Page 45 of Compile (Project: Adapt #6)
45
V’dim
V ’dim woke up slowly, the soft weight of his nestqueen’s body nestled against him, a familiar comfort that centered him.
While he didn’t necessarily need to have her body pressed against his own while they slept, as long as one of his tentacles was in contact with her it was enough—but a part of him had always craved more.
He savored the sensation of being close to her in any form—cherished it even—regardless of the circumstances.
He wasn’t her Favored—nor was his bondbrother—and in any traditional Circuli clan, he wouldn’t have been allowed to sleep this close to her.
Bless the Stars for not only having their Fates’ path cross, but for giving him such a caring nestqueen.
He blinked his eyes open; his first instinct was to check his surroundings. The dim light filtering through the curtains told him it was early, the second sun was just peeking over the ocean horizon. He noticed immediately that Zirene and Kaede were gone from the nestbed—his clanbrothers had seemingly departed before the sun's first light.
Selena was still asleep, her breathing steady.
Z’fir, however, was fully awake, his jade eyes meeting his own. “They left early.”
“They’re too restless.” V’dim gently combed back Selena’s silver hair with one of his tentacles, his thoughts heavy. Z’fir shifted beside them, his vines loosening slightly as he leaned closer, his focus on their nestqueen. “What are you thinking about?”
“Kaede and Zirene,” Z’fir answered after a pause, his frustration evident. “I’m concerned about what happened yesterday. Kaede especially—his hostility toward Ryzen was unnecessary, and I don’t think Selena needs any more of that today.”
V’dim nodded internally, sharing the same worry. He slipped his other tentacle under the blanket and wrapped it around Selena’s waist in a gentle, reassuring hold.
“Kaede’s protectiveness sometimes crosses a line, especially when it involves Selena. And Zirene…” V’dim sighed inwardly, his tentacle trailing gently along Selena’s skin. “ Zirene’s jealousy could undermine her confidence, leading to hesitation and self-doubt. If she’s meant to learn how to extend her range—to strengthen her bonds, they’ll both have to accept that merging minds with others may happen. Selena needs to be free to learn and grow. We can’t prevent her from her own right to learn, regardless of her pregnancy.”
“You’re right. Ryzen warned her what could happen during their sessions. She wasn’t blindsided. Our nestqueen needs to be able to explore—and our clanbrothers should be supportive, not overprotective,” Z’fir replied, tracing the lines of Selena’s delicate face, his touch featherlight, attempting to ease her awake. “ She’s felt a pull toward them—toward Zyxel and Ryzen —this entire time . But she’s always putting the clan’s well-being first—focused on our health, our needs… She hasn’t had the chance to focus on her own desires—and why there’s something pulling her toward them. She just hasn’t had the time or the space to figure out what it means.”
“We can’t pressure her into anything,” V’dim agreed, his tentacle brushing softly against Selena’s side. “She always moves at her own pace. But she needs to know that we’re not upset, that she has our full support, no matter what.”
Selena stirred beneath their touch, her breathing deepening as she woke, her body shifting against them. She let out a soft, sleepy sound, pressing her back instinctively against V’dim while her head found its way against Z’fir’s chest as she nestled closer to both of them.
Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, still heavy with sleep. V’dim and Z’fir loosened their hold, allowing her the freedom to stretch if she wanted.
“Good morning,” Z’fir greeted her softly, his vine brushing along her cheek.
V’dim pressed his forehead lightly against the back of her head, his tentacles resting softly around her waist. “You have a full day ahead of you.”
“And we got the Mating Games to participate in.” Z’fir grinned down at her. “It’s going to be entertaining to see what happens.”
Selena groaned, a low growl rumbling in her chest as she shifted, clearly unamused, her lips curling into a small frown. “I don’t need any more males fighting for my attention.”
V’dim reached out, curling a tentacle beneath her chin, gently lifting her face and turning it toward his. “You mustn’t allow Kaede’s hostile protectiveness and Zirene’s foolishness to weigh on you and cloud your mind. You’re stronger than their insecurities.”
“You’re a nestqueen, Selena,” Z’fir added, nodding. “If you feel a pull toward Zyxel or Ryzen—or anyone else—then explore it. Be selfish for once. You deserve to be happy.”
