We walked three abreast. I held Akasha’s hand to my left and Sydney’s to my right. Standing between them, I was struck by just how lucky I was. Sydney was radiant on my right, her dress a deep green silk, embroidered with golden dragons that twisted around her waist and along her arms. The designs shimmered in the sunlight as she moved, mesmerizing and mysterious, the dragons seeming alive as they wound along the fabric. The dress suited the glimmer of her dark locks and set off her hazel eyes. The rest of her beauty needed no embellishment; her smile was infectious and her presence unforgettable. 

Akasha walked on my left, carrying herself with poise and elegance . She was regal in her appearance. Her hair was platinum and twinkled in the light as it shone through the trees. Her eyes were amber, so brilliant that they could be mistaken for gold. Her high cheekbones and complexion were striking. Her skin was nicely tanned and glowed in her incredible dress. A low neckline showed off her generous bosom. The dress was silky and wrapped tightly about her figure. Numerous cutouts were filled with mesh that gleamed in the light but showed off her flat stomach and slender arms. The fabric ended mid-thigh, and a mesh played over her bare legs. It gave the illusion of a miniskirt, but the rest sparkled in the light as she moved. Thigh-high translucent stockings covered with glittery material adhered to her legs. Green and gold pumps completed the look. Though she looked like a queen, her smile was easy and heartwarming. Standing next to her, I felt like I was captured by the spell of her beauty.     

As for myself, I was wearing a pair of pants and a jacket, a green so dark it was almost black. The material was also some faux silk that sparkled in the light. My dress shirt was a pale yellow, nearly white. My hair was growing platinum in color at the roots, though the rest was still a rich brown. Black dress shoes completed my outfit.     

It was a beautiful day in the valley. The sky spread clear and unbelievably blue above the granite sides of the nearby mountains; their sunlit faces almost glowing against the morning. A light breeze passed through the forest around us, carrying the fragrance of pine and the faint calls of a raven ringing from somewhere high above. All around, people flowed through the small town of Yosemite Valley: locals running errands; tourists with their cameras pointed at Half Dome, soaking in the view. It was the kind of day meant for taking in the sights. I had not expected to become a sight myself, to sense all those gazes lingering on me, cameras held up in curiosity. For a moment, as a raven swooped overhead and cried out—a sharp flare against the calm of the trees—I realized I had joined the endless display of the valley. I figured they wanted pictures of Akasha and Sydney, but neither would allow me to step out of the shot when I tried. Many things had changed rapidly over the last couple of days, and now the valley appeared to watch us as much as we watched it. 

Our destination was the Yosemite Valley Education Center, where we hoped to meet the Park Superintendent. It was Akasha’s idea, but I was unsure why she wanted to meet this person. We turned north onto a wide concrete path that led to the building. I imagined that they used this area to set up outdoor displays, but having never seen them, I was not sure.    

The front of the building looked like it was made of large river stones, sealed together with concrete. With the mountains towering over them, picturesque in the background, and tall trees to either side, it was a striking and beautiful view. There were two sets of doors, with door-sized windows between them. A couple came through the doors and saw us. They stopped and stared as we approached the building. Akasha called out a greeting to them. They nodded in response, their eyes open with surprise. I moved up and held the door for my two ladies. Akasha beamed a glowing smile at me as she passed. Sydney chuckled and winked at me as she went in.    

Just inside the building, to our left, was a compact bookstore. ‘Yosemite Bookstore’ was written in gold on a black border across the wall above the entrance. Akasha walked up to the desk in front of the doors and approached the woman standing there. She looked up at us, a look of slight surprise on her face.    

“Good morning!” Akasha said with an easy smile. The lady smiled back. “We would like to meet with the Park Superintendent. Can you please point us to his office?”    

“Office?” The lady chuckled. “Mr. Mulbery does have an office in the building, but he is rarely there. You’d have more luck hunting the trails for him. I can leave a message if you’d like.”    

“Will he be back in his office later today?” Akasha asked, still smiling.     

The woman behind the counter shrugged. “I have no idea. I’m sorry.”    

“Can you leave him a note for us, please?” Akasha asked sweetly.    

“Of course,” the woman answered, pulling out a paper pad. “What do you wish me to tell him?”    

