The Succubae Seduction: Chapters 15-19
Introduction:
The next 5 are out
Chapter 15
Making plans.
âW-waahhh!!!â
Okay, so that might not be the most dignified noise to make when waking up, but when you open your eyes and find five women staring intently at you, it can be a bit unnerving.
âYou snore,â Areth comments offhandedly, as she flutters around Ondineâs head.
âYouâre short,â I grouse back at her. Yeah, I know. I lost that exchange, but my mind is still a bit fuzzy from the rude wakeup.
Then I remember why Iâd been asleep, and sit up to look at Brooke. Sheâs still sleeping under the covers, and it looks like itâs a peaceful sleep. Iâm glad my original outburst when waking up didnât startle her. By the folds in the blanket laid over her, I can tell that her tail has reverted back to two legs.
âSheâll live,â Angela says quietly next to me, placing her blonde head on my shoulder as her arm snakes around my waist. âThough thereâs no telling what kind of mental damage she experienced under the torture.â
âWhat about her fingers and fins . . . er . . . feet?â I ask. Her tail fins had been cut off, and Iâm not sure how that will translate to her feet.
âI havenât checked her feet yet,â the succubus says. She is still in her sexy nurse persona, white smock, ruby red lips and all. âAs far as her right hand. . . .â She trails off as she shakes her head. âThe skin has healed over, but the bones didnât grow back. Sheâs going to have to learn how to use her left hand for some things.â
âIt was the oddest thing to watch,â Lisa says, stepping up to my other side, and wrapping her arm around me. âShe was lying there, moaning, and all her cuts just went away.â
âYou have a true gift,â AnnaBelle states grudgingly. I donât know if she would still say that if she knew how exactly Iâd helped heal the mermaid.
âAngela helped,â I reply, not wanting to take all the credit.
I feel the room bounce, and only then remember that Iâm still in the Orange Bubble. Worried that we might be under attack, I rush to the driverâs seat, but sigh in relief as I see weâre just leaving the water. People on the beach stop and point at my Volkswagen Beatle as we pull through the sand. Their faces of incredulity tell me what I canât hear coming from their mouths. Once again I wonder how we must appear to them, coming up out of the ocean like some sort of weird mechanical sea creature.
Thankfully we donât get stuck on this beach, and weâre soon on the freeway, heading for home.
Brooke wakes up about half an hour later, and smiles dreamily at me, before she remembers everyone else in my car.
âHow are you feeling?â I ask her.
âBetter,â she whispers. She throws the covers off her, and then gasps as she realizes sheâs still naked. The other women shoo me away, and they gather around the mermaid until sheâs able to get dressed in the odd clothes from Arethâs wardrobe.
When they finally let me back around her, I have to stifle a laugh. Sheâs frowning down at a flowing, bright yellow dress. It fits her slight curves perfectly, until it reaches her hips, then flares out in ruffles. I donât think Iâve ever seen her in anything like it before, and it clashes, even to my colorblind eyes, with her deep red hair.
I can see her right hand, and that effortlessly smothers my mirth. The last two fingers are completely missing from that hand, and her remaining fingers on the appendage are each missing the last knuckle. Something doesnât look right about her feet, poking out of the bottom of her dress, and it takes me a moment to realize that there are no toenails.
âIâm so sorry I didnât get to you sooner,â I tell her, feeling a lump form in my throat at the suffering she must have endured.
She examines her hand, frowning at it, and then looks at her feet. âThe nails should grow back, but this is my sword hand.â Her voice is solid as she speaks, and for a moment I think sheâs going to be alright despite her injuries. Then her eyes meet mine and her pain and sorrow wash over me. It takes all my willpower not to run to her and pull her into my arms. I can see that sheâs trying to look strong, and Iâm not going to take that from her.
I direct my car to pull over at a Burger Kingâwith the distorted view of my windshield thanks to Arethâs magic, I donât think Iâll be doing much manual drivingâand everyone but Areth piles out. Areth wanted to join us, but sheâs the only one that doesnât look human. Even so, we get a few more stares as six people pile out of my little car, only Lisa and AnnaBelle are dressed normally.
Just as weâre about to walk in and order, I hear a bark. Turning, I see a small golden dog crawl out of my car. The door magically closes behind it, as the four-legged creature comes up to us. I could have sworn Iâd closed the door behind me when I got out.
âArethusa,â I grumble, but Iâm nearly bowled over as Lisa rushes over and picks up the transformed fairy.
âOh, arenât you just the cutest,â she says in high-pitched baby talk.
Rolling my eyes, I hold open the entrance door for the six women. I decide to pay for everyone, and we pile back into the Orange bubble to continue home.
Lisa gets disappointed when Areth changes back into her normal form, but that only makes the fairy laugh uproariously.
âWe need to talk,â I say to everyone when weâre done eating. You can actually hear Arethâs wings flapping in the silence that follows. I grow uncomfortable as all six women regard me, but there is a lot that needs discussing.
We get seated in a general circle, as I look at each woman. âFor some of you, life has taken a drastic change.â AnnaBelle, Lisa, Ondine, and even Arethusa nod their heads. âYour world has been turned upside down, but I want you to know that Iâll do whatever I can to help you through this.â
I stop and address Ondine, âEarth is not what youâre expecting. As long as everyone thinks youâre a human, no one will give you a second thought, but itâs going to take some time to get used to the way things are done here. Lisa, do you think Becky and yourself will be willing to show her the ropes?â
âI called Becky as soon as I had cell service,â she says, showing me her phone. I remember that mine had been in the pocket of my pants, and is now sitting at the bottom of the sea in the Shadow World. âWe donât have room for everyone though, unless Areth is willing to work her magic there?â
âIâm going to need a lot of rain to make a change like that, again,â the fairy says, and itâs only then I understand the fairyâs powers. She must be some kind of water fairy, drawing her power from falling rain or maybe itâs just moving water.
âIâll have to check the forecast,â Lisa murmurs, then looks back at the rest of us. âWe can take in one more, and even Areth, if she agrees to stay as a cute little dog. . . .â Lisa turns big hopeful eyes on the floating fairy, but she shakes her head emphatically. Lisa pouts, but turns back to the rest of us. âIâd be happy to take Ondine in. I could use some help at the dojo, and I have a feeling we could teach each other some fighting styles.â
âGood, now that thatâs decided, we need to figure out the rest.â I take in a deep breath, but Lisa pipes up with some unexpected news.
âBy the way, itâs Thursday afternoon. Weâve been gone for most of a week. Howâs that possible?â
âDang it!â I mutter. So far, every trip to the Shadow World had worked in my favor for time, but not this time. âTime works differently between the two worlds,â I explain. âSometimes itâs faster there, and sometimes itâs slower. Has your dojo been okay without you?â
âYeah, Becky called all my students, and made up some excuse,â the blonde says, frowning. I know sheâs trying to understand just how time can act differently between the two worlds, and I wish her better luck than I had at trying to figure it out. Time is supposed to be a constant, right? Well, unless itâs warped by powerful gravity, but even then. . . . Ahh, forget! Iâll never figure it out.
I turn my attention to the maimed mermaid, and steel myself for the news I need to give her. âOur apartment complex burned down. Everything on our floor was lost.â
Brooke looks down at her lap for a moment, and I can tell sheâs trying to get her breathing under control. When she does, she looks back up at me and asks, âHow?â
âTanaVesta sent a fire ant after me. It attacked me in my apartment,â I tell her evenly.
âFire ant?â she asks me, arching one delicate eyebrow, and I realize this is another term Iâd made up. I tell her about the monster, and itâs Angela who gives us the fire antâs true name.
âMyrmidons. Their king, Aeacus, is one of the Pillar of Fireâs staunchest supporters. When she canât use Kobolds to do her errands, she sends in the Myrmidons.â The succubusâs eyes are wide as she looks wonderingly up at me.
âHow did you defeat it?â Areth asks me, buzzing up to my face. âYouâre too weak to fight it directly, and you donât look burnt to a crisp.â
âA friend from work helped me,â I say defensively, waving away the little fairy.
Turning to AnnaBelle. My gaze goes hard, and I watch her fidget for a moment, before I speak. âAnnabelle, I know when Lisa attacked me, she was being controlled. I could see it in her eyes. You werenât.â I let that hang in the air for a moment, waiting for her reply. She remains silent, however, and I continue, âI understand that you thought you were talking to God, but we need to know we can trust you.â
She finally looks up, and meets my eyes. âThere is nothing I can say to justify my actions. You mentioned that our world has changed. I donât know what to believe anymore. I understand if you decide to drop me off somewhere.â
Shaking my head, I soften my tone. âI wonât just abandon you. You chose to come with us, to save someone youâd never met before, and didnât owe anything to. Your moral compass, while sometimes irritating, has mostly still been good. All I ask is that from now on, you consider what youâre being asked to do.â
She nods, and I turn back to Brooke and Angela. âI donât understand why the thing didnât control you?â
âIt tried,â Brooke says. âI could hear its voice in my head, telling me what to do, but I wouldnât do it. I couldnât hurt you.â
âIt was the same for me,â Angela adds. âIt kept talking to you, but you ignored it. When it got angry, and AnnaBelle failed to attack you, it ordered the rest of us to kill you, but I was able to refuse it.â
âIâm so sorry I was too weak to resist,â Lisa pipes up, her voice full of sorrow. âI didnât want to fight you, but the voice was too strong.â
âItâs okay,â I tell the martial artist, hoping to never have an occasion where she tries to kick me in the head again. I think I understand what the difference was. Angela and Brooke have both professed their love for me, while Lisa only cares for me. There must be something in that kind of bond that allowed the other two to resist. âWhat I donât understand is; why couldnât I hear its voice?â
The four women that had been there during the attack exchange glances. None of them know why.
âAre you talking about a being of pure light?â Surprisingly itâs Ondine who asks. I nod, and she continues, âIts voice isnât something heard, so much as sensed through the colors it throws off. The colors somehow communicate what it wants.â
âAnd youâre colorblind!â Brooke says excitedly. âThat means youâre immune to its influence.â She stops, and turns to Ondine, horror suddenly thick in her voice. âHow do you know about that thing?â
Ondine fidgets for a moment before answering. âEver since you returned with Lord Varun, the thing has been having meetings with the Pillar of Water.â
âShit!â I exclaim, and then cover my mouth. I hadnât meant to use that word, but it is appropriate. Everyone looks at me, some more shocked than others, and I explain, âThe same creature was giving orders to TanaVesta while she held me captive. I donât know what those orders were, because I couldnât understand it, but TanaVesta had been afraid of it. All I know for sure is that she planned to use me in an attempt to kill the other Pillars.â
âYou escaped from the Pillar of Fire?â Areth asks excitedly. âYouâre more interesting than I could have hoped for!â
I glare at the pixie, but it doesnât affect her.
âIf that thing is corrupting the Pillars, then weâre in some serious trouble,â Brooke says worriedly. âYou said that TanaVesta was trying to kill the others, and it sounds like she succeeded with Fujin, the Pillar of Air. If that light also has control of Varun, and thatâs whatâs making him act so erratic, then. . . .â
âIf too many more Pillars fall, Earth might be in danger, as will our world,â Angela finishes Brookeâs statement. The two look at each other, and Iâm glad that theyâre no longer at each otherâs throats. I guess saving each otherâs lives more than once is enough to start a friendship on.
âWe still need to warn the other Pillars,â Angela adds, and I see Brooke shudder. The mermaid had tried that, and paid the price for it.
âWho can we trust, though?â I ask. âAny one of them could be corrupted.â
That brings silence. Looking around the inside of my car, I realize that not everyone understands the situation.
âAngela, would you mind explaining the Pillars and whatâs happening to your Shadow World to Lisa and AnnaBelle?â When she nods, I turn to Brooke, and suck in a deep breath. âWe need to talk privately.â
The maimed mermaidâs chin quivers for a second, but she nods. She has to know what this will be about. She stands and follows me back to the bed.
âPrivately,â I repeat firmly, as I see Areth following us.
âOh, youâre no fun!â the fairy pouts.
âWhy didnât you talk to me while you were in my mind?â Brooke asks, as soon as weâre out of earshot.
âBecause I was more worried about your health at the time,â I tell her honestly. I reach out to grab her hands, but she pulls them away from me.
âYou hate me, donât you? What you said to me before was just a lie.â I can already see tears streaming down her cheeks and dripping off her chin as she looks down at her clasped hands. âWhy did you even rescue me? Did you just heal me, only to hurt me worse?â
âBrooke, no,â I plead with her. âI meant what I said. I do love you. Your safety and health are my top priority, yes, but I didnât lie to you.â
Confusion paints her features as she looks back up at me. Reaching out for her hands again, she doesnât pull away from me this time.
âThis probably isnât the best time, but I need to get this out. I know you were there when my parents were killed. I just want to get your side of the story.â I make sure to keep my voice free of accusation.
Aaaaand again she pulls her hands away from me. One step forward, two steps back.
âI-I canât,â she stutters. âYou really will hate me then.â
âBrooke,â I say softly, reaching out and placing my hand under her chin, âIâve already figured out a few things, but I want to know the truth. I canât stop caring for you. You need to know that, but I really need to know what happened. Who were my parents? What were they?â
She turns away from me, but after a moment, she starts talking.
âI was only an apprentice assassin at the time.â Her voice is soft, and I have to strain my ears to hear her. âYour parents were hiding from Lord Varun. Theyâd already been caught in an illicit affair. They escaped his guards and fled to Earth, where you were born.â As she speaks, her voice becomes firmer, as if letting out this secret sheâs kept bottled up all these years is a great relief. âI was sent as part of a two person unit to kill your parentâs and you, when they were found. At the time I didnât know who the target was. It was to be my initiation into full assassin status. All my commander told me was that criminals on Earth needed to be taken out, and because one of them belonged to our realm, it was our responsibility.â
Tears are flowing freely once again, but I refuse to interrupt her now that sheâs finally talking. âI grew up with your mother. We were dear friends. She vanished a few years before the mission, and at the time I didnât know why. I understood when I saw them sitting in the boat. When the time came, I couldnât kill her or your father. My commander told me that if I wanted to be an assassin, I had to kill at least one of them.â
She turns to face me, and I can see that the worst is about to be said, by the fearful look in her eyes.
âI chose to kill you. I-I couldnât do it with my blade, and so I chose to drown you. Your mom pleaded with me to spare you, beseeching me to protect her child. As her dearest friend growing up, she begged me, but there was no hope for it. My commander would have killed everyone there, including me, if I failed.â
Her body shakes with sobs, and I think I can figure out the rest. âYou tried to drown me in that lake, but I didnât drown,â I say softly. That must be where I really got my ability to breathe underwater then, from my mother, and not from Brooke. Which would also explain why I couldnât transform my legs into a tail. . . .
She nods. âI told my commander that you were dead at the bottom of the lake, as he finished cleaning your parentâs blood from his sword. He had been wounded, but refused to let me tend to it. In truth, I didnât want to. I felt sick over what had happened. We went back to my world, and I was promoted to full assassin. As soon as the ceremony was over, I rushed back to you, but the difference in time. . . . It had already been two days. I feared the worst. What child can survive underwater for two days?â The mermaid hunches over as she sobs, and I place my hand on her back. How old is she? I wonder for the first time. For some reason I never seemed to notice that she doesnât really age as I get older. I guess sheâs always just been a permanent spot in my life.
As soon as she feels my hand, she pulls away again. âDonât touch me,â she says loud enough for everyone else in my car to turn and look. Everyone but Areth turn back away immediately in embarrassment. The fairy watches avidly. âI donât deserve you,â Brooke continues, her tone only barely softening. âI donât deserve to even be around you. You were my best friendâs son, and I couldnât save her. I decided to abandon being an assassin. It was all Iâd ever wanted in life, but when I looked into your gray eyes . . . all I could see was her screaming at me to save her baby. You were all she cared about. I vowed to protect you, should anyone ever come for you again.â
Without warning, she sits upright and turns to me, this time gripping my hands in a painful embrace. Her eyes are red and raw from crying, and tears stain her cheeks, but her voice grows fervent. âHate me, Lyden, because I know I deserve it, but please let me protect you. Donât send me away! Iââ
I cut her off with a kiss. It feels like the only thing to do at the moment. She hadnât killed my parents. She had even saved my life, though she hadnât realized she was doing it at first. I canât hate her, for she truly had been my protector through my entire life.
âI love you,â I whisper, as I pull back a little.
âBut . . . but why?â she demands.
âBecause. . . .â I stop to think, and give the only answer I can come up with that fits. âBecause I do.â
She tackles me to the bed in a fierce hug. Youâd never know that just a few hours ago, she had been weak and grievously wounded, with the strength of her embrace.
âWould you two like to get a room?â Lisa asks with a smirk, but when I look at her, I can see pain in her eyes too. Somehow I know sheâs worried about me leaving her behind for the mermaid and the succubus. I canât say that her fear isnât entirely justified either. Iâve admitted to loving the two women from the Shadow world, but not her.
âOnly if you promise to join us,â I tell the martial artist, and that seems to lessen the pain in her eyes, as she smiles and shakes her head.
âYou knew my mom?â I ask, turning back to Brooke. âI assume she was a mermaid, then?â
Brooke smiles wistfully, and it looks good on her face. Her eyes are still haunted, however, and I wonder if that will ever go away. âShe was my greatest friend, and arch nemesis. We competed at everything. She was a faster swimmer, but I was more agile. I had been shocked when she chose not to become an assassin, but looking back now, I know her heart was too gentle.â
âWhat of my father? Did you know him?â I ask hopefully. My memories are so few of the two of them. I canât even remember their faces anymore.
Her face gives away the answer before her words do. âI never saw him before that day. I donât even know who or what he was.â She must be able to sense my depression at this news. âI know he was very powerful, whatever he was. My commander had been wounded while killing them, and he was the best swordsman I ever knew.â
Well, thatâs something, at least.
âLyden,â Angela asks carefully, coming up to us, âI hate to interrupt, but there is more we need to talk about.â
Brooke hurriedly turns away, wiping her eyes clear, and we head back up to the middle of my car.
âThey catch you up to speed?â I ask Lisa and AnnaBelle.
âYeah,â Lisa says as the older woman nods. âBasically, if we donât find a way to stop that light monster, weâre fucked.â
I flinch at her terminology, but that pretty well sums it up.
The rest of the drive is spent trying to come up with a plan to stop the light creature. The only thing we can all agree on is that we need to warn the other Pillars.
I use Lisaâs phone to check my voicemail, and groan as I listen to the messages. The police want to talk to me again, and arenât very happy Iâm not returning their calls. Sheila lance also left a few mixed messages. The first one, she chews me out and fires me. The second she calls up to make sure Iâm okay, and the last message makes me wonder if sheâs bipolar, as she simultaneously demands I call her back, and tells me my vacation is over, and I need to be back to work on Monday morning.
âAnnaBelle,â I call to the older woman, âIâve got three messages from Sheila. Have you called her yet?â
She looks at me, her eyes sunken slightly, and I truly feel bad for her. The mature womanâs entire life had been built on a foundation of faith that had always seemed rock solid, but after the events underwater, her foundation is crumbling.
âI called in before we left, and told her that I had a sick friend I needed to take care of,â AnnaBelle informs me. âI didnât know how long we would be gone.â
At first Iâm shocked that she would lie like that, until I realize that it wasnât so much of a lie after all, just not the whole truth. At least I havenât lost the woman her job.
The sun is just setting when we pull into Lisa and Beckyâs driveway. Annabelleâs SUV is there, driven here by Becky, and she gives quiet goodbyes, before driving away in her large vehicle. I really hope sheâs going to be okay.
Becky isnât home, but Lisa sends her a text, and the short woman arrives within a few minutes. She hugs Lisa furiously, before turning and pulling me into a tight hug, her head resting against my sternum.
âI was so worried about all of you,â she exclaims, wiping tears of joy from her eyes. Then she seems to notice the other women, and blushes prettily. âOh, Iâm so sorry. I guess I didnât notice you.â
âBecky,â I start, placing my hand between her shoulder blades, âthis is Angela, you already know her.â
âThe succubus? But I thought she was a . . . well, a punk girl,â she states, confused.
Angela laughs easily, and as she walks forward, her body shortens along with her hair, the hair changing from blonde to blue, and her makeup changing as well.
