and Callie hopes that when the time is right, the young doctorate student will reach out for the support she needs. She resolves in that moment to always do her best to be a good friend to Susie Williams. A beautiful, smart, and well educated young woman such as Susie probably tends to put many other women on guard. Not through her actions or attitude, but simply by virtue of her beauty and accomplishments. Callie has always been a watcher of human interactions, and has seen the pattern countless times before.
Yes, no doubt about it. Susie needs a genuine, non-competing friend. Callie knows she is just the gal for the job. She realizes one of the best ways to prove that to Susie in this moment is to be completely honest with her. To expose her “shame” to her friend. “Uh… my hang up is apparently anal sex,” Callie says quietly as her former confidence wafts away in the ether with that confession. “I just can’t bring myself to even try it. The thought of letting my males touch me that way terrifies me.”
“Ooooh,” Susie says thoughtfully. “I’m betting that a Triad mating requires DP to consummate the bond… am I right?”
“DP?” Callie’s confusion is plainly written on her face.
Susie giggles softly. “Sorry. DP stands for double penetration. Which is, of course, a real issue for someone who is not into anal play.”
“Yep, that pretty much sums it up,” Callie whispers dejectedly, looking away to hide her feelings of inadequacy.
“Do you trust them? I mean do you really trust your mates to never harm you in any way?”
“I do,” Callie admits without looking at her friend. “But I’ve seen Nyle take Kazar…” She blushes furiously and looks down at her hands. “It’s hot. Really, really hot. I love watching my males love each other, but I am not sure that I can let either of them do… that… to me.” She nervously licks her lips as her lower belly tightens simply at the thought of the savage beauty of her males when they are with each other that way, leaving Callie to watch, enraptured by their overt masculinity and feral carnality.
“Ahhh, I see,” Susie says thoughtfully, but Callie wonders if her friend truly does see. Probably not, since Callie cannot bring herself to be entirely honest with her friend. It’s not just the possibility of pain from anal sex that causes Callie’s reluctance. While pain doesn’t excite Callie, it doesn’t really dampen her libido either. Perhaps, it is the very nature of the connection between Kazar and Nyle that has her paralyzed at the prospect of participating in anal sex. After all, they are always restrained, careful and gentle with Callie, but with each other they never hold anything back. They don’t have to. As two physically imposing males, with masculine needs and interests, they can just let themselves go, but are seemingly unwilling or unable to do so with Callie.
Callie realizes she must face the facts here, and not blame this on her males. No, her reluctance seems to boil down to her own weak opinion of herself. After all, right now she is the unique one in their triad relationship… the only vagina in the equation. What will happen to their triad if she engages in anal sex, and they all discover she just isn’t that good at it? What if anal sex with her doesn’t measure up to sex between her males? Perhaps, more importantly, does anal sex with a female even compare to anal sex with a male? Can she stack up? After all, she’s very female. She’s soft, rounded, and sleek where they are hard contours, well-honed planes, and muscled perfection. They are so very different, and not just physically. She has been known to cry when angry, frustrated, happy, and most definitely when sad. Face it, she’s feminine, whereas her males most definitely are not. Will engaging in anal sex spotlight those differences? What then? Will they prefer each other over her? Will they finally see she truly is surplus to requirements?
When Susie speaks again, Callie is thankfully ripped from her mini pity party for one. “Nyles seems like the type of male who is always the top in any sexual situation.” She grins knowingly. “Am I on track with that assumption?”
“I guess so. He is certainly bossy with both of us during sex, and at times, he’s really rough with Kazar…” Callie licks her lips nervously and Susie notices her friend doesn’t quite seem to know what to do with her hands in that moment, and that she is fidgeting upon the bench, just a bit. That clues Susie in that thoughts of her males having sex, especially the roughness of it, really turns Callie’s crank. Which is a good thing for the relationship. The more experienced female also believes that Callie will come to embrace anal and all aspects of her triad relationship if she will just relax, have some fun with it instead of worrying about measuring up to some vague expectations she has likely created in her mind. She suspects it is Callie’s own self-image, and not the fear of pain, that makes Callie hesitant about this aspect of triad sex.
“I think you don’t really fear anal play,” Susie says with a knowing gleam in her eyes. “Callie you are not some hot house flower who fears a little grit and coarse behavior. Besides, you have to know that Nyle would never be that rough with you. Kazar and Nyle are both very manly men.” She smirks at the phrase but continues speaking with all seriousness. “They are deadly paranormal beings who naturally get off on rough sex.” Her smile indicates that is a trait she enjoys in supernatural men, but she quickly sobers and gives her friend a reassuring smile. “Their sexual interactions with each other will be different, more savage, than they would ever consider being with you.” Callie can’t help but worry that might just be the problem, but she keeps that to herself.
