Page 38 of Gift from the Source (Source of Elementra #5)

Thirty-three

Tillman

Twenty-five years after that

“Wrap it up.”

The first years scurry to get into place at Carrington’s bellow.

Ry and I laugh inside our minds while sternly looking onward as they bump into one another like they’ve suddenly forgotten how to walk after that brutal training.

“This is going to be a great year.”

“It’s their first day, give them some slack.”

“Willow’s made you soft after all these years.”

“Okay, Mr. my Firecracker’s going to be gone a whole day with Gaster, San, Willow, Cas, and Draken as they visit The Keep’s Library on their annual trip.”

“Fuck off. Were you or were you not just as bad when she and Corentin went to the nonmagical realm to try their piss coffee?”

The sample they brought back sure did taste something vile. I’ve personally never tasted piss, but the smell of that brown water was similar.

And yes, I was just as bad .

After thirty years, though, I have no problem admitting that my little warrior can bring me to my knees.

A hush falls over the group after they gasp and stand a little straighter.

I don’t have to turn around to know who’s there. I sense it in my chest.

“We sure as fuck don’t get that reaction when we walk up to them.”

“Of course not. The ladies of the realm are much deadlier.” I clap him on the shoulder as I turn around to see Willow and Oakly walking up to us together while the rest of our Nexuses trail behind them.

It’s become a tradition for her to show up on the first day of school at some point and time during the day. She says she likes to make all first days better than her own and be the sweet face while I’m the harsh one.

Her face is sweet as sugar right now too as she smiles and waves at the first years like they’re children.

“They feel like children compared to us.”

“You’re fifty-six years old, little warrior. You’ve barely scratched the surface.”

I tug her into my arms and lay a kiss to her grinning lips. In my eyes, she doesn’t look a day older than the day she arrived. We stood damn near in this same spot the first time she touched my soul.

It craves her even more nowadays.

I hum against her mouth and fuck if the first years don’t ooh and aah.

Idiots. None of them are helping my case or their own right now.

“Hey, Will,” Carrington says, and he swallows her up in a hug. I roll my eyes at the use of my nickname.

He picked up the habit all those years ago and never let it go.

The day we broke the news to him and Layton about Vince, an anger brewed in the little giant that could barely be tamed.

I made him start working out with us.

One thing led to another, and he immediately jumped into E.F. and combat classes.

When Lucas announced three years ago that he, his brothers, and Primary were ready to retire, we knew who was going to fill that spot.

Carrington has hands down been the best combat instructor this academy has ever seen, with an earth element to almost rival my own .

The smile on his face melts away when a first-year girl raises her hand. “What?” he barks.

I’m so proud.

“Ma’am, is it true you’ve beaten Leader Tillman in sparring matches?”

Of fucking course that’s her question.

Will shoots me a mischievous wink before looking at the girl. “It is. As well as all three second-in-commands, Instructor Carrington, both Instructor Vitos, Headmaster Vito, and Alpha Quinn from Terravile. Not every time, but I’ve gotten my fair share of wins in.”

Damn right she has.

“Can we have a demonstration?”

“No,” Ry, Carrington, and I yell, causing the whole class to flinch.

“Maybe another time,” Willow says, much sweeter.

She waves them off after Carrington dismisses them to the changing rooms.

It’s quite confusing for most of the students when they first meet her. They were all taught the new history lessons by the time they started school. So when they get here to the academy and meet her, they’ve got her built up in their minds as this take no shit, forceful leader.

She doesn’t take any shit, but she’s a much different instructor than us. She doesn’t actually have a class, but she takes on any female who’s been through any sort of trauma.

She takes the lead on teaching them and training them until the point they’re ready to enter normal classes.

With all the rules that’ve changed over the years, we’ve had an increase in interest from females wanting to join the E.F. and just simply want to be in combat class.

Corentin worked tirelessly on creating and cultivating new rules for all academies. Those changes affected females the most. He wanted it to be in the best interests of everyone while also protecting the first and second level schools.

For the most part, their regulations didn’t change .

The biggest differences were seen is here in the third level. He removed the authority parents had on the students once they reached this point in their education.

Of course they could still come tour and view the school with their kids, but after that, that’s where their say-so ended. They’re no longer allowed to dictate what courses they take or what area of interest they want to focus on.

The biggest fuck you he gave the elite society that kept pushing was telling them all they had no business knowing who their daughters wanted to bond with. If they were safe and making consensual choices, that’s where their concern could stop.

He’s opened new classes for females, taught by both a true Primary and chosen to better educate them on making the decision on waiting to see if a true bond comes about or choosing a Nexus.