“That Lady Akasha and Lord Edgar, of Dragon Manor, wish to meet with him.”    

“Lord and Lady? Like a real Lord and Lady?” The woman’s eyes were full of amazement.    

Akasha lifted an eyebrow at the woman. “Are you imagining us then, dear?”    

The woman laughed. “No. Sorry. Did you say, Dragon Manor?”    

“Yes.”    

“You live in the house surrounded by dragon statues at the edge of the Backpackers Campground across the Tenaya Creek from North Pines Campground?”    

“Yes. You know our house?”    

The woman laughed. “Everyone knows of that house, but nobody I know has met the residents of that place. Wow. How long have you lived there?”    

“My family built that house. We moved in recently after my grandmother passed the title to Edgar and me.” She reached and grabbed my hand, drawing me to her side. I could not help but grin as her eyes met mine.     

“Oh wow!” The woman exclaimed. “Congratulations! I’ll pass the message to Mr. Mulberry when he returns this way.”    

“Thank you.” Akasha nodded. “Have a nice day.”     

We turned and walked to the doors leading out. I held the door for both women. The lady behind the counter watched us walk out, smiling and waving as we did. Akasha stood a little bit away from the building, holding her hand to me as I caught back up with them.    

“That was a bust,” I said, taking her hand. She clasped my hand gently and shook her head.    

“No. We made our presence known. Now we have another stop to make before we head back.”    

“Oh?” I asked. Akasha smiled and nodded. “Lead the way then.”    

Akasha took my hand in hers and started walking west across the concrete area in front of the Education Center. Just past the clearing, the trees became a little thicker. Through the trees, I could make out some old wooden buildings. A barrier had been erected from old wood, with posts and three crosspieces connecting them to form an area. Inside the area, dwellings were constructed from old wood. They resembled traditional Native American dwellings, but instead of being made with animal skins, they were made entirely of wood. We walked along the southern edge of the marked-off area.     

I found the structures fascinating. Their construction looked crude but effective, and I found it hard to grasp what living in that kind of environment would have been like. We continued following the path west as it turned south and then west again. In a few short minutes, we found ourselves at Village Drive. We crossed the street and turned north onto Village Drive. To our left was an old cemetery.     

We followed Village Drive north, enjoying the breeze and the tall trees. The sun was brighter now, sinking lower, painting golden patches across the asphalt and warming the air so that the sap grew rich and sweet, thickening in the heat. Every breath carried the honeyed fragrance of sap and warm needles, and the shifting light threw long shadows that swayed gently around us. Not many cars were driving in this part of town. It was quieter than where we had been before. Even as the day grew hotter, the forest’s light breeze kept us cool and eased us into a contented silence, spirits brightened by the vivid radiance of late afternoon. 

Village Drive continued north for a short distance, then met Lost Arrow Road. We turned left onto Lost Arrow Road and continued our journey west. We crossed Oak Lane and soon found ourselves in a residential neighborhood. Small one-story homes were spread through this area. We continued through the neighborhood. As we did, we noticed a home with half a dozen cars parked out front. People were milling around the lawn, talking in low voices. Akasha led us towards that house.    

As we drew closer, I noticed that most people here had a darker complexion. They tended to have darker hair and wore it long. Some even had small stones or jewelry fixed in their hair. These people looked more like the Native Americans I would have imagined lived here before settlers from the east had come. As we approached, the place grew silent. They watched us with interest. A few nodded to us in greeting.     

Akasha smiled and walked past the people in the yard to the door. She did not bother to knock; she let herself in. Nobody tried to stop us.  The inside of the house was even more crowded. There were people everywhere, talking quietly. As we came in, they stopped and focused on us.     

Akasha walked through the house like she had been there before. She walked down the small foyer, turned down the hall, and headed for a bedroom. I followed close behind her. People crowded the hall but stepped back to let us pass. The door to the bedroom was standing open. Akasha and I walked in, Sydney right behind us.    

An old man lay in the large bed against the far wall. As we walked in, a quiet fell on the room. A few of the women around the room had tears in their eyes. The men’s faces were guarded and curious as we approached. Akasha swept her sight around the room, inclining her head in greeting.    

