Making love to Cariad was uniquely different from making love to one of my other girls. The curvy daemon was still a passionate lover, but she didn’t lose herself in the moment as much as my other lovers did. Which was probably a good thing, since my control over my abilities was still something I was building up.

  The hardest part was the forced rest in between rounds. I’d gotten so used to just diving into and reveling in the moment with my girls during sex with only the sun rising again as a timer that we cared about. But I had to keep a steady eye on my mana levels and pull back to rest when they got low. Cariad understood and did what she could to help keep me on track. Especially after I got burned when I tried to skimp on the protective charge to prolong the moment.

  Thankfully, it was just a brief searing sensation along my hip when the beautiful woman’s wide butt had covered more of my side than I had expected. My hiss of pain had alerted Cariad to the injury, though and she chewed me out for it.

  Honestly, keeping a straight face while the beautiful, sweaty, disheveled, and well-fucked woman yelled up at me was harder to deal with than the pain was. But I knew on an instinctive level that laughing at her anger would have been bad, so I took the chastisement in stride and focused on recovering my mana supply.

  My body wasn’t the only casualty of our encounter, though. Cariad did what she could and we used her clothes as barriers to keep her bare skin from touching anything important, but she still managed to burn through or partially dissolve a blanket, two pillows, a water cup, and part of a stone bench.

  The last one had been intentional on my part, letting her bare back rest there to melt a comfortable slot for her while I had her by the hips, but Cariad was still horrified until I told her why. Then she punched me on the shoulder while smiling up at me.

  Now, we were snuggling on one of the undamaged benches. Cariad was mostly dressed, despite the stained state of her clothes. The neutrally-charged clothes being necessary so she could cuddle up with me without costing me much mana. The only thing I had to shield was a small section of my shoulder and neck where her face pressed.

  At Cariad’s insistence, I’d shifted the color of my skin to a slate gray that matched hers where it was safe for her to touch, and she was rewarding me with little kisses on my throat.

  “That was…” Cariad let out a long, tired sigh rather than finish the sentence.

  “It was,” I agreed, smiling and turning to rub my jaw against her forehead gently. She cooed quietly at the affectionate touch, her gloved hand drawing shapes on my chest.

  “I promise that I’ll get you a blanket and some sheets made of the same material as my work clothes,” Cariad said after a few moments of comfortable silence. “I definitely want to do this again, but with more skin…”

  “I’ll make sure to keep training my abilities to be able to handle it,” I answered honestly, using the arm around her shoulders to give her a gentle squeeze.

  Honestly, I should expand the magic abilities more, I thought grimly. The more magic I have available, the better. My Shape-Shifting has been a staple for so long that I keep disregarding magic. It wouldn’t take much to dip into the other elemental schools. Training them up will help build my mana pool and there might be abilities that unlock later to improve my spending rate or recovery rate.

  Cariad kissed my neck again and I was momentarily distracted by the pleasant sensation. When I came back to myself, I blinked my eyes closed to check on my System interface.

  The first thing I glanced at was my mana pool, which showed as more than half full still since I wasn’t covering as much of my body as I had before. With that confirmed, I began skimming over my unlocked powers and the branches coming off them.

  Honestly, I need to either commit to expanding my magic heavily, or keep pushing for the master tier of Shape-Shifting, because I bet that I might be able to use the effects of that tier without burning mana to protect myself, I thought, skimming over the entry once more.

  Shape-Shifting (Master) - Cost: 25600 SP - Magical creature’s features are now available, including humanoids. Supernatural powers are available. Increased base mass limited to double the casters base mass (before modifiers).

  The System previously confirmed that it would qualify for things like a dragon’s fire-breath or a hell-hound's burning fur, I thought slowly, savoring the feeling of Cariad’s lips on my skin. I’ll need to find out if there will be any side-effects if I use the ability to shift into the form of a daemon. And if that would bother Cariad at all… I can’t imagine it would be good if it turns out she’s into me because of my fleshy pinkness rather than whatever is normal for her species. Always the quiet ones that are freaks like that, right?

  The little laugh that snuck out of me jostled Cariad on my chest and she made a quiet, questioning sound.

  “Just thinking about the future,” I answered, opening my eyes and blinking away the interface.

  “Good thoughts I hope?” she asked sweetly.

  “All good thoughts,” I answered. “Mostly about how to go about being able to get more of this in the future.” I gave her another one-armed squeeze.

  “More sex, more cuddling, or more kisses?” she asked teasingly and I turned to shoot her a look out of one eye.

  Cariad was smirking up at me while cutely biting her bottom lip, but the way her gloved hand was tracing lower on my abdomen, I knew where her mind was going.

  “How about ‘all of the above?’ ” I replied, earning me an even wider smile.

  “That’s the correct answer,” Cariad murmured throatily before giving another sigh. The happiness bled away from her expression, leaving behind a resigned look.

  “What’s that expression for?” I asked immediately. Cariad didn’t respond immediately, instead rubbing her face against my chest distractingly. But I waited patiently and was soon rewarded.

  “Just thinking that I will need to get going soon. I need to get back to my apartment and get changed, then head into the office to get the new paperwork done.”

