Chapter 51: Convergence

Tuesday, April 4th, 6:11 PM

Dungeon Ciara

Joe carried Siobhán to her bed after they left the failed delving party behind at the second-floor exit. He laid her down, and when he turned to leave, she grabbed his hand.

“Stay? Just for a while?” she looked up at him with her gorgeous brown eyes touched with green.

“Alright,” Joe said, and sat beside her on the edge of the bed.

Silence reigned for a moment as Siobhán kept her grip on Joe’s hand.

She’s hurting. Be nice.

“They weren’t supposed to be down there.” Siobhán sighed.

“Yeah. I’m sorry I didn’t arrive in time to save Peanut. I had to heal the people first.”

“I know, Joe. It’s not your fault.” Siobhán turned to Joe and hugged him tightly.

He readjusted so he could wrap his arm around her, and squeezed her gently against his side. She shook as she cried.

“He was just being a mountain lion, you know? I had no time to train him because we were busy helping people.”

“Peanut was wild, and he was doing something that large wild cats do. On the bright side, you heard Ciara, right? She’s got a bigger cat you can name.”

“I know. I just wish I’d been more careful,” said Siobhán.

Joe replied, “Those people heard Mike’s warning and chose to ignore it. It’s not your fault, Siobhán.”

She pulled away for a moment. “You used my first name.” Siobhán looked up with a smile as she wiped her tears.

“Well, we are friends, right?” Joe gave her a light squeeze.

“Mm.” Siobhán nuzzled against Joe. “Thanks for being here.”

“You were there for me,” Joe replied.

And you were considerate, despite your feelings. He smiled at her.

“I kinda got forced into that.” Siobhán laughed. “But I won’t deny it. I wanted to be there with you.” She stared up at him with longing eyes.

“I’m glad it was you. You’ve been much more patient than most people, considering—”

“That I’m in love with you?” she muttered, nearly chuckling as she spoke. Then Siobhán’s eyes went wide and she covered her mouth, turning beet red. “Joe, I’m so sorry, I didn’t—I meant—”

“It’s okay, Siobhán. I already knew.” Joe smiled and squeezed her gently, feeling her tremble.

Siobhán’s eyebrows reached for her hairline, then scrunched down as Siobhán shut her eyes.

“You—I just… how?” She looked at Joe and her eyes shone with apprehension.

She’s too upset to think straight.

Siobhán stared at the wall and stammered, “It’s just… a lot of men will run away if a girl says what she’s really feeling, and I really like you more than anyone so I don’t want to screw this up, Joe, and—”

It’s time to deal with this.

“Siobhán. Don’t stress about it. I like you, too.”

“I—Joe, are you serious?” She turned to stare into his eyes open-mouthed.

“If I weren’t, I wouldn’t say so,” Joe replied with a nod.

Siobhán’s eyebrows raised, and her lips quivered as they drew into a tenuous smile. “Umm… My heart’s going crazy right now, and I feel like I want to pin you down and attack you, but I don’t want to do anything too soon, because you’re still—”

“I told you because I’m ready to talk about it,” said Joe.

“So… what kind of things you do you want to talk about?” Siobhán fixed her hair, wearing a shy smile.

She’s adorable.

Joe took a calming breath. “Before anything else, boundaries. I’m a one-woman kind of guy, and I expect a woman I’m with to be only with me as well. No exceptions. Cheating once is an instant cut-off, even if I’m married.”

Siobhán threw her arms around Joe and whispered, “I was hoping you’d say that.” She rubbed Joe’s back with her hand and nuzzled against him while he ran his fingers through her gorgeous reddish-brown hair and tucked it behind her ear.

Looking thoughtfully at Siobhán for a moment, Joe tapped his chin. “There’s something else. I’ve stuck around here since we met because we’re cut off from everything, but I’m a marine and we’re at war. If I get called away, I’ll have no choice but to answer, and I can’t say how long I’ll be gone.” Joe raised his eyebrows.

