Well, Nadia didn’t have to be just like Tatiana either. It was just likely that she was, but if I could do better than we all could. The gods knew Natasha was miles better than her last two incarnations as well, and Kaya was pretty fantastic that way as well, just more a follower than a leader.

  A lot of gods were, perhaps a part of that was growing up in a modern and civilized human society. Even discord was using her mantel for positive ends, this time around, and Mark was loving his goddesses instead of pimping them out for influence as Apollo hd done. The signs were all around me, I was hardly the only one doing a better job of it in my latest incarnation.

  Nadia was a bit entitled and spoiled, being raised how she was, but apparently there might be more to her than that. As was my policy, I hadn’t done a deep dive into who she was, and I’d made my initial judgement based on those few facts. A judgement and first impression that might just be flawed, given what just happened between us.

  She got up and teleported out.

  Misty said, “You let your gooey center show, sir softy.”

  I snorted, “I know, but I wasn’t about to slap her extended hand away, it was unprecedented. She wasn’t playing me for information on how I thought and saw things, to help her plot, but I’ll admit she might use it later if she decides I’m a naïve fool. Well, then she’ll run into the hard parts of me.”

  Misty got a mock confused look on her face, then looked down at my pants with shocked wide innocent eyes that nonetheless looked playfully wistful and wanting.

  I snorted a laugh, “Not that hard part, vixen.”

  Misty blushed, and she looked away coquettishly. Damn she was getting better at pushing my buttons. Her lips twitched slightly, at the lurid fantasies running through my mind. I was giving serious thoughts to putting her over my knee and spanking her, which was just wrong, since her personality was all about me. That no doubt meant she’d enjoy it, too, because I was obviously a pervert that wanted a naughty mischievous woman I could punish with spankings.

  Misty shook her head, “Not that perverted, you just want to do that because you know you can’t ravish me and watch me cum on your cock, which is what you really desire, to give me pleasure, and I’m frustrating you. Maybe I pushed too far this time.”

  I snickered, “So you don’t want to be spanked?”

  She blushed, “I didn’t say that, sir,” she said shyly, and a bit breathily in faux shame, vixen that she was. Which totally proved I was both in my mind, which made her laugh.

  I accepted that in myself, and the shallow parts of me didn’t invalidate the deeper and meaningful yearnings of my heart and mind. That was a trap I wouldn’t fall into, and why I was worthy of my mates.

  Misty must’ve notified Lianne that the meeting was over because the door opened, and my Asian goddess sauntered in and over to my side.

  I pulled her into my lap, because that’s where she belonged.

  “Hey, baby.”

  She smiled widely, then asked, “So Human First idiots are history?”

  Yeah, in the room or not all my ladies had access to watch the meetings through my eyes and ears, they were my advisors, staunchly loyal, and saw things differently enough to be insightful and helpful. They weren’t just my family and business associates. To do that, they needed to see what went on.

  I shook my head, “Their current plan and leadership, but others will step up to lead, and there’ll be enough backlash and outrage over the arrests to swell their ranks again. But, that’s life, maintenance action, they’ll be quiet for months while they recover. It’s the nature of things. Also a truism that the world will never run out of idiots. Suckers aren’t the only ones that are born every minute, so are the assholes.”

  She giggled, “I’m glad Sara bailed you out, your power just turns me on but that could’ve gone really badly.”

  I winked, “Me too. I’ll have to do a better job of hiding it in the future, but I won’t sacrifice lives to do it.”

  She leaned down and into me, and kissed my neck softly, then whispered in my ear, “How long do I have?”

  I grunted, “Only about ten minutes this time.”

  She giggled, then said softly, “More than long enough, for what I need right now.”

  Then she slid off my lap, and between my legs, licking her lips hungrily as she stared up into my eyes and went for my pants. She looked desperate to suck my cock, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to stop her. As usual, it was exquisite, wild, and completely overwhelming the way she took care of me. I’d have to return the favor, later. She timed it so I’d be finishing up in her sweet mouth right before the next group came in.

  She wasn’t an exhibitionist, save for our circle of family in the privacy of our bedroom, but it was clear after that first time I’d seduced her in the hotel meeting room, that she really got off on the risk of getting caught in a semi-public venue. To be truthful, it was a hell of a thrill for me too…

  Chapter Thirteen

  Weeks passed after that, and life was pretty grand, if a little busy.

  Quiet as far as the pantheons and ruling, and I was able to focus on work and family as the government pretty much ran itself.

  Natasha, Kaya, and Mandy had found deputies quickly, and the whole family was currently in the tropics on a hardcore vacation to help Gary not be such a dick, though I doubt they’d use that terminology. Amelia was the only one that would have to come back to attend a council meeting if there was one, but so far things had been quiet and there weren’t any.

  I was hopeful that would take care of the tier-one spiraling problem. Not that we’d ever be friends, but if we could respect each other from a distance, I’d take it.

  The rest of the council had too. The gods of famine and disease who’d worked with Teresa and Freda for a long time would be their deputies, while Nadia chose the new discord. Though that latter was waiting for all the others to get back before going on vacation, her deputy was really the only one that needed to be trained regardless. Lastly, Mandy had chosen Carla, one of her minor war gods in law enforcement. I wasn’t really sure how Darrell felt about that, but he wasn’t plotting anything, so I assumed Mandy hadn’t ruffled his feathers too badly.