“Mu'k-'am Ka ‘I-ni’iko,” Akasha uttered softly. Her speech was full of tenderness. The syllables rang foreign and ancient in the room's calm. For a second, I did not know what it meant; the unfamiliar words weighed on me. I watched as many of the people in the room smiled in response, as if something unvoiced had just passed among us. Then, a strange understanding unfurled inside me—I knew what the words meant, even though I had never heard them before. We are all family. Many of the folks in the room said them back to us. The people around the bed stepped back as Akasha neared. I followed but stayed back towards the foot of the bed, watching. 

The old man turned towards Akasha as she came near. His left hand raised towards her. His eyes were cloudy white. His skin was old and wrinkled. His hand shivered as Akasha took it.    

“You came,” the old man said in a tongue I did not recognize but understood. I shook my head; it was confusing. I heard the words as he spoke them, and then, a split second later, I understood their meaning. It was similar to watching a badly dubbed foreign film, where you could hear both the native language and then your own dubbed over it.     

“Of course,” Akasha answered in that same tongue. The old man smiled in response. His sightless eyes seemed to be looking at or past her.    

“Why did you leave the people?” the old man asked her. Akasha shook her head slowly.    

“I lost something precious to me, but I never left. I was always watching.”    

“Watching is not living. Are you living now?”    

“Yes.”    

“I always knew you would return. It saddens me that I will never see your face.”    

“Would it make you happy to see my face? The face of one who shamed her duties. The face of someone who watched but did nothing.”    

“The past is past. You are here now. You are with us now. Yes. It would bring me happiness before I must go.”    

I could hear a slight wheeze in the old man’s voice. His heart was beating irregularly. His body was sick. I could not say precisely what was wrong with him, but he was dying. He had been for a long time. That was when I realized why everyone was here. They were waiting for him to die. To pay their last respects to an elder before he left them.    

“As you wish,” Akasha murmured. She leaned in and placed her lips upon his brow. I experienced a soft prickling of Akasha’s power through the room. It was warm, soothing, like a heater turned up just a little. I looked around, and only a few other people seemed to be reacting. Sydney shook her head, grasping her arms tightly. Her eyes were a little wider than usual as she met my gaze. I smiled at her, and she relaxed.    

I looked back at the old man. Akasha stepped back from him, still holding his hand. He blinked his eyes. Once. Twice. The white film over his eyes started to melt away on the third blink. His pupils were a deep, rich brown. His eyes focused on Akasha’s face, and tears began to leak from the corners. His smile was breathtaking in his joy and sadness. He grasped her hand firmly and nodded once to her. He pulled her hand to his face and kissed the back of her hand. Then he raised her hand to his forehead before moving it back to the edge of the bed.     

“Thank you,” the old man whispered. Then he turned and looked me straight in the face. He nodded to me with recognition.     

“Watch over her,” he said to me. “Take care of her. Love her.”    

I nodded. “I will.”    

He smiled at me and turned to Akasha. Tears continued to leak from his eyes, sliding silently down his face. “Thank you," he said one last time. Akasha squeezed his hand gently, then let go and stepped back.    

“Mu'k-'am Ka ‘I-ni’iko,” she uttered softly. Everyone in the room repeated it back to her. Akasha turned and walked to me.  As we left the old man's room, Akasha’s eyes glistened with unspilled tears. All eyes were on us as we walked from the house. The people we passed in the hall put their hands on our shoulders as we passed, repeating the words Akasha had spoken. No one tried to stop us. They merely wished to touch us, sharing their grief and love as we left. Minutes later, we were back on Lost Arrow Road, heading east.    

“What was that?” I said as I held Akasha’s hand in mine.    

Akasha smiled. “We were paying our respects to the oldest living native of this place. Today is his last day with us.”    

“How did you know?”    

“I felt it.” Akasha shrugged. “You need to open your heart to the world around you. Once you do, you will feel all living things in our domain. I felt him dying.”    

A single tear fell from Akasha’s left eye. Trailing a thin line of moisture down her cheek. She stopped and looked back towards the house.    

