Chapter 14

A bell rang throughout the apartment, its chime echoing off the walls and rousing the three guests from their slumber, just as intended. Tim woke first, feeling rested and pleasantly warm. The sensation was so comforting that he hesitated to get up.

"How are you feeling, my Tiny Tim?" Ursus asked, all excited.

Tim smiled, sinking deeper into the warmth. "I feel very comfortable on top of you. I haven't felt this rested in ages. The heat you and Leo are radiating is so inviting. If I could stay like this all weekend, I would."

Leo's voice broke into the moment. "The bell is our signal to bring you to our dungeon."

As Leo pulled Tim to his feet, he added, "I expected to be sore, but I'm not."

Ursus chuckled. "We told you we were going to take care of you."

Tim raised an eyebrow, curious. "Do you have a secret balm or something? We could make millions off this!"

Leo shot back, "We're not telling."

"Come on, share the secret!" Tim insisted, tugging at Leo's arm.

Ursus leaned in closer, whispering, "What happens in the dungeon stays in the dungeon, my friend."

*****

When Karl woke, he found himself alone. A refreshing feeling washed over him, and the room was filled with the scent of the ocean.

Jesse stepped into Karl's room. "Did you have a good rest?"

"Yes, it was great," but his mind raced with questions. "Why do I feel so clean? I was covered in Cetus's cum, and it soaked the sheets too. What happened while I was out? I don't have any sticky residue on me, and the sheets are spotless. Cetus's cum drenched everything. Not that I'm complaining, but it's just so bizarre."

"We said this weekend would be unforgettable. You might puzzle over it for the rest of your life and never learn the answer to your questions. The bell that woke you was a call to the play area. Dinner is served and will get cold unless we hurry."

*****

George followed Cobra, and as they approached a pair of imposing double doors, they swung open with a creak. "Why would this apartment have an elevator?" George wondered aloud.

Cobra shot him a knowing look. "It doesn't. These are the party rooms. Some call it the dungeon; others call it the sauna. Dinner is being served downstairs."

George thought, 'Why do I have this strange feeling? Something is off whit this opening.' George was not far off, the doorway was the portal to Keith's and Jesse's cave. As they descended the steps, which grew wider with each stride, the wooden treads seamlessly transformed into rugged stone. When they reached the bottom, George was struck by the walls, which appeared to be natural rock, somehow glowing with an ethereal light that had no visible source.

"I've seen a lot of wild man cave themes, but this takes the cake. How deep does this party room go?" he asked, a mix of curiosity and awe in his voice.

"Sorry, but I can't share that information," Cobra replied with a smirk. They continued walking and soon entered a sprawling room filled with various seating areas, game tables, and, at the center, a massive banquet table flanked by five elegant chairs.

George noticed that the far end of the room opened into more passageways. Cobra approached one of the chairs and pulled it out invitingly. "Please, have a seat. Do you have a drink preference for your meal?"

"While I wait, I could go for a beer. But what earned this place the nickname 'the dungeon?' also, there's seating for only five, but aren't there ten of us?"

"The hosts and three guests will dine while the others serve," Cobra explained. "Jesse or Keith, along with the other two guests, will arrive shortly. I'll fetch your beer."

Cobra slipped into one of the passageways and quickly reappeared, carrying a large stein of beer. Just as he approached, George, Jesse, and Karl walked in. "Hello, George! Glad to see you made it. Let me introduce you to Karl, another guest. Karl, this is George." George started to rise, but Karl waved him off with a grin. "No need for formalities," he said, extending his hand. "We're here to have fun."

Jesse pulled out a chair beside George and gestured for Karl to sit. As Karl settled into his seat, Fen approached him. "Do you have a particular preference for your beverage with dinner?"

"I'll take the wine that pairs well with the meal, please," Karl replied, settling in comfortably.