âWould you quit doing that!â the succubus exclaims, though she ruins it by laughing. âAs you can see, I can take the form of whatever Lyden wants.â
âWhatever. . .?â Beckyâs eyes turn to me, and I wish Angela hadnât worded it that way. âShould I dye my hair too, Lyden?â
âUmm, no. I like you the way you are,â I tell her, before sending another image at Angela. âThis is what she looked like when she was still human.â
This time Angela doesnât laugh, but instead glares at me. What did I do?
âPlease, donât,â she tells me through clenched teeth. âIn this world I was a slave, and Iâm not comfortable looking like this here.â
âYou should be proud of who you are,â I tell her. But still. . . . A moment later, she is standing back in her punk form. This had been the way Iâd seen her first, and still strikes me as the most her version of the succubus.
âAnd this is Brooke, the woman we went to rescue,â I continue the introductions. âI think you met her once before?â
âItâs very nice to meet you,â the redhead says, stepping forward.
Becky just stares for a moment, before uttering, âYouâre beautiful.â Lisa lightly slaps the short womanâs shoulder, and she blinks, her cheeks going bright red.
Brooke just smiles, before saying, âThank you.â
âSheâs a mermaid,â I hear Lisa say, and am surprised that Becky only nods her head. âThis is Ondine,â Lisa continues the introductions. âSheâll be staying with us for a bit. Sheâs also a mermaid.â
âThank you for your hospitality,â the one-time guard states formally.
âOoh, ooh, is it finally my turn?â Areth comes zooming out, and Becky gasps as she sees the fairy. âIâm Arethusa, but you can call me Areth.â
âA fairy,â Becky says slowly in awe.
âSorry,â I tell the short brunette, trying to hide my smile, âI couldnât find the fly swatter, and we couldnât convince her to go back outside.â
The golden colored fairy zips over to huff in front of my face, fists balled up on her petite hips, but everyone else laughs.
Becky then looks around the room, until her eyes stop on me, and I can almost see the gears turning in her head. âWith all these supernatural beings around, and the way you helped heal Angela, what does that make me, Lyden?â
âIâll explain everything,â Lisa tells her.
Lisa catches Becky up on the situation, and I watch as the brunetteâs eyes grow larger as the story unfolds.
âWill we be safe here?â She asks when theyâre done talking.
âAs paranoid as Varun has been, he isnât like TanaVesta,â Ondine says. âHeâll wait and analyze the situation before acting.â
âHas he really gotten that bad?â Brooke asks.
âLook what he did to you, and you saved him from the Pillar of Fire,â the other mermaid replies.
Brooke looks at her maimed right hand, and then closes her eyes, saddened.
âSo, it sounds like there is only one Pillar to go see,â Becky says, and we all look at her. âYouâre afraid that the Pillar of Light may be the creature you went up against, or at least one of his minions. The Pillar of Darkness is obviously out, as being too dangerous. The Pillar of Earth is the last one.â
âThat wasnât Light or one of his minions,â Angela carefully says, âbut I agree with your point on the rest.â
âBut what if Gaia has succumbed to the light creatureâs influence?â I ask worried, but seeing her logic. She always has been a smart woman.
âIâm not sure she would be,â Angela says quietly. âYouâve heard people talk about when someone is well grounded in something, or down to Earth? Those phrases came about because of how level-headed Gaia is.â She stops and turns to the two mermaids before continuing, âForgive me, but we all know how wild the sea can be, and fires burning out of control are common enough.â
âWhat about earthquakes and landslides?â I ask, seeing a flaw in her logic.
âThose can be predicted, to some degree,â Angela replies easily. âIâve dealt with her numerous times, thatâs where my home is . . . was.â She stops and closes her eyes before continuing, âI guess I canât stay there anymore. Itâs too close to TanaVestaâs borders.â She takes another deep breath to settle herself. âI think weâre safe with her. Besides, I donât think that creature began messing with Varun until after TanaVesta attacked him. You said she planned on killing him. If theyâd been working together, I donât think the Pillar of Fire would have acted so rashly.â
âTomorrow, you can go see her,â Becky says. âI think you all need to get a good nightâs rest, before going to see this other Pillar.â
âThe police want to talk to me,â I add to the conversation. âWe can go talk to them, before heading out to see Gaia tomorrow, after getting some rest.â
Thereâs a moment of uncomfortable silence, as four sets of beautiful eyes regard me. Arethâs tittering laughter at the tense situation doesnât help.
Where am I going to sleep? Becky and Lisa are still technically my girlfriends, but Iâm also with Angela and Brooke.
âThis is so much fun!â Areth announces, clapping her hands, and we all glare at her, even Ondine.
âI think Iâd betterââ I start, but Becky cuts me off.
âWeâre all adults here,â she says, âand if that prophecy you talked about is true, we canât really keep you to ourselves anyway.â Her dark brown eyes meet mine, before she continues, âI canât say I particularly like it, even though Iâve been sharing you with my best friend, it sounds like your being this generator thing is important for saving both worlds. And, since part of being a generator means getting stronger through sex . . . well, I know one or two woman arenât going to be able to give you that.â
Her words say one thing, but her tone, and the fact that she immediately turns and goes to her room tells a different story.
âGo to her, you dolt!â Areth says, and I turn to tell her to but out, but I donât get the chance.
âFor once, I agree with the fairy,â Brooke puts in her two cents. Had it been anyone else, I might have hesitated, but since it is the more reserved Brooke that says it, I decide to go for it.
After making sure Areth doesnât follow, of course.
âBecky?â I ask, knocking on her bedroom door. I can hear her shuffling around inside for a bit before she cracks the door open.
âIâm sorry I took off like that,â she says, but doesnât open the door any wider. âI just forgot . . . something.â
âSure you did,â I reply, not believing it for a second. âCan I come in? I think we need to talk.â
âThereâs nothing to talk about,â she says, not unkindly. âI know where I sit. Youâve got a whole harem out there. Donât worry about my feelings. Iâm a big girl.â
âDang it, Becky,â I swear. âYou donât know where you sit. If you did, you wouldnât be acting like this.â
Angrily, she opens the door wide, and glares up at me.
âI donât?â she demands. âFor almost a week, Iâve been here, trying to act as if life was normal, while my boyfriend and my best friend were off gallivanting with a succubus. When you both didnât come back after a couple days, I assumed the worst, but didnât want to believe it.â Her hands are on her hips now. âThen, you finally come back, and not only with the woman you went to save, a woman that is absolutely gorgeous, but you come back with two other beautiful women as well.â She starts poking me in the chest, trying to drive her point home. âLyden, you surround yourself with beautiful women, and I canât blame them for wanting to be with you, but itâs obvious you donât need me dragging you down.â
âAre you done?â I ask, raising an eyebrow. I donât wait for an answer, before continuing in a moderate tone, âIâm not going to lie to you, and say that Brooke and Angela donât mean a lot to me, but Iâm not going to stand here, and pretend that you donât mean anything to me either. Ondine is just another person we saved, that also happens to be a woman. As far as Arethusa, heck, if I could get rid of her, I would! Yes, I saved her from the demon, and I did it by having sex with her, but that doesnât mean I want to add her to my so called harem.â
I start to take a breath, but rush to continue when it looks like Becky is going to start talking again. âMaybe Iâm being selfish. No, scratch that. I am being selfish. I care deeply for you, Becky, but I care for Lisa, Angela, and Brooke as well.â I start to rub my temples, feeling a headache coming on. âI donât expect you to put up with my behavior, but I wanted you to know how I truly feel. I donât want you thinking you mean nothing to me.â
Turning away, Iâm about to take a step, but her hand on my arm stops me.
âLyden?â Her voice is soft, and I canât deny I like the way my name sounds on her lips. âStop.â I donât turn around, and I hear her sigh heavily. âI donât like this. I donât see how you could want to be with me, when there are so many beautiful women out there that obviously want to be with you. Iâm short, not nearly as attractive. . . .â
I spin around to argue that she is beautiful too, but she places a finger against my lips before I get the chance.
âI know what youâre going to say. That night in the club when we met, you made me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world, and youâve made me feel that way ever since, until tonight. No, I know it wasnât your fault, and quite frankly I need to realize that it was a great fantasy, but itâs over now. Iââ
This time itâs my finger over her lips, as I cut her off. âNot another word about how youâre not good enough, understand?â My voice is full of steel, as I try to make sure sheâs listening.
âReally? You have two mermaids, that both know how to fight. You have a succubus that can become whatever you dream her up to be. You have a fairy, that is apparently quite powerful magically, and even Lisa can kick some serious ass.â She stares me in the eyes for a second, her deep brown meeting my steely gray. âTell me what I have that even comes close.â
Her certainty waivers as I smile at her. The answer is so easy, that itâs almost ironic she of all people doesnât see it.
âYour mind,â I tell her, my grin widening. âOf all of us, you are the one best at using your mind. Iâve seen how smart you are, time and again. Heck, youâre going to school full-time, and yet Iâve never once seen you do any homework. Lisa has to do hers while at her dojo.â I drop my voice to a whisper, and lean closer to her. âDid you know sheâs incredibly jealous of just how smart you are?â
âIf Iâm so smart, why do I have to go to school?â She jumps as I start laughing out loud.
âI guess I wasnât very clear in what I meant. I know you have a lot of book smarts, but one of the best things about you, is that you know how to think. Yes, Angela knows a lot about the other world, and seems to have a lot of contacts, and Lisa, Ondine, and Brooke are all great fighters, but we need someone who knows how to think, and how to plan, if weâre going to defeat that light monster.â
âI-I didnât even realize you wanted my help,â she says, her eyes wide in shock. âYou never said, and I just assumedââ
âI guess I just thought that you knew Iâd want your help. Iâm an idiot for not asking first. Donât get me wrong, it will be dangerous, and if I didnât think we needed you, I wouldnât ask, butââ I donât get the chance to finish that sentence, as she cuts me off by passionately pulling my head down and mashing her lips to mine. Apparently all Iâd had to do to cheer her up, was ask for her help.
Her tongue presses against my lips, and I open up to let it in. Mine meets hers, as they swirl around one another, dancing to their own music.
âGod, Iâve missed you,â she gasps, needing air. I smile at her, glad to see the old Becky. She looks around my chest behind me, then grabs the front of the hideous blue robe Iâm still wearing, and pulls me into her room. âThey can do without you for a bit longer. Right now I need you.â
She pulls me to her bed, shoves me back, which makes me tip over backwards. She wastes no time in pulling up and off her shirt, and a moment later, her bra joins her top. Iâm still having a hard time reconciling this horny woman in front of me, with the upset one just a few minutes ago, but my cock seems to be following along just fine, as it tents the front of my robe.
I love the way her large areolas cover her smaller breasts, as she gives them a quick rub. She literally leaps on top of me, ripping the robe to the side, and smiling as she beholds my rather stiff rod.
âOh, Iâve missed you!â she says to my cockhead, and then drops her mouth to it, sucking in the first two inches. She picks up a fervent pace, making me moan as her hand grips me, and she uses her saliva to lube up my length.
She only spends a couple seconds doing this, however, before she stands back up, and drops her pants. âNo more time for foreplay,â she informs me. âI want that in me now.â
Words are no longer necessary, as she straddles my hips, and begins to rock back and forth. She moans in frustration, that Iâm not already in her, and I drop my hips, wait for the right moment, then stab upwards, penetrating her tight twat. She cries out in ecstasy, and I have no doubt the other occupants in the house can hear, but her demanding attitude has me so turned on, I donât even care.
Her left hand goes to her breasts, as she starts to play with a large nipple, and her other hand goes to where weâre connected. I know the second she finds her clitoris, as her entire vagina suddenly grips my cock. Even though my member has conformed to her inner walls, when she cums, her vagina nearly strangles my rod and her pleasure washes through me.
Reaching up, I grab her face, and pull her down into a kiss. This time the kiss isnât only passionate, but demanding, filling a need in her that has been too long denied.
I roll us onto her back, so that I can seriously start to pound into this hot minx, but donât let go of her face. Our eyes lock, and words canât describe the emotions I see behind her beautiful brown orbs. They almost glow with wonton lust and desire.
âFuck me,â she whispers, her face serious. I pull out all except for the tip, then drive back into her for all Iâm worth. She slides a couple inches up on the bed from the force of it, but I donât relent, and I stab her pussy again and again. âOh, god, Iâmâoh! Ungh!â she gasps, and I feel the bliss of her orgasm wash over me. A portion of her soul becomes mine, and I know that we will always be close, no matter what happens.
I still donât stop pounding her little cunt, using the energy Iâve gotten from her two orgasms to keep pumping into her, extending my own stamina.
âNo more,â she gasps, as she comes down from her fourth orgasm. âI canât. . . . Oh god! Oh fuck. Oh, yes!â our eyes are still locked, and as her last orgasm hits, I finally let loose with my own, not wanting to drain her too much, before I return the favor.
My whole body locks up, as our pelvises are pressed hard against each other, and my seed shoots deep into her grasping pussy. She swivels her hips around as I ejaculate, even locking her legs behind me, driving my own pleasure higher and I keep shooting into her. My fluids flood her canal, and start squelching out of her, but I still donât stop.
Whatâs going on? I wonder, my dopamine fuzzed brain trying to grasp why I canât stop cumming.
Then I see it in her eyes. Her beautiful brown eyes. Eyes that just a bit ago had been filled with lust and desire, have an unmistakable sparkling, multi-hued glow to them.
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Chapter 16
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Guilty Until Proven Innocent
âWhat. . .?â I groan, my body still wracked in paroxysms of bliss, as I continue to fire into Beckyâs grasping womb. With each shot, I feel myself growing weaker and weaker. Each volley of semen projecting my life-force forcefully from me and into the petite brunette.
âSo this is the mighty generator thatâs prophesied to take me down?â Beckyâs lips move, but itâs not her voice that comes out. The voice is strangely androgynous, either a deep female voice or a feminine male voice.
I try to pull out of the short brunette, but her legs, still locked behind me, keep me in place. Iâm already too weak to fight against her usually lesser strength.
âWho?â I ask, trying to be as loud as possible, desperately hoping someone outside this room will hear the fear in my tone, but my voice comes out barely above a whisper.
âI have never had a name. At least not since before your puny ancestors crawled out of the ocean. I am not of this dimension, and not beholden to its rules. But that arrogant dragon calls me Aldol. That name will suffice for you to use, for the rest of your insignificant life.â The grin that splits Beckyâs pretty face is filled with malice, as she wiggles her hips some more. Despite the rising fear in me at having myself drained like this, I canât deny how good this action feels and groan again, depositing even more sperm into her tiny canal. âI must admit that this is the most fun Iâve ever had in killing a foe. Iâll have to try this out on your companions. Theyâll never suspect me in this body.â
Hearing her talking about taking out my friends sends a surge of panic filled adrenaline through me, and I use the last of my strength to push against her.
I hear her laugh of derision at my attempt, as I fail to get away. Blackness starts to swallow my vision, and still my pecker continues to unload into the possessed woman. The last sound I hear before passing out, is my overflowing seed squelching around my cock, and staining Beckyâs sheets.
* * *
âLyden!â The voice seems soft and far away. âWake up!â
Wake up? I donât want to. Iâm so tired. Just a few more hours of sleep, please.
âHeâs not responding,â someone else says.
âOh God, Iâm so sorry,â yet another voice states, tears thick in the voice. âI-I couldnât stop. I donât know what happened. I-I didnât mean to.â
Someone else snarls in an angry response, but Iâm too tired to care. Turning my mind away from the annoying and disturbing voices, I try to drift into sweet oblivion.
A nagging feeling as if Iâve left something unfinished keeps trying to get my attention. No matter how hard I try to get some rest, it keeps nagging me, and I realize that Iâd better pay attention to the feeling, or itâll never let me go.
âLyden, thank the Pillars, Iâm not too late!â This voice sounds a bit more solid, as if it is in the same room, versus opposite sides of the house.
Turning, I find a blurry form approaching me. All around me is darkness and I vaguely realize that I must be within my own mind-space, which means that hazy form must be Angela.
As soon as the thought crosses my mind, she solidifies into her punk aspect. Is she in that form because this is how I truly see her, or because I have just known her in this form the most? The thought is too much for my weary mind, and I shake my head to dispel it. Iâm SO tired!
âLyden? Wait! Where are you going?â Angelaâs voice is pleading and full or fear. I hadnât even realized Iâd turned around.
Why would I do that? That was just plain rude of me. âSorry,â I mumble, not liking how much effort that word takes to form. My entire body aches, and thoughts feel as if theyâre filtered through cotton before reaching my consciousness.
Suddenly the succubus is right in front of me, without doing something so mundane as crossing the intervening space. Her hands have a firm, almost painful, grip on my arms. My head clears slightly, as her hands tighten. âLyden, stay with me,â she pleads, and I find it a little easier to concentrate.
âWhat?â I ask, still trying to get a hold of some stray thought. Then, âCrap! Becky. Sheâs. . . .â The last few minutes come crashing back to me, and I shudder as I comprehend just how close to death I am. I know Iâm not out of the woods yet, as a strong part of me still wants to just lie down, sleep, and let oblivion take me.
But sleep means death.
Would that be so bad? Part of me wonders. Iâm sick of creatures trying to kill me. It would be so much easier if I just let go. No more worries, no more fear. Just lie down and sleep.
No more friends to rescue and keep safe.
The thought sends another jolt through me. Brooke, Angela, Lisa, Arethusa, Sheila, Jennifer, Ondine, and Becky.
But Becky had tried to kill me. . . .
No, that had been the creature of lightâAldol?âpossessing her. Beckyâs in trouble and the others donât know what happened, or that she was being possessed!
I donât have time to rest, I realize, as my resolve strengthens, Angelaâs presence lending me a small bit of strength.
âBecky . . .,â I start, worried for the short brunette. Thereâs no telling what the other women might do to her before they understand sheâs innocent.
âWe know,â Angela replies, her hazel eyes searching mine. âI sensed a change in you from the other room. By the time I realized what it meant. . . . I thought we were too late. You wouldnât respond to any of us, and Becky just kept crying that she didnât know what happened.â She shakes her head, making her blue hair fan out in the process. âBrooke and Ondine are watching her now. Do you know what happened?â
âAldol took over her, somehow. I could see it behind her eyes. Iâm not entirely sure how it was doing it, but it somehow was draining me, through her.â More information seems to click in my mind, and I look Angela sharply in the eyes, making sure that thereâs no unnatural glow there. Her hazel orbs are clean. âYouâre here to restore me.â Itâs not a question.
âYes, and to make sure you werenât already too far gone.â I can still hear the tone of fear in her voice, and I pull her to me in a tight hug, glad to have her as a friend and ally.
âIt almost was too late,â I confess. Then something else clicks, and I pull away from her a bit, unsure how to broach this subject with the succubus. âUm, I, uh, donât know that . . . I mean, I was pretty drained, and Iâm not, er, in the mood, I guess.â Could I have sounded any lamer?
To my surprise and chagrin, she smiles. âWe couldnât even if you were. Your body is too weak to sustain a single orgasm, even in your mind.â
I remember when Angela had told me the same thing, after finding her wounded and burned at the Saturday picnic. Sheâd told me that one orgasm would be enough to kill her. Am I really that far gone?
âThen how. . .?â I ask, confused, hugging her slight frame back to me, and feeling warmed by her mere presence.
I feel her shake her head against my chest, and I know she doesnât want to answer. Placing my hands on her shoulders, I gently push her away, and wait for an honest answer.
Surprisingly, the succubus blushes, as her eyes dart up to meet my gray ones, and then look down again. Her feet shuffle for a moment, before she finally speaks. âYouâre not going to like this.â She starts, and when I say nothing in return, she finally continues. âWe donât actually have to have sex, while in here, to help you heal.â Her eyes meet mine again as she judges my reaction, but I keep my face stern, and she flinches away from my gaze. The rest comes out in a rush, âOur souls are already combining, helping the other to heal.â
She goes silent, and I let that sink in. Sex isnât required while in the mind? Then why did she stop me from healing her before?
Because sheâd been trying to let me go, I comprehend immediately. She knew that she couldnât resist being with me and wanting to carry my child, and so she had hoped to die rather than face life without me.