  “More paperwork?” I quirked an eyebrow at her and she shifted to sit up in my lap.

  This brought her breasts up closer to eye level—which I appreciated—so she could start buttoning up her shirt—which I didn’t, but understood the necessity. Cariad didn’t respond until half the buttons on her blouse were done up.

  “Yes, paperwork. I need to get that arranged since we did all of this.” She gestured with one hand to her currently extremely mussed state, my state of undress, and the damage done to my little cave-home. “Especially if I’m going to outsource the cost of the bedding. If I can get the DSR to pay for that, then I’m definitely going to do it.”

  “I don’t know how I feel about your job paying for our bedroom supplies…” I admitted

  I watched the curves of her breasts slowly disappear until only the top two buttons remained open to reveal a generous slice of skin, but not so much that it was indecent. A good balance for being in public or going to work, if it wasn’t for the various stains on her shirt and skirt.

  “Considering how much the upper-levels were messing with our department, I’m happy to stick it to them with the budget allocation,” Cariad replied dryly. “Also, I didn’t want to jump the gun or jinx it by submitting the official entanglement paperwork before I had the chance to speak with you.”

  “Oh we are far more than just ‘entangled,’ ” I said with a laugh, pulling her hip against my side firmly. “You aren’t getting away from me easily.”

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Good, because I don’t want to,” Cariad said with a happy hum.

  She leaned in slowly, making her intentions absolutely clear so I knew to protect myself. It was only when the skin of my face and neck shifted color that she moved the last inch and claimed my lips in a kiss.

  “You know,” Cariad murmured as she leaned back once more, licking her lips. “I thought you were cute that first night I met you on the side of the highway. Only got more attracted as time went by and I got to watch you grow into a powerhouse and an accomplished Traveler. You’ve covered more ground than most sponsored Travelers.”

  “I’m betting that is because of my motivation to improve,” I replied with a cheeky wink. “Getting to do this with you was a hell of a motivator.”

  “Almost as good of one as protecting the other girls,” Cariad replied sagely. Since she wasn’t wrong, I agreed with a nod. “Honestly, I think I’m quite lucky that you decided to take the chance and to expand your powers in this direction.”

  “They come in handy for other things besides kissing beautiful women,” I admitted, looking away.

  “That’s to be expected,” Cariad agreed, not at all offended by my admission. “I can still be grateful for the side-effects, though.”

  Not wanting to argue with her on that, I just nodded and used the hand on her hip to give her another squeeze.

  “It’s helped my career immensely too,” Cariad admitted after another moment or two of silence. “The Traveler that I’m overseeing being so busy and successful in his work. The extra missions you’ve done and the help you’ve offered the DSR in ‘off-the-books’ tasks and securing threats… They are all documented and besides making me proud of you, also reflect well on me.”

  “That’s good,” I replied without hesitation. “You support me, and you’ve also been a great point of contact to help deal with problems, so the fact that you get credit as well is a good thing.”

  Cariad relaxed faintly, almost so faintly that I missed it. But given that she was still sitting on my lap, I felt it when the tension left her.

  “Good… I didn’t think you’d have a problem with it, but I wanted to be one-hundred-percent sure,” Cariad admitted quietly. “You mean a lot…”

  Silence descended between us as I considered her words. I had been attracted to Cariad since the first time I’d met her, and she’d slowly worked her way into my heart since then. Even before I’d had the ideas of how to defeat the energies that kept us apart, I’d fallen for the professional and smart woman in my lap.

  “Love you, Cariad.”

  The words fell from my lips naturally, and the daemon froze for a long moment before a deep blush raced over her features and she hid her face in her hands shyly.

  You would think that, given her current state and the laundry list of activities that we’d gotten up to the previous night, Cariad would be immune to embarrassment. But that would be wrong.

  I rubbed her back with one hand while the other kneaded her stocking-clad thigh. She wiggled back and forth on my lap while trying to get herself under control, and to play it safe I covered my right leg with the same protective, entropic film that I had used on my upper arm and neck earlier while cuddling. The last thing I needed was for the hole in her stockings to slip and sear my leg.

  That would totally ruin the sexy and heartfelt moment, I thought silently while I waited. Though… I wonder if they make body stockings of the same material? That might be kinda hot. Both sexy-hot and actually hot, now that I think about it.

  Setting the idea aside for now, I waited while Cariad muttered under her breath. From her closed-in posture and the way she kept her face covered, I could tell her words weren’t meant for me.

  My patience was rewarded after a minute or so when she peeked between her fingers. Something she saw on my face must have reassured her because Cariad spoke louder now.

  “I love you too, Liam.”

  A warm swell in my heart brought a smile to my face that Cariad mirrored immediately.

  We sat there dumbly for a few minutes, just staring at each other and smiling like a pair of goons. Unfortunately, what broke the silence wasn’t even remotely romantic or sexy, but was realistic and urgent.

  My leg cramped.

  Cariad had in her possession hips that just wouldn’t quit and a rounded butt to die for, but the reality of the moment was simply that she’d been sitting in that same spot or wiggling on it for nearly the last hour. And my leg had had enough.