“Joe, I want you. I’ll wait for years if that’s how it needs to be.”

She answered without hesitation.

“Okay.” Joe cocked his head.

“O-okay? Does that mean you want to—”

“I’m processing. There’s no need to rush, Siobhán. I already said I like you, so you’ve got your foot in the door.” Joe offered a lopsided smile and cupped the side of her face.

Siobhán melted, nuzzling her face against Joe’s hand. She clutched it with hers and angled her lips toward his fingers, but she stopped short of a kiss.

“Um… I know most men want to know this, so I’ll just say it. People claim you’re supposed to multiply the number a girl gives you, but mine is genuine. I’ve been with two men. Well, one man and a total asshole.”

That’s surprising to hear from an unattached mid-twenties woman as pretty as her.

Joe suppressed the urge to raise an eyebrow as she continued.

“I had a boyfriend in high school. Brad was my first. Then, after four years of finding nobody who was worth it, I made the mistake of letting Nicolas in while I was drunk.” Siobhán’s mouth twisted as she said the name.

Joe nodded.

Solid eye contact, unguarded posture, and she barely blinked at all. She’s probably telling the truth.

“Ouch. I’m sorry about that one, but I’m glad you’re being honest with me. I’ve only ever slept with… Anna.” Joe sighed.

“Oh, Joe.” Siobhán hugged him tightly.

With a strained smile after Siobhán pulled back, Joe said, “Healing takes time. But me and Anna told each other that if something like this happened to one of us, the other should move on and learn to love again. If she’s watching me right now, I know Anna’s cheering me on because she’s gone and she knows I like you. She would’ve liked you, too. That’s the kind of person Anna was.”

Siobhán pressed her lips tightly and her eyes watered. “I… should we wait before—?”

“It’s okay. I’m a pretty tough guy, despite appearances,” said Joe.

Siobhán burst out laughing, and Joe winked.

“Well, if we… um—you know, I want to be with you for real, Joe.” Siobhán’s brow scrunched a little and she bit at her bottom lip after she spoke. Her eyes were wide and searching, making her look hopeful.

Joe could feel her trembling again.

Her body language always matches her words. It’s amazing that she’s so honest all the time. Anna would’ve loved her.

Joe felt himself responding as he caught a whiff of Siobhán’s arousal.

Damn, she smells good.

Joe pulled Siobhán close and she reciprocated.

Well, life is short. Hah. Not for us, I suppose, but still…

Joe laid back against her bed and Siobhán followed suit, using his arm for a pillow as her eyes searched his.

He laid a hand on her cheek, and her breathing came faster as her hands clutched his torso.

Joe hugged Siobhán tightly. She used her considerable strength to pull him. He allowed it and ended on top of her as she wrapped her legs around him.

Whoa.

He rose to the occasion as Siobhán’s intimate warmth pressed up at him.

Siobhán bit her bottom lip and shut her eyes, lifting her head until Joe felt her warm breath against his face, and he ducked his head in response.

The moment their lips met sent an electric shock through Joe.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Siobhán’s kiss was soft and hesitant until Joe slipped a hand under her waist and pulled. She went from zero to wild woman in that instant, her tongue probing deeply as her hands roamed and her feet pulled him against her center. Joe reciprocated when Siobhán grabbed his hand and shoved it under her blouse. The heat from Siobhán thrusting herself against him with only the thin layers of fabric separating them drove Joe mad while his fingers pushed her bra aside.

Siobhán pulled back from the kiss and locked her gorgeous eyes with Joe’s as his hand encircled the soft mound of her breast.

She whispered, “I need you,” and shoved herself up against Joe’s straining anatomy.

His remaining inhibitions fled along with their clothes, and Joe laughed in amusement as Siobhán threw him to the center of the bed.

Siobhán stared at Joe’s body for a moment and he stared back. Her curves were all in perfect proportion to her height, and her nipples stood just as proud on her breasts as his solid tribute to her.

God damn, her body is incredible.