And Brooke. . . . Sex hadnât been required to help her recover either. That might explain why I never felt any energy transference during our climaxes. The energyâor our souls ratherâwere already being mixed.
âIt does speed things along, though,â the blue-haired succubus quickly pipes up, and suddenly Iâm laughing.
The whole thing is just too funny. A succubus had seduced me and used me for sex unnecessarily, even helping me have sex with my childhood crush. Itâs a part of her nature. In all honesty, how could I expect any less?
âLyden?â she asks worriedly. âWhatâs going on? Stop laughing at me.â
In answer, I hug her back to me, pressing my lips against hers. âI love you,â I state when I come up for air.
She gives me a curious look after I break the kiss, before laying her head on my chest and hugging me back.
âWhoâs Aldol?â The question catches me slightly off guard, and I realize that she doesnât know the name of the other dimensional creature. Why is there a hint of laughter in her tone, though?
âThatâs what the creature calls itself. He says TanaVesta named him that,â I tell her softly.
She bursts out laughing in earnest, and I pull back, looking at her curiously. She hugs herself back to me, and I wait almost impatiently for her to tell me whatâs so funny.
ââAldolâ is an insult used in TanaVestaâs domain. Itâs used when referring to someone who is small and foolish,â she finally states, and this time I join her in laughing.
* * *
I wake slowly, groaning at the feeling of needles painfully pricking every inch of my skin.
âLyden!â Lisa shouts, hugging me tight and making me groan at the new wave of pain that shoots through my body. âI was so worried!â she cries into my shoulder, and it feels like my arms are tied down with lead weights as I try to lift them and hug her back. Despite Angelaâs help in restoring me, my body is just too weak to move very much.
Before I succeed in moving my arms, Brooke is hugging me as well, and I give up the effort as too much work. Arethusa hovers over my body, smirking in a satisfied way, and I wonder what the little pixie thinks of the whole situation. Ondine has her sword out, and pressed against Beckyâs bare chest.
The short naked brunette just stares at me wide eyed, and I can see where copious tears have streamed down her cheeks and onto her breasts. Sheâs crying again, but I know that theyâre happy tears now. Good, Aldol released her, probably thinking me already dead. I wish someone would give her some clothes to wear, at least. I can easily see my dried cum between her legs and puddled under her crotch. There is also a massive bruise forming on the side of her face.
Angela clears her throat as she enters the room, before saying, âIf you two donât give him some air, heâs going to suffocate.â The two women back away, looking at each other sheepishly.
Turning my attention to the succubus, I can see that sheâs very weary, and I wonder how much of her soul is now in me, to replace what Aldol had stolen.
âThank you,â I yell as loudly as I can. It comes out barely above a whisper. âAll of you, thank you.â I have to suck in another breath, that sentence wearing me out, but I have one more thing to say, before I get some more rest. âBecky is innocent.â
Closing my eyes, I get some real, undisturbed, sleep.
* * *
When I reopen my eyes, I see that the sun has set, and there is a slight glow under the closed doorway. Moving my arms, Iâm glad to note thereâs no pain, but it still takes a bit of effort to get out of bed. I realize Iâm still naked as I stand up on wobbly legs and go to Beckyâs closet, where I have some of my own clothes, and slowly get dressed.
Just as I get my pants on, the door opens, and Ondine steps through.
âOh,â she gasps, as she sees me standing topless in the bedroom. âShould you be up yet?â
âIâve slept well enough for the dead,â I tell her, knowing she has no idea how close a statement that is. âWhere is everybody?â
âSleeping mostly, except for Brooke and me. Sheâs watching over the traitor now.â Her words are callous and uncaring, making me flinch when she calls Becky a traitor.
âHelp me out there?â I ask the mermaid, not certain my legs will support me that far. Placing a shoulder under my arm, I lean on her as she guides me out. Sure enough, by the time we reach the front room, Iâm out of breath, and my legs are already exhausted and cramping.
âWhat are you doing up?â Brooke demands of me, and I see the still naked form of Becky stir at the curly redheadâs loud words.
I wait until I plop onto the couch before replying. âCome to exonerate her,â I say, weakly waiving a hand at Becky. âSheâs innocent. Aldol took over her. She had no more control over herself than Lisa did back in the dungeons.â
âBut she almost killed you, Lyden,â Brooke counters, her voice firm.
âHow do we know that thing wonât try to control her again?â Ondine asks, and I just shake my head.
âThat thingâs name is Aldol,â I explain as patiently as I can. âIt told me so.â I have to stifle a laugh, remembering what Angela told me about that name. âIt also thinks Iâm dead, so will have no reason to come back.â I see Brooke about to argue further, but I cut her off, raising my voice, âI wonât have you or anyone else punishing her, for something thatâs not her fault. The least you could do is get her some clothes.â Both women stand statue still, and I turn to glare at Brooke. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the accused woman sit up and stare at me. The bruise is on the left side of her face, and that only makes my ire rise even more. âBrooke, you sat by while Lisa attacked me in the dungeons. Should I call you a traitor for not helping me?â
âNo, butââ hurt fills the redheadâs eyes at my painful words, but I donât let up.
âYouâre not holding Lisa hostage too, are you? We all forgave her. You know what itâs like being under Aldolâs control. She had no choice in the matter.â I turn on Ondine, but realize immediately that she wouldnât understand. She hadnât been there for the altercation with the light creature.
âMaybe if she cared more about you, instead of getting into your pants, it could have been avoided,â Brooke shoots back, hurt anger in her tone, and I see Becky flinch at the accusation.
âAnd maybe if Iâd been more attentive, I would have realized what was happening before it was too late.â I have to take a few breaths before I continue in a more moderate tone. âWe can play the maybe game all night, but in the end we have a choice. Either we kill her, or we forgive her. If she is truly still an agent for Aldol, then sheâs too dangerous to let live. But by that logic, weâll have to kill Lisa as well. Since it was me she wronged, I think the choice should be mine.â I look at the little brunette, shivering on the floor, and try to give her a gentle smile, knowing my words have likely terrified her. âThereâs no way in either world Iâm going to let anyone harm anyone thatâs important to me.â I finish my statement, looking hard at the mermaid.
âButââ Brooke starts, but at my raised eyebrow she cuts herself off. After a second she gives me a rueful look. âWhen did you grow such a strong backbone?â
Smiling at her to let her know Iâm not angry, I say, âSomewhere between getting captured by orcs and dragons, and facing my fear of the water, it must have appeared. Also, it helps to have friends like you to show me how to have one.â
Brooke smiles back at me ruefully, but it slips from her face as she looks back at Becky. âOndine, go get her some clothing.â She squats down in front of the short brunette, and I see sadness enter her eyes. âIâm sorry for the way we treated you. It shouldnât have taken Lydenâs words to get me to see reason, but I guess. . . . No, there is no excuse. I hope one day youâll forgive us.â
Becky looks fearfully at Brooke for a moment, before looking my way, and I see some of the tension leach out of her. âLyden, Iâm so sorry,â she pleads with me. âI-I donât know what happened. I couldnât control myself, and then those words I spoke. . . . I donât understand where they came from.â
Carefully I regain my feet and shuffle over to her. I collapse more than squat, on the floor and pull her into my arms.
âWhatâs with all the racket?â A bleary-eyed Areth asks, fluttering out of Lisaâs room.
Ondine arrives back in the main room, holding a set of my clothes. I guess sheâs not entirely up-to-date on the fashions here on Earth. Brooke sighs heavily, taking the clothes from the other mermaid, and heading back into Beckyâs room.
âAh,â Areth says, looking down at where Iâm holding a softly sobbing Becky, âI see you finally came to your senses, and realized she was innocent.â
Smiling at the fairy, I ask, âDid you defend her?â
âOf course not!â She exclaims indignantly. âItâs not my place to meddle in your mortal affairs, unless it makes things more interesting, and I didnât need to add to the entertainment value. You all make for quite the fun ensemble.â
Iâm about to say something so fierce and scathing to her, that generations of pixies will know better than to infuriate a generator, but Brooke reenters with some of Beckyâs clothes, saying something that completely distracts me.
âI just realized, Becky heard everything we were planning,â she says cautiously, and despite how careful her tone is, I feel like sheâs attacking the brunette again. Something must register on my face. âIâm not blaming her,â she quickly adds, âbut we may be in some trouble, if the light beast, Aldol, knows what weâre up to.â
âIt thinks Iâm dead,â I reply, trying to impart in my tone that Iâm not angry with my childhood friend. âWill he really worry about us now?â I donât know if the thing will go after them or not, and in truth Iâm worried it might. If it does, though, Iâll be here to defend them.
âI highly doubt weâre in any rush,â Angela says, rubbing her eyes as she enters the room. We all look at her, as she startles most of us. âWhat? I could hear you all out in the car. Itâs not like you were being quiet.â
âI guess Iâd better come out of hiding too, then,â Lisa adds sheepishly, coming out of her room.
âSorry,â I mumble, apologizing for waking everyone else up.
âDonât be,â Lisa says quickly. âWhat you said was true, and we should have realized it, but Iâm more worried about what Brooke said. If this Aldol knows our plans, even if he thinks youâre dead, why shouldnât we hurry?â The question is aimed at the succubus.
âHave you ever dealt with timeless beings? They donât exactly hurry at anything on our time scale. A hundred years could go by, and theyâll hardly make a move.â I look at her sharply, thinking back to all the rushing weâve done lately, and donât think sheâs right. âListen, Iâve been thinking over the last few centuries with TanaVesta, and I think I know where Aldol started influencing her. Just under two centuries ago, she started to grow a bit paranoid, though not on the same scale as Varun. I think he was tipped over the edge a bit more by TanaVestaâs actions. Anyway, I can see where her actions started to change, and I think it was all thanks to Aldol.â She shakes her head, and I can see a small smile play across her soft lips at the creatureâs name. âCreatures that live longer than a millennia tend to take life slower. I think we have time to better prepare ourselves before we go rushing in this time.â She looks around the room, meeting each of our gazes before continuing. âI for one am sick of getting captured, and being unprepared.â
I really canât argue with that last statement. So far weâve been lucky. But do we really have time to spare?
âBut TanaVesta seemed to be in a hurry when sheâd captured me,â I respond, pointing out a flaw in her logic. âShe raped me every few hours, trying to grow her power as quickly as possibleâ
âThat was a different situation,â the succubus replies easily. âThe appointment with the other two Pillars was likely scheduled years in advance. She saw an opportunity, and tried to seize it.â She pauses to look at Brooke, a sad look on her face. âI donât know if she planned on killing them at that meeting before we showed up, but I doubt it. More likely she was setting up something that would have come to fruit decades down the line.â
What would it be like to live for so long? I wonder, but can see her point.
âOkay,â I concede, âbut I wish there was a way to be sure.â
âI can scout!â Areth nearly shouts in excitement, and we all look to where sheâs fluttering. âWhat?â she asks, suddenly growing embarrassed.
âI thought you didnât want to meddle in mortal affairs. Why do you want to help?â Brooke asks cautiously. She looks around the room, and I can tell sheâs trying to figure out what the pixieâs angle is. Her eyes stop when they get to me, and I see her give a slight nod before turning back to Areth. âMost of us have a personal tie to Lyden, beyond the danger of our world. Only you and Ondine have no real ties to him. And forgive me, but your kind isnât exactly known for being helpful.â I think about how in games, fairies are known to be helpful, but mythology holds a different opinion of the tiny creatures.
The tiny fluttering figure puffs her chest out indignantly before responding. âI think Iâve been very helpful. Look what I did for his car, so you could all escape. I even saved his life back with the Cyclopes. Lyden saved me from a fate worse than death, twice. And shouldnât it be enough that I want to save our world?â
Iâd only been in danger from the Cyclopes because of her, but I keep my mouth shut.
âOkay, okay,â Brooke states, holding up her hands to ward off the fairyâs anger. Turning to Ondine, she asks, âI suppose you just want to save our world as well?â
âYou saw how Varun was,â the other mermaid replies. âLyden chose to save me from being persecuted for being a woman.â The brunette mermaid meets my eyes for a second, before continuing. âI have watched him since then, and seen that though he is a little rough around the edges, he has the potential to be a great leader. According to the prophecy you mentioned earlier, he may be our only hope of stopping Aldol.â I see the corner of her mouth twitch, and I almost wonder if she was about to smile. If so, it would be the closest Iâve ever seen her come to doing so. âFrom the sound of things, he is immune to that thingâs power, as long as he can keep his trident in his pants.â
I blush at her blunt statement, but know Iâll need to be more careful from now on. My only worry about it right now is: how did the light creature take over Becky? As far as I know, she was never exposed to it.
I realize everyone is looking at me, waiting for me to say something. I kick my brain back into gear, trying to remember what weâd just been talking about. âMy feelings are that we are careful with whom we trust, but until we have reason to think otherwise, we donât consider everybody to be an enemy.â I realize the mistake in my words too late, as it could sound as if Iâm saying Becky, Lisa, and even AnnaBelle could be considered enemies, but if anyone else catches it, they donât speak up. Sighing heavily, I add, âWeâd better get some rest. TomorrowâOr is it today?âis going to be a long day.â
âSo, I can go scout?â Areth asks, coming over to me. She almost seems too happy at the idea.
âIf youâre rested enough, yes,â I say, and have to stifle a yawn.
She tries to zip out, but Angela stops her.
âPromise three times not to betray us,â the succubus says evenly.
Areth actually titters at the request, spinning around, and facing me. âI promise not to betray Lyden. I promise not to betray Lyden. I promise not to betray Lyden.â Having made her promise thrice, she zooms around Angela, leaving a golden blur behind, in her rush to be helpful. For once, I donât regret her coming with us, though Iâm not sorry to have her away for a while. I do wonder at her saying that she wonât betray me, personally, rather than the group, but ignore it. Probably just because she sees me as the leader, I conclude.
The leader. . . . Is that what I am? When did that happen? Thinking back, I canât seem to put my finger on the moment I went from following along with events, to taking charge, but I can see that there has been a change in my actions. Brooke had pointed out that I have a backbone, and I notice that I do indeed have more confidence than I once had.
Fearfully, I realize that that means their lives are my responsibility, as their leader. Glancing at Brookeâs maimed right hand, I promise myself to do the best I can.
âWhat now?â Lisa asks, looking around at everyone. âDo we just wait for the fairy to return, before deciding anything else?â
âI, for one, want to get some more sleep. As long as we can all agree that Becky is innocent, then I suggest we get what rest we can.â I remember my voicemails, and that the police wanted to talk to me. âIâd probably better go see the police in the morning, and do what I can to clear my name.â
âGood idea,â Becky pipes up, speaking for the first time since sheâs been exonerated. âIâll go with you.â
âNo,â I state quickly, and then smile at her to lessen the sting of pain the word caused her. She must think I donât trust her, despite what I said before. âIâm going alone.â I can see everyone about to argue, but I continue on, bowling over their protestations. âBecky and Lisa, you were with me when I broke the Orange Bubble out of the impound lot, and I donât want to put you into any more trouble right now. Ondine, you technically donât exist in this world yet, at least as far as having an ID and such, and Brooke. . . . Well, I donât know if they want to talk to you in connection with the fire that burned our apartment yet. Better safe than sorry.â
âThat means I get to go with you,â Angela pipes up, smiling smugly.
âNo,â I try to tell her calmly. âI donât want anyone with me. Worst case scenario, I would rather you all free.â
They try to argue with me further, but I ignore them until they finally relent.
After that, thereâs a bit of a confrontation about whom Iâm going to lie down with, but I settle it quickly by stating that Iâll be staying on the couch.
âYouâll be more comfortable in your car,â Angela tries to convince me. âIâll take the couch.â
I know exactly whatâll happen as soon as I do, though. Someone, most likely her, will come join me. At least on the couch, I know no one will be able to get away with disturbing my sleep.
Iâm wrong.
It feels like I just barely close my eyes, when I find myself back in the shared mind-space.
âAngela,â I sigh, âIâm tired and need to get some real rest.â
âPlease donât be mad with her,â a voice thatâs definitely not Angelaâs asks me softly. Spinning around, I see Brooke standing there, clad in her blue scaly armor, wavy sword on her left hip. âI asked her to bring me here. I know you want your sleep, but I wanted to be with you as well. At least cuddle with me here?â
Despite myself, I chuckle a little. âWonât be very comfortable with you in that armor,â I state, waving my hand at her attire.
The beautiful redhead gasps as she looks down, and I watch as her face goes just as red as her hair. Her tough yet supple blue armor turns to a slender sleeping gown, flaring near the bottom. The swell of her small breasts can barely be seen between the edges of her very low neckline. âWill this work?â she asks me coyly, the red still suffusing her cheeks and now visible on her chest.
âVery nice,â I compliment her. âBut you do realize that Angela is still around, right?â
Her pretty brows bunch together in consternation. âBut she saidââ
âOh, drat!â Angela states, coming out of the shadows. âDid Aldol suck away your funny bone, too?â I glare at her, but she only frowns prettily back at me.
To my surprise, Brooke breaks the tension by laughing. âWhy do I have a feeling, that when Lyden helped me recover from my torture, you were there too?â The abashed look on my face gives us away, and she only laughs harder.
Once more Iâm surprised at how close these two women have become, since they first threatened to kill each other in the Orcâs cave. A real friendship has grown where once there was bitter enmity.
âWell, you might as well come and join us,â the mermaid says somewhat reluctantly.
âUmm. . . .â I mumble, remembering what Angela had said about Brooke not being into women.
âNot like that!â she quickly clarifies, but then looks to the succubus, and back to me as well. âBuuut seeing as how thatâs on your mind, I guess Iâd better get used to you being with more than one woman.â
âReally?â the succubus asks excitedly, while I stare speechlessly at Brooke.
âNo funny business, though,â the mermaid quickly adds. âYouâre cute Angela, but you have the wrong plumbing for my tastes.â Brooke steps up to me, boldly grabbing my groin to emphasize her point.
âHow do you know, if you never try?â Angela shoots back, closing the distance between us in the blink of an eye, and grabbing both our behinds.
A horrible thought crosses my mind, and paranoid, I turn Brookeâs face up to gaze into her wonderful sea green eyes. The only light in them is from her love and passion for me. To hide the reason behind me looking so intently at her, I bring my lips to hers, kissing her softly.
âWhy didnât you look into my eyes?â Angela whispers into my ear, as Brooke pulls away to catch her breath. Of course, the succubus can read intentions, as well as surface thoughts.
Turning to face the punk dressed woman, I bring my mouth close to her ear, acting as though Iâm nibbling on her earlobe as I speak. âBecause, my dear succubus, you were acting like yourself.â
âThat or you just love me more,â she replies quietly, with a quick nip at my ear.
I refuse to dignify that with a response.
âIf you keep ignoring me,â Brooke states, trying to sound indignant, âI might develop a complex, and change my mind.â
Laughing, I turn to kiss her again, but Angela shoves me out of the way, and locks lips with her. The mermaidâs eyes grow large in shock, and I can see the wheels turning in her head as she tries to figure out what sheâs going to do. Angela takes the momentâs hesitation as an invitation, and I see her deepen the kiss, while reaching around and grabbing a handful of Brookeâs tight rear through her shear gown.
To my utter astonishment, I see the curly redheadâs knees go limp, forcing the skilled succubus to support her weight, as Brooke has a small orgasm.
She recovers quickly, and gently pushes Angela away, gasping. âNo fair, using your abilities on me,â she complains.
âAt least now youâve tried,â Angela replies, smiling broadly.
Brooke looks up at me, and I see a grin curl the sides of her mouth. âWhy donât you kiss me like that?â
My lips move wordlessly as I try to formulate a response, but canât think of one, and decide to take her words for the challenge that they likely were anyway.
Moving back to her, I get a hold of her pert bum, lift her up, and enjoy the way her legs wrap around my waist, her gown riding up to her thighs. Moving my right hand to the small of her back, I press her close to me, and she has to lower her head slightly to meet my lips. My tongue darts between her lips, but when she opens up to let it in, I pull it back. Thank you, Jennifer, for teaching me that trick! After a few seconds of playing cat and mouse, she grabs my cheeks, growls hungrily, and refuses to open up at my next tease.