  Which was just as well, the opening day for the computer sales had seen a huge spike in orders, despite the pre-sale lead up. We’d only had ten million of them at the warehouse, and we’d sold ten times that worldwide in a single day. A hundred million. So we were at full capacity and it’d take us between three to four months to catch up on backorders, which was a lot of work to keep it running smoothly and efficiently.

  So much so we were working in shifts so I could take a break from it and spend time with family. That throughput also didn’t include odd hours, so we still had our evenings to mornings free to relax. That was important to me, so I wouldn’t be upping the daily numbers from the fabrication warehouse that would eat up even more time.

  The small electronic chargers handled by the witches were also selling extremely well since the opening day of the offering, and if that wasn’t enough Mandy had ordered three hundred of the house sized power ones. Ten sets of thirty each with a single remote charger, so I had to assume she’d had ten spaceships commissioned to be built already by various countries and or large corporations, but I didn’t use my power to find out.

  Needless to say perhaps, I’d gone from ridiculously rich to criminally rich, not that I hadn’t earned it, but I was giving serious thought as what to do with it all. Just that first day of sales was about three hundred billion dollars in profit once it all went through, and I expected to sell far more than that in the first year making me a trillionaire. I needed to reinvest it into the economy, and I knew I’d be putting a lot of it into Freda’s government branch so she could expand our human charity programs and aid.

  At the moment it was early evening, and we were in the yard after a day of teleporting product. The weather was warm and mild that July day in the Oregon wilderness, and Aubrey had some venison steaks and portobello mushrooms on the grill. We grilled our dinner a lot. Cerise was cuddled into my side, and both Faith and Lianne were cooling off with a few laps in the pool.

  Misty, as usual, was putting on sunscreen in a sexy bikini, often. You’d think it’d get old, but it really didn’t. I was sure when it did stop distracting me in tempting ways, she’d find a new way to tease me when we were out by the pool, but I didn’t see that happening anytime soon.

  She smirked over at me, and then winked.

  Misty said, “Nadia wants to come by for a chat, she has Susan with her.”

  Susan being the new Discord and her deputy councilor.

  I nodded, “Fifteen minutes, front door.”

  Misty said, “I’ll let her A.I. know.”

  Nadia hadn’t been plotting at all in weeks, since our conversation, which I took as a good sign. I thought maybe things were turning around for one of three of my greatest headaches, the three that were always trying to take my place in all my lifetimes. But meeting her in a swimsuit wasn’t an option, we weren’t that close or anything. At best, we’d have a cordial working relationship, which was honestly more than I’d ever expected or could ask for from the statuesque brunette beauty.

  “I’m heading inside to get changed.”

  Lianne said, “Me too,” as she got out of the pool, and after muttering a quick witchcraft spell she was completely dry including her red bikini.

  The three of us headed inside, Misty already dressed in a creamy white woman’s suit with pencil skirt.

  Lianne asked, “Any idea what she wants?”

  I shrugged, “Not an attack, plot, or trick, and life is more fun with surprises.”

  Lianne winked, “Good to know.”

  We’d be on guard anyway, which was just prudent, but also welcoming. I changed back into my suit and Lianne got into a knee length black stretchy skirt and an off-white blouse that was tastefully conforming to her curves up above. I also took a moment to kiss her quite thoroughly, in a way that promised her I’d make her scream on the end of my tongue later. A few spells later and we were freshly shaved, groomed, and in order.

  She took my arm as we headed back downstairs to the living room by the front door, and we weren’t waiting long before we felt them arrive.

  I had to admit as I answered the door, that Nadia was truly devastating in beauty without that arrogant haughty edge and defensiveness around the eyes. She looked happy, and it wasn’t hard to figure out why, either. Susan was practically glowing, and quite beautiful as well, and they were standing quite close together. I didn’t need my power of knowledge to know Susan was more than just Nadia’s deputy, and she’d a creative family of her own. It was good to see, actually, even if a monogamous lesbian relationship was the last thing that I’d have seen coming without cheating with my power.

  It also wasn’t my business, so I wasn’t going to comment on it or even congratulate them. It was the scents of course, that gave it away, even more than the body language and how close together they were. They’d been sharing pleasure for a while, and there were no other scents mixed in it which is how I knew it was also monogamous.

  They were also dressed professionally despite the late hour, Nadia in a suit and Susan in a work appropriate dress, so I was doubly glad I’d changed out of the swimming trunks.

  “Nadia, Susan, welcome. Come on in, we’ll chat in my office.”

  Nadia said, “Thank you,” as they came in, and Lianne and I led them to the office.

  I’d originally been planning to talk to them casually in the living room, but I’d changed my mind. They were here for business, government business of a kind even if I wasn’t sure what yet, I was positive it wasn’t a social call. That didn’t mean I couldn’t be welcoming or sort of casual, but the office would be a better setting to set the tone and put them at ease. They weren’t visiting friends, in other words.