  The muscle spasm under her butt made Cariad jump, which gave the muscle just enough space to really tie itself into a knot. It happened so suddenly that I had to strangle a yelp of surprise.

  Cariad immediately jumped down off my thigh, whirling to check what was wrong as I began furiously rubbing my thigh with both hands, kneading the knotting muscle into submission.

  “Of all the idiotic things that could happen,” I swore, growling while I dug my thumbs into the rock-hard ball of muscle.

  “I… cramp?” Cariad asked questioningly, glancing up from my leg to my face and back down again.

  The section of skin that was cramping had been marked as ‘protected’ by the entropic energy by the color shift until I started to knead it with my unprotected hands. Shape-Shifting acted without me needing to consciously direct it again, removing the shifts and layer of protection before my normal and vulnerable hands made contact.

  “Yeah,” I growled in answer to her question while I worked.

  Cariad blew out a relieved sigh and I glanced her way. She shot me a shy smile while smoothing her skirt down.

  “I was worried… you did tear them…” Cariad admitted, her fingers pinching the edge of her pantyhose and pulling the stretchy material out.

  “I don’t remember you complaining about it before,” I replied with raised eyebrows and a grin.

  “Oh no, not complaining at all,” Cariad was quick to assure me. “But I was worried that I’d hurt you… Well, hurt you more than making your leg cramp up. Sorry about—”

  “Don’t you dare,” I interrupted. “Do not apologize about sitting on my leg. I don’t give a damn if I get a cramp for my trouble. You are beautiful and your body is intoxicating. Apologizing implies you did something wrong and there is nothing wrong with that ass.”

  Cariad’s blush was back and flared her slate skin a dark purple. I swear that she was only moments from having steam bursting out her ears as a result.

  “If you insist, Liam,” Cariad muttered, looking down and away while the blush crept down her neck to the tops of her breasts.

  “I do,” I confirmed, working the last of the kinks out of my thigh. “Now, I don’t want to sound like I’m throwing you out, but you did say that you needed to get going?”

  At the reminder, Cariad gave herself a full-body shake and stood straighter. Her hands went to smooth down her skirt before she realized she hadn’t tucked her shirt into it. While she opened the zipper and set about rectifying that, she continued talking.

  “Yes, I need to get in and get paperwork filed. And if I am going to make it back home before I go in, I should get moving. It’s already late in the morning and I don’t want to push things too much.”

  “Do you work set hours or do you set your own schedule?” I asked curiously, watching her work as she carefully organized her clothing.

  “Half and half,” Cariad answered without hesitation. “I’m expected to be available whenever my clients need me, which means you,” she shot me a sultry look at this before continuing. “But I also am expected to be present in the office for a span of hours during the day should I be needed for additional duties. That part will change once I get the paperwork in.”

  Settling back onto the bench, still stark naked, I watched as Cariad fussed over her clothes and talked. There was something uniquely attractive about her business-look normally, but the disheveled state she was in with wrinkles and stains on the clothing made it just that much more sexy at the moment, mostly because I knew those were all my fault.

  “For one,” Cariad continued, not noticing me studying her. “They’ll not be able to assign me a lot of other duties now that I’m tied to you like this. Speaking of, we should officially bond as a Traveler and Summoner, too.”

  “Why is that?” I asked, draping my arms over the back of the bench and tilting my head to one side.

  “It marks things officially in the System,” Cariad answered, glancing up and pausing as she took in my pose. I saw desire war behind her eyes for a moment before she schooled herself into ‘business mode.’ “And it’ll give me a means to contact you that doesn’t go through the DSR.”

  That broke me out of my teasing and I leaned forward, elbows on knees, to study her expression.

  “That sounds ominous,” I said. “Is everything okay? Do you have people that you don’t trust at the DSR?”

  “Liam, it’s a bureaucracy,” Cariad replied dryly. “There are a ton of people there I don’t trust. I have a few people that I know are on my side, though. Some friends and Mr. Cerebaton especially. But having a method to speak to you that relies on only the System and not the equipment that the DSR maintains means that I can be more direct in some things.”

  The way that Cariad bit her bottom lip told me exactly how carnal some of those ‘things’ would be. But knowing her, and the fact that she’d mentioned having issues with some of the upper-levels at the DSR, told me that my clever daemon was planning for potential future issues.

  “Sounds good,” I said with a smile. “A guardian contract will also ensure that I can come to you if you need me, or pull you to me instead.”

  Especially if something happens and she needs to get away from a location, I thought grimly. And if someone does threaten her to the point she needs an emergency exit, then even daemons will learn not to fuck with me or mine.

  Something must have shown on my face, because Cariad’s expression turned soft once more and her upper set of eyes flicked open for just a moment. The electric-blue orbs studied me before slipping closed once more and Cariad spoke.

  “I appreciate that, Liam. And definitely. We should do it now so that I can add that to the paperwork later. The sooner I get it into the network, the better.”

  “Still can’t believe that there is paperwork for getting intimate with your clients,” I snickered, trying to inject some levity into the moment to bring the mood up more.

  “Liam, it’s bureaucracy,” Cariad said dryly, the edge of a smile threatening. “There is paperwork for everything.”

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