Concentrating my full will on her pleasure, she gasps, and this time when my tongue enters her mouth, it stays there. I donât know how long we stay like that, me concentrating on my childhood friendâs bliss while kissing her passionately, but the feeling of my pants disappearing, and my phallic rod slipping into a warm wet mouth, distracts me enough that I release my mental control on Brooke.
She gasps, throwing her head back, and allowing me to nibble lightly on her neck. I feel a different movement near my left hand, still on her buttocks, and realize that Angela must be playing with Brooke, while giving me head. She really is multi-talented!
âNo more!â Brooke wheezes, trying to wriggle free of my arms. âYou both have made your point.â She looks at me sharply as I set her down after Angela relinquishes my prick. âIf you ever kiss me like that in the real world, I may end up jumping you, consequences be damned.â
I canât hide my smile as I reply, âI can control when I want to conceive.â
Tears form in Brookeâs beautiful eyes, and she looks between Angela and me. I can practically feel the hope pouring from the mermaid.
âWe think. . . .â the succubus clarifies, but it only slightly diminishing the joy in those familiar sea green eyes.
Angela and I are pulled into a powerful hug from the former assassin, and this time there is no doubt about the feelings of love and joy that pour forth from both women.
My cock is still rock hard, and being pressed against these beautiful women only makes me hornier. I move my mouth to Angelaâs, dropping my right hand to Brookeâs soaked twat. I easily find the redheadâs clit, and press firmly against it as I bring my left hand around to the succubusâs right pierced nipple. Lightly tugging on the jewelry elicits a moan from the blue haired woman, and I release her mouth to turn back to Brookeâs waiting lips.
Deciding to have some fun with the physics of this place, I tilt the world until both women are lying on top of me. This brings a round of giggles from them, and I see their eyes sparkle for a moment as they look at each other. Brooke breaks the gaze and looks at me for just a moment, then grabs the back of Angelaâs head and pulls her into a passionate kiss. This time itâs Angela thatâs caught off guard, and I wonder that the succubus hadnât read the mermaidâs intentions. I guess itâs not a foolproof ability.
Angelaâs hand drops to my saliva slickened rod, and starts aiming it for the mermaidâs vagina, as if to say, âWhat are you waiting for.â
Gripping the redheadâs hips, I move her fully on top of me, and moan as I feel her hips start to move. Her wet slit slides up and down my pole, as she moans in frustration that Iâm not inside her already. Angela gets the angle just right, and the next time she slips back, my head penetrates her tight hole, conforming to her inner constriction, and sliding in deeper. Her vagina grips my meat in a confining grip, and I involuntarily hunch my hips, wanting to go even farther into her delightful depths.
Angela pulls away from me, but my attention is immediately pulled back to Brooke as she mashes her lips to mine, her tongue diving into my mouth and demanding attention. Her hips pick up a frantic rhythm, resulting in a constant squelch, squelch, squelch noise.
âOh, Lyden,â she gasps, throwing her head back and moaning in delight. I use the opportunity to latch onto one of her tiny tits, suckling the small but hard nipple between my lips, and nipping lightly at the rubbery tip with my teeth.
Suddenly she freezes, gasping loudly, an odd sensation rippling through her vaginal walls. Letting go of her areola, I look around Brookeâs slender body, to see Angela behind her, and by her movements, I realize she must have at least a couple fingers in the mermaidâs anus. Brooke cranes her neck to look as well, and I can see her considering the situation. Angela doesnât stop her stimulation however, and I watch as her constant ministrations win through, and Brooke moans, her eyes rolling back, and her hips returning to their frenetic pace.
It only takes her a few seconds before her cunt grips my pole, and I feel her love fluids slipping out around my penis.
Angela pulls her off me, and I watch as she pulls her fingers out and drives Brookeâs orgasm even higher by diving in and tasting the redheadâs lower lips.
Carefully I slip out from under Brooke, and move around behind the blue-haired punk. Dropping to my knees behind her, I glide right into the ready and willing succubus. Once again our sex organs strive to conform to the other, writhing and undulating with each adaptation, adding a whole other sensation to our love-making.
I grip her hips, pulling out except for the tip before shoving back into her, my pelvis slapping against her ass cheeks. She grunts at the impact, driving her face further into Brookeâs crotch. After a couple of pounding thrusts, Brooke loses her balance, and falls forward. With her usual agility, she rolls over, and to my surprise grips a couple handfuls of the succubusâs short blue hair, and pulls her back between her legs.
This also pulls her off me, and I have to waddle forward to re-aim myself. I decide to go for her other hole, and relish the way her tight anus feels as it stretches around my sensitive tip. She wriggles her hips against me, allowing me to move deeper into her tight colon.
Brooke catches my eyes, and I see her smiling dreamily at me. Her fingers are still tangled in Angelaâs hair, holding her in place. She pulls back on the handful of hair, and sits up enough to kiss the other woman.
Iâm shocked at the change in Brooke, but Iâve verified that that she is free of possession. She truly is changing, and of her own free will. Or is it because of the constant joining of our souls? As I think about it, I realize that the succubusâs soul has been mixing with the mermaidâs as well. Iâm not entirely sure how I feel about that.
Angelaâs insistent booty shake makes me realize that Iâd stopped moving. I return to slipping in and out of her tight sphincter, making her moan into the womenâs shared kiss, until the succubusâs colon grips me powerfully as she cums, her love juices dripping out of her cunny.
Brooke pulls away, but to my shock once more, I watch as she wriggles under the blue-haired punk, and a couple seconds later feel her tongue switch between my balls and Angelaâs twat.
The whole surreal experience is too much for me, and I let loose my load, deep into Angelaâs rear.
* * *
The police station doors open on their own and I step through. My hands are sweaty, and I can feel my heart pounding as I walk up to the bulletproof glass. Iâm not sure exactly why Iâm so nervous, I canât shake the feeling that things are about to go badly.
Why did I have to insist on coming here alone?
I shake my head to rid it of the paranoia gripping me. Nothing is wrong, they just have a few questions, I tell myself. Aldol thinks Iâm dead. Iâm safe.
âExcuse me,â I say to get the police womanâs attention, âIââ
âLyden Snow!â she exclaims as she looks at me. âStay where you are, youâre under arrest!â A buzzer sounds, and within moments, police officers, weapons drawn and pointed at my chest, surround me.
âUmm,â I state nervously, trying to swallow the growing lump in my throat, âI understand you wanted to talk to me?â
â
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Chapter 17
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The Daughter of Respite
How long are they going to keep me tied up in here, I wonder for the umpteenth time. My wrists are handcuffed to a bar on top of a table; the chain connecting the circlets runs around the bar. The metal chair Iâm sitting on doesnât add to my comfort. Iâm not sure how many hours Iâve been in here, but my rear is getting sore.
I hadnât resisted when the gun-toting officers had arrested me, but the way theyâd reacted makes me think they believe me to be some sort of monster. Theyâd read me my Miranda rights, but otherwise havenât said more than two words to me.
The big metal door on my right finally opens, and a very plain looking woman dressed sharply in a dark suit steps through. Her dark brown, nearly black hair is tied back tightly into a ponytail and her severe brown eyes seem to penetrate me to the very soul.
Speaking of which, how do I consider my soul? Do I have only one, or do I have many? A question for another time, I think, as she sits across from me. Placing a manila envelope on the table, she glares at me. The mirror behind her lets me know that Iâve probably been under surveillance the whole while.
Minutes go by in silence, as her dark eyes try to bore into me. I must be getting some of Angelaâs ability to read intentions, because I know sheâs waiting for me to crack and talk first.
I wait.
Growing bored, I try to use my ability to see someoneâs past, but feel as if Iâve run into a brick wall. I donât think she is actively blocking me, but rather that Iâm still too weak after the ordeal last night with Becky and Aldol.
I wait some more.
My hands grow sweaty, and I have to consciously stop myself from tapping my foot with impatience. To occupy my mind, I begin having one-sided games with her. I stare into her eyes, and try to guess how many lashes she has. After losing count for the fifth time, I try to count her freckles. I count forty-two. I try to examine every aspect of her face, and notice that one eye is slightly lighter in color than the other. Her left eye is still brown, but not as dark as her right. Both earlobes have only a single piercing, but are empty of earrings. Her eyebrows are thick and untrimmed, but they are separate. Her nose is what I suppose they call a âbutton noseâ which sits above a thin set of lips. Her face is slender, leading down to a slightly pointed chin.
âYouâre a patient man, Mr. Snow.â Her voice actually startles me, and I see her grin at my jumpiness.
Dang it, Iâd been playing the game so well!
I smile back, keeping my silence. Let her make of that what she will.
Her smile broadens. Apparently, sheâs one of those women who neither gets prettier, nor uglier when she smiles, remaining constantly plain.
âIt seems youâre quite the interesting man.â She opens up the manila envelope, and shoves something over to me. It stops in front of me, and I see that itâs a sideways picture of something that makes my mouth go dry. I canât reach the black and white picture to straighten it out, but I donât have to.
My face is easily visible in the sharp image, and I recognize the surroundings of the impound lot where Iâd broken the Orange Bubble free. Angela is tightly grasped in my arms, as I hold her protectively. The worst part of the picture though, is me standing with my dark wings spread wide, my mouth open in an inaudible yell, and dogs just starting to turn and run in fear.
âI see you recognize it,â the woman says, satisfaction in her voice.
Drat! Sheâs good, I realize, knowing Iâm out-matched. I canât give in yet though.
âRecognize it?â I say, trying to look calmly back at the woman. âLooks impressive. Who did the Photoshop work?â
Aggravatingly, her smile deepens. âLetâs dispense with this game, shall we?â Her voice is triumphant as she speaks. âWe both know that is you. We both know that you somehow leaped over the fence with these wings and crashed your old-style Volkswagen Beetle through the front gate, driving away.â I keep quiet, and she seems to take that for assent. âWhat Iâd like to know, is how you made those wings, and used them.â
Wait. . . . What? She doesnât want to know why I broke my car out, or why Iâm holding an unconscious woman in my arms?
Too late, I realize this must be another of her efforts to throw me off balance. She really is good.
I concentrate on her again, trying to read something from her, but only come away with her name. Well, itâll have to be good enough. The only question now is how much of my hand to play, and how much to bluff.
âAgent Olsenâmay I call you Miranda?âyou wanted to dispense of games, letâs do so.â If sheâs shocked by my knowledge of her name, it doesnât show. âWhat do you really want to know?â
She regards me for a second, before reaching out and pulling the incriminating picture back. She doesnât put it away, but instead pulls another picture out, and lays it next to the first. It takes a bit of effort not to gulp as I see this one. The image isnât as clear, but Iâm still able to make out enough details to recognize the grocery store parking lot, where the Myrmidon had attacked Jennifer and me. The fire ant creature is blowing fire at me, and I know that this is the moment of my carâs demise.
Another image follows, and I almost fail to stifle a groan. In this one, Iâm lying on top of my car, wings out and draped down the side of my car as it drives away from my burning apartment building.
âYou asked what I want to know, Mr. Snow,â her calm face actually breaks at the unintended rhyme, the corner of her mouth dipping just slightly. The crack in her façade lasts only a second, before sheâs all cool business again. âItâs simple, really. I want to know what you are.â Her brown eyes pierce me again, and I have to look down at the images, in order not to crack under their glare.
What can I tell her that sheâll believe? The truth is too far-fetched, but the evidence is in those pictures. Can I tell her the wings are just a mechanical attachment? A quick glance up at her face tells me Iâd better not try. If I tell her what I am, and about the Shadow World, sheâll have me locked up in a loony bin. Or worse, if she believes me, Iâll find myself being studied by scientists, and possibly dissected. I guess there is only one thing to do, and hope it doesnât get me locked up in a psyche ward. Iâm way too weak to break out of here.
âIâm the child of a mermaid, and something else,â I begin. I have to force the words past my throat, afraid of having this woman throw me even more off balance. âI donât know what my father was. I seem to have the powers of an incubus as well, so maybe thatâs what he was. Theyâre dead now, so I canât exactly ask him. Everyone calls me a generator, though, so maybe thatâs what I am.â I raise my eyes to see how my admission is affecting her, but she still has on her calm exterior, except for her eyes. Those mismatched brown orbs are glowing with an inner light that strikes me as different from Aldol. âYou wanted to know what I am? Iâm apparently an abomination that shouldnât exist, but seem to be the only person that can save two worlds.â
I meet her slightly mismatched eye, feeling defiant inside, just daring her to look away. Instead, she smiles.
âThat was a lot easier than usual,â she states evenly. âNormally we have to drag confessions out of you monsters with various torture techniques.â Her voice could be talking about the weather, sheâs so calm. âOf course, most of your kind are better at hiding than you seem to be. Itâs not very often we get photo evidence of what you are.â
âWait,â I say, shaking my head to clear it, âyou believe me?â
She deigns to give me a condescending smile before speaking. âThe Daughters of Respite have always been vigilant against your ilk.â
I donât like the way she said that.
âMy . . . ilk?â I stammer. âLook, I think you have the wrong idea about me. Iâm not a monster! Iâm trying to save lives!â
âLike those twelve that died in your apartment fire?â she asks, raising one thick eyebrow. âOr what about all the property damage you caused at that grocery store?â She pushes the picture of me holding Angela in my arms forward, before stabbing her finger down at the comatose succubus. âShe doesnât exactly look too alive right there.â Anger seeps into her voice, and itâs all the worse for following after the calm.
âThe fire wasnât my fault,â I exclaim defensively, âand Angela is still alive. I had to get her to my car to save her life!â
That eyebrow rises again before she responds, her voice even once more. âHow many women have you seduced with that line? It is your fault, Mr. Snow. If you hadnât been in our world, then that fire never would have happened. That poor woman never would have needed your help. We rested this world away from you and your kind. You can be damned certain weâre not going to give it up now.â
This woman seems to be very knowledgeable about the past. Who is she? Sheâd called herself a member of the Daughters of Respite, whoever they are. This is definitely the last thing I expected when the police had brought me in here.
âI donât know what you think you know,â I say hesitantly, âbut I was born here on Earth. Iâm not a monster feeding on hapless prey. Earth and the Shadow World are both in danger, and I may be the only one that can save either one.â
She gives a bark of laughter thatâs nearly as startling as her anger had been a minute ago. âMany of the things from your world have birth certificates here. Itâs actually a fairly easy thing to fake. But you want me to believe youâre important because youâre this generator? Weâve heard the prophecy your kind made up. Do you really think weâre that gullible? The Daughters of Respite have been protecting Earth for a millennium. Weâre not so easily fooled by simple words.â
âBut Iâm telling the truth!â I yell at her, my patience finally lost. Itâs so frustrating to sit here; handcuffed and weak, telling the truth to someone who refuses to even acknowledge she might not have all the facts. âA light demon call Aldol is trying to collapse the Shadow World. Iââ
âGood,â she cuts me off, a malicious gleam in her eyes. âLet that demented world collapse. Let all those monsters die in the world they escaped justice to.â
âYou donât understand,â I cry out. âIf the Shadow World collapses, then itâs just as likely that all of those creatures, both good and bad, will be forced back to our world. Itâll be catastrophic if that happens.â
âOur world?â Derision is thick in her voice now. âDo not presume that you can call this world your âhomeâ vile monster. You claim that both good and bad monsters will come here, but there are no good monsters. Iâm done listening to your lies.â Agent Olsen slips the pictures back into the manila envelope, and stands to leave. âI have a report to file with my fellow sisters.â
I try to stand and stop her, but the handcuffs stop me. Concentrating my will on her again, I try to get her to stop, and feel myself growing weaker. I canât have her reporting to some group that is hell-bent on killing all creatures from the Shadow World. If she kills me, and I really am the one thatâs been prophesied about, then both worlds are in serious trouble, and I may be the only one that can save them.
She pauses at the door, and I think my efforts to stop her are working.
âOf course,â she states hesitantly, âif you were willing to lead us to one of the portals to your world, we would be willing to take you back there. Youâd have to watch as we kill everything we find, but at least youâd live that much longer.â
âDamn it!â I swear, frustration making me slip into using poor language. Helplessly I stare at her, wishing that there was something more I could do than just sit here handcuffed to this table.
She turns to look at me, to see how Iâm taking her proposal, and our eyes meet.
Miranda Olsen had been a little girl when sheâd watched her parents die. The images from that night still haunt her. The spray of blood as her motherâs throat was ripped open by a set of sharp fangs. Her father screaming for Miranda to run, before a furry creature knocks him over, and begins gleefully tearing out his entrails.
The moon had been high and full in the cloudless summer night sky. They had been camping up in the mountains, enjoying the millions of stars that can only be seen away from civilization. The attack had come unexpectedly. The only reason she had been in the small camper instead of by the fire with her father, mother, and brother, was because she had gone in to grab a soda.
Sheâd heard the howls, followed by her motherâs scream, suddenly cut short. Terrified, sheâd hidden under the table/bunk. Even when the howls of feasting had turned to yelps of alarm, she refused to come out, ignoring her fatherâs pleas to run in her terror. It wasnât until a gore spattered older woman entered with an equally gore covered sword in hand, and she involuntarily gasped in fright, that she truly became afraid, voiding her bladder.
The older woman spun to face her, brandishing a shiny sword, and staring down at the girl. She had been kind, checking over Miranda and making sure she hadnât been hurt. A blindfold was placed over her eyes before they carried her out of there, but it was already too late. The violence of the scene was already imprinted indelibly in her memory.
It wasnât until many years later that she found out her brotherâs body was never found.
If I wasnât already sitting, my legs would have given way beneath me. I feel even weaker than I had been before the police took me into custody. I understand this plain looking woman a lot more than I had just a few moments before. No wonder she hates me so much, hates all creatures that arenât one-hundred percent human.
Before I have the chance to say anything, she turns and walks from the room. Dejected and full of despair, I drop my head to my arms and try not to think about my fate.
The door opens a few seconds later, and I refuse to look up. I wonât give her the satisfaction of knowing how I truly feel right now.
She grabs my right wrist, and I can feel her playing with the lock on my restraints. Maybe if I time it right, Iâll be able to disarm her and fight my way out.
As soon as my hand is free, I stand in a rush, throwing the last bit of my energy into grabbing her throat and throwing her back.
I see that it isnât Miranda, but a young female cop instead. She hits the back wall, as I pull the cuff still attached to my left wrist away from the bar and head over to the downed officer to grab her gun.
âLyden,â the cop gasps, making me freeze, âitâs me, Angela.â
âAngela?â I ask, stunned. Looking closer at her, I can see that sheâs quite attractive. Iâve never seen her as a cop before, and wonder who was having a cop fantasy to help her come in here disguised like this. Her blonde hair is disheveled from my attack, parts of it sticking out of the bun in the back of her head. She looks up at me, and I can see that her rich blue eyes are framed by long lashes. There is no mistaking the look of love behind those eyes though, and I know itâs her. Terrible guilt for attacking her seethes through me, but how was I supposed to know it was her?
âIâm so sorry, I had no idea it was you!â I gasp, bending over, and trying to help her up.
âNever mind that now,â she groans as I help her back to her feet. âDamn, those lessons with Lisa have really helped you out.â She shakes her head to clear it while rubbing her throat, and then looks fearfully at me. âWe need to get you out of here now! Thereâs a DOR out there, and they arenât known for being friendly with anyone with ties to my world.â
It takes me a moment to realize she was pronouncing the initials for Daughters of Respite, and not saying that thereâs a door that wonât open for us.
âYeah, I met her,â I grumble. âI donât think she likes me very much, and Iâm usually so good with women.â
Angelaâs smile dazzles across her face, and I feel myself warmed by it. It only lasts for a moment before she looks at my wrist and frowns. âWe need to get you out of here before she returns. Those women are dangerous.â
I get anxious when the succubus locks the handcuff loosely behind my back, but know that we need to keep up some kind of appearance to make it out of here. If only I could go invisible like her.
She walks me out in front of her and down a long hallway. We enter the office area and I wait for someone to yell out that we arenât supposed to be out here.
The trouble comes from a different angle.
âOfficer Jenkins, whatâre you doing out here? I thought I just saw you in the break room.â
Angela curses softly behind me, and I comprehend that sheâd taken the image of another officer in this precinct. By the tone of this officer, I suspect heâd been the one fantasizing about Officer Jenkins.