The blond girl looks thoughtful for a moment and then shakes her head. “No, I think you like the savage side of sex between those males, but maybe you just aren’t sure you should jump off into the deep end?”
“Maybe. What, exactly, do you mean?”
“I mean that it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can take your time. Dip you toes in the shallow end of the anal play pool first to test things out.” The young blond appears thoughtful for a moment when she says; “Perhaps, you would even be more comfortable if Kazar were the male who introduced you to anal play? Play being the operative word here, not intercourse.” Callie almost smirks at the clinical demarcation, but she gets what the younger female is saying.
Susie smiles genuinely and begins to speculate out loud. “That Egyptian seems the more thoughtful, deliberate, and gentler of the two…” her voice trails off as though deep in thought. “I bet, the vamp might even be the more inventive, playful of the two, given the right opportunities.” Callie remains lost in her own thoughts as her younger friend contemplates a solution for her very private sexual hang up.
The older woman nearly jumps out of her skin after a moment when the younger woman speaks up again. Susie wrongly assumes that her comments have caused Callie to engage in some serious reflection, wholly unaware that the her turmoil has a different source. Susie pats her friend’s fisted hand resting on the bench in a gesture meant to reassure. “Relax, Callie, it will come. I promise. You are not a prude, nor are you deficient in any way.” Callie lifts her eyes to meet the gaze of her friend. “This is just new for you. All of it, the new dragon nature, motherhood, finding yourself mated to not just one, but two males. Males who had a sexual relationship long before you ever came along. You have to be feeling overwhelmed and perhaps you wonder, at times, if you are up to it. But I think you just need to relax and let things happen. Play. Have fun and be patient. It. Will. Come. I assure you.”
Susie smiles and says; “In fact, I suspect that after a time, when you gain confidence in your sexuality and come more fully into your own paranormal nature, you will have to goad them into not treating you like a breakable porcelain doll.”
Callie can only nod her agreement. She has already experienced early stirrings of a need for a more primal connection with her lovers. She craves the rough and raw connection with both Nyle and Kazar that she has witnessed between the males, and yet she holds back in fear that she won’t be good at it. Or worse yet, that she would lose herself in the more primal aspects of that type of lovemaking and enjoy it too much. After all, what would that say about her as a woman? Would that make her a slut? Would it reveal some deeply hidden character flaw?
With a shake of her head, she pushes those dire and rather unreasonable thoughts aside and deals with the more obvious problem before her. “But how can I share that kind of connection with my males if I can’t even allow myself to take both of my mates at once?” Susie can see this is an issue that is causing Callie a great deal of angst.
“If I do not get over myself and truly embrace my bond with my mates I will remain in this limbo phase, no longer fully human, but not fully preternatural either. More importantly, my connection to my males might just wither and die on the vine before it ever ripens, and it will all be my fault.” Susie can see her friend is coping with a ton of guilt along with all of her uncertainty. “I must face facts, our triad is at risk if I cannot get over my issues with anal sex.”
Silence fills the room and Callie looks away to hide her misery. The club girl reaches out to pat the knee of her friend, to offer comfort and reassurance. After a few moments, she smiles wickedly. “Toys,” Susie says with a confident nod and wicked gleam in her eyes. “You might want to try playing with some toys and perhaps reading a book or two that I can loan you.” She smiles impishly at the mention of the books. “I know an author who writes some really, really hot but not nasty ménage sex. Her stories will definitely fire up your interest in anal play and perhaps a little self-experimentation with a few small anal plugs, beads and the like…” She lets her voice trail off as she digs her phone from her pocket. “I won’t tell anyone about what we discussed, but I would suggest a shopping trip.”
“Shopping?” Callie gawps as she eyes the smart phone in her friend’s hand as though it were a viper preparing to strike. “With who? And for what?”
Susie notices the expression on the older woman’s face and giggles sweetly. “Why, with your proxy guide, and a few other friends, of course. You need a girl’s day out. Maybe a trip to Harper House for time at the spa, a fancy lunch, a little clothes shopping and then we can slip into this very discreet and upscale adult toy shop that I just adore.”
Callie’s mouth gapes open and closed repeatedly, like a fish out of water, all the while Susie is on the phone with Morrígan. When the vivacious club girl ends the call, she smiles at her friend like the cat who just lapped up all of the cream for herself. “There, that should get the ball rolling.” She rises from the bench and tugs Callie to her feet as well. “Morrígan la Fey may be widely reviled as the goddess of war and destruction, and she is indeed a powerful warrior mage, but she is also a woman who enjoys a spa day, good food, and a bit of shopping. She will round up our posse of ladies for this excursion.”