  I took a seat in my chair, and Lianne stood behind me, while Nadia and Susan sat in the visitor’s chairs.

  “What can I do for you?”

  Nadia said, “I took your advice, dubiously, as a test run. Just to see if you were right. That our mantels were meant to be joined, not used separately. I… I don’t think I’ve ever felt more… complete? Anyway, I didn’t want to call a full council meeting for this. I wanted to get your permission to start an internal program similar to what Freda does for the humans, but for us, our pantheon.

  “I know Natasha is already doing work in that direction, counseling to prevent recidivism and teach gods with negative mantels how to channel them in a positive way. She’s also helping a few out with job opportunities, but there’s really nothing official, and we could be doing more than that.

  “Self-reliance and esteem is important, and I don’t want to control their lives, so it won’t be an invasive or aggressive program. But it will be a well-documented one so all of our gods will be aware of it and what we have to offer as far as assistance, counseling, job networking, witchcraft resources. Not everyone is as lucky on that last, to find a generous coven that will share their magic, for instance.

  “I think Mantel aid is probably the biggest there, none of our gods are stupid, or starving on the streets.”

  I smiled, “True. I don’t want to assume, but you’re keeping your current duties?”

  Nadia nodded, “Of course, it will even help me in the new programs, since it will allow me to track how successful it is, or where the shortfalls are. A finger on the pulse of our pantheon will guide me to the trouble spots and tell me how to adjust.”

  I’d be a fool to say no, and it was a good idea besides I could truly get behind for the sake of the pantheon. But from a selfish perspective, her embracing both mantels in everything had shifted her ambition significantly. To guidance and nurturing, as I’d hoped it would. She seemed really jazzed up and passionate about it too.

  “That sounds great, you have my approval, do you need anything else? Funding?”

  She tilted her head, “You could donate three hundred or so of your computers and put us all on an intranet for our pantheon that no one else could see, perhaps hosted on the foundation’s servers? All the assistants could access the available programs, what’s involved and how it would help them, how to sign up for aid. As well as forums and perhaps a blog. A place where our people could share ideas, support, and synergies. A volunteer section as well, for those like Natasha that want to help and may be already without anyone’s knowledge. Right now, only the council has your implants, and they’re really great, by the way.”

  I chuckled, clearly she’d been hoping I’d ask, she’d been all ready with that.

  “I can do that. The A.I.s can handle multiple networks at once. They have to, since they can be connected to multiple routers and even smart phones all at the same time. It’ll be easy enough for them to VPN into the foundation and keep that sequestered and separate from their personal and work networks for security. I can give you three hundred and twenty-two units out of tomorrow’s manufacturing run, which should cover everyone that doesn’t have one yet including a stash for everyone currently serving time in Tartarus. Just come by again tomorrow evening to pick them up.”

  She smiled, “That would be great. The website, forum, and blog?”

  Misty waved, “I’ll be done with that in a couple of minutes, as a first draft. I’ll send you a link so you can look through it, and so you can specify any design changes you need before it goes live for everyone else. Your AIOS will have access to post notices and program advertisements, the educational part of the intranet, while the rest of the gods will just be able to modify and write to the blogs, forum, and sign ups.”

  She blinked in surprise, then smiled, “That’s amazing. Thank you.”

  Misty smiled.

  I said, “Anything else?”

  She shook her head, “No, that is more than enough to get me started and keep me busy for quite a while. If something else comes up, I’ll let you know.”

  Her and Susan got up, and we walked them out. It was probably silly to do so, the wards wouldn’t stop them from teleporting out from inside my office, just make it hard to teleport in since they couldn’t far see the destination. But an implied courtesy in teleporting had built up over the years, it was polite to leave the building or house you were visiting first.

  Regardless, I was fairly happy. I didn’t think I’d be so lucky with Bruce or Steven’s replacement, but ruling had just become a lot easier and less stressful. I mean, for the moment, no one wanted my job that was on the council, and only one god wanted to end my rule anyway, and I had hope that would change with the vacation idea. That Gary’s mind would stabilize in the relaxing environment and constantly surrounded by his mates without stress. Time would tell, however.

  It’d be nice if Bruce and Steven’s replacement also embraced all their mantels in all they do to guide their ambition, but that was probably way too much to ask for. I wasn’t that lucky, and nothing in life was perfect. There was always at least one asshole in the crowd, and the odds were telling me I’d eventually have two back on my council. Still, I’d take the next two decades of being able to focus on business and outside pantheon problems, without worrying overmuch about daggers in my back.

  We got changed back into our swimsuits, and we returned to the backyard for dinner…

  Life went on, and things were good. Great even, with my four mates and a teasing A.I. as well as a supportive council. As supportive as I’d ever get, anyway. Things were looking up in business, pantheon, and on a personal level.

  The Egyptians no longer had a beef with me, and for the moment the Norse were quelled, and would likely remain that way for another twenty years. Human first as well, it’d be a while before they regrew enough to threaten physical harm on supernaturals.

  It was far from perfect, but that was life. The anti-supernatural governments wanted to kill us all, but they were currently unable to, and all of their weapons research programs to find a god killing technology had thus far failed.