âI just need to run him out real quick,â Angela says behind me, keeping her calm. âIâll be back in a second. There was something I wanted to talk to you about anyway.â Her voice becomes a little solicitous at the end, and I find myself growing irrationally jealous. I know sheâs just pretending, but it still galls me to hear a woman I love act like that for someone else.
Yeah, I know, double standards. The women Iâm with are okay with me being with other women, but I have an issue with them even fake flirting. At least Iâm not trying to rule every second of their lives.
âWhat do you mean?â an identical voice to Angelaâs current one states, but this one coming from the other side of the male cop.
âShit!â I hear the succubus curse under her breath. âHurry,â she adds, prodding me to go faster ahead of her.
âWhat the fuck?â someone else exclaims. âI didnât know you had a twin, Jenkins.â
âI donât,â the real Jenkins says, her tone confused. âWhatâs she doing?â
âRun!â Angela yells, and I slip my hand out of the loose right cuff, and follow her advice.
âStop them!â I hear Miranda yell behind us and double my speed. âShoot them, dammit! Donât let them get away!â
No gunshots sound off, however, and we reach a door that is magnetically locked. Angela pulls out an ID card with the real Officer Jenkinsâs image on it, flashing it across the sensor, and opening the door.
The Orange Bubble is waiting just outside, running and with the doors open. We waste no time jumping into it, before commanding the Orange Bubble to get moving.
I rush to the back of my car, looking out the large window. Through the distortion of my magically modified car, Iâm able to make out cops rushing out of the building, and looking around for us. They stop in consternation, unable to see where we went.
âWhy didnât they shoot at us?â I ask the succubus as I head back to the front.
âThey couldnât,â she says. âWe didnât pose any real threat to them, so they couldnât use lethal force. Also, there were officers all around us, and they risked hitting one of their own.â
Thank goodness for laws and honest cops, I think to myself. What am I going to do now, though? Iâm likely to go on a terrorist watch list or something. I guess Iâm not going back to work after all, come Monday. Sheilaâs going to be upset, and I wonder what Jennifer is going to think about my absence.
âAngela,â I say, getting an idea, âI need to make a call. Know where I can borrow a phone?â
Without blinking she reaches into her breast pocket and pulls out a small cell phone, with Hello Kitty on the cover.
âWhere. . .?â I ask her, wondering why she would have a mobile phone.
âJust because I was born four-hundred years ago, doesnât mean I canât be a modern girl,â she laughingly says. âBesides, the good officer Jenkins had it on her when I copied her image. Anyone you call with it will appear as if itâs coming from her.â
I hesitate only a moment, hoping that we havenât already gotten the female cop into trouble, before turning it on. The background image on her home screen shows her with some man, not the officer thatâd been fantasizing about her, and a tiny baby that is obviously her daughter.
I dial the police station that weâd just escaped from, and wait for the operator. As soon as he answers, I ask for the captain of the station.
âThis is Captain Jewkes,â a male voice answers a couple seconds later.
âCaptain Jewkes,â I say as calmly as I can, my heart pounding like a drum, âthis is Lyden Snow.â
There is silence for a moment, and I can only imagine him waving at someone to start doing a line trace. Iâm not sure if thatâs whatâs really happening, but I hope the clone of Jenkinsâs phone works enough to throw them off our trail. Regardless of the cause for the pause, he starts speaking a couple seconds later.
âMr. Snow, you ran out of here in such a hurry, we didnât get the chance to properly talk before.â His voice is even and calm making me wonder if they train all officers to be able to talk so easily. âWhy donât you come back, and we can have a nice little chat.â
âI sat there for I donât know how long,â I reply, trying to mimic his easy banter, âand the only person who came in, threatened to call her friends and have me executed before I ever made it to trial.â
There is another silence as my statement sinks in.
âI didnât start the fire at my apartment complex, Captain. Those twelve deaths were not my fault,â I continue, wanting to get my side of the story out.
âWhen you were in here before, you stated that you were gone when the fires happened. You can see how we might jump to conclusions when we find video evidence to the contrary.â I can hear him draw in a breath at the other end before he continues. âIâm willing to listen to what you have to say, Mr. Snow, but you have to understand how your situation looks right now.â
He sounds so sincere, Iâm almost tempted to go back, but know it for a lost cause.
âNot as long as Agent Olsen is there,â I tell him calmly. âThat woman wants me dead. She made that very clear.â
I can hear a commotion in the background, and a moment later a female voice cries out. Theyâve found Jenkins and her phone.
Time for some damage control. âOfficer Jenkins had no part to play in what happened at your station,â I tell the captain. âWe borrowed her image and cloned her phone without her consent. Iâm truly sorry for any trouble this causes her, but I want you to know she is completely innocent.â
âHow did you . . .â his voice trails off, and for the first time I realize heâs slightly shaken. Apparently a phone trace is supposed to break through someone cloning a phone.
âLook,â I say calmly, âIâm willing to talk to someone, but not if it is around Agent Olsen. That woman scares me, I donât mind telling you. If after Iâve explained the whole truth, you still want to arrest me, Iâll go peacefully. But before that, I want you to watch and listen to the video of her interview of me. I think it will prep you for what Iâll have to say, and youâll see what I mean by Agent Olsenâs behavior. Iâll call you back tomorrow.â I donât wait for a response, before hanging up.
âDo you really think heâll give you a fair listen?â Angela asks me.
âNo, but what choice do I have? Become hunted in both worlds?â I ask resignedly, before sitting next to her and watching the distorted scenery zoom by.
Opening the phone, I make another call; this one going to voicemail.
âSheila, this is Lyden. The police are after me, so I wonât be able to come in to work until I can clear my name. I understand if this means Iâm fired, again. I donât have my phone, but I can listen to my voicemails. Take care.â I hang up, unable to think of what else to say.
I have to look up the next number, going into my Google account to find it.
âHello?â Jennifer answers the other end, and I have to think to figure out what to say. Part of me had hoped to get her voicemail as well.
âJennifer, itâs Lyden,â I say carefully, not sure how she feels about me currently. Sheâd made it clear that we arenât going to be an item, but she had helped me out, taking out the Myrmidon, and I wanted to warn her in case the police come for her next.
âLyden!â she exclaims, sounding happy to hear from me. âI take it youâre back from that other world?â
âUm, yes. . . .â I reply hesitantly, not sure how to go about this. Iâd forgotten that Iâd told her everything I knew at the time. She must have realized that with my extended absence from work, thatâd been where I was. âListen, the police are after me again. They think I was the cause of the fire.â
âThatâs crazy!â she states confidently. âYouâre great at causing a fire in my loins, but those cocksuckers need to pull their heads out of their ass and realize it was that fire thing that was trying to kill you.â
I flinch inwardly at her expletives concerning the boys in blue. Personally I appreciate the cops. Until now Iâve never really been on their wrong side.
âI know,â I respond to the crass woman, âbut itâs not exactly as though they can question the thing, so I look like the guilty one.â
âSo . . . what are you telling me, Lyden?â she grows hesitant as she asks me.
âIâm telling you that I may be away for awhile, and to keep your head up. You saved my tail, and I owe you. I donât want you getting into trouble for it,â I warn her.
âThereâs a lot more Iâd like to do with your tail,â she states solicitously, âbut thanks for the heads up. Youâre innocent, Lyden, and if the po-po come talk to me, Iâll tell them as much, too.â
âThanks Jennifer,â I say appreciatively. Hanging up, I hand the phone back to Angela.
âYou know,â the succubus states beside me, and I have a feeling I already know what sheâs going to say, âwe donât have to rush straight back.â
âIf youâre going to propose sex,â I reply dryly, âIâm going to have to wonder why you arenât already naked.â
She veritably giggles as she throws herself at me. Her arms slip around my neck, and I feel her lips press against mine, her tongue diving between my teeth, demanding attention.
âYouâre insatiable,â I tell her happily when we break for air. After the mood Iâd been in, this is just what I need to cheer me up. Of course, I could use the recharge as well. Looking into her deep blue eyes, I feel a little guilty for making out with the form of the officer that is likely in some hot water because of me, and probably married to boot. âWould you mind changing back to your original form?â I ask, wanting to make love to the true Angela.
âOh, Lyden,â She gushes, but shakes her head. âIf I change from this form, weâll lose the phone, and I donât think you want to get someone else into trouble if I copy them. I know you need to call tomorrow, so youâll just have to suffer through this pretty body Iâve copied.â
âWell, itâll be a hardship, but if I must, I must,â I tell her, smiling widely. I still feel guilty, but I must admit that the thought of making it with a cop is a bit of a turn on. In fact. . . . âCome on,â I tell her, standing and leading her to the bed in the back of my car. I fish in her pockets, until I can find the key to the cuffs still attached to my left wrist, and unlock it.
I hold them up to her, and she smiles lustily at me. âI didnât think you had that in you.â Something sparks the memory of her past, about being abused as a slave, and I hesitate. âRelax,â she coos lovingly at me. âThat was a very long time ago. I know you love me, and have no intention of hurting me.â The trust I hear in her voice and see in her long lashed eyes warms me to the core.
âI love you, Angela,â I whisper, pulling her body to me, while kissing her deeply. Her left leg slips around my right one and she pulls me back and onto her, on the bed.
She giggles as I start to undo the buttons on her top, before pushing me away. âArenât you forgetting something?â she asks, glancing at the handcuffs where theyâd fallen next to us.
Grinning at her, I grab the metal rings, and latch one around her slender wrist. We slide up further on the bed, and I slip the chain around one of the bars at the top, latching the other end around her free wrist.
âYouâre forgetting something else,â she laughs, wriggling her legs. Searching her clothing, I find two more sets of cuffs, these with longer chains. Unsurprisingly, the longer chains are just right to latch each ankle to the bedposts at the bottom. She wiggles for a second, pulling on each limb, before smiling at me again. âWhat are you waiting for, lover?â
Deciding to really get into this, I dispense with unbuttoning her top, and simply rip it open, exposing a pale flat stomach beneath, and a thick gray bra. Roughly I pull the bra up, exposing firm C-cup breasts. Her areolas are about the size of quarters, the nipples already taught and standing proud. I latch onto her left breast, and donât expect the flood that enters my mouth as I suck.
âHow do you like?â Angela asks, moaning. âApparently the good officer is still breastfeeding.â
Wordlessly I answer by sucking harder, and swallowing the warm, slightly sweet substance down my throat. My hands frantically begin working at her waist, trying to get her pants undone. Once opened however, I canât get them pulled down her spread legs. Right now Iâm still too weak to tear them off her, so I guess Iâll just have to make her cum, and get them off when our souls mingle.
Switching nipples, I slip my hand down the front or her drawers, and find only a slim strip of crinkly hair, before I reach her already wet snatch.
The officer-clad succubus begins to buck beneath me, as I find her clitoris, and vigorously move my hands against it. Sensing her growing close to climax, I suck hard on her nipple, filling my mouth with her warm milk, then moving up and kissing her. The almost sweet milk fills her mouth as our tongues churn the warm liquid, and our joined lips muffle her moans as she peaks.
As soon as I feel energy pour into my body, I use it to tear her pants apart, splitting them along the seam at the crotch. I leave her light pink panties alone for now, but donât miss the Hello-Kitty emblem on her right hip. Apparently Officer Jenkins has a softer side.
âMmm,â Angela moans throatily, licking her lips. âWeâve tasted my milk, now I want to taste yours!â
Knowing she wants my cock, and not my nipples, I move up the bed, lay my calves under her arms, and slowly feed her my malleable meat. I start by placing the tip on her bottom lip, and grin as she sticks out her tongue, trying to coax me into her warm wet mouth. I happily oblige her, holding myself at my base, and guiding it between her lips. I feel the back of her throat, and pull back out, but she tries to suck me back in.
âWhat are you doing?â she demands of me. âI want to feel you all the way down my throat. Choke me with that wonderful cock of yours!â
Who am I to argue? Placing my thick rod back in her mouth, I moan as I feel her tongue urge me deeper into her hungry orifice. The head hits the back of her devouring mouth, and I hesitate again, but when I see her eyes flash with desire and needânot with Aldolâs controlâI shove myself deeper, groaning as she moans, sending delicious shivers through my cock.
I realize quickly that my rod has conformed to her trachea, and know that Iâm not truly choking her. Apparently she realizes it too, because her throat suddenly constricts, strangling the length of my woody. Sheâs making herself choke on it, I understand, and Iâm so turned on by her wanton drive to please me, that I immediately start firing my seed down her gullet. We both moan in shared bliss, and I appreciate that sheâs cumming with me, driving our passions higher.
When Iâm finally done unloading, she doesnât let me go, even though I can see tears streaming down her cheeks from her choking. Every time I try to pull out, she uses her teeth to convince me to stay lodged in her mouth, and I soon realize Iâm not growing soft.
I lean back a bit, placing my hand over her soaked pink panties, and press them firmly into her hole. She gasps at the pleasure, and I use the distraction to free my rod.
She glares at me, but I move quickly, sliding down her body, pulling her Hello Kitty panties aside, and driving my saliva slickened penis deep inside her hot vagina. Once again our sexual organs work to compensate for the other, ever changing, but I notice she is just a bit looser this time, and wonder if it is because the real Officer Jenkins had had a baby.
Regardless, when I latch onto a leaking nipple, I feel her inner walls grip my rod, as I drink of her essence.
âOh, how I would love to feed our baby like this,â Angela moans, and I freeze at her comment. I know she wants to carry my child, but Iâm wary of what the child might become.
The pause is only for the slightest moment, before I continue again. As long as I donât consciously will it, she shouldnât get pregnant.
I let my full weight press down on her, as I switch nipples, reach under her, and grip her still panty-covered buttocks. Picking up my pace, I drive into the bound woman again and again, driving the volume of her moans higher and higher. My breathtaking succubus feels so wonderful, wrapped around my member, bucking her hips against me, while remaining constrained, and I relish every delightful inch if her.
âOh, Lyden!â she cries out in ecstasy. âDonât stop! Fuck, youâre going to make me cum again! Ooohhhh!â
Sucking harder on her teat, I feel her delicious milk fill my mouth again, and wonder what it would be like for her to feed our child. Would she only be able to feed him or her in whatever form she conceived it in? What would happen with the fetus, when she changes form?
The thought of delivering potent sperm into her womb is really starting to turn me on, and almost too late I remember the dangers of such an act. As my cock starts to twitch inside her, I concentrate on shooting blanks.
âYes!â she pleads with me, âfill my cunt with your sperm. I love how hot and good it fills inside me, my love. Fill me up with your seed! Oh, I feel it leaking out, thereâs so much.â
Her powerful orgasm crashes into me, and for a few seconds we feel as one, part of me wanting nothing more than to place my child within her womb, and part of me terrified about what that would end up like.
Exhausted, and yet exhilarated, I collapse next to the pretend cop, and kiss her gently on the cheek. âI love you,â I whisper to her, cuddling close to her bound body, and smiling dreamily.
* * *
âYou go on in,â Angela tells me as we pull into the driveway. âBecky asked me to pick up some groceries. With everyone living here now, weâre going to need some more supplies.â
Itâs not until I get out of the Orange Bubble and Angela is driving away that I realize there is an unknown car in the driveway. Swearingâor at least as much swearing as I ever really doâI remember that Iâd driven Lisaâs car to the police station, and that itâs still there. I canât go back to get it, but hopeful my two human girlfriends can.
Wondering whom this new car belongs to; I walk through the front door and freeze.
âFather Chilton,â I say as cheerfully as I can muster for a man I seem to instinctively dislike. âHow are you today?â
âReverend Chilton, please,â he corrects me, that bright smile plastered to his deeply tanned faced. âItâs good to see you healthy again.â His brown eyes dart around the room looking for something, before I see a calculating look enter the dark orbs, but it never touches his voice. How did he know Iâd been hurting? I glance at Lisa, Becky, Brooke, and Ondine sitting around the room, but they give nothing away. Remembering how my girlfriends had acted around him last weekend, I try to figure out the fastest way to get him out of here. âI had a bit of a chat with AnnaBelle Lewis this morning, and she had some interesting things to tell me.â
It takes all my effort not to curse out loud, and I end up grinding my teeth in frustration. Logically I understand why the pious woman would go to her reverend for help, especially with her crisis of faith, but it still galls to have this charismatic man know anything more about my life than I really want him to. After the ordeal at the police station, my patience is shot.
âWell, thanks for stopping by,â I tell him hurriedly, waving him to the door. âAs you can see Iâm doing fine. Give AnnaBelle my regards.â
âLyden,â Lisa snaps at me, âdonât be so rude. The busy reverend took time out of his busy day to come check on us.â
âConsidering everything thatâs been happening to us lately,â Becky adds in, âthe fact that we have a sympathetic ear canât hurt.â
âExcept that there are groups out there,â I spin on the two women, my voice rising in anger, âlike the Daughters of Respite that want nothing more than to kill me, Brooke, Ondine, Arethusa, and Angela, simply because weâre not pure human. How do I know he isnât in league with them?â I regret my anger and words as soon as they leave my mouth, especially when I see the pain they cause the women in front of me, but itâs already too late to take them back.
âI assure you,â Chiltonâs deep voice breaks in firmly, âthat I am not a part of their group. For one, I am a male, and they only accept women into their order.â
I turn to yell at him, but Iâm not sure what to say and finally have to close my open mouth. âYou know of them, then?â I ask lamely after a second.
âYou could say weâve crossed paths,â he says with an enigmatic smile. âThey tend to have a skewed view of things.â His eyes are still darting around, but I canât figure out what heâs looking for. âAs dangerous as they are, the ones you really need to look out for are the Paladonic Knights. Theyâre truly dangerous, and very organized.â
If heâd grown a third eye, I donât think I would have been more surprised. How much does this religious man know about the supernatural world?
âPlease, sit down,â he waves graciously to an empty chair as if this were his home. I find myself obeying before I even realize Iâm moving. âNow then, Iâve been told that you are a generator, and that there is a prophecy spoken about you. Is this right?â Something about the way he says that makes me think he already knows the answer.
I nod that is it, and he spouts the prophecy flawlessly:
âWhen the air calms down,
And rain slows on Waterâs door.
Comes the time for all to wail.
A deadly new enemy to abhor.
A generator comes forth,
To save all or completely fail.
A foe thatâs timeless,
Even on our life’s long scale.
Colors swirl to hide our nemesis,
Our destruction, he strives to make.
Only the blind can resist his will,
Unless his choice is a mistake.
A blade to kill, and a blade to save,
A talisman to forge the path between.
To kill and save, or save and kill,
One path to both, yet choices lean.
Our heroâs life shall meet its end,
Unless he strikes the deadly beast.
His friends shall fall or rise,
Until all his efforts have ceased.â
I shiver as the words pour forth from him in his baritone voice, somehow sounding direr.
âHow did you know that?â Becky asks, and I realize that the women hadnât told it to him.
âIâve known that prophecy for a long time. I never thought Iâd see it come to pass though.â His eyes scan the room before coming back to rest on me. âIâve long known about what you call the Shadow World, and its denizens.â
âAnd what side do you stand on?â I ask, trying to regain some control over the situation.
âI share in some of the understandings of both the Daughters and the Knights, but donât believe in their philosophy or execution,â he answers after a momentâs thought. I realize that that was no real answer, but before I can ask for more clarification, he asks, âYou mentioned some other people that I donât see here. Angela and Arethusa?â The question comes off as off-handed, but something tells me it is anything but.
I mentally curse myself for mentioning them in my anger, but I donât intend to tell him anything more than I have to. Thereâs something about him that rubs me wrong, and despite his easy attitude, I donât trust him. At least Lisa and Becky arenât swooning over him like last time. A quick glance at Brooke and Ondine show that theyâre slightly wary as well, and I realize they havenât spoken since I got here.
âOh, Angela is shopping I think, and Areth isââ Lisa pipes up, answering before I can stop her, but Iâm able to cut her off.
âAreth is on an errand for me,â I complete Lisaâs sentence, not giving away anything.
Reverend Chilton frowns at my statement, and for some reason I get the feeling he just became very angry.
âSo, she, or rather they arenât with you right now?â His voice is calm, but I get the impression he is more interested in Areth than Angela. Something nags the back of my mind about that, but as usual, I canât seem to figure out what while in the moment.