Cobra waited until Karl was seated before placing George's beer down and stepping back. Fen mirrored Cobra's actions, disappearing briefly before returning with two wine glasses and a bottle of wine. He set one glass by an empty chair and showed the bottle to Karl. After a nod of approval from Karl, Fen opened the bottle and poured a small sample into Karl's glass. After taking a sip, Karl smiled appreciatively. "I must say, I don't recognize the name, but this wine is excellent." Fen filled Karl's glass and left the bottle beside him. Turning to George, Karl remarked, "I see you're a beer man."

"Yeah, I drink it often, but this beer tastes different. I haven't had it before; it's good." As they chatted, Cetus placed a uniquely designed stein of beer beside Jesse and stepped back. George noticed the three men standing just a few steps behind them.

Leo and Tim arrived, and Leo introduced Tim to the others. Tim interrupted, "I already know him. Hi, George, but..."

Leo then turned to Tim and said, "Tim, meet Karl. Karl, this is Tim." Tim extended his hand, and Karl shook it firmly. "Pleased to meet you."

After exchanging pleasantries, Leo pulled out the chair between Karl and George, and Tim took a seat. Leo asked, "Do you have a preferred drink to accompany your dinner, or would you like me to recommend something that pairs well with your meal?"

"Whatever goes best with the meal, please," Tim replied.

Karl chimed in, "This wine is excellent. Your choice is the same as mine." Jesse slid his empty glass over to Karl, and just as Fen moved to serve, Karl said, "Let me pour for you, Tim," and took the bottle to serve him.

Tim took a sip of the wine. "It's unique. I like it. I'm no connoisseur, but I know what I enjoy."

Just then, Ursus and I emerged from the kitchen area, both laden with food and additional beverages. "Sorry, I was helping Ursus get ready." Jesse stood up and pulled my chair out for me, and once I sat down, he took his seat again. "Well, let's have dinner."

The five men set plates of exquisite, restaurant-quality food in front of us, serving the same man they had entered with. Although everyone was dressed in less-than-casual attire, the meal was anything but ordinary. Karl remarked, "This food is superb! Where did you get it?"

Jesse replied, "Ursus made it here with Keith's help."

Tim asked, "Are you a professional chef Ursus?"

"I am not; I just dabble when the occasion arises, and for Keith, I would do it every time he asked."

"You guys aren't cold in just shorts?" George inquired.

Jesse grinned and replied, "If they had their way, they'd all be naked."

"Yes, we would, but Keith told us to keep it civil, at least during meals," Fen agreed.

"Alright, let's shift gears and get to know each other, especially those of us seated here. I'm sure everyone will know more than enough about the servers before the weekend is over."

While enjoying our meal and later lounging in the cozy seating area, a lively conversation unfolded. Karl, Tim, and George shared intriguing snippets of their lives, helping Jesse and me to make up our minds. George, a divorced man feeling pressured to marry a woman despite being attracted to men, was fortunate not to have had children with his ex. After coming out, he faced rejection from his family, who cut ties with him. Sure, he became the owner of a large construction company, but it came from the connections he made through his family. He moved far away and started his own contracting business.

"I know I might come off as rude," George said, looking down in thought, "but it’s just my way of protecting myself from vulnerability."

"That makes sense," I replied. "But it makes it harder to connect to people you like."

"If I could do it all again," George continued, a hint of regret in his voice, "I would have ignored my family's pressure to marry a 'nice' woman and just acted on my feelings."

Karl then shared his story. When Tim found out his age, he chuckled, "With how healthy you look, Karl, I'm sure you've got plenty of time to find your true love."

"Let's hope so," Karl replied with a grin, "though it feels like I've been searching forever."

Tim shared that his family accepted his sexuality as a child but advised him to hide it in public to avoid rejection and potential harm. "My dad always said, 'Be proud, but be careful,'" Tim recalled. "As times changed, he urged me to embrace my identity but still remain cautious."

"That's tough," I said, shaking my head. "But at least you had some support."

"Yeah," Tim said, nodding. "My family taught me to be honest, work hard, and find the good in others."

