Balm of the Gods

18. Sensory Diplomacy

Sanouk was ever-attentive. Cal and Saffron enjoyed the fine dinner she served in their private, comfortable quarters that evening, wanting for nothing as she waited on them at the table. The food was incredible, and the conversation light. The Thai symbiont knew how to read a room and give her guests whatever they needed before they even asked -- always ready to sweep away a plate, refill a glass, or simply lean in and return either immortal's conversational volley.

Cal thought of stories he'd heard about geishas in old Japan. Those were from a different culture entirely; he didn't make the mistake of thinking Sanouk belonged to that tradition. And yet there was the same polished level of charm, hospitality, and flawless execution at work. Even knowing how respected he and Saffron were as guests of honor, Cal almost felt guilty for the sheer amount of doting they received. Almost. He was a god, he reminded himself. Maybe it would be a long time before he made peace with that, and all it implied for his place in the order of things, but it didn't stop him from enjoying the perks.

And, of course, Sanouk provided much more than dinner service.

Eager, passionate bouts of sex punctuated the hours they spent resting and dining. They got back to it as soon as the break for food was over. In the villa's large, comfortable bed, surrounded by fine silks and the ambience of the tropical wilds, the three explored each other's bodies without restraint. With her earlier foul mood long gone, Saffron seemed intent on making up for lost time. Her hands and lips were hungry and demanding, and went everywhere -- taking her sorcerous touch with them. Well-placed thrums of Saffron's magic sparked pleasure from her lovers' every nerve ending and left Cal and Sanouk both trembling with joy.

But Sanouk herself was not to be outdone. She met every challenge with grace and skill, and proved she knew her own ways to draw out ecstasy. No doubt, decades of service to Yulan had honed her talents in this arena, just like any other -- and let her build a deep understanding of what pleased both men and women. And the man and the woman in her current company could not have been more pleased.

Dusk fell outside with Saffron stroking along Cal's chest and Sanouk busy indulging him in a slow, sensual grind on top of him. Sanouk's inner walls held his cock tight as she rocked her hips, and her round, beautiful ass bounced in his hands. The symbiont let out little gasps every time he gave her a squeeze, and the way she looked down at him spoke to pure adoration.

A mortal man might have been fully distracted. Cal wouldn't have wanted to lose focus on this, anyway. But godhood helped his mind think ahead while his physical senses stayed in the moment. What else might be happening elsewhere in the compound, now that the sun had gone down? What did nightfall mean in a vampire's domain? What were Pim and Kjelle up to? He sensed them through the Sanctum, their connection warm and vibrant, but not in a way that told him any real details -- as if his own magic, in its often teasing and capricious way, was telling him that some things were better discovered in person.

But most of all, Cal thought forward to what was coming between him and Yulan.

"We should probably get moving soon," he murmured, breaking the comfortable silence. "Go find Pim and Kjelle. See about... getting ready for this midnight meeting."

Saffron sighed. Maybe a reminder of reality and its pressing burdens made her a little disappointed after so long of a retreat into pleasure, but Cal knew she understood. "A shame," she replied, giving him a lazy squeeze on the arm. "I think we could have found a few more ways to pass the night, the three of us."

"I do not disagree," Sanouk added with a soft, demure smile -- and a less demure roll of her hips that stole Cal's breath. "These pleasures you have shared with me have been... illuminating. I thank you both for this."

The symbiont left it at that and didn't argue any further. Cal didn't worry Sanouk might be coming off of this unsatisfied; he knew how thoroughly he and Saffron had already met her needs. Sanouk's last rolling climax, spurred by sparks of Saffron's magic on her clit and the raw power of the god inside her, had left her sprawled on her back, unable to do anything but shake and pant for a long spell while a beatific look stayed plastered on her face. For the last thirty minutes and change, this position and its subtler, more intimate pleasures had just been her version of a warm, cuddly afterglow. On an innate level of godly knowing, Cal sensed how her golden-brown body still buzzed, blissfully drunk on his lingering scent and Saffron's sorcery, even as she finally rose up and off -- with a 'parting gift' of one last, slow grind before so.

