"Umm, we've only been away for like four days," Caitin said.

  "I said most , didn't I?" Harmony snickered.

  "What about Cynthia?" Mihalis asked.

  "She's spending some time with her, too. Though I don't think they've done any threesomes yet."

  "I don't think I need to know that," Mihalis said with a grin.

  "Says the man with seven wives and a concubine!" Noje giggled.

  "Any idea what Irrie did to piss her off?"

  "Probably inhaled," Noje said, still giggling. "Apparently Cinn sees something in Brost and decided she wanted to get to know him better, and putting him on the council will certainly encourage that."

  "By the way, did you feel it when we killed that biskop yesterday?" Harmony asked.

  "Only that suddenly he was gone," Mihalis said as he took a bite, now that Taeria was eating off her own plate, and the others had all taken a little.

  "So no backlash, memories, any of that?"

  "Nope," he said between bites.

  "Well, that's good. So what's on today's agenda?"

  "I'm gonna take Hengity's oath, and unless something bad happens, I'm going to see about taking Lord Ennakoida's, as well as the two surviving lords that used to be Prince Talt's."

  "Really?" Noje said, giving Beri a hug, and then sitting down at the table.

  Mihalis nodded. "Me and Sawyer worked out a plan—"

  "Sawyer?" Harmony asked, looking surprised.

  "Well, it is a con," Taeria said, looking up from her plate, "so who better, right?"

  "She's got a point," Noje said as Harmony sat down next to her.

  "Yeah, I guess she does. What'd Dad and the First say about that?"

  "Dad saw the light," Mihalis replied. "As I haven't gotten spanked yet, I'm guessing the First agreed. To sum up the plan, I'm going to see how long I can keep a fight going over leadership of the DEZ between me and Prince Bratsch."

  "No wonder Dad saw the light. That's a good plan."

  "Yeah, we're hoping it'll keep their focus off of things outside the wall. Those tunnels they were using to smuggle djevels out really messed up Dad's plan, so I'm hoping this will help him get it back on track.

  "Oh, and now that you've killed off that biskop, are you two going to be staying, or going?"

  "For now, staying," Harmony said. "It's been a lot of fun here, as well as exciting. If Alska and Celeste hadn't finally hooked up with Adam and joined his pride, I'm sure they'd be coming back as well."

  Natalie came into the room then, and stopped, looked at Taeria, and smiled.

  "Congratulations!"

  "Thanks! How'd you know?" Taeria asked.

  "Other than the loud noises coming out of the bedroom last night when I went by?" Natalie teased, but rather than blushing, Taeria preened. "Right now, Mike's acting exactly like Dad does when he puts one in one of the moms."

  "It's a lion thing," Mihalis said.

  "Is it?" Taeria asked.

  "Well, that's what Dad always says!" Mihalis looked up at his sister. "What about you, Nat? You staying?"

  "A month or two, but I'll probably bail around Christmas. Azure's gotten the basics of it down, and there really isn't much more I need to teach her that you can't. Dad's magical techniques aren't all that different than my mom's. She's the one who taught him the basics, after all. So you, Noje, or Harmony can teach her the rest of it. It's gonna take a couple years to teach her everything, after all, and any of us can do that."

  He nodded.

  "Plus Az and Rik have me set up for a New Year's shoot with their friend Peter."

  "Ah! So the truth comes out!" Harmony said with a chuckle.

  "I'm thinking it'll be fun," Natalie said with a shrug. "Plus, it gets me out there on my own for a while. Some of us don't have to go out and slaughter things to prove ourselves; we need to do something else."

  "I don't know, I suspect you're going to slaughter a lot of male egos!"

  "Oh, I don't know about slaughtering ," Natalie said with a mischievous grin, "but I do plan on leaving a lot of spent bodies in my wake!"

  All the girls giggled at that one. Natalie was just as hot as Azure and Rika, and Mihalis had no doubt she'd be getting the kind of attention all the tantric witches desired.

  When they all finished eating, Mihalis stood up, went over to Beri, and gave her a hug and a long kiss. Then he grabbed Tamerin, who'd come in while they'd been eating, and did the same with her, leaving her panting and plastered against him.

