Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2018 23:55:12 +0400
From: Nell Bas <helledon12@gmail.com>
Subject: the last feres/ the feri war 1

happy reading!

			       The Feri War
				 Chapter 1

      Ah, I'm finally home! I muttered under my breath as I stepped down
from the shallow pool behind Nick and River. Wren, Farren, Rhett, Reed and
Bron followed me out. Drenched from head to toe, I shivered in my wet,
plastered clothes. Exhausted, I needed a hot bath and a cozy bed. I glanced
skyward. I was glad the rain had stopped. Ever since it started, the rain
hardly let up. And when it did the tranquility would last no more than a
few short hours.

      'I badly need a full body massage,' Reed said holding his left
shoulder. 'I'm aching all over.' I can attest to that. I was sore too. I
could barely walk let alone lift my own legs.

      Over the course of two months, fighting werewolves was all we've been
doing. I had to admit, it was getting easier every time. Although, it took
us nearly three hours to get rid of this pack. Partly because of the
terrain. Fighting in the rain and on the muddy ground, the odds were
against us. Quite frankly, I was surprised the beasts didn't kill us
all. They had the advantage.  Their big clawed feet gave them traction
against the slippery mud. But werewolves were impulsive. And that worked in
our favor. Enrage them and they became irrational, unable to launch a
proper attack. I sincerely hope the people of Merk appreciated our effort.

      'I'll do you if you do me,' Bron said. Reed grinned at his lover and
pulled him closer. Bron grinned back.

      'I know you're all powerful now Wren, but you don't have to try and
save me every time as if I was a fucking girl,' River said shoving his big
brother. His twin chuckled when Wren shoved him back.

      'You froze, asshole. I had to save you,' Wren replied.

      'Shut up! I didn't! I had everything under control.'

      'Yeah! Wetting yourself,' his big brother said.

      'It was raining!' River yelled.

       Everyone laughed when he jumped on Wren's back and tackled him to
the wet paved courtyard. It was even funnier the way Wren drew his younger
brother beneath him and pinned him to the ground by sitting on his back and
pulling at his hair.

      'You're my beast of burden now. Say sorry master,' Wren said to
everyone else's amusement. "Beast of burden" is a more familiar way of
saying slave in the Targ language, and it's an insult, especially to a
changeling.

      'That's enough,' a melodious female voice said from the main
entrance. We all turned to look at Jan with her legs spread wide, hands on
her hips and a scolding frown on her face. 'You're all so filthy. Go
through the side entrance and straight to the bathhouse. I will not have
you dirtying my freshly cleaned floors.'

      Wren released River with a slap upside the head. The younger brother
muttered an insult before picking himself up off the ground much to the
other's amusement.

      'Farren,' Jan said as we passed by the main entrance. 'You have a
visitor.' The tall Neornite had an arm slung over his boyfriend when he
asked who it was.

      'Your brother Caden.'

      In hearing his brother's name, Farren jumped away from Rhett so fast
that Rhett almost fell flat on his face on the cold pavement. When he
realized what he'd done, Farren helped his boyfriend up with a thousand
apologies. Being the kind-hearted man that he was Rhett held the tall man's
worried face between his palms and said something in a hushed voice.

      I stood watching them, unaware the others wanted to put distance
between them and the couple, giving them privacy. When I realized that, I
hurried to join the group. Although, I was sure they were hearing
everything Rhett was saying to Farren. Apart from Nick and me, they were
all shifters. And shifters, especially wolf-shifters, have acute hearing
like that of their animal counterpart.

      Our time in the bathhouse was loud and spirited. It was much the same
later at the dinner table. By then Alessa had joined us. She clung to
Nick's every word as he recounted the day we'd had. I couldn't help
watching them with amusement as they fed each other food from their own
plates. Nick noticed me and winked. I blushed as Wren put on a frown. He
hadn't seen the exchange. It wouldn't have mattered if he did. The
what's-up-with-you-look he gave me told me something else was bothering
him. I had an inkling what it might be, but I chose to ignore it and him.

      Jan and two other women placed a variety of dishes in front of
us. They didn't join us, even when Alessa insisted. Looking around, I
noticed the absence of Charlie and the other adults.  I knew they were at
Notwitt, but I hadn't seen them all day. Finally, it was Nick who asked his
aunt about the whereabouts of his parents.

      'They're in the throne room with a delegation from Hering,' she
casually said.

      'Hering!' Reed said. 'Are they in trouble too?'

      Hering is a witch city in The Sear close to Pixan, the
capital. According to Stryker, it was one of the richest cities in the
witches' homeland. Why would they need our help?

      'I don't know,' Jan said, 'you have to ask Charlie.'

      That piqued the guys' curiosity. They began speculating about the
possible troubles in Hering. The conversation died down when Farren walked
in. The distant look in his eyes and his horrid, stricken face caused some
concerns.

      'Where's your brother?' Rhett asked. I'm sure, like all of us, he
wanted to know what was wrong, but he'd been with the neornite long enough
to know the guy was not forthcoming with his feelings.

      'He left,' he said dryly.

      'And?' The shifter pressed as his boyfriend took his place beside him
at the table.

      The tall guy shrugged. 'My older brother is calling me home. Don't
ask me why because I don't know. Caden also didn't seem to know.'

      Farren being called home wasn't unusual. He would often make a trip
to Neorken, the neornite homeland, for updates and further orders. However,
I've noticed lately that he dreaded going home. During all the time he has
spent with us, I came to know Farren well. To someone outside our little
family, he might be considered arrogant, conceited or even emotionless. He
might have been all that before, but he has changed. He still might be
indifferent sometimes but we all brush it off as him being Farren. We
didn't love him any less for it.