Sanouk stood up with that same confident, cat-like grace that had drawn Cal's attention so many hours ago. For such a well-trained attendant, it was an effortless transition from 'pleasure provider' back to 'gracious host.' "I will bring you fresh robes to wear," the symbiont promised, offering a deep, respectful nod. "Something more suited for an evening of celebration -- and in your case, Cal, for an audience with Yulan."

With that, Sanouk glided away toward a wardrobe on the other side of the room, already sifting through the fine garments stored within. Cal and Saffron stayed seated for a moment and watched her idly, until a look from Saffron told Cal it was finally, truly time to get back to business.

"How are you feeling?" his immortal, dirty-blonde companion asked, her voice losing some of its bedroom-softness.

"I feel good," Cal answered. He took a second to stretch out. For just a moment, he felt a pleasant ache in his muscles from the last few hours -- then a wash of tingling god-magic took it all away. "Ready for what's next. But I should ask the same about you. I know this whole thing didn't turn out quite..."

Saffron shushed him with a single, gentle finger to his lips. "It is what it is. And it has turned out well enough. This game of delays may have vexed me at first, but this place is pleasant, and your company and Sanouk's has been... restorative." She paused. "I rather enjoyed us hashing out our dynamic, too. I was glad we were of the same mind."

Cal offered back a small, knowing smile. "We have to know where we stand if we're going to get through this."

"Exactly," Saffron agreed. Then her expression softened. "I had no right to be so grumpy, honestly. I was not even thinking of the weight on your own shoulders. My annoyance must be nothing next to your apprehension about Yulan."

"I'm... not actually that nervous," Cal admitted. It felt like a reflex to say so, but it didn't feel like a lie, either. "Maybe that's the god in me. The inner confidence and authority that comes from something bigger than the person I am... or was. Or maybe it's just that... well, Yulan has been a good host. Ancient vampire or not, she seemed..." Cal paused, trying to find the right word, or at least one that didn't seem so naive in the presence of someone who'd actually known the jiangshi for longer than he'd been alive. "I guess what I mean to say is she seemed pretty... into me. Is it way out of line to think that?"

Saffron let out a dry, throaty laugh. "Not at all. It's beyond me to imagine what Yulan might have in mind for you, Cal, but I do know she is intrigued. Her curiosity has always been powerful, but believe me when I tell you -- I've never seen Yulan more interested in anything. Not even that damned orchid I had to procure."

That brought a lot of big perspective back to the fore of Cal's mind. For a moment, he mused back on just how far he'd come since he'd found that golden bottle and assumed all the powers it gave him. "There's really... never been anything like me on Earth, ever, has there?" he asked, hoping he sounded more humble than arrogant.

Saffron looked deeply back at him. For a moment, her guard dropped entirely, and he saw genuine admiration; maybe even a little bit of awe.

"No, Cal. Not like you. You're surely starting to realize it. That's not even to speak of your physical divine power, or the might of your magic. I mean the way you can change the dynamic of any room you walk into. Any god of the old days could command respect and devotion through his station and authority. That is simple enough. But you? You command affection, intimacy, and easy, honest trust. You bring it out in anyone you're near." She gave a wry little smirk. "That makes you quite the novelty in the world of immortals."

Cal shrugged back. "I get what you mean. Somehow I'm guessing that all the interplay between immortals was never this..." A wayward gaze took his attention to Sanouk, still naked and beautiful, now humming to herself as she considered different garments. "...sensually charged?"

Saffron gave a knowing little laugh. "My usual business here has certainly been far less so. Not that the people or the accommodations were ever any less lovely." She looked where Cal was looking and took a moment to enjoy the view. "I didn't ever receive any 'service' quite like this, I must say."

They both watched Sanouk for a second longer, admiring her form. If she minded them looking, she didn't show it. In fact, the subtlest glance in their direction, and a slow, knowing smile, told them she welcomed it.

"You don't sound like you're complaining about the new normal," Cal teased.

"Oh, no," Saffron purred. "I like the new energy you help bring to this place. I like how traveling with you has made me reopen my mind about a lot of... indulgences I've long thought I should guard against in most cases. You help it feel safe to let go." She paused. "I am more and more convinced that we were extremely lucky to find each other, Calvin Robbins."

He didn't have to tell her the feeling was mutual. A kiss said it for him, slow and deep.