âTheyâre free spirits,â I tell him. âI donât control their movements.â
âFree spirit?â White hot rage enters his tone, and I can almost feel heat pouring forth from his nearly blazing eyes. All pretense of calm is lost as he glares at me, walking over and standing above me. âHow?! How can she be a free spirit?â
Something seems to click into place, but before I can finish putting two and two together, the door opens up, and Areth flutters in.
âLyden, I talked with Gaia,â she starts, ignorant of the mood in the room. âShe said she would like to talk to you, and will send someone to escort us safely to her in about a month.â She stops as she finally realizes something isnât right, and I see the color drain from her golden tinged face as she stares at Reverend Michael Chilton. Her wings give out, and she plummets to the floor, landing in a heap. She stares horror struck at the religious man, and it takes her a few seconds before she can find her voice.
âMarchosias. . . .â The name is barely above a whisper, but in the silence of the room, itâs heard easily. âNo!â
Areth apparently finds some reserve of strength as she gets up, and flees towards the door.
Reverend Chilton is faster however, as his body blurs and a winged wolf with a serpent for a tail catches the fairyâs legs in his yellowish teeth.
The demon shakes his head, flinging the hapless fairy back at me, her golden form striking me in the chest before she lands in my lap.
I stare in terror at the wolf shaped demon as he glares at me. His eyes are still brown, and his tail hisses at us.
âIt would seem that I underestimated you, generator. A mistake I wonât make twice.â The wolf shakes his head, sending ripples through his fur and flapping his wings. âI donât dare kill you because of the prophecy, but I dearly want to. What should I do with you?â
âL-let us go, and pretend this never happened?â I stutter, trying to sound brave, but my voice comes out just above a squeak.
âOh-ho! Even now you still have some backbone. No, Iâm afraid I canât set such precedence. You will both have to be punished for this, but how to do it?â
He paces back and forth in a very wolf-like manor as he deliberates.
I glance at the other women in the room, and see that theyâre just as terrified as I am, though Brooke and Ondine are hiding it better than Becky, who is in tears.
âLeave the other women out of it,â I say, glad that this time my voice has some more strength behind it. âThey had nothing to do with me deceiving you.â
âHmm, youâre right,â the demon murmurs, his voice dangerously calm and I think he may be reasonable. âUnfortunately, youâve just shown me how important they are to you, and I really want your punishment to mean something.â The winged wolf stops pacing, turns to smile at me, and that look on a wolfâs features terrifies me all over again. âIn fact, Iâm going to include everyone who means anything to you.â He begins to laugh. Let me tell you, if a wolf with a griffonâs wings, and a snake for a tail laughs at you, give up all hope because life is about to become a lot more terrifying. âYou were worried about the Daughters of Respite getting you, and I think I might just help you out. Iâm going to send you where no one can reach you. I canât kill you, but I can still get my revenge.â
Marchosias howls, making the pictures on the walls rattle, and even the floorboards creak as the howl continues. My heart beats so fast, Iâm afraid itâs going to burst. It doesnât help when the walls tear themselves apart, pictures begin to fly about the room in a wind only they can feel, and even the floor drops away in pieces. The chair Iâm sitting on drops out from beneath me, and I can feel Arethâs tiny hands gripping my shirt as we get spun about. I see the other four women tumbling around me, and I realize that Marchosias is the center of the maelstrom. In the distance I can barely make out other forms, caught up in the demonâs storm. The wolf-like beast continues to howl, and Arethusa is flung away from me, swallowed into the maelstrom.
Brooke, Lisa, Becky, and Ondine grow smaller as theyâre sent away from me. Growing dizzy I feel a different darkness begin to consume me, and despite my best efforts, I pass out.
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Chapter 18
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A Land of Fantasy: Part 1
My eyes are slow to open, my head feeling full of cotton. Groggily I look up, seeing a partly cloudy sky above me, and find that Iâm lying in a field of what appears to be wheat.
âHow did I get here?â I mumble, sitting up and holding my head in my hands. The last few moments come to me as though through a haze. Did I piss someone off? Why do I feel as if Iâd been so afraid? Ugh, I just canât seem to focus.
Gaining my feet, I check over myself, verifying my armor and sword are in place.
Wait. . . . Armor and a sword? Why doesnât that seem right. . .? My head hurts, and I decide to worry about that at another time. I know itâs important, but I canât seem to care enough. I must have gotten really drunk last night, I decide. But then, how did I end up out here in the middle of nowhere?
The joints of my supple jerkin, made of thick brown leather, seem to be in order. My blade, Muramasa, feels tight in his sheath. Gently, I pull up on the hilt, clearing only a small portion of the chrome-like slightly curved blade. There is no mistaking the bloodthirsty feel of the blade, and I immediately shove him back home.
Shaking myself to get rid of the rotten feeling, I wish I could just leave the blade behind. Every time Iâve tried, however, I find it attached to my hip a little while later. The katana only stays off me when he knows I intend to put him back on later.
Shielding my eyes against the midday sun, I look off into the distance. Every direction looks the same, until I spot a small shack to the east.
Whatever happened to me seems to still be affecting me, as I trip over my own sword a few times before I can keep my feet under me. By the time I reach the shack however, Iâm walking as if Iâve always had the sword on my hip. I still canât remember my past, other than that my sword is dangerous, and that Iâm a wanderer. Well, all swords are dangerous, and right now Iâm wondering where the hell I am.
Of course Iâve always had a sword on my hip. Why does everything seem so odd, as though my entire life is somehow skewed?
âWhat can I do for you, Stranger?â a gray haired man asks, coming around the side of the shack, an axe in his hands. He looks very tired, bags thick under his eyes, and a slump to his shoulders that bespeaks many weary years of life.
âThomas?â I ask, thinking the man looks familiar, but the moment is gone before I can grasp it.
âEh?â he looks at me in confusion. âHowâd you know my name?â He hefts the axe again, a little more menacingly. I know heâs no match for Muramasa and me, but I donât feel like feeding my sword.
âSorry,â I tell the wary man, raising my hands in front of me to show I mean no harm. âJust something that crossed my mind.â My stomach growls, and I have no idea how long itâs been since last I ate. âSay, you wouldnât have any work I could do for you in return for a bit of food, do you?â
He squints as he looks sharply at me, trying to decide if Iâm a threat to him or not. I am, of course, but I try to act as if Iâm not.
Finally he grunts before giving me an answer. âYou look like a nice strong lad. I donât know why, but I feel as though I can trust you.â He moves the axe to his shoulder, and I can see that itâs rather dull. Kind of like the old man, I think, but donât know where that thought came from. âIâve got some wheat that needs to be culled, and since the Lord of Light saw fit to give me a rebellious daughter, instead of a hardy son, I could use your help.â He eyes Muramasa on my hip, and I can already see the wheels turning.
âIâm afraid my blade isnât fit for cutting wheat, but if you have a scythe I could borrow, Iâll see what I can do with that,â I tell him, before he can ask. He wouldnât like the consequences if I pulled my blade out.
He grunts again, and nods his head to the back of the shack. Heading back, I find a rusted scythe, and sigh. This is going to be a lot of work.
The farmer has to teach me how to properly use the blade, but I catch on quickly enough, and get lost in the work.
âHo!â Thomas yells, thankfully pulling me from my thoughts. Iâd been daydreaming about a strange orange carriage, winged women, and odd-looking houses. âCome, sit.â He shows me a plate of food, and I drop the scythe where Iâm at, rushing to him.
Itâs probably poisoned, a voice says in my head, but I ignore it. Muramasa is always paranoid.
The food is simple fair, roots soaked in a simple broth, but as famished as I am I devour it quickly.
âYou do good work,â Thomas says, as he surveys his field. âWould you consider staying on? I donât have much, but I get by, and I can promise youâll never go hungry.â
I laugh lightly, patting the hilt of Muramasa. The older man tenses at the gesture, but relaxes when I speak. âIâm afraid I have a different destiny,â I tell him. âMaybe when Iâm done with that, Iâll come back. There are worse ways to retire, than with a good honest job.â
âA destiny, huh?â he asks me. âI donât put much stock in those.â
Kill him! Kill him now! I thump the hilt, willing Muramasa to shut up.
âNormally Iâd agree with you,â I say, laughing to cover the action with the blade, âbut I feel as if I have little choice.â
âThomas!â someone yells in a panic, and we both stand to look in the direction the voice had come from. I realize my right hand is tightly wrapped around Muramasaâs hilt, and make a conscious effort to loosen my fingers. âYour daughterâs been kidnapped!â
The old farmer begins to curse in earnest, spitting on the ground, before turning to the young boy that comes running up to us. âWho took her, Isaak?â
For some weird reason, I canât seem to make out any features on the boyâs face. Itâs not that he doesnât have one, just that I canât seem to see it.
âI donât know, Thomas,â the young faceless boy states, trying to catch his breath. âHe must have been some lord, though, because he was dressed all fancy, and had a couple guards. He took your daughter from the inn and rode off with her on a large black stallion.â
The older man looks sharply at the boy. âGo home Isaak. Thank you for telling me.â He turns the boy around, and gives him a gentle shove.
âAre you going to go get her, Thomas? I know she can be annoying sometimes, but she always treated me well enough.â There is genuine interest in the boys tone before he leaves.
âGo home, Isaak,â the farmer repeats firmly, and the boy takes off running.
âI donât suppose you know how to use that blade on your hip, stranger?â he asks me, looking off in the direction the boy had come from.
âWell enough, I suppose,â I tell him, and he only grunts in response. I truly hope I donât have occasion to use the cursed blade.
He goes into his small shack, and returns a few moments later with a well-polished breastplate on, and a short sword on his hip. He looks at me self-consciously. âDonât know why I kept these. Couldnât part with them after the war, I guess. Too many memories.â
âLead on,â I tell him, not truly interested in his past. âDid you let your wife know we were going?â Iâm not sure why I asked that, but it seems appropriate now.
He gives me a calculating stare before answering. âYou think if I had a wife, my daughter would act the way she does? No, my old lady died years ago.â He clams up, and doesnât say another word the entire trip into town.
Iâm tempted to point out that I have no idea what his daughter is like, but decide the comment isnât worth the time.
The town, if it can be called that, is nothing more than a group of ramshackle buildings, huddling together for safety.
Thomas stops in front of a building that stands bigger than the rest. On a pole is a wooden board with two images on it. The first is of someone sleeping in a bed, stylized âzâs floating over his head. The second image portrays the same man in bed, but this time there is a well-endowed woman riding him, a drink in her hand.
âYour daughter was at a brothel?â I ask, wondering what type of woman weâre going to save.
âItâs not what you think, young man,â he tells me irritably. âShe just likes to visit.â
Uh-huh, I think, but keep the thought to myself.
âListen, Stranger, me and the innkeeper kind of have a history, and it ainât so great. You mind going in, and seeing what you can find out?â The way he says that, tells me heâs a bit embarrassed about whatever their past is.
Walking through the door, Iâm hit in the face with the scents of heavy drink and unwashed bodies.
âWhat can I do you for, Traveler?â a solicitous voice says behind me. Spinning, ready for an attack, I have to consciously relax, when I see a woman in a low-cut blouse to emphasize her dĂ©colletage, and long curly blonde hair. From her demeanor, I know sheâs no threat, despite what my blade tries to tell me. As with the young boy, I canât seem to make out her face. I know this should bother me, but my head starts to hurt again, and I drop it for now.
âIâve got this one, Mara,â another voice pipes in, and this time I can see the womanâs face, though thatâs not the most startling aspect to her. Sheâs wearing tight black leather, which matches the shade of her black hair perfectly. Stiletto shoes give her some added height, and in her right hand is a coiled whip.
âYes, Mistress,â Mara bows to the other woman, and scuttles away.
âIâm just looking for the innkeeper,â I tell the other women, slightly afraid of her.
She laughs almost wickedly before answering, âYouâre in luck then, for youâve found her.â She taps the coiled whip against her left hand as she ponders me. âYou look like you can handle quite a bit.â Her brown eyes regard me hungrily, and I even see her lick her lips.
âUm, thanks,â I reply hesitantly, âbut I need to find where they took the farmerâs daughter.â Since Thomas had said he had some sort of history with this woman, Iâm trying to be careful and not drop his name. Although, now that I think on it, as small as this town is, she likely knows whose daughter Iâm talking about anyway.
Her eyebrows knit together in scorn as she says, âYou mean Thomasâs little chit? Ha! She could make a fortune working for me, but all she does is tease my customerâs, never really giving in to their demands. I guess my girls get some benefit from her being here, turning on our patrons, and allowing my girls to charge a little more. Her father couldnât satisfy, though. Ha! He tried and tried, and Iâll give him points for stamina, but in the end . . . nothing.â Her dark eyes examine me again, taking in my leather armor and sword, and I see the hunger enter her eyes again. âMaybe you can satisfy me? If so, youâll be the second.â
âI really justââ I try to stop her, but she cuts me off.
âSatisfy me, Traveler, and Iâll tell you what you want to know. Otherwise the lord that took her will be having virgin tonight.â She grabs the front of my jerkin, and tries to pull me into a kiss, but my arms move faster, gripping her wrist, and spinning her about. Her body presses back into me, and she moans, our leather clothing rubbing together as she gyrates her hips.
Well, itâs not as though itâll be a real hardship, I think, feeling her slender body in my arms. I shove her away a little harder than I need to, and she stumbles before me. She recovers quickly enough, and turns, ready to strike me with her whip.
The leathery tip whistles my way, and I somehow catch it before it strikes my face.
Kill her! Kill her while you still can! Let me taste her.
Shut up, I mentally command Muramasa. Iâll stab her with a different sword.
âHow dare you treat me like this,â the innkeeper cries out, trying to yank her whip out of my hand.
Her strength is a lot less than mine is, and I yank her to me, using her own weapon. I catch her as she stumbles, and this time itâs me that pulls her into a kiss. She remains frozen for a second, before thawing slightly, and I feel her lips part to allow my tongue in.
Pulling back, I watch as she blinks in confusion. I use her distraction to yank the whip entirely out of her hands. While sheâs off balance, I use her own weapon against her and tie her up.
âWhat do you think youâre doing?â she demands of me, anger smoldering in her brown eyes.
Looking around the room, I see a number of faceless people watching us. I feel the grin split my face before I consciously will it. She looks around the room as well, and I see panic enter her eyes.
âI think Iâm going to get that information out of you,â I tell her cheerfully.
âNo! Not out here in front of everyone. What I do, I do in private.â She tries to fight against her bonds, but itâs useless. The leather of the whip refuses to budge against the leather of her costume.
Pulling her over to a counter, I find a small knife sitting on the other side. Gripping it, I brandish it before her fearful eyes, before slipping it into a fold of her leather bellow where the whip is holding her captive, and start cutting.
âNo! You canât do this! I am the mistress here. I wonât be treated like this in my own place.â I turn her around as I continue to cut through her leather. The knife is sharp enough, but the leather is also sturdy, and it takes me a few moments to cut it away. Iâm surprised at how little sheâs really struggling, despite her words. Dropping the knife, Iâm able to pull down the bottom half of her costume, and can smell her arousal.
Standing back up, I release the end of her whip and undo my trousers, letting them fall to my ankles with a clatter as Muramasa strikes the wood floor. I only step out with one leg, before bending her over the counter.
âDonât you dare!â she cries out, belying her bodyâs reaction to my rough treatment. âNot out here!â
Pulling back my hand, I bring it down hard on her rump, making her cry out, and leaving a red handprint behind.
âYou wanted me to satisfy you,â I whisper in her ear, leaning over her body and nestling my cock between her cheeks. âNow just shut up and take it.â
âNo,â she cries again, and I can hear the tears in her voice. âNot out here! Everyone will see! At least take me back to one of the rooms.â
Grabbing the base of my cock, I begin to rub it up and down along her nearly dripping slit. She jumps at the first contact between our genitals, and I actually hear a slight whimper escape her throat.
âMistress,â I hear Maraâs slight voice say close by, âdo you want me to stop him?â
Wasting no more time, I drive my hips forward, impaling her cunt with my pole. Her head flips back, and I see her mouth forming a large âOâ.
âMistress?â Mara repeats, and the innkeeper just glares at the faceless woman until she backs away.
Taking another glance around the room, I see that we have everyoneâs attention. A few faceless patrons even have their pricks out, stroking them to the beat of me slipping into this domineering woman.
âHow dare you fuck me in front of everyone!â she yells back at me as I slip in and out of her tight cunt, but I can feel her start to move in time with my thrusts. âThis is my job! Iâm, ungh, the boss here. I, uh, make the rules. Oh God! You will not make me cum in front of . . . in front of . . . in. . . . Oh shit!â
Her pussy grips my phallus hard as her body shudders in the throes of passion. Apparently the thought of everyone watching her is enough to send her over the edge.
I feel renewed with vigor at the thought of being able to get this woman off. Sheâd said I was only the second, and I canât feel too jealous about whoever the other person was.
I wait for her to finish shuddering, before I pull out, and aim for her other hole.
âWait! No, you canât. I charge extra for that. You canâtâungh.â She drops her head to the countertop, as I slip inch after inch of my meat into her anus, relishing the feeling of her tight sphincter slowly sliding up my rod. âNo, no, no. . . .â she says repeatedly; until I land a slapping blow on her other cheek. Making her jump, and her anus tighten deliciously on my cock.
âYouâre going to be a good little girl, and tell me what I want to know, arenât you,â I donât ask, but state.
She nods her head, but thatâs not good enough for me. Reaching forward, I grip the back of the collar of her top with my right hand, and a handful of her dark hair with the other. Pulling back on both, I stand her upright, enjoying the new angle this causes her colon to take around my schlong. âSay it,â I command her, and then have to stifle a moan as my command makes her colon tighten as she has a minor orgasm.
âYes,â she gasps, and I realize Iâm choking her with her own top by pulling back on it. I donât let up.
âLouder,â I command her, pulling my hips back, and slamming them forward, pounding into her ass to emphasize my desire.
âYes, Master!â she tries to scream. I loosen my grip on her collar, but pull back more on her hair.
âWhere did they go?â I ask my obedient slave.
Reaching around her body, I somehow already know that her pussy is bald, and easily find her clit. I place my finger against it, but donât move it, or apply pressure while I wait for her answer.
âThey . . . they went north, Master,â she says around moans, trying to move her cunt against my hand.
âGood girl,â I whisper, nipping lightly at her ear. âYou can cum now,â I give her permission, as I pinch her clitoris between two fingers.
Her wail of pleasure rebounds off the walls, and I see some of her patrons start to fire off their seed as they cum too. Her rear clamps down hard on my tool, and Iâm soon firing off into her colon, grunting with each spurt.
I pull out of her ass, and realize there is still one final step to her conversion. âGet on your knees and clean my cock,â I command her, as I loosen the whip still bound tightly around her torso.
She doesnât even hesitate, before dropping to her knees in front of me, gripping my softening cock, and starts cleaning it with her mouth. I notice that it is clean of anything untoward, before it disappears between her lips.
I can feel her tongue swirling around the tip of my over-sensitized phallus, and decide to pull out of her mouth. Leaning over, I grip her cheeks in my hand, and stare into her brown eyes. Not a trace of defiance is left, only complete submission. âThat was very good, innkeeper. Now I want you to finish off any other patrons that havenât gotten off to our little show.â
âSheila, master,â she says quietly. âMy name is Sheila. Will you ever come back?â
Pulling up my trousers, I turn and walk out, without giving her an answer, but something about her name tickles the back of my mind. What is it about her thatâmy mind grows thick with fog again, and I dismiss it.
A young woman bumps into me as I try to leave. âIâm sorry, mister,â she mumbles an apology, and I feel her hand at my waist. Gripping her wrist, I pull it away, before she can draw Muramasa.
âYou donât want to do that,â I growl at her, looking down into a young face framed by brown hair. Two blue eyes refuse to meet mine.
âHelp!â the girl screams. âRape!â
âHa, ha,â a faceless male patron behind me scoffs at her. âWe already know his worth. And the rest of us know your thieving ways, Ondy. Itâs about time someone caught you.â
Without releasing her wrist, I drag her out of the brothel.