  "I'll be sure to pay you some personal attention later," he told her and, giving her a kiss on the forehead, he set her down and looked around the room.

  "Well, I'm off to the council chambers. Noje and Harmony, you were there last time I did this, so I wouldn't mind if you were there again. Someone ping Cinnamon for me, please?"

  "I'm pinging her now," Talin said. "Give me a moment to grab my gear, and I'll join you. Jade, Kerrie, get your stuff; you're coming, too."

  "They are?" Mihalis asked.

  "I'd drag Taeria along, as well, but I think she'd rather curl up in bed and savor the moment," Talin said, and Taeria just grinned and nodded. "Cait, you're in charge."

  "Got it!"

  "So why the show of strength?" Mihalis asked as they left the Auction House a couple of minutes later.

  "Because you're going to take a vassal. That means you have to put on a show of strength. When and if you swear that Ennakoida guy, we'll all be there. Might even ask my mom and step-dad to be there, as well."

  "Step-dad, does that mean our grandfather is now your father-in-law as well, Mike?" Harmony teased. "Wait until Troy figures it out!"

  "You know, I hadn't thought about that," Mihalis said.

  "What, Troy making fun of you?" Harmony teased.

  "No, swearing Ennakoida. Do I want to do that at the council offices? Or our home here at the Auction House? Or someplace else?"

  "The auction starts back up tomorrow," Kerrie pointed out. "So if we want to do it there, this Friday would be the soonest."

  "So four or five days from now?" Talin said, looking thoughtful. "I need to talk to Shaylee about this; you might want to call Sawyer."

  "Ask Hengity," Kerrie said.

  "Why?"

  "Well, he's going to be Mike's djevel advisor, right? That's his job? So he'll know what Ennakoida will be expecting."

  "Good point." Mihalis nodded. "Though we're going to make some changes to whatever it is he comes up with."

  "Why's that?"

  "Because we need to make the point that things are different here, and I've managed to survive and become powerful by adapting."

  "Didn't Mom Esti say djevels aren't very good at adapting?" Noje asked.

  "Yup, and that's all part of the plan. Can't make it easy on them, because eventually we're going to be killing all of them, remember."

  "There is that," Talin agreed with a grin. "You know what? This is going to be fun!"

  "It is? Why?" Jade asked, surprised.

  "Because we Unseelie haven't had people we could use and abuse like this in centuries !"

  "You haven't?"

  "Humans got too wise to us after a time. Oh, they still screw up occasionally, but it's not like it used to be."

  "Well, better them than me!"

  "You're not human anymore, plus you're married to two Faeries now, so that means you're more or less safe."

  "I forgot… wait, what do you mean, 'more or less'?"

  "It means Caitin does love her practical jokes now and again."

  "Not if we get her first!" Kerrie said, smirking.

  Mihalis just smiled as his wives bantered back and forth until they got to the council house.

  Going inside, he greeted the two guards who were on duty, and went directly to Cinnamon's office with everyone following him. Cinnamon wasn't there yet, so he took a moment to check his stats, something he should've done when he'd been connected to Værktøj, he now realized, and said as much.

  "Think you might have gained a new menu?" Noje asked.

  Mihalis shrugged. "Maybe? I don't see anything now , but without the power coming in, maybe I won't?"

  "Or maybe you won't see anything until it goes over a certain level."

  Cinnamon had just walked in, and she shook her head. "I don't think you're going to gain a new power, per se. I'm betting you'll see some additional incubus powers, maybe a whole new category, but that's it."

  "Why do you think that?"

  "Because they're an obvious holdover from our demonic heritage, and it comes from our ancestors. If they were somehow related to the djevels, even if only by proximity, I'd expect anything Mike here gains from the djevels will just trigger more of them."

  "That does make a certain amount of sense," Kerrie said, piping up.

  Mihalis nodded. Taking a moment, he connected himself to the lion power pool in case he needed it.