Siobhán’s eyebrows raised after Joe’s anatomy jumped at his thoughts. Her upper lip curled into a feral snarl and she bared her teeth. Then, like a human lioness, Siobhán’s eyes met Joe’s as she stalked onto the bed above him.

Biting her lower lip, Siobhán’s eyes searched Joe’s, her small hand reaching to aim him. With tantalizing patience, Siobhán lowered her body toward their first connection.

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Six hours and sixty-eight rounds later, Joe lay spent, still connected with Siobhán as she rested on top of him.

I can’t believe how many positions she knows. It’s like she memorized the whole damned Kama Sutra.

“You… are more amazing than I’d ever imagined.” Siobhán panted, her searching eyes bright with adoration despite her exhaustion.

Her small frame felt amazing in his arms.

“Heh. So are you.” He grinned and they kissed. The touch of her soft lips against his was just as electric as the first time.

“Sharing our feelings is incredible, especially after I got my new ability, because holy shit,” Siobhán smiled. Then her eyebrows rose and her lips drew in tight as she said, “But… the real magic is you, Joe. You saved my life and my sanity, stole my heart without trying, and now, we’re so close… It’s like a dream.”

Joe shrugged, rested his hand against her cheek, and they gazed into each other’s eyes.

Siobhán’s mouth twisted into a cute, screwed-up smile and she snorted.

“I still can’t believe you finished in me every single time.” Siobhán laughed as she smacked his shoulder.

Joe narrowed his eyes. “You begged me to—”

“Yeah, it was amazing. I got mine just as often as you, anyway.” She smirked. “Did you like them, Joe?”

“Hah. Pretty damn intense.”

“I’ve never done that at the same time, before.”

“We both know what’s likely to happen,” said Joe. He locked eyes with her.

Siobhán waved her eyebrows. “Yeah. Especially since I’m gonna screw your brains out every chance I get, loverboy.”

“I’m gonna lose a lot of sleep over this,” Joe mused with a straight face, and they both chuckled.

“Kitchen sex,” said Siobhán with a coy smile.

“Kitchen sex?” Joe raised an eyebrow.

“When a couple gets started, like we are… it happens pretty much everywhere. You know, like, in the kitchen while I’m making breakfast, or in the redwood forest with me pinned against a tree…” She bit her bottom lip with laughter in her eyes.

Siobhán grinned mischievously. “The hot tub, changing rooms, castle bedrooms and towers, the ocean, random spots in the Dungeon…”

“Sounds good to me.” Joe rubbed his chin. “Especially with that new ability of yours.”

“You wanna reconnect? I’m up for another round if you wanna.” Siobhán’s eyes brightened.

“We should get some rest,” Joe replied. “But I have a feeling we’re gonna spend a lot of time linked up.”

“I can’t wait. I want to share all kinds of experiences with you, not just sex. Well, okay, a ton of sex, because holy shit, Joe. But I wanna go places and do other things, too,” she whispered.

Siobhán’s amazing.

Joe’s thoughts raced through everything he’d experienced through Siobhán’s new ability and he touched her cheek. His eyes roamed over her beautiful face as his heart swelled.

I never thought I could fall so hard for a girl. Especially in such a short time. How can this be real?

“I’d like that,” Joe replied.

Siobhán showed a radiant smile as her eyes teared up.

Her ability prompted him again, and despite his words, Joe was unable to resist.

Her bed was already an intolerable mess before the tempest-like fury of Joe’s sixty-ninth time, but neither of them cared enough to move as he lay drifting off to sleep, still connected with Siobhán, who slumbered with a contented smile against his chest.

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It seems Joe likes my Soybean a lot more than I thought.

If he means everything he said, then it’s fine.

My thoughts turned to unpleasant possibilities considering Joe and his attractiveness, and the Dungeon in me hissed threateningly…

He’d better not hurt her. Especially after she opened up to him like that.

But that was something I couldn’t control, so I let it go and considered my new minions.