Being informed and educated more without the pressure of their parents making a decision for them, they aren’t running off to any ol’ Nexus. They’re choosing their men wisely.

In my opinion, it’s the best change that’s happened at the academy.

“Let’s get out of here. I’m starving,” Draken says as he attacks Willow’s neck from behind.

He’s always starving for her.

We all are.

“Tillman and I have to go to the greenhouse first before. You all can join, or we’ll meet you back at the mansion.”

It’s also become a tradition to stay at the mansion when the academy starts back up after its month break. We’ve set quite a few traditions in place now and each one gets better and better.

“The greenhouse at the mansion or your mom’s?” Corentin asks while never taking his eyes off his communicator.

“The mansion. You all don’t have to worry yourselves with joining,” I say smugly, and he lifts his eyes to glare at me.

Willow, oblivious that I’ve already answered him, says, “The mansion, so we won’t be long.”

“We’ll join you, princess. It’s been a while since we’ve all been out there together.” His eyes soften on her as she leans against his chest, stealing all his attention.

He makes sure to shoot me a wink before closing both eyes and pulling her closer to him.

Cas chuckles darkly and runs his thumb across his bottom lip as he stares at her. “Well, come on, little Primary. Let’s go check on your flowers.”

His shadows wrap around all of us and he pulls us through his darkness. This is by far his favorite means of traveling and he’s gotten scarily fast at it.

It still drives him nuts that he’s about two seconds behind a transport, though.

My neck cranes up as I look at our treehouse.

It’s still our safe haven.

I can’t tell you the number of times we’ve spent there tangled up with one another. I’ll never grow tired of our sacred space.

“Hello, my babies,” Will coos as she bends down and runs her hands through her Willowrries.

She did in fact get her way about letting them spread. They don’t cover the clearing around our tree, but she’s got about twenty that’ve spawned from her one.

The guys all grin stupidly at her as I head on into the greenhouse.

We made pretty much an exact replica of her mom’s.

That was a great afternoon spent between her, Gaster, and me. It felt like learning my element all over again, but this time, with her. The dimension was a swift kick in the ass, but thanks to the dragon, we were good to grow in just a few minutes.

I make my way to the back to my little pride and joys.

Turns out, the Aconight plant isn’t deadly unless consumed in large quantities and it depends on what you mix with it. My dad’s research led to me discovering all kinds of stuff about it over the years.

They take around twenty-five years to sprout from a little leaf to a small blossoming green bud. I’ve got five in pots now from the original one he brought back. We planted them around four months after we found out about it, and they’ve been growing since then.

This plant is the ultimate test for patience.

“How are they doing?” Willow asks as she steps up beside me and wraps her hands around my arm.

“Growing as they should. In a couple days, they’ll double in size and enter their immature stage.”

She lays her forehead to my arm and shakes her head.

Needless to say, she’s hated this wait.

“Well, come on. Draken says his stomach is eating his spine. I’ve already checked the climate controls in each area, and everything looks good.”

The dragon won’t be thinking about food soon enough.

As we leave the greenhouse and feel the ward close it off, Will turns and starts walking in the direction of the mansion. The four of us smirk as we watch those tempting hips sway.

“How about a game, little warrior? It’s been a while since we’ve played.”

She stops in her tracks.

She turns back to face us slowly as those silver eyes appraise us, sizing us up.

“What game were you thinking?”

“The one where I catch and devour her.”

“Easy, dragon, we can’t make it so simple. She’ll love that,” Corentin says casually as he starts unbuttoning his jacket.

“Yeah, that’s the point.”

“We haven’t had a good gift on gift action in a while. She always breaks the rules and uses another gift on one of us. I wouldn’t mind punishing the naughty little Primary today.”

“She does that because she knows you like it,” I say, and he smirks because he knows it’s the truth.

“I’m good with gift on gift. She likes when there’re multiples of me,” Corentin says, then looks at Willow. “We’re going to give you—”

His mouth slams shut as she disintegrates her clothes in front of us. It’s like calling moths to a flame. We all take a step forward .

“We’re going to play my game. The four of you always gang up on me, so we’re switching it up. The first one of you to catch me gets to fuck me while the others have to watch. After that, they get to call the shots.”

“So the one who catches you gets to tell the others what they’re going to be doing?” Draken confirms as his eyes shift.

“That’s right. Good luck, boys.” She winks, then disappears in a cloud of shadows.

Her laugh filters to us from the running path and the four of us take off.

Corentin jumps into the light, Cas the shadows, and Draken takes off using his bestowed speed.

I, on the other hand, slow my run until I know they’re out of sight, then I hide behind our tree, counting down the seconds.