"Yulan, though," Cal said as they broke apart. "She's a real old-world immortal, isn't she? I bet she plays by a lot more rules than you do."

Saffron smirked. Under her breath -- perhaps so Sanouk wouldn't hear -- she murmured, "Even the strictest rules and customs are... bendable, I imagine, when someone like you comes along. Like I put it earlier: you take any stage, even the most orderly and staid, and reset the conditions. A god like you can make new rules that anyone would happily follow."

Sanouk returned to them with two ornate robes in hand. Their black fabric was embroidered with threads of gold and red and white. "My mistress would have you wear these. Please."

As he and Saffron both rose to accept, they let one last silent look pass between them. "Well, then. I suppose the night awaits," said Saffron.

"Let's not keep it waiting," Cal answered, and he pulled the fine, soft silk over his shoulders.

***

They found Pim and Kjelle on the way to the heart of the enclave. Not even meaning to rendezvous, the two pairs happened to cross paths along the same torchlit way -- but then, Cal had felt a kind of guiding resonance that only grew stronger up until the exact moment they were face to face, like his Sanctum had ensured their meeting. His High Priestess and her Thai girlfriend both wore silks like his and Saffron's, though theirs were a deep crimson, and hugged their bodies sensually. Better yet, beyond the physical, both women radiated a glow of beauty and contentment that spoke to the restorative afternoon they'd had.

"There you two are," Pim greeted them with a warm, happy wave. "On your way to the big party?"

Her word choice made Cal recall Sanouk's mention of a 'celebration' earlier, and reignited his curiosity. "That's what this is?" he asked.

"Just what we've been told," Kjelle answered. "We were hoping we'd catch you on the way."

"If it's a party, then I'm glad to take a couple more plus-ones along," said Cal.

Kjelle was the first to close the distance between them, going to Cal's side and giving him a squeeze around the waist. Pim followed right up. As Cal enjoyed the double embrace, his godly senses picked up on a lot more than affection. Their essence felt brighter -- refreshed and renewed in a way they hadn't quite felt since that wicked ghost had laid them low.

"Wow," he said with real, honest surprise and relief. "That worked. You both feel like you're back to normal again. Better, even."

"We were in the right hands," said Kjelle. "It was... intense. But good. Malee and Nattaya really know what they're doing. We were exhausted afterward. We napped for a couple of hours. But now we're..." She looked at Pim, and both shared a secret, knowing little smile. "...fully recharged."

Cal squeezed their shoulders. "That's the best news I could have hoped for."

"There's even better news," Pim teased. A familiar, mischievous glint lit up her dark, pretty eyes. "They were very interested to get to know you and Saffron better. You don't mind that we promised them they could get that chance, do you?"

Before Cal could ask who, Malee and Nattaya were emerging from the nearest side path, as if summoned. Cal remembered their graceful, practiced stride and their disciplined posture -- and without the earlier, more serious pretense of Kjelle and Pim in need of their healing, it was all the easier to simply admire. The two masseuses came up behind their earlier 'patients' to rest their hands gently on the women's shoulders. The easiness of it, and the clearly open intimacy between them all, helped Cal understand how much deeper they'd bonded during the afternoon.

"Divine One. Sorceress," Malee murmured with a respectful, yet deeply desirous little dip of her head. "We hope you are both well and satisfied after your afternoon."

"You come out and about at exactly the right hour," Nattaya added. Her exotic gaze flickered over Cal and Saffron in their fine black robes. "The night is when our community truly awakens. We would be honored if you would join us in experiencing our enclave as it was meant to be experienced."

Sanouk drifted over to join her sister symbionts. "You see," she explained to the four outsiders, "while the daytime is for work and maintenance of our sanctuary, as well as much of the necessary rest and meditation we all require, the night hours are for truly living. For celebration. For the pleasures of company and affection."

"Even we human symbionts have adapted to our mistress's rhythms, after all," Malee added with a sly smile. "The night makes us come alive in ways you cannot imagine. We dance, we make music, we share meals and drinks and stories and laughter..." She paused, letting her gaze travel slowly over Cal's form. "...and we enjoy each other in all the most joyful ways."