“Now he is gone.” Akasha smiled sadly. She squeezed my hand. I came closer to her. She wrapped her arms around me. I moved closer to her and gently kissed the tear from her cheek. It tasted sad. Sydney came up behind me and wrapped her arms around me. I felt Akasha grab her arm and squeeze. Sydney lay her head against my back. I could hear a soft hitch in her breathing.     

“What now?” I asked quietly.    

Akasha leaned back and looked up at me. Her eyes twinkled with naughtiness. I felt my loins stir under that powerful gaze. For a brief moment, uncertainty passed through me. Did I really deserve all of this—their attention, this overwhelming desire? The thought caught me off guard, quick and sharp. But when Akasha smiled at me, something fragile inside me relaxed. I wanted her, wanted both of them, more than I had ever wanted anything before. 

“Now we go home.” Akasha stepped back from me, though I wished she had not. She smiled and clasped my hand as she led back the way we came. Sydney let go of my waist and came around my side to hold my other hand as we walked.    

“We still have much to do, and not enough time to do it. Tomorrow we will hike the valley together. All three of us. Today we rest and gather supplies for our hike tomorrow.”    

Akasha looked over at Sydney with a wry grin. “And maybe we will have time for me to show you a few... tricks I’ve learned over the years.”    

“Oh?” Sydney asked, intrigued. She caught Akasha’s grin and laughed. “Oh!”    

Then both women laughed. I looked from one to the other, unsure what I had missed. I shrugged. I knew they would share with me when I needed to know.     

The rest of the walk back to the house was quiet. We enjoyed the weather and the valley around us. The sights and smells of nature. Everywhere we went, there were birds in the trees over us. Their soft voices and music followed us through our walk. They never came any closer than the branches overhead, but I could feel them watching us. I also spotted other small animals in the bushes around us. None came as close as they had on our walk in the morning, but they were there.     

Sydney seemed absorbed in her thoughts as we walked. Her eyes were slightly glazed over. I don’t think she saw most of the walk home. Her hand was warm in mine, and she clasped my hand occasionally when some small animal stuck its head out of the bushes around us. As we walked, I noticed Sydney holding her left hand on her lower belly, as if she could feel the life growing within her. I wondered what she felt.     

Akasha was watching everything around us. She did not miss a single detail. She saw every bird that chirped. Every squirrel that jumped from branch to branch. Not only did she see them, but she also turned and nodded to them, as if greeting every critter that came close enough to be spotted.    

Before long, we were making our way through the front yard, Akasha leading. Her hands trailed each dragon statue along the pathway to the porch. I followed close behind, unable to keep my eyes from her. I watched how her hips swayed at every step, and the light glittered off her calves as she walked. I could feel Sydney following close behind me. I was not sure if she was watching Akasha or me.     

For a moment, the world seemed to widen: I saw the sweep of the dragon-lined porch, each carved dragon throwing long shadows across the yard as golden sunlight stretched beneath the trees. The leaves along the edges rustled quietly in the late breeze, and the whole house appeared to pause, as if even the stone guardians were holding their breath. From that wide distance, the three of us stood small but vibrant at the threshold of our home, framed by those ancient, watchful statues. 

Then my focus narrowed. Akasha glided up the steps, a spring in her step. She turned and reclined against one of the dragons as she got to the top. Her eyes beamed with playful mischief as she watched me walk toward her. I felt a coiling tightness low in my body from the look on her face. She caught her lower lip between her teeth, her stare warm and lingering. Something charged moved between us, an unspoken invitation. I closed the gap, my hands finding the curve of her hips, drawing her near. She melted into me, her body warm and full of promise. My heart thundered beneath her touch, every breath a quivering anticipation. Her hands slipped around my waist. Akasha lifted her eyes to meet mine. 

“Hello, lover,” she said huskily. My body twitched at the sound. I shuddered, aching for her touch. Akasha laughed as she felt my body react to hers.     

Sydney walked past us, watching us intently. I could feel her eyes on my back. She went to the door, a soft snicker in her throat as she turned the knob and walked in.     

“Coming in?” Sydney asked. She cocked her hips to one side, her eyes beaming with desire as she watched us. She bit her lip as she held the door open, looking at us. Her voice was sultry and teasing. “Or are we going to get busy on the porch?”    

Akasha laughed bawdily. Her body shook against mine. Desire pulsed through me, fierce and insistent, heat building until it ached beneath the fabric that still separated us. I was afraid to let her go, fearful of what she would see. Akasha turned and looked at Sydney. My heart fell a bit when she stopped looking at me. She rested the side of her head against my chest as she gazed at Sydney.     

“Yes,” Akasha said, lower, deeper, and husky, full of needs and desires I could not understand. “Inside. I have so many things I want to show you...”    

Then Akasha released my waist and stepped back. She turned and looked at me, her eyes twinkling. Then she looked down at my groin, seeing the bulge there. Her left hand trailed along my waist, then down the length of my cock through my pants. My body quivered with need and hunger. It throbbed so hard that Akasha gasped. Then she laughed as she pulled her hand back. She grabbed my wrist and dragged me through the open door as Sydney backed away to give us room.    

Once inside, Akasha shut the door. Sydney sank into the one chair and started taking off  her shoes. Akasha touched my chest, her dainty fingers pressing into the cloth of my shirt. I saw the light shine off her fingernails as they hooked into it. Akasha's eyes burned with heat, making my heart pound faster while she lifted one leg and slipped off her pump. Then she switched arms and did the other. I watched her chest jiggle with each movement.     

Once she had her pumps off, Akasha pressed her body against mine again. She reached up and pulled my head down to meet hers. Our lips touched. Her tongue explored with a slow, intoxicating heat, the taste of her mouth persisting like forbidden wine. My hands followed the elegant curve of her back, guiding her closer, until we were pressed together—breath to breath, heartbeat to heartbeat. Desire radiated between us, an intense ache humming just under the surface, urgent and alive. My eyes slipped closed as I let the feeling flood over me.     

All of reality ceased to exist for me. The only thing that mattered was the body pressed against mine. The feel of her chest against me. The press of her abdomen against my groin. Her hands were around my neck as she tried to devour my tongue. My heart raced in my chest. I could hear Sydney chuckling, then I felt her deft fingers untying my shoes. I leaned backward against the door as Sydney picked up one foot, slipped the shoe off, and then the other. My hand roamed the back of Akasha’s dress, trying to find the zipper, clasp, or whatever kept the fabric molded to her incredible body. I wanted so badly to touch her skin. I needed to feel her flesh against me.     

Our kiss broke, and my head reeled. I gasped for breath, my heart beating against my chest. I had never felt so aroused in my life. Akasha stepped back from me, chuckling quietly. She took my hand and moved quickly towards the stairs. Sydney followed close behind us. As we crossed into the bedroom, Akasha turned and pulled me to her, kissing me fiercely again. Her hands slipped over my shoulders, pushing the jacket off. My fingers quivered as I struggled with the zipper of my pants, finally easing it down. The fabric slipped away, pooling at my ankles, leaving me exposed and breathless. I kicked them away from me as I followed Akasha, backing towards the bed.    

Akasha pulled me to her again, her hands nimbly undoing each button of my shirt as we kissed. I ran my hands over her back again, trying to find some way to get her dress off.     

“How do I get this thing off you?” I stammered out between kisses.    

Akasha laughed. “You don’t.”    

She reached both hands behind her neck and did something with her fingers. The dress came loose around her and slipped down her slender shoulders, falling forward off her body. She drew back, and the dress fell from her to pool on the floor between us. I gawked at the pile of silken material on the floor. My eyes lingered on it momentarily, astonished that she would let it fall like that. Then I looked up to her.     

Akasha stood in front of the bed, her knees bent slightly, her hips cocked to one side. Her hands were on her slender hips. Her legs looked almost magical. The thigh-highs still held to her legs, sparkling in the light. The sensuous curves of her calves and thighs entranced me, each line and contour catching the shimmer of light on her stockings. My gaze rested on the delicate rise of her hips, the fabric of her underwear clinging against her like a quiet pledge. The sparkling black thong drew my attention, a seductive barrier that hinted at what it concealed. Instead of a dull ache or familiar longing, I felt her beauty sear through me like a rush of dragonfire—heat curling in my belly, fierce and inexorable, chasing away any semblance of restraint. Every detail of her form left my mouth dry, my pulse quick and reckless, as if some age-old magic coiled between us, awakening senses I didn‘t know I had. I looked up higher and saw that her ample cleavage was free in the light. 

“See something you like?” Akasha asked coyly. She winked at me, and those plump, beautiful lips turned upward into a heart-melting smile. I nodded.    

“Oh, God, yes,” Sydney said from behind me. Akasha laughed. I turned and saw Sydney standing just behind me. Her dress was half off, the black bra still clinging to her cleavage. She was staring at Akasha hungrily. From the look on her face, she wanted Akasha as severely as I did.     

Akasha laughed. She turned to Sydney and glided over to her. I saw her legs move, but it was too graceful, almost as if her feet weren’t touching the floor. Nothing human walked like that. I had to remind myself that she was not human. Akasha walked up to Sydney and gently took the dress from her, sliding it off her arms and holding it so Sydney could step out of it. Sydney looked at me and blushed. The runes on her body pulsed briefly with a dim glow, then returned to their original dark colors. Akasha reached around Sydney’s back and undid the clasp of her bra. Then she leaned back from her, pulling the bra down her arms. Sydney covered her breasts, almost as a reflex. The runes on her chest shone softly, pulsing with her heart.    

Akasha clucked once with her tongue, then tossed the bra towards the dresser where it had come from. She knelt before Sydney and slowly rolled the stockings down her legs. Sydney shivered, watching Akasha hungrily. Akasha's eyes stayed locked with Sydney’s as she did this. Sydney lifted her leg gingerly as Akasha slid the stocking off. Akasha then slid her hands up Sydney’s other leg and started rolling that stocking down.     

I could smell Sydney’s arousal. I could see her body twitch. The veins on her neck were throbbing with her quickened pulse. Once Akasha finished taking off her stockings, she stood. Sydney was still covering her breasts. Akasha’s hands glided beneath the delicate cloth of Sydney’s panties, easing them down her legs with reverent care. A quiver of anticipation traveled the length of Sydney’s body, her breath trembling as Akasha’s hand followed a languorous path along the inside of her thigh. Sydney’s moan was a breathy whisper, filled with desire, as Akasha’s touch found the source of her pleasure—gentle, exploring, and achingly tender. Sydney’s eyes closed, surrendering to the sensation, as desire unfurled between them like an opening blossom.   

Laughing, Akasha stepped back. Sydney stood there, her body trembling, while Akasha walked over to me. Akasha slipped a finger between her lips, her eyes not once leaving mine as she tasted the remaining sweetness there. With a slow, sensual grace, she crossed to me and offered her other finger. I parted my lips, letting her press it gently past them—a delicate, intimate offering. The taste of Sydney lingered across my tongue, wild and heady, as if I had sipped from a secret, forbidden well.    

“She tastes lovely, does she not?” Akasha asked me as she looked over at Sydney. I nodded. Sydney stood there shuddering as she watched us. Akasha looked up at me, a sly grin on her face. “Would you like some more?”    

I nodded again. Akasha’s eyes flashed with glee. Sydney shuddered again, watching us.  Akasha turned to Sydney.     

“You,” Akasha pointed at Sydney. “On the bed.”    

Sydney nodded once, then walked over and crawled up onto the bed. She peeled back the covers and started to slip beneath them.    

“Nope.” Akasha shook her head. “Kick off the covers. Your body is a magnificent temple. We will worship it and bring you pleasure. Let us see all that you offer us. Do not hide from us.”    

Sydney’s eyes grew wide. She nodded and pushed the covers off the bed. She lay back, her legs slightly spread. Her mound glistened with her arousal.  

Akasha turned back to me. Her hands slipped around my waist. She looked up at me, her eyes shining in the light. “Do you want her?”    

I nodded. “Yes.”    

“Do you want me?” I looked down at her and saw that sparkling mischief within her eyes. Curiosity. No judgment.    

“Yes.”    

“Who do you want more?”    

I shook my head. “I don’t know.”    

Akasha laughed. “Then you shall have us both.”    

Akasha stepped away from me, then backed up to the bed. She rested against the side of it, watching me.    

“Come then, Ed. Sample the sweet nectar of our dear Sydney.”