Selena blinked, her brow furrowing as she pulled away from V’dim’s gentle grip. She looked between the two of them, her eyes filled with a mixture of conflict and affection. “I don’t want anyone in our clan to feel inadequate,” she admitted, fingers twisting the edge of the blanket, her gaze dropping to her lap. "What if… what if someone starts to feel like they’re not enough?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.
“Or left out. As it is, I realize I haven’t spent much time with either of you, both together and alone. My love for the both of you has grown with time. But time isn’t something I have much of, especially now that I’ve officially become the Aldawi Beacon.”
Z’fir leaned closer and shook his head. “Selena, if you believe in the Cosmic Order, the way our clan does, then you know each of us is a star in your constellation, and it’s only natural for you to want to complete it. You’re not hindering us by following your instincts… Our clan is supposed to be together, to support each other, until the Stars reclaim us.”
V’dim tightened his tentacles around her waist in agreement. “Do you feel... complete, Selena?”
Selena closed her eyes, her body tensing. After a long moment, she shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. “No... I don’t. And I feel guilty for it.”
Z’fir cupped his face, his thumb tracing her cheek. “There’s no need for guilt. We understand.”
V’dim pressed a soft kiss to the back of her neck, his voice a quiet murmur. “If it’s the Will of the Fates—if this is the path the Stars have set for you, then it’s only natural for you to follow it. We’ll always be by your side, no matter where the path takes you.”
“You can’t deny what you feel,” Z’fir said gently, his hand resting on her arm, vines coiling around her wrist. “There has to be a reason why you feel a pull toward them. Think about it—why would Ryzen reach out to you before either of you even knew the other existed? And why does Zyxel believe you’re his enax —his destined one?”
“In the end, it’s always your choice, nestqueen ,” V’dim stressed, sensing the weight of Z’fir’s words ripple through Selena’s mind. “But as your clan, as your nestmates, we would never stand in your way.”
Selena’s gaze softened, the tension in her body slowly easing as the truth of their words settled over her. She took a deep breath and tightened her fingers around Z’fir’s arm before she reached up, threading them into his hair. With a sudden pull, she brought his head down, her lips meeting his in a heated, desperate kiss.
Through their shared bond, V’dim felt the surge of desire igniting between his nestqueen and bondbrother. The intensity flared like wildfire, awakening a deep, primal need within him for his nestqueen. Heat radiated from the kiss, desire licking at the edges of his mind.
The pleasure wasn’t just theirs —it flowed through him too, through the bond that tied them all together. His body reacted instinctively, the heat of their shared intimacy coursing through his veins.
His tentacles twitched with longing, curling as the depth of their passion washed over him in waves. Z’fir’s tightened his hand around Selena’s waist, responding eagerly to the kiss, matching his own eagerness to comfort their nestqueen.
V’dim’s breath hitched, and without a second thought, he reached down, gripping the edge of the blanket that covered them. With a swift motion, he pulled it away, exposing their bare bodies to the cooler air of their nestroom. His tentacles moved with purpose, sliding over Selena’s smooth skin, tracing the contours of her waist and hips as she deepened the kiss with Z’fir, her fingers clutching his hair tighter.
His own desire intertwined with their shared emotions that spiraled between them. The intimacy wasn’t just physical; it was intricately interlaced into their very being, their shared bonds amplifying every caress—as they opened themselves up freely to each other, merging as one.
V’dim wrapped tentacles around her legs, gently pulling her closer, pressing her buttocks against his slit, while Z’fir’s vines responded in kind, curling possessively around her waist.
He caressed Selena’s soft curves, tracing his fingers along her side and over the swell of her hip. She moaned softly against Z’fir’s lips.
His heart swelled with love for the female who had brought so much into both his and his bondbrother’s lives.
Z’fir’s hand slid up to cup Selena’s breast, thumb brushing over the hardened peak.
Selena arched into their touches, skin flushed and breaths coming faster. V’dim leaned in to press open-mouthed kisses along the elegant line of her throat. He reveled in the taste of her skin, the fluttering of her pulse. V’dim traced her sides, one of his tentacles finding the tender spot behind her knee, eliciting a moan from her lips.
“V’dim, don’t stop.” Selena sighed, tangling her fingers in Z’fir’s hair to pull him closer as she ground her ass into his crotch.
V’dim’s hands roamed lower, stroking over the slight swell of Selena’s belly where their child grew before dipping between her thighs. He found her hot and slick with need. Selena gasped and rolled her hips against his touch.