âDid she tell you?â the older farmer asks as I walk out, ignoring the struggling girl in my grasp. âI heard some yelling in there. Did you have to get rough?â
I chuckle lightly as I answer him, âYou could say that. It was definitely some lord, and he took your daughter north.â
âWhoâs this?â he asks, finally noticing the girl.
âA little thief,â I tell the farmer. âWhat should we do with her?â
âWe canât take her with us,â the man says, but I see he is eyeing the younger woman. âItâll be too dangerous.â
âI can fight!â the girl states, twisting her arm just right, and escaping my grip. âLet me help you. Itâs the least I can do to make up for trying to rob you.â
I look doubtfully at her, but she had escaped my grip.
âYou can fight?â the farmer echoes my thoughts.
âI can!â she exclaims indignantly. âLet me borrow your sword,â she says, turning to me, âand Iâll show you.â
I grip the hilt of Muramasa protectively as I glare at her. âYou donât know what youâre asking for, girl.â I turn to Thomas, but he already knows what Iâm going to ask, and nods. âTest your skills bare handed against him,â I tell the thief.
âBut he has a. . . .â she trails off as Thomas removes the sword from his hip and hands it to me. She barely even waits for him to let go, before springing her attack.
I can tell right away that she has speed on her side, as the veteran farmer barely blocks her fist. She aims a kick for his hip, but he scoots back, and her foot passes harmlessly by. With her now off-balance, Thomas takes advantage, and delivers a quick open-handed blow to her back.
Ondy stumbles forward, but recovers quickly and with grace. This time sheâs wary as she faces her opponent, trying to get a better grasp of his skills. The two trade precise blows, blocking and dodging as necessary, while gauging each otherâs capabilities.
Where did the old man learn to fight like that, I wonder, and then remember that heâd been in some war. Still, it doesnât seem to sit right that heâs this good.
I see him slowing, and she notices it too. With a triumphant yell, she dodges around a weakened jab, and goes in for the final strike.
Thomas nearly blurs, and before I know it, Ondy yelps and is on her back. Thomas is sitting on her stomach, her arms held against her sides by the older manâs legs.
âYield,â Ondy cries out, seeing the game is lost.
The older farmer gets up, and I hand his sword back to him.
âYouâre fast, girl, but youâre also impatient.â He reaches down, and offers her a hand up. She disdains it, and gets back up on her own.
âYou tricked me,â she complains.
Thomas laughs heartily, before replying. âIn a fight for your life, never assume you know your opponent. They just might surprise you.â
âBut we werenât fighting for our lives. It was just a little sparring,â she defends herself.
Thomas scowls at her, and his tone grows deadly serious. âEvery fight is a fight for your life. Donât forget that.â He sucks in a deep breath, and continues in a more moderate tone, âYouâre welcome to come with us; I guess we could use your help. You know how to fight, but you also have a lot to learn.â
Thomas turns north, and I fall into step next to him. A couple seconds later, Ondy comes running back up to us. âWill you teach me?â she asks Thomas, and he only grunts in assent. âI donât have a weapon.â She says next, and without looking, the old man produces a dagger from nowhere, and hands it to her. This man is more dangerous than Iâd originally given him credit for.
The woman slips the dagger into a sash around her hip, and we walk for a ways in silence. Ondy proves her worth, as she finds tracks on the edge of town, heading north.
Straight into a forbidding looking forest. Yay.
âWe should go around,â Ondy states, but Thomas shakes his head.
âMy daughterâs in there, and Iâm going to get her back.â His tone is so adamant, that I decide not to argue.
âI know these woods,â Ondy declares unhappily. âIf we run into any problems, let me do the talking.â
Keeping one hand on the hilt of Muramasa, and both eyes open, I follow Thomas and Ondy into the dark forest.
The first sign of trouble comes from Ondy, as she yelps, and jumps back, brandishing her dagger. A shadowy form steps out onto the path, their features obscured by the gloom of the area. I can tell that this person at least has a face.
âLeave your weapons and all your money and weâll let you leave with your lives.â A slight breeze blows through, and a shaft of light pierces the branches, giving me a quick look at her face. Short brown hair and a blue eye. Her left eye is covered by an eye patch, and I have just enough time to make out a crossbow in her hands, before the light is blocked again.
She also has the biggest knockers Iâve ever seen on a woman, her bodice is cut low to take full advantage of her incredible cleavage.
âIâm just trying to find my daughter,â Thomas yells to the woman, ignoring Ondyâs indignant hiss at not being allowed to talk first. âDid you see her come by here? Some men took her.â
The woman laughs throatily before answering. âYou mean that little slip of a thing riding in that lordly manâs lap? Didnât look to me like she wanted rescuing.â She laughs again, and thereâs a coldness to it this time. âOf course, she was also out cold, but the manâs hands were all over her.â
âYou bitch,â the farmer screams, drawing his sword and charging the woman.
She lazily lifts her crossbow, and I barely have time to shout a warning before she fires the quarrel at him.
A loud clang resounds through the forest, and Iâm certain the bolt is lodged in the manâs breastplate. His sword clatters to the ground, and I see him hunch over, holding his hands close to his chest.
âShe only has one bolt,â Thomas gasps. âGet her before she can reload.â
Before I can begin to move, the trees and leaves around us rustle, and I watch as faceless people step out of the shadows, some holding crossbows and regular bows, some holding daggers and swords.
In the time it takes me to notice the rest of the bandits, Ondy has moved over to check on Thomas.
âIs he okay?â I ask, still wary to draw Muramasa.
âIâm fine!â he yells. âDamn bitch hit the guard and knocked my blade out of my hands.â
I breathe easier as I hear those words.
âLook,â I say, addressing the well-endowed woman, âWe donât want any trouble. Weâre just trying to retrieve his daughter. We have no money, and our weapons arenât worth your effort.â
âAny weapon is worth the effort, stranger, even the sword between your legs,â she laughs back at me, âor is that one only a little dagger, not worth anything more than buttering my bread? âCourse that one on your hip looks rather nice as well.â
âThis blade is cursed,â I inform her. âBelieve me when I say I would hand it over if I could.â I look around at all the faceless bandits, trying to formulate a plan. âWhat will it take to leave here unmolested?â
âItâs too late for that, but for a bit of entertainment, we may let you leave with your gear,â her almost too quick reply makes me worried.
âWhat kind of entertainment?â Ondy asks worriedly. As the only woman in our group, she has the most to lose.
âSorry, sweety,â the bandit leader quips, âyou arenât my type, and I have plenty of men to satisfy me if I want.â She starts to unlimber her shoulders, turning her neck from side-to-side, and I have a feeling I know where this is going. âHowâs about we go one-on-one, to the death. You win, and you walk free. I win. . . . Well, if I win, letâs just say Iâll end up with your stuff anyway.â
âI accept,â I say easily, confident I can beat this one eyed woman. I walk over to pick up Thomasâs sword, but he yells at me to stop.
âNo,â he tells me. âShe disarmed me with her little trick. I need to regain some honor, and I donât want anyone else touching my sword.â
He picks up his blade, or tries to. His right hand doesnât seem to want to properly wrap around the grip, but he only grunts and picks it up with his left hand. Giving it a few practice swings, he faces the bandit leader, sword up and ready. I just hope heâs good enough with his left hand.
âYouâre hurt,â Ondy exclaims. âDonât do it.â When he doesnât respond to her, she turns to me, and I can see the pleading in her eyes. When did she start caring so much? âYou canât let him do this. I know who she is!â She flings her arm out, pointing at the female bandit. âThatâs Jenny of the Large Pennies. Sheâs a dead shot with any bow, and nearly as good with a blade. Sheâll kill him.â
âNot nearly as good, darling,â Jenny says sweetly, âbetter.â
I understand Thomasâs position, though, and know he needs to do this for his honor. If anyone else fights for him, he will lose even more face.
âTake care of my daughter, Stranger. Thanks for your help to this point.â The manâs words are solemn, and I take it heâs heard of her too.
âThe nameâs Lyden Snow,â I tell him, at least wanting him to know whom heâs traveling with.
Everyone suddenly freezes, staring at me and even Ondy backs away, covering her mouth in worry.
âThatâs a poor joke to make, friend,â Thomas states, then turns back to his foe, closing the distance in only a couple steps.
Those two steps are all the warning Jenny gets, but itâs enough, and her blade blurs as it comes out of its sheath, and meets his blade, edge-to-edge. Her riposte is quick and hard, knocking Thomas backwards a step. I actually wonder that the bandit is able to move with such ease, with such a large chest, but when she somehow gets behind Thomas and bumps into him with her breasts, knocking him down, I see she uses them as an asset, rather than a hindrance.
I also see that sheâs just playing with the older man. Thereâs no doubt that heâs a skilled swordsman, even left-handed, but sheâs younger, quicker, and more agile. She also has a surprising amount of strength in her attacks. I watch as Thomasâs attacks grow weaker and weaker, hoping that heâs using the same ruse heâd used on Ondy earlier.
Sure enough, just when it looks like heâs done for, he springs his final attack.
A painfully cracking clang reverberates through the trees, and something shiny strikes the dirt in front of me. Looking closer, I see itâs the remains of Thomasâs blade.
My head snaps back up as Ondy cries, âNo!
Thomas is staring at the four inches of steel above the guard in shock. He collapses to his knees, and I can just make out a trickle of blood seeping from his cheek.
I quickly grab Ondy before she can take off, and she starts to fight me, as Jenny places the blade at his throat. Her eye meets mine, and suddenly I feel like I know who she really is. Flashes of memory start to seep through the fog thatâs been surrounding my mind.
âJennifer?â I ask, struggling to recall how I know her.
âLyden? Whatââ her words are cut off as Thomas uses the distraction to ram the remains of his blade through her neck, and into her brain.
âNO!â This time itâs me screaming the words, as I watch the woman I once knew fall to the ground, lifeless. I canât hold onto Ondy any longer, and she rushes over to Thomas, pulling him into a hug. I feel the fog start to creep back in, obscuring my mind and forcing my memories away.
I begin crawling over to them, but by the time I reach Thomas and Ondy, I canât remember why Iâm crying. The bandit leader is dead, and her cohorts have retreated into the forest, staying true to her word. I should be happy, but the tears wonât stop.
Raiding a dead body is a hard thing to do, but we end up with her blade and crossbow, along with a small bundle of quarrels, and a bag full of coins. Weâve won our freedom, so why am I still so sad?
âWeâd better get moving,â Thomas states, shaking my shoulders and reminding me that weâre not out of the woods yet. Penny of the Large Pennies is dead, but her bandit crew could still be lurking in the trees.
âBut your cheek,â Ondy states. âYouâre injured!â
The old farmer wipes his cheek with the back of his hand, smearing blood across it, but also showing that itâs nothing more than a scratch.
Thomas complains that his new sword isnât as good as his old one, making sure that anyone around can hear how knowledgeable he is about such weapons, until we see the edge of the tree line.
Even after we get out of the forest, we continue walking, well after the sun has gone down.
â
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Chapter 19
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A Land of Fantasy: Part 2
âWake up,â Ondy whispers to me urgently, and I crack my eyes open. The sun is just rising on the horizon, and I can hear what sounds like a wagon creaking our way.
âWho is it?â I ask, suddenly wary.
âLooks like some traders,â Thomas says without trying to hide his voice. Heâs walking from the direction the sound of the wagon is coming from.
âHow many?â I ask, concerned. Lately it seems if itâs not one thing, itâs another.
âTwo women, and a couple of caravan guards,â he says easily, then eyes me sharply. âListen, I donât care what your name really is, but I donât recommend you tell anyone else itâs Lyden Snow.â
âWhy not?â I ask, but the wagon shows up, and I realize Iâll have to get my answer later.
âHo!â Thomas yells to the traders, holding his hands out to show he means no harm.
The two guards, riding on some fine looking horses, approach the farmer, and glare down at him. Well, glare as much as two faceless men can.
âOh, stop it you two. If you scare away our customers, weâll never make any money on this trip,â one of the women says.
âAnd the first brigand that puts a knife in your ribs, will take any earnings you make,â the guard on the left states.
A slightly chubby woman gets down off her wagon, and approaches us. âThatâs why we hired you. To protect us!â she states, not seeing the paradox in her words. âThe nameâs Deb, and my partner over there is Anny. Any chance we could talk you into buying a plate or some brandy?â
âHow much for the horses?â Thomas asks, glancing at the fine steeds.
âTheyâre not for sale,â the guard thatâs been doing most of the talking states angrily.
Thomas grabs the pouch of coins weâd taken off the bandit leader, and pulls a small golden disk out. âThatâs a shame, because thatâs all we need right now.â
Deb licks her lips as she looks at the golden coin, then to the bulk of the obviously full pouch. âOh, give over! Anythingâs for sale, if the price is right.â
âGreed will be your undoing, sister,â Anny states from her perch on the wagon.
âAnd that pious attitude will be yours, sister,â Deb replies in a manner that lets me know theyâve spoken these words often to each other.
Haggling begins, and in the end, we come away with two horses, and a saddlebag full of food. The acquired crossbow had been thrown into the mix, and I now have a nice water pouch hanging on my right hip.
Anny had tried to extol to us the virtues of living a clean life, but even Deb had grown tired of her preaching by the time we parted ways.
âIâm telling you,â Ondy states from her perch in Thomasâs lap, âYou paid three times what these horses are worth.â
âIt doesnât matter,â the farmer grouses. âWe got something that wasnât for sale, with coins that werenât really ours. Now are we still on the right track to find my daughter?â
Ondy grumbles under her breath, but examines the road in front of us.
âSee the chip missing from that horseshoe imprint, or how that one is entirely missing its horseshoe? They were outside town back there, and Iâm certain they have your daughter.â Thomas grunts and heels their horse to a trot.
I wonder if the old man will ever realize that the young woman is smitten with him?
We still havenât caught up with this kidnapping lord by midday, but someone catches up with us.
âAre you the one claiming to be Lyden Snow?â A woman yells, approaching us on horseback. Her dark brown, nearly black hair is tied back in a ponytail, and her brown eyes are piercing as she glares at me. Other than her sharp eyes, she is the plainest looking woman Iâve ever seen.
âDammit,â I hear Thomas curse, but I just turn the horse around and look at the woman.
âI might be. Why?â I ask, trying to keep my voice level.
âIâm Randa, and Iâm sworn to kill you before you destroy our world!â Her horse charges for me, as she pulls her sword, ready to lop off my head.
Pulling my sword up, sheath and all, I deflect her blow just in time.
âWhy are you trying to kill me?â I demand of the woman. âWhatâd I ever do to you?â
âYou are what you are!â she screams as she brings her horse back around, charging at me again. âLyden Snow is prophesied to destroy this world, and my sisters and I have sworn to kill you before that happens.â
Thatâs not right, I think. Somethingâs wrong with that. Before I can think more on it, however, sheâs next to me, swinging her blade with deadly intent.
Free me! Let me taste her blood! Look at her; she wants to feel my caress against her neck and thighs. Free me, so that I may feed! Despite Muramasaâs urging, I keep him in his sheath.
Suddenly the violent woman stiffens and tips out of her saddle, a dagger in her back.
âNice throw,â Thomas tells her. âTell me, how did you get the aim just right?â
I blink at the two, trying to understand whatâd just happened. Ondy had just killed a woman, and now both of them were acting as if itâs no big deal.
âItâs just a skill I have, when Iâm behind someone the blade always sinks in,â the younger woman states.
Hopping down off my horse, I turn the woman who tried to kill me onto her back, and jump when she gasps for air. âBrother. . . . Iâm coming.â Her eyes close, and for just a moment I think I might know her, but the feeling is fleeting and soon gone.
Ondy reclaims her dagger, taking Randaâs sword and mount, and we continue on our way.
âWhatâs the deal with my name?â I demand of Thomas as we plod down the road. âWhy did she want to kill me?â
âListen,â he tells me earnestly, âyouâve been a great help to me, so I wonât judge you, but thereâs a legend that states that a man by the name of Lyden Snow will come to our world and destroy it. I always thought it was an old wivesâ tale, but now Iâm not so sure.â He refuses to meet my eyes as he talks, and I can see that Ondy is trying to listen while appearing not to. She could use some more practice at that. âIf you really are our destroyer, then the only thing I really ask is that you wait until I have my daughter back in my arms.â
He snaps his reigns, pulling away from me, and I just sit there, stunned.
Kill them, before they kill you!
âShutup,â I mutter out loud to the sword, not wanting to listen to its demands. I donât want to destroy worlds. I just want to live. Is that too much to ask?
Not long after that, we come to another town, this one not much bigger than the last, though it does boast a sheriffâs office.
We tie our horses up just outside, and go in. Two deputies are sitting inside, both with faces, and I donât know if I should be worried that they have faces, or relieved. Why canât I think straight? One of the deputies is extremely short, with long light brown hair, and the other is a lithe woman with equally long blonde hair and blue eyes.
âWeâre looking for a lord that might have come through here recently,â Thomas begins. âHe would have had a woman with him, and some guards.â
âAh, you must mean Lord Mark,â the short one says. âYeah, they traded horses here late last night, and continued up to his castle.â
âWhy are you after him?â the blonde asks.
âHe stole my daughter, and I intend to get her back.â Thomasâs voice is firm and full of controlled anger. He now has a name and a target.
âThatâs a pretty serious charge,â the short one says. âWhat do you think, Leese? Should we check it out?â
âMight as well, Becks. Nothing else is likely to happen, and Iâve been getting bored anyway.â Leese responds.
âNow wait a minute,â Thomas argues back, âWe didnât ask for help, just directions.â
The two deputies are already strapping on their swords. âIf you plan to go up against Lord Mark, then youâre going to need all the help you can get,â Leese says calmly.
Why are they so willing to help us?
In the end, all five of us leave town, heading for the castle on the horizon.
The edifice is quite imposing as we come up to it. Black stones make up the towers, topped with solid black flags.
âThink the lordâs in a black mood?â I try to joke, lightening the atmosphere. My efforts fall flat.
No guards stand at the portcullis, and nobody can be seen as we work our way down blackened hallways, dimly lit with torches. The entire place feels creepy, and abandoned, other than footprints visible in the dust covering the floor.
We work our way deeper into the castle, feeling the oppressive mood of the place begin to seep into our bones, but Thomas refuses to stop until he has his daughter, and each of us pulls a measure of strength from him.
I donât like this place, Muramasa states, and for the first time I hear fear in the swordâs mental voice.
Finally we come across a pair of massive wooden double doors, and we can hear voices on the other side.
Pushing through, we find a large, darkly tanned man sitting at the head of a long table. A golden chain leads from his left wrist to a collar around a young woman with golden hair and golden tinged skin. Even in this dour place, she seems to glow slightly, as if her presence is valiantly attempting to push back the evil of the place, but slowly failing. Two female guards flank their lord, weapons already drawn and ready.
âSo I see you made it all the way here, Lyden,â the lordâs deep voice booms. âHow have you enjoyed my little play? I must say, Iâm impressed with how well youâve handled yourself. Youâve only lost, what, two people? Of course, I donât know that you could consider one of them a friend.â
âLyden?â I hear Leese and Becks murmur at the same time in fear, but they draw their blades and prepare to defend themselves.
âWeâve been told that that lady is here against her will,â Leese shouts.
Lord Mark burst out in booming laughter. âAgainst her will?â He yanks on her chain, making the golden woman stumble. âTell them, my pet. Are you here against your will?â
âNo, my lord,â the girlâs dreamy voice comes out. It sounds like sheâs speaking from a faraway place, instead of only a few feet away. She is obviously under a spell.
Why do I think she would look better with large butterfly wings? I shake my head to dispel the absurd thought.
âRelease my daughter, fiend, or face my steel!â Thomas screeches, taking a ready stance.
Lord Mark chuckles for a second, before flicking his fingers at his two guards. âKill them.â
I take a closer look at the two armed figures next to Lord Mark. One is clad in a supple blue material that looks serviceable and durable. In her hand is a long wavy blade that looks quite deadly. The other woman is clad in some sort of yellow and black animal skin that barely covers her ample parts. A long spear is clutched in her hands, and it looks like she knows how to use it.