  "Okay, Cinn, before I send you off to get Hengity, I need to go over a few things with you. I had a long talk with Sawyer yesterday, and here's how we're going to play it…"

  Mihalis spent the next twenty minutes catching his three sisters up on what he was going to do today, and how that would play into what came next. He'd gone over it last night with his wives before they'd flown out here, but it didn't hurt for Talin to hear it again.

  "Okay, now, go get Hengity, and tell him to meet me in the council room. We'll do it there. If any of the other members show up, they can wait outside."

  "Aren't you worried they'll figure out what you're doing?" Jade asked.

  "Actually," Mihalis smiled, "I'm hoping for exactly that."

  Hengity was meditating on his circumstances when Cinnamon, the succubus who ran the council for their master, the incubus lord, stuck her head into his room.

  "Michael has summoned you to the council chambers."

  "Is he going to take my oath?" Hengity asked, doing his best to hide his worry as he got to his feet.

  "Yes, he is. Prince Michael has realized he'll need your advice on dealing with the djevel lords who've come here, because we've had to change a number of our ways and customs in order to thrive here. So with your help, he'll deal with them more effectively, as none of us remember the old ways from before coming here."

  "Yes, Mistress, I understand," Hengity said, and for the first time, he bowed to her and didn't regret it or feel insulted by it. Soon, he'd have a prince again! And one he suspected was far more powerful than his previous one.

  Also, he'd be his first sworn advisor! In only a few of these Earth months, he'd gone from a lone unsworn djevel to one that was first among the sworn. A status he couldn't have even comprehended only a week ago.

  Leading the way down to the main council room, he went inside and saw that Prince Michael was standing in the center of the room, watching him as he entered. There were two other succubi in the room; he knew them to be members of Prince Michael's house. There were three others, one of whom he again recognized as one of the older magical races that resided here on Earth. He knew Prince Michael had some sort of liaison with them, and several were members of his house as well. The other two he could feel were magical in some way, but he didn't know what they were. One was of dark skin, not quite like those of the djevels; the other was of a light skin, which was common among the human's he'd seen.

  "Hengity, the time has come for you to swear yourself to me," Prince Michael said to him, his wings unfurling and stretching out as he talked.

  "Yes, My Prince!" Hengity said and, prostrating himself on the ground at Prince Michael's feet, he spoke the words as he opened himself up to his new prince.

  "I give to you my service, my wisdom, my essence, my life, all that I am. I will serve you until you shall end my days and make all that I am a part of you."

  It took only a moment, then he felt it as Prince Michael took his bond. He stopped a moment as his life became linked to his master's. There was power there, there was a lot of power there! For a brief moment, he could almost feel it!

  "Rise, Hengity, and welcome to my service," Prince Michael said, and Hengity quickly scrambled to his feet before him.

  "I have reason to believe Lord Ennakoida will soon be entreating me to take his oath," Prince Michael said, and Hengity nodded. "What I need you to do is to tell me what the current oath is, how lords were sworn where you came from, because things are different here, and I need to meditate on it to determine if it needs to be changed."

  "Of course, My Prince!" Hengity said happily. "Yes, Lord Ennakoida is very much interested in swearing to you. I have no doubt you will hear from him soon."

  "What about Lords Hjul and Forrude? I know you're familiar with them. Would they rally to me?"

  "Once they learn of you, My Prince, I am sure they will be interested. If I could send to them a messenger? As they each know me, I can tell them that you are indeed a prince and worthy of their oaths."

  "And your opinion of Lord Ennakoida?"

  "I would swear him first, My Prince. He is both a crafty and powerful lord."

  Mihalis nodded to Hengity.

  "That's as I suspected. Now, I have things I must attend to. Please write up what the oath and practice is, so I might understand it, then deliver it to Cinnamon when you've completed your task."

  "Of course, My Prince!" Hengity said, prostrating himself once more.

  He had a prince! Once again, he was valued and protected, and wouldn't be prey to any who might try to eat him, lest they incur the wrath of his new master!

  Standing back up, he watched as Prince Michael left the room, and his entourage followed him out, leaving him there alone. He noticed Cynthia looked in the open door at him for a moment with an expression on her face he couldn't interpret, then turned to follow quickly after Michael.

