Title: Claim Day
Chapter 30: A Dark Alternative
Lenore
The makeshift quarters Bernard Smith had commandeered for us were tucked away in the old storage wing of Echelon’s east building: a forgotten space he’d transformed with surprising efficiency. Two connecting rooms: one a living area with mismatched furniture scavenged from various offices, the other a bedroom dominated by a king-sized mattress dragged from who-knows-where. The windows were covered with heavy blackout curtains, not just for privacy but because Bernard insisted the darkness helped him think. “My little sanctuary,” he called it, away from prying eyes and the chaos consuming the rest of the facility.
I look toward Bernard’s “throne”: an oversized leather executive chair salvaged from the boardroom—as Petra and Kaori worked in tandem between his legs. My fingers circled lazily between my thighs, putting on the show he enjoyed while my mind raced with calculations and possibilities. Petra’s sleek black bob swayed as she moved, her angular features and perpetually stern expression somehow enhanced by her current activity. Beside her, Kaori’s delicate features and smaller frame created a striking contrast, the computational scientist’s long black hair falling forward as she worked.
“No, no, use more tongue at the base,” Petra scolded, pulling back to demonstrate with clinical precision. “Like this.”
Kaori looked up apologetically, first at Petra, then at Bernard. “Sorry...”
Bernard chuckled, his heavyset frame shaking slightly as he patted Petra’s head. “Always the perfectionist, aren’t you, Petra?” Petra’s expression softened at his approval, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
“Gabriel and his power struggles...” Bernard continued, barely breaking his train of thought despite the attention he was receiving. “charging off to rescue Appleton’s daughter. It’s actually good news, despite the risk. The fact that death breaks the claiming bond? That’s valuable data.”
Bernard grunted, leaning back. “You should have seen Ramona and Phoebe when Edward told them about the meth ingredients and the Sheriff. Absolutely livid. Ramona looked ready to dissect Gabriel on the spot.” He grinned, running his fingers through Petra’s hair. “They’re both so fucking hot when they’re angry, all that righteous indignation wasted on women who can’t be claimed.”
“You’re right,” I agreed, watching his eyes darken as I increased my pace. “But now that we know claiming can be broken by death, should we consider taking more… direct actions? Get rid of some competition? Expand your collection?” The words flowed naturally, the question as normal to me as discussing dinner plans.
Bernard’s expression turned thoughtful, even as his breathing quickened. “I appreciate your enthusiasm, Lenore. Always thinking ahead.” He gestured for Kaori to focus on a particular spot, guiding her with his hand. “But for now, we stick with the plan. Besides, now that they have brain scans of the unclaiming process, our teams might figure out how to replicate it without the mess. No, we keep playing along, see how it develops.”
I smiled. “I can’t wait. You deserve more. After all, you only have three women.” I slid my fingers deeper, performing for him while preparing myself for what would come next. “Seems a bit unfair to me.”
He moaned, half from pleasure and half from amusement. “Sadly, I only got the scraps during Claim Day. The chaos of it all.” He shook his head ruefully. “But we’ll fix that eventually.” His eyes gleamed with anticipation. “I can’t wait to get Elaine. Complete the set.” He spoke of my fiancée like she was the missing piece in a collection, the twin action figure still in its original packaging. I too couldn’t help but see her that way now, because he did.
Bernard pushed Petra and Kaori away suddenly, gesturing toward me. “Come here. Bend over.”
I didn’t hesitate, positioning myself against the desk he’d repurposed as a side table. “I can’t wait for you to get Elaine,” I said with a smirk, looking back over my shoulder. “She’s as lesbian as they come, but she’s smart. She can learn.” I arched my back invitingly. “Just like I did.”
Bernard positioned himself behind me, his hands gripping my hips as he pushed inside with a satisfied grunt. He snapped his fingers at Petra and Kaori. “You two. Make out. Now.”
The women complied immediately, Petra taking the lead as always, cupping Kaori’s face with surprising gentleness.
“Look at that,” Bernard laughed, his rhythm steady as he watched them. “They’re learning too. Two straight women being gay just for me. I bet you never did anything this hot for your husband, did you, Petra?”
Petra broke the kiss long enough to answer playfully, “Never, Bernard. Only for you.” Her words were punctuated by a theatrical moan as she pulled Kaori closer, both of them clearly performing for his benefit.
“This fucking mess out there,” Bernard grunted, his pace increasing as his thoughts returned to Echelon’s situation. “Gabriel’s losing his shit. Guy’s unstable.” His fingers dug deeper into my flesh. “He better calm down or it’s going to be an even bigger clusterfuck. I don’t want us to have to make our move sooner than necessary.”
I pushed back against him, my mind simultaneously processing his words and calculating what they meant for our future. The electromagnetic physicist in me never stopped working, even as the claimed woman performed her role perfectly.
“Fuck,” Bernard groaned, his rhythm faltering as he reached his climax, spilling inside me with a final thrust that pushed me against the desk. “That’s it. That’s my girl.”