V’dim and Z’fir exchanged a knowing glance. No words were needed. They knew exactly how to bring her to the edge and beyond, to make her explode—together.
“Are you ready for us, Nestqueen?” V’dim asked as he shifted lower, trailing open-mouthed kisses down Selena’s quivering stomach and savoring the silky warmth of her skin. He paused to swirl his tongue around her navel, feeling her abdominal muscles flutter in response. “Or perhaps we should postpone this until later tonight…”
“Don’t you dare,” Selena gasped, hips lifting off the bed. She tangled one hand in V’dim’s hair, the other still gripping Z’fir tight. “I need you both. Now.”
“As you wish,” Z’fir murmured against her lips before capturing her mouth once more, their tongues dancing together in a heated embrace. V’dim moved closer, sliding his hand down to cup Selena’s clit and teasing her with gentle strokes. A shiver ran through her body as he leaned in, pressing soft kisses along the curve of her stomach, leaving no skin untouched.
“Oh Stars,” she gasped, arching her hips toward his touch as he skillfully caressed between her legs, coaxing forth her slick arousal. “Don’t stop.”
He couldn’t deny her anything.
With a grin against her skin, he hummed in approval against her belly before continuing his journey southward. The scent of her arousal flooded his senses, making his head spin with primal need.
He settled between her parted thighs, hooking them over his shoulders and securing them with his tentacles and twisting them fiercely. Selena shivered as his breath caressed her most sensitive flesh, appreciating how her folds glistened with her need.
“Exquisite,” he murmured reverently. “I could feast on your sweetness all morning and would never have enough.”
Selena keened softly, restlessly grinding against his hold, seeking more. V’dim held her steady and with deliberate slowness leaned in, lowered his lips to her slit, and inhaled her intoxicating scent before tasting her arousal.
Selena’s cry of pleasure echoed through their thoughts, urging him on as he laved her slit from bottom to top in broad strokes.
Her taste exploded on his tongue—crisp and sweet—something uniquely hers . Delirious pleasure reverberated from her to V’dim, echoing to Z’fir.
He couldn’t get enough.
V’dim licked and suckled her slick folds, lapping up her essence—as if he were a starving male who’d crossed the desert and she was the universe’s freshest water. He thrust his tongue inside her hot channel, feeling her clench around the intrusion.
Selena cried out into Z’fir’s lips, back arching.
V’dim brought a finger to her opening, slowly pressing inside alongside his tongue. Selena’s inner walls gripped him—hard. He pumped the digit in and out, exploring her depths and curling it to stroke the walls, exactly as he knew she preferred.
One finger became two—and then three.
V’dim reveled in the sensation of Selena’s slick heat around his fingers, her inner walls gripping him tightly as he continued to tease and explore her—to bring her to climax with his bondbrother.
He sensed Z’fir’s presence in his mind, their intimate connection allowing them to share this experience on a deeper level. The desire that radiated from both Selena and Z’fir fueled V’dim’s own passion, driving him to bring Selena the ultimate pleasure.
“Please,” Selena moaned, her body writhing beneath his touch. “It feels so incredible.”
“Relax…” V’dim growled, his voice thick with lust. He focused on the sensitive bundle of nerves at her entrance, increasing the pace of his fingers while his tongue traced slow circles around her clit.
Selena’s soft gasps and whimpers spurred him on, making him know that she was close—they were close to riding her climax with her.
Z’fir’s vines gently embraced Selena’s swollen breasts, his blooms brushing over her sensitive nipples before suctioning onto them. Selena’s eyes fluttered shut, her head falling back against the pillow, pulling his bondbrother’s head with her as she surrendered herself to the overwhelming sensations.
“More,” she cried out with a buck of her hips against V’dim’s skillful ministrations. “Please, I’m so close.”
“Let go, Selena,” V’dim ordered gently against her clit. “We’ve got you.”
As they continued their relentless motions, Selena's body tensed.
Ecstasy burst forth in cries, her entire being shuddering and clenching around them as her climax crashed over them like a tidal wave, reverberating through their shared bonds.
Her muscles tightened around V’dim’s fingers, consumed by the pleasure they ignited. The sensation and the overwhelming flood from their connection became almost unbearable.