My little warrior thinks too loud when she’s excited.

Three…two…one…

I cast my vines out and catch her around the waist as she attempts to be sneaky and run past me.

Her shriek rolls right into a moan when I pin her to our tree and plunge two fingers right into her pussy.

“So fucking wet for me, little warrior.”

I curl my fingers and her moan wraps around me. “You cheated.”

“I didn’t. You thought too loud. Always use the advantages available to you. Now tell my brothers I’m claiming my prize.”

The sweet noises keep pouring from her lips. “Game’s over, boys.”

“Motherfucker. Who?” Draken growls and I laugh through our link. “Bullshit. This puts him in the lead of our games.”

“That it does, dragon. And I’m going to greatly enjoy my winnings. ”

I drive myself into her, making sure my mind is open loud and clear for them to hear.

It won’t be long before they hunt us down.

“Scream for them, little warrior. Let them know how good it feels.”

This has always been my favorite part of our little games. The one who catches her makes her put on such a pretty show for the others .

None of us were originally keeping account of who won what. In the end, she was the one winning.

That was until Corentin informed us of the scores.

Now it’s a competition that she benefits from no matter what.

“Tillman,” she moans and the tremble in her skin lights a fire down my back.

“That’s it, choke my cock but hold on for me. They’re almost here.”

My name falls from her lips in desperate prayers.

Each whisper has me getting closer to the edge. The hand I have wrapped around her lower back is gentle, protecting. The one above her hand is breaking bark.

“Fuck me,” Cas mumbles from behind us and that’s all I needed to know.

“Come, Willow.”

She does on the drop of my command.

My back bows and every muscle in my body tenses up as I empty inside her.

So fucking good.

Air barely enters my lungs, but that doesn’t stop me from sealing my mouth to hers. I greedily drink down the lingering sounds and my cock twitches as she clamps around me.

“So fucking greedy.”

“For you four? Always.”

“Well, let me make sure you’re well satisfied.”

A shiver rips through her as I pull out and move over for my brothers. The little whimpers of need coming for her have them closing in on her. I lean my shoulder against the tree and call my element out to make a pallet they can spread her out on.

I’m going to stand right here and enjoy my front row seat.

Corentin grips her by the jaw and kisses her hungrily. She barely has the strength to hold herself up and Cas takes her wobble as his cue to move her on over to the makeshift bed.

The three of them kiss, touch, and caress every inch of her. Except where she really wants it .

“Please.”

“Please what, little warrior.”

“I want the rest of my men.”

Those pleading, lust-drenched eyes collide with mine and my cock hardens at her call.

It’s always been like this.

It’ll never change as long as she looks at me that way.

“I’ll let you have them. All of them at once.”

The beautiful beast that lives within her pokes through for a moment to give me a sultry purr.

“Go ahead and fill that mouth, Cas. Can’t have those sweet little sounds provoking the dragon.”

Or me. Again.

The smile he shoots me is downright devious. “You heard him, naughty little Primary. Open up.”

Core offers her his hand to help her up and the defiant little thing tries to push him to his back. She has all intentions of crawling on top of him so she can take them both as she pleases. My voice stops that. “I don’t think so. Draken will be getting your pussy. Corentin’s going to take your ass. Do as Caspian told you.”

Knees splayed wide, begging for a body to slide between them, she runs her hands between her thighs as she tilts those eyes up to him and opens her mouth.

Fuck, she’s going to have us on our knees if I don’t give her what she wants.

I nod to the other two once Cas gets her even more worked up from the filth he’s saying.

How well we’ve perfected this is evident when her mouth doesn’t come off his cock as her other two get into position.

All Corentin has to do is hold his hand out and lube fills his palm.

“Fuck, little wanderer, quit all that bouncing and let Corentin in.” Draken growls and she does as she arches her back.

Corentin eases the head of his dick in, pumping in and out a few inches at a time until he sinks into her completely .

Her body locks up and all I can hear are the muffled sounds of her pleasure, but I need more.

“Make Caspian come, Willow. I want to hear your screams,” I demand, and he sneers at my wink.

It doesn’t take more than her fingers scraping down his stomach, a swallow, and whatever she pounds into their bond.

“That was fucking rude,” he grumbles as he comes and stands beside me.

“Didn’t look like you weren’t happy about it.”

“She was glorious. You’re the asshole that made it end so soon.”

“Just enjoy the show.”

That we do.

The level of bliss on her face is one she only reaches when she’s wrapped up in us. It captivates us every single time.

Each time is a new masterpiece painted of the same obsession.

We’ve gorged on her for over thirty years so far.

We’ve got a lifetime of this to look forward to.