      I candidly watched him.

      As far as I know, nothing frightens the guy.  Nothing except his
relationship with Rhett.  He feared his family because of it. Ever since
he'd been with Rhett, he has been more liberal in showing his affection. He
feared his family might notice. Of course, there was more to it than
that. The Neornites are all breeders. They value a productive
relationship. To them, his and Rhett's relationship was non-productive,
meaning they can't have children to replenish the neornite ranks. Even if
they could make use of a breeder, Farren's people would object, because
they also value monogamy. They believe sex is something that should be
shared only between a man and a woman. They can tolerate others'
indiscretions but not one of their own. At that instant I pitied Farren. I
could only wish everything goes well during the meeting with his brother.

      'When are you leaving?' River asked.

      Farren looked at him. 'Tomorrow I think. And I don't know when I will
be back.'

      'Aw!' Rhett said. 'You'll miss Chase's party of birth.'

      Everyone chuckled, with Nick and Bron the loudest. Despite myself, I
grinned too. Rhett meant birthday party. Targs don't celebrate their
birthdays rather their accomplishments. Like shifters celebrate their
transitions and witches celebrate their job placements.

      The birthday party was Charlie's idea. Chase grew up in the human
realm and having lived in an abusive household, he never got to celebrate
his birthdays. Charlie wanted a reason to make his son happy.

      'You'll miss all the fun,' Nick chipped in.

      Farren looked into Rhett's pleading eyes and sighed. 'Ok. I'll stay
for the party. But I must leave the morning after. I don't want to anger
Warren. He's already not pleased with me.'

      Rhett pulled him in and planted a sloppy kiss on his lips. Everyone
laughed again. When their lips stayed glued, Bron shouted, 'get a room.'

      After dinner, we waited for the adults to give them the usual account
of our exploits, but they never came. So, one by one the guys retired to
their chambers.

      'Ok, I wasn't going to say anything, but the silent treatment is
killing me.' Wren said as we were getting ready for bed. 'What's wrong
Rye?'

      I could say nothing was wrong but that would be a lie. And wolf
shifters have a knack for knowing when people lie. Nothing escapes Wren,
especially if he was already suspicious.

      'Is it me? Did I do something wrong?' He prodded when I didn't say
anything.

      He slipped under the covers and pulled his body close to mine. He
nudged me with his face before dropping a kiss on my neck. 'Come one
Rye. Tell me?'

      I sighed. Then rolled over the face him. He wedged an arm beneath my
head while tracing a finger along my jawline to my chin. 'Have you noticed
me lately?'

      His finger stilled and he creased his forehead.

      'No,' I said with a wan smile. 'It's not what you're thinking. I love
you. You have been the perfect mate. I meant my powers. Have you noticed
they're not as strong as they were?'

      His frown didn't ease when he said, 'what's wrong with your powers?'

      I exhaled loudly. 'I don't know what's wrong with me but my powers
are fading somehow. I tire from the slightest exertion and today I almost
passed out while restraining the werewolf I was battling.'

      'I noticed you'd brought down only a single beast, but I thought it
was because of the slippery mud. Even I was having trouble keeping on my
feet.'

      I turned my head from side to side.

      'Besides me, who have you told?'

      I shook my head, 'no one'.

      It was his time to sigh. 'It might be nothing, but we have to be
sure. Keene and Devlin are here at Charlie's request. We'll go see them
after breakfast before we leave for Valpak. If it has something to do with
the dark energy you were stabbed with in Koff, Devlin might know something
about it.'

      He smiled at my puzzled expression. 'What makes you think it has
something to do with the dark energy?' I asked. I was more surprised he
brought it up. He has been avoiding talking about anything that reminded
him of the arena where his father died.

      'You told me. Even though the professor injected you with the
antidote, you could still be feeling the effects.'

      I gapped at him in astonishment. He really does care about
me. Emotions welled up in my core as I reached for him. 'I love you, Wren.'

      He smiled and bent down for a kiss. As our lips touched, a familiar
tingle coursed through me with a flicker of excitement. I moaned. He
responded by cupping my crotch. Rubbing me gently he deepened the kiss. 'I
love you too,' he said, coming up for air.

      I shivered in anticipation as he gently bit my chin, neck and
collarbone. I held my breath as he ventured lower. I gasped when he flicked
his tongue over a nipple. His hot breath burned my skin. He closed his lips
around the little nib. I shuddered at the suction that followed. Too soon,
he abandoned it to suck on the other. My cock was standing tall by then and
it kept pulsing at Wren's touch.

      Wren glanced at my crotch then lifted his head, searching my
eyes. 'Someone's happy to be getting some attention.' I didn't speak only
moaned when he gave me a tug.

      He chuckled.  Pushing the bed covers aside, he bent down again. This
time he went straight for my throbbing member. I gave out another shudder
when he put me in his mouth. He licked, sucked and swallowed me and
repeated the same movement repeatedly. The sensation caused me to whimper
with pleasure. He didn't attempt to breach my opening, but he rubbed his
very wet thumb over my hole increasing my yearning tenfold.

      After this delightful torture, he straddled my crotch. Wetting his
palm, he grabbed and started jerking both our cocks together. After a while
he used both hands. Attuned to my rhythm, he brought us both to a
gratifying end. Spent, he lowered and gently wrapped himself around
me. Burying his face in the crook of my neck, I held him tight. I don't
know how long we stayed like that, but he was sleeping when I rolled him
off me. Feeling the loss, his arms found me and pulled me to him. I smiled
as I laid my head on his chest. I love the man.

      ...................................................

      End of chapter one