Ten Palomar tigers, created soon after Peanut died, were named for the delightful Palomar café that once stood near the Crow’s Nest.

I restricted them to three times the size of a normal mountain lion because of mana concerns and the dread of going berserk with hundreds of sleeping humans whom I could murder if things went wrong.

I’d given my Palomar tigers dark stripes using the pattern from a raccoon’s tail, but left the rest of their fur the same as before. The result was striking and intimidating. They were every bit as large as a Bengal tiger, and I pitied anyone who might come up against one unprepared.

It also turned out that, despite the size increase, my new big cats were incapable of roaring like a tiger. Unlike other massive cats, they could still purr, since they retained the vocal apparatus of a puma.

For now, I let my new tigers roam the bottom of my Redwood Forest to serve as a deterrent against unwanted incursions. Mike and the other residents had also been notified, and word had already spread about the fools who’d delved too deep—two of whom would have died if not for Siobhán and Joe.

Michael, Joy, and Rihelah started running to help as well, but they were at the wharf tending patients when that incident occurred. By the time it was resolved, they had barely reached the newly-raised harbor bridge.

Mike shrugged. His opinion was that if people wanted to risk death, they should be allowed to face the consequences. I suspected Joe would likely have the same reaction if not for Siobhán’s vehemence about helping the morons.

In the end, if it served as a wake-up call for the rest, then so be it. I got the big cat I wanted, though I wasn’t as happy about how I acquired it.

At least my Soybean has Joe. That’ll help.

With her happiness in mind, I resolved to create a specific minion for my third floor. But first, I had to finish preparing the landscape.

I’d already added some trees and many rock outcroppings to the winding, patchy grassland surrounding a sinuous, roughly 400-meter-wide lake on my third floor.

But what I wanted was a path that would take even longer to traverse as it wound back and forth across the snakelike cavern, doubling the distance that delvers would have to travel if they followed the convenient stone road and crossed the lake via its sturdy bridges.

One feature that people might not suspect at first was that the third floor’s lake was deep and held ocean water rather than fresh. It already sported a striking variety of ocean life that had arrived after being sucked through the sizable stone pipe I’d used to fill it.

Sharks, rays, fish, and tidal creatures were settling in, and I’d engineered the top of that long stone pipe afterward to allow more seawater to drain in during high tide. At the opposite end of the brackish lake, I figured something out on my own.

Using the same design as my toilets, but with a certain intent, a wide drainpipe with a spillway at the desired level of my third-floor lake ran just two meters deep against a solid slab of enchanted basalt that absorbed both water and salt faster than the ocean could provide it at high tide.

Thus, I ensured the creatures in my new lake would not be starved of oxygen or nutrients.

With that done, I recalled every minion except my Nemesis crabs to the second floor and made sure every single crab was laden with living prey before I finalized my third floor and shifted my core down.

Floors: 3

Minions: 232/360

Residents: 12/16

Denizens: 93979

Traps: 6/15

The madness of my hunger only lasted a few seconds until my Nemesis crabs murdered their catch with crushing claws, but the threat hadn’t passed. What would have filled my mana entirely only brought me up from ten to thirty-five percent as my capacity had effectively quadrupled.

I gave an immediate order for my minions to resume harvesting as my denizens fed me a slow but steady stream of mana.

“Ugh. Professor, tell me you’re not going crazy,” Rihelah said groggily as she and Michael leaped out of bed and started dressing.

Mike was already out of his room, still clothed with his bow, a quiver, and two short swords on his hips.

[Sorry about that, everyone. I’m fine. I would have waited until you were awake, but it’s safer to finalize a new floor while everyone’s asleep since nobody’s moving around and I can keep the people safe.]

Mike rolled his eyes and headed back to bed, grumbling.

Siobhán and Joe slept right through my brief tantrum, and I wasn’t the least bit surprised.

“Mmf. Night.” Joy fell back against her pillow and conked out.

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Floors: 3

Minions: 250/360

Residents: 12/16

Denizens: 156222

Traps: 6/15