Susie bodily turns Callie toward the doorway of the gym and swats her bottom. “Go off with you now. Take a shower, feed your baby, and do whatever else you need to do to get ready for a day out with the girls. Morrígan and entourage will be here in two hours!”
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
When Callie makes her way to the kitchen after her shower, Nyle raises a brow at her more put together appearance. Callie is normally perfectly happy wearing simple yoga pants and tees at home, but today she has donned a pair of burgundy circa 1960’s tailored trousers with narrow legs, fitted darts and side zip, and an off the shoulder cashmere sweater in a shade of rich cream which compliments the fitted trousers and her complexion perfectly. The ensemble is pulled together perfectly by a wide leather belt, cinched at her natural waist, a tiny black leather clutch dangling from her wrist by a short strap and a pair of sexy black leather, low heeled ankle boots. To round out the going to town look, Callie had applied a light application of mascara, blush, and a hint of lip stain. Today she has forgone her usual ponytail or braid, but didn’t want to mess with styling her hair, so she simply unbraided her long hair and applied a light coating of Kazar’s argan oil before she brushed her unruly mane of hair until it shone healthily. A quick glimpse in the mirror had put a smile on Callie’s face and a bit of pep in her step when she made her way to find her baby and mates.
“Dayyum, female. You look good enough to eat,” Nyle says with a suggestive leer and playful smile dancing upon his lips as he lovingly pats Clara’s back as she dozes cuddled against his chest. “To what do we owe the honor of seeing our lovely mate dress up just to hang around the house with us?”
Callie giggles and quickly crosses the expanse of the large kitchen to join her shifter mate, where she rewards him with a quick kiss for his comments. “Well, for one thing, I’m not just staying at home today. I’m taking a girl’s day out with Susie, Morrígan, and some others for a trip to a day spa, lunch in a nice restaurant, and a bit of shopping.”
“Oh hell no,” Nyle nearly roars. Callie steps back at his bellow with a shocked expression on her lovely face. “Baby, what the hell are you thinking?” the shifter demands with an expression of near panic on his handsome face as he tries to soothe the baby on his shoulder who is now grunting and shifting her position after his outraged bellow.
Nyle’s response instantly puts Callie on the defensive, which ticks her off, royally. “I was thinking that I am not a prisoner in your home, and that I could come and go as any free, competent adult is wont to do from time to time.” She jams her hands on her hips and glares daggers at her mate all the while inwardly acknowledging that she is overreacting but sadly unable to rein in her need to lash out. “If it’s watching Clara in my absence which you object to, then don’t sweat it. I’m certain someone at the MC would be only too happy to watch my adorable little baby for a few hours.”
The Celt recognized his mistake the moment the words had left his lips, but now he’s scrambling to tamp down the fire he sees building behind Callie’s angry glare. And since her eyes have taken on that spooky crimson glow, and the pupils have elongated, he knows her dragon battle form has awakened. Nyle has no doubt that anger could easily consume them both if he doesn’t choose his words a bit more carefully from here on out. “Callie, my love, I did not mean that the way it came out.”
“I should hope not,” Callie begins, fully intending to let him have a taste of her ire.
“The TRMC has not eliminated the threat against you. We have not captured Finn Connor, we do not know who sent him or who is helping him, and we haven’t found a trace of Dysnomia since she launched that psychic attack. You can’t risk an outing…”
Even though Callie can plainly see that Nyle’s worries for her wellbeing are sincere, she refuses to live as a virtual captive in what is supposed to be her own home. “I will be with a warrior mage and two goddesses, I have a dragon skinned battle form with nearly impenetrable scales, and two hands armed with deadly talons to protect myself…”
At that moment, Kazar leads Susie, Morrígan, Valgullveig, Mara Montgomery, Morna Michaels, Breena Summers, Virginia Jones, Tina Darkheart, and Jenniene Xavier into the kitchen. Callie can’t help but to giggle at Nyle’s stupefied reaction to the bevy of beautiful bad-assery assembled in his kitchen. She steps across the scant distance separating her from her lover, protector, and mate. With a gentle hand cupping his bearded face she looks up into his gaze with love, admiration, and just a hint of amusement. “I know your protective instincts are riding you hard, my love. I get that. Truly I do. I am struggling with my own instincts so that I can leave Clara behind for a few hours, even though I know her Daddies will keep her safe. But surely you have to admit that I could not be having a girl’s day out with a safer group of women? Yes?”
Wordlessly, Nyle nods. Callie rises up on tippy-toes to plant a sweet kiss upon his lips. “Good answer,” she whispers against his lips before bestowing a loud smacking kiss upon his lips. “I love you. Have fun with your daughter and her other Daddy.”