  Schmerz wasn't here yet—it was too early for him—and he didn't think Schmerz needed to be told, as he wasn't really one of them. Same for the new member who'd replaced Irritante, whom Cinnamon had slain a few days ago. Ärsyttävä, however, Ärsyttävä would show up as soon as he felt it was safe, knowing something had just transpired.

  As his prince had made it clear that he wanted Lord Ennakoida's oath, he would wait here until Ärsyttävä found him. Going over to his seat, he picked up a writing instrument, put it to paper, and wrote down the oath of the lords from memory. It wasn't that different from the one he'd sworn, though there was a bit more to it. Because the lords had their egos, and with the power they brought, just as kings humored princes, princes humored their lords.

  "Hengity! What happened?" Ärsyttävä hissed, coming into the room a while later.

  "Prince Michael took my oath," Hengity said, looking up at Ärsyttävä and smiling.

  "What?" Ärsyttävä said, looking shocked.

  "Lord Ennakoida is right! The lord incubus is a prince! I could feel his power as I was sworn! I dare say he's easily my former master's equal, even before he has taken his sworn lords in hand!" Hengity boasted.

  "You are sure of this?"

  "Most sure, Ärsyttävä, most sure. Also, as his first sworn padomdevejs, it is my duty to inform you that my prince is most interested in taking your lord's oath."

  Ärsyttävä's eyes went wide in shock once more.

  "He asked me, as his first sworn advisor, my opinion on both your lord and the two surviving lords of my former master. I told him, while I believe the other two would give their oaths to him, he should seek your lord's first ."

  "Why would you do such a thing?" Ärsyttävä asked, looking at him suspiciously.

  "Because my duty now is to my prince, that is why. Your lord realized what was going on long before any of us did. Long before I did! He is wise, and he is crafty, and he is powerful! Who else would I pick to be my prince's first lord?"

  "What did he say when you told him that?"

  "That he already knew your lord was interested in swearing to him, and he agreed that your lord was worthy."

  Ärsyttävä smiled suddenly. "I will alert my lord immediately."

  "Thank you, Ärsyttävä; your lord is enriched by your service."

  Hengity all but laughed at the haste with which Ärsyttävä left the room. Once Lord Ennakoida had been sworn, he'd dispatch those messengers he'd promised his prince. Hopefully he could get Lord Ennakoida to gift his new prince a couple for such use.

  #

  "So how do you feel?" Talin asked him as they walked back to Cinnamon's office.

  "Horny," Mihalis said with a wink.

  "I mean, do you feel any different?" Talin said with an exasperated sigh.

  Mihalis frowned slightly. "Yeah; horny; aggressive. As in right now, I'm considering doing you in the hallway, if not bending you over Cinnamon's desk once we get back to her office."

  "And that's different how?" Kerrie asked in a more serious voice.

  "While I'm always entertaining the idea of entertaining each and every one of you," he said with a grin, "this hit me when I got his power. Either he's more powerful than a biskop, or the other one was so beat down, it didn't have much left."

  "Does that mean we need to stop Ennakoida?" she asked in a much softer voice as they went inside Cinnamon's office.

  Mihalis shook his head. "It's not really that strong an urge, it was just unexpected, hence the tent in my trousers!"

  "Yeah, we noticed," Jade teased.

  "Still, from what we've learned about djevels, I'm surprised it made you horny," Kerrie mused. "I mean, they don't really do sex, do they?"

  "I got slight rush of aggression from him, probably because he was willing and wanted it? Maybe it's the want bit that's got me wanting?" Mihalis said with a chuckle. "Though the aggression probably has something to do with it as well; after all, I'm surrounded by a bunch of beautiful women, so where else would a rush of aggression focus my attentions?"

  "What I want to know is, what are you going to tell Ruxton?" Noje asked.

  Mihalis shrugged. "The truth. That I'm taking over because we figured out that I can, and we're going to use it to make our jobs easier. Though I may not phrase it quite that way."

  "Sorry, I got held up by Cynthia there a moment," Cinnamon said, coming into her office. "And no, you're not doing whatever it is you're thinking of on my desk," she said with a pointed look at Mihalis.