"Of course, the presence of honored guests such as yourselves makes this a particularly special evening," Nattaya continued, stepping closer to Saffron. "We have made sure to arrange a proper celebration in your honor. After all, it is rare that a god would grace us with his presence."

Cal felt a new kind of excitement, different from the tension about his meeting with Yulan. Even Saffron looked like she'd been won over. "You have our attention now, then," the sorceress admitted with a smirk. "Don't tell me this party has gotten started without us."

Malee looked proud to announce it. "Of course not. Your arrival is what everyone is waiting on. This way."

Lit by strings of paper lanterns and the gentle glow of bamboo torches, the main gathering space held a whole different energy from what Cal had first seen of it by daylight. Music from stringed instruments and flutes drifted through the warm night air as a group of symbionts performed a graceful, hypnotic dance, their colorful sarongs and sashes spinning like flower petals in a breeze. Others gathered in small groups to share food, drinks, and conversation. Some shared more than that, sitting with their arms wrapped around each other or lying in intimate embraces on cushions and mats, lost in their own little worlds.

Any of Cal's worries about the evening and its proceedings gave way to an easy, free-wheeling comfort as everyone settled into the communal vibes and enjoyed themselves. Pim and Kjelle were immediately swept into a dance circle, their laughter joining the music as they tried to follow the movements of the experienced symbionts, who were all too happy to guide their hands and teach them the steps. Saffron found herself drawn into a conversation with a few of the enclave's oldest symbionts, some of whom it seemed she actually recognized from past visits long ago. Eager to hear about her travels and her encounters with the outside world, they treated her like a returning queen.

And Cal, for his part, had no shortage of admirers. A number of symbionts flocked to him, clearly fascinated with the new god. He felt no sense of restriction or inhibition. The afternoon with Sanouk had taught him not to think of Yulan's symbionts as some kind of forbidden fruit, even if their permanent devotion was pledged elsewhere. They wanted him, he wanted them -- and his evening among them was a nonstop string of flirting, dancing, and the occasional stolen kiss.

But as the nighttime hours wore on, the crowd began to thin. Midnight drew close, and Cal felt the weight of it starting to settle over him, reminding him that he'd come here on a mission, not a vacation. He had to make good on Yulan's request. He and Saffron found each other again after his latest batch of new acquaintances had reluctantly retreated.

"It's about that time," Cal murmured to the sorceress.

"I know." Saffron studied the look on his face. "Back in your head, are you?"

"These people helped me forget for a while," he admitted with a wry little chuckle. "But I guess my nerves were never going to settle all the way down. Now I just keep reminding myself how much we need that venom. And how I'll need to prove to Yulan that I'm worthy of it."

"And she'll be impressed," Saffron promised him with an encouraging squeeze of his arm. "Believe me, Cal. If I could go in there with you and make this a team effort, I would. But Yulan would have invited me if she wanted me there. Her customs are ancient and precise. They aren't to be trifled with. My holding back is a matter of respect to both her and you."

Cal nodded. There was no denying the sense behind that. "I understand. And I'll be fine. I think."

"You will be," she replied, confident. "If I can give you one last thing to hold onto, it's this. She wants this venom to reach you as much as you want to receive it. Of that, I'm certain. All this is is a final appraisal. And then, hopefully, an exchange. Yulan's maintained this enclave for centuries by always thinking of the long game. If I know her at all, she's hoping that this... this meeting... might be the start of a future alliance."

"With me? Why?" Cal had to ask, surprised.

"You're a new immortal on Earth, Cal. Powerful. Charismatic. And with a whole court of devoted followers. Many would want your friendship and your loyalty."

He took another look around. From the isolated place he and Saffron had retreated to for a short conversation, he could still see all the smiling faces and the easy joy, and how many of them still looked his way with open, trusting affection. It reaffirmed how much he liked it here -- but also made him worry about how much he might stand to lose if he bungled things with the enclave's leader.

"Yulan is a community builder," Saffron continued. "She appreciates networks and alliances -- building bridges between different powers who share common interests, whether old as her or new like you. Be respectful. Be confident. And above all, be yourself. That raw, divine authenticity is what intrigues her most. Play on that intrigue. Give her a worthy challenge. Maybe even a pleasant surprise."