As we got ready to go our own way after dinner, I informed the three men about some features of the house. "If you want to hear music, just say 'play music' and the band's name, and it will play in the room, you ask. You can say 'sound louder' or 'sound quieter' to adjust it. We don't have a TV down here for news or local shows, but it will play any movie you want to watch—just say 'movie' and the title. There's no connection to the outside, so if you want news or TV shows, I'm sorry."

The five servers lined up again. "Since Tim was late and only had two choices, let's have him pick first. Jesse and I will line up as well."

"My pick is Cobra and Fen," Tim said confidently. "How about us going to the hot spring I heard about?"

Karl exchanged a glance with George. "I think I'd like to go there too. George, are you interested?"

"Hah! Hell, yes I am!" George replied enthusiastically.

"Okay, Karl, your turn!" I grinned.

"How about Keith and Ursus?" Karl pointed out.

"And your pick, George?" I asked.

"I want Leo and Jesse," George declared, a smile on his face.

Since they didn't choose him this time, Cetus left to get the men everything they needed.

The weekend flew by. All three men, still amazed by the magic of the place, declared the weekend a success as they departed. The house, now sealed, would be gone when night fell.

****

Jesse and I visited a land broker to discuss our budget and requirements. A few months later, rumors began to swirl about the extraordinary magical party Jesse and I had hosted.

The spirits were very aware of our need to grow into a large enough group to fulfill their world's demands. They explained the risks associated with the bond that Jesse and I share.

Ursus spoke. "The connection you two have and how it intertwines with us is unprecedented in the history of the spirits. We know it will impact Keith, but the extent remains unclear—we can only make educated guesses. When Keith formed a bond with us, that bond connected both of you. Normally, we would bond with you, but you wouldn't bond with each other; however, the connection to Keith is different. Keith can send energy to others and initiate changes in them, just as we did with Jesse. We fear that Keith's bond with us may complicate any new bonding. It could alter those bonded to become like you two. If that happens, Jesse would merely become another of Keith's lovers." Jesse was about to protest.

Ursus signaled for Jesse to wait, placing a finger on his lips. "We understand that this cannot happen. We believe that if a man had a direct connection with only one of us and Keith transformed him, the link would differ from the one you two have. This would bind him closer to the spirit, making Jesse's connection to Keith stronger than any other. The man would then have to acknowledge your authority and follow your orders with the same weight as Keith's, although not conferred by Keith. There would be a clear pecking order. We're not sure if this is accurate, though."

"What you're telling us is that I have to try this on a man to prove whether your theory is correct. But if you're wrong, then what? Then I'll have two lovers?"

"Keith, I understand," Jesse said, taking my hand. "I don't like it any more than you do, but I accept it. We only need to choose a man we can both love as deeply as we love each other."

Looking into Jesse's eyes, I said, "I don't have feelings for anyone else, but if I had to choose, Karl would be my top choice."

Jesse nodded in agreement. "I feel the same way. Although I've loved others before, I doubt you'd approve of most of them. Karl is a genuinely good person with many positive qualities."

Ursus chimed in, "We have investigated all three men since you placed some of your power in them, and Karl is just as he presents himself."

Jesse then made a phone call to Karl. "Hey Karl, do you have some time for me, you, and Keith to talk? It's important to us, and it may be important to you, depending on what you decide after our conversation."

Karl's voice came through loud and clear on the other end of the line. Standing next to Jesse, I could hear both sides. "Of course! To be honest, I haven't been able to stop thinking about the two of you either. I was planning to reach out and invite you to my place."

Jesse replied, "That sounds great. Let us know when and give us your address."

Karl suggested, "How about this Saturday? Would that be soon enough? I would also like to arrange transportation, so I can pick you both up and bring you to my place. Is that alright?"

Jesse replied, "Yes, that would be okay. Just to clarify, the house where we had the party is not our actual address. We'll explain everything when we talk to you on Saturday. Our actual address is..."

Karl interrupted, "That's alright; I already know where you two live. My car will be there on Saturday at eleven. Is that time good for you?"

Jesse looked at me to confirm. "Yes, that time works for us. See you then."

After ending the call, I couldn't help but comment, "I overheard the entire conversation. Karl has been gathering information about us. I wonder why?"