“Z’fir... V’dim...” she gasped, body still trembling with aftershocks as their touches gradually slowed, easing her down from the peak of ecstasy.
They remained entangled for several minutes, panting and spent. The bond between them pulsed with love and satisfaction, the shared experience only strengthening their connection.
Finally, Z’fir gently withdrew from Selena and collapsed on the bed beside her with his vines still wrapped around her breasts. V’dim gave her one last swirl of his tongue, eliciting a shudder from her before he too joined them, untangling his tentacles from her legs and letting them carefully fall upon the nestbed. He sighed as he took her hand, drenched with her own essence, intertwining their fingers and resting their hands on her swollen belly.
Bathed in the golden light of the morning sun, V’dim’s heart swelled as he gazed at Selena and Z’fir, their entwined bodies a testament to the love that bound them all together.
He thanked the Stars and Fates for giving him such a magnificent nestqueen and caring bondbrother.
“Thank you,” Selena whispered, voice thick with emotion. “I don’t know what I would do without both of you.”
V’dim’s chest tightened at her words, for he knew just how much she meant to them and how precious their bond was. He reached out, tracing the delicate curve of her cheek with his fingertips. “We will always be here for you, Selena. Never doubt that.”
“Always,” Z’fir echoed before he brushed his lips against the nape of Selena’s neck, causing her to shiver with delight. “We may not be your Favored, but we know you don’t love us any less. We just need you.”
“I love you both.” She glanced between the two of them. “Stars, I love you both so much. The two of you are so… solid. And easy to be around. I know I can depend on you both, in ways that are different from the others.”
“That’s because we have you.” V’dim brushed her damp silver hair off her flushed face. “We’re content, and you let us experience things we never thought we would in our lifetime.”
Z’fir kissed her forehead. “We… We only want to make you happy, as you do for us.”
V’dim glanced at the clock on the vidscreen wall and realized they had little time left before they were expected to join the others for the morning meal.
“Wait here,” he murmured, disentangling himself from their loving embrace. “I’ll get everything we need to freshen up.”
He rushed into the bathroom, retrieving Selena’s oil, a few washcloths, and dampening one of them. He also grabbed her brush, knowing how important it was to her to have her hair groomed.
“Here,” V’dim said, holding out the dampened washcloth to Z’fir.
“Thank you.”
Gently, he began wiping the damp cloth over Selena’s heated skin, cleaning away the evidence of their passion. She sighed and leaned into his touch, humming contentedly as her spots changed from a passionate purple to a pleased violet—and back again. V’dim could see the tension in her muscles ease as they tended to her.
Protectiveness and love swirled within him—for both his bondbrother and their Nestqueen—and he knew he’d do anything to keep them safe and happy.
As V’dim continued his tender ministrations, Z’fir reached for the hairbrush and began sweeping it through Selena’s silver tresses in long, soothing strokes. She practically purred, melting further into their care.
V’dim set the cloth aside and uncapped the bottle of shimmering, pearlescent oil. He poured a generous amount into his palm and rubbed his hands together to warm it. Starting at Selena’s shoulders, he massaged the protective balm into her skin, infusing every touch with his adoration and devotion.
She sighed in contentment at the sensation, her eyes fluttering closed.
The last thing he wanted was for their nestqueen’s skin to become chapped under the harsh sunlight.
V’dim finished anointing Selena’s skin with the shimmering oil, with a trail of his fingertips over her curves in a final lingering caress. “There, all done,” he murmured, handing Selena her dress disk. “Time to get ready. The others will be waiting for us to join them for morning meal.”
Selena sighed as she activated the disk, and her body became adorned with an elegantly draped gown that accentuated her blossoming figure.
“Stunning as always,” Z’fir complimented as his gaze landed on her stomach. “Fitting for a Beacon.”
“You always say that,” Selena accused fondly, leaning in to brush a kiss across his mouth. “But thank you.”
V’dim helped her to her feet, strong arm braced around her waist. “Shall we, my nestqueen?”
Nodding, Selena laced her fingers with Z’fir’s, pulling him up to join them. Hand in hand, they made their way out of the room. Selena paused and wrapped her arms around both of them, drawing them close. “I just wanted to say thank you, again,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “For everything.”
“Always, Selena,” V’dim assured her then pressed a lingering kiss to her temple. “We’re here for you, no matter what.”