âHow will you handle this dilemma?â Lord Mark asks me, a wicked grin on his face. âFriends on both sides, all intent on killing each other. This should be fun.â
The woman in blue faces off against Ondy and Thomas, somehow able to deflect their combined efforts. It would probably help if the two had practiced together some, as they keep getting into each otherâs way.
The Amazonian woman, meanwhile, brings her spearâs haft to bear down on the short Becks, but Leeseâs sword intercepts it, saving her fellow deputy. Becks doesnât hesitate at the sudden opening, slashing at the giant womanâs stomach. Iâm certain the Amazon is going down, but she blurs, and is suddenly standing five feet further back, spinning her weapon in her hands.
Who do I help? Both groups are holding their own, and if I step in, I might get in their way. For some reason I canât pin down, Iâm extremely hesitant to fight anyone in here.
Except Lord Mark.
Pulling Muramasa from my hip, still sheathed, I approach the darkly tanned man.
âDo you really think you can take me on, generator?â The man asks, but I have no idea what heâs talking about. âIâve been destroying ants like you for millennia.â He stands, and for the first time I see just how large this man is. If muscles had muscles, heâd be the steroid that pumped them all. The man is a mountain! He pulls a sword thatâs nearly as tall as I am from behind his back, and then glances at the other two fighting groups. âPerhaps we should wait, and see how this turns out first.â He waves his hand at me, and every muscle in my body locks up, stopping me from any more movement. Twirling his finger, I find myself turning rigidly in place, until I can watch the other two groups, battling for their lives. dread fills me, as I realize how much power this man has, and how much Iâm at his mercy.
I watch in horror as Thomas stumbles over Ondyâs outstretched leg, and the blue armored guard brings her sword down hard, nearly separating the older manâs neck from his shoulders. He collapses in a lifeless heap at Ondyâs feet. The thief goes berserk, wildly slashing at the guard. For a moment it looks as if the vigor and speed of her attacks will make up for her lack of skill, as she lands blow after blow. Unfortunately, each successful strike only causes minor damage, and Ondy begins to wear down from her efforts.
A grunt from Leese pulls my attention to that battle, and dismay fills me as the Amazonian strikes the blonde woman in the chest, knocking her back. Becks is holding her side, and I can see blood trickling between her fingers. Leese moves to Becksâs side, taking a defensive stance.
My friends are about to fall, and Iâm frozen, helpless and impotent. Inner rage at my inability to act boils up in me, and I strain against my invisible bonds, but to no avail. Nothing is as strong as Lord Markâs willpower.
Becks tries to gain her feet, but I watch as her face goes white, and she collapses to the ground, her life still seeping between her fingers. The Amazon woman goes in for the kill, and Leese moves to intercept, but is a moment too late. The spear shaft sinks deep into Becksâs side a split second before Leeseâs sword lops off the Amazonianâs head.
âBecks, no!â Leese cries out, bending over her deputy, and checking for a pulse. Tears pour from her eyes when she doesnât find one. Tears are quickly replaced with rage, as she stands and faces the other guard, in time to see Ondy take the blue armor-clad guardâs blade through her stomach, and fall next to Thomas.
The two remaining women face off against each other, attacks ringing out as sword meets sword. The blue-armored guard is the better fighter, but sheâs slowed down by her many wounds. Blow after blow, parry after parry, the two women go back and forth, until the guard is able to put her blade into Leeseâs right shoulder. The deputy drops her weapon from nerveless fingers, and tries to stumble away from the blow she knows will land next.
The guard delivers a mighty kick to Leeseâs jaw, cranking her head to the side. The sound of her neck snapping is unmistakable.
âBravo!â Lord Mark cries out, clapping his hands. âBravo!â He walks over to his triumphant guard, and smiles down at her. Without warning, his sword arm comes up, and his guard collapses in two pieces, the blade severing her torso from her legs. The speed and ease with which he dispatches his own guard belies his prowess with the weapon.
I want to demand to know why he would kill his own servant, but my mouth refuses to function.
âWe couldnât let one of them survive, now could we?â he asks me mockingly. âNow weâre just down to you, me, and my newest little pet here,â his smile turns to Thomasâs daughter, but she doesnât react. I can see that her eyes are glazed over, and feel sorry for whatever torments this monster has in store for her.
âNow, I believe you wanted to have a battle,â he says to me, waving his hand and I can feel control over my own body returned to me. âDraw your blade, little thing. I begin to grow weary of this game.â Despite his words, I can see laughter in his eyes.
I hate to do it, but I know I donât stand a chance against this monster, unless I draw Muramasa from his sheath.
âOh, I almost forgot,â the large man waves dramatically, but I know he is just being melodramatic, âWhat fun would this little fight be, without your true memories?â
Lord Mark snaps his fingers, and a searing lance of pain erupts behind my eyes. White encompasses everything, as the fog that has sat over my mind since waking up in this world, lifts. Memories, thoughts, and feelings flood through my system, and with dawning horror, I realize whatâs happened.
Almost everyone I know is dead. Angela, Brooke, Becky, Lisa, Jennifer, Ondine, and even Thomas are all beyond my help now, manipulated and destroyed by Marchosiasâs evil machinations.
Even Mirandaâs death weighs on me, and sheâd wanted to kill me in truth.
I donât know when I fall to my knees, but as I stand back up and look at the four dead bodies around me, I have to fight hard not to be overwhelmed by despair.
Dead. . . . Theyâre all dead! All because Iâd chosen to rescue a little fairy. The same fairy Iâd been tricked into coming on this quest to rescue again. Sheâs still standing there, eyes glazed over, not even aware of what is going on.
âShall we end our little play, Lyden Snow?â Marchosias asks me, laughter ringing in his baritone voice. âThere are only two ways for you to return to the real world: take Arethusaâs maidenhead, or allow me to kill you. Should it be the latter, I will take her virginity and soul, enjoying every moment of it.â
Rage, hotter than any Iâve ever felt in the past suffuses my limbs, burning away my despair and replacing it with a purpose; kill Marchosias. He must answer for his crimes. No matter how skilled a warrior he is, I vow not to rest, until I destroy him.
Muramasa is free from his sheath in one swift motion, no longer willing to give myself a second thought on the consequences. My cursed blade crows in glee at his freedom. Yes! Feed me his soul! Let me devour him! Allow me to caress his soft skin.
âNo!â the demon yells, backing away, and I can see fear enter into his eyes, his voice incredulous. I pay it no heed as I charge him. âHow did you get that blade?â He barely deflects my first blow in time, Muramasa guiding my movements. âThat isnât supposed to be here! It was in my study.â My next blow comes within a hair of his shoulder, and the large man leaps back to get some breathing room. âLyden, you must stop!â Desperation is in his tone now, as he continues to back away. I want nothing more than to press the attack, but Muramasa holds me in check, only allowing me to slowly approach. âThis whole thing was a farce. A game! It isnâtââ
Muramasa frees me, and I charge forward, sword raised. I watch as the demon brings his blade up to block me, and suddenly Iâm spinning, bringing my sword in low. Sparks fly as the demon uses his unnatural speed to deflect my strike. The sentient blade directs my every move, and I donât even hesitate as he cries out for blood. Pressing the attack, I watch in glee as the evil creature before me truly begins to fear for his very existence. My blade will feast on his soul today, and while it wonât bring back my loved ones, it will at least be some measure of recompense.
Marchosias is speaking to me, pleading with me, but my blood pounds in my ears, and I canât understand his words. His hands make the same gesture thatâd frozen me in place earlier, but Muramasa somehow deflects the demonâs power.
Finally I draw blood, as my blade sinks deeply into the demonâs thigh. His howl of pain is sweet music to my ears, penetrating the blood rage that guides me.
The large monster waves his hand to something to my right, and I see something golden out of the corner of my eye. Spinning to destroy this new threat, I barely stop Muramasa from splitting Arethusaâs skull.
Kill her! Kill them all! my wicked blade sings in my mind, but I regain control over myself, and turn to face the demon.
Heâs gone. Whether fled to the real world, or somewhere in this fantasy world, Iâm not sure.
âLyden?â a soft voice says near me, fear and worry in her tone. âWhâwhat happened? Where are we?â
Muramasa continues to demand I kill her, but I resist, taking more effort than it should to do so. Seeing that there is blood on the blade, I shudder, and quickly sheath my sword. The original Lyden, the one I am again, knew nothing of this blade. The Lyden that Marchosias created for his entertainment knows how deadly this sword is.
I also know how cursed I am to have it in my possession, now that Iâve drawn it.
Muramasa cannot be sheathed unless heâs drawn blood. He will also stay with me until I go mad, killing everyone I know, before either killing myself in grief, or getting killed in turn.
I donât know how wounded Marchosias truly is, but itâs less than he deserves for what heâs done.
Seeing Angelaâs Amazonian head, the spear in Beckyâs gut, and both pieces of Brooke. . . . Bending over, I empty my stomach of all its contents, unable to look at my friends and lovers anymore.
I donât know how long I stay hunched over, nor when I passed out, but when I awaken, itâs Arethâs golden tinged cherubic face that greets me.
âWelcome back,â she says nervously, which is so very unlike her. There is tenderness to her now, which is new. I wonder if itâs an affect of Marchosiasâs messing with our minds, or something else.
I try to turn my head to look around, realizing that Iâm lying with my head in the pixieâs lap, but her hands grip my face, and forces me to look at her.
âNo, donât,â she tells me, and I feel fresh hot tears spring to my eyes. âWhere are we, and how do we get home?â There is fear and worry in her tone, and I want to comfort her, and be comforted in turn.
âI donât know,â I say, then remember something Marchosias had said. The mere thought of the demon makes my vision go red, and Muramasa begins to sing to me, but I fight it all down as I recall the dark-souled creatureâs words. âEither I have to die, or. . . .â I trail off, remembering the rest. Or I take her maidenhead. I canât do that to her. âI have to die.â I say, trying to cover my almost slip.
The fairy shakes her head though. âOr you have to take my maidenhead,â she states, already knowing the answer somehow. âI know the way demons think. He set this whole thing up to punish us. What worse punishment can there be, than watching your friends die, and then dying in futility, knowing there is nothing you can do. Or, if you actually did defeat the demon, youâd be stuck here, until I gave up my. . . . Well, either way, Iâd be punished as well.â
I decide not to tell her what her fate would have been, had I lost to the demon. âI donât understand?â I say, confused. âI mean, I understand if I take your virginity, but not about if I die. How does that punish you?â I ask.
Her slap against my face stings as much as itâs unexpected. Shoving me off her lap, she glares at me. âAre you really that dumb?â she demands, reminding me of when weâd first met. âHavenât you figured it out, yet?â I can only blink at her in confusion. I try to look around, trying to find something to help me understand what her problem is, and only then notice that weâre no longer in the throne room. The fairy must have moved me while I was unconscious. âYou really donât know.â
âKnow what?â I demand.
She shakes her head, and moves back over to me. âIt doesnât matter,â she tells me softly, and itâs at this point I conclude all women are crazy. âLyden, you canât die. You must fulfill the prophecy, or so many more will die. Giving you my most precious gift is a small price to pay, for saving so many lives.â
âWhy should I care about all those other lives?â I demand almost angrily. I regret the words as soon as theyâre out of my mouth, when I see the hurt in her eyes.
âBecause you wouldnât be the Lyden I know if you didnât. Not all of your friends are dead,â she points out, and I want to yell that âYes, they are!â
Sheila, AnnaBelle, and Debbie cross my mind. Theyâre still alive. At least, they will be if I can end this world.
I remember Mirandaâsâor rather Randaâsâwords here, about me destroying this world, and realize that they had been true. One way or another, this world will end, but it wonât kill everyone like sheâd thought.
âBut your soul!â I state, not willing to give up. âI canât take that from you. Iâd rather commit suicide to end this world, than do that to you.â
âI donât think that will work,â she tells me sadly. âMarchosias would have wanted to ensure you made it all the way to the end. Only he can kill you, or you must take my maidenhead. There is no other choice.â Her slender hands hold my cheeks firmly, gazing deeply into my gray eyes. âAs far as my soul, you cannot take what is freely given.â
âButââ I try to protest some more, but her lips against mine cut me short. There is no passion or sorrow in this kiss, but simple tenderness. Our lips are the only parts of our mouths that are touching, but that is enough for me to understand that this is truly okay with her. Sheâs willing to chain herself to me for the rest of our lives, to save both our worlds.
Can I make any less of a sacrifice to save so many lives?
Pulling my head back, I look deeply into her golden eyes, cupping her chin. Funny how Iâve never noticed their rich color until now. Probably due to me being colorblind.
âAre you sure?â I have to ask one last time.
âJust be gentle,â she says, and I can see the determination writ across her face. âI still get a little uncomfortable sitting down after the last time.â She says it with a wry smile, but I can see how nervous she is.
Using my grip on her chin, I pull her face back to mine, kissing her softly. Her slender arms wrap carefully around my neck, and I lay us down on the hard rock ground. There are worse places to take a womanâs virginity, I suppose, but none come to mind at the moment.
Reaching down to the skirt of her yellow dress, I gradually begin to move it up. By the time I have it above her waist, our tongues are dancing in each otherâs mouths. My hands discover that she isnât wearing any undergarments, as I lightly begin to knead her buttocks. I feel her tense up at my intimate touch, but I donât stop. I donât go any further yet, either.
We continue to kiss like this for a bit, until I feel her relax. Letting go of her rear, I start moving her bright dress up her body some more, until itâs just under her chest.
Her head pulls back, as she bites her bottom lip in thought. We stare at each other, knowing that it isnât necessary to remove the dress, but also knowing itâs something I desire.
Suddenly deciding, she grips the bottom of her clothing, and yanks it up over her head. Her perfectly formed breasts sit firm and high on her chest, no sag to them at all. âMight as well do it all the way,â she states, that wry smile still on her pretty face.
I raise my hands to her sides, and easily roll us over. It takes me a second to get my leather jerkin off, and then even longer to undo the ties to my pants.
She gasps as my cock springs free, even though this isnât the first time sheâs seen it. This is the first time that sheâs had a say in whether or not sheâs going to allow it into her body.
âYou promised to be gentle,â she reminds me, her eyes never leaving my one-eyed monster.
âI promise to be gentle,â I tell her solemnly. âI promise to be gentle. I promise to be gentle.â She laughs slightly, finally looking up to meet my eyes, as I make the promise three times.
âThrice sworn, and done,â she quips, nodding.
âThrice sworn,â I agree, looking at the beautiful fairy, minus her wings. I can see her skin is flushed, and her breathing is a little heavy from her nervousness. Iâm going to have to get her to relax, if weâre going to get this done with minimal pain for her.
She jumps guiltily, as I gently touch her right foot. Slowly, I caress it with my fingers, paying careful attention to the undersides of the toes, and the delicate arch. Using the backs of my fingernails, I tickle my way up her calves, and guiding her tiny digits to my mouth. Despite her nervous nature, she lets out a slight moan as the tip of my tongue brushes against her big toe.
Our eyes meet as I suck all five of her dainty toes into my mouth at once. âI still think youâre a pervert,â she tells me, her voice sultry, and I know sheâs relaxing if she can crack jokes.
âWhat can I say?â I taunt her back. âYou seem to bring it out in me.â
Her only response is to close her eyes, and moan, as I move my kisses up her calf. My hands move to her thighs, and she tenses again, but I wait until she relaxes, before moving my gently sucking lips up to her knees. At this point, Iâm able to make out just how wet her nether-lips are, as her sweet nectar is visibly flowing.
Despite her obvious arousal, I can still sense her trepidation, and take my time, massaging her thighs, and then moving to her other foot, and repeating the process all over again.
This time when my lips brush against her inner thighs, a low moan escapes her lips, and she opens up wider for me. Taking the invitation for what it is, I trace the tip of my tongue up her sensitive thigh, to her outer labia. I gently suck on the thick outer lips, and marvel that sheâs starting to swivel her hips.
Taking the tip of my tongue, I carefully place it at the bottom of her hole, and slide it in, getting my first taste of her tangy twat.
She has a minor orgasm after so much tension and build up, and I lap up her flowing fluids as they come from her virgin hole.
When she relaxes from her peak, I begin to explore more of her vagina, using my tongue to swirl about her inner labia for a time, until I go in for the sensitive nub at the juncture of her labia minor.
Her slender fingers dig into my hair at this point, urging me on, and I know I have won her over to this point. As a reward, I suck hard on her clit, nibbling just slightly with my teeth, and just that quickly, sheâs flooding my mouth with her liquids. The energy from her soul floods into me at the same time, and I begin to feel more rejuvenated, after this haphazard adventure.
This time I donât wait for her to relax, before diving up her body, and fitting the head of my cock between her lower lips.
Her eyes open wide in shock, but her pelvis is still gyrating from her orgasmic bliss, and she gives me a slight nod, letting me know sheâs ready.
âThis is going to hurt,â I tell her gently. âFor that, I am truly sorry.â
âMore than you know,â she says, her eyes closed, ready for the moment.
Sheâs right, I realize. Sheâs about to lose more than her hymen; sheâs about to lose her soul.
This thought sobers me for a second, and when I donât plunge directly into her, she opens her eyes, and stares at me. âWhatâs wrong?â she asks, worry reflected in her voice and golden eyes. âAm I not pretty enough?â
The question catches me off-guard, and I blurt the answer, before I think about it. âNo! I mean, yes! Er, I mean, youâre gorgeous. I just. . . . I just worry about you.â
To my surprise, she blushes deeply, a tinge of red touching her golden cheeks. âJust hurry up and get it over with, Pervert,â she tells me, and I know itâs all bluster, by the way her hips are still moving against me.
Lowering my face to hers, our lips meet, and I simultaneously thrust hard with my hips.
Her cry of pain is muffled by our kiss, as I rip through the thin flesh of her maidenhead, destroying it, and binding us together for the rest of our lives. The whole world seems to . . . well, I donât know how better to say it, than it tilts. All my senses seem to be doubled, but not quite right or in sync. I can feel the solid rock floor beneath my hands, but somehow also on my back. My chest is heaving, and I seem to be pulling in twice the normal amount of air. My eyesight is fuzzy, and our kiss feels like I am trying to wrestle with an extra tongue. The feeling of her warm, wet pussy rippling around my throbbing penis is juxtaposed, with a sharp pain somewhere between my balls and my belly button.
Itâs this pain that finally clears my head enough to realize that we are sharing each otherâs sensations. The kissing feels weird, because Iâm feeling my own tongue in return. I now know the pain of a woman losing her virginity, and sincerely hope to never feel its like again.
We hold together, frozen for a few moments, waiting for our senses to sort themselves out. After a number of tense heartbeats, I feel her start to relax beneath me, and our joined consciousness begins to separate.
âThat was intense,â I breathe, careful not to move my still hard member.
âNot what I expected, either,â she tells me, her chest heaving and flushed.
âIs that it then?â I ask, wondering if that was all we needed to do. Looking around us, I have our answer.
âHe likely wants us to take this to completion,â she says. Her tone sounds sad about the idea, but her hips move against me, belying her attitude. âIâm sure a pervert like you will be up to it?â
Despite her joking attitude, I still worry about her, and hold still, until she pulls my head down to meet hers, and kisses me passionately.
Tenderly, I move my hips, trying to match her rhythm. Despite the fact that my rod has shrunk to conform to her inner walls, sheâs incredibly tight! Every centimeter that I slip out sends new waves of pleasure through me, only to be outdone as I slide back into her grasping hole.
Soon, Iâm moaning in delightful pleasure, and have to break the kiss. She moans in frustration as I try to catch my breath, until I hunch my back, and latch onto one of her small nipples. She pulls me tighter to her breast, and I pick up my momentum, driving into her with slightly increasing vigor, until I can feel my own culmination coming.
Changing my angle slightly, I lift my left hand off the floor, and twiddle her right nipple between my fingers. When her vagina tightens and she screams out in pleasure, Iâm sent over the edge, and fire my load deep into her hungry canal, my whole body shuddering from the paroxysms of bliss.
As I finally regain control over my body, I am only slightly away of the rock floor turning to carpet, and the fairy under me, shrinking back down to her four inches of height. Thankfully, my phallus is well out of her, before sheâs too small to handle it. Although it usually conforms to almost any size, I really doubt it can shrink that small.
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Athorâs Note: Sorry it took me awhile to get these next chapters up